Eliphaz Responds to Job
Study note
Eliphaz begins respectfully, acknowledging that Job might not want to hear more words. But he cannot hold back. He reminds Job that he used to be the one who strengthened and encouraged others. Now Eliphaz says Job should rely on the same faith he taught to others. This sounds kind, but it carries an underlying accusation: if Job is truly innocent, why is he so troubled?
1 Then Eliphaz from Teman spoke up and said, Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2 'Would it bother you if someone tried to say something? Because I cannot hold it in any longer.' If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
3 'Remember, you used to be the one who encouraged others. You helped people who were falling apart get back on their feet.' Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4 'When others were stumbling, your words picked them up. You helped people who could barely stand find their strength again.' Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
5 'But now that trouble has landed on you, you are falling apart. Now that it has hit you personally, you are shaken to the core.' But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6 'Should your deep respect for God not give you something solid to stand on? Should the good life you have lived not fill you with hope?' Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
The Innocent Do Not Perish
Study note
Eliphaz states his core belief: innocent people do not perish, and the righteous are not destroyed. He compares the wicked to lions whose teeth are broken -- no matter how fierce they seem, God brings them down. This belief, known as 'retribution theology,' assumes that suffering always comes from sin. It contains some truth but misses the bigger picture of Job's situation.
7 'Stop and think about it: has anyone who was truly innocent ever been destroyed? When has a person who did what was right ever been completely wiped out?' Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
8 'From what I have seen, people who plant trouble and spread wrongdoing always end up reaping the same kind of thing.' Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
9 'One breath from God finishes them off. One blast of his anger sweeps them away.' By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
10 'The lion may roar and the fierce lion may snarl, but even the teeth of young lions get broken.' The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11 'The mighty lion starves when there is no prey, and the cubs scatter and go their separate ways.' The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
A Frightening Night Vision
Study note
Eliphaz describes a terrifying experience. In the middle of the night, a spirit passed before his face, making his hair stand on end. The spirit asked a haunting question: can any human being be more pure than God? Eliphaz uses this vision to argue that all people are flawed and weak compared to God. He says that even angels are not perfectly trustworthy, so how much less can humans in their fragile bodies claim to be righteous?
12 'A message came to me quietly, like a secret. My ear picked up just a tiny whisper of it.' Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
13 'It happened during a deep dream in the middle of the night, when people are fast asleep.' In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
14 'I was gripped by fear and trembling, and every bone in my body shook.' Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake.
15 'Something invisible passed before my face, and every hair on my body stood straight up.' Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
16 'It stopped moving, but I could not figure out what it looked like. Some kind of shape stood before my eyes. Everything was silent, and then I heard a soft voice that said,' It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
17 '"Can any human being be more right than God? Can any person be more pure than the one who created them?"' Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
18 'If God does not even fully trust his own heavenly servants, and if he spots flaws in his very own angels,' Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:
19 'If that's true, how much less can he trust people? Our bodies are made from dust and break easily. We can be crushed as easily as a moth.' How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
20 'Between sunrise and sunset they are destroyed. They vanish forever, and nobody even notices they are gone.' They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it.
21 'Their life is pulled away like a tent peg, and they die without ever truly gaining wisdom.' Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.