Job 15:28 | KingComments | STEP | Eliphaz argues that the suffering he has described in the previous verses comes over the wicked because he stretches out his hand “against God” in rebellion and because he conducts himself arrogantly “against the Almighty” ( ). He is still speaking in generalities, but Job will know that he himself is being directly addressed. Who but Job raises his fist to God and rises up against Him in rebellion? The whole description does injustice to who Job really is and what he is going through. It shows a lack of empathy to speak in this way about and to a righteous man like Job who suffers greatly. It must make clear to us how hard we can be in judging someone who is suffering. That judgment becomes harsher the more the suffering person does not recognize himself in our judgment and even resists it. We then feel attacked in our ‘theology’; and with it our identity falls or stands. Instead of admitting it, we go into the trenches and keep firing our arrows of truth in order for the suffering person to be touched by it only once. In our opinion, that will mean the end of his suffering and we will be proved right. This last point is the most important: we have not lost face. Eliphaz tells Job that he sees God as his enemy and that he will run against Him to defeat Him ( ). “Headlong”, i.e. in overconfidence, he clings to his opposition to God. He does not intend to bend his neck and submit to Him. On the contrary. He rushes headlong at God with “his massive shield” to defend himself against the arrows that God shoots at him. He also thinks he has every right to defend himself against God in this way. The fat on his face and the flesh on his thighs indicate the prosperity of Job ( ). Fat is an expression of prosperity. Eliphaz says that Job’s face and thighs were covered with it by his own actions. He supposes that Job attributed his prosperity to his own merit. What Eliphaz says of Job recalls the reasoning of the later Nabal, who considered all his possessions his own, without any gratitude to David ( ). Eliphaz suggests that through his prosperity Job turned away from God (cf. ), so that God again took away from him everything He had first given him. What Eliphaz supposes goes against the testimony God Himself gave of Job ( ). With the description in , Eliphaz depicts the situation in which the wicked will end up. In fact, it is the situation in which Job finds himself and in which, according to Eliphaz, he has ended up because of his rebellion against God. From this he can see that Job is wicked man. Only someone who has sinned heavily is punished by God. The facts prove it. Look at his habitations. They have been destroyed ( ). There is no longer a house to live in. He’s in a mess. He should have no illusions about becoming rich, for he has lost everything and has nothing to start again with ( ). The wealth he possessed is gone. It did not stand when the disasters struck him. The expansion of his possessions has come to an end. He cannot escape from the darkness of suffering that has come upon him ( ; cf. ). He is in it and cannot get out. He is surrounded by it. “His shoots”, by which are meant his children, does not come to life. The flame of God’s judgment coming out of His mouth (cf. ) has taken away their lives. No, there is nothing he can trust to come out of misery ( ). Any trust will prove to be useless and misleading. If he relies on anything that is useless, he will receive uselessness as retribution. It underscores the worthlessness of such trust. It will hasten his death ( ). His life will come to an end sooner than was intended. He will not see the green of new life. If anything resembles fruit, it will turn out to be unripe fruit ( ). Even the promise of fruit, which is seen in the blossom, remains unfulfilled. This means that the offspring of the wicked will perish. This must be a slap in the face of Job, who recently lost all his children. Eliphaz concludes his description with an explanation of what “the company of the godless (or: of the hypocrites)” yields ( ). It is clear that he includes Job in that company. The company of the hypocrites is a company made up of hypocrites. Their common part and purpose is hypocrisy. Whoever is part of that company “is barren”. A company of hypocrites is not a close-knit unit, but consists of individuals who live only for themselves. They will lose the family or friends they have. There is nothing present that God or others could enjoy as fruit. Eliphaz adds that the homes of those who accept “a bribe” (as ‘the corrupt’ means literally), who therefore allow themselves to be bribed, are consumed by fire. Lives based on bribery practices have no basis, but are destroyed. In doing so, Eliphaz insinuates that Job has accepted gifts and that, therefore, his homes have been consumed. It all goes with someone who is a hypocrite. By definition, hypocrites and corrupt people are unreliable people ( ). “They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.” The plans they make and carry out are deceptive. What they incubate in their minds and what comes out of them is a plague for others. They produce only mischief and deceit. Eliphaz has finished describing the evil that, according to him, affects all wicked people. The fact that he tells Job these things means that he sees Job as such. With this, he completely misses the point. And not only that. He adds enormously to the already heavy suffering of Job. It’s a completely misplaced accusation of a sincere man.

