Job 5:1-7

Listen to Job 5:1-7

Eliphaz Continues: God Blesses those Who Seek Him

1 “Call out if you please, but who will answer? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2 For resentment kills a fool, and envy slays the simple.
3 I have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
4 His sons are far from safety, crushed in court without a defender.
5 The hungry consume his harvest, taking it even from the thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth. [a]
6 For distress does not spring from the dust, and trouble does not sprout from the ground.
7 Yet man is born to trouble as surely as sparks fly upward.

Job 5:1-7 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 5

In this chapter Eliphaz goes on to prove, and further confirm and establish, what he had before asserted, that not good men, but wicked men only, are afflicted of God, at least greatly, so as to have their substance wholly destroyed and perish, which was Job's case; and this partly from the case, state, and sentiments of all the saints, Job 5:1,2; and from his own observation and experience, Job 5:3-5; and then he proceeds to give some advice; and seeing afflictions do not come by chance, but are of God, it is right in such circumstances for a man to seek to the Lord for pardon and salvation, and commit his cause unto him, Job 5:6-8; who does many great things in a providential way to the good of man in general, and to the disappointment of wicked crafty men, and to the serving of the poor in particular, Job 5:9-16; so that it is best patiently to bear the afflicting hand of God, and it is an happiness to be corrected by him, since he delivers such out of all their troubles, and preserves them from many evils, and bestows many good things on them; which would be Job's case particularly, if he behaved according to the advice given, and which is left with him to consider of, Job 5:17-27.

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Footnotes 1

  • [a] Or and a snare snatches his wealth
The Berean Bible and Majority Bible texts are officially placed into the public domain