What does Job 17:10 reveal about the persistence of Job's friends' arguments? Placing Job 17:10 in Context “Yet turn, all of you, and come now; for I find no wise man among you.” • Job has just lamented his shattered hope (17:1–9). • He turns directly to his friends, inviting them to “come again” with their speeches—knowing full well they will. • The line drips with irony: their repeated visits have offered no wisdom, only recycled accusations. Job’s Sarcastic Invitation • “Turn…come now” echoes earlier cycles (cf. 13:3–5; 16:2–3). Job expects more of the same. • By announcing he “finds no wise man,” he exposes their inability to grasp his innocence or God’s larger purposes. What Verse 10 Reveals about Their Persistence • Unyielding Repetition – Each friend has already spoken twice; they will soon launch a third round (chapters 18–25). – They refuse to abandon their rigid retribution theology: righteous prosper, wicked suffer (cf. 4:7–9; 8:20). • Deafness to Correction – Job’s rebuttals have dismantled their logic (6:24–30; 12:2–4), yet they remain unmoved. – Verse 10 hints they are preparing to “turn” back, as if reloading the same arguments. • Lack of True Wisdom – Proverbs links wisdom to fearing the LORD and understanding truth (Proverbs 1:7; 9:10). – Because they ignore God’s sovereign freedom (Job 9:22–23) and Job’s integrity (1:1, 8), their counsel isn’t wise, it’s mere dogma. Supporting Passages on Stubborn Counsel • “Miserable comforters are you all!” (16:2) – Job labels their persistence as misery-inducing, not consoling. • “You smear me with lies; you are worthless physicians.” (13:4) – Their relentless diagnoses only deepen the wound. • Similar warnings: Proverbs 18:2, 13 (folly of answering before listening); Jeremiah 6:14 (superficial healing). Key Takeaways • Repetition doesn’t validate an argument; truth does. • Genuine wisdom listens, reevaluates, and submits to God’s revelation rather than forcing experience into a preset formula. • Persistent but misguided counsel can compound suffering, reminding us to weigh every word against the whole counsel of Scripture (Acts 17:11; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). |
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