Job 15:13 | KingComments | STEP | Eliphaz asks Job some questions. They are rhetorical questions. The questions contain accusations. They must make it clear to Job that he is arrogant. He has to realize that he thinks he is quite someone and knows quite a lot, but that there is no reason for this. Eliphaz asks the rhetorical question whether Job is “the first man to be born” and whether he was “brought forth before the hills” ( ). With this Eliphaz underlines his thesis that old age is the source of wisdom. He also believes that he has refuted Job’s claim that he possesses wisdom. Eliphaz assumes that wisdom depends on old age: the older, the wiser. He blames Job for pretending to be many times older and thus wiser than Eliphaz. Does Job think that he was born before the hills? Hills also refer to creation and represent stability (cf. ; ; ). Of course Job is not the first human being born and of course he was not born before the hills, but Job speaks as if he were, Eliphaz says. Eliphaz emphasizes ‘you’, underlining the fierceness of his speech. The caution of his first speech has completely disappeared. Eliphaz then asks Job whether he sometimes attended a secret counsel of God that was hidden from mortals ( ). There he must have gained the wisdom that he now pretends to possess. He has drawn this wisdom to himself and possesses it alone, while it remains hidden from everyone else. This absurd representation of the way in which Job would have acquired his wisdom is also intended to relieve Job of his arrogance. Job imagines a great deal, but he is terribly mistaken when he thinks he knows more than his friends. Does Job really think he knows something they don’t ( )? Job’s posturing is completely unacceptable. It seems that Eliphaz is offended in his pride. We are hearing his complacency. Does Job really think he understands the situation better than they do? Don’t let him think they lack understanding. With them is “the gray-haired and the aged” ( ). Probably Eliphaz means himself. The elderly, in Eliphaz’s view, have the wisdom by definition. Job may have the illusion that he has it, but with them there is even someone even older than Job’s father. What does Job still want to say to that? He should stop pretending that he has the wisdom. Surely he can’t hold on to that in the face of the heavyweights Eliphaz puts forward? What Eliphaz forgets is that he is bringing in human wisdom and not the wisdom of God. A man remains a man, no matter how old he is. In , Eliphaz calls the ministry of the friends “consolations of God” for Job. They are not only consolations that come from God, but they are also great consolations. Those great consolations would then be the blessings they have pointed out, and Job would get them if he confessed his sins. Surely you have to have a lot of imagination to take comfort from such accusations as the friends make. Eliphaz also dares to call the sharp, accusing language they use against Job “the word [spoken] gently with you”. According to Eliphaz, Job’s heart is not well at all ( ). In it there is a lot of anger toward God and rebellion against Him, which gets him carried away. His eyes show that. They flash with anger. Job does not submit to God, but his spirit turns against God ( ). This is evident from the words he speaks out of his mouth. With this Eliphaz says that Job deliberately speaks the words he says. That there is a severely tormented man speaking, who is not always able to control his emotions, is not an issue for Eliphaz.

‏ Job 15:13

Is Job Wiser or Better Than Others?

Eliphaz asks Job some questions. They are rhetorical questions. The questions contain accusations. They must make it clear to Job that he is arrogant. He has to realize that he thinks he is quite someone and knows quite a lot, but that there is no reason for this.

Eliphaz asks the rhetorical question whether Job is “the first man to be born” and whether he was “brought forth before the hills” (Job 15:7). With this Eliphaz underlines his thesis that old age is the source of wisdom. He also believes that he has refuted Job’s claim that he possesses wisdom. Eliphaz assumes that wisdom depends on old age: the older, the wiser. He blames Job for pretending to be many times older and thus wiser than Eliphaz.

Does Job think that he was born before the hills? Hills also refer to creation and represent stability (cf. Psa 90:2; Pro 8:25; Gen 49:26). Of course Job is not the first human being born and of course he was not born before the hills, but Job speaks as if he were, Eliphaz says. Eliphaz emphasizes ‘you’, underlining the fierceness of his speech. The caution of his first speech has completely disappeared.

Eliphaz then asks Job whether he sometimes attended a secret counsel of God that was hidden from mortals (Job 15:8). There he must have gained the wisdom that he now pretends to possess. He has drawn this wisdom to himself and possesses it alone, while it remains hidden from everyone else. This absurd representation of the way in which Job would have acquired his wisdom is also intended to relieve Job of his arrogance.

Job imagines a great deal, but he is terribly mistaken when he thinks he knows more than his friends. Does Job really think he knows something they don’t (Job 15:9)? Job’s posturing is completely unacceptable. It seems that Eliphaz is offended in his pride. We are hearing his complacency. Does Job really think he understands the situation better than they do? Don’t let him think they lack understanding.

With them is “the gray-haired and the aged” (Job 15:10). Probably Eliphaz means himself. The elderly, in Eliphaz’s view, have the wisdom by definition. Job may have the illusion that he has it, but with them there is even someone even older than Job’s father. What does Job still want to say to that? He should stop pretending that he has the wisdom. Surely he can’t hold on to that in the face of the heavyweights Eliphaz puts forward? What Eliphaz forgets is that he is bringing in human wisdom and not the wisdom of God. A man remains a man, no matter how old he is.

In Job 15:11, Eliphaz calls the ministry of the friends “consolations of God” for Job. They are not only consolations that come from God, but they are also great consolations. Those great consolations would then be the blessings they have pointed out, and Job would get them if he confessed his sins. Surely you have to have a lot of imagination to take comfort from such accusations as the friends make. Eliphaz also dares to call the sharp, accusing language they use against Job “the word [spoken] gently with you”.

According to Eliphaz, Job’s heart is not well at all (Job 15:12). In it there is a lot of anger toward God and rebellion against Him, which gets him carried away. His eyes show that. They flash with anger. Job does not submit to God, but his spirit turns against God (Job 15:13). This is evident from the words he speaks out of his mouth. With this Eliphaz says that Job deliberately speaks the words he says. That there is a severely tormented man speaking, who is not always able to control his emotions, is not an issue for Eliphaz.