Job 5:8-18

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

9 who ¹does great things and ²unsearchable, ³marvelous things without number:

10 he gives ⁴rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields;

11 he ⁵sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.

12 He ⁶frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success.

13 He ⁷catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.

14 They meet with darkness in the daytime and ⁸grope at noonday as in the night.

15 But he ⁹saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty.

16 So the poor have hope, and ¹⁰injustice shuts her mouth.

17 "Behold, ¹¹blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore ¹²despise not the discipline of the ¹³Almighty.

18 For he wounds, but he ¹⁴binds up; he ¹⁵shatters, but his hands heal.

Job 5:8-18 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 9:10; [Job 37:5; Psalms 40:5; Psalms 72:18; Romans 11:33; Revelation 15:3]
• 2. Job 9:10; Job 11:7; Job 34:24
• 3. [Job 10:16]
• 4. Psalms 65:9, 10; Psalms 147:8; Jeremiah 5:24; Jeremiah 14:22; Acts 14:17; [Psalms 104:10, 13; Matthew 5:45]
• 5. 1 Samuel 2:7; [Psalms 113:7]
• 6. [Nehemiah 4:15; Psalms 33:10; Isaiah 8:10]
• 7. Cited 1 Corinthians 3:19; [Psalms 9:15, 16]
• 8. Job 12:25; Deuteronomy 28:29; [Isaiah 59:10]
• 9. Psalms 35:10
• 10. Psalms 107:42; [Psalms 63:11]
• 11. Psalms 94:12; [James 1:12]
• 12. Proverbs 3:11; Hebrews 12:5; Revelation 3:19
• 13. Genesis 17:1
• 14. Isaiah 30:26; Isaiah 61:1; Hosea 6:1
• 15. [Deuteronomy 32:39]