Single lesson
Job's Closing Restoration
Job 42:7–17
After speaking to Job, God rebuked Job’s friends, accepted Job’s prayer for them, and blessed Job’s later years.
Before you teach
After the LORD had spoken to Job, he spoke to Eliphaz. He said he was angry with Eliphaz and his two friends because they had not spoken rightly about him, as Job had. The friends were told to take offerings, go to Job, and ask him to pray for them. Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar obeyed the LORD’s command. They did what he said, and the LORD accepted Job. Job was the one chosen to pray for the friends who had spoken wrongly.
Describe the central teaching of Job's Closing Restoration, using two details from the reading. After speaking to Job, God rebuked Job’s friends, accepted Job’s prayer for them, and blessed Job’s later years.
Welcome: Job's Closing Restoration
4 minIntroduce “Job's Closing Restoration” and locate Job 42:7–17. After speaking to Job, God rebuked Job’s friends, accepted Job’s prayer for them, and blessed Job’s later years. Invite each learner to name a detail or question they will listen for.
Job 42:7, Job 42:12, Job 42:17
Read and explain the passage
8 minAfter the LORD had spoken to Job, he spoke to Eliphaz. He said he was angry with Eliphaz and his two friends because they had not spoken rightly about him, as Job had. The friends were told to take offerings, go to Job, and ask him to pray for them.
The LORD blessed the later part of Job’s life more than the beginning. Job came to have fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters.
After this, Job lived for one hundred forty years. He saw his sons and his grandsons to four generations. Then Job died, old and full of days. What do you notice about the way this ending joins God’s correction, Job’s prayer, and God’s blessing?
Read the selected verses together, pausing at “Job's Closing Restoration”. Use the source reading below and check the explanation against the words of the passage.
Job 42:7, Job 42:8, Job 42:9, Job 42:12, Job 42:13, Job 42:16, Job 42:17
Discuss the details and their meaning
6 minUse the three questions below. Begin with ““Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar obeyed the LORD’s command.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?” and allow time to find the supporting verses. After speaking to Job, God rebuked Job’s friends, accepted Job’s prayer for them, and blessed Job’s later years. Ask learners to explain which details support their answer and to identify a question they would like to explore further.
Job 42:9, Job 42:7, Job 42:8, Job 42:12, Job 42:13, Job 42:16, Job 42:17
Make and respond: Story sequence booklet
9 minWork on “Job's Closing Restoration: Story sequence booklet”. Follow the materials and steps below, using “Job's Closing Restoration” as reading headings. Each learner should include at least two accurate details and their verse references. Share one observation from the finished sheet and explain how it connects with the central teaching.
Job 42:7, Job 42:12, Job 42:17
Closing: return to Job's Closing Restoration
3 minRevisit Job 42:7–17. Invite a learner to summarise what the group has learned about Job's Closing Restoration and another to support the summary with a verse. Give learners a moment to complete their response sheet. They can share a question or, if appropriate for the group, join the optional prayer.
Job 42:7, Job 42:12, Job 42:17
Questions to explore
“Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar obeyed the LORD’s command.” Which details explain how the account reaches this point?
Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar obeyed the LORD’s command. They did what he said, and the LORD accepted Job. Job was the one chosen to pray for the friends who had spoken wrongly.
Job 42:9, Job 42:7, Job 42:8
How does this moment affect the rest of the account: “The LORD blessed the later part of Job’s life more than the beginning.”?
The LORD blessed the later part of Job’s life more than the beginning. Job came to have fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and one thousand female donkeys. He also had seven sons and three daughters.
Job 42:12, Job 42:13, Job 42:8
What do you notice about the way this ending joins God’s correction, Job’s prayer, and God’s blessing?
After this, Job lived for one hundred forty years. He saw his sons and his grandsons to four generations. Then Job died, old and full of days.
Job 42:16, Job 42:17, Job 42:9
Make, think or respond
Job's Closing Restoration: Story sequence booklet
What you’ll need
- plain paper or card
- pencils or pens
- coloured pencils or crayons
Try it together
- Fold a sheet into three panels or draw three columns. Label them “Beginning”, “What changes?”, “How it ends”.
- Read Job 42:7–17. Use “Job's Closing Restoration” as your reading headings and add a short quotation or detail with its verse reference to each panel.
- Talk through your notes with an adult. Add a word, drawing or short quotation that helps you remember each part.
- Retell the account using your three panels, checking the order against the passage.
The finished sheet keeps the details of Job's Closing Restoration connected to their Bible references and gives the group a way to explain what they noticed.
Adapt for your group
- For younger children, read the selected verses aloud, prepare the three panels and let them respond with drawings or a few words. Use Job's Closing Restoration as the retelling prompt.
- For older children, add verse references to the response sheet and explain a connection between Job's Closing Restoration and the final part of the reading.
An optional closing prayer
“God, help us listen carefully as we read Job 42:7–17. Help us understand what we have read, ask thoughtful questions and respond with care for others. Amen.”
Read the Bible passage World English Bible Classic
Job 42
7 It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.
8 Now therefore, take to yourselves seven bulls 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 I will accept him, that I not deal with you according to your folly. For you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.”
9 So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job.
10 Yahweh restored Job’s prosperity when he prayed for his friends. Yahweh gave Job twice as much as he had before.
11 Then all his brothers, all his sisters, and all those who had been of his acquaintance before, came to him and ate bread with him in his house. They comforted him, and consoled him concerning all the evil that Yahweh had brought on him. Everyone also gave him a piece of money, and everyone a ring of gold.
12 So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.
13 He had also seven sons and three daughters.
14 He called the name of the first, Jemimah; and the name of the second, Keziah; and the name of the third, Keren Happuch.
15 In all the land were no women found so beautiful as the daughters of Job. Their father gave them an inheritance among their brothers.
16 After this Job lived one hundred forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons’ sons, to four generations.
17 So Job died, being old and full of days.
World English Bible Classic. Public domain.