‏ Job 15:28

Their Retribution

Eliphaz argues that the suffering he has described in the previous verses comes over the wicked because he stretches out his hand “against God” in rebellion and because he conducts himself arrogantly “against the Almighty” (Job 15:25). He is still speaking in generalities, but Job will know that he himself is being directly addressed. Who but Job raises his fist to God and rises up against Him in rebellion?

The whole description does injustice to who Job really is and what he is going through. It shows a lack of empathy to speak in this way about and to a righteous man like Job who suffers greatly. It must make clear to us how hard we can be in judging someone who is suffering. That judgment becomes harsher the more the suffering person does not recognize himself in our judgment and even resists it.

We then feel attacked in our ‘theology’; and with it our identity falls or stands. Instead of admitting it, we go into the trenches and keep firing our arrows of truth in order for the suffering person to be touched by it only once. In our opinion, that will mean the end of his suffering and we will be proved right. This last point is the most important: we have not lost face.

Eliphaz tells Job that he sees God as his enemy and that he will run against Him to defeat Him (Job 15:26). “Headlong”, i.e. in overconfidence, he clings to his opposition to God. He does not intend to bend his neck and submit to Him. On the contrary. He rushes headlong at God with “his massive shield” to defend himself against the arrows that God shoots at him.

He also thinks he has every right to defend himself against God in this way. The fat on his face and the flesh on his thighs indicate the prosperity of Job (Job 15:27). Fat is an expression of prosperity. Eliphaz says that Job’s face and thighs were covered with it by his own actions. He supposes that Job attributed his prosperity to his own merit.

What Eliphaz says of Job recalls the reasoning of the later Nabal, who considered all his possessions his own, without any gratitude to David (1Sam 25:11). Eliphaz suggests that through his prosperity Job turned away from God (cf. Deu 32:15), so that God again took away from him everything He had first given him. What Eliphaz supposes goes against the testimony God Himself gave of Job (Job 1:1 ; 8 ; Job 2:3).

With the description in Job 15:28-35, Eliphaz depicts the situation in which the wicked will end up. In fact, it is the situation in which Job finds himself and in which, according to Eliphaz, he has ended up because of his rebellion against God. From this he can see that Job is wicked man. Only someone who has sinned heavily is punished by God.

The facts prove it. Look at his habitations. They have been destroyed (Job 15:28). There is no longer a house to live in. He’s in a mess. He should have no illusions about becoming rich, for he has lost everything and has nothing to start again with (Job 15:29). The wealth he possessed is gone. It did not stand when the disasters struck him. The expansion of his possessions has come to an end.

He cannot escape from the darkness of suffering that has come upon him (Job 15:30; cf. Job 15:22-23). He is in it and cannot get out. He is surrounded by it. “His shoots”, by which are meant his children, does not come to life. The flame of God’s judgment coming out of His mouth (cf. 2Thes 2:8a) has taken away their lives.

No, there is nothing he can trust to come out of misery (Job 15:31). Any trust will prove to be useless and misleading. If he relies on anything that is useless, he will receive uselessness as retribution. It underscores the worthlessness of such trust. It will hasten his death (Job 15:32). His life will come to an end sooner than was intended.

He will not see the green of new life. If anything resembles fruit, it will turn out to be unripe fruit (Job 15:33). Even the promise of fruit, which is seen in the blossom, remains unfulfilled. This means that the offspring of the wicked will perish. This must be a slap in the face of Job, who recently lost all his children.

Eliphaz concludes his description with an explanation of what “the company of the godless (or: of the hypocrites)” yields (Job 15:34). It is clear that he includes Job in that company. The company of the hypocrites is a company made up of hypocrites. Their common part and purpose is hypocrisy. Whoever is part of that company “is barren”. A company of hypocrites is not a close-knit unit, but consists of individuals who live only for themselves. They will lose the family or friends they have. There is nothing present that God or others could enjoy as fruit.

Eliphaz adds that the homes of those who accept “a bribe” (as ‘the corrupt’ means literally), who therefore allow themselves to be bribed, are consumed by fire. Lives based on bribery practices have no basis, but are destroyed. In doing so, Eliphaz insinuates that Job has accepted gifts and that, therefore, his homes have been consumed. It all goes with someone who is a hypocrite.

By definition, hypocrites and corrupt people are unreliable people (Job 15:35). “They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity.” The plans they make and carry out are deceptive. What they incubate in their minds and what comes out of them is a plague for others. They produce only mischief and deceit.

Eliphaz has finished describing the evil that, according to him, affects all wicked people. The fact that he tells Job these things means that he sees Job as such. With this, he completely misses the point. And not only that. He adds enormously to the already heavy suffering of Job. It’s a completely misplaced accusation of a sincere man.