Zophar
Pronounced ZO-far
- Meaning
- "Chirping; Sparrow; Rising early"
- Origin
- Hebrew
Zophar means "chirping" or "sparrow" in Hebrew. He was the third of Job's three friends, called "the Naamathite." Of the three, Zophar was the most direct and least diplomatic in his accusations against Job. Zophar dispensed with the careful approaches of Eliphaz and Bildad and went straight for the jugular: "Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth." In other words, Zophar told suffering Job that his punishment was actually lighter than he deserved — a breathtakingly harsh assessment. Yet Zophar's speeches also contain genuine theological beauty. His description of God's unsearchable wisdom is magnificent: "Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?" Zophar spoke only twice in the dialogue (compared to three speeches each for Eliphaz and Bildad), suggesting he had less to say — or that he withdrew from the conversation. Like his friends, he needed Job's prayer for forgiveness, reminding us that even correct theology spoken without love falls short.
Spiritual meaning
Zophar spoke profound truth about God's unsearchable nature — yet wielded it as a weapon against a suffering friend. His story teaches that theological accuracy without empathy is not wisdom but cruelty.
Related verses (KJV)
"Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth."
Job 11:6 (KJV) →"Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know?"
Job 11:7-8 (KJV) →