Job 15:20-21 | KingComments | STEP | Self-confidently Eliphaz points to his authority to teach Job ( ). Just as Job asked his friends to listen to him ( ), so now Eliphaz commands Job to listen to him. For Job cannot ignore the observations he, Eliphaz, has made with his own eyes. In his first speech he appealed to observation ( ). His observations are in keeping with tradition, with what the wise men have revealed and handed down to the fathers ( ). He took note of this and embraced it as truth. The latter is at the heart of his second speech. Eliphaz thus draws his wisdom from purely human sources. And with this he thinks he can convince Job. But with all his knowledge, obtained through observation and tradition, Eliphaz has no knowledge of God, nor of his own heart, and certainly not of the why of the suffering Job undergoes. In “the land” could be Teman, the land where Eliphaz came from, known for its wisdom ( ; ). In any case, it is a land where wise men lived who were nowhere else to be found. That land was given to them. It did not make them humble, however, but they boasted of their wisdom. The fact that no alien passed among them could mean that no one could influence their wisdom with wrong ideas. It was an unmixed, pure wisdom. Eliphaz speaks high and mighty about the wisdom he observed in others and especially in himself. After his extensive introduction Eliphaz starts in with the contents of his second argument. In he applies his acquired wisdom to an ungodly bully. An ungodly bully, Eliphaz says, writhes in pain all his days ( ). Job is in pain every day, but because of his wickedness he does this to himself. The ruthless lives only a small number of years. Job must take this into account if he persists in his resistance against God. Eliphaz speaks in general terms, but the application of this to Job is very clear. He doesn’t pay attention to the fact that what he says doesn’t apply to all sinners. Thus we know of the wicked King Manasseh, who committed a great deal of violence, that he reigned for no less than fifty-five years ( ; cf. ). is also a clear allusion to Job, for Job expressed himself in these terms in his first complaint ( ). He said this in the distress of his soul, sitting on the ruins of a destroyed life. That Eliphaz has been insensitive to these expressions of sorrow is shown here. He now uses these words against Job. A wicked bully can indeed live in riches and abundance, while the slightest unknown sound he hears frightens him. One who has a guilty conscience has no rest. He constantly lives in fear and never feels any certainty that he is safe. Even if he seems to be doing well, the destroyer comes upon him. The hopeless situation in which he then finds himself is not reversible ( ). He also expects no change. He will not leave the darkness in which he finds himself. Fate has struck and he cannot but accept this, no matter how great the repugnance. He is constantly threatened by the danger of sudden violent death. Because of all the disasters that have struck him, he has also fallen to begging ( ). He tries to prolong his life by searching everywhere for food. But he does not know where to find it. The situation is hopeless. What awaits him, he knows, is “a day of darkness”. That day of downfall is “at hand” for him like a day worked by him with his own hand. It’s really all his own fault. Peace and prosperity have given way to “distress and anguish” ( ). They ambush him, without him being able to resist. He wants to, but he cannot. He is overwhelmed by it, according to a plan calculated in advance. The terrors by which he has been attacked and overwhelmed are like a king who, after good preparation, is ready for battle and goes to war. Job cannot stand and is defeated.

‏ Job 15:20-21

The Experience of the Wicked

Self-confidently Eliphaz points to his authority to teach Job (Job 15:17). Just as Job asked his friends to listen to him (Job 13:6 ; 17), so now Eliphaz commands Job to listen to him. For Job cannot ignore the observations he, Eliphaz, has made with his own eyes. In his first speech he appealed to observation (Job 4:8 ; 12-16). His observations are in keeping with tradition, with what the wise men have revealed and handed down to the fathers (Job 15:18). He took note of this and embraced it as truth. The latter is at the heart of his second speech.

Eliphaz thus draws his wisdom from purely human sources. And with this he thinks he can convince Job. But with all his knowledge, obtained through observation and tradition, Eliphaz has no knowledge of God, nor of his own heart, and certainly not of the why of the suffering Job undergoes.

In Job 15:19 “the land” could be Teman, the land where Eliphaz came from, known for its wisdom (Jer 49:7; Oba 1:8-9). In any case, it is a land where wise men lived who were nowhere else to be found. That land was given to them. It did not make them humble, however, but they boasted of their wisdom. The fact that no alien passed among them could mean that no one could influence their wisdom with wrong ideas. It was an unmixed, pure wisdom. Eliphaz speaks high and mighty about the wisdom he observed in others and especially in himself.

After his extensive introduction Eliphaz starts in Job 15:20 with the contents of his second argument. In Job 15:20-24 he applies his acquired wisdom to an ungodly bully. An ungodly bully, Eliphaz says, writhes in pain all his days (Job 15:20). Job is in pain every day, but because of his wickedness he does this to himself. The ruthless lives only a small number of years. Job must take this into account if he persists in his resistance against God.

Eliphaz speaks in general terms, but the application of this to Job is very clear. He doesn’t pay attention to the fact that what he says doesn’t apply to all sinners. Thus we know of the wicked King Manasseh, who committed a great deal of violence, that he reigned for no less than fifty-five years (2Chr 33:1; cf. Psa 73:3).

Job 15:21 is also a clear allusion to Job, for Job expressed himself in these terms in his first complaint (Job 3:25-26). He said this in the distress of his soul, sitting on the ruins of a destroyed life. That Eliphaz has been insensitive to these expressions of sorrow is shown here. He now uses these words against Job.

A wicked bully can indeed live in riches and abundance, while the slightest unknown sound he hears frightens him. One who has a guilty conscience has no rest. He constantly lives in fear and never feels any certainty that he is safe. Even if he seems to be doing well, the destroyer comes upon him.

The hopeless situation in which he then finds himself is not reversible (Job 15:22). He also expects no change. He will not leave the darkness in which he finds himself. Fate has struck and he cannot but accept this, no matter how great the repugnance. He is constantly threatened by the danger of sudden violent death.

Because of all the disasters that have struck him, he has also fallen to begging (Job 15:23). He tries to prolong his life by searching everywhere for food. But he does not know where to find it. The situation is hopeless. What awaits him, he knows, is “a day of darkness”. That day of downfall is “at hand” for him like a day worked by him with his own hand. It’s really all his own fault.

Peace and prosperity have given way to “distress and anguish” (Job 15:24). They ambush him, without him being able to resist. He wants to, but he cannot. He is overwhelmed by it, according to a plan calculated in advance. The terrors by which he has been attacked and overwhelmed are like a king who, after good preparation, is ready for battle and goes to war. Job cannot stand and is defeated.