Job's comforter

[Tdol]

Check the meaning of this idiom here.

 

[svartnik]

Job is a biblical figure.
Satan thought Job's affection for God is not Genuine.
To prove that the opposite was true, God tested Job, whom he put through bitter physical anguish.

Although Job was a man of great virtues, the four friends of his who visited him said he was actually a sinner, which was the reason for God putting him to much trouble.
They expressed false sympathy and were insinuating rebukes to him.

I would say Job's comforter is somebody who pretends to be a friend, therefore is a false friend.

Svartnik

 

[maureenbransden]

Hi,
In my experience the expression of 'Job's comforter' is someone who provides support for someone going through trying times.

 

[RonBee]

Apparently, a Job's comforter isn't much of a comforter. :-( (I guessed on that one, and I got it wrong. The expression is, perhaps, used more in the UK than in the USA. (I had never heard it before.).)

~R

 

[thedaffodils]

The story behind this idiom is interesting.
Job's comforter: Definition from Answers.com

 

[SUDHKAMP]

Thanks for adding another idiom to my vocabulary.

 

[nitikasnv]

HAVE A LOOK:

Hi,

Job's comforter:Someone whose comfort is actually discouraging.

Thanks

 

[blouen]

Yes! I got this right...

Love the story of Job. His friends was more of annoying than encouraging.;-)

 

[Fillet]

So I was right, then?

A Job's comforter is someone who discourages you. Am I right?

 

[RonBee]

So I was right, then?

A Job's comforter is someone who discourages you. Am I right?

Yep. (Job's friends possibly gave rise to the expression With friends like those who needs enemies?)

 

[Huda-M]

I WAS THINKING THE SAME! But... i voted the other one...:-?

Maybe the word 'comforter' is used ironically here.

 

[sharerx]

Too much people erred in this idiom. The same happened to me, it was very difficult for me to understand this one.

 

[manou.glamour]

Good evening everybody, please I want to suggest an idiom that I have created by my own can you show me where should I write it. Thank you for advance

 

[LuckyBrett]

:up: very cool idiom, though some have misrepresented the story here.
God 'suggested' Job.
Satan scoffed (that Jobs' faith was by his fortune).
God 'allowed' Satan to test Job (long sad difficult story).
Jobs' 'friends' (comforters) were certain of themselves that Job needed to be responsible for his own suffering, and made no effort to conceal their criticisms and chastising remarks.
Jobs' comforters were anything BUT comforting.
Job was an innocent man, faced with such circumstantial evidence, that even his closest friends were prodding him to 'plea guilty'... it's unthinkably DISCOMFORTING.

Love life always
LuckyBrett

 

[LuckyBrett]

I'm looking for the etymology of 'wait til the other shoe drops'.
Until this site has more detailed etymologies of idioms (most are self explanatory, even if sarcastic), can anyone suggest a site that actually explains the idioms directly, and not just their meanings?
Thanks,
LuckyBrett
(heck, maybe this post alone will encourage editors here to post links for where these idioms came from, and not just what they mean to us today)
ex. we all know that 'when it rains, it pours' means that when it's bad, it's REALLY bad. Does anyone know what event(s) led TO that expression originally? Anyone?.... really? ... nobody? Yes, you in the back. OH? Really. An atmospheric epidermal expression of how rain is the excreted moisture through which the original idiom '.. rains, it pores' is now by both pun, and literal imagery, '.. pours'? Now I get it. Thank you.
... and now, just wait... till the other shoe drops.... LOL

 

[Tdol]

Try this site for etymology- the forums are very good for that. The meanings and origins of sayings and phrases | List of sayings | English sayings | Idiom definitions | Idiom examples | Idiom origins | List of idioms | Idiom dictionary | Meaning of idioms

(heck, maybe this post alone will encourage editors here to post links for where these idioms came from, and not just what they mean to us today)

- we're a site primarily for non-native learners, so meaning is more important than derivation. ;-)

 

[Dlockew]

Job is a biblical figure.
Satan thought Job's affection for God is not Genuine.
To prove that the opposite was true, God tested Job, whom he put through bitter physical anguish.

Although Job was a man of great virtues, the four friends of his who visited him said he was actually a sinner, which was the reason for God putting him to much trouble.
They expressed false sympathy and were insinuating rebukes to him.

I would say Job's comforter is somebody who pretends to be a friend, therefore is a false friend.

Svartnik

First I must say I agree that the comforters are false. But it would be inaccurate to say that God tested Job because the narrative states that God allowed Satan to put Job under trial. This book further states at James 1:13, that God cannot be tested by evil nor will he test man by evil. So you are correct that the comforters are of no comfort, but the tests do not originate with God, but with Satan as directly stated.