Job 15

King James Version

Full text for Job Chapter 15

1¶ Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

3Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

4Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

5For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

6Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

7[Art] thou the first man [that] was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

8Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

9What knowest thou, that we know not? [what] understandest thou, which [is] not in us?

10With us [are] both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

11[Are] the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

12Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

13That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest [such] words go out of thy mouth?

14What [is] man, that he should be clean? and [he which is] born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

16How much more abominable and filthy [is] man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

17¶ I will shew thee, hear me; and that [which] I have seen I will declare;

18Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid [it]:

19Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.

20The wicked man travaileth with pain all [his] days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.

21A dreadful sound [is] in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.

22He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.

23He wandereth abroad for bread, [saying], Where [is it]? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.

24Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.

25For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.

26He runneth upon him, [even] on [his] neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:

27Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on [his] flanks.

28And he dwelleth in desolate cities, [and] in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.

29He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.

30He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.

31Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

32It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.

33He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.

34For the congregation of hypocrites [shall be] desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.

35They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.

AI Analysis

AI Summaries

Short Summary

Eliphaz begins his second discourse by rebuking Job's words as vain and unprofitable, accusing him of casting off the fear of God. He challenges Job's perceived wisdom, asserting the inherent impurity of all humanity before God. Eliphaz then describes the inevitable suffering and destruction that befall the wicked, emphasizing that their defiance of God leads to a desolate end.

Medium Summary

Eliphaz the Temanite opens his second speech by questioning Job's wisdom, suggesting his words are empty and unhelpful. He accuses Job of abandoning reverence for God and hindering prayer, claiming Job's own speech condemns him. Eliphaz challenges Job's unique understanding, asserting that he and his companions possess greater, ancient wisdom. He then elaborates on the universal impurity of humanity, stating that even God's saints are not clean in His sight, and man is inherently corrupt. Drawing upon traditional knowledge, Eliphaz describes the dire fate of the wicked, who live in constant dread and face destruction. Their defiance of God leads to a desolate existence, where their prosperity is fleeting and their schemes ultimately yield only vanity.

Long Summary

Eliphaz the Temanite initiates his second address to Job, directly challenging the validity of Job's previous statements. He questions whether a wise man should utter such vain and unprofitable knowledge, accusing Job of casting off the fear of God and restraining prayer. Eliphaz asserts that Job's own words condemn him, revealing his iniquity and craftiness. He then challenges Job's perceived unique wisdom, reminding him that he is not the first man born nor privy to God's secret counsel, and that Eliphaz and his companions possess the wisdom of the aged, greater than Job's father. Eliphaz questions Job's rejection of God's consolations and his turning of spirit against the Almighty. He then shifts to a theological point, emphasizing the inherent impurity of all humanity, stating that no man born of a woman can be clean or righteous, and even God's saints and the heavens are not pure in His sight, implying man "drinketh iniquity like water." Drawing upon ancient wisdom passed down through generations, Eliphaz proceeds to describe the inevitable suffering and ultimate destruction of the wicked. He states that the wicked man experiences pain throughout his days, lives in constant dread, and faces ruin even in times of prosperity. This fate is attributed to their defiance of God, as they stretch out their hand against the Almighty. Eliphaz details their fleeting prosperity, their dwelling in desolate places, and their inability to retain wealth or prolong their perfection. He concludes by affirming that the wicked shall not escape darkness, their branches will wither, and the congregation of hypocrites will be desolate, consumed by fire, their mischief yielding only vanity and deceit.

Core Concepts

  • Rebuke of Job's WisdomEliphaz challenges Job's words as empty and unprofitable, suggesting Job has abandoned reverence for God and that his own speech condemns him.
  • Challenge to Job's AuthorityEliphaz questions Job's claim to unique insight, asserting that he and his companions possess greater, ancient wisdom passed down through generations.
  • Universal Impurity of ManEliphaz emphasizes that no human being can be clean or righteous before God, stating that even God's saints and the heavens are not pure in His sight.
  • Fate of the WickedThe chapter details the inevitable suffering, dread, and destruction that befall the wicked, who are described as defying God and whose prosperity is fleeting.
  • Consequences of DefianceEliphaz attributes the wicked's desolate end to their direct opposition to God, leading to their substance not enduring and their schemes yielding only vanity and ruin.
  • Hypocrisy and DeceitThe chapter concludes by highlighting that the "congregation of hypocrites" will face desolation and consumption by fire, as their intentions are mischief and their outcome is vanity.