Job Chapter 5 — Eliphaz on God’s Correction
Eliphaz continues his speech to Job, arguing that trouble is a natural part of human life and that Job should seek God's healing and correction.
1“Call now; is there any who will answer you?
2For resentment kills the foolish man,
3I have seen the foolish taking root,
4His children are far from safety.
5whose harvest the hungry eat up,
6For affliction doesn’t come out of the dust,
7but man is born to trouble,
8“But as for me, I would seek God.
9who does great things that can’t be fathomed,
10who gives rain on the earth,
11so that he sets up on high those who are low,
12He frustrates the plans of the crafty,
13He takes the wise in their own craftiness;
14They meet with darkness in the day time,
15But he saves from the sword of their mouth,
16So the poor has hope,
17“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects.
18For he wounds and binds up.
19He will deliver you in six troubles;
20In famine he will redeem you from death;
21You will be hidden from the scourge of the tongue,
22You will laugh at destruction and famine,
23For you will be allied with the stones of the field.
24You will know that your tent is in peace.
25You will know also that your offspring*or, seed will be great,
26You will come to your grave in a full age,
27Behold, we have researched it. It is so.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Job 5:9
“who does great things that can’t be fathomed, who does wonders without number;”
This verse emphasizes the incomprehensible nature of God's power and His works in the world.
Job 5:17
“Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects.”
This verse introduces the central argument of Eliphaz that suffering serves a corrective and ultimately beneficial purpose.
Job 5:18
“For he wounds and binds up. He strikes, but his hands make whole.”
It portrays God as both the source of discipline and the source of healing and restoration.
Chapter Summary
In Job Chapter 5, Eliphaz the Temanite concludes his first response to Job's lament. He begins by warning that resentment and foolishness lead only to destruction and the loss of safety for one's children. Eliphaz notes that while affliction is not something that simply arises from the ground, trouble is nonetheless an inherent part of the human experience. He encourages Job to turn toward God, describing the Creator as a doer of unfathomable miracles who provides rain and exalts the lowly while frustrating the plans of the crafty. Eliphaz presents a perspective where suffering is viewed as divine correction, suggesting that the man whom God corrects is ultimately happy because God also provides healing. He promises that if Job accepts this discipline, he will be protected from famine, war, and slander, eventually finding peace in his home and a long, full life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eliphaz advises Job to stop harboring resentment and instead seek God. He argues that Job should view his current suffering as divine correction rather than a reason for despair.
He states that man is born to trouble as naturally as sparks fly upward. He suggests that while trouble is inevitable, God is capable of delivering the righteous from various calamities like famine and war.
Eliphaz describes God as one who frustrates the plans of the crafty and takes the wise in their own craftiness. He believes God protects the poor and the needy from the schemes of the powerful.
Study Note
Eliphaz's speech is a classic example of retribution theology, which posits that prosperity follows righteousness and suffering follows sin or serves as a corrective measure.
Related Chapters
Continue in the App
Get the full experience — immersive audio, instant explanations, highlights, notes, and reading plans.