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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 15:1–16. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Eliphaz here falls very foul upon Job, because he contradicted what he and his colleagues had said, and did not acquiesce in it and applaud it, as they expected. Proud people are apt thus to take it very much amiss if they may not have leave to dictate and give law to all about them, and to censure those as ignorant and obstinate, and all that is naught, who cannot in every thing say as they say. Several great crimes Eliphaz here charges Job with, only because he would not own himself a hypocrite.
I.He charges him with folly and absurdity (Job 15:2, Job 15:3), that, whereas he had been reputed a wise man, he had now quite forfeited his reputation; any one would say that his wisdom had departed from him, he talked so extravagantly and so little to the purpose. Bildad began thus (Job 8:2), and Zophar, Job 11:2, Job 11:3. It is common for angry disputants thus to represent one another's reasonings as impertinent and ridiculous more than there is cause, forgetting the doom of him that calls his brother Raca, and Thou fool. It is true,
1.That there is in the world a great deal of vain knowledge, science falsely so called, that is useless, and therefore worthless.
2.That this is the knowledge that puffs up, with which men swell in a fond conceit of their own accomplishments.
3.That, whatever vain knowledge a man may have in his head, if he would be thought a wise man he must not utter it, but let it die with himself as it deserves.
4.Unprofitable talk is evil talk. We must give an account in the great day not only for wicked words, but for idle words. Speeches therefore which do no good, which do no service either to God or our neighbour, or no justice to ourselves, which are no way to the use of edifying, were better unspoken. Those words which are as wind, light and empty, especially which are as the east wind, hurtful and pernicious, it will be pernicious to fill either ourselves or others with, for they will pass very ill in the account.
5.Vain knowledge or unprofitable talk ought to be reproved and checked, especially in a wise man, whom it worst becomes and who does most hurt by the bad example of it.
II.He charges him with impiety and irreligion (Job 15:4):
"Thou castest off fear," that is, "the fear of God, and that regard to him which thou shouldst have; and then thou restrainest prayer." See what religion is summed up in, fearing God and praying to him, the former the most needful principle, the latter the most needful practice. Where no fear of God is no good is to be expected; and those who live without prayer certainly live without God in the world. Those who restrain prayer do thereby give evidence that they cast off fear. Surely those have no reverence of God's majesty, no dread of his wrath, and are in no care about their souls and eternity, who make no applications to God for his grace. Those who are prayerless are fearless and graceless. When the fear of God is cast off all sin is let in and a door opened to all manner of profaneness. It is especially bad with those who have had some fear of God, but have now cast it off - have been frequent in prayer, but now restrain it. How have they fallen! How is their first love lost! It denotes a kind of force put upon themselves. The fear of God would cleave to them, but they throw it off; prayer would be uttered, but they restrain it; and, in both, they baffle their convictions. Those who either omit prayer or straiten and abridge themselves in it, quenching the spirit of adoption and denying themselves the liberty they might take in the duty, restrain prayer. This is bad enough, but it is worse to restrain others from prayer, to prohibit and discourage prayer, as Darius, Dan 6:7. Now,
1.Eliphaz charges this upon Job, either,
(1.)As that which was his own practice. He thought that Job talked of God with such liberty as if he had been his equal, and that he charged him so vehemently with hard usage of him, and challenged him so often to a fair trial, that he had quite thrown off all religious regard to him. This charge was utterly false, and yet wanted not some colour. We ought not only to take care that we keep up prayer and the fear of God, but that we never drop any unwary expressions which may give occasion to those who seek occasion to question our sincerity and constancy in religion. Or,
(2.)As that which others would infer from the doctrine he maintained. "If this be true" (thinks Eliphaz) "which Job says, that a man may be thus sorely afflicted and yet be a good man, then farewell all religion, farewell prayer and the fear of God. If all things come alike to all, and the best men may have the worst treatment in this world, every one will be ready to say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it to keep his ordinances? Mal 3:14. Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain, Psa 73:13, Psa 73:14. Who will be honest if the tabernacles of robbers prosper? Job 12:6. If there be no forgiveness with God (Job 7:21), who will fear him? Psa 130:4. If he laugh at the trial of the innocent (Job 9:23), if he be so difficult of access (Job 9:32), who will pray to him?" Note, It is a piece of injustice which even wise and good men are too often guilty of, in the heat of disputation, to charge upon their adversaries those consequences of their opinions which are not fairly drawn from them and which really they abhor. This is not doing as we would be done by.
