Job 15

In Job 15, Eliphaz responds to Job’s earlier speeches with sharp criticism. He accuses Job of arrogance and rebellion against God, claiming that Job’s suffering is due to his own sinfulness. Eliphaz emphasizes traditional wisdom, suggesting that Job’s words and complaints are misguided, and he warns of the fate that awaits the wicked. The chapter reflects Eliphaz's rigid belief in the idea that suffering is always a result of personal wrongdoing, challenging Job’s assertions of innocence.

Job 15:1-5 (NKJV)
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.”

Eliphaz accuses Job of speaking foolishly, suggesting that Job’s words are worthless and full of hot air, like the "east wind." He claims that Job’s speeches are unproductive and disrespectful toward God. Eliphaz interprets Job’s outcry as an abandonment of reverence for God, asserting that Job’s own sinfulness influences his words, making him sound deceitful or crafty.

Job 15:6-10 (NKJV)
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 gray-haired and the aged are among us,
Much older than your father.”

Eliphaz rebukes Job, saying that Job's own words condemn him, not others. He sarcastically questions if Job thinks he has unique wisdom or knowledge beyond even the elders and ancestors. Eliphaz insists that the wisdom of the older generation is greater than Job’s understanding, implying that Job should listen to the traditional views rather than challenge them.

Job 15:11-13 (NKJV)
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?

Eliphaz questions whether Job finds God’s comfort insufficient and criticizes him for letting his emotions and frustration cause him to speak rashly. He accuses Job of turning against God, implying that Job’s defiance and complaints are sinful and evidence of inner rebellion.

Job 15:14-16 (NKJV)
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!”

Eliphaz emphasizes humanity’s inherent sinfulness, arguing that no one born of a woman can be truly pure. If even heavenly beings are not perfect in God’s sight, Eliphaz reasons, how much more corrupt is man, who constantly sins. He implies that Job’s claim to innocence is futile because all people are impure before God.

Job 15:17-19 (NKJV)
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.”

Eliphaz claims to speak from the wisdom passed down by generations of the wise, asserting that his view represents a long-established truth. He emphasizes the value of traditional knowledge that came from a time when the land was undisturbed by foreign influences, suggesting that his perspective is pure and authoritative.

Job 15:20-24 (NKJV)
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.

Eliphaz paints a bleak picture of the life of the wicked, claiming they are constantly in pain and fear. He argues that they are haunted by dread and uncertainty, even when they seem prosperous. The wicked man lives in constant fear of impending doom, wandering in search of sustenance and expecting disaster at every turn. This description suggests that Job’s suffering mirrors that of a wicked man, reinforcing Eliphaz’s view that Job’s affliction is due to hidden sin.

Job 15:25-26 (NKJV)
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.

Eliphaz describes the wicked as those who defiantly oppose God, arrogantly challenging His power. He uses the metaphor of a warrior with a shield to illustrate the stubbornness and pride of those who resist God’s authority, suggesting that Job, too, is acting defiantly in questioning God’s justice.

Job 15:27-30 (NKJV)
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.”

Eliphaz describes the wicked as indulgent and self-satisfied, but ultimately doomed to destruction. Even if they grow rich or prosperous for a time, they will not escape ruin. Their wealth will vanish, and they will be left to live in desolation. The image of a flame drying out branches symbolizes the swift destruction that awaits them, a fate determined by God’s judgment.

Job 15:31-35 (NKJV)
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.”

Eliphaz concludes by warning the wicked not to trust in worthless things, as their rewards will be empty. He predicts that the wicked will meet an untimely end, losing their prosperity and hope before it matures. The metaphor of the vine and olive tree emphasizes how the wicked will fail to bear fruit. Eliphaz asserts that hypocrites will face destruction and that those who engage in deceit and wrongdoing will reap only futility and sorrow. This serves as a final warning to Job to reconsider his stance and return to God’s ways.