ゾフアル

Zophar the Naamathite was the third of Job's friends, known for his blunt and uncompromising assertion that Job deserved worse than he received: 'Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves' (Job 11:6). He speaks twice in the dialogues (Job 11; 20) before apparently falling silent, with Elihu replacing him in the later chapters. His arguments are the most direct application of retribution theology: Job's claims of innocence are presumptuous, and his suffering proves hidden sin. His second speech is a vivid poem on the swift destruction of the wicked (Job 20), delivered without empathy for Job's actual situation. Along with Eliphaz and Bildad, God declares that Zophar has not spoken truthfully and requires him to seek Job's intercession (Job 42:7–9).