Check
The Word Check in the Bible
The word "check" appears in the King James Version of Job 20:3, where Zophar the Naamathite begins his second speech by saying, "I have heard the check of my reproach." Modern translations render this more clearly: the English Standard Version reads, "I hear a rebuke that insults me" (Job 20:3). The Hebrew word behind "check" is musar, which broadly means discipline, correction, or instruction. In this context, it refers to a rebuke that Zophar felt was aimed at shaming him.
The Context of Zophar's Response
Zophar's declaration comes immediately after one of Job's most powerful speeches in chapter 19. In that speech, Job cried out against the cruelty of his friends' accusations, insisted on his innocence, and made his famous declaration of faith: "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at the last he will stand upon the earth" (Job 19:25). Job also warned his friends that they should fear the sword of judgment for their false accusations (Job 19:28-29). Zophar took this warning personally as a "check" or rebuke directed at him and responded with a speech about the fate of the wicked.
Reproof and Correction in Wisdom Literature
The concept behind "check" connects to one of the central themes of biblical wisdom literature: the value of reproof and correction. Proverbs repeatedly emphasizes that wise people accept correction while fools reject it. "Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid" (Proverbs 12:1). "A wise son hears his father's instruction, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke" (Proverbs 13:1). The irony in Job 20:3 is that Zophar felt rebuked but responded not with humility but with an even more aggressive attack on Job.
The Dynamics of the Dialogue
The book of Job features three cycles of speeches between Job and his friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. Each friend operates from the assumption that suffering is always a consequence of sin, and therefore Job must be guilty of some hidden transgression. Job consistently rejects this theology and maintains his integrity. The "check" that Zophar experienced reveals the tension at the heart of these dialogues: Job's words were striking home, challenging the neat theological framework his friends relied upon, and they felt the sting of his arguments.
Archaic Language and Modern Understanding
The use of "check" in the sense of rebuke or restraint has largely disappeared from modern English, though traces survive in expressions like "keeping someone in check." The original meaning carried the force of a sharp correction intended to halt or restrain behavior. Understanding this archaic usage helps modern readers appreciate the emotional intensity of the exchanges in Job. Zophar was not merely noting a mild disagreement; he was acknowledging that Job's words had struck him forcefully enough to demand a response.
The Broader Theme of Divine Correction
The Hebrew word musar that underlies "check" appears throughout the Old Testament in the context of God's discipline of His people. "My son, do not despise the LORD's discipline or be weary of his reproof, for the LORD reproves him whom he loves" (Proverbs 3:11-12). The book of Hebrews later quotes this passage to encourage perseverance under trials (Hebrews 12:5-6). While Zophar misapplied the concept of divine correction to Job's situation, the broader biblical teaching affirms that God's reproof is an expression of love and a pathway to wisdom.
Biblical Context
The word "check" appears in Job 20:3 (KJV) at the beginning of Zophar's second speech, responding to Job's defense in chapter 19. The Hebrew term musar (discipline, correction) connects this passage to the wider wisdom tradition found in Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. The concept of divine correction also appears in Proverbs 3:11-12 and is quoted in Hebrews 12:5-6.
Theological Significance
The concept of check or reproof in Job 20:3 illustrates the tension between human attempts to explain suffering and God's actual purposes. Zophar's reaction to Job's words shows how reproof can either lead to humility and growth or provoke defensive hostility. The broader biblical teaching on correction affirms that God's discipline is loving and purposeful, a truth that Job's friends failed to apply correctly in their counseling of a suffering righteous man.
Historical Background
The wisdom dialogue form used in Job has parallels in ancient Near Eastern literature, including the Babylonian 'Ludlul bel nemeqi' (I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom) and the 'Babylonian Theodicy,' both of which explore the problem of innocent suffering. The practice of formal debate and reproof was common in ancient wisdom schools. The Hebrew word musar appears over 50 times in the Old Testament, predominantly in Proverbs, and was a central concept in Israelite education and moral formation.