2.Upon this strained innuendo Eliphaz grounds that high charge of impiety (Job 15:5): Thy mouth utters thy iniquity - teaches it, so the word is. "Thou teachest others to have the same hard thoughts of God and religion that thou thyself hast." It is bad to break even the least of the commandments, but worse to teach men so, Mat 5:19. If we ever thought evil, let us lay our hand upon our mouth to suppress the evil thought (Pro 30:32), and let us by no means utter it; that is putting an imprimatur to it, publishing it with allowance, to the dishonour of God and the damage of others. Observe, When men have cast off fear and prayer their mouths utter iniquity. Those that cease to do good soon learn to do evil. What can we expect but all manner of iniquity from those that arm not themselves with the grace of God against it? But thou choosest the tongue of the crafty, that is, "Thou utterest thy iniquity with some show and pretence of piety, mixing some good words with the bad, as tradesmen do with their wares to help them off." The mouth of iniquity could not do so much mischief as it does without the tongue of the crafty. The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety. See Rom 16:18. The tongue of the crafty speaks with design and deliberation; and therefore those that use it may be said to choose it, as that which will serve their purpose better than the tongue of the upright: but it will be found, at last, that honesty is the best policy. Eliphaz, in his first discourse, had proceeded against Job upon mere surmise (Job 4:6, Job 4:7), but now he has got proof against him from his own discourses (Job 15:6): Thy own mouth condemns thee, and not I. But he should have considered that he and his fellows had provoked him to say that which now they took advantage of; and that was not fair. Those are most effectually condemned that are condemned by themselves, Tit 3:11; Luk 19:22. Many a man needs no more to sink him than for his own tongue to fall upon him.
III.He charges him with intolerable arrogancy and self-conceitedness.
It was a just, and reasonable, and modest demand that Job had made (Job 12:3), Allow that I have understanding as well as you; but see how they seek occasion against him: that is misconstrued, as if he pretended to be wiser than any man. Because he will not grant to them the monopoly of wisdom, they will have it thought that he claims it to himself, Job 15:7-9. As if he thought he had the advantage of all mankind,
1.In length of acquaintance with the world, which furnishes men with so much the more experience: "Art thou the first man that was born; and, consequently, senior to us, and better able to give the sense of antiquity and the judgment of the first and earliest, the wisest and purest, ages? Art thou prior to Adam?" So it may be read. "Did not he suffer for sin; and yet wilt not thou, who art so great a sufferer, own thyself a sinner? Wast thou made before the hills, as Wisdom herself was? Pro 8:23, etc. Must God's counsels, which are as the great mountains (Psa 36:6), and immovable as the everlasting hills, be subject to thy notions and bow to them? Dost thou know more of the world than any of us do? No, thou art but of yesterday even as we are," Job 8:9. Or,
2.In intimacy of acquaintance with God (Job 15:8): "Hast thou heard the secret of God? Dost thou pretend to be of the cabinet-council of heaven, that thou canst give better reasons than others can for God's proceedings?" There are secret things of God, which belong not to us, and which therefore we must not pretend to account for. Those are daringly presumptuous who do. He also represents him,
(1.)As assuming to himself such knowledge as none else had: "Dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself, as if none were wise besides?" Job had said (Job 13:2), What you know, the same do I know also; and now they return upon him, according to the usage of eager disputants, who think they have a privilege to commend themselves: What knowest thou that we know not? How natural are such replies as these in the heat of argument! But how simple do they look afterwards, upon the review!
