Job 5:3-13

3 And I have seen foolish ones taking root: but suddenly their habitation was devoured.

4 Let their children be far from safety, and let them be crushed at the doors of vile men, and let there be no deliverer.

5 For what they have collected, the just shall eat; but they shall not be delivered out of calamities: let their strength be utterly exhausted.

6 For labour cannot by any means come out of the earth, nor shall trouble spring out of the mountains:

7 yet man is born to labour, and the vulture's young seek the high places.

8 Nevertheless I will beseech the Lord, and will call upon the Lord, the sovereign of all;

9 who does great things and untraceable, glorious things also, and marvellous, of which there is no number:

10 who gives rain upon the earth, sending water on the earth:

11 who exalts the lowly, and raises up them that are lost:

12 frustrating the counsels of the crafty, and their hands shall not perform the truth:

13 who takes the wise in their wisdom, and subverts the counsel of the crafty

Job 5:3-13 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.