Then Job answered and said opens Job's answer or reply in the long discussion of his afflictions. It is one of his answers in turn to the constant accusations, implied and otherwise, of his friends. It responds to Bildad, answering the accusation made in chapter 8 and continuing into chapter 10. It belongs to the extended poetic debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions and about the cause and purpose of human suffering. That debate runs through chapters 4 to 31 in three circles of speeches by each speaker. The immediate discussion is covered by chapters 8-10.
The surrounding exchange runs from chapter 8 to chapter 27 and ends with the friends ceasing to trouble him in the middle of his last reply. The book presents Job as a real, upright man. Afflictions are no proof of sin, and suffering does not prove that God is displeased with the sufferer. His three friends charge him with sin and declare that his sufferings are because of sin, though their general claims about evil and reward are true in themselves and only misapplied to his case.
The passage shows the great problems that have perplexed humanity through the ages, an overruling providence, and sin and suffering, with God disciplining Job and bringing him through the fire of affliction. It warns against misjudging fellow sufferers today in the same way the friends misjudged Job. The book's force and beauty are best understood by reading it as a connected whole rather than in isolated fragments.
Then Job answered and said opens Job's answer or reply in the long discussion of his afflictions. It is one of his answers in turn to the constant accusations, implied and otherwise, of his friends.
It responds to Bildad, answering the accusation made in chapter 8 and continuing into chapter 10. It belongs to the extended poetic debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions and about the cause and purpose of human suffering. That debate runs through chapters 4 to 31 in three circles of speeches by each speaker. The immediate discussion is covered by chapters 8-10.
The surrounding exchange runs from chapter 8 to chapter 27 and ends with the friends ceasing to trouble him in the middle of his last reply. The book presents Job as a real, upright man. Afflictions are no proof of sin, and suffering does not prove that God is displeased with the sufferer. His three friends charge him with sin and declare that his sufferings are because of sin, though their general claims about evil and reward are true in themselves and only misapplied to his case.
The passage shows the great problems that have perplexed humanity through the ages, an overruling providence, and sin and suffering, with God disciplining Job and bringing him through the fire of affliction. It warns against misjudging fellow sufferers today in the same way the friends misjudged Job. The book's force and beauty are best understood by reading it as a connected whole rather than in isolated fragments.