(2.)As opposing the stream of antiquity, a venerable name, under the shade of which all contending parties strive to shelter themselves: "With us are the gray-headed and very aged men, Job 15:10. We have the fathers on our side; all the ancient doctors of the church are of our opinion." A thing soon said, but not so soon proved; and, when proved, truth is not so soon discovered and proved by it as most people imagine. David preferred right scripture-knowledge before that of antiquity (Psa 119:100): I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. Or perhaps one or more, if not all three, of these friends of Job, were older than he (Job 32:6), and therefore they thought he was bound to acknowledge them to be in the right. This also serves contenders to make a noise with to very little purpose. If they are older than their adversaries, and can say they knew such a thing before their opponents were born, this will not serve to justify them in being arrogant and overbearing; for the oldest are not always the wisest, Job 32:9.
IV.He charges him with a contempt of the counsels and comforts that were given him by his friends (Job 15:11): Are the consolations of God small with thee?
1.Eliphaz takes it ill that Job did not value the comforts which he and his friends administered to him more than it seems he did, and did not welcome every word they said as true and important. It is true they had said some very good things, but, in their application to Job, they were miserable comforters. Note, We are apt to think that great and considerable which we ourselves say, when others perhaps with good reason think it small and trifling. Paul found that those who seemed to be somewhat, yet, in conference, added nothing to him, Gal 2:6.
2.He represents this as a slight put upon divine consolations in general, as if they were of small account with him, whereas really they were not. If he had not highly valued them, he could not have borne up as he did under his sufferings. Note,
(1.)The consolations of God are not in themselves small. Divine comforts are great things, that is, the comfort which is from God, especially the comfort which is in God.
(2.)The consolations of God not being small in themselves, it is very lamentable if they be small with us. It is a great affront to God, and an evidence of a degenerate depraved mind, to disesteem and undervalue spiritual delights and despise the pleasant land. "What!" (says Eliphaz) "is there any secret thing with thee? Hast thou some cordial to support thyself with, that is a proprium, an arcanum, that nobody else can pretend to, or knows any thing of?" Or, "Is there some secret sin harboured and indulged in thy bosom, which hinders the operation of divine comforts?" None disesteem divine comforts but those that secretly affect the world and the flesh.
V.He charges him with opposition to God himself and to religion (Job 15:12, Job 15:13):
"Why doth thy heart carry thee away into such indecent irreligious expressions?" Note, Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, Jam 1:14. if we fly off from God and our duty, or fly out into anything amiss, it is our own heart that carries us away. If thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. There is a violence, an ungovernable impetus, in the turnings of the soul; the corrupt heart carries men away, as it were, by force, against their convictions. "What is it that thy eyes wink at? Why so careless and mindless of what is said to thee, hearing it as if thou wert half asleep? Why so scornful, disdaining what we say, as if it were below thee to take notice of it? What have we said that deserves to be thus slighted - nay, that thou turnest thy spirit against God?" It was bad that his heart was carried away from God, but much worse that it was turned against God. But those that forsake God will soon break out in open enmity to him. But how did this appear? Why, "Thou lettest such words go out of thy mouth, reflecting on God, and his justice and goodness." It is the character of the wicked that they set their mouth against the heavens (Psa 73:9), which is a certain indication that the spirit is turned against God. He thought Job's spirit was soured against God, and so turned from what it had been, and exasperated at his dealings with him. Eliphaz wanted candour and charity, else he would not have put such a harsh construction upon the speeches of one that had such a settled reputation for piety and was now in temptation. This was, in effect, to give the cause on Satan's side, and to own that Job had done as Satan said he would, had cursed God to his face.
VI.He charges him with justifying himself to such a degree as even to deny his share in the common corruption and pollution of the human nature (Job 15:14): What is man, that he should be clean? that is, that he should pretend to be so, or that any should expect to find him so. What is he that is born of a woman, a sinful woman, that he should be righteous? Note,
1.Righteousness is cleanness; it makes us acceptable to God and easy to ourselves, Psa 18:24.
