Job 42:8 Meaning and Explanation
“Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job.”
King James Version (KJV)
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Read Full Chapter →God commands the friends to bring an offering and have Job pray for them, that they may be spared.
What Does Job 42:8 Mean?
The Lord provides a way back for the friends, but it runs through the very man they had accused. They must bring a sacrifice, and Job, the one they wronged, must intercede on their behalf. The seven bulls and seven rams signal a costly, complete offering for a serious fault.
Here Job becomes a mediator, praying for those who hurt him. The wronged sufferer is made the channel of mercy for his accusers. It is a striking picture of the One to come, who upon the cross would pray, "Father, forgive them." Through such an intercessor, God receives the guilty. Job's task is no longer to defend himself but to forgive, and in forgiving to bless.
Job 42:8 in the Original Language
olah (עֹלָה), 'burnt offering' -- a sacrifice wholly consumed on the altar, ascending entirely to God.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 42:8
What does Job 42:8 mean?
God commands the friends to bring an offering and have Job pray for them, that they may be spared.