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Commentary on Job 4 verses 1–6
In these verses,
I. Eliphaz excuses the trouble he is now about to give to Job by his discourse (Job 4:2): "If we assay a word with thee, offer a word of reproof and counsel, wilt thou be grieved and take it ill?" We have reason to fear thou wilt; but there is no remedy: "Who can refrain from words?" Observe, 1. With what modesty he speaks of himself and his own attempt. He will not undertake the management of the cause alone, but very humbly joins his friends with him: "We will commune with thee." Those that plead God's cause must be glad of help, lest it suffer through their weakness. He will not promise much, but begs leave to assay or attempt, and try if he could propose any thing that might be pertinent, and suit Job's case. In difficult matters it becomes us to pretend no further, but only to try what may be said or done. Many excellent discourses have gone under the modest title of Essays. 2. With what tenderness he speaks of Job, and his present afflicted condition: "If we tell thee our mind, wilt thou be grieved? Wilt thou take it ill? Wilt thou lay it to thy own heart as thy affliction or to our charge as our fault? Shall we be reckoned unkind and cruel if we deal plainly and faithfully with thee? We desire we may not; we hope we shall not, and should be sorry if that should be ill resented which is well intended." Note, We ought to be afraid of grieving any, especially those that are already in grief, lest we add affliction to the afflicted, as David's enemies, Psa 69:26. We should show ourselves backward to say that which we foresee will be grievous, though ever so necessary. God himself, though he afflicts justly, does not afflict willingly, Lam 3:33. 3. With what assurance he speaks of the truth and pertinency of what he was about to say: Who can withhold himself from speaking? Surely it was a pious zeal for God's honour, and the spiritual welfare of Job, that laid him under this necessity of speaking. "Who can forbear speaking in vindication of God's honour, which we hear reproved, in love to thy soul, which we see endangered?" Note, It is foolish pity not to reprove our friends, even our friends in affliction, for what they say or do amiss, only for fear of offending them. Whether men take it well or ill, we must with wisdom and meekness do our duty and discharge a good conscience.
II. He exhibits a twofold charge against Job.
1.As to his particular conduct under this affliction. He charges him with weakness and faint-heartedness, and this article of his charge there was too much ground for, Job 4:3-5. And here,
(1.)He takes notice of Job's former serviceableness to the comfort of others. He owns that Job had instructed many, not only his own children and servants, but many others, his neighbours and friends, as many as fell within the sphere of his activity. He did not only encourage those who were teachers by office, and countenance them, and pay for the teaching of those who were poor, but he did himself instruct many. Though a great man, he did not think it below him (king Solomon was a preacher); though a man of business, he found time to do it, went among his neighbours, talked to them about their souls, and gave them good counsel. O that this example of Job were imitated by our great men! If he met with those who were ready to fall into sin, or sink under their troubles, his words upheld them: a wonderful dexterity he had in offering that which was proper to fortify persons against temptations, to support them under their burdens, and to comfort afflicted consciences. He had, and used, the tongue of the learned, knew how to speak a word in season to those that were weary, and employed himself much in that good work. With suitable counsels and comforts he strengthened the weak hands for work and service and the spiritual warfare, and the feeble knees for bearing up the man in his journey and under his load. It is not only our duty to lift up our own hands that hang down, by quickening and encouraging ourselves in the way of duty (Heb 12:12), but we must also strengthen the weak hands of others, as there is occasion, and do what we can to confirm their feeble knees, by saying to those that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, Isa 35:3, Isa 35:4. The expressions seem to be borrowed thence. Note, Those should abound in spiritual charity. A good word, well and wisely spoken, may do more good than perhaps we think of. But why does Eliphaz mention this here? [1.] Perhaps he praises him thus for the good he had done that he might make the intended reproof the more passable with him. Just commendation is a good preface to a just reprehension, will help to remove prejudices, and will show that the reproof comes not from ill will. Paul praised the Corinthians before he chided them, Co1 11:2. [2.] He remembers how Job had comforted others as a reason why he might justly expect to be himself comforted; and yet, if conviction was necessary in order to comfort, they must be excused if they applied themselves to that first. The Comforter shall reprove, Joh 16:8. [3.] He speaks this, perhaps, in a way of pity, lamenting that through the extremity of his affliction he could not apply those comforts to himself which he had formerly administered to others. It is easier to give good counsel than to take it, to preach meekness and patience than to practise them. Facile omnes, cum valemus, rectum consilium aegrotis damus - We all find it easy, when in health, to give good advice to the sick. - Terent. [4.] Most think that he mentions it as an aggravation of his present discontent, upbraiding him with his knowledge, and the good offices he had done for others, as if he had said, "Thou that hast taught others, why dost thou not teach thyself? Is not this an evidence of thy hypocrisy, that thou hast prescribed that medicine to others which thou wilt not now take thyself, and so contradictest thyself, and actest against thy own know principles? Thou that teachest another to faint, dost thou faint? Rom 2:21. Physician, heal thyself." Those who have rebuked others must expect to hear of it if they themselves become obnoxious to rebuke.
