Job 26:1-40

Job 26:1 Job: The Power of God, Place of Wisdom, and Path of Integrity. Up until now, the dialogue between Job and his three friends has followed a pattern in which each speech by Job is followed by responses from the friends in a particular order: Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. After two full cycles of the dialogue, it appears that Job is tired of the repetitive nature of his friends’ responses. He signals the end of the dialogue by cutting Bildad’s third response short and refusing to allow any third speech from Zophar. Job concludes with a lengthy monologue in which he takes up several themes. The friends’ presumed knowledge does not necessarily promote justice nor take into consideration the mystery of God’s ways (Job 26:1). Job cannot agree that his suffering reveals wickedness, and he wishes that those who oppose him would be cut off along with the wicked (Job 27:1). Job describes the value, mystery, and place of wisdom (Job 28:1). He longs for the past (Job 29:1), laments the present (Job 30:1), and finishes with a plea that the true character of his life would be revealed and would be properly judged (Job 31:1).