Na'ama (Sofar's hometown Na'ama, not a person but a place name associated with Job's friend Sofar)
Place name associated with Sofar the Na'amathite
Na'ama is not a biblical person but a place name used to identify Sofar, one of Job's three friends, who is called "the Na'amathite" (from Na'ama). The place Na'ama is likely a city in northwestern Arabia or in the region of Edom. Sofar from Na'ama is known for his speeches in the book of Job, where he argues that Job's suffering is due to sin.
Key events
Sofar the Na'amathite introduced
Sofar from Na'ama is mentioned as one of Job's three friends who came to comfort him in his suffering.
11When Job's three friends heard of all the trouble that had come upon him, each of them set out from his own place—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite. They agreed to go together to show him sympathy and comfort him.
וַֽיִּשְׁמְע֞וּ שְׁלֹ֣שֶׁת ׀ רֵעֵ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב אֵ֣ת כָּל־הָרָעָ֣ה הַזֹּאת֮ הַבָּ֣אָה עָלָיו֒ וַיָּבֹ֙אוּ֙ אִ֣ישׁ מִמְּקֹמ֔וֹ אֱלִיפַ֤ז הַתֵּימָנִי֙ וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֔י וְצוֹפַ֖ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֑י וַיִּוָּעֲד֣וּ יַחְדָּ֔ו לָב֥וֹא לָנֽוּד־ל֖וֹ וּֽלְנַחֲמֽוֹ׃
Sofar's first speech
Sofar the Na'amathite delivers his first speech, rebuking Job and claiming that God is punishing him for hidden sin.
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַֽנַּעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2"Should such a flood of words go unanswered? Is a man proved right just because he talks?
הֲרֹ֣ב דְּ֭בָרִים לֹ֣א יֵעָנֶ֑ה וְאִם־אִ֖ישׁ שְׂפָתַ֣יִם יִצְדָּֽק׃
3Should your empty talk silence others? Are you to mock with no one to rebuke you?
בַּ֭דֶּיךָ מְתִ֣ים יַחֲרִ֑ישׁו וַ֝תִּלְעַ֗ג וְאֵ֣ין מַכְלִֽם׃
4You say, 'My teaching is pure, and I am clean in your sight.'
וַ֭תֹּאמֶר זַ֣ךְ לִקְחִ֑י וּ֝בַ֗ר הָיִ֥יתִי בְעֵינֶֽיךָ׃
5But oh, that God himself would speak, that he would open his lips against you,
וְֽאוּלָ֗ם מִֽי־יִתֵּ֣ן אֱל֣וֹהַּ דַּבֵּ֑ר וְיִפְתַּ֖ח שְׂפָתָ֣יו עִמָּֽךְ׃
6and disclose to you the secrets of wisdom—for sound understanding has two sides. Then you would know that God has overlooked much of your guilt.
וְיַגֶּד־לְךָ֨ ׀ תַּֽעֲלֻמ֣וֹת חָכְמָה֮ כִּֽי־כִפְלַ֢יִם לְֽת֫וּשִׁיָּ֥ה וְדַ֡ע כִּֽי־יַשֶּׁ֥ה לְךָ֥ אֱ֝ל֗וֹהַ מֵעֲוֺנֶֽךָ׃
Sofar urges Job to repent
Sofar from Na'ama urges Job to turn to God with a pure heart, promising that this will lead to restoration.
13If you would set your heart right and stretch out your hands to him,
אִם־אַ֭תָּ֗ה הֲכִינ֣וֹתָ לִבֶּ֑ךָ וּפָרַשְׂתָּ֖ אֵלָ֣יו כַּפֶּֽךָ׃
14if you put away the sin that is in your hand and let no wrongdoing dwell in your tents,
אִם־אָ֣וֶן בְּ֭יָדְךָ הַרְחִיקֵ֑הוּ וְאַל־תַּשְׁכֵּ֖ן בְּאֹהָלֶ֣יךָ עַוְלָֽה׃
15then you could lift up your face without shame; you would stand firm and be unafraid.
כִּי־אָ֤ז ׀ תִּשָּׂ֣א פָנֶ֣יךָ מִמּ֑וּם וְהָיִ֥יתָ מֻ֝צָ֗ק וְלֹ֣א תִירָֽא׃
16You would forget your misery, remembering it like waters that have flowed away.
כִּי־אַ֭תָּה עָמָ֣ל תִּשְׁכָּ֑ח כְּמַ֖יִם עָבְר֣וּ תִזְכֹּֽר׃
17Your life would be brighter than noon, and darkness would become like morning.
וּֽ֭מִצָּהֳרַיִם יָק֣וּם חָ֑לֶד תָּ֝עֻ֗פָה כַּבֹּ֥קֶר תִּהְיֶֽה׃
Zophar's Second Speech
In his second speech, Zophar the Naamathite describes the fate of the wicked and claims that their prosperity is short-lived.
