Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
Job 15 marks the beginning of the second round of speeches in the book of Job, and Eliphaz sets a harsh tone. Gone is any semblance of gentle probing or sympathetic inquiry. Instead, we witness a full-blown assault on Job's character and integrity. It's as if Job's friends, having seen their initial, softer approach fail to elicit the desired confession, have decided to escalate their tactics. They are no longer wearing kid gloves; they've come out swinging with bare knuckles, frustrated that Job hasn't simply surrendered, acknowledged their superior wisdom, and begged for forgiveness from God and them.
A Scathing Indictment (Job 15:1-10)
Eliphaz's speech is characterized by a distinct lack of empathy. He begins by dismissing Job's words as useless and empty, accusing him of filling himself with the "hot east wind" (Job 15:2), essentially calling him a windbag. This is not a gentle rebuke but a stinging insult. He goes even further, striking Job below the belt by claiming that Job's very words prove he lacks genuine fear of God and is, in fact, a hardened sinner (Job 15:4-6). This is a serious accusation, implying that Job's suffering is not a test of faith but a consequence of his wickedness.
The accusations continue to pile up. Eliphaz accuses Job of arrogance, suggesting that Job believes himself to be wiser than everyone else (Job 15:7-10). He questions Job's authority and experience, implying that Job's understanding of God and the world is limited and flawed. This is a direct challenge to Job's integrity and a blatant attempt to undermine his credibility.
The Illusion of Comfort (Job 15:11-13)
Eliphaz adds insult to injury by referring to his own harsh words as "God's consolations" (Job 15:11), suggesting that Job should appreciate them because Eliphaz has spoken "gently" with him. This demonstrates a dangerous level of self-deception. Eliphaz is so convinced of his own wisdom and righteousness that he cannot see the pain he is inflicting on Job. This serves as a warning against the dangers of arrogance and being unteachable. When our own wisdom is questioned, our first response should not be to defend ourselves but to reevaluate our words and actions.
The Fate of the Wicked (Job 15:20-35)
The final and most cruel part of Eliphaz's speech is a detailed description of the terrible fate that awaits the wicked (Job 15:21-33). He paints a grim picture of constant fear, distress, and eventual destruction. While these descriptions may hold some truth in general, Eliphaz uses them specifically to condemn Job, implying that Job is experiencing these calamities because he is godless and deserves his suffering (Job 15:34-35). He cruelly implies that the loss of Job's children and possessions is a direct consequence of his wickedness.
This is the ultimate blow, revealing the cold and judgmental heart of Eliphaz. Instead of offering comfort and support, he uses Job's suffering as an opportunity to reinforce his own sense of righteousness and to condemn Job as a sinner. Eliphaz's speech in Job 15 serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of self-righteousness and the importance of offering genuine compassion and understanding to those who are suffering. It highlights the need to approach difficult situations with humility and a willingness to listen, rather than rushing to judgment and condemnation.
Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
Job 15 marks the beginning of the second round of speeches in the book of Job, and Eliphaz sets a harsh tone. Gone is any semblance of gentle probing or sympathetic inquiry. Instead, we witness a full-blown assault on Job's character and integrity. It's as if Job's friends, having seen their initial, softer approach fail to elicit the desired confession, have decided to escalate their tactics. They are no longer wearing kid gloves; they've come out swinging with bare knuckles, frustrated that Job hasn't simply surrendered, acknowledged their superior wisdom, and begged for forgiveness from God and them.
A Scathing Indictment (Job 15:1-10)
Eliphaz's speech is characterized by a distinct lack of empathy. He begins by dismissing Job's words as useless and empty, accusing him of filling himself with the "hot east wind" (Job 15:2), essentially calling him a windbag. This is not a gentle rebuke but a stinging insult. He goes even further, striking Job below the belt by claiming that Job's very words prove he lacks genuine fear of God and is, in fact, a hardened sinner (Job 15:4-6). This is a serious accusation, implying that Job's suffering is not a test of faith but a consequence of his wickedness.
The accusations continue to pile up. Eliphaz accuses Job of arrogance, suggesting that Job believes himself to be wiser than everyone else (Job 15:7-10). He questions Job's authority and experience, implying that Job's understanding of God and the world is limited and flawed. This is a direct challenge to Job's integrity and a blatant attempt to undermine his credibility.
The Illusion of Comfort (Job 15:11-13)
Eliphaz adds insult to injury by referring to his own harsh words as "God's consolations" (Job 15:11), suggesting that Job should appreciate them because Eliphaz has spoken "gently" with him. This demonstrates a dangerous level of self-deception. Eliphaz is so convinced of his own wisdom and righteousness that he cannot see the pain he is inflicting on Job. This serves as a warning against the dangers of arrogance and being unteachable. When our own wisdom is questioned, our first response should not be to defend ourselves but to reevaluate our words and actions.
The Fate of the Wicked (Job 15:20-35)
The final and most cruel part of Eliphaz's speech is a detailed description of the terrible fate that awaits the wicked (Job 15:21-33). He paints a grim picture of constant fear, distress, and eventual destruction. While these descriptions may hold some truth in general, Eliphaz uses them specifically to condemn Job, implying that Job is experiencing these calamities because he is godless and deserves his suffering (Job 15:34-35). He cruelly implies that the loss of Job's children and possessions is a direct consequence of his wickedness.
This is the ultimate blow, revealing the cold and judgmental heart of Eliphaz. Instead of offering comfort and support, he uses Job's suffering as an opportunity to reinforce his own sense of righteousness and to condemn Job as a sinner. Eliphaz's speech in Job 15 serves as a stark reminder of the dangers of self-righteousness and the importance of offering genuine compassion and understanding to those who are suffering. It highlights the need to approach difficult situations with humility and a willingness to listen, rather than rushing to judgment and condemnation.