Job 4 Commentary: Eliphaz’s First Speech and the Doctrine of Divine Retribution

Job chapter 4 marks a significant turning point in the narrative as Eliphaz the Temanite begins the first cycle of speeches from Job’s three friends. This chapter introduces the theological debate that will dominate the remainder of the book. Eliphaz presents what appears to be sound wisdom about divine justice and human suffering, yet his words reveal the limitations of traditional wisdom when applied to complex situations of innocent suffering.

Background and Context

The dialogue section of Job begins with Eliphaz taking the initiative to speak first among the three friends. As a Temanite, Eliphaz likely came from Teman in Edom, a region renowned for its wisdom tradition. His speech reflects the conventional wisdom of the ancient Near East regarding the relationship between righteousness and prosperity, sin and suffering.

After seven days of silent mourning with Job, the friends can no longer remain quiet following Job’s bitter lament in chapter 3. Eliphaz, possibly the eldest and most respected among the three, assumes the role of primary counselor. His approach initially appears gentle and diplomatic, but underlying his words lies a firm conviction about divine retribution that will prove inadequate for understanding Job’s situation.

Eliphaz’s Diplomatic Approach

Verses 1-2: “Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: ‘If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?'”

Eliphaz begins his response with apparent sensitivity and courtesy. He acknowledges that Job might find their words burdensome in his current state of grief. The Hebrew word translated “assay” suggests testing or attempting something carefully. Eliphaz recognizes the delicate nature of the situation and seeks permission to speak.

The rhetorical question “who can withhold himself from speaking?” reveals Eliphaz’s conviction that he must break the silence. This phrase indicates both his genuine concern for Job and his confidence in the wisdom he is about to share. The diplomatic tone suggests Eliphaz truly believes his words will provide comfort and guidance to his suffering friend.

Recognition of Job’s Past Ministry

Verses 3-4: “Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.”

Eliphaz acknowledges Job’s previous role as a counselor and teacher. The imagery of strengthened hands and knees suggests Job had been effective in encouraging others during their times of weakness and discouragement. This recognition serves multiple purposes in Eliphaz’s strategy.

First, it validates Job’s past contributions and maintains respect for his former status. Second, it establishes a foundation for the contrast Eliphaz will soon draw between Job’s past strength in helping others and his current inability to apply that same wisdom to his own situation. The Hebrew words for “instructed” and “strengthened” imply both formal teaching and practical support.

The metaphor of falling and feeble knees appears frequently in Scripture to describe spiritual or emotional weakness. Job had apparently been skilled at providing both practical help and spiritual encouragement to those experiencing difficulties. This makes his current despair appear even more striking to his friends.

The Contrast: Job’s Current State

Verses 5-6: “But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?”

Eliphaz draws a sharp contrast between Job’s former effectiveness in counseling others and his current emotional collapse. The word “faintest” suggests complete exhaustion and loss of strength. The phrase “it toucheth thee” implies that adversity has personally affected Job in a way he had not experienced when helping others.

The series of questions in verse 6 reveals Eliphaz’s theological framework. He assumes that Job’s fear of God, confidence in divine justice, hope in righteousness, and upright conduct should provide sufficient resources to endure any trial. The Hebrew word for “fear” encompasses both reverence and proper respect for God’s authority.

Eliphaz’s logic suggests that truly righteous people should be able to maintain their composure during suffering because their relationship with God provides adequate strength. This reveals a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature of grief and the human response to overwhelming loss.

The Doctrine of Divine Retribution

Verses 7-8: “Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.”

Here Eliphaz articulates the central theological principle that will govern his entire approach to Job’s situation. He presents what appears to be a universal law: innocent people do not perish, and righteous individuals are not destroyed. This represents the classic doctrine of retributive justice that dominated ancient wisdom thinking.

The agricultural metaphor of plowing, sowing, and reaping emphasizes the inevitable connection between actions and consequences. Those who cultivate wickedness will inevitably harvest corresponding results. While this principle contains truth in general terms, Eliphaz applies it as an absolute rule without exception.

The rhetorical questions expect negative answers and imply that Job’s suffering must indicate some hidden sin or lack of true righteousness. This reasoning, while logically consistent within its framework, fails to account for the complexity of human experience and God’s mysterious ways of working in individual lives.

Divine Judgment and Destruction

Verses 9-11: “By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.”

Eliphaz employs vivid imagery to describe how God destroys the wicked. The “blast of God” and “breath of his nostrils” recall the destructive power of divine judgment found throughout Scripture. This language appears in contexts describing God’s judgment against Egypt and other enemies of his people.

