Job 15:14 | KingComments | STEP | In his first speech, Eliphaz already spoke about the holiness of God ( ). Here he does it again and thereby summarizes his first speech in a few words. He wants to convince Job that his appeal to his innocence is groundless. For there is no man who is pure before God ( ). No man who has ever been born of a woman is righteous. With this he tells Job nothing new. Job himself has already said so ( ). It seems that Eliphaz did not listen well to Job. He only applies everything to Job and forgets that he himself is a human being. He judges, but forgets to judge himself (cf. ). He would do well to take his place beside Job, as Elihu does later ( ). Like Job, he is a man, born of a woman, and therefore just like Job, he is not pure and righteous before God. According to Eliphaz, God does not even trust in “His holy ones”, the angels ( ). ‘Trusting on’ here has the meaning of ‘building on’. Not only the earth with men, but also heaven with the heavenly beings is not pure in God’s eyes (cf. ). They are all creatures of Him, and as Creator He does not need to build (trust) on His creatures. It sounds impressive, but what evidence does Eliphaz have for his claims? That God does not trust in any creature belongs to His Being. He is the perfectly Independent One, Who finds everything in Himself. Everything outside of Him must trust in Him. If God puts no trust in those who are so close to Him, and His dwelling place “heaven” is not even pure in His eyes, how should He see a man like Job? This cannot but be as “detestable and corrupt” ( ; cf. ). Eliphaz depicts Job here as someone whom God disgusts, someone whom He sees as corrupt. The reason for God’s abhorrence, Eliphaz explains, is that Job is someone “who drinks iniquity like water” (c.f. ; ). This has been so his whole life and it still is. Job’s life has been imbued with injustice from the beginning until now. That is why he came into this misery and why he is still in it.

‏ Job 15:14

The Holiness of God

In his first speech, Eliphaz already spoke about the holiness of God (Job 4:17-19). Here he does it again and thereby summarizes his first speech in a few words. He wants to convince Job that his appeal to his innocence is groundless. For there is no man who is pure before God (Job 15:14). No man who has ever been born of a woman is righteous. With this he tells Job nothing new. Job himself has already said so (Job 14:4). It seems that Eliphaz did not listen well to Job.

He only applies everything to Job and forgets that he himself is a human being. He judges, but forgets to judge himself (cf. Rom 2:1). He would do well to take his place beside Job, as Elihu does later (Job 33:6). Like Job, he is a man, born of a woman, and therefore just like Job, he is not pure and righteous before God.

According to Eliphaz, God does not even trust in “His holy ones”, the angels (Job 15:15). ‘Trusting on’ here has the meaning of ‘building on’. Not only the earth with men, but also heaven with the heavenly beings is not pure in God’s eyes (cf. Job 25:4-5). They are all creatures of Him, and as Creator He does not need to build (trust) on His creatures. It sounds impressive, but what evidence does Eliphaz have for his claims? That God does not trust in any creature belongs to His Being. He is the perfectly Independent One, Who finds everything in Himself. Everything outside of Him must trust in Him.

If God puts no trust in those who are so close to Him, and His dwelling place “heaven” is not even pure in His eyes, how should He see a man like Job? This cannot but be as “detestable and corrupt” (Job 15:16; cf. Job 25:6). Eliphaz depicts Job here as someone whom God disgusts, someone whom He sees as corrupt. The reason for God’s abhorrence, Eliphaz explains, is that Job is someone “who drinks iniquity like water” (c.f. Job 34:7; Pro 19:28). This has been so his whole life and it still is. Job’s life has been imbued with injustice from the beginning until now. That is why he came into this misery and why he is still in it.