2.Man, in his fallen state, cannot pretend to be clean and righteous before God, either to acquit himself to God's justice or recommend himself to his favour.
3.He is to be adjudged unclean and unrighteous because born of a woman, from whom he derives a corrupt nature, which is both his guilt and his pollution. With these plain truths Eliphaz thinks to convince Job, whereas he had just now said the same (Job 14:4): Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? But does it therefore follow that Job is a hypocrite, and a wicked man, which is all that he denied? By no means. Though man, as born of a woman, is not clean, yet, as born again of the Spirit, he is clean.
4.Further to evince this he here shows,
(1.)That the brightest creatures are imperfect and impure before God, Job 15:15. God places no confidence in saints and angels; he employs both, but trusts neither with his service, without giving them fresh supplies of strength and wisdom for it, as knowing they are not sufficient of themselves, neither more nor better than his grace makes them. He takes no complacency in the heavens themselves. How pure soever they seem to us, in his eye they have many a speck and many a flaw: The heavens are not clean in his sight. If the stars (says Mr. Caryl) have no light in the sight of the sun, what light has the sun in the sight of God! See Isa 24:23.
(2.)That man is much more so (Job 15:16): How much more abominable and filthy is man! If saints are not to be trusted, much less sinners. If the heavens are not pure, which are as God made them, much less man, who is degenerated. Nay, he is abominable and filthy in the sight of God, and if ever he repent he is so in his own sight, and therefore he abhors himself. Sin is an odious thing, it makes men hateful. The body of sin is so, and is therefore called a dead body, a loathsome thing. Is it not a filthy thing, and enough to make any one sick, to see a man eating swine's food or drinking some nauseous and offensive stuff? Such is the filthiness of man that he drinks iniquity (that abominable thing which the Lord hates) as greedily, and with as much pleasure, as a man drinks water when he is thirsty. It is his constant drink; it is natural to sinners to commit iniquity. It gratifies, but does not satisfy, the appetites of the old man. It is like water to a man in a dropsy. The more men sin the more they would sin.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
Eliphaz is just about to say, did you by any chance exist before the entire world, so that you learned about the most ancient times? Or did you learn anything from the mouth of God? You are not superior to us in knowledge at all. Since you had said that “wisdom is found in a long time,” are you not caught in a trap now? In fact, you are not aged at all, nor were you born before the universe. But Job said that so that his friends might show their pride.
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Summary
Job 15:8 captures a pivotal moment in Eliphaz's second speech, where he rhetorically challenges Job's perceived intellectual arrogance and claims of unique insight into divine wisdom. Eliphaz, speaking from the perspective of traditional wisdom, sarcastically questions whether Job was privy to God's intimate counsel, implying that Job's unconventional views on suffering and justice stem from a presumptuous belief in his own superior understanding, rather than from humility before the inscrutable ways of the Almighty. This verse underscores the friends' growing frustration and their conviction that Job's suffering must be a direct result of hidden sin, a conclusion they believe Job arrogantly rejects.
Context
Literary Context
Job 15:8 is embedded within Eliphaz the Temanite's second discourse to Job, found in Job 15. This speech marks a significant shift in the friends' approach, moving from initial, somewhat empathetic, traditional wisdom to more direct accusation and condemnation. Following Job's passionate defense of his innocence and his lament over God's apparent injustice in Job 12-14, Eliphaz's tone becomes sharper and more confrontational. He accuses Job of undermining piety, rejecting wisdom, and speaking presumptuously (e.g., Job 15:2-6). Verse 8, specifically, is a sarcastic rhetorical question designed to humble Job by highlighting the vast chasm between finite human understanding and infinite divine knowledge, thereby dismissing Job's claims of innocence as arrogant self-deception.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a region where wisdom literature flourished. Central to this wisdom tradition was the concept of divine retribution: the belief that God justly rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked. Eliphaz, representing this conventional wisdom, draws upon the accumulated knowledge of elders and the perceived order of the cosmos. The idea of God having a "secret counsel" or "divine assembly" (Hebrew: sod) was a common motif in ancient Near Eastern thought, where deities were imagined to deliberate among themselves. To claim access to this "secret" was to claim a unique, almost divine, prerogative. Eliphaz's question thus challenges Job's perceived usurpation of this divine privilege, implying Job is elevating himself above the wisdom of the ages and even God Himself.
