But hitherto Eliphaz had commended Job now he dasheth all, and draweth a black line over that he had spoken once. “Already there is insinuation that Job is unable to apply to himself what he preached to others.” (Andersen) Yet he pointed at this apparent contradiction in Job’s lament recorded in the previous chapter: That this man who had taught and comforted many in their time of need now seems to despair in his own time of need. This took a great deal of courage on the part of Eliphaz he was the first one to speak, and he spoke to a man with an enviable reputation for godliness and one suffering from terrible calamity. Surely you have instructed many … now it comes upon you, and you are weary: Eliphaz began to confront Job with what he saw as his problem. Nevertheless, it will be later found that the advice of Eliphaz and the rest of Job’s counselors was wrong (Job 42:7-8).ĭ. But who can withhold himself from speaking: Eliphaz felt compelled to speak his love and concern for Job strongly motivated him to help his suffering friend. We may say that he had earned the right to speak to Job, because in a remarkable display of friendship, he sat wordless with Job through a whole week to show his sympathy and brotherhood with the afflicted man (Job 2:11-13).Ĭ. If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary: With this tactful beginning, Eliphaz began his speech. Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered: Eliphaz was from Teman, an Edomite city that was known as a center of wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7).ī.
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Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,Īnd you have strengthened the feeble knees īut now it comes upon you, and you are weary Īnd the integrity of your ways your hope?”Ī. “If one attempts a word with you, will you become weary?īut who can withhold himself from speaking? Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said: (1-6) Eliphaz calls upon Job to remember the advice he has given to others as a helper of the weak. At the end of these speeches, God answers Job and his friends and settles the matter. His friends speak in more or less three rounds, with each speech followed by a reply from Job. This begins a long section in the Book of Job where Job’s friends counsel him and he answers them.