What Did Job Repent Of in Job 42:6?
By Pastor Joel – Open Heaven Christian Church – Fisher, Arkansas
In Job 42:6, Job says he repents in dust and ashes. Discover what Job repented of, with key verses showing his earlier words, questions, and humility before God.
The first six verses of Job chapter forty-two reveal to us that Job who was a righteous man repented. In this study blog you will discover why it took Job so long (42 chapters of severe trials) to learn he had pride. God was waiting for Job to repent of his pride before God could bless and restore his life.
Job 42-1-6 – Job Submits Himself to God in repentance.
1Then Job answered the LORD, and said,
2I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from thee.
3Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge? therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not.
4Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
5I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.
6Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.
In Job 42:6, when Job repents in dust and ashes, he is expressing deep humility and remorse for his earlier words and actions during his suffering. Throughout the book of Job, Job wrestles with his intense suffering and questions why he, a righteous man (Job 1:1), was having to endure such pain and suffering in his life.
At several points, he challenges God’s justice, even demanding an explanation from God for his suffering. It was as if Job was taking God to trial. Job’s speeches sometimes reflect frustration, anger, and a sense of self-righteousness in his dialog with God.
Here are the scripture references where Job expressed frustration, anger, and a sense of self-righteousness, particularly during his dialogues with his friends and his challenges to God’s justice:
As you read these references keep in mind that Job lost everything in life, he lost his home, finances, friends, his health, his relationship with wife, and even his children. The only think Job had left was the faith he held to in God. His life was filled with many questions and no one but God could help him.
Job 3:11-13 (Job first questions why he was even born):
11 Why died I not from the womb? why did I not give up the ghost when I came out of the belly?
12 Why did the knees prevent me? or why the breasts that I should suck?
13 For now should I have lain still and been quiet, I should have slept: then had I been at rest,
Job 7:11-21 (Job speaks out of frustration and questions God’s treatment of him):
11 Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me through visions:
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.
16 I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.
17 What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
18 And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?
19 How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?
20 I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.
Job 9:17-21 (Job challenges God’s justice and power):
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
Job 10:1-7 (Job expresses deep frustration and questions God’s intentions):
1 My soul is weary of my life; I will leave my complaint upon myself; I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; shew me wherefore thou contendest with me.
3 Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as the days of man? are thy years as man’s days,
6 That thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin?
7 Thou knowest that I am not wicked; and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand.
Job 13:23-24 (Job pleads for an explanation from God):
23 How many wrongs and sins have I committed? make me to know my transgression and my sin.
24 Wherefore hidest thou thy face, and holdest me for thine enemy?
Job 14:3-6 (Job questions why God would even allow his existence):
3 And dost thou open thine eyes upon such an one, and bringest me into judgment with thee?
4 Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
5 Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass;
6 Turn from him, that he may rest, till he shall accomplish, as an hireling, his day.
These verses demonstrate Job’s frustration, confusion, and the sense of abandonment he feels while enduring his suffering. He questions God’s justice and challenges why he, an innocent man, is being treated in this way. This is the backdrop for Job’s eventual repentance in Job 42:6, where, after gaining deeper understanding, he humbles himself before God and acknowledges that he spoke out of ignorance.
In the opening verses of this study blog, in Job 42:1–5, Job acknowledges that God’s wisdom and understanding far surpass his own. He admits that he spoke of things he didn’t fully comprehend (“things too wonderful for me, which I knew not“), acknowledging his limited understanding of God’s purposes and actions.
His repentance is not for specific sinful acts but for his presumptuousness in trying to understand God’s ways, which were beyond his comprehension. Job realizes that, despite his suffering, he had no right to question God’s justice or to assert that he fully understood God’s reasons. In verse 5, he says, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.” This reflects a deeper, more personal understanding and experience of God, leading to his repentance for his earlier pride and lack of understanding.
Job’s repentance is an expression of recognizing his finite, limited perspective compared to God’s infinite wisdom, and it shows his humility in submitting to God’s will in true humility.
Oftentimes Christians who are not living a sinful life may experience hardships and trials that seem to been hard to comprehend. While these struggles are hard to understand and sort out, they are necessary to teach us all four important things that the Lord wants every believer to know:
- God can do everything, and that no thought can be withheld from Him. (John 42:2)
- We all must acknowledging that we all have limited understanding of God. (John 42:3)
- Even though we have heard of God and may even live godly lives, we all need a deeper understanding in able to see God as He is with our own spiritual eyes. (John 42:5)
- Repentance from any form of pride is the key that unlocks restoration and blessings from God. (John 42:6)
Many today know about God, they can quote the scriptures about God, and they may not be living a life of sin because the fear the Lord as Job did, but one must never rely on their own merits of righteousness because in doing so, they are allowing “pride” which creeps in subtly to rule their life. Their dependency upon God begins to deteriorate and self can become their God.
When we humble ourselves before God as Job did then God restores our lives as in the case of Job after he repented of his pride.
Job 42:7-9 – The Lord Rebukes Job’s Friends for their folly and restores Job’s life again
7And it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath. 8Therefore 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. 9So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.
God Blesses Job’s Humility and Restored His Life When He Forgave His Friends
10And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before. 11Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold. 12So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses. 13He had also seven sons and three daughters. 14And he called the name of the first, Jemima; and the name of the second, Kezia; and the name of the third, Kerenhappuch. 15And in all the land were no women found so fair as the daughters of Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 16After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, even four generations. 17So Job died, being old and full of days.
God restored Job only after he repented of his pride. God does not take pride lightly. Job was a changed and blessed man when he humbled himself before God and grace from God was extended to him!
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” – James 4:6
Jesus said whoever exalts himself will be humbled…
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” – Matthew 23:12
Prayer of Repentance:
Father God I know that you hold all knowledge to wonderful for me to understand. I come before you and ask you to forgive me of any and all pride that made me to think that I can be righteous in my own eyes. I ask you father God for your grace, mercy and forgiveness from my pride that questions your authority and rule over my life. I forgive and pray you bless those who have trespassed against me. I ask you to clothe me in the humility of the Lord Jesus Christ so my life will be pleasing in your sight. I pray in the name of my Lord Jesus. – Amen.
“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” – 2 Chronicles 7:14
“The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.” – Proverbs 15:33