Key Themes
This verse contributes to several overarching themes in the Book of Job. Firstly, it highlights the theme of human presumption versus divine wisdom. Eliphaz's sarcastic query directly challenges Job's perceived arrogance in questioning God's ways, emphasizing the vast, unbridgeable gap between human comprehension and God's infinite, inscrutable knowledge, a theme God Himself will later reinforce from the whirlwind in Job 38-41. Secondly, it underscores the limitations of human understanding when confronted with suffering. The friends, operating under a rigid retribution theology, cannot conceive of righteous suffering, leading them to misinterpret Job's experience and accuse him of hidden sin. Finally, the verse touches upon the nature of revealed truth. Eliphaz implies that true wisdom is not found in individual, presumptuous claims but in the established traditions and revelations passed down through generations, contrasting sharply with Job's personal, agonizing encounter with the mystery of God's governance, as seen in Job 23:3-5.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This term refers to an intimate counsel, a private meeting, or a confidential assembly. In a theological context, it often denotes God's inner circle, His divine council, or the hidden, unrevealed aspects of His plans and purposes. Eliphaz's rhetorical question, "Hast thou heard the secret of God?", sarcastically implies that Job is acting as if he has been privy to God's most intimate deliberations, thus understanding divine mysteries beyond the grasp of ordinary humans or even the wise elders. It's an accusation of profound spiritual arrogance.
This is a singular form of the common Hebrew word for God, often used to emphasize the unique, supreme Deity. In Eliphaz's question, it refers to the Almighty, whose "secret" counsel is being presumptuously claimed by Job. The use of this specific term for God underscores the immense chasm between human understanding and divine omnipotence and omniscience.
Derived from a root meaning "to scrape off," "to diminish," or "to withhold," this word in context carries the sense of holding back or monopolizing. Eliphaz is accusing Job of not merely possessing wisdom, but of "restraining" or "confining" it to himself, as if Job believes he has an exclusive claim on truth and understanding, superior to all others. This implies a self-sufficiency and intellectual pride that Eliphaz views as offensive and presumptuous.
Verse Breakdown
"Hast thou heard the secret of God?"
This is a direct, sarcastic rhetorical question. Eliphaz is not genuinely asking if Job has literally overheard God's private counsel. Instead, he is challenging Job's perceived claim to unique, superior understanding of God's ways, particularly concerning the reasons for suffering. The implication is that Job's defiant questioning of divine justice and his insistence on his innocence can only stem from an arrogant assumption of insight into matters that are hidden from mere mortals. It serves to diminish Job's arguments by portraying them as presumptuous.
"and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?"
This second rhetorical question extends the accusation. It suggests that Job believes he possesses wisdom that is not only superior but also exclusive. Eliphaz implies that Job is hoarding knowledge, or acting as if he has a monopoly on truth, refusing to acknowledge the wisdom of the elders or the traditional understanding of divine justice. This line further paints Job as intellectually arrogant, self-sufficient, and unwilling to submit to established theological norms or the collective wisdom of his community.
