Hiob 4:5-15

5 Doch nun kommt es an dich, und es verdrießt dich; es erreicht dich, und du bist bestürzt.

6 Ist nicht deine Gottesfurcht deine Zuversicht, die Vollkommenheit deiner Wege deine Hoffnung?

7 Gedenke doch: Wer ist als Unschuldiger umgekommen, und wo sind Rechtschaffene vertilgt worden?

8 So wie ich es gesehen habe: die Unheil pflügen und Mühsal säen, ernten es.

9 Durch den Odem Gottes kommen sie um, und durch den Hauch seiner Nase vergehen sie.

10 Das Brüllen des Löwen und des Brüllers Stimme sind verstummt, und die Zähne der jungen Löwen sind ausgebrochen;

11 der Löwe kommt um aus Mangel an Raub, und die Jungen der Löwin werden zerstreut.

12 Und zu mir gelangte verstohlen ein Wort, und mein Ohr vernahm ein Geflüster davon.

13 In Gedanken, welche Nachtgesichte hervorrufen, wenn tiefer Schlaf die Menschen befällt,

14 kam Schauer über mich und Beben, und durchschauerte alle meine Gebeine;

15 und ein Geist zog vor meinem Angesicht vorüber, das Haar meines Leibes starrte empor.

Hiob 4:5-15 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 4

Job's sore afflictions, and his behaviour under them, laid the foundation of a dispute between him and his three friends, which begins in this chapter, and is carried on to the end of the thirty first; when Elihu starts up as a moderator between them, and the controversy is at last decided by God himself. Eliphaz first enters the list with Job, Job 4:1; introduces what he had to say in a preface, with some show of tenderness, friendship, and respect, Job 4:2; observes his former conduct in his prosperity, by instructing many, strengthening weak hands and feeble knees, and supporting stumbling and falling ones, Job 4:3,4; with what view all this is observed may be easily seen, since he immediately takes notice of his present behaviour, so different from the former, Job 4:5; and insults his profession of faith and hope in God, and fear of him, Job 4:6; and suggests that he was a bad man, and an hypocrite; and which he grounds upon this supposition, that no good man was ever destroyed by the Lord; for the truth of which he appeals to Job himself, Job 4:7; and confirms it by his own experience and observation, Job 4:8-11; and strengthens it by a vision he had in the night, in which the holiness and justice of God, and the mean and low condition of men, are declared, Job 4:12-21; and therefore it was wrong in Job to insinuate any injustice in God or in his providence, and a piece of weakness and folly to contend with him.