Why did Job refer to his friends as miserable comforters?

TL;DR:

Job’s friends were miserable comforters because they falsely accused Job of deserving suffering rather than praying for him and comforting him. God calls us to bear each others’ burdens and to have compassion for those who go through difficulty.

what does the bible say?

Job was "blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil" (Job 1:1). Despite his faith, Job’s life was full of suffering. God allowed Satan to take away Job’s wealth and his children and later allowed him to afflict Job physically. Job’s friends saw his suffering and were sure he had sinned in order to deserve all that. They argued with Job and would not help him in his grief and distress. Job called his friends “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2) because they did not rightly represent the character of God to their suffering friend. God calls us to reflect His heart of compassion, to have mercy, and to comfort others in word and in action.

from the old testament

Job suffered loss of wealth (oxen, donkeys, sheep, camels, and servants; Job 1:13–17), legacy (children to inherit his property; Job 1:18–19), and physical health (covered in sores; Job 2:7) yet scripture declares “Job… was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. … In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong” (Job 1:1, 22).
Job’s three friends (Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar) falsely accused Job of having sinned to deserve this amount of suffering at the hand of God (Job 4—5; 8; 11; 15). Job then calls his friends “miserable comforters” (Job 16:2).
Job asks God to be his witness because these friends did not intercede on his behalf or support him: “Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who testifies for me is on high. My friends scorn me; my eye pours out tears to God, that he would argue the case of a man with God, as a son of man does with his neighbor” (Job 16:19–21).
God confirms Job’s assessment of his friends by declaring to Eliphaz, “My anger burns against you and against your two friends, for you have not spoken of me what is right, as my servant Job has” (Job 42:7).
Micah 6:8 says, “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness [mercy], and to walk humbly with your God?”
The friends bring sacrifices for Job to offer to the Lord on their behalf, and Job intercedes in prayer for them. God forgives the friends and restores Job’s fortunes twice over (Job 42:9–13).

from the new testament

Suffering is not always a direct result of personal sin (Matthew 5:45; John 9:2–3; 16:33).
Romans 12:15 calls us to “rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”
We are called to comfort others when they go through troubles: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3–4).
We are called to pray for others in their time of suffering (2 Corinthians 13:9; James 5:13–16; 3 John 1:2).
We are called to be compassionate and to bear others’ burdens (Galatians 6:2; James 2:15–17).

implications for today

Everybody goes through difficulties in life. Jesus told us that difficulties and troubles are a guarantee in life (John 16:33). The Bible also calls us to suffer for doing good not for doing foolish things (1 Peter 3:17). Knowing that suffering can come from doing right or wrong, how should we treat people who go through suffering? Job’s friends were miserable comforters because when they saw Job suffering, they accused him, saying his suffering was his fault. They also did not show the care and compassion God calls us to have for others. When we see someone suffering or having difficulties, we are called to care and be there for them in word and action: praying for them, pointing them to God and to what matters, and bearing their load where we can by helping them in tangible ways. Only God knows our hearts, knows exactly why we are suffering, and can bring good out of bad (Genesis 50:20; Romans 8:28). We are called to reflect God’s character to those who are suffering by being comforting friends.

understand

- Job suffered even though he was blameless before God.
- Job’s friends saw his suffering, assumed he had sinned, and argued with him instead of comforting him.
- Job called his friends miserable comforters because they were not good friends and did not reflect the compassion and care that God calls us to have for others.

reflect

- What allowed Job to call his friends miserable comforters and to know that he was not suffering for doing wrong?
What do we learn about people in the way that Job’s friends judged and accused Job of doing wrong and deserving punishment?
We get to represent God by the way we treat others. The way we care, comfort, and point to the One who is in control and who knows people’s hearts is a way we reflect God to a world that so desperately needs Him.

engage

Why do so many people expect life to go well or feel like we should be healthy, wealthy, and prosperous when it is difficulties that we are guaranteed to have in this life?
Is there any difference in having care and compassion for those who are suffering for doing wrong versus those whose suffering is not a result of their wrongdoing? Why or why not?
How can we be the friends God calls us to be to others when they are suffering or going through difficulty?