The extended metaphor of lions serves multiple purposes. Lions represented strength, pride, and predatory behavior in ancient Near Eastern literature. The various Hebrew words for lion types emphasize different aspects: mature lions, fierce lions, young lions, and old lions. This comprehensive imagery suggests that no level of human strength or cunning can withstand divine judgment.

The progression from roaring to broken teeth to lack of prey to scattered cubs illustrates the complete dismantling of wicked power structures. Eliphaz implies that even the strongest and most established forms of evil eventually fall under God’s judgment. By extension, he suggests that Job’s losses indicate divine displeasure with some aspect of his character or conduct.

Eliphaz’s Mystical Vision

Verses 12-16: “Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,”

Eliphaz introduces a supernatural revelation that he claims validates his theological position. The secretive and mysterious nature of this communication suggests divine origin and special authority. The Hebrew word translated “secretly” implies something whispered or barely audible, adding to the mystical atmosphere.

The timing during “deep sleep” recalls biblical patterns of divine communication through dreams and visions. The physical responses of fear, trembling, and hair standing up indicate an encounter with divine or supernatural presence. These details create an atmosphere of awe and terror that would impress ancient audiences.

The indistinct form of the spiritual being adds to the mystery while suggesting authenticity. Ancient literature often describes divine encounters in terms of undefined shapes and overwhelming presence rather than clear visual details. The silence before the voice creates dramatic tension and emphasizes the importance of the coming message.

The Voice from the Vision

Verses 17-19: “Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?”

The rhetorical questions from the spiritual voice establish fundamental principles about the relationship between God and humanity. No human being can claim greater justice or purity than the divine Creator. This truth forms the foundation for understanding human limitations and the appropriateness of divine judgment.

The reference to God’s servants and angels introduces a cosmic perspective on divine standards. Even heavenly beings fall short of perfect divine standards and are charged with folly or instability. The Hebrew word translated “folly” can also mean lack of steadiness or reliability from the divine perspective.

The contrast between celestial beings and earthly humans emphasizes human frailty through the metaphor of clay houses with dust foundations. This imagery recalls the creation account where humans are formed from dust. The comparison to moths suggests extreme fragility and vulnerability to destruction.

Human Mortality and Divine Perspective

Verses 20-21: “They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.”

The vision concludes with observations about human mortality and the apparent insignificance of individual human lives from a cosmic perspective. The phrase “from morning to evening” emphasizes the brevity and suddenness of human existence. People can be alive in the morning and dead by evening without anyone taking special notice.

The statement “without any regarding it” suggests that human deaths often pass unnoticed by the broader world. This may reflect Eliphaz’s belief that Job’s suffering, while significant to him personally, represents a normal part of human existence that requires no special explanation or divine intervention.

The final verse addresses the loss of human excellence and wisdom at death. Even the most accomplished and wise individuals ultimately face mortality without their achievements providing lasting protection. Eliphaz may be subtly suggesting that Job’s previous wisdom and righteousness, while admirable, do not guarantee exemption from the common lot of humanity.

Verse by Verse Analysis

Verse 1: Eliphaz’s request for permission to speak reflects ancient courtesy customs but also reveals his assumption that his words will provide valuable guidance. The Temanite designation connects him to a region famous for wisdom traditions.

Verse 2: The rhetorical question about withholding speech indicates Eliphaz’s conviction that silence would be inappropriate given the circumstances. He believes his wisdom is necessary for Job’s restoration.

Verse 3: Recognition of Job’s past effectiveness in counseling acknowledges his previous spiritual maturity and practical wisdom. The Hebrew root for “instructed” implies both formal teaching and corrective discipline.

Verse 4: The imagery of strengthened hands and knees metaphorically describes Job’s success in encouraging the discouraged. These physical metaphors appear throughout Scripture to represent spiritual and emotional strength.

Verse 5: The contrast between Job’s former strength in helping others and current weakness reveals Eliphaz’s expectation that mature believers should handle personal trials better than ordinary people.

Verse 6: The series of questions about fear, confidence, hope, and uprightness represents Eliphaz’s checklist of spiritual resources that should sustain righteous individuals during trials.

Verse 7: The rhetorical question about innocent people perishing establishes Eliphaz’s fundamental theological assumption about divine justice and retribution.

Verse 8: The agricultural metaphor reinforces the principle of moral causation through the natural imagery of planting and harvesting consequences.

Verse 9: Divine judgment described through breath and blast imagery connects to broader biblical themes about God’s destructive power against wickedness.

