(11) В¶ Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came everyone from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him and to comfort him.
There is somewhat very interesting in this account. The uncommonly heavy afflictions of Job, had called forth, not only the pity and compassion of those men, but also their desires to the attempt of saying, or doing, what they could to alleviate his sorrows. It is a gospel precept, to mourn with them that mourn. And among gracious minds the Lord sometimes, and not unfrequently, affords a mutual holy joy in our visits of love, not only to those we go to comfort, but to ourselves also. It is a profitable service to visit gracious souls in their affliction, especially if we pray the Lord Jesus to go with us, and be of the party. Better to go. (saith Solomon) to the house of mourning than the house of feasting. Ecclesiastes 7:2.