“11 Now when Job's three friends heard of all this adversity that had come upon him, each one came from his own place — Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. For they had made an appointment together to come and mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12 And when they raised their eyes from afar, and did not recognize him, they lifted their voices and wept; and each one tore his robe and sprinkled dust on his head toward heaven. 13 So they sat down with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, and no one spoke a word to him, for they saw that his grief was very great.” (Job 2:11-13; NKJV).
Who They Were. The Spirit refers to Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar in Job 2:11 as Job’s “friends.” They were his intimates, not casual acquaintances (Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon). Let there be no doubt about who these men were in relation to Job. The Spirit says they were his friends.
Why They Came. They came to Job at this time because they had “heard of all this adversity that had come upon him” (Job 2:11; NKJV). They had heard of all the “bad or evil” that had beset their friend (Strong’s). They made an appointment together to visit Job. The “appointment” suggests that some time has passed. The adversity strikes Job, his friends hear about it, make an appointment to go to him, and finally travel to him. They determine to visit him for the purposes of mourning and comforting. “Mourn” has to do with showing grief, lamenting, showing sympathy (Brown Driver & Briggs Hebrew Lexicon). “Comfort” has to do with sighing, breathing strongly, by implication it has to do with being sorry for another (Strong’s). They came not to satisfy their curiosity concerning his adversity and the strangeness of the circumstances of them. They were not sent for. They came on their own accord. This was not a visit out of duty, mind you, just to look upon him and be gone. But they came as those who would have had no enjoyment of themselves if they had returned to their place while their friend was in such misery.
How They Responded. Job’s frame and general appearance had become so ravaged by his disease he was beyond recognition (Job 2:12). The force of the impression produced on them prompted them to weep loudly, to tear their robes, to sprinkle dust on their heads toward heaven, to sit with him on the ground seven days and seven nights in silence (Job 2:12-13). Observing their friend miserably altered, they did not leave him, but expressed so much the more their love. As true friends, they put themselves into the same humble and uneasy place and posture: “So they sat down with him on the ground…” (Job 2:13; NKJV). They resolved to stay with him as long as they were needed by him. For seven days and seven nights they did not speak to Job, “for they saw that his grief was great” (Job 2:13; NKJV).
Job’s Three Friends and Me. You may think when your friend is suffering that you have to say something comforting, sympathetic, or advisory. But what they may really need is for us just to be with them and share their pain. I believe Job 2:11-13 is one of the most moving scenes in the Bible. Job’s three friends sat on the ground with him in silence for seven days and seven nights, mourning with him, comforting him. Pray for friends likes these three. Be a friend like these three. Sometimes we say it best when we say nothing at all.
Jason