Verse 10: The lion metaphor begins an extended illustration of how even the strongest wicked individuals eventually fall under divine judgment.

Verse 11: The completion of the lion imagery with references to lacking prey and scattered cubs illustrates the total dismantling of evil power structures.

Verse 12: Introduction of the mystical vision adds supernatural authority to Eliphaz’s arguments while creating an atmosphere of divine revelation.

Verse 13: The timing during night visions and deep sleep follows biblical patterns for divine communication while emphasizing the mysterious nature of the encounter.

Verse 14: Physical responses of fear and trembling indicate authentic supernatural encounter and add credibility to the claimed revelation.

Verse 15: The passing spirit and physical reaction of raised hair creates vivid imagery that would impress ancient audiences familiar with divine encounters.

Verse 16: The indistinct form followed by silence and voice creates dramatic tension while suggesting authentic divine mystery rather than fabricated detail.

Verse 17: The rhetorical questions establish human inability to exceed divine standards of justice and purity as fundamental theological principles.

Verse 18: Reference to angels charged with folly provides cosmic perspective on divine standards that even celestial beings cannot fully meet.

Verse 19: The clay houses metaphor emphasizes human frailty through creation imagery while the moth comparison suggests extreme vulnerability.

Verse 20: Morning to evening destruction illustrates the brevity and suddenness of human life while suggesting that individual deaths often pass unnoticed.

Verse 21: The loss of human excellence at death concludes the vision with observations about mortality’s victory over even the wisest and most accomplished individuals.

Theological Themes and Implications

The primary theological theme in Job 4 centers on divine retribution and the relationship between righteousness and prosperity. Eliphaz represents traditional wisdom that sees suffering as evidence of divine displeasure and prosperity as reward for righteousness. While this principle contains general truth, its application as an absolute rule creates problems when confronted with innocent suffering.

Human frailty emerges as another significant theme through the vision narrative. The cosmic perspective emphasizes humanity’s limited understanding and inherent weakness compared to divine wisdom and power. This theme serves Eliphaz’s argument that Job should accept his suffering as appropriate to his human condition.

The nature of divine revelation appears through Eliphaz’s claimed vision. Whether this experience represents genuine divine communication or human projection remains ambiguous. The book of Job ultimately suggests that human claims about divine messages require careful evaluation and should not automatically be accepted as authoritative.

Divine transcendence permeates the chapter through descriptions of God’s power over both celestial and terrestrial beings. This theme establishes the proper relationship between Creator and creation while highlighting human dependence on divine grace and mercy.

Practical Lessons and Applications

The chapter provides important lessons about the limitations of conventional wisdom when applied to complex situations. Eliphaz’s approach, while containing truth, demonstrates how rigid theological systems can become obstacles to understanding God’s mysterious ways of working in individual lives.

The importance of careful listening emerges as Job’s friends rush to provide explanations rather than continuing to offer the supportive presence they had maintained during their initial seven days of silence. Sometimes the ministry of presence proves more valuable than the ministry of words.

The danger of assuming divine perspective appears throughout Eliphaz’s speech. His confidence in understanding God’s ways of dealing with individuals reveals human tendency to claim more knowledge about divine purposes than we actually possess.

The value of humility in counseling situations becomes evident as Eliphaz’s certainty about Job’s situation proves inadequate for addressing the complexity of innocent suffering. Effective counselors acknowledge the limitations of their understanding while offering genuine support.

Cross References

Genesis 18:25 – “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” connects to Eliphaz’s assumptions about divine justice but demonstrates Abraham’s questioning approach rather than dogmatic certainty about God’s methods.

Psalm 1:3-4 – The contrast between righteous trees planted by water and chaff blown by wind reflects similar themes about consequences for righteousness and wickedness, though the psalm allows for more complexity than Eliphaz’s rigid formula.

Proverbs 11:18 – “The wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward” parallels Eliphaz’s agricultural metaphor about sowing and reaping moral consequences.

Isaiah 64:6 – “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags” provides a different perspective on human righteousness that challenges Eliphaz’s confidence in human moral achievement.

1 Corinthians 1:25 – “Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men” offers New Testament perspective on divine wisdom that transcends human understanding, relevant to evaluating Eliphaz’s claimed revelation.

James 1:17 – “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” provides balance to understanding divine character while acknowledging that good things can come to both righteous and unrighteous people.

Matthew 5:45 – “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust” directly challenges the rigid retribution theology that Eliphaz promotes by acknowledging God’s common grace to all people regardless of moral status.