Job 4:13

In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,

In thoughts {H5587} from the visions {H2384} of the night {H3915}, when deep sleep {H8639} falleth {H5307} on men {H582},

In passing thoughts flashing through visions at night, when sleep lies heavy on people,

In disquieting visions in the night, when deep sleep falls on men,

In thoughts from the visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth on men,

Commentary

Context

Job 4:13 opens Eliphaz the Temanite's first significant speech to Job. After days of silent mourning with his suffering friend, Eliphaz begins to offer his explanation for Job's immense pain and loss. Unlike Job, who has been lamenting his birth and questioning God, Eliphaz presents his counsel as originating from a profound spiritual encounter. This verse sets the scene for a terrifying vision he experienced, framing his subsequent arguments as divinely inspired wisdom. It transitions from a general observation about the nature of profound sleep to the specific content of his revelation, which he recounts in the following verses of Job chapter 4.

Key Themes

  • Divine Revelation in Dreams: The verse highlights a common biblical theme where God communicates with individuals through nighttime visions and dreams. For Eliphaz, this was not an ordinary dream but a profound spiritual experience intended to convey divine truth.
  • The Nature of Spiritual Encounters: Eliphaz emphasizes the solemnity and awe surrounding this experience, suggesting it was a moment of deep spiritual insight received when human senses were subdued. This sets the stage for the weighty (and ultimately flawed) message he believes he received.
  • Source of Eliphaz's Counsel: By prefacing his words with an account of a divine vision, Eliphaz attempts to lend authority and weight to his arguments, presenting them not as mere human opinion but as a word from God. This contrasts sharply with Job's own experience of suffering and silence from God.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "deep sleep falleth on men" is significant. The Hebrew word for "deep sleep" is tardemah (תַּרְדֵּמָה), which is often used in the Old Testament to describe a divinely induced, supernatural slumber, rather than just ordinary sleep. It's the same word used when God caused a "deep sleep" to fall upon Adam before creating Eve, or when Abraham experienced a "deep sleep" accompanied by a dreadful darkness during which God revealed his covenant. This suggests that Eliphaz's experience was not a typical dream but a profound, God-ordained moment of revelation, emphasizing its perceived authority and seriousness.

Practical Application

While God can and does communicate through dreams and visions, as seen throughout scripture, Eliphaz's experience serves as a cautionary tale. Even a seemingly profound spiritual encounter needs to be discerned carefully. Eliphaz's interpretation of his vision led him to an incorrect conclusion about Job's suffering, reinforcing the idea that suffering is always a direct result of sin. This verse reminds us that while we should be open to how God speaks, we must always test what we believe to be divine revelation against the broader truth of God's character and His written Word. It also highlights the danger of using personal spiritual experiences to judge or condemn others, especially when they are in distress.

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Cross-References

  • Job 33:14 (3 votes)

    ¶ For God speaketh once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.

  • Job 33:16 (3 votes)

    Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

  • Genesis 15:12 (3 votes)

    ¶ And when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and, lo, an horror of great darkness fell upon him.

  • Genesis 2:21 (3 votes)

    ¶ And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof;

  • Genesis 46:2 (2 votes)

    And God spake unto Israel in the visions of the night, and said, Jacob, Jacob. And he said, Here [am] I.

  • Numbers 22:19 (2 votes)

    Now therefore, I pray you, tarry ye also here this night, that I may know what the LORD will say unto me more.

  • Numbers 22:20 (2 votes)

    And God came unto Balaam at night, and said unto him, If the men come to call thee, rise up, [and] go with them; but yet the word which I shall say unto thee, that shalt thou do.