Job 42:8
in Job 42So now, take seven bulls and seven rams, go to My servant Job, and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. Then My servant Job will pray for you, for I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken accurately about Me, as My servant Job has.”
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Now therefore, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept, that I deal not with you after your folly; for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.
KJV
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.
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This verse in Job 42
Commentary
10 notes on this verseTake unto you seven bulls, and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a whole burnt offering. But My servant Job shall pray for you; his face I will accept, that folly be not imputed to you. 11. Behold the just and merciful God neither passes over their faults without reproof, nor yet leaves their guilt without conversion. For since He is our inward Physician, He first made known the corruptions of our wound, and afterwards pointed out the remedies for obtaining health.
This site's exposition
had spoken these words to Job
on Job 42:7-8
God rules on the debate, naming Eliphaz for all three. Their speeches held true words, 5:13 among them, yet God says “you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has”. Henry notes their offering is accepted only through the man they came to correct.
This site's exposition
take seven bulls and seven rams
Clarke notes that Job is priest here, as at Job 1:5. Gill finds seven bulls and seven rams again in the sacrifice of Balaam at Numbers 23:1. Jamieson, Fausset and Brown see Job, who will pray for his friends, as a figure of the one Mediator.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
He would have not ordered that if there had been the law, but now he becomes priest, while they bring offerings. Job had made sacrifices for his children; now he makes them for his friends. See how the text shows that Job is devoid of resentment. God takes [Job's friends] as witnesses of the virtue of the man, and equally he shows the gravity of their fault through the extraordinary importance of the offering. He would have not needed such great victims if the faults to be expiated had not been so serious. He also shows that the sacrifice was not sufficient, "for," he says, "but for his sake," I would have not healed you from your guilt. In this manner he shows that he has forgiven them as well. "I would have destroyed you," he says, "for but for his sake," "because you have not spoken the truth against my servant Job." Notice that even though they could speak with zeal as much as they wanted, they were accused just the same of saying nothing true, or rather, they did not speak with the zeal that is fitting to God. In that case, they would have been forgiven. This is also the reason why Job attacked them. Through this we learn that the one who accuses the righteous will have to expiate a serious fault.
The Medieval Church1 voice
To expiate grave sins the ancients used to offer sacrifice, and so he says, "Therefore, take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams," because they were elders of the people. Seven is the number of totality and so seven sacrifices can expiate for grave sins. …
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks, and seven rams,.... Creatures used in sacrifice before the giving of the Levitical law, Gen 4:4; and the same number of the same creatures were offered by Balaam in the country of Moab, not far from where Job lived, nor at any great distance of time from his age, Num 23:1; and among the Gentiles in later times (q).
My servant - Whom though you condemned as an hypocrite, I own for my faithful servant. Offer - By the hand of Job, whom I hereby constitute your priest to pray and sacrifice for you. Lest I deal - Lest my just judgment take hold of you for your false and foolish speeches.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
Take - seven bullocks and seven rams - From this it appears that Job was considered a priest, not only in his own family but also for others. For his children he offered burnt-offerings, Job 1:5; and now he is to make the same kind of offerings, accompanied with intercession, in behalf of his three friends. This is a full proof of the innocence and integrity of Job: a more decided one could not be given, that the accusations of his friends, and their bitter speeches, were as untrue as they were malevolent.
2 more voices on this verse
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Job plainly lived before the legal priesthood, &c. The patriarchs acted as priests for their families; and sometimes as praying mediators (Ge 20:17), thus foreshadowing the true Mediator (1Ti 2:5), but sacrifice accompanies and is the groundwork on which the mediation rests. him--rather, "His person [face] only" (see on Job 22:30).
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Therefore take unto you - Or, FOR yourselves. Seven bullocks and seven rams - The number “seven” was a common number in offering animals for sacrifice; see Lev 23:18; Num 29:32. It was not a number, however, confined at all to Jewish sacrifices, for we find that Balaam gave the direction to Balak, king of Moab, to prepare just this number for sacrifice. “And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams;” Num 23:1, Num 23:29. The number “seven” was early regarded as a perfect number, and it was probably with reference to this that that number of victims was selected, with an intention of offering a sacrifice that would be complete or perfect. And go to my servant Job - An acknowledgment of his superiority. It is probably to be understood, also, that Job would act as the officiating priest in offering up the sacrifice. It is observable that no allusion is made in this book to the priestly office, and the conclusion is obvious that the scene is laid before the institution of that office among the Jews; compare the notes at Job 1:5. And offer up for yourselves - That is, by the aid of Job. They were to make the offering, though Job was evidently to be the officiating priest. A burnt-offering - Notes, Job 1:5. And my servant Job shall pray for you - In connection with the offering, or as the officiating priest. This is a beautiful instance of the nature and propriety of intercession for others. Job was a holy man; his prayers would be acceptable to God, and his friends were permitted to avail themselves of his powerful intercession in their behalf. It is also an instance showing the nature of the patriarchal worship. It did not consist merely in offering sacrifices. […]
