(hated)
The godly suffer because God disciplines His own for their good (withering Job’s self-righteous tendency) overruling Satan. This is unintelligible in a world where just deserts are expected. His three friends say many righteous things applying to others than Job’s case. Eliphaz, experience (4:8); Bildad, tradition (8:8); Zophar, legality (11:14, 15). Elihu is a type of Christ as mediator. When God declares His almighty power Job discovers Him and loathes himself prior to God’s doubly blessing him abundantly. The book is undispensational, yet may be typical of Israel. Chapter 3 to 4:7 is poetry.
B.C. 1520
(between Abraham and Moses, the latter may have written it).