What is the meaning of Job 16:1? Then • The single word “Then” signals a sequence. God’s Word wants us to see that Job’s reply follows directly after Eliphaz’s second speech (Job 15). • This pattern of “Then … replied” structures the entire dialogue (Job 4:1; 6:1; 8:1; 12:1). Each “Then” marks a new round, reminding us that God records events in real time and invites us to trace the flow of thought. • Cross reference: “After this, Job opened his mouth” (Job 3:1). Just as that “after this” launched Job’s lament, the “Then” here launches his rebuttal, anchoring us in the ongoing story. Job • The named speaker matters. Scripture re-centers on the suffering saint God Himself praised as “blameless and upright” (Job 1:1). • His credibility is underscored elsewhere: “You have heard of Job’s perseverance” (James 5:11) and God lists him with Noah and Daniel (Ezekiel 14:14). • When “Job” speaks, readers are reminded that the man who once said, “Shall we accept from God only good and not adversity?” (Job 2:10) is still wrestling honestly yet faithfully. • This verse prepares us to hear not just an ancient voice but the testimony of a righteous sufferer whom God later vindicates (Job 42:7). answered • Job does more than react emotionally; he “answered.” Scripture presents reasoned dialogue, showing that faith engages mind and heart. • Earlier he “answered” in Job 6:1 and Job 12:1; now, in Job 16, his answer grows sharper, exposing the insufficiency of human wisdom apart from divine revelation. • His “answer” fulfills Proverbs 27:6 (“Faithful are the wounds of a friend”)—he will wound with words of truth, challenging his friends’ faulty theology. • The colon after “answered:” waits for us to lean in, signaling that what follows (vv. 2-22) is weighty lament and budding hope pointing forward to the ultimate Mediator (v. 21). summary Job 16:1—“Then Job answered:”—is more than a narrative placeholder. “Then” stitches the ongoing debate together; “Job” reminds us a proven, righteous sufferer is about to speak; “answered” invites us to expect a thoughtful, truth-seeking reply. The verse read literally grounds us in real history, prepares us for Job’s honest complaint, and sets the stage for deeper revelations of God’s justice and mercy that crescendo in the book’s final chapters. |
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