Job 15: Eliphaz answers Job and tells what he has seen of the wicked man
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What happens?
Eliphaz the Temanite answers Job. He asks whether a wise man answers with empty knowledge, says that Job's own mouth condemns him, and asks whether Job is the first man born or has heard the secret counsel of God. He asks what a man is, that he should be clean or righteous, and then tells what he has seen and what wise men have told: that the wicked man is in pain all his days, and that his wealth will not last, his branches will dry up and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. Eliphaz the Temanite speaks the whole chapter (verse 1 says so), to Job. In verses 9 and 10 he says "we" and "us", and in verses 18 and 19 he tells what wise men have told. In verse 23 the WEB has the wicked man he describes say "Where is it?" (the Hebrew has only the word "where", with no "saying"). The narrator speaks only verse 1. God's own words are printed in gold, and those verses are marked God speaks
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
In plain English: Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
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2“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge, and fill himself with the east wind?
In plain English: Should a wise man answer with knowledge that is wind (the WEB says: vain knowledge), and fill his belly with the east wind?
The Hebrew word: "East wind" is qadim, which the dictionary gives as "the fore or front part; hence (by orientation) the East (often adverbially, eastward, for brevity the east wind)". It is in 3 verses of Job: here, and . The WEB says "east" in all 3.
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3Should he reason with unprofitable talk, or with speeches with which he can do no good?
In plain English: Should he argue with a word that is of no use, or with speeches that do no good?
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4Yes, you do away with fear, and hinder devotion before God.
In plain English: Yes, you do away with fear, and hold back devotion (or: meditation) before God.
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5For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the language of the crafty.
In plain English: For your iniquity teaches your mouth, and you choose the tongue of the crafty.
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6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
In plain English: Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
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7“Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought out before the hills?
In plain English: Are you the first man who was born? Or were you brought forth before the hills?
The Hebrew word: "Man" is adam, which the dictionary gives as "ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.)". It is in 26 verses of Job, and the WEB says "man" in 24 of them. Eliphaz's words are "first, a human being". The verse names no one.
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8Have you heard the secret counsel of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
In plain English: Have you listened in the secret counsel (or: council) of God? Do you limit wisdom to yourself?
The Hebrew word: "God" here is Eloah, which the dictionary gives as "a deity or the Deity". It is in 41 verses of Job, and the WEB says "God" in all 41.
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9What do you know that we don’t know? What do you understand which is not in us?
In plain English: What do you know that we do not know? What do you understand that is not with us?
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10With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men, much older than your father.
In plain English: With us are both the gray-haired and the very aged men, much older than your father.
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11Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
In plain English: Are the consolations of God too small for you, even the word that is gentle toward you?
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12Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
In plain English: Why does your heart carry you away? Why do your eyes flash,
The Hebrew word: "Flash" is razam, which the dictionary gives as "to twinkle the eye (in mockery)". This word is found in this verse only in the whole Bible.
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13that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
In plain English: that you turn your spirit against God, and let such words go out of your mouth?
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14What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
In plain English: What is man, that he should be clean? What is one who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
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15Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
In plain English: Look, he puts no trust in his holy ones. Yes, the heavens are not clean in his sight;
Good to know: The Hebrew word for "holy ones" is qadosh. It is in 3 verses of Job: , and this verse, and the WEB says "holy" in all 3. , in the words that Eliphaz says a spirit spoke to him, also says that God puts no trust in his servants, and the next line there names his angels.
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16how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
In plain English: how much less one who is abominable and corrupt, a man who drinks iniquity like water!
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17“I will show you, listen to me; that which I have seen I will declare
In plain English: I will show you, listen to me. What I have seen I will recount
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18(which wise men have told by their fathers, and have not hidden it;
In plain English: (what wise men have told, and have not hidden it, from their fathers; the Hebrew words "from their fathers" can go with "told" or with "hidden"),
Good to know: In the Hebrew the words "from their fathers" come after both "told" and "not hidden". With the WEB they go with "told": wise men told it, taking it from their fathers. They can also go with "hidden": wise men did not hide it from their fathers. The text does not say which.