The words behind it
33 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וְעַתָּ֡ה | veatah | and therefore | H6258 → | 433 times |
| קְחֽוּ־ | kechu- | take | H3947 → | 966 times |
| לָכֶ֣ם | lakhem | for yourselves | ||
| שִׁבְעָֽה־ | shivah- | seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| פָרִים֩ | farim | bulls | H6499 → | |
| וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה | veshivah | and seven | H7651 → | 394 times |
| אֵילִ֜ים | ʾeilim | rams | H352 → | |
| וּלְכ֣וּ׀ | ulekhu | and go | H1980 → | 1546 times |
| אֶל־ | ʾel- | to | H413 → | 5510 times |
| עַבְדִּ֣י | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אִיּ֗וֹב | ʾiyov | Job | H347 → | 58 times |
| וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֤ם | vehaalitem | and you will offer up | H5927 → | 890 times |
| עוֹלָה֙ | olah | a burnt offering | H5930 → | |
| בַּֽעַדְכֶ֔ם | baadkhem | for yourselves | H1157 → | 105 times |
| וְאִיּ֣וֹב | veiyov | and Job | H347 → | 58 times |
| עַבְדִּ֔י | ʾavdi | servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| יִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל | yitpalel | he will pray | H6419 → | |
| עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם | ʾaleikhem | on you | H5921 → | 5755 times |
| כִּ֧י | ki | that | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אִם־ | ʾim- | except | H518 → | 1069 times |
| פָּנָ֣יו | panav | face his | H6440 → | 2123 times |
| אֶשָּׂ֗א | ʾesa' | I will lift up | H5375 → | 656 times |
| לְבִלְתִּ֞י | levilti | to not | H1115 → | |
| עֲשׂ֤וֹת | asot | to do | H6213 → | 2628 times |
| עִמָּכֶם֙ | ʾimakhem | with you | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| נְבָלָ֔ה | nevalah | punishment for folly | H5039 → | |
| כִּ֠י | ki | for | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם | dibartem | you have spoken | H1696 → | 1141 times |
| אֵלַ֛י | ʾelai | concerning me | H413 → | 5510 times |
| נְכוֹנָ֖ה | nekhonah | a reliable [thing] | H3559 → | 217 times |
| כְּעַבְדִּ֥י | keavdi | like servant my | H5650 → | 799 times |
| אִיּֽוֹב׃ | ʾiyov | Job | H347 → | 58 times |
וְעַתָּ֡הand therefore
veatahH6258 →433 times
קְחֽוּ־take
kechu-H3947 →966 times
לָכֶ֣םfor yourselves
lakhem
שִׁבְעָֽה־seven
shivah-H7651 →394 times
פָרִים֩bulls
farimH6499 →
וְשִׁבְעָ֨הand seven
veshivahH7651 →394 times
אֵילִ֜יםrams
ʾeilimH352 →
וּלְכ֣וּ׀and go
ulekhuH1980 →1546 times
אֶל־to
ʾel-H413 →5510 times
עַבְדִּ֣יservant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
אִיּ֗וֹבJob
ʾiyovH347 →58 times
וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֤םand you will offer up
vehaalitemH5927 →890 times
עוֹלָה֙a burnt offering
olahH5930 →
בַּֽעַדְכֶ֔םfor yourselves
baadkhemH1157 →105 times
וְאִיּ֣וֹבand Job
veiyovH347 →58 times
עַבְדִּ֔יservant my
ʾavdiH5650 →799 times
יִתְפַּלֵּ֖לhe will pray
yitpalelH6419 →
עֲלֵיכֶ֑םon you
ʾaleikhemH5921 →5755 times
כִּ֧יthat
kiH3588 →4482 times
אִם־except
ʾim-H518 →1069 times
פָּנָ֣יוface his
panavH6440 →2123 times
אֶשָּׂ֗אI will lift up
ʾesa'H5375 →656 times
לְבִלְתִּ֞יto not
leviltiH1115 →
עֲשׂ֤וֹתto do
asotH6213 →2628 times
עִמָּכֶם֙with you
ʾimakhemH5973 →1050 times
נְבָלָ֔הpunishment for folly
nevalahH5039 →
כִּ֠יfor
kiH3588 →4482 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
דִבַּרְתֶּ֥םyou have spoken
dibartemH1696 →1141 times
אֵלַ֛יconcerning me
ʾelaiH413 →5510 times
נְכוֹנָ֖הa reliable [thing]
nekhonahH3559 →217 times
כְּעַבְדִּ֥יlike servant my
keavdiH5650 →799 times
אִיּֽוֹב׃Job
ʾiyovH347 →58 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
James 5:16Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man has great power to prevail.
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you.
- Proverbs 15:29
The LORD is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.
- Matthew 21:22
If you believe, you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer.”
- Psalms 34:15
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are inclined to their cry.
- John 9:31
We know that God does not listen to sinners, but He does listen to the one who worships Him and does His will.
- Jeremiah 29:12–13
Through
Psalms 103:10He has not dealt with us according to our sins or repaid us according to our iniquities.
it leads to
- Ezra 9:13
After all that has come upon us because of our evil deeds and our great guilt (though You, our God, have punished us less than our iniquities deserve and have given us such a…
- Lamentations 3:22
Because of the loving devotion of the LORD we are not consumed, for His mercies never fail.
- Nehemiah 9:31
But in Your great compassion, You did not put an end to them; nor did You forsake them, for You are a gracious and compassionate God.
- Ezra 9:13
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Job
Who and where
1 name in this verse with a page on the site.
This page draws on 10 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Book of Job; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXXV; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Chrysostom, COMMENTARY ON JOB 42:8; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.