Job 5:1-10

1 Call now; is there any that will answer thee? And to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?

2 For vexation killeth the foolish man, And jealousy slayeth the silly one.

3 I have seen the foolish taking root: But suddenly I cursed his habitation.

4 His children are far from safety, And they are crushed in the gate, Neither is there any to deliver them:

5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, And taketh it even out of the thorns; And the snare gapeth for their substance.

6 For affliction cometh not forth from the dust, Neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;

7 But man is born unto trouble, As the sparks fly upward.

8 But as for me, I would seek unto God, And unto God would I commit my cause;

9 Who doeth great things and unsearchable, Marvellous things without number:

10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, And sendeth waters upon the fields;

Job 5:1-10 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.