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19to whom alone the land was given, and no stranger passed among them):
In plain English: to whom alone the land (or: earth) was given, and no stranger passed among them:
The Hebrew word: "The land" is erets, which the dictionary gives as "the earth (at large, or partitively a land)". It is in 57 verses of Job, and the WEB says "earth" in 41 of them and "land" in 10.
What changes: With "land", the verse speaks of a country that was given to those men alone. With "earth", it speaks of the whole earth. The text does not say which.
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20the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the oppressor.
In plain English: the wicked man writhes in pain all his days, even the number of years that are laid up for the ruthless man (the WEB says: oppressor).
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21A sound of terrors is in his ears. In prosperity the destroyer will come on him.
In plain English: A sound of terrors is in his ears. In peace (or: prosperity) the destroyer will come to him.
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22He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness. He is waited for by the sword.
In plain English: He does not believe that he will return out of darkness, and he is watched for by the sword.
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23He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’ He knows that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
In plain English: He wanders about for bread, saying (the WEB's word; the Hebrew has only "where?"), "Where is it?" He knows that a day of darkness is ready at his hand.
Good to know: The Hebrew has the word for "where?" and no word for "saying". The WEB adds "saying", so it gives the question to the wicked man. The text does not say more.
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24Distress and anguish make him afraid. They prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
In plain English: Distress and anguish make him afraid. They overpower him, like a king ready for battle.
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25Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves himself proudly against the Almighty,
In plain English: Because he has stretched out his hand against God, and behaves proudly against the Almighty,
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26he runs at him with a stiff neck, with the thick shields of his bucklers,
In plain English: he runs against him with a neck (the WEB says: a stiff neck), with the thick bosses of his shields,
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27because he has covered his face with his fatness, and gathered fat on his thighs.
In plain English: because he has covered his face with his fat, and put fat on his loins.
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28He has lived in desolate cities, in houses which no one inhabited, which were ready to become heaps.
In plain English: He has lived in destroyed cities, in houses where no one lives, which are destined to become heaps of stones.
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29He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue, neither will their possessions be extended on the earth.
In plain English: He will not be rich, his wealth will not last, and their property will not stretch out on the earth (or: land).
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30He will not depart out of darkness. The flame will dry up his branches. He will go away by the breath of God’s mouth.
In plain English: He will not depart out of darkness. A flame will dry up his young shoots. He will go away (or: be taken away) by the breath of his mouth (the WEB says: God's mouth).
The Hebrew word: "Breath" is ruach, which the dictionary gives as "wind; by resemblance breath", and also "spirit" and "life", among other meanings. It is in 31 verses of Job, and the WEB says "breath" in 8, "wind" in 9 and "spirit" in 13.
What changes: The Hebrew says "the breath of his mouth". The WEB puts "God's mouth", so the breath is God's. The Hebrew says only "his mouth", so it could also point to the wicked man's own mouth, and then the line is about his own words. The text does not say more.
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31Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself, for emptiness will be his reward.
In plain English: Let him not trust in emptiness, being led astray, for emptiness will be his reward.
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32It will be accomplished before his time. His branch will not be green.
In plain English: It will be completed before his day. His palm branch will not grow green.
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33He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and will cast off his flower as the olive tree.
In plain English: He will shake off his unripe grapes like the vine, and shed his blossom like the olive tree.
The Hebrew word: "Shake off" is chamas, which the dictionary gives as "to be violent; by implication, to maltreat". It is in 8 verses of the Bible, 2 of them in Job: here and , where the WEB says "wrong". "Unripe grape" is beser, which the dictionary gives as "an immature grape". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible.
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34For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of bribery.
In plain English: For the company of the godless is barren, and fire consumes the tents of bribery.
The Hebrew word: "Bribery" is shochad, which the dictionary gives as "a donation (venal or redemptive)". It is in 21 verses of the Bible, and in Job in this verse only.
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35They conceive mischief and produce iniquity. Their heart prepares deceit.”
In plain English: They conceive trouble and give birth to wickedness. Their belly prepares deceit.
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