Job 4:1

JOB 4

ELIPHAZ' FIRST SPEECH:

THE VAIN DOCTRINE OF ELIPHAZ OFFERS ONLY VAIN COMFORT[1]

This chapter and the next record the first speech of Eliphaz, loaded with the false wisdom of his day, "It merely poured vinegar, rather than oil, upon Job's wounds."[2] Out of the whirlwind, God Himself declared that Job's friends, "Had not spoken of God the things that were right" (Job 42:7); and the very first word that God spoke out of the whirlwind blasted the long-winded diatribes of Job's comforters, as "Darkening counsel by words without knowledge" (Job 38:2); and, therefore, the very worst mistake that anyone could possibly make in studying the speech of Eliphaz (or any of the rest of Job's comforters) would be the acceptance of what he said as the truth. In the light of that fact, we shall limit our comments on those speeches. God Himself has already made the only comment that one needs in studying these speeches.

Job 4:1-5

ELIPHAZ BEGAN WITH A COMPLIMENT TO JOB

"Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:

If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved?

But who can withhold himself from speaking?

Behold, thou hast instructed many,

And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.

Thy words have upholden him that was falling,

and thou hast made firm the feeble knees.

But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest;

It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled."

In short, Eliphaz here says, "Look, why don't you take some of that good advice you have always been giving to other people? These words were a wound and not a comfort to Job. Eliphaz was totally ignorant of the unique suffering of Job, which was not due to his sins at all; and his self-righteous speech to Job must have sorely aggravated Job's miseries. Eliphaz, apparently the oldest of Job's comforters, and allowed by the others as the wisest of them, would go on and on with his "comfort."