Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Job 4
Job 4:7“Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
Eliphaz lays out his core belief here - that innocent people don't perish. This simple formula for suffering is the foundation of his entire argument against Job.Job 4:8As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
He doubles down on his point, using a farming metaphor to say that people who 'plow iniquity and sow trouble' are the ones who reap disaster.Job 4:17‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
This is the climax of his supposed vision, a rhetorical question suggesting that no human can ever be right in God's eyes, subtly implying Job is no exception.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Silence is Broken
After seven days of sitting in silent mourning with Job, his friends have listened to his raw anguish in chapter 3, where he cursed the day of his birth. Eliphaz, the eldest and first to speak, feels he must respond to Job's despair. He breaks the heavy silence not with simple words of comfort, but with a structured theological argument he believes will correct Job's perspective and bring him back to a proper understanding of God.
A Friend's Flawed Logic
Eliphaz's speech is not a random opinion. It is a carefully crafted case built on a common worldview. He begins by acknowledging Job's past reputation for wisdom and for helping others in their weakness. He then pivots to what he sees as the central issue: the principle of divine justice. He presents his argument not as a harsh attack, but as a gentle reminder of a spiritual truth he thinks Job has forgotten in his overwhelming pain.
Eliphaz's First Speech to Job
After Job's heart-wrenching lament in chapter 3, his friend Eliphaz begins the first of three cycles of dialogue. In Job 4, Eliphaz gently chides Job for his despair before launching into a theological explanation for suffering. He argues from personal observation and a supposed supernatural vision that Job's predicament must be linked to some fault, as God is just and does not punish the innocent.
A Gentle Rebuke (Job 4:1-6)
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?
Commentary:
Eliphaz questions why Job, who once counseled others so well, is now falling apart under pressure.
The Doctrine of Retribution (Job 4:7-11)
7 “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken.
Commentary:
Eliphaz argues that suffering is always a consequence of sin, because the innocent never truly perish.
A Terrifying Night Vision (Job 4:12-21)
12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14 fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance; a form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error;
19 how much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth.
20 Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?’
Commentary:
Eliphaz claims a supernatural vision confirmed that all humans are flawed and cannot be considered righteous before God.
Unpacking Eliphaz's Worldview
Retribution Theology
Eliphaz champions the idea that life is a straightforward system of divine rewards and punishments. He believes God operates on a strict principle of justice where the righteous prosper and the wicked suffer, a view that leaves no room for the mystery of innocent suffering.
The Limits of Human Wisdom
While Eliphaz presents his argument as wise counsel, the chapter reveals the danger of applying rigid formulas to complex human pain. His logic, based on observation and even a spiritual experience, is ultimately insufficient and hurtful in Job's situation.
The Frailty of Humanity
The vision Eliphaz describes powerfully illustrates the theme of human weakness and mortality. Humans are described as living in 'houses of clay' and being 'crushed like the moth,' emphasizing their temporary and fragile nature in comparison to the eternal, perfect God.
Lessons from a Friend's Mistake
Eliphaz immediately jumps to diagnosing the problem instead of being present with Job in his pain. Job 4:5-8 shows us that offering theories and simple answers to someone in deep grief can feel like an accusation rather than a comfort. True comfort often begins with listening, not lecturing.
Our experience is limited and can lead us to create rules for God that aren't true. While Eliphaz had seen wicked people punished, he hadn't seen everything, and he wrongly assumed his experience was a universal law. This reminds us to approach God with humility, recognizing that His ways are higher and more complex than what we can observe.
This truth should lead us to humility, not judgment. Eliphaz uses it to imply Job's guilt, but the better application is to recognize our own flaws and our deep need for God's grace. It should also make us more compassionate toward others, knowing that we are all imperfect people navigating a difficult world.
Suffering, Friends, and Flawed Theology
Job 4 introduces the voice of human wisdom attempting to solve the puzzle of divine justice. Eliphaz presents a logical, widely-held belief that suffering is the direct result of sin, and his message is that if Job would accept this, he would find his answer. However, the chapter's ultimate message is a cautionary one: neat theological boxes cannot contain the messy reality of human pain, and even the most pious-sounding advice can be very unhelpful
What This Means for Us Today
Eliphaz's speech is an invitation to find answers, but it's the wrong kind of invitation. He asks Job to accept a simple formula, but true faith invites us to sit in the mystery and trust God even without easy answers. This chapter challenges us to reject simplistic explanations for suffering and instead offer a ministry of presence to those who are hurting.
- When I see someone suffering, is my first instinct to explain it or to listen?
- What simple 'rules' about God do I rely on that might be challenged by the book of Job?
- How can I offer comfort without offering answers I don't truly have?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
Jesus directly refutes retribution theology when his disciples ask if a man was born blind because of his or his parents' sin.
The psalmist wrestles with the opposite problem of Eliphaz's worldview: the prosperity of the wicked, which challenges simplistic ideas of divine justice.
Paul uses similar 'reap what you sow' language, but in the context of spiritual life and choices within the community of faith, not as a universal law for suffering.
Discussion Questions
- Eliphaz starts by praising Job's past (Job 4:3-4) before criticizing his present reaction. Have you ever received advice that started kindly but ended up feeling like a judgment? How did it affect you?
- Eliphaz's core argument is that the innocent don't suffer (Job 4:7). Why is this idea so appealing, and where does it fall short in explaining the reality of our world?
- Eliphaz uses a dramatic spiritual vision (Job 4:12-17) to support his point. How can we discern whether a 'spiritual' insight is truly from God or if it is confirming our own biases?