Job 15:2-19 - Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

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Bible Comments

Job 15:2-19 is a polemic against Job's arrogance and pretence of wisdom. Job's words are empty and violent (Job 15:2 f.). He does away with all religion (Job 15:4) and breaks the reverential stillness, which should be observed in the presence of God. It is his wickedness that inspires his words and gives to his tongue the craft of the serpent (Genesis 31) (Job 15:5). So he stands self-condemned (Job 15:6). Is he the primæ val man of whom the myths tell, who sat in the council of God? (Job 15:7 f.). This mythical figure is not elsewhere found in the OT - but cf. the figure of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:22-31); it is, however, a conception which spreads its branches wide over the most various regions of religion (Bousset, Hauptprobleme der Gnosis, 1907, p. 160). What does Job know, Eliphaz continues, that the friends do not know? (Job 15:9). Age is on their side (Job 15:10). Why did he despise Eliphaz's former gentle speech, roll his eyes in anger, and defy God (Job 15:11-13)? Eliphaz can only repeat that no man or angel is pure (Job 15:14-18). What he says is ancient wisdom, come down from the fathers, before intermixture with strangers had defiled the pure tradition (Job 15:17-19).

Job 15:16 refers, as the context indicates, to man in general. To drink like water means to drink in large draughts, whereas strong liquor is drunk more cautiously.

Job 15:20-35 describes the fate of the ungodly. The teaching which the wise have handed down is now given. While the wicked lives in outward prosperity he is constantly tormented by forebodings of disaster (Peake). These forebodings proceed from his impiety against God (Job 15:25 f.). With Job 15:28 cf. Deuteronomy 13:16; Joshua 6:26; 1 Kings 16:34. The impious man shall perish hopelessly (Job 15:29-35). Eliphaz does not even yet, however, apply this doctrine to Job; he leaves Job to make the application for himself From Job 15:29 onwards the text is in disorder. - Job 15:29 b is hopelessly corrupt. It is best to omit the verse. Delete Job 15:30 a as a variant upon that of Job 15:22 a and read the last line and his fruit is whirled away by the wind.

Job 15:31 is probably a gloss; it interrupts the continuity of the description of the fate of the impious with an admonition.

Job 15:32 is perhaps best read, after LXX. His stem shall wither before his time, and his palm-branch shall not be green. With these alterations Job 15:30-33 pursues the metaphor of a withering tree.

Job 15:35 is also probably a gloss (cf. Isaiah 59:4).

Related Commentaries of Job 15:2

Job 15:2-19

2 Should a wise man utter vaina knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?

4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.

5 For thy mouth utterethb thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.

6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.

7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?

8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?

9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?

10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.

11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?

12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,

13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?

14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?

15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.

16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;

18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:

19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.