THE BOOK OF
JOB

Job 15

1Eliphaz reproveth Job of impiety in justifying himself: 17he proveth from tradition the disquietude of wicked men.


1THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2Should a 1wise man utter 2vain knowledge, and fill his 3belly with the 4east wind?

1 Namely, such as you pretend yourself to be.

2 Hebr. knowledge of wind, that is, which is not solid, nor sure, but being blown about and passing away. Compare Job 7:7, and the annotation.

3 That is, his inmost or most hidden part, namely, his apprehending faculty, his heart and mind; also verse 35; Job 20:20; 32:19; Prov. 20:27; 22:18. As in the belly the intestines and other entrails are shut up and hidden, so are the thoughts, the will and affections in the soul.

4 That is, with words and discourses, which are not only vain and light as the wind, but also hurtful as in that land the east wind. See Gen. 41:6; Exod. 10:13, and the annotations.

3Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

4Yea, thou castest off 5fear, and 6restrainest 7prayer before God.

5 Namely, of God, driving the same out of men’s hearts by your discourses, and weakening their disposition of calling upon Him in distress. He seems to look back upon that which Job had said in Job 9:22.

6 Or, diminisheth, hinderest.

7 Or, intercession. Understand such a speech or prayer as is uttered with a humble heart before God in time of distress, pouring out its complaints in His presence, and seeking earnestly for His assistance.

5For 8thy mouth 9uttereth 10thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

8 The word mouth, as also the tongue in this verse, and lips in the next, signify the words, speeches and discourses which are uttered by the mouth, tongue and lips. Also Job 16:5; Psalm 5:9; Prov. 2:6; 14:3; 15:2; 18:7 and 21:6, etc.

9 That is, gives testimony of the perverseness of your heart, from where you bring forth these strange discourses. Other, thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, that is, wickedness of your heart makes you utter such speeches.

10 Namely, which has made you to assume in speaking the practice of notorious dissemblers, who are able to equivocate, obscure and pervert anything by a fair show of words and arguments.

6Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

7Art thou 11the first man that was born? or wast thou 12made before 13the hills?

11 That is, the eldest of all men, so that you would know more than any other, and that everyone would be forced to yield unto you, as to the most ancient, wisest and most respectable.

12 The Hebrew word is used of the ordinary birth of people, Psalm 51:5, and of the wonderful birth of the only begotten of the Father, Who is the Wisdom of God, Prov. 8:24, 25.

13 That is, has been from eternity, or before the world was created. Compare Psalm 90:2; Prov. 8:25.

8Hasta thou 14heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom 15to thyself?

a Rom. 11:34.

14 Namely, that you would know all heavenly and Divine mysteries, more than any other. To hear the secret of God, Jeremiah calls to stand in God’s counsel, Jer. 23:22.

15 Namely also, that you would have the same alone, and none besides you.

9What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

10Withb us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, 16much elder than thy father.

b Job 32:7.

16 That is, more advanced, or older in years. He reflects upon what Job had said in Job 12:12.

11Are the 17consolations of God 18small with thee? 19is there any secret thing with thee?

17 Namely, which we propound unto you, but which Job slighted, Job 16:2.

18 That is, too inferior and too unworthy to be presented personally to you.

19 That is, is there any more knowledge with you, which we perhaps comprehend not; or any advantage that we may reject the exhortation of the ancients? Or, likewise any wickedness, which we are not able to discern, whereby you despise so unworthily our reasoning? Or, is there ought with thee which covereth the same, namely, consolations?

12Why doth thine heart 20carry thee away? and 21what do thy eyes wink at,

20 Namely, to provoke God in this manner, to justify yourself and to despise us.

21 Unto a sign of contempt. Other, what do thine eyes aim at? That is, to where do they look? What do they seek? What is your intention, that you ill-treat us with such a conceited design and aspect, and appear to disdain our discourses altogether?

13That thou turnest 22thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

22 That is, your mind being distempered through impatience, and out of indignation breaks out into evil speaking against God. Other, that thy spirit murmereth against God, and bringeth forth such speeches out of thy mouth?

14Whatc23is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

c 1 Kings 8:46; 2 Chron. 6:36; Job 14:4; Psalm 14:3; Prov. 20:9; Eccl. 7:20; 1 John 1:8, 10.

