Job 15
Eliphaz’s Second Speech: Accusing Job of FollyThis section records the second speech of Eliphaz to Job. Eliphaz is upset by Job’s previous words and accuses him of speaking foolishly and acting arrogantly. He claims that Job’s suffering is proof that he must have sinned and suggests that Job’s words are dangerous and disrespectful to God. Eliphaz warns Job that only evil people suffer as he does, and encourages Job to return to God in humility. This speech shows how Job’s friends misunderstood the reasons for suffering and were quick to judge others without knowing all the facts.v. 1: Eliphaz the Temanite responds to Job, starting his second speech. He wants to correct Job and is critical of how Job has been talking about his troubles . v. 2-3: Eliphaz asks, “Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should he argue in unprofitable talk, or in words with which he can do no good?” (Job 15:2-3 a). He accuses Job of speaking empty, useless words that do not help anyone. Eliphaz thinks Job is not being wise but is just complaining. – v. 4-6: He says, “You are doing away with the fear of God and hindering meditation before God. Your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty. Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; your own lips testify against you.” (Job 15:4-6 b). Eliphaz claims that Job’s words show he does not respect God and that he is speaking like a sinner. He says Job’s own words prove he is guilty. – – v. 7-10: Eliphaz asks if Job is wiser than the oldest people or even older than the mountains. He says, “Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?” (Job 15:7 c). He thinks Job is acting as if he knows more than his elders and is being proud. – – – v. 11-13: He asks, “Are the comforts of God too small for you, or the word that deals gently with you? Why does your heart carry you away?” (Job 15:11-13 d). Eliphaz says Job should be comforted by God’s words, but instead his anger leads him to speak against God. – – v. 14-16: Eliphaz says, “What is man, that he can be pure? Or he who is born of a woman, that he can be righteous?” (Job 15:14 e). He argues that no human is completely pure or right before God. Even angels are not perfect in God’s eyes, so people cannot be, either. – – The Fate of the Wicked Explained by TraditionThis section is part of Eliphaz's second speech to Job. Eliphaz claims to speak from the wisdom of the ancients, passing along lessons handed down by wise men of old. He tries to show Job that the wicked always suffer, and their lives end in misery. Eliphaz wants Job to accept that suffering comes as a punishment for sin, and he uses old sayings to support his argument. v. 17: Eliphaz says, “I will show you, listen to me; what I have seen I will declare” . He promises to tell Job the truth about what happens to wicked people, based on what he has learned and observed.v. 17-19: Eliphaz offers his own advice, saying he will share the wisdom of the wise men of the past. He says, “What wise men have told, and have not hidden from their fathers” (Job 15:18 f), meaning he will rely on ancient traditions to back up his claims. v. 18: He says, “What wise men have told, and have not hidden from their fathers” . Eliphaz insists that this is ancient wisdom, passed down without change or secrecy. v. 19: “To whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them” . He describes these wise men as people who lived in a pure land, not mixed with strangers, so their teachings were not corrupted. v. 20: “The wicked man writhes in pain all his days, through all the years that are laid up for the ruthless” . Eliphaz claims that wicked people suffer constantly in this life, and that pain follows them all their days. v. 21: “Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer will come upon him” . Even when things seem to be going well, the wicked are always afraid and expect disaster to come. v. 22: “He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is marked for the sword” . He says that evil people have no hope—they expect to die in trouble and violence. v. 23: “He wanders about for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand” . Wicked people are always looking for help but never find it. They live in fear of coming darkness and trouble. v. 24: “Distress and anguish terrify him; they prevail against him, like a king ready for battle” . Eliphaz says that fear and pain attack the wicked like a powerful enemy. v. 25–26: “Because he has stretched out his hand against God and defies the Almighty, running stubbornly against him with a thickly bossed shield” (Job 15:25-26 g). Eliphaz claims that wicked people bring this on themselves by fighting against God and being proud and stubborn.Eliphaz says the wicked man “stretches out his hand against God” and acts proudly. He describes how such a person lives in ruined cities and deserted houses (Job 15:25-28 h). – v. 27: “Because he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat upon his waist” . He accuses the wicked of being greedy and selfish, living only for pleasure. v. 28: “He has lived in desolate cities, in houses that none should inhabit, which were ready to become heaps of ruins” . Their homes become deserted and ruined because of their evil ways. v. 29–30: “He will not be rich, and his wealth will not endure, nor will his possessions spread over the earth. He will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry up his shoots, and by the breath of his mouth he will go away” (Job 15:29-30 i). Eliphaz says that the wicked will lose everything, and all they have will be destroyed.Eliphaz continues, saying the wicked will not become rich or prosper, and their lives will end in emptiness and disaster (Job 15:29-35 j). He warns that evil people will be like a tree whose branches dry up and who will be consumed by fire. Eliphaz says this is the fate of those who turn from God.Eliphaz’s speech shows that he believes suffering is always a punishment for sin, and that good people will always be blessed. He does not understand that sometimes good people suffer for reasons only God knows. His words remind us to be careful before judging others who are suffering, because we do not know everything God is doing in their lives. – v. 31–32: “Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his payment. It will be paid in full before his time, and his branch will not be green” (Job 15:31-32 k). He warns that the wicked are fooling themselves if they hope for good; their lives will be cut short and fruitless. – v. 33: “He will shake off his unripe grape like the vine, and will cast off his blossom like the olive tree” . Their hopes and plans will fail before they are fulfilled. v. 34: “For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery” . Evil people and their groups will end up with nothing, and all their gains will be destroyed. v. 35: “They conceive trouble and give birth to evil, and their womb prepares deceit” (Job 15:35 l). Eliphaz finishes by saying that all the wicked produce is trouble, evil, and lies. Their lives are empty and end in misery.Eliphaz’s main point is that wickedness always leads to suffering and disaster. He wants Job to admit that his troubles must be because of sin. But in saying this, Eliphaz ignores the reality that sometimes good people suffer for reasons only God knows. His words remind us to be careful not to judge others quickly, because only God sees the whole truth.
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