Job 15:11

Job 15:11 (KJV) is part of Eliphaz the Temanite's second speech to Job, continuing the theological debate about the nature of suffering and divine justice. Here, Eliphaz directly questions Job's spiritual state and integrity.

Context

In this chapter, Eliphaz intensifies his accusations against Job, suggesting that Job's continued suffering is a result of his own wickedness and rejection of God's counsel. The friends adhere to a rigid retribution theology, believing that great suffering must be a direct consequence of great sin. Eliphaz, often considered the most articulate of Job's friends, confronts Job with what he perceives as a lack of humility and an unwillingness to accept divine comfort or confess hidden wrongdoing. This verse comes after Eliphaz has painted a grim picture of the wicked man's fate, implicitly applying it to Job.

Key Themes

• Rejection of Divine Comfort: The first rhetorical question, "Are the consolations of God small with thee?", implies that Job is either despising or underestimating the comfort and wisdom God offers, perhaps through the friends themselves. It suggests Job is ungrateful for or blind to God's attempts to soothe his pain.
• Accusation of Secret Sin: The second question, "is there any secret thing with thee?", is a direct and pointed accusation. Eliphaz suggests that Job is hiding some unconfessed sin, which is preventing him from experiencing peace or resolution to his suffering. This reflects the friends' unwavering conviction that Job must be guilty. For a broader understanding of God as the ultimate source of comfort, consider 2 Corinthians 1:3-4.
• Misunderstanding of Suffering: The entire dialogue in Job, particularly the friends' arguments, highlights a profound misunderstanding of suffering that is not always a direct result of personal sin. The book of Job ultimately challenges this simplistic view.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "consolations" is nechamot (נחמות), which speaks of comfort, solace, and compassion. Eliphaz is questioning if Job finds God's profound comfort insignificant or insufficient. The phrase "secret thing" translates from Hebrew davar ba'seter (דבר בסתר), literally "a word in secret" or "a hidden matter." This strongly implies a hidden transgression or unconfessed sin that Eliphaz believes Job is concealing from God and from them.

Related Scriptures

• Eliphaz’s earlier accusation of Job's potential sin can be found in Job 4:7, where he asks, "Who ever perished being innocent?"
• Job's unwavering declaration of his integrity, despite his suffering, is a recurring theme, seen in Job 27:6: "My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go."
• For a contrasting view on God's ways being beyond human comprehension, see Isaiah 55:8-9.

Practical Application

This verse serves as a powerful reminder of several truths for believers today:

• Caution in Judgment: We must be very cautious about attributing suffering directly to sin, especially when comforting those in distress. Job's friends, though well-intentioned, caused Job more pain through their accusations.
• God's Ever-Present Comfort: Even when we feel overwhelmed by trials, the consolations of God are never truly "small"; our perception of them might be. God's comfort often comes in unexpected ways, through His word, the Holy Spirit, or the support of others.
• Honesty Before God: While Job was innocent of the specific sins his friends accused him of, the verse still highlights the importance of an open and honest relationship with God, where no "secret thing" (unconfessed sin) hinders our communion with Him.