Job 15:19

Context

Job 15:19 is part of Eliphaz the Temanite's second speech to Job. In this chapter, Eliphaz intensifies his accusations against Job, arguing that Job's suffering is a direct result of his sin. He appeals to traditional wisdom, asserting that the wicked always suffer, and the righteous prosper. Verse 19 specifically serves to underscore Eliphaz's appeal to ancient, untainted wisdom and experience, contrasting it with what he perceives as Job's novel and arrogant claims of innocence. Eliphaz suggests that the wisdom he upholds comes from a pure lineage, a time when the earth was given exclusively to a people uncorrupted by foreign influence, implying a pristine state of righteousness.

Key Themes and Messages

• The Authority of Ancient Wisdom: Eliphaz uses this verse to bolster his argument by appealing to the knowledge passed down through generations. He implies that the "ancients" (mentioned in Job 15:18) possessed a pure, unadulterated understanding of God's ways, which Job is now supposedly violating. This echoes a common theme among Job's friends, who often equate age with wisdom, as seen in Job 12:12.
• Purity of Inheritance and Land: The phrase "Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them" speaks to an ideal state of exclusive possession and freedom from foreign corruption or defilement. In ancient Near Eastern thought, the purity of a people and their land was often linked to divine favor and righteousness. Eliphaz uses this image of an untainted past to highlight what he believes is Job's present state of impurity and alienation from God.
• The Link Between Righteousness and Prosperity: Underlying Eliphaz's entire speech is the conventional wisdom that God blesses the righteous with prosperity and punishes the wicked with suffering. This verse, describing an ideal, uncorrupted past, serves as a foundation for his argument that Job's current distress must be due to hidden sin, as the truly righteous would not experience such calamity. For another perspective on prosperity and righteousness, see Psalm 1:3.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "unto whom alone the earth was given" emphasizes an exclusive, divinely granted possession. The Hebrew word for "alone" (לְבַדָּם, levaddām) highlights the singular nature of this inheritance. The subsequent clause, "and no stranger passed among them," uses the Hebrew word זָר (zar), meaning "stranger," "foreigner," or "alien." This signifies a state of purity and uncorrupted existence, free from external influences that could defile the land or the people. It paints a picture of an ideal, perhaps Edenic, past where divine order and human righteousness were perfectly aligned.

Practical Application

Job 15:19, while spoken from a flawed theological perspective, reminds us of several important considerations:

1. Beware of Dogmatic Explanations for Suffering: Eliphaz's rigid application of traditional wisdom to Job's unique situation demonstrates the danger of reducing complex human experience, particularly suffering, to simplistic formulas. While sin does have consequences, not all suffering is a direct result of personal transgression.
2. Value, But Discern, Ancient Wisdom: There is much to learn from the wisdom of past generations and foundational truths. However, true wisdom requires discernment and a willingness to apply principles with compassion and nuance, rather than using them to condemn or oversimplify.
3. The Ideal of Purity: The verse's imagery of an uncorrupted inheritance can speak to a longing for a pure and righteous state, free from the defilement of sin and external pressures. This resonates with the Christian hope for a renewed creation where God will wipe away every tear and there will be no more curse.