Job 4:1-11 · Bible study
Job 4:1-11 Commentary: Eliphaz's Opening Rebuke
Hebrew · 10 what the commentators say
Meaning in one sentence
Why Eliphaz, who came to comfort, begins by accusing Job. An analysis of his retribution theology and its implications for understanding suffering.
Research Summary
- Meaning: Eliphaz rebukes Job by applying a retribution theology that equates suffering with hidden sin, accusing him of hypocrisy.
- Key words: yir’ah (fear/piety), kislah (confidence), tom derakhekha (integrity of your ways), Eliphaz questions the reality of Job’s devotion.
- Main debate: Is Eliphaz genuinely trying to help, or is his opening a calculated accusation? Most commentators see a mix of both.
- Theological theme: The failure of a simplistic retribution principle to account for innocent suffering.
- Best use: A cautionary example of how well-intentioned counsel can wound when it assumes too much about God’s justice.
Translation Comparison
BSB Berean Standard Bible 2020
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2“If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? Yet who can keep from speaking?
3Surely you have instructed many, and have strengthened their feeble hands.
4Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have braced the knees that were buckling.
5But now trouble has come upon you, and you are weary. It strikes you, and you are dismayed.
6Is your reverence not your confidence, and the uprightness of your ways your hope?
7Consider now, I plead: Who, being innocent, has ever perished? Or where have the upright been destroyed?
8As I have observed, those who plow iniquity and those who sow trouble reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
10The lion may roar, and the fierce lion may growl, yet the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
WEB World English Bible 2000
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.
KJV King James Version 1769
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
5But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
8Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
9By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion’s whelps are scattered abroad.
ASV American Standard Version 1901
1Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
2If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking?
3Behold, thou hast instructed many, And thou hast strengthened the weak hands.
4Thy words have upholden him that was falling, And thou hast made firm the feeble knees.
5But now it is come unto thee, and thou faintest; It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6Is not thy fear of God thy confidence, Andthe integrity of thy ways thy hope?
7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? Or where were the upright cut off?
8According as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, And sow trouble, reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish, And by the blast of his anger are they consumed.
10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, And the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.
YLT Young's Literal Translation 1898
1And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --
2Hath one tried a word with thee? --Thou art weary! And to keep in words who is able?
3Lo, thou hast instructed many, And feeble hands thou makest strong.
4The stumbling one do thy words raise up, And bowing knees thou dost strengthen.
5But now, it cometh in unto thee, And thou art weary; It striketh unto thee, and thou art troubled.
6Is not thy reverence thy confidence? Thy hope--the perfection of thy ways?
7Remember, I pray thee, Who, being innocent, hath perished? And where have the upright been cut off?
8As I have seen--ploughers of iniquity, And sowers of misery, reap it!
9From the breath of God they perish, And from the spirit of His anger consumed.
10The roaring of a lion, And the voice of a fierce lion, And teeth of young lions have been broken.
11An old lion is perishing without prey, And the whelps of the lioness do separate.
Darby Darby Bible 1890
1And Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2If a word were essayed to thee, wouldest thou be grieved? But who can refrain from speaking?
3Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands;
4Thy words have upholden him that was stumbling, and thou hast braced up the bending knees:
5But now it is come upon thee, and thou grievest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
6Hath not thy piety been thy confidence, and the perfection of thy ways thy hope?
7Remember, I pray thee, who that was innocent has perished? and where were the upright cut off?
8Even as I have seen, they that plough iniquity and sow mischief, reap the same.
9By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his nostrils are they consumed.
10The roar of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken;
11The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the whelps of the lioness are scattered.
Douay-Rheims Douay-Rheims Bible 1899
1Then Eliphaz, the Themanite, answered, and said:
2If we begin to speak to thee, perhaps thou wilt take it ill; but who can withhold the words he hath conceived?
3Behold thou hast taught many, and thou hast strengthened the weary hands:
4Thy words have confirmed them that were staggering, and thou hast strengthened the trembling knees:
5But now the scourge is come upon thee, and thou faintest: It hath touched thee, and thou art troubled.
6Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the perfection of thy ways?
7Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? or when were the just destroyed?
8On the contrary, I have seen those who work iniquity, and sow sorrows, and reap them,
9Perishing by the blast of God, and consumed by the spirit of his wrath.
10The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the lioness, and the teeth of the whelps of lions, are broken:
11The tiger hath perished for want of prey, and the young lions are scattered abroad.
Verse in Context
Original Language (Biblical Hebrew)
Old Testament · Biblical Hebrew · Job 4:1
Source: STEPBible TAGNT/TEHB (CC-BY 4.0). Click or tap a morphology code to see the full parsing.
Scholars' Consensus
Commentators agree that Eliphaz opens with a careful apology but quickly moves toward accusation. Barnes notes the Hebrew word hanı̂câh (“may we attempt a word?”) signals a polite inquiry, yet verse 2 closes with an edge: “who can withhold himself from speaking?”, Eliphaz must speak because Job’s lament compels him. Matthew Henry observes that Eliphaz charges Job with failing to practice what he taught others in their suffering. The core conviction shared across these sources is a rigid retribution theology: the innocent never perish (v.7), and those who “plow iniquity” reap disaster (v.8). Gill and Wesley both emphasize that Eliphaz sees this as an inviolable moral law. But the commentators also note that the rest of the book corrects this simplistic view. Eliphaz is sincere, but his framework cannot accommodate innocent suffering.
