Job 5:1-11

1 "Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of ¹the holy ones will you turn?

2 Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.

3 ²I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.

4 His children are ³far from safety; they are crushed in ⁴the gate, and there is no one to deliver them.

5 The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns,^[a] and the thirsty pant^[b] after his^[c] wealth.

6 For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground,

7 but man is ⁵born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.

8 "As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause,

9 who ⁶does great things and ⁷unsearchable, ⁸marvelous things without number:

10 he gives ⁹rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;

11 he ¹⁰sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

Job 5:1-11 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.

Cross References

• 1. Job 15:15; Psalms 89:5, 7; Zechariah 14:5
• 2. Jeremiah 12:2, 3; [Psalms 37:35, 36; Psalms 73:18-20]
• 3. [Psalms 119:155]
• 4. Job 29:7; Psalms 127:5; Proverbs 22:22; [Joshua 20:4; Amos 5:12]; See Ruth 4:1
• 5. Job 14:1; Genesis 3:17-19; Ecclesiastes 2:23
• 6. Job 9:10; [Job 37:5; Psalms 40:5; Psalms 72:18; Romans 11:33; Revelation 15:3]
• 7. Job 9:10; Job 11:7; Job 34:24
• 8. [Job 10:16]
• 9. Psalms 65:9, 10; Psalms 147:8; Jeremiah 5:24; Jeremiah 14:22; Acts 14:17; [Psalms 104:10, 13; Matthew 5:45]
• 10. 1 Samuel 2:7; [Psalms 113:7]

Footnotes

• [a]. The meaning of the Hebrew is uncertain
• [b]. Aquila, Symmachus, Syriac, Vulgate; Hebrew could be read as and the snare pants
• [c]. Hebrew their