Job 21 1

Job 21:1 kjv

But Job answered and said,

Job 21:1 nkjv

Then Job answered and said:

Job 21:1 niv

Then Job replied:

Job 21:1 esv

Then Job answered and said:

Job 21:1 nlt

Then Job spoke again:

Job 21 verses

Job 21 1 Meaning

Job 21:1 functions as a crucial narrative transition in the Book of Job, marking the beginning of Job's final and most potent response in the third cycle of debates with his friends. It signifies that Job is about to speak, specifically answering Zophar's recent speech, setting the stage for his direct and confrontational challenge to the simplistic view of divine retribution.

Job 21 1 Context

Job 21:1 opens the climactic third and final round of debates between Job and his three friends. Prior to this verse, each of Job's friends—Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar—has delivered a total of two speeches, attempting to explain Job's suffering through their rigid doctrine of divine retribution: that suffering is directly proportional to sin. In the preceding chapter (Job 20), Zophar has just finished his second and most aggressive speech, painting a vivid picture of the ultimate ruin of the wicked. Job 21:1 serves as the prompt for Job to articulate his most profound challenge to their simplistic theology, asserting that the reality he observes—where the wicked often prosper—contradicts their fundamental premise. This speech will then set the stage for a period of silence from the friends (who have no counter-argument) before the introduction of Elihu and later God's direct intervention.

Job 21 1 Word analysis

• Then (וַיַּעַן – vayya'an):

  • Word-level: The Hebrew waw consecutive indicates sequential action, meaning "and he answered." It firmly places Job's response immediately after Zophar's speech.
  • Significance: More than a simple transition, it highlights that Job is providing a direct, pointed rejoinder to what has just been said. It underscores the ongoing nature of the verbal combat.
  • Context: It mirrors the consistent pattern throughout the dialogue sections of Job (and much of Hebrew narrative) for introducing a speaker's turn.

• Job (אִיּוֹב – 'Iyyobh):

  • Word-level: The proper name of the protagonist of the book, a figure renowned for his righteousness and steadfastness in suffering. His name may derive from a root meaning "persecuted" or "to repent."
  • Significance: This identifies the speaker, reinforcing the personal nature of the impending argument. The reader is reminded of the character's extraordinary suffering and previous lamentations.
  • Context: His identity as a "blameless and upright" man (Job 1:1) who nevertheless suffers intensely is central to the entire theological inquiry of the book.

• answered (וַיַּעַן – vayya'an):

  • Word-level: From the root ענה ('anah), meaning "to answer, respond, reply." Often implies a response to an accusation, question, or challenge.
  • Significance: It is not merely "spoke," but "replied" to the preceding argument of Zophar. Job is directly engaging with and refuting the friends' theology, especially their assertion that suffering is only for the wicked.
  • Context: This verb is consistently used to introduce Job's retorts throughout the debates (e.g., Job 6:1; 9:1; 12:1; 16:1; 19:1). It highlights the back-and-forth, often contentious, nature of the conversation.

• and said (וַיֹּאמֶר – vayyo'mer):

  • Word-level: From the root אמר ('amar), meaning "to say, speak, declare." This common Hebrew narrative connective phrase ("answered and said") frequently introduces direct speech.
  • Significance: It signals that Job's verbal response is now beginning. While "answered" indicates the direction of the speech (to the previous speaker), "and said" initiates the content.
  • Context: This phrase is a common and vital literary device in biblical Hebrew narratives to transition into direct quotes. Its pairing with "answered" emphasizes that what follows is a formal and often argumentative or deliberative reply.

Job 21 1 Bonus section

The brevity of Job 21:1 belies its significant role in the literary structure of the book. This precise, almost formulaic opening to each speech in the dialogues emphasizes the sequential and responsive nature of the conversations. The use of "Then Job answered and said" marks the culmination of the third and final cycle of arguments where the traditional wisdom of the friends breaks down in the face of Job's experienced reality. After Job's speech beginning in Job 21:1, his friends have no further counter-arguments in the third cycle, leading to a profound silence that highlights the insufficiency of their theological frameworks. This paves the way for Elihu's discourse (chapters 32-37) and ultimately for God's direct intervention (chapters 38-41). The simple transition verse thus introduces a pivotal shift in the theological and literary development of the entire Book of Job.

Job 21 1 Commentary

Job 21:1, though short, is a critical literary signpost within the Book of Job. It signals that Job is about to launch his most direct and provocative argument against the conventional wisdom championed by his friends. This verse acts as a dramatic pause, directing the reader's attention to Job, who is not merely speaking but "answering" – countering Zophar's recent, harsh assertions. What follows this seemingly simple phrase is Job's bold declaration that reality itself contradicts their tidy theology of suffering, forcing them to confront the inconvenient truth of the wicked's prosperity. This opening prepares the listener for Job's painful and honest protest against what he perceives as a divine injustice or, at least, a divine operation not fully aligned with human notions of fairness. This marks a turning point where the arguments of Job's friends are, for all intents and purposes, exhausted.