The second speech of Eliphaz and Job's response
Chapters 15 and 16
Eliphaz accuses Job of impiety in his speech (15:1-16)
With the first round of talks concluded, each friend, in the same order, pressed their argument further, and Job answered each. In this round they no longer appealed for repentance, but used stronger words of condemnation. This only made Job more stubborn than before.
It was now the turn of Eliphaz, who had spoken before about a dream and a vision of his. He thought that he had had a remarkable experience and should be heard.
Many of the testimonies given in our day have little value because they rest truth on experience. First of all we should have truth, which is the Word of God; then experience should come out of that. Many experiences do not coincide with God's Word, yet people appear to give them more credit.
This time Eliphaz was more rude, more intense, and more threatening, but he said nothing new. He began by scornfully saying that Job's words were empty and useless: they were just empty knowledge, like the east wind (hot and dry doing more harm than good), reasoning with unprofitable talk, and making speeches which were of no good to anybody.
He had taken little notice of what Job had said, and was now attacking him to try and break him in and make him confess. It was not the way to treat a man in trouble like Job was.
Job's bold words challenging God might make him vulnerable to the charge of "casting off fear (of God)", but it was not true that he was choosing the tongue of the crafty. In fact, Job was very open and self-revealing, and certainly not a hypocrite.
No-one can profess himself to be righteous before God, but Job was confused because he didn't know the true reason for his suffering, and wanted to know it. His conscience was clear in that, as far as he knew, he hadn't displeased God in any way.
Eliphaz next accused Job of arrogance in thinking that only he was wise and that he knew and understood more than they did. Had he heard the counsel of God? Eliphaz may have been hinting that he himself had, through that vision of his.
He added that among them were both the grey-haired and the aged, much older than Job's own father. (This is an indication of how early in history was Job's time, when men lived for much longer than now).
It is revealing that Eliphaz considered the previous speeches made to Job as "consolations of God" and "the word spoken gently" with him. He obviously lacked a heart for genuine compassionate counselling.
Eliphaz then repeated his previous concepts concerning the great holiness of God, and said that God didn't put His trust in His holy ones, and even the heavens were not pure in His sight. So how could man be pure, abominable and corrupt as he is? How then could Job turn his mind against God, and speak in such a way?
But Job had never denied that he was a sinful man. It is true that all men are sinners, but Eliphaz and his friends said this with the basic premise that Job had committed an awful, terrible sin and that he ought to bring it out in the open and confess it.
Eliphaz proves by tradition the disturbed mind and body of wicked men (15:17-35)
Turning to the ancient tradition from the fathers, Eliphaz described the pain that a wicked man experiences in life. Here again is the suggestion that Job is wicked and is hiding something from them.
He and his friends knew nothing about Job being any more sinful than they were themselves. It was not fair for them to apply general sinfulness to Job more than to themselves. This speech was more like the tongue of the crafty than all the protestations made by Job.
It would have been better if Eliphaz had taken his place beside Job and confessed that he too was "abominable and filthy". Job might have responded to such sympathy.
Job reproves his friends for lack of mercy (16)
Job staunchly rejected the opinion expressed by Eliphaz and called all his friends "miserable comforters". He was wearied at having to hear another speech - why did they bother to answer him?
Had their situation been the reverse, he could easily make speeches and reprimand them as they were doing to him now. But he would not be like them, he would rather speak to strengthen them and to relieve them of their grief.
Job was a man of God. Centuries later, another man of God, Paul, was inspired by the Holy Spirit to write: "Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted." Galatians 6:1 (NKJV). We are to restore such a person in the spirit of meekness, which was illustrated by our Lord when he washed the feet of those who were His own. We are to wash each other's feet.
Job explained that he had got no relief from expressing his complaints, and he could not expect relief had he remained silent. God had worn him out, but they had made him desolate, and made an old man of him.
These men who were supposed to be his friends, were like the ungodly, treating him like an enemy. They thought they were defending God, but in doing so they were unfair and even brutal in their accusations against Job and all this in spite of the fact that he was guilty of no unrighteousness.
