42:6 repent The Hebrew word used here denotes feeling sorrow. It is the same word used to describe the emptions of Job’s friends in 2:11. Job has changed his attitude toward God.

dust and ashes These words occurred earlier in 30:19. There, Job bitterly complains against God. Here, he is humbly repenting (see note on vv. 1–6).

42:7 Eliphaz the Temanite Teman was a city in Edom associated with wisdom in Jer 49:7.

My wrath has been kindled against you God’s anger is directed at Job’s three friends.

as my servant Job Job accused his friends of speaking falsely for God (Job 13:7), arguing that God would rebuke them (13:10). Here God does exactly that—He vindicates Job by saying that Job spoke correctly of Him while Job’s friends did not.

42:8 take for yourselves seven bulls and seven rams The number seven is symbolic of completeness. See note on 1:2.

offer a burnt offering for yourselves God commands Eliphaz and Job’s other two friends to offer a large sacrifice in acknowledgement of their sin—they had accused Job falsely and did not speak correctly about God.

my servant Job will pray for you While God required Job’s friends to sacrifice, He wanted Job to offer a prayer on their behalf. Before his affliction, Job offered sacrifices on behalf of his children out of a suspicion that they had done wrong (1:5). Here, out of a recognition of God’s mercy, he intercedes for his friends who had definitely done wrong against him.

42:9 Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad See note on 2:11.

42:10 returned Job’s fortune Job is restored socially (v. 11), economically (v. 12), and also in his family (vv. 13–16).

42:11 all his brothers and all his sisters Job’s affliction left him alienated and alone (19:13–19). God first restores Job in the community. Instead of being abhorred (19:19), Job was comforted.

42:12 fourteen thousand sheep and goats and six thousand camels Before his affliction, Job was a very wealthy man (see 1:3 and note). Now, God increases Job’s wealth to double his original holdings.

42:13 seven sons and three daughters While Job’s wealth is doubled (see v. 12 and note), his children are not.

42:14 Jemimah Probably comes from a word meaning “dove.”

Keziah Related to a cinnamon-like spice or perfume.

Qeren-Happuk Refers to a container of eye shadow.

42:15 an inheritance in the midst of their brothers In addition to being beautiful, Job’s daughters shared in the inheritance with their brothers. Typically, daughters did not receive any inheritance. The only other ot record of daughters receiving inheritance was when their father died without producing any sons (see Num 27:5–8).

42:16 Job lived after this one hundred and forty years Double the typical life span (Psa 90:10).

42:17 Job died old This epitaph is similar to that of Abraham (Gen 25:8), Isaac (Gen 35:29), David (1 Chr 29:28), and Jehoiada the priest (2 Chr 24:15). Job’s long life is another way of God vindicating Job before other people and blessing him.