Job 15
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The soft answer. Useful correction. Stability of the righteous. The contented mind. The slothful man. The fool. The covetous. The impious. The wicked opposed to the righteous; to the diligent; and to the man who fears the Lord.
Open source ↗SECOND SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ. (Job 15:1-35) a wise man--which Job claims to be. vain knowledge--Hebrew, "windy knowledge"; literally, "of wind" (Job 8:2). In Ecc 1:14, Hebrew, "to catch wind," expresses to strive for what is vain. east wind--stronger than the previous "wind," for in that region the east wind is the most destructive of winds (Isa 27:8). Thus here,--empty violence. belly--the inward parts, the breast (Pro 18:8).
Open source ↗Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite,.... Or, who was of Teman, as the Targum, the first of Job's friends and comforters, the oldest of them, who first began the dispute with him; which was carried on by his two other companions, who had spoken in their turns; and now in course it fell to him to answer a second time, as he here does, and said, as follows.
Open source ↗1 Then began Eliphaz the Temanite, and said: 2 Doth a wise man utter vain knowledge, And fill his breast with the east wind? 3 Contending with words, that profit not, And speeches, by which no good is done? 4 Moreover, thou makest void the fear of God, And thou restrainest devotion before God; 5 For thy mouth exposeth thy misdeeds, And thou choosest the language of the crafty. 6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee and not I, And thine own lips testify against thee. The second course of the controversy is again opened by Eliphaz, the most respectable, most influential, and perhaps oldest of the friends. Job's detailed and bitter answers seem to him as empty words and impassioned tirades, which ill become a wise man, such as he claims to be in assertions like Job 12:3; Job 13:2. החלם with He interr., like העלה, Job 13:25. רוּח, wind, is the opposite of what is solid and sure; and קדים in the parallel (like Hos 12:2) signifies what is worthless, with the additional notion of vehement action. If we translate בּטן by "belly," the meaning is apt to be misunderstood; it is not intended as the opposite of לב fo et (Ewald), but it means, especially in the book of Job, not only that which feels, but also thinks and wills, the spiritually receptive and active inner nature of man (Psychol. S. 266); as also in Arabic, el-battin signifies that which is within, in the deepest mystical sense. Hirz. and Renan translate the inf. abs. הוכח, which follows in Job 15:3, as verb. fin.: se dfend-il par des vaines paroles; but though the inf. abs. is so used in an historical clause (Job 15:35), it is not an interrogative. Ewald takes it as the subject: "to reprove with words-avails not, and speeches - whereby one does no good;" but though דּבר and מלּים might be used without any further defining, a…
Open source ↗Eliphaz here falls very foul upon Job, because he contradicted what he and his colleagues had said, and did not acquiesce in it and applaud it, as they expected. Proud people are apt thus to take it very much amiss if they may not have leave to dictate and give law to all about them, and to censure those as ignorant and obstinate, and all that is naught, who cannot in every thing say as they say. Several great crimes Eliphaz here charges Job with, only because he would not own himself a hypocrite. I. He charges him with folly and absurdity (Job 15:2, Job 15:3), that, whereas he had been reputed a wise man, he had now quite forfeited his reputation; any one would say that his wisdom had departed from him, he talked so extravagantly and so little to the purpose. Bildad began thus (Job 8:2), and Zophar, Job 11:2, Job 11:3. It is common for angry disputants thus to represent one another's reasonings as impertinent and ridiculous more than there is cause, forgetting the doom of him that calls his brother Raca, and Thou fool. It is true, 1. That there is in the world a great deal of vain knowledge, science falsely so called, that is useless, and therefore worthless. 2. That this is the knowledge that puffs up, with which men swell in a fond conceit of their own accomplishments. 3. That, whatever vain knowledge a man may have in his head, if he would be thought a wise man he must not utter it, but let it die with himself as it deserves. 4. Unprofitable talk is evil talk. We must give an account in the great day not only for wicked words, but for idle words. Speeches therefore which do no good, which do no service either to God or our neighbour, or no justice to ourselves, which are no way to the use of edifying, were better unspoken. Those words which are as wind, light and em…
Open source ↗15:1–21:34 In this second round of speeches, Job’s friends focus on the fate of the wicked and imply that Job’s condition shows he has sinned.
