Job 4: Eliphaz speaks, and tells of a voice in the night
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What happens?
Eliphaz the Temanite answers. He says that Job has taught many and strengthened weak hands, but that now trouble has come to Job and he is troubled, and he asks who ever perished being innocent. He tells of a word that came to him secretly in the night: a spirit passed before his face, and he heard a voice, whose words he gives in verses 17 to 21.
Who is speaking?
God does not speak in this chapter, so nothing is in gold. The narrator speaks only in verse 1, which names Eliphaz the Temanite. Eliphaz speaks in verses 2 to 21. In verses 12 to 21 he tells what came to him in the night: he says he heard a voice (verse 16), and the words the voice said are in verses 17 to 21. Those words are told by Eliphaz, so they are his report and are not in gold. The text does not say whose voice it was. 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“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
In plain English: He said: If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can hold himself back from speaking?
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3Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
In plain English: Look, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened weak hands.
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4Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.
In plain English: Your words have held up the one who was falling, and you have made the feeble knees firm.
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5But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
In plain English: But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
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6Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
In plain English: Is your piety (the Hebrew word is: fear) not your confidence? Is the integrity of your ways not your hope?
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7“Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
In plain English: Remember, now: who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
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8According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.
In plain English: From what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
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9By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
In plain English: By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger they are consumed.
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10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
In plain English: The roaring of the lion and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
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11The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
In plain English: The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
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12“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
In plain English: Now a thing (the Hebrew says: a word) was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
The Hebrew word: "Whisper" is shemets, which the dictionary gives as "an inkling". It is in 2 verses of the Bible, here and , and the WEB says "whisper" in both.
Good to know: From here to Eliphaz tells what came to him in the night. He is the one speaking, so these are his words telling it.
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13In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
In plain English: In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
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14fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
In plain English: fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
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15Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
In plain English: Then a spirit (or: a wind) passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
The Hebrew word: "Spirit" is ruach, which the dictionary gives as "wind", "breath" and "spirit", among other things. It is in 31 verses of Job, and the WEB says "spirit" in 13 of them, "wind" in 9 and "breath" in 8.
What changes: With "wind" the verse says a wind passed over his face and the hair of his flesh stood up. The text does not say which it is. In it says only that something stood still and that he could not make out how it looked.
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16It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
In plain English: It stood still, but I could not make out what it looked like. A form was before my eyes. There was silence, and I heard a voice (or: I heard a quiet voice), saying,
The Hebrew words: "Silence" is demamah, which the dictionary gives as "quiet". It is in 3 verses of the Bible. The WEB says "silence" here, "still small voice" in and "still" in .
What changes: With "quiet" the line can read that he heard a quiet voice, with no silence before it. The text does not say which.
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17‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
In plain English: Can a mortal man be more just than God (or: just before God)? Can a man be more pure than his Maker (or: pure before his Maker)?
The Hebrew word: "Than" is min, which the dictionary gives as "properly, a part of" and "from or out of in many senses".
What changes: The same word can be read "more than" or "before". So the question can be whether a man is more just than God, or whether a man can be just before God, and the same for "more pure than his Maker" or "pure before his Maker". The text does not rule between them.
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18Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
In plain English: Look, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels (or: messengers) with error (or: folly).
The Hebrew words: "Angels" is malak, which the dictionary gives as "a messenger; specifically, of God, i.e. an angel (also a prophet, priest or teacher)". It is in 3 verses of Job, and the WEB says "angels" in 2 of them and "messenger" in 1. "Error" is tohola, which the dictionary gives as "braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) fatuity". It is in this verse only in the whole Bible.
What changes: With "messengers" the line says he charges his messengers with error. With the dictionary's "fatuity" it says he charges them with foolishness. The text does not say who the servants and messengers are.
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19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
In plain English: How much more those who live in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before (the Hebrew says: in the face of) the moth!
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20Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
In plain English: Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever, without anyone regarding it.
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21Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’
In plain English: Is their tent cord not plucked up within them? They die, and they die without wisdom.
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