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The Book of Job is sometimes called a "key to the Bible." Certain it is that it explains one of the deep moral problems that has vexed mankind, as well as it did the patriarch and his friends.

1. Job discerns the nature of afflictions, and repents of his sin and folly.

2. His character is vindicated before his friends.

3. His former dignity and honour are restored.

4. His former prosperity is doubled.

(1)  It is generally believed that he lived, after these afflictions, twice his former age.

(2)  His property was doubled.

(3)  His offspring became as numerous as before.We have here an indication of immortality. His former children were not lost, though dead. He was doubly enriched; for he had not now as many on earth as in heaven. Reflections —

1. All earthly troubles must, sooner or later, have an end, even as cycles of time.

2. The success of a life is to be judged from its ending — e.g., Solon and Croesus.

3. The afflictions of the righteous are not penal, but corrective and sanctifying.

4. If this year ends well morally for us each — no matter how it may be otherwise — we should be devoutly thankful, and press onward till we reach that final ending which shall sum up a whole lifetime.

(Lewis O. Thompson.)

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KJV: So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.

WEB: So Yahweh blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, one thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand female donkeys.