23 The sense is: that he is not clean at all, and has nothing to make him boast of his cleanness and righteousness. The question here infers a strong denial. See Gen. 18 on verse 17.

15Behold,d24he putteth no trust in his 25saints; yea,e the 26heavens are not clean in his sight.

d Job 4:18.

24 See Job 4 on verse 18.

25 That is, the good angels, that are called the sons of God in Job 1:6. Likewise Job 4:18 his servants, and 1 Tim. 5:21 the elect angels. They are called holy ones because they perfectly execute the will of God, Psalm 103:20; Mat. 6:10, and consequently perfectly love Him.

e Job 4:18; 25:5.

26 That is, the aforesaid good angels, that have their dwelling place in heaven; wherefore they are likewise called the angels of heaven, Mat. 24:36, and are said there to behold the face of the heavenly Father, Mat. 18:10.

16How much more abominable and filthy is 27man, which drinketh 28iniquity like water?

27 Or, human being. See Job 12 on verse 10. But it seems that Eliphaz rather makes use here of the word man to give Job a poke thereby.

28 That is, committing iniquity with such a lust and excessiveness, as men and beasts, being thirsty, are very desirous to drink. Compare Job 34:7; Prov. 26:6.

17I will 29shew thee, hear me; 30and that which I have seen I will declare;

29 Namely, that it is true, what I have said, that only the wicked are destroyed of God. See Job 4:7, 8.

30 Other, for I have seen it, therefore will I declare it.

18Which wise men have told from 31their fathers, and have not hid it:

31 Understand the fathers of those wise ones. The sense is: that the wise had received from hand to hand, and had heard it from their forefathers.

19Unto whom alone the earth 32was given, and 33no stranger passed among them.

32 Namely, by the people of the land, for to govern the same by their wisdom and great authority; for, unto such was the government of the countries in former times committed and entrusted.

33 That is, through whose country there was no hostile passing through by foreign nations. The meaning is: that those wise (ones) did govern so well, that their country was not touched, nor annoyed by any foreign forces. Or, no strangers, that is, such as brought any other or strange doctrine into the land, then what the wise patriarchs did teach.

20The wicked man 34travaileth with pain 35all his days, and 36the number of years is 37hidden to the oppressor.

34 The sense is: Although the wicked prosper in this world, nevertheless they are unhappy still, by reason of the inward conflict of their mind.

35 That is, all his life long. Eliphaz begins here to relate what instruction those ancient and wise men had left behind, much agreeing with what he had propounded before, Job 5:3, etc.

36 Hebr. a number of years; instead of years of number; that is, few, which are soon counted; as Gen. 34:30, see the annotation. The wicked lies under a twofold plague in this life: the one that he is never at rest or quiet in his temporal prosperity; the other, that his prosperity is of no long continuance. Others translate the latter part of the verse in this manner: and the number of years, namely, of his life, is hid before the oppressor.

37 Namely, in God’s eternal decree which is hid and kept secret from men.

21 A 38dreadful sound is in his ears: inf39prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

38 Namely, with which his conscience shall haunt him, setting his wickedness before him, and threatening him with God’s righteous judgment. Compare Lev. 26:36; Deut. 28:65.

f 1 Thes. 5:3.

39 That is, in the midst of his prosperity and rest. See of the word prosperity Gen. 37 on verse 14.

22He believeth not that he shall return out of 40darkness, 41and he is waited for of the sword.

40 That is, sufferings and adversities. See Gen. 15 on verse 12. Also in the sequel and verse 30.

41 That is, he is persuaded that some do lie in wait for him to put him to a violent death.

2342He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth 43thatg44the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

42 That is, he is in continual anxiety and toiling for his livelihood and bodily provision; in the interim, he is convinced in his mind that his destruction is near.

43 That is, which is in store for him, and is to be expected.

g Job 18:12; Psalm 109:10.

44 That is, the time of suffering. Compare Job 30:16, and thereupon the annotation.

24Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall 45prevail against him, as a king ready to the 46battle.

45 Namely, the anguish.

46 It is perceived that the Hebrew word chidor, which is found nowhere else but here, is much the same with caddur, signifying a ball, Isa. 22:18, and that chidor should signify nothing else but an host, or army, marshaled in the round figure, circular or oval, as they were wont in those days to order their battalions.

