The Big Picture in the Book of Job

The book of Job is an interesting book. It is widely written about, quoted, and sermonized in many different ways. It is a great book and the more I read it the simpler it becomes. The big picture of Job is as important as each verse. Here is an example of a verse that needs to be understood in light of the 'big picture' in the King James translation:

Job 32:1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.

Job was a great man in the East. He was devout. In the beginning of the book, there was a conversation between God and the devil about him. Remembering that God has foreknowledge, helps to keep one from attributing evil to God in this conversation. God asked the devil where he had been (as if God didn't know). He answered God he had been out and about. It reminds me of Genesis 3 when Adam hid from God after the whole serpent incident and God asked "Where art thou?. God would be a difficult person to play hide-n-seek with since he is all-knowing too!

God spoke highly of Job in the first two chapters of Job:

Job 1:1 There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
Job 1:8 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil
Job 2:3 And the Lord said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

At the end of the book of Job when God delivered Job out of the challenges he was bombarded with, God said:

Job 42: 7 And 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.       8 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.

Twice God established that Job had spoken right and 3 times God called Job His servant!

So what's with Job 32:1? In the Adam Clarke commentary, regarding this verse, it says:
Because he was righteous tn his own eyes - The Septuagint, Syriac, Arabic, and Chaldee, all read, "Because he was righteous in Their eyes;" intimating, that they were now convinced that he was a holy man, and that they had charged him foolishly. The reading of these ancient versions is supported by a MS. of the thirteenth century, in Dr. Kennicott's collections; which, instead of בעיניו beeinaiv, in His eyes, has בעיניהם beeineyhem, in Their eyes. This is a reading of considerable importance, but it is not noticed by De Rossi. Symmachus translates nearly in the same way: Δια τον αυτον δικαιον φαινεσθαι επ' αυτων; Because he appeared more righteous than themselves. Clarke [Commentary on the Bible, by Adam Clarke, [1831], at sacred-texts.com]

The 3 miserable comforters said many negative things about Job. It was all miserable comfort! God asked Job to pray for them in the end. The lesson learned is that:

It really helps to read the whole book to get the big picture.