Job knew that God had permitted this to happen to him. Using expressive poetic terms he describes his suffering and anguish at the hands of his "enemy". Without being aware of it at the time, Job described exactly what was happening: indeed, God had put him on trial at the hands of the enemy, Satan, in order that his faith might be proved. He was being tried to the end of his endurance. He wasn't being punished as his friends insisted, for, as he said: "no violence is in my hands, and my prayer is pure… Surely even now my witness is in heaven, and my evidence is on high."
Some of the language in verses 9-19 is employed in the Psalms to refer to the Messiah. We are therefore justified in making an application of them to the sufferings of Christ, even if that is not the primary meaning. Both were innocent, and suffered at the hands of the same enemy, though for very different reasons.
Job had already actually sewn sackcloth over his skin in preparation for death. His appearance was of a desperately sick man. He wished for death, talked about it as a relief from suffering, and yet he avoided it. He must have thought that he stood right on the threshold of death during all of this time. But we have been told the truth from the beginning, that Satan was not allowed to kill him. His life was safe.
R David Jones
Chapter 15
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 "Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?
3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or by speeches with which he can do no good?
4 Yes, you cast off fear, and restrain prayer before God.
5 For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I; yes, your own lips testify against you.
7 "Are you the first man who was born? Or were you made before the hills?
8 Have you heard the counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
9 What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not in us?
10 Both the grey-haired and the aged are among us, much older than your father.
11 Are the consolations of God too small for you, and the word spoken gently with you?
12 Why does your heart carry you away, and what do your eyes wink at,
13 That you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
14 "What is man, that he could be pure? And he who is born of a woman, that he could be righteous?
15 If God puts no trust in His saints, and the heavens are not pure in His sight,
16 How much less man, who is abominable and filthy, who drinks iniquity like water!
17 "I will tell you, hear me; what I have seen I will declare,
18 What wise men have told, not hiding anything received from their fathers,
19 To whom alone the land was given, and no alien passed among them:
20 The wicked man writhes with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden from the oppressor.
21 Dreadful sounds are in his ears; in prosperity the destroyer comes upon him.
22 He does not believe that he will return from darkness, for a sword is waiting for him.
23 He wanders about for bread, saying, 'Where is it?' He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
24 Trouble and anguish make him afraid; they overpower him, like a king ready for battle.
25 For he stretches out his hand against God, and acts defiantly against the Almighty,
26 Running stubbornly against Him With his strong, embossed shield.
27 "Though he has covered his face with his fatness, and made his waist heavy with fat,
28 He dwells in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabits, which are destined to become ruins.
29 He will not be rich, nor will his wealth continue, nor will his possessions overspread the earth.
30 He will not depart from darkness; the flame will dry out his branches, and by the breath of His mouth he will go away.
31 Let him not trust in futile things, deceiving himself, for futility will be his reward.
32 It will be accomplished before his time, and his branch will not be green.
33 He will shake off his unripe grape like a vine, and cast off his blossom like an olive tree.
34 For the company of hypocrites will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive trouble and bring forth futility; their womb prepares deceit."
Chapter 16
1 Then Job answered and said:
2 "I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are you all!
3 Shall words of wind have an end? Or what provokes you that you answer?
4 I also could speak as you do, if your soul were in my soul's place. I could heap up words against you, and shake my head at you;
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the comfort of my lips would relieve your grief.
6 "Though I speak, my grief is not relieved; and if I remain silent, how am I eased?
7 But now He has worn me out; you have made desolate all my company.
8 You have shrivelled me up, and it is a witness against me; my leanness rises up against me and bears witness to my face.
9 He tears me in his wrath, and hates me; he gnashes at me with his teeth; my adversary sharpens his gaze on me.
10 They gape at me with their mouth, they strike me reproachfully on the cheek, they gather together against me.
11 God has delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over to the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but He has shattered me; He also has taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces; He has set me up for His target,
13 His archers surround me. He pierces my heart and does not pity; he pours out my gall on the ground.
14 He breaks me with wound upon wound; he runs at me like a warrior.
15 "I have sewn sackcloth over my skin, and laid my head in the dust.
16 My face is flushed from weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
17 Although no violence is in my hands, and my prayer is pure.
18 "O earth, do not cover my blood, and let my cry have no resting place!
19 Surely even now my witness is in heaven, and my evidence is on high.
20 My friends scorn me; my eyes pour out tears to God.
21 Oh, that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleads for his neighbour!
22 For when a few years are finished, I shall go the way of no return.