Since they had not managed to persuade Job with their theology, Job’s friends proceeded to bolster their argument with false accusations. Like many a present-day commentator, Zophar thought his words would have more force if he delivered them with emotional anger: “I hear censure that insults me” (Job 20:3).

How is God’s justice going to take down a wicked man like Job? Zophar provided this answer: “For [Job] has oppressed the poor and left them destitute; he has seized houses he did not build. Surely he will have no respite from his craving; he cannot save himself by his treasure. Nothing is left for him to devour; his prosperity will not endure. In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him; the full force of misery will come upon him.” (20:19-22, NIV). (I’ve switched to the NIV here. In its worthy desire to use non-gendered language to describe “the wicked,” the NRSV uses plurals here, which results in Zophar’s speech appearing to talk about the wicked in an abstract way: “in their greed they let nothing escape.” But Zophar clearly intended to accuse Job in particular. Zophar wasn’t making general statements about how unrighteous people oppress the poor; he was making a specific statement that Job oppressed the poor, and was therefore overtaken by distress in the midst of his plenty.) In Zophar’s analysis, then, Job had been terribly greedy, but God had not allowed him to get away with this, and so misery and want had become his lot.

As Eliphaz’s turn came around once more, he again insisted that Job’s suffering had come because God was punishing Job for his sins: “Is it for your piety that he reproves you, and enters into judgment with you? Is not your wickedness great? There is no end to your iniquities. For you have exacted pledges from your family for no reason, and stripped the naked of their clothing. You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry” (22:4-7).

These are serious accusations – in your greed you pushed people into poverty, you failed to help the needy. We would do well to consider whether we today should heed such rebukes. But Job’s accusers had no evidence that Job had done any such thing. They were just making stuff up. In response, Job pointed out that their “consolation” was just the scraps of their own lack of faith: “you comfort me with empty nothings … there is nothing left of your answers but falsehood” (21:34).

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So often in our desire to win an argument, O God, we lose track of the truth and use any means necessary, no matter how false, to make our points. Convict and change our hearts! Teach us to love the truth, even when it isn’t what we would like.