1Then Zophar the Naamathite answered:
וַ֭יַּעַן צֹפַ֥ר הַנַּֽעֲמָתִ֗י וַיֹּאמַֽר׃
2"My thoughts compel me to reply; that is why the agitation rises in me.
לָ֭כֵן שְׂעִפַּ֣י יְשִׁיב֑וּנִי וּ֝בַעֲב֗וּר ח֣וּשִׁי בִֽי׃
3I have heard a rebuke that shames me, but the spirit of my understanding gives me my answer.
מוּסַ֣ר כְּלִמָּתִ֣י אֶשְׁמָ֑ע וְ֝ר֗וּחַ מִֽבִּינָתִ֥י יַעֲנֵֽנִי׃
4Surely you know this from of old, ever since man was set upon the earth:
הֲזֹ֣את יָ֭דַעְתָּ מִנִּי־עַ֑ד מִנִּ֤י שִׂ֖ים אָדָ֣ם עֲלֵי־אָֽרֶץ׃
5the triumph of the wicked is brief, and the joy of the godless lasts only a moment.
כִּ֤י רִנְנַ֣ת רְ֭שָׁעִים מִקָּר֑וֹב וְשִׂמְחַ֖ת חָנֵ֣ף עֲדֵי־רָֽגַע׃
6Though his pride climbs to the heavens and his head reaches the clouds,
אִם־יַעֲלֶ֣ה לַשָּׁמַ֣יִם שִׂיא֑וֹ וְ֝רֹאשׁ֗וֹ לָעָ֥ב יַגִּֽיעַ׃
7he will perish forever like his own dung; those who saw him will ask, 'Where is he?'
כְּֽ֭גֶלֲלוֹ לָנֶ֣צַח יֹאבֵ֑ד רֹ֝אָ֗יו יֹאמְר֥וּ אַיּֽוֹ׃
8Like a dream he flies away, and no one finds him; he is driven off like a vision of the night.
כַּחֲל֣וֹם יָ֭עוּף וְלֹ֣א יִמְצָא֑וּהוּ וְ֝יֻדַּ֗ד כְּחֶזְי֥וֹן לָֽיְלָה׃
9The eye that glimpsed him will see him no more; his place will never behold him again.
עַ֣יִן שְׁ֭זָפַתּוּ וְלֹ֣א תוֹסִ֑יף וְלֹא־ע֝֗וֹד תְּשׁוּרֶ֥נּוּ מְקוֹמֽוֹ׃
God Rebukes Job's Friends
God speaks to Eliphaz and includes Zophar from Naamah among the three friends who have not spoken rightly about Him, and tells them to offer burnt offerings.
7After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My anger burns against you and your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has.
וַיְהִ֗י אַחַ֨ר דִּבֶּ֧ר יְהוָ֛ה אֶת־הַדְּבָרִ֥ים הָאֵ֖לֶּה אֶל־אִיּ֑וֹב וַיֹּ֨אמֶר יְהוָ֜ה אֶל־אֱלִיפַ֣ז הַתֵּֽימָנִ֗י חָרָ֨ה אַפִּ֤י בְךָ֙ וּבִשְׁנֵ֣י רֵעֶ֔יךָ כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃
8Now take seven bulls and seven rams, go to my servant Job, and offer a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has."
וְעַתָּ֡ה קְחֽוּ־לָכֶ֣ם שִׁבְעָֽה־פָרִים֩ וְשִׁבְעָ֨ה אֵילִ֜ים וּלְכ֣וּ ׀ אֶל־עַבְדִּ֣י אִיּ֗וֹב וְהַעֲלִיתֶ֤ם עוֹלָה֙ בּֽ͏ַעַדְכֶ֔ם וְאִיּ֣וֹב עַבְדִּ֔י יִתְפַּלֵּ֖ל עֲלֵיכֶ֑ם כִּ֧י אִם־פָּנָ֣יו אֶשָּׂ֗א לְבִלְתִּ֞י עֲשׂ֤וֹת עִמָּכֶם֙ נְבָלָ֔ה כִּ֠י לֹ֣א דִבַּרְתֶּ֥ם אֵלַ֛י נְכוֹנָ֖ה כְּעַבְדִּ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃
9So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD had told them, and the LORD accepted Job's prayer.
וַיֵּלְכוּ֩ אֱלִיפַ֨ז הַתֵּֽימָנִ֜י וּבִלְדַּ֣ד הַשּׁוּחִ֗י צֹפַר֙ הַנַּ֣עֲמָתִ֔י וַֽיַּעֲשׂ֔וּ כַּאֲשֶׁ֛ר דִּבֶּ֥ר אֲלֵיהֶ֖ם יְהוָ֑ה וַיִּשָּׂ֥א יְהוָ֖ה אֶת־פְּנֵ֥י אִיּֽוֹב׃