(2.)He upbraids him with his present low-spiritedness, Job 4:5. "Now that it has come upon thee, now that it is thy turn to be afflicted, and the bitter cup that goes round is put into thy hand, now that it touches thee, thou faintest, thou art troubled." Here, [1.] He makes too light of Job's afflictions: "It touches thee." The very word that Satan himself had used, Job 1:11, Job 2:5. Had Eliphaz felt but the one-half of Job's affliction, he would have said, "It smites me, it wounds me;" but, speaking of Job's afflictions, he makes a mere trifle of it: "It touches thee and thou canst not bear to be touched." Noli me tangere - Touch me not. [2.] He makes too much of Job's resentments, and aggravates them: "Thou faintest, or thou art beside thyself; thou ravest, and knowest not what thou sayest." Men in deep distress must have grains of allowance, and a favourable construction put upon what they say; when we make the worst of every word we do not as we would be done by.
2.As to his general character before this affliction. he charges him with wickedness and false-heartedness, and this article of his charge was utterly groundless and unjust. How unkindly does he banter him, and upbraid him with the great profession of religion he had made, as if it had all now come to nothing and proved a sham (Job 4:6): "Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? Does it not all appear now to be a mere pretence? For, hadst thou been sincere in it, God would not thus have afflicted thee, nor wouldst thou have behaved thus under the affliction." This was the very thing Satan aimed at, to prove Job a hypocrite, and disprove the character God had given of him. When he could not himself do this to God, but he still saw and said, Job is perfect and upright, then he endeavoured, by his friends, to do it to Job himself, and to persuade him to confess himself a hypocrite. Could he have gained that point he would have triumphed. Habes confitentem reum - Out of thy own mouth will I condemn thee. But, by the grace of God, Job was enabled to hold fast his integrity, and would not bear false witness against himself. Note, Those that pass rash and uncharitable censures upon their brethren, and condemn them as hypocrites, do Satan's work, and serve his interest, more than they are aware of. I know not how it comes to pass that this verse is differently read in several editions of our common English Bibles; the original, and all the ancient versions, put thy hope before the uprightness of thy ways. So does the Geneva, and most of the editions of the last translation; but I find one of the first, in 1612, has it, Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, the uprightness of thy ways, and thy hope? Both the Assembly's Annotations and Mr. Pool's have that reading: and an edition in 1660 reads it, "Is not thy fear thy confidence, and the uprightness of thy ways thy hope? Does it not appear now that all the religion both of thy devotion and of thy conversation was only in hope and confidence that thou shouldst grow rich by it? Was it not all mercenary?" The very thing that Satan suggested. Is not thy religion thy hope, and are not thy ways thy confidence? so Mr. Broughton. Or, "Was it not? Didst thou not think that that would be thy protection? But thou art deceived." Or, "Would it not have been so? If it had been sincere, would it not have kept thee from this despair?" It is true, if thou faint in the day of adversity, thy strength, thy grace, is small (Pro 24:10); but it does not therefore follow that thou hast no grace, no strength at all. A man's character is not to be taken from a single act.
What does Eliphaz say? “Have you often spoken in your suffering?” By “suffering” the Scripture may signify “sin,” as it states, “Under his tongue is mischief.” Eliphaz did not say, Have you committed any evil action? Eliphaz asks, “Have you spoken?” Indeed the fame of Job’s life shone everywhere, and many still testified to Job’s virtue. It is useless, Eliphaz says to Job, to say that your deeds are just and good, for the very reason that the fault is sometimes found in the words we speak. “And who can tolerate the violence of your words?” Consider now the expression “Have you often spoken?” The hesitation and uncertainty do not come from his moderation but from the fact that Eliphaz cannot convince Job about an evident fault on his part, “the violence of your words.” What did Job say? He wished to die and to be delivered from his present life. Did Job actually say, “Is it in spite of my justice and virtues that I suffer such misfortunes”? No. He said, “I wanted to disappear with the impious, with my servants, with the stillborn. I wanted to have the same fate as the impious.” He did not say, “I, who have such qualities and such importance.”
