(5) В¶ Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? (6) For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. (7) Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry. (8) But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. (9) Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken. (10) Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; (11) Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee. (12) Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! (13) And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud? (14) Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven. (15) В¶ Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? (16) Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: (17) Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them? (18) Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. (19) The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. (20) Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
In the character of Eliphaz, we behold a mixture of everything unamiable. It should seem by Job's history, and indeed from the account the LORD himself gave of him, that he was a perfect and an upright man (chap. 1:8.); so that nothing could be more false, unjust, and cruel, than the charge of Eliphaz. It reminds me of Shimei's cursing David. It reminds me, indeed, of One, compared to whom both Job and David were shades, and darkness complete. Yes! blessed JESUS! thou amidst all thy holy harmless state didst not escape the obloquy of a blasphemer, a gluttonous man, and a wine-bibber; nay, a devil; 2 Samuel 16:7-8; Matthew 11:19; John 7:20. I do not think it necessary to follow Eliphaz through the several charges which he brings against Job, when not one of them could be substantiated; and especially when we call to mind GOD'S testimony to his servant's uprightness of character, both in respect to GOD, and man. It is enough to observe, that the Temanite loaded him with everything opprobrious; and thereby serves to show the Reader, as the sequel of the history will hereafter more fully manifest, that he had not taken counsel from GOD in what he advanced.