Zophar

For other uses, see Zophar (disambiguation).

File:Kievskaya psaltir iov 02.jpg

Illustration of Job and his friends from the Kiev Psalter of 1397

In the Hebrew Bible/Old Testament Book of Job, Zophar or Tzofar (צוֹפַר "Chirping; rising early", Standard Hebrew Tsofar, Tiberian Hebrew Ṣôp̄ar) the Naamathite is one of the three friends of Job who visits to comfort him during his illness. His comments can be found in Job chapter 11 and 20. He suggests that Job's suffering could be divine punishment, and goes into great detail about the consequences of living a life of sin.

Speeches

Unlike friends Bildad and Eliphaz, Zophar only speaks twice to Job. He is the most impetuous and dogmatic of the three. Zophar is the first to accuse Job directly of wickedness; averring indeed that his punishment is too good for him (Job 11:6); he rebukes Job's impious presumption in trying to find out the unsearchable secrets of God (Job 11:7 - 12); and yet, like the rest of the friends, promises peace and restoration on condition of penitence and putting away iniquity (Job 11:13 - 19).