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… אֱלִיפַז (ʼĔlîyphaz, H464) — Eliphaz, the name of one of Job's friends, and of a son of Esau תֵּימָנִי (Têymânîy, H8489) — a Temanite or descendant of Teman אָמַר (ʼâmar, H559) — to say (used with great latitude)
Open source ↗חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… דַּעַת (daʻath, H1847) — knowledge מָלֵא (mâlêʼ, H4390) — to fill or (intransitively) be full of, in a wide application (literally and figuratively) בֶּטֶן (beṭen, H990) — the belly, especially the womb; also the bosom or body of anything קָדִים (qâdîym, H6921) — the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for…
Open source ↗יָכַח (yâkach, H3198) — to be right (i.e. correct); reciprocal, to argue; causatively, to decide, justify or… סָכַן (çâkan, H5532) — to be familiar with; by implication, to minister to, be serviceable to, be customary דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause מִלָּה (millâh, H4405) — a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic יַעַל (yaʻal, H3276) — properly, to ascend; figuratively, to be valuable (objectively; useful, subjectively;…
Open source ↗פָּרַר (pârar, H6565) — to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate יִרְאָה (yirʼâh, H3374) — fear (also used as infinitive); morally, reverence גָּרַע (gâraʻ, H1639) — to scrape off; by implication, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold שִׂיחָה (sîychâh, H7881) — reflection; be extension, devotion פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… אֵל (ʼêl, H410) — strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity)
Open source ↗פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… אָלַף (ʼâlaph, H502) — hence, to learn (and causatively to teach) עָוֺן (ʻâvôn, H5771) — perversity, i.e. (moral) evil בָּחַר (bâchar, H977) — properly, to try, i.e. (by implication) select לָשׁוֹן (lâshôwn, H3956) — the tongue (of man or animals), used literally (as the instrument of licking, eating, or… עָרוּם (ʻârûwm, H6175) — cunning (usually in a bad sense)
Open source ↗פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);… רָשַׁע (râshaʻ, H7561) — to be (causatively, do or declare) wrong; by implication, to disturb, violate שָׂפָה (sâphâh, H8193) — the lip (as a natural boundary); by implication, language; by analogy, a margin (of a… עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;…
Open source ↗רִאשׁוֹן (riʼshôwn, H7223) — first, in place, time or rank (as adjective or noun) אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) יָלַד (yâlad, H3205) — to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show… חוּל (chûwl, H2342) — properly, to twist or whirl (in a circular or spiral manner), i.e. (specifically) to… פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… גִּבְעָה (gibʻâh, H1389) — a hillock
Open source ↗שָׁמַע (shâmaʻ, H8085) — to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively,… סוֹד (çôwd, H5475) — a session, i.e. company of persons (in close deliberation); by implication, intimacy,… אֱלוֹהַּ (ʼĕlôwahh, H433) — a deity or the Deity גָּרַע (gâraʻ, H1639) — to scrape off; by implication, to shave, remove, lessen, withhold חׇכְמָה (chokmâh, H2451) — wisdom (in a good sense)
Open source ↗יָדַע (yâdaʻ, H3045) — to know (properly, to ascertain by seeing); used in a great variety of senses,… בִּין (bîyn, H995) — to separate mentally (or distinguish), i.e.(generally) understand
Open source ↗שִׂיב (sîyb, H7867) — properly, to become aged, i.e. (by implication) to grow gray יָשִׁישׁ (yâshîysh, H3453) — an old man כַּבִּיר (kabbîyr, H3524) — vast, whether in extent (figuratively, of power, mighty; of time, aged), or in number,… יוֹם (yôwm, H3117) — a day (as the warm hours), whether literal (from sunrise to sunset, or from one sunset to… אָב (ʼâb, H1) — father, in a literal and immediate, or figurative and remote application
Open source ↗תַּנְחוּם (tanchûwm, H8575) — compassion, solace אֵל (ʼêl, H410) — strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) מְעַט (mᵉʻaṭ, H4592) — a little or few (often adverbial or compar.) אַט (ʼaṭ, H328) — (as a noun) a necromancer (from their soft incantations), (as an adverb) gently דָּבָר (dâbâr, H1697) — a word; by implication, a matter (as spoken of) or thing; adverbially, a cause
Open source ↗לֵב (lêb, H3820) — the heart; also used (figuratively) very widely for the feelings, the will and even the… לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) עַיִן (ʻayin, H5869) — an eye (literally or figuratively); by analogy, a fountain (as the eye of the landscape) רָזַם (râzam, H7335) — to twinkle the eye (in mockery)
Open source ↗שׁוּב (shûwb, H7725) — to turn back (hence, away) transitively or intransitively, literally or figuratively (not… רוּחַ (rûwach, H7307) — wind; by resemblance breath, i.e. a sensible (or even violent) exhalation; figuratively,… אֵל (ʼêl, H410) — strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) מִלָּה (millâh, H4405) — a word; collectively, a discourse; figuratively, a topic יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… פֶּה (peh, H6310) — the mouth (as the means of blowing), whether literal or figurative (particularly speech);…
Open source ↗אֱנוֹשׁ (ʼĕnôwsh, H582) — a man in general (singly or collectively) זָכָה (zâkâh, H2135) — to be translucent; figuratively, to be innocent יָלַד (yâlad, H3205) — to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show… אִשָּׁה (ʼishshâh, H802) — a woman צָדַק (tsâdaq, H6663) — to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense)
Open source ↗Cross-references
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Now when Job’s three friends—Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite—heard about all this adversity that had come upon him, each of them came from his home, and they met together to go and sympathize with Job and comfort him.
After the LORD had spoken these words to Job, He said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you and your two friends. For you have not spoken about Me accurately, as My servant Job has.
So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite went and did as the LORD had told them; and the LORD accepted Job’s request.
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: