Job 15:27

In Job 15:27, Eliphaz the Temanite continues his second speech, delivering a harsh accusation against those he perceives as wicked, implicitly including Job. This verse uses vivid, almost grotesque imagery to describe the self-satisfied, arrogant individual who is overly indulged in worldly pleasures and prosperity.

Context

Eliphaz, one of Job's three friends, delivers his second discourse in response to Job's lament. Throughout his speeches, Eliphaz operates under the traditional retribution theology, believing that great suffering (like Job's) must be a direct result of great sin. In this chapter, he paints a picture of the wicked person's ultimate downfall, contrasting their temporary prosperity with their inevitable destruction. The description of "fatness" here is not a sign of health or blessing, but rather a symbol of excessive indulgence, arrogance, and a hardened heart that has grown complacent in its perceived security.

This accusation highlights a central tension in the Book of Job: the friends' insistence that suffering equals sin, versus Job's experience of righteous suffering.

Key Themes

• Spiritual Arrogance and Self-Indulgence: The phrase "covereth his face with his fatness" suggests a person so consumed by their own material well-being and self-importance that they are spiritually blind and insensitive to others or to God. It implies a lack of humility and an arrogant disdain for anyone outside their prosperous bubble. This attitude often leads to a spiritual dullness, where pride often precedes a fall.
• Metaphor of Excessive Prosperity: "Fatness" and "collops of fat on his flanks" are powerful metaphors for excessive wealth, luxury, and physical indulgence. In biblical literature, while fatness can sometimes signify blessing (e.g., fertile land), here, in the context of Eliphaz's condemnation, it clearly signifies gluttony, self-satisfaction, and a turning away from God due to material comfort. It indicates a person who has become spiritually hardened and unresponsive.
• Eliphaz's Theology of Retribution: Eliphaz uses this imagery to justify his belief that the wicked, though they may flourish for a time, are ultimately doomed. He sees this physical state as a manifestation of their internal spiritual condition, which God will surely punish. This perspective contrasts sharply with the struggles of the righteous, as seen when the Psalmist also wrestled with the prosperity of the wicked.

Linguistic Insights

The Hebrew word for "fatness" is chelev (חֶלֶב), which often refers to the richest, choicest part, particularly of an animal sacrifice. However, in this context, it takes on a negative connotation of excessive, self-serving accumulation. "Collops" (מִקְדָּשׁ - *miqdash*, though some etymologies link it to a root for "thick" or "solid") refers to thick, fleshy folds or rolls of fat, further emphasizing the imagery of physical opulence and spiritual insensitivity.

Practical Application

Job 15:27 serves as a powerful warning against the dangers of spiritual complacency and pride that can arise from material prosperity or self-satisfaction. It reminds us that true spiritual health is not measured by outward circumstances or physical indulgence. Instead, it calls us to:

• Guard Against Arrogance: Be wary of allowing success or comfort to lead to pride or insensitivity to God and others.
• Seek Humility: Recognize that all blessings come from God, and true wisdom involves acknowledging our dependence on Him, choosing to humble ourselves before the Lord.
• Avoid Judgment: Eliphaz's misapplication of this principle to Job highlights the danger of judging others' spiritual state based solely on their outward circumstances, whether prosperity or suffering.