Job 4
Big idea: Eliphaz speaks first and speaks gently, and his argument has two halves that do not need each other: an appeal to Job's own record of comforting others, and a night vision whose message is that no human being can be righteous before God.
The vision's claim — God charges even his angels with error — is repeated by Eliphaz at 15:15 and by Bildad at 25:5, so it becomes the friends' shared premise.
4:1–11 — Who ever perished, being innocent?
The opening is genuinely careful. If someone ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? But who can hold back from speaking? He then recalls what Job has been to other people — you have instructed many, strengthened weak hands, and your words have held up the man who was falling — before the turn: but now it has come to you, and you faint. It is an appeal to consistency, not an accusation.
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, 2 “If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking? 3 Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands. 4 Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm. 5 But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled. 6 Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope? 7 “Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off? 8 According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same. 9 By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed. 10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken. 11 The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
4:12–21 — Shall mortal man be more just than God?
The vision is described before its content, and the description takes five verses: a word brought secretly, a whisper caught by the ear, thoughts from the visions of the night when deep sleep falls on men, fear and trembling that made all his bones shake, a spirit passing before his face, the hair of his flesh standing up, a form he could not make out, and then silence, and a voice.
12 “Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it. 13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men, 14 fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up. 16 It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying, 17 ‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker? 18 Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error. 19 How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth! 20 Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it. 21 Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’
Scripture text: World English Bible (public domain).