Zophar [Zō'phar]—hairy, expanse or pleasant abode.

The Man Who Boasted of His Knowledge of God

A Naamathite, third in order of Job’s friends (Job 2:11; 11:1; 20:1; 42:9).

Described in the Septuagint as “King of the Minaeans.”

The three friends of Job represent three ways of solving the mysterious problems of divine government in the affairs of men. Eliphaz the Temanite is the symbol of human experience or history. Bildad the Shuhite is the symbol of human tradition or philosophy. Zophar the Naamathite is the symbol of human merit or moral law. Zophar of Naamah (Josh. 15:41) had a name suggestive of his manner. It comes from a root meaning “to twitter,” and one of his faults was he dealt with profound things in a more lighthearted, flippant way than his two companions.

Zophar was a religious dogmatist, resorting to rigorous legal and religious methods (Job 11:3-20). His dogmatism, however, rested upon what he thought he knew. He advocated good living. If Job would only turn from his sin and sincerely repent, then God would pardon and restore him. With forcible language, Zophar declared that suffering is judgment warning the sinner to repent and escape heavier punishment.

Zophar himself erred in that he presumed to know all about God and pleaded the worth of human merit in His sight. So he called on poor Job to prepare his heart (Job 11:13). Dr. C. I. Scofield says that “Zophar was a religious dogmatist who assumes to know all about God: what God will do in any given case, why He will do it, and all His thoughts about it. Of all forms of dogmatism this is most irreverent, and least open to reason.” Self-effort or human merit can never satisfy God or produce a rightousness pleasing to Him.