How settled is the interpretation?
Interpretive difficulty: Medium
Main views:
- Sincere but theologically limited: Most commentators (Barnes, Matthew Henry, Lange) read Eliphaz as genuinely trying to help within a retribution framework he believes is absolute.
- Harsh and self-righteous: Wesley and some older interpreters emphasize the accusatory tone, especially in v.6, where Eliphaz implies Job’s piety was hollow.
- A mix of genuine comfort and accusation: Cambridge Bible and others note the polite opening yet undeniable shift toward blame, suggesting Eliphaz is conflicted.
What is clear: Eliphaz assumes a direct link between sin and suffering, and the rest of the book shows this assumption to be inadequate for Job's case.
What Scholars Agree and Debate
| Topic | Agreed | Debated |
|---|---|---|
| The tone of Eliphaz's opening | He begins with a polite apology before raising his critique. | Some see genuine sympathy (e.g., Barnes), while others read the apology as thinly veiled reproach (e.g., Wesley). |
| The meaning of the lion imagery (vv.10-11) | It depicts powerful wicked people or forces being brought down. | Whether it refers to literal tyrants, Satan, or a general metaphor for human adversaries. The five Hebrew terms may denote different stages of power and age. |
| The retribution principle in verse 7 | Eliphaz asserts that the innocent never perish. | Some hold that this is a general truth (though with exceptions), while others argue it is simply false and that the book of Job is written to overturn it. |
| Nature of Job's 'fear' and 'confidence' (v.6) | Eliphaz questions whether Job's piety is genuine. | Whether Eliphaz is exposing hypocrisy or merely urging Job to apply his own teaching. The grammar of the question leaves room for either emphasis. |
Historical & Cultural Context
Eliphaz comes from Teman, an Edomite city renowned for wisdom (Jer. 49:7). He is likely the oldest of the three friends; Lange calls him “venerable through age and experience.” In the ancient Near East, friends were expected both to lament with the sufferer and to offer moral correction if they believed sin was the cause. Eliphaz’s speech draws on two sources common in wisdom literature: personal observation (“According to what I have seen,” v.8) and a tradition of proverbial sayings (plowing, sowing, reaping). The agricultural imagery reflects a world where cause and effect seemed predictable. The lion imagery in verses 10-11 uses five different Hebrew terms for lion (aryeh, shachal, kephir, layish, lavi), suggesting not just one beast but the full spectrum of predatory power, likely a metaphor for oppressive rulers or forces.
Eliphaz later appeals to a mystical vision (vv.12-21), but in these opening verses he relies entirely on conventional wisdom. The retribution principle he articulates was widely held: God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked. Job’s three friends assumed that immense suffering must mean immense hidden sin. This theology is the backdrop for the entire debate.
Textual Notes
The supplied commentaries note no significant textual variants for Job 4:1-11. The Hebrew text is stable across the major manuscripts (MT, LXX, Syriac). The minor differences in English translations (e.g., “perfectedness” vs. “integrity”) reflect interpretation of the same Hebrew words, not alternative source texts.
Reception History
Early Jewish interpreters (e.g., the Talmud) often treat Eliphaz as a well‑meaning but limited sage. Christian writers from Gregory the Great onward used Eliphaz as an example of how even the wise can misunderstand God’s ways when they rely on human logic. Reformation commentators (Luther, Calvin) pointed to Eliphaz’s error in claiming to know God’s justice exhaustively. In modern scholarship, this passage is cited as a classic statement of the retribution principle that the Book of Job challenges. Eliphaz’s speech remains a warning: comfort that begins with an assumption of guilt can cause deep harm.
Preaching This Verse
Three-point outline
- The Temptation to Minister from a Distance. Eliphaz praises Job’s past instruction of others (vv.3-4). It is easier to counsel someone else's suffering than to face our own.
- The Failure of a Closed Theology in Suffering. Eliphaz applies a rigid rule, the innocent never perish, to a situation it cannot explain (vv.5-9). When his theology meets Job’s reality, it becomes accusation.
- Judgment That Misses the Mystery. The lion imagery (vv.10-11) implies that even the mightiest wicked are broken. But Job is not wicked. The metaphor fits Eliphaz’s worldview but not Job’s actual case.
Five-point outline
- Polite but pressurised opening (vv.1-2). Eliphaz begins with a question that already frames Job's lament as unreasonable.
- Contrast between past help and present need (vv.3-5). Job strengthened others; now the same “touch” of suffering leaves him dismayed.
- The rhetorical question as hidden accusation (v.6). “Is not your piety your confidence?” The question implies that true piety would prevent such collapse.
- The absolute claim of retribution (vv.7-9). Eliphaz cites observation and proverbs to assert that the innocent never perish, so Job cannot be innocent.
