Chapter Summary

Job's answer to Eliphaz continued.

Discussion Questions for Job, Chapter 7

1. Job continues his laments in chapter 7. Read verses 1-6. What are some things Job says to describe his condition? What does he compare himself to? How can you relate to what Job says in these verses?
2. Read verses 4-6 again. Job claims that he is full of tossing as he complains about the long nights and the swift days. Can you think of a time when you experienced such conflicting thoughts? How could you counsel someone like Job who is feeling such hopelessness?
3. From Job 6:1-7:6, Job has been addressing his remarks to his friends. Beginning in Job 7:7 through the end of the chapter, Job seems to turn his words toward God. What does Job say in verse 7? How are his words here similar to the message of the book of Ecclesiastes? (See Ecclesiastes 1:14; See also James 4:14) Explain your response.
4. Read verses 7 and 16. What word is repeated in these two verses? How are these two verses similar? How might these verses apply to you?
5. What does Job say about the value of his life in verses 7-10? What image does Job compare his life to? What is significant about this image? Explain your response. Why is this significant?
6. Verse 11 is an important verse in understanding the meaning of this chapter. Job mentions one negative action followed by two positive actions that indicate Job's emotions. What does he say? Who is Job addressing in this verse? Why are his words here revealing? How do you relate to what he says?
7. Read verses 12-21. In these verses, Job asks several questions. What questions does Job ask? Is it right to question God? Why or why not?
8. Read Job 7:17 and then Psalm 8:4. How are these two verses related? What is the main idea of each of these verses? How do these verses make you feel? What kind of impact do they have on you?
9. Consider the questions in verses 17-21. Job made mention of "The eye of him who sees me" in verse 8. How is this similar to what he says in verse 20? Have you ever felt like God was testing you? How did you respond? What did you learn from your experience?
10. In chapters 4-5, Eliphaz was making the case that Job's circumstances were a result of some unconfessed sin. Yet in verses 20-21, Job seems to acknowledge his sinfulness. What does he say? Are his circumstances the result of his sin? What can we know from seeing the big picture of the book of Job, especially what we know from the first two chapters?

Key Words/Phrase

Complaint, v. 11.

Characters

God, Eliphaz, Job.

Strong Verse(s)

17, 18.