Job Chapter 15 — Eliphaz’s Second Rebuke
Eliphaz begins the second cycle of debate by accusing Job of speaking with empty knowledge and lacking the fear of God while describing the misery of the wicked.
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2“Should a wise man answer with vain knowledge,
3Should he reason with unprofitable talk,
4Yes, you do away with fear,
5For your iniquity teaches your mouth,
6Your own mouth condemns you, and not I.
7“Are you the first man who was born?
8Have you heard the secret counsel of God?
9What do you know that we don’t know?
10With us are both the gray-headed and the very aged men,
11Are the consolations of God too small for you,
12Why does your heart carry you away?
13that you turn your spirit against God,
14What is man, that he should be clean?
15Behold, he puts no trust in his holy ones.
16how much less one who is abominable and corrupt,
17“I will show you, listen to me;
18(which wise men have told by their fathers,
19to whom alone the land was given,
20the wicked man writhes in pain all his days,
21A sound of terrors is in his ears.
22He doesn’t believe that he will return out of darkness.
23He wanders abroad for bread, saying, ‘Where is it?’
24Distress and anguish make him afraid.
25Because he has stretched out his hand against God,
26he runs at him with a stiff neck,
27because he has covered his face with his fatness,
28He has lived in desolate cities,
29He will not be rich, neither will his substance continue,
30He will not depart out of darkness.
31Let him not trust in emptiness, deceiving himself,
32It will be accomplished before his time.
33He will shake off his unripe grape as the vine,
34For the company of the godless will be barren,
35They conceive mischief and produce iniquity.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Job 15:6
“Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.”
This verse encapsulates Eliphaz's argument that Job's own defensive words prove his guilt and lack of humility.
Job 15:14
“What is man, that he should be clean? What is he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?”
Eliphaz uses this rhetorical question to highlight the universal imperfection of humanity compared to God's holiness.
Chapter Summary
In Job Chapter 15, Eliphaz the Temanite opens the second round of dialogue by sharply criticizing Job's responses. He argues that Job's words are unprofitable and suggest a lack of reverence for God. Eliphaz questions Job's seniority and wisdom, asking if Job has special access to God’s secret counsel that his friends lack. He emphasizes that no human is truly clean or righteous before God. The latter half of the chapter is a vivid description of the fate of the wicked man. Eliphaz claims that such individuals live in constant fear and pain, facing darkness and distress because they have rebelled against the Almighty. He concludes that the godless will ultimately be barren and their efforts will lead to vanity and iniquity, reinforcing the traditional view that suffering is a direct result of sin and that Job's protests are evidence of his own guilt.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eliphaz argues that Job's words are empty and demonstrate a lack of fear toward God. He believes Job is claiming a level of wisdom and innocence that no mortal can possess, and he uses the suffering of the wicked as a warning of what happens to those who defy the Almighty.
He describes the wicked man as someone who lives in constant terror and anguish, even when things seem peaceful. According to Eliphaz, the wicked person is destined for darkness, poverty, and barrenness because they have stretched out their hand against God.
Eliphaz refers to the aged and gray-headed to remind Job that his friends represent traditional wisdom passed down through generations. He suggests that Job is being arrogant by ignoring the collective experience and insights of those much older than himself.
Study Note
This speech marks the beginning of the second cycle of dialogue in the book, characterized by the friends' increasingly aggressive tone and focus on the inevitable punishment of the wicked.
Related Chapters
Job Chapter 4
This chapter contains Eliphaz's first speech, establishing his initial perspective on suffering and righteousness.
Psalm 37
This Psalm offers a broader biblical perspective on the eventual fate of the wicked compared to the righteous.
Proverbs Chapter 1
Both chapters discuss the importance of the fear of God as the foundation for true wisdom.
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