Job 5
5:1 a The angels (literally the holy ones), probably a reference back to 4:18 b, are called “holy ones” because of their proximity to God, not because they were morally perfect (15:15 c; Dan 4:14 d; 8:13 e; Zech 14:5 f).5:4 g The court (literally the gate) was the site of legal and commercial deliberations in which Job had participated (29:7 h; see Deut 21:19-21 i; Ruth 4:1-11 j).
5:8 k To go to God meant lodging a formal appeal with God for assistance, counsel, or vindication, sometimes by way of repentance (Amos 5:4 l, 6 m) and possibly through a prophetic oracle (Gen 25:22 n; 1 Sam 9:9 o; 1 Kgs 22:8 p).
• Job wanted to present his case to God (Job 13:3 q, 15 r, 18 s; 23:3-8 t), and later he attempted to do so (29:1–31:40 u).
Summary for Job 5:9-16: 5:9-16 v Eliphaz’s doxology praised God as the wonder-working Creator and Sustainer of the universe (5:9-10 w) and as the righteous Judge who brings down the powerful and lifts up the poor (5:11-16 x).
Summary for Job 5:9-10: 5:9-10 y Job’s region depended upon rain rather than irrigation (see 36:27-28 z).
5:13 aa God traps the wise in the cleverness of their words (Prov 12:13 ab). Paul alluded to this verse in his rejection of worldly wisdom (1 Cor 1:19 ac).
5:17 ad the discipline of the Almighty: See Deut 8:5 ae; Prov 3:11-12 af; Rev 3:19 ag.
Summary for Job 5:19-26: 5:19-26 ah six disasters ... even in the seventh: This wisdom formula reflects a sense of completeness (cp. Prov 30:15-31 ai).
• This list reflects Mosaic covenant blessings and curses (Lev 26 aj; Deut 28 ak). Eliphaz thought that people in right relationship with God would be free from famine (Job 5:20 al, 22 am; see Lev 26:4-5 an, 10 ao; Deut 28:4-6 ap, 8 aq, 11-12 ar), war (i.e., death, Job 5:20 as) and the destruction it causes (5:21 at, 22 au; see Lev 26:6-8 av; Deut 28:7 aw, 48 ax), and slander. They will even be at peace with wild animals (Job 5:23 ay; see Lev 26:6 az) and the stones of the field. This peace might indicate fertile rather than stony fields (2 Kgs 3:19 ba, 25 bb; Matt 13:5 bc), or it might symbolize wider harmony with the natural world (see Ps 91:11-12 bd).
5:24 be nothing will be missing: See Deut 28:11-12 bf; cp. Job 1:6-19 bg.
5:25 bh descendants ... as plentiful as grass: See Gen 22:17 bi; Lev 26:9 bj; Deut 28:4 bk, 11-12 bl.
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