Job 2:11

Eliphaz the Temanite. See on ch. 1:1. One of Esau’s sons was named Eliphaz. He, in turn, had a son named Teman (Gen. 36:11). Teman is named as a geographical location connected with Edom in Jer. 49:7; Eze. 25:13; Amos 1:11, 12; Obadiah 8, 9. There seems to be no definite information as to what part of Edom was the home of the Temanites.

Bildad the Shuhite. Commentators have connected Bildad with Shuah, the brother of Midian (Gen. 25:2), whose descendants were believed to have lived somewhere in the Edomite area. However, the inscriptions now point to Shukhu on the middle Euphrates as the likely origin of Bildad.

Zophar the Naamathite. The name Zophar is otherwise unknown. There was a town of Naamah in southwest Judah (Joshua 15:41) to which Zophar may have belonged.

Made an appointment. The circumstances here mentioned suggest the lapse of considerable time since the calamities had overtaken Job. It would take time for word of his plight to reach these three friends. Then there had to be further time for the three men to communicate with one another and make their appointment. After that they had to travel to Job’s home in the land of Uz. This passage of time helps to explain Job’s change of attitude from the calm resignation of ch. 2:10 to the deep discouragement of ch. 3. The initial blows of tragedy appeared not to be as damaging to Job’s morale as were the weeks of constant suffering of body and distress of mind that followed.

To mourn. Literally, “to shake the head as an expression of pity,” “to make gestures of grief.” Sometimes translated “to bemoan” (Job 42:11; Jer. 15:5; Jer. 16:5; etc.).

To comfort. Heb. nacham, related to a cognate Arabic root meaning “to breathe heavily.”

Eliphaz the Temanite. See on Job 1:1. One of Esau’s sons was named Eliphaz. He, in turn, had a son named Teman (Genesis 36:11). Teman is named as a geographical location connected with Edom in Jeremiah 49:7; Ezekiel 25:13; Amos 1:11, 12; Obadiah 8, 9. There seems to be no definite information as to what part of Edom was the home of the Temanites.

Bildad the Shuhite. Commentators have connected Bildad with Shuah, the brother of Midian (Genesis 25:2), whose descendants were believed to have lived somewhere in the Edomite area. However, the inscriptions now point to Shukhu on the middle Euphrates as the likely origin of Bildad.

Zophar the Naamathite. The name Zophar is otherwise unknown. There was a town of Naamah in southwest Judah (Joshua 15:41) to which Zophar may have belonged.

Made an appointment. The circumstances here mentioned suggest the lapse of considerable time since the calamities had overtaken Job. It would take time for word of his plight to reach these three friends. Then there had to be further time for the three men to communicate with one another and make their appointment. After that they had to travel to Job’s home in the land of Uz. This passage of time helps to explain Job’s change of attitude from the calm resignation of Job 2:10 to the deep discouragement of chapter 3. The initial blows of tragedy appeared not to be as damaging to Job’s morale as were the weeks of constant suffering of body and distress of mind that followed.

To mourn. Literally, “to shake the head as an expression of pity,” “to make gestures of grief.” Sometimes translated “to bemoan” (Job 42:11; Jeremiah 15:5; Jeremiah 16:5; etc.).

To comfort. Hebrew nacham, related to a cognate Arabic root meaning “to breathe heavily.”