25For 47he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the 48Almighty.

47 That is, he sets himself with all his might against God, by a daring opposition and presumptuous action, provoking Him by all manner of abominations, and oppressing other men, but especially the godly, with all manner of wrong and violence, without any awe or fear of God, Whose judgments he thinks he shall be able well enough to turn away from him by mere force, and the strength of his own power. Compare Lev. 26:11; Num. 15:30, and the annotations.

48 See of this Name of God Gen. 17 on verse 1.

26He runneth upon 49him, even on his 50neck, upon 51the thick bossesh of his bucklers:

49 Namely, God.

50 Namely, lifted up and stretched out, as haughty, presumptuous and all-daring persons use to do.

51 That is, with his weapons and force, and all his external means. Hebr. with the thickness and heights or backs of his shields.

h knob at center of shield

27Because he covereth 52his face with his fatness, and maketh collopsi of fat on his 53flanks.

52 That is, fed and fattened his body by all manner of dainties, gluttony and luxury, caring and providing nothing else but his belly. Compare Psalm 17:10; 73:7.

i lumps

53 The Hebrew word signifies the loins, called ilia by the Latinists, and translated by us with flanks, Lev. 3:4; and see there the annotation.

28And he dwelleth in desolate 54cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

54 Namely, having rebuilt and raised them up again by his power, to make himself a name, and to show his power. See Job 3:14.

29He shall not be 55rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong 56the perfection thereof upon the earth.

55 Namely, for a long time, for, his goods shall not cleave to him, as the following words declare it.

56 That is, the glory, riches and great estate of the wicked, whereby they seemed to be perfect.

30He shall not depart out of 57darkness; the 58flame shall dry up his branches, and 59by the breathj of his mouth shall he 60go away.

57 Namely, of miseries and adversities, being once environed by them. See on verse 22.

58 Namely, of vexations and difficulties. Also Isa. 29:6; 43:2; Jer. 48:45; Lam. 2:3.

59 That is, through God’s wrath. See Job 4:9, and the annotation.

j Job 4:9.

60 That is, decay and be reduced to nothing. Or, he shall be forced to withdraw from Him, against Whom he had set himself. See verse 25.

31Let not him that is deceived trust in 61vanity: for 62vanity shall be his 63recompence.

61 That is, in any of these things, which do easily perish, as honor, state, riches, strongholds, cities, men, etc. Thus is the word vanity taken in Psalm 62:9; 119:37; 144:4; Prov. 31:30; Rom. 8:20.

62 That is, grief, ruin, destruction and emptiness; for this shall be the reward of all the former vanity, consisting in honor, riches, power, etc., that they shall not be able to deliver him out of the hand of God, nay, rather shall serve him for destruction. See of this signification of the word vanity, Job 7:3.

63 Hebr. change, exchange.

32It 64shall be accomplished before 65hisk time, and his branch shall not be green.

64 Namely, the aforesaid recompense.

65 Namely, the day of his death, as 1 Sam. 26:10; Psalm 37:13, unto which he may have attained by the course of nature. The meaning is: that the wicked shall suddenly perish by some unexpected mischance, or be cut off when he is in the best condition of his life, and in very good bodily prosperity. Compare Job 18:20, and the annotation.

k Job 22:16; Psalm 55:23.

3366He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

66 Other, God shall pluck off his unripe grapes. These similitudes teach that the expectation of the wicked, whereby they deceive both themselves and others, shall be quite brought to nothing. See Job 8:13.

34For the congregation of 67hypocrites shall be desolate, and 68fire shall consume the 69tabernacles of bribery.

67 See Job 8 on verse 13.

68 Namely, of the adversities, miseries and plagues. Thus the word fire is used, Psalm 66:12; Isa. 9:19; 26:11; Ezek. 30:8, etc., as the word flame, verse 30.

69 That is, in which gifts are received, and which are built up and maintained by undue and unwarrantable gifts.

3570Theyl conceive mischief, and bring forth 71vanity, and their 72belly prepareth deceit.

70 Compare Job 4:8.

l Psalm 7:14; Isa. 59:4; Hosea 10:13.

71 Or, iniquity, mischief, injustice.

72 That is, their heart. See on verse 2.