Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, introduces the words Job speaks next, identifying them as a parable or solemn discourse and indicating that he continued speaking. It continues his poetic speeches in the debate with his three friends about the cause and purpose of human suffering, a discussion extending from chapters 4 through 31 and drawing to a close. It marks the beginning of Job's last reply after his friends have stopped their accusations, with the assigned reading ending partway through that reply. The arguments in these speeches are not all true, for Job's friends generally state truths but wrongly apply them to Job, whose suffering does not mean that God is displeased with him.
Together with the next three verses, the verse supports that human beings, like animals, are living creatures animated by life from God, whose life depends on the breath God gives and is not inherently immortal. The verse shows Job continuing his discourse as part of one connected book, a wonderful poem that needs to be read through at one sitting in connection to be understood. Its force and beauty are lost when it is taken in fragments or divided up by reading only so many chapters a day. The same applies to many other books of the Bible, especially the minor prophets and the epistles. At family prayers a few verses are often better than even an entire chapter, but for understanding everyone ought to make it a frequent practice to read and study an entire book at one sitting even if it breaks a regular course.
Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, introduces the words Job speaks next, identifying them as a parable or solemn discourse and indicating that he continued speaking.
It continues his poetic speeches in the debate with his three friends about the cause and purpose of human suffering, a discussion extending from chapters 4 through 31 and drawing to a close.
It marks the beginning of Job's last reply after his friends have stopped their accusations, with the assigned reading ending partway through that reply.
The arguments in these speeches are not all true, for Job's friends generally state truths but wrongly apply them to Job, whose suffering does not mean that God is displeased with him.
Together with the next three verses, the verse supports that human beings, like animals, are living creatures animated by life from God, whose life depends on the breath God gives and is not inherently immortal.
The verse shows Job continuing his discourse as part of one connected book, a wonderful poem that needs to be read through at one sitting in connection to be understood.
Its force and beauty are lost when it is taken in fragments or divided up by reading only so many chapters a day.
The same applies to many other books of the Bible, especially the minor prophets and the epistles.
At family prayers a few verses are often better than even an entire chapter, but for understanding everyone ought to make it a frequent practice to read and study an entire book at one sitting even if it breaks a regular course.