Literary Devices
Job 15:8 primarily employs a Rhetorical Question, a figure of speech in the form of a question that is asked to make a point rather than to elicit an answer. Eliphaz uses two such questions in quick succession, not seeking information from Job, but rather to deliver a biting accusation and to underscore his own conviction about Job's arrogance. This is further amplified by Sarcasm and Irony. Eliphaz's questions are laden with a mocking tone, implying the absurdity of Job's supposed claims. The irony lies in the fact that while Eliphaz accuses Job of presuming to know God's secrets, Eliphaz himself presumes to know the reason for Job's suffering, which is ultimately revealed to be incorrect. This masterful use of rhetorical questioning and sarcasm serves to belittle Job's arguments and assert Eliphaz's own perceived intellectual and spiritual superiority.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 15:8, though spoken by a character whose understanding is ultimately flawed, raises profound theological questions about the nature of divine knowledge and human limitations. It highlights the biblical truth that God's ways are often inscrutable, beyond the full comprehension of finite human minds. While God does reveal Himself and His will, there remain "secret things" that belong to Him alone. Eliphaz's accusation, though misapplied to Job, serves as a general warning against intellectual and spiritual pride, particularly the temptation to claim exhaustive knowledge of God's intricate plans or to judge others based on a limited understanding of divine justice. True wisdom, as the Book of Job ultimately reveals, begins not with self-proclaimed insight, but with humble reverence for the Almighty, acknowledging His sovereignty even in the face of mystery.
Reflection and Application
Eliphaz's cutting words in Job 15:8, while misdirected at Job, offer a timeless reminder for believers regarding humility in our pursuit of understanding God and His intricate ways. We are often tempted to believe we have a firm grasp on divine justice, the reasons for suffering, or the precise mechanics of God's providence. However, this verse, in the broader context of Job's narrative, calls us to acknowledge the vast chasm between our finite minds and God's infinite wisdom. It challenges us to cultivate a posture of intellectual and spiritual humility, recognizing that there are "secret things" that belong to the Lord alone. Rather than presuming to know God's hidden counsel or claiming a monopoly on truth, we are called to trust in His character, even when His purposes remain veiled. This humility also extends to our interactions with others, particularly those enduring suffering; instead of offering pat answers or speculative reasons for their pain, we are to offer compassionate presence and support, resisting the urge to play God by claiming special insight into His "secret" dealings.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is the "secret of God" Eliphaz refers to in Job 15:8?
The "secret of God" (Hebrew: sod Eloah) refers to God's intimate counsel, His private deliberations, or the hidden, unrevealed aspects of His divine plans and purposes. In ancient Near Eastern thought, this concept often depicted God (or gods) meeting in a divine assembly to make decisions. Eliphaz's rhetorical question, "Hast thou heard the secret of God?", is a sarcastic challenge, implying that Job is acting as if he has been privy to these divine secrets, thereby presuming to understand God's ways better than anyone else, including the wise elders and traditional wisdom. It underscores the profound mystery of God's governance, which is not fully accessible to human understanding, as highlighted in Deuteronomy 29:29.
Why does Eliphaz accuse Job of "restraining wisdom to thyself"?
Eliphaz accuses Job of "restraining wisdom to thyself" to imply that Job is not only presumptuous in claiming unique insight into God's ways but also arrogant in believing he has a monopoly on truth. The phrase suggests that Job is hoarding knowledge or acting as if his understanding is superior and exclusive, refusing to acknowledge the validity of traditional wisdom or the collective experience of the community. It's an accusation of intellectual pride, suggesting that Job's defiance and questioning of divine justice stem from a self-proclaimed, isolated wisdom rather than from a humble acceptance of established theological norms, as seen in the friends' earlier appeals to the wisdom of the elders in Job 8:8-10.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
While Eliphaz's words are spoken in accusation and rooted in a flawed understanding of God's justice, the underlying theme of God's inscrutable wisdom finds its ultimate fulfillment and revelation in Jesus Christ. The "secret of God" that Eliphaz sarcastically questions Job about is, in the New Testament, fully unveiled in the person and work of Christ. Paul speaks of Christ as the "mystery of God" (Colossians 2:2), in whom "are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:3). No longer is God's counsel a distant, inaccessible secret; through Christ, the very wisdom and purposes of God are made manifest. Jesus himself declares, "No one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him" (Matthew 11:27). Thus, what was once veiled in mystery and only partially understood through tradition, is now fully revealed in the incarnate Son, who is the "radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature" (Hebrews 1:3). In Christ, we do not "restrain wisdom to ourselves" but receive it as a gift, for He is "wisdom from God" (1 Corinthians 1:30).