So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.
Seven days ... nights. They did not remain in the one posture and without food, etc., all this time, but for the most of this period daily and nightly. Sitting on the earth marked mourning (Lamentations 2:10). Seven days was the usual length of it (Genesis 50:10; 1 Samuel 31:13). This silence may have been due to a rising suspicion of evil in Job; but chiefly because it is only ordinary griefs that find vent in language; extraordinary griefs are too great for utterance.
Remarks:
(1) When the angels presented themselves before God, there was Satan among them; when the Twelve were with Christ, there was a Judas among them: we must therefore not expect to be free Satan's presence and assaults in the holiest seasons, places, occupations, and companies. But he can only accuse and afflict, not condemn or destroy, the children of God. (Romans 8:33-39). Satan's accusations shall recoil on himself, and angels see God overruling the evil, permitted for a time, to final and everlasting good.
(2) Carnal sense, like Job's wife is prone to impatient and false judgments of God when He afflicts; true faith, like Job's, justifies God in all His dealings; and amidst present trials remembers past counterbalancing mercies. Sin is not only vile, but also foolish: it offends against our own true interests, as well as against God's honour. Words betray this sinful folly as clearly as deeds; and, on the other hand, heavenly wisdom especially shows itself in not offending with the tongue when tested by sore trials (Psalms 39:1).
(3) Times of adversity are times which prove who are and who are not our real friends. How precious is sympathy and good counsel at such times! But, like Job's comforters, how imperfectly does our dearest earthly friend understand us! Our wisdom is to unbosom our grief to the Friend who loveth at all times, who is born for adversity, and sticketh closer than a brother (Proverbs 17:17; Proverbs 18:24). Had Job done so, he would not have been, as he was, betrayed into impatient self-justification.