Read & explore together
Eliphaz: The Innocent Prosper
In Job 4:1-21, Eliphaz answers Job with a firm view about suffering, innocence and God. His speech moves from Job’s past help, to a general claim about the innocent, to a fearful night message about human weakness.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
This passage is wisdom and dialogue. Eliphaz the Temanite answers by recalling how Job had strengthened weak people, then questions Job’s response to his own trouble. He argues from what he has seen and from a night vision that human beings are frail before God.
Job 4:1–21Main takeaway
Job 4:1-21 presents Eliphaz’s speech in the dialogue, showing his belief that suffering follows wrongdoing and that humans cannot claim greater purity than God.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Eliphaz recalls Job’s past wordsEliphaz begins by asking whether speaking will grieve Job, yet says he cannot keep silent.
Explanation
Eliphaz begins by asking whether speaking will grieve Job, yet says he cannot keep silent. He reminds Job that Job had instructed many, strengthened weak hands, supported the falling and made feeble knees firm. Now, Eliphaz says, trouble has touched Job and Job is troubled.
02He argues that the innocent do not perishEliphaz asks whether piety and integrity should be Job’s confidence and hope. Then he states his main claim: he has not seen the innocent perish or the upright cut off.
Explanation
Eliphaz asks whether piety and integrity should be Job’s confidence and hope. Then he states his main claim: he has not seen the innocent perish or the upright cut off. Using farming language, he says those who plough iniquity and sow trouble reap the same under God’s anger.
03Lion imagery shows strength can failEliphaz next uses lions as an image of force that is broken. Roaring lions, fierce lions and young lions lose power when their teeth are broken.
04A night voice speaks of human frailtyEliphaz says a whisper came in visions of the night, bringing fear and trembling. A voice asks whether a mortal can be more just than God or purer than his Maker.
Explanation
Eliphaz says a whisper came in visions of the night, bringing fear and trembling. A voice asks whether a mortal can be more just than God or purer than his Maker. If God charges even his servants and angels with error, humans of dust are more fragile and quickly die.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01How does Eliphaz contrast Job’s past help to others with Job’s present trouble?
02What principle about innocence and wrongdoing does Eliphaz state?
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Job 4:1–21
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2“If someone ventures to talk with you, will you be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Behold, you have instructed many, you have strengthened the weak hands.
4Your words have supported him who was falling, you have made the feeble knees firm.
5But now it has come to you, and you faint. It touches you, and you are troubled.
6Isn’t your piety your confidence? Isn’t the integrity of your ways your hope?
7“Remember, now, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
8According to what I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble, reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish. By the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11The old lion perishes for lack of prey. The cubs of the lioness are scattered abroad.
12“Now a thing was secretly brought to me. My ear received a whisper of it.
13In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men,
14fear came on me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake.
15Then a spirit passed before my face. The hair of my flesh stood up.
16It stood still, but I couldn’t discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes. Silence, then I heard a voice, saying,
17‘Shall mortal man be more just than God? Shall a man be more pure than his Maker?
18Behold, he puts no trust in his servants. He charges his angels with error.
19How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed before the moth!
20Between morning and evening they are destroyed. They perish forever without any regarding it.
21Isn’t their tent cord plucked up within them? They die, and that without wisdom.’