- The lion metaphor: power that cannot escape judgment (vv.10-11). Five kinds of lions are broken, scattered, perishing. The message: no matter how strong, the wicked fall.
Illustration hooks
- The pastor who burns out. A church leader who has helped many through grief now faces his own loss. Congregants whisper, “He used to have such strong faith, what happened?”
- “You reap what you sow” in the waiting room. A well-meaning visitor says this to a cancer patient whose adult child has just been arrested. The words may be true in general, but the timing feels like a verdict.
- The counsellor who cannot take advice. A therapist who coaches others on coping strategies finds herself paralyzed by anxiety. Her own tools feel hollow.
Questions your congregation is asking
- “Is my suffering a sign that I have done something wrong?”
- “Why do godly people sometimes fall apart under trial?”
- “How do I comfort a friend when I don’t understand why they are suffering?”
Leading a Discussion
Eliphaz meant to help, but his words reveal a theology that cannot hold the mystery of innocent suffering. As you discuss this passage, consider how your own assumptions about God and suffering might limit your ability to truly comfort others.
Discussion questions
- Read Job 4:1-2 aloud. How does Eliphaz’s tone strike you, gentle, impatient, or something else? Why might he feel compelled to speak?
- In verses 3-4, Job is praised for strengthening others. What does this tell us about Job’s reputation and character before his suffering?
- Verse 5 contrasts Job’s past help with his present collapse. Can a person’s faith be genuine and still fail under extreme stress? Why or why not?
- Eliphaz asks in verse 6, “Isn’t your piety your confidence?” What assumption is he making about the connection between faith and emotional stability?
- The claim in verse 7, “who ever perished, being innocent?”, is central to Eliphaz’s argument. Do you think this statement is true in every case? Where in Scripture or in life do you see exceptions?
- Eliphaz uses agricultural imagery (v.8) and lion imagery (vv.10-11). What do these pictures suggest about his view of how the world works? Are there situations where this cause-and-effect pattern does not hold?
- How might Job have felt hearing this speech from a friend who had come to comfort him? What does this passage teach us about the limits of human wisdom in times of suffering?
Word Study
The key original-language words in this verse. Select any word for its full lexicon entry — meaning, every occurrence in Scripture, and related words.
Cross-References
Source: Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (TSK, public domain)
| 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. |
| Job 3:1 | After this Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth. |
| Job 3:2 | Job answered: |
| Job 6:1 | Then Job answered, |
| Job 8:1 | Then Bildad the Shuhite answered, |
| Job 15:1 | Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, |
| Job 22:1 | Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, |
| Job 42:9 | So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went and did what Yahweh commanded them, and Yahweh accepted Job. |
Interlinear and lexical data from STEPBible (CC BY 4.0). Cross-reference data from OpenBible.info (CC BY 4.0). Commentaries are public domain.
For personal reflection
Read the devotional page — prayer, application, and "for families"
What the Commentators Say
9 public-domain commentaries, condensed into plain language.
Adam Clarke's Commentary Methodist/Wesleyan 1826
Clarke notes that the wicked suffer because they reap what they sow (iniquity) just as a farmer reaps his own seed. He also says the strong and powerful rulers will be destroyed by God’s justice.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible Protestant 1832
Barnes notes that Eliphaz opens with courtesy but immediately grounds his argument in a principle he treats as settled: no innocent person ever perishes under God's hand. For Barnes, this is the friends' central error—the assumption that overwhelming calamity must prove overwhelming guilt, a premise the book of Job exists to overturn.
Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges Anglican 1880
The Cambridge editors observe that Eliphaz's opening speech rests on a clear doctrine: the righteous never perish under affliction, which God sends for different, corrective ends. Only the wicked suffer final destruction, pictured as lions
Geneva Bible Notes Reformed 1599
Geneva Bible Notes notes that Job had once helped others through his words of comfort. He now faces the same suffering he gave to others because no one can stay silent when faced with such pain.
Gill's Exposition of the Bible Baptist 1748
Gill points out that Eliphaz, speaking first among Job's friends, offers no comfort but instead subtly accuses Job of being like a tyrannical ruler. The lion imagery in verses 10-11 represents wicked kings and oppressors whose power God breaks, an oblique reference to Job's own calamities.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Protestant 1871
Jamieson Fausset Brown notes that the same event affects both the righteous and the wicked. He believes God deals righteously overall though we cannot judge from a single outward occurrence.
Lange's Commentary Reformed 1857
Lange reads Eliphaz as a noble but flawed sage whose perfect speech is ruined by a cold, self-righteous heart. His one-sided doctrine of retribution and work-righteousness blinds him to Job’s true condition, making his words technically true yet utterly devoid of genuine sympathy or understanding.
Matthew Henry's Commentary Reformed/Presbyterian 1710
Henry examines Eliphaz's claim that the innocent never
Wesley's Explanatory Notes Methodist/Wesleyan 1754
Wesley notes that Job claims honesty while his actions show he hides secret sins. His friends argue his suffering proves he is a hypocrite.