אֱלִיפַז (e.li.phaz)

e.li.phaz

Eliphaz

H0464 · Hebrew · Old Testament · 14 verses

N:N-M-P

Language: Biblical Hebrew
Testament: Old Testament
Occurrences: 14 verses
Root: —
Part of speech: N:N-M-P

Word Overview

Eliphaz appears in Scripture as two distinct figures sharing a name that means "my God is fine gold." In Genesis, he is identified as the eldest son of Esau and Adah, establishing him as a patriarch of the Edomites. His lineage is carefully traced through his wife Timna and their sons, including Teman and Amalek, anchoring him firmly in the historical genealogies of Israel’s neighbors.

The second Eliphaz is the Temanite friend who appears in the Book of Job. He is one of three companions who travel to comfort Job after his suffering begins. As the eldest of these friends, he speaks first in the dialogue, offering long speeches that attempt to explain Job’s misery through traditional wisdom about divine justice.

The connection between the two men lies in their shared heritage. The Job character is called "Eliphaz the Temanite," likely linking him to Esau’s son Teman. This background informs his perspective; he speaks with the authority of an elder, yet his arguments ultimately fail to capture the complexity of Job’s experience. His name serves as a reminder that human wisdom, however pious, often falls short of understanding God’s sovereign purposes.

Based on public-domain lexicons (Strong's, Thayer, Gesenius, Brown-Driver-Briggs and others).

What This Word Means for Your Faith

The name Eliphaz means "my God is fine gold." In Genesis, this title belongs to Esau’s eldest son, a patriarch whose lineage traces the history of Edom. His descendants, including Amalek and Teman, are recorded in genealogies that anchor Israel’s neighbors in real history. These records remind us that God knows every family line, even those distant from the covenant people.

Later, the name appears again as Eliphaz the Temanite, a friend of Job. He speaks first among the companions, offering traditional wisdom to explain suffering. Though his words are pious and well-intentioned, they ultimately miss the mark. God later corrects him, showing that human reasoning, however sincere, cannot fully grasp divine purposes.

This duality invites reflection on our own attempts to understand pain. We may offer comfort using familiar phrases or theological shortcuts. Yet true wisdom begins with humility before God’s sovereignty. When we face mystery, we are called not to explain it all away, but to trust the One who holds all things together.

How it's translated

How this word is rendered word-by-word in the 14 verses where it appears, by frequency.

Eliphaz13×
to/ Eliphaz1×
of/ Eliphaz1×

Forms in the text

The inflected forms of this word as they appear in Scripture, by frequency.

אֱלִיפָ֑ז3×
אֱלִיפַ֥ז3×
אֱלִיפַז֙2×
לֶֽ/אֱלִיפַז֙1×
לֶ/אֱלִיפַ֖ז1×
אֱלִיפַ֨ז1×
אֱלִיפַ֤ז1×
אֱלִיפַ֣ז1×
אֱלִיפַ֛ז1×
אֱלִיפַ֗ז1×

Key Verses

Job 2:11
Now when Job’s three friends heard of all this evil that had come on him, they each came from his own place: Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and they made an appointment together to come to sympathize with him and to comfort him.

This verse introduces Eliphaz as one of three friends who come specifically to sympathize and comfort Job, establishing his role in the narrative.
Job 4:1
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

As the eldest friend, Eliphaz speaks first, setting the tone for the dialogue with a focus on traditional retribution theology.
Job 42:7
It was so, that after Yahweh had spoken these words to Job, Yahweh said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My wrath is kindled against you, and against your two friends; for you have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job has.

Here God explicitly rebukes Eliphaz for not speaking rightly about Him, highlighting the limits of even well-meaning human wisdom.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the name Eliphaz mean?

The name Eliphaz is Hebrew and translates to "my God is fine gold." It combines the word for God (El) with a term for refined gold, suggesting value or purity.

Are there two different people named Eliphaz in the Bible?

Yes. The first is Esau’s eldest son, mentioned in Genesis genealogies as an ancestor of the Edomites. The second is Eliphaz the Temanite, a friend of Job who speaks in the Book of Job. They are likely connected through lineage, as Eliphaz the Temanite may be a descendant of Esau’s son Teman.

Why did God rebuke Eliphaz the Temanite?

In Job 42:7, God tells Eliphaz that he and his friends have not spoken correctly about Him, unlike Job. While their intentions were to comfort, their arguments reduced suffering to a simple cause-and-effect system, failing to acknowledge God’s sovereign freedom.

Every Occurrence (14 verses across 3 books)

Genesis 6 verses

Genesis 36:4

Adah bore to Esau Eliphaz. Basemath bore Reuel.

Genesis 36:10

these are the names of Esau’s sons: Eliphaz, the son of Adah, the wife of Esau; and Reuel, the son of Basemath, the…

Genesis 36:11

The sons of Eliphaz were Teman, Omar, Zepho, and Gatam, and Kenaz.

Genesis 36:12

Timna was concubine to Eliphaz, Esau’s son; and she bore to Eliphaz Amalek. These are the descendants of Adah, Esau’s…

Genesis 36:15

These are the chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz the firstborn of Esau: chief Teman, chief Omar, chief…

Genesis 36:16

chief Korah, chief Gatam, chief Amalek. These are the chiefs who came of Eliphaz in the land of Edom. These are the…

I Chronicles 2 verses

Job 6 verses