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SUMMARY
Job 4:1 serves as the pivotal transition from Job's raw and agonizing lament to the commencement of the extensive theological dialogues between Job and his three friends. After a week of shared silence in mourning, this verse formally introduces Eliphaz the Temanite as the first to break the quiet, initiating a complex and profound debate on the nature of suffering, divine justice, and the limits of human wisdom that forms the core narrative of the Book of Job.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Job 4:1, though concise, effectively employs several significant literary devices. The most prominent is the Introduction of Character, formally presenting Eliphaz as the first of Job's friends to break the silence and speak. This is immediately followed by Dialogue Initiation, marking the precise moment the period of silent mourning concludes and the extensive verbal exchanges that form the bulk of the book begin. The verse also functions as a crucial Narrative Transition, shifting the focus from Job's internal anguish and personal lament to an external, public theological debate. Furthermore, the mention of "the Temanite" serves as a subtle form of Foreshadowing and Characterization, hinting at Eliphaz's reputation for wisdom (given Teman's association with sagacity) and implicitly setting up the central conflict between traditional human wisdom and the mysterious reality of Job's inexplicable suffering. The very act of "answering" also implies a Dramatic Response to Job's lament, signaling that the friends do not merely listen but feel compelled to offer their own interpretations and counsel.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Job 4:1 is profoundly significant from a theological standpoint as it ushers in the core debate of the book: the nature of divine justice and the perplexing problem of suffering. Eliphaz's immediate response to Job's lament signifies the inherent human tendency to impose order and explanation on chaos, often through the lens of retributive theology—the belief that suffering is always a direct consequence of sin. This verse thus sets the stage for a profound exploration of the limitations of human wisdom in comprehending God's intricate ways, contrasting it with the unfathomable mystery of divine sovereignty. It also highlights the pastoral challenge of ministering to those in deep distress, revealing how well-intentioned but ultimately flawed counsel, devoid of true empathy or divine insight, can inadvertently deepen, rather than alleviate, pain.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Job 4:1, despite its brevity as a narrative transition, carries profound implications for how we engage with suffering, both our own and that of others. It compels us to confront the inherent limitations of our human frameworks—be they theological, philosophical, or psychological—when faced with inexplicable pain and profound mystery. Eliphaz's readiness to "answer" Job's lament, rather than simply remaining in empathetic silence, serves as a poignant cautionary tale. It challenges us to cultivate a posture of humility and deep listening, recognizing that sometimes the most profound comfort is not found in immediate explanations or theological pronouncements, but in compassionate presence and patient endurance. The verse invites us to examine our own responses to suffering: do we rush to offer solutions, or do we first sit with the pain, trusting that God's wisdom transcends our limited understanding and that His presence is often the most powerful balm?
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Why does Eliphaz speak first among Job's friends?
Answer: While the text does not explicitly state why Eliphaz is the first to speak, several factors suggest his prominence. He is often considered the oldest or most respected of the three friends, given his origin from Teman, a region renowned for its wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7). His speeches are generally the longest and most developed, suggesting a leading role in the debate. Furthermore, his initial approach is somewhat gentler and more philosophical than Bildad's or Zophar's, making him a fitting character to initiate the theological discussion in response to Job's profound lament in chapter 3.
What does "answered and said" imply about Eliphaz's speech?
Answer: The phrase "answered and said" (Hebrew wayyaʿan wayyo'mer) is a common Hebrew idiom indicating a direct, immediate response to something previously spoken or done. In this context, it signifies that Eliphaz's speech is not an independent monologue but a direct reply to Job's desperate lament and curse of his birth in chapter 3. It implies that Eliphaz felt compelled to address Job's words, perhaps viewing them as blasphemous, indicative of unconfessed sin, or simply requiring a theological correction, rather than merely expressions of profound suffering. This sets the tone for the ensuing debate, where the friends' words are largely reactive to Job's statements and perceived theological errors.
How does the mention of "Temanite" inform our understanding of Eliphaz?
Answer: The designation "Temanite" is crucial because Teman, a city in Edom, was widely recognized in the ancient world for its wisdom. This association suggests that Eliphaz is presented as a man of considerable intellectual and spiritual standing, someone whose counsel would typically be valued and respected. His wisdom, however, is human wisdom, deeply rooted in traditional understanding of cause and effect, particularly the principle of retributive justice. The narrative subtly uses this background to highlight the inherent limitations of even the most respected human wisdom when confronted with the mysterious and sovereign ways of God, especially concerning innocent suffering. His "wise" counsel ultimately falls short of truly helping Job, underscoring a central theme of the Book of Job: that God's ways are higher than human ways, and true wisdom comes from Him alone.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Job 4:1, by introducing the human attempt to provide answers to suffering, implicitly points to the ultimate and perfect answer found in Christ. Eliphaz, with his human wisdom and flawed understanding of divine justice, represents the inadequacy of human counsel when confronted with deep pain. In stark contrast, Jesus Christ is the ultimate "answer" to human suffering and lament. He is not merely a wise counselor from Teman, but the Wisdom of God incarnate, who fully understands suffering because He Himself bore the ultimate pain and injustice on the cross (Isaiah 53:3-5). Where Eliphaz and the friends failed to offer true comfort or understanding, Jesus offers genuine empathy, not through speculative theology, but through His shared humanity and redemptive work. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, addressing the root cause of suffering and evil in a way no human philosophy or traditional wisdom ever could. Furthermore, Christ's resurrection is the ultimate divine "answer" to the problem of death and inexplicable pain, offering a living hope and vindication that transcends all human comprehension (1 Peter 1:3-5). Thus, Job 4:1, in its portrayal of limited human response, serves as a powerful backdrop against which the perfect, complete, and redemptive response of God in Christ shines all the more brightly.