Job 15:1-16

Eliphaz Says Job Presumes Much

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded *,
2 "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge 1And fill himself with the east wind?
3 "Should he argue with useless talk, Or with words which are not profitable?
4 "Indeed, you do away with reverence And hinder meditation before God.
5 "For 2your guilt teaches your mouth, And you choose the language of 3the crafty.
6 "Your 4own mouth condemns you, and not I; And your own lips testify against you.
7 "Were you the first man to be born, Or 5were you brought forth before the hills?
8 "Do you hear the 6secret counsel of God, And limit wisdom to yourself?
9 "7What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that we do not?
10 "Both the 8gray-haired and the aged are among us, Older * than your father.
11 "Are 9the consolations of God too small for you, Even the 10word spoken gently with you?
12 "Why does your 11heart carry you away? And why do your eyes flash,
13 That you should turn your spirit against God And allow such words to go out of your mouth?
14 "What is man, that 12he should be pure, Or 13he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
15 "Behold, He puts no trust in His 14holy ones, And the 15heavens are not pure in His sight;
16 How much * less one who is 16detestable and corrupt, Man, who 17drinks iniquity like water!

Job 15:1-16 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 15

Job's three friends having in their turns attacked him, and he having given answer respectively to them, Eliphaz, who began the attack, first enters the debate with him again, and proceeds upon the same plan as before, and endeavours to defend his former sentiments, falling upon Job with greater vehemence and severity; he charges him with vanity, imprudence, and unprofitableness in his talk, and acting a part unbecoming his character as a wise man; yea, with impiety and a neglect of religion, or at least as a discourager of it by his words and doctrines, of which his mouth and lips were witnesses against him, Job 15:1-6; he charges him with arrogance and a high conceit of himself, as if he was the first man that was made, nay, as if he was the eternal wisdom of God, and had been in his council; and, to check his vanity, retorts his own words upon him, or however the sense of them, Job 15:7-10; and also with slighting the consolations of God; upon which he warmly expostulates with him, Job 15:11-13; and in order to convince him of his self-righteousness, which he thought he was full of, he argues from the angels, the heavens, and the general case of man, Job 15:14-16; and then he declares from his own knowledge, and from the relation of wise and ancient men in former times, who made it their observation, that wicked men are afflicted all their days, attended with terror and despair, and liable to various calamities, Job 15:17-24; the reasons of which are their insolence to God, and hostilities committed against him, which they are encouraged in by their prosperous circumstances, Job 15:25-27; notwithstanding all, their estates, riches, and wealth, will come to nothing, Job 15:28-30; and the chapter is closed with an exhortation to such, not to feed themselves up with vain hopes, or trust in uncertain riches, since their destruction would be sure, sudden, and terrible, Job 15:31-35.

Cross References 17

  • 1. Job 6:26
  • 2. Job 22:5
  • 3. Job 5:12, 13
  • 4. Job 18:7
  • 5. Job 38:4, 21; Proverbs 8:25
  • 6. Job 29:4; Romans 11:34; 1 Corinthians 2:11
  • 7. Job 12:3; Job 13:2
  • 8. Job 12:12; Job 32:6, 7
  • 9. Job 5:17-19; Job 36:15, 16
  • 10. Job 6:10; Job 23:12
  • 11. Job 11:13; Job 36:13
  • 12. Job 14:4; Proverbs 20:9; Ecclesiastes 7:20
  • 13. Job 25:4
  • 14. Job 5:1
  • 15. Job 25:5
  • 16. Psalms 14:1
  • 17. Job 34:7; Proverbs 19:28

Footnotes 4

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