Job 42:10

10 And the Lord prospered Job: and when he prayed also for his friends, he forgave them sin: and the Lord gave Job twice as much, even the double of what he had before.

Job 42:10 Meaning and Commentary

Job 42:10

And the Lord turned the captivity of Job
Not literally, in such sense as Lot's captivity was turned, ( Genesis 14:12 ) ; for Job's person was not seized on and carried away, though his cattle were: nor spiritually, being delivered from the captivity of sin; that had been his case many years ago, when first converted: but it is to be understood of his restoration from afflictions and calamities to a happy state; as of the return of his substance, his health and friends, and especially of his deliverance from Satan, in whose hands he had been some time, and by him distressed both in body and mind. But now his captivity was turned, and he was freed from all his distresses; and even from those which arose from the dealings of God with him, which he was now fully satisfied about; and this was done,

when he prayed for his friends;
as he was directed to do. A good man will not only pray for himself, as Job doubtless did, but for others also; for his natural and spiritual friends, yea, for unkind friends, and even for enemies likewise: and the prayer of an upright man is very acceptable to the Lord; and many mercies and blessings come by it; and even prayer for others is profitable to a man's self; and sometimes he soon reaps the benefit of it, as Job now did. For when and while he was praying, or quickly upon it, there was a turn in his affairs: he presently found himself in better health; his friends came about him, and his substance began to increase; Satan had no more power over him, and the presence of God was with him. All which was of the Lord; and he enjoyed it in the way of prayer, and as the fruit of that;

also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before:
or added to him double. Which chiefly respects his substance; his cattle, as appears from ( Job 42:12 ) , and might be true both with respect to things temporal and spiritual. "Double" may denote an abundance, a large measure of good things; see ( Zechariah 9:12 ) .

Job 42:10 In-Context

8 Now then take seven bullocks, and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and he shall offer a burnt-offering for you. And my servant Job shall pray for you, for I will only accept him: for but his sake, I would have destroyed you, for ye have not spoken the truth against my servant Job.

9 So Eliphaz the Thaemanite, and Baldad the Sauchite, and Sophar the Minaean, went and did as the Lord commanded them: and he pardoned their sin for the sake of Job.

10 And the Lord prospered Job: and when he prayed also for his friends, he forgave them sin: and the Lord gave Job twice as much, even the double of what he had before.

11 And all his brethren and his sisters heard all that had happened to him, and they came to him, and all that had known him from the first: and they ate and drank with him, and comforted him, and wondered at all that the Lord had brought upon him: and each one gave him a lamb, and four drachms' weight of gold, even of unstamped .

12 And the Lord blessed the latter end of Job, than the beginning: and his cattle were fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, a thousand she-asses of the pastures.