2) Does God set any limits to the damage Satan can inflict upon Job?

3) What does Job curse? By implication, what is not getting cursed?

4) What state of existence would he prefer? Consider the contrasts that he draws.

5) How does Eliphaz explain Job’s suffering? Who DOES God inflict suffering upon, according to Eliphaz?

6) What purpose does suffering serve? In other words, how should Job think about his troubles, according to Eliphaz?

7) Does Job respond the way Eliphaz thinks he should? What does Job ask God to do?

8) Job lashes out at his friends. Why?

9) What does he ask of his friends? What doesn’t he want from them?

10) Does Bildad do what Job asks? What tack does he take in responding to Job’s lament?

11) How does God treat the upright and the wicked, according to Bildad? Which category, by implication, does Job fall into?

12) Does Job agree with Bildad’s confident knowledge of how God treats the upright and the wicked? What does Job know of God acting in the universe?

13) Does Job think that he is wicked–that he deserves the punishment he is receiving?

14) Given what Job knows about God, how can Job approach God and make his case? (consider 9:32-35 especially)

15) What does Job believe about God’s intentions towards him? Is God pursuing or rehabilitating him? Contrast with what Eliphaz and Bildad believe about how God looks upon the upright.

16) What Eliphaz and Bildad only implied, Zophar says straight out! Why is God making Job suffer?

17) What does Zophar want Job to do?

18) Does Job accept Zophar’s judgment?

19) Like Zophar, Job also goes on the attack. According to Job, what does God do with those people who think they are secure in their own comfort? Who does he have in mind here? (Hint: trying reading chapter 12 aloud in the tone of voice you think Job used.)

20) Explain the warning Job gives to his friends. Why are they walking on thin ice, according to Job?

21) Job makes two requests of God (13:20-23) What are they? And are they reasonable, given what he knows of God?

22) Why does Job consider trees to have more hope than human beings?

23) What does Job want from God? (see 14:13-17) Is this wish different than what he asked for in his opening lament (chapter 3)? If so, how would you account for the difference?

24) Do you detect a change in tone between Eliphaz’ first (chapter 4-5) and second (chapter 15) speeches?

25) How does Job respond (chapter 16)? What does this exchange tell you about the direction in which the conversation is headed?

26) Haven’t we heard this argument by Bildad before? Is it persuasive to you?

27) Job here asserts that God has targeted him personally–but then affirms, in perhaps the most famous words of the whole book, that “I know that my Redeemer lives”. Is there a contradiction here?

28) Is Zophar making the same argument as Bildad (chapter 18)? In what sense does Zophar answer Job’s previous speech? Or does he?

29) With the third and final speech by Eliphaz, the debate takes a nastier turn. What does Eliphaz accuse Job of?

30) Does Job respond to Eliphaz’ charge?

31) What DOES Job want from God? Hang onto 23:6 and consider this verse in light of Job’s two last speeches at the end of the book.

32) In Chapter 25, is there anything new here that is contributed by Bildad?

33) How would you characterize the tone of 26:2-4?

34) Job ends the debate by asserting his integrity (27:1-6), then calling down God’s wrath if he ever harmed anyone.(chapter 31) Why didn’t he say all this earlier?

35) Chapters 29 and 30 contrast not just Job’s prior happiness and present suffering, but more specifically the honor he once enjoyed and the contempt he now has to put up with. Does this radical change in social standing give us a clue as to what Job wants from God, and why?

36) Consider how the speeches of the “friends” change from the first to the third cycle, particularly in light of chapter 30. What are we being told about the causes of human suffering? to what extent is it under God’s control, and to what extent under human control?

37) Why has Elihu jumped into the fray?

38) Job has insisted that he is innocent. How, according to Elihu, does God deal with people who are convinced of their own righteousness?

39) According to Elihu, Job is like the wicked.(34:7-8, 36) Why? What has Job done which is so reprehensible?

40) Do people have any power to manipulate God, according to Elihu?

41) Once again (as in chapter 33) how does God deal with those who are suffering? Therefore how should Job call upon God?

42) What is the appropriate human response to God? Why?

43) God hammers Job with a series of rhetorical questions. If God allowed Job time to respond, how would Job have to respond to each one?

44) Is God, like Job’s friends, pressing Job to admit that he had done wrong and deserved punishment? If not, what point is God making here? Is it any different than Elihu’s argument in chapter 37? (see question 44 above)

45) What points about God’s governance are stressed in these two discourses (that is, chapters 37 vs. 38-39)

46) Job responds twice (40:3-5, 42:1-6). Does he admit having sinned and deserved punishment?

47) God passes from ordinary animals (chapter 38 and 39) to terrifying ones (chapters 40 and 41). Why this escalation?

48) Why does God’s second answer end the discussion?

49) What happens to Job? To his friends? Is this happy ending appropriate, given the majestic vision God has provided in earlier chapters? Why does God shower special attention upon Job?