Job 5
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Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?
2 For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
4 His children are far from safety, and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.
5 Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, and the robber swalloweth up their substance.
6 Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;
7 Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.
8 I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause:
9 Which doeth great things and unsearchable; marvellous things without number:
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields:
11 To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety.
12 He disappointeth the devices of the crafty, so that their hands cannot perform their enterprise.
13 He taketh the wise in their own craftiness: and the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.
14 They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope in the noonday as in the night.
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
17 Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty:
18 For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: he woundeth, and his hands make whole.
19 He shall deliver thee in six troubles: yea, in seven there shall no evil touch thee.
20 In famine he shall redeem thee from death: and in war from the power of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh: neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.
23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with thee.
24 And thou shalt know that thy tabernacle shall be in peace; and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.
25 Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, and thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.
27 Lo this, we have searched it, so it is; hear it, and know thou it for thy good.
Public Domain KJV text from Wordproject.org
Job 5:1-27
1“Call now; is there anyone who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2Surely vexation kills the fool,
and jealousy slays the simple.
3I have seen the fool taking root,
but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
4His children are far from safety;
they are crushed in the gate,
and there is no one to deliver them.
5The hungry eat his harvest,
and he takes it even out of thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6For affliction does not come from the dust,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground,
7but man is born to trouble
as the sparks fly upward.
8“As for me, I would seek God,
and to God would I commit my cause,
9who does great things and unsearchable,
marvelous things without number:
10he gives rain on the earth
and sends waters on the fields;
11he sets on high those who are lowly,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12He frustrates the devices of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13He catches the wise in their own craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end.
14They meet with darkness in the daytime
and grope at noonday as in the night.
15But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth
and from the hand of the mighty.
16So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts her mouth.
17“Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves;
therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty.
18For he wounds, but he binds up;
he shatters, but his hands heal.
19He will deliver you from six troubles;
in seven no evil shall touch you.
20In famine he will redeem you from death,
and in war from the power of the sword.
21You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue,
and shall not fear destruction when it comes.
22At destruction and famine you shall laugh,
and shall not fear the beasts of the earth.
23For you shall be in league with the stones of the field,
and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you.
24You shall know that your tent is at peace,
and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing.
25You shall know also that your offspring shall be many,
and your descendants as the grass of the earth.
26You shall come to your grave in ripe old age,
like a sheaf gathered up in its season.
27Behold, this we have searched out; it is true.
Hear, and know it for your good.”
ESV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Job 5:1-27
1“Call if you will, but who will answer you?
To which of the holy ones will you turn?
2Resentment kills a fool,
and envy slays the simple.
3I myself have seen a fool taking root,
but suddenly his house was cursed.
4His children are far from safety,
crushed in court without a defender.
5The hungry consume his harvest,
taking it even from among thorns,
and the thirsty pant after his wealth.
6For hardship does not spring from the soil,
nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
7Yet man is born to trouble
as surely as sparks fly upward.
8“But if I were you, I would appeal to God;
I would lay my cause before him.
9He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
miracles that cannot be counted.
10He provides rain for the earth;
he sends water on the countryside.
11The lowly he sets on high,
and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
12He thwarts the plans of the crafty,
so that their hands achieve no success.
13He catches the wise in their craftiness,
and the schemes of the wily are swept away.
14Darkness comes upon them in the daytime;
at noon they grope as in the night.
15He saves the needy from the sword in their mouth;
he saves them from the clutches of the powerful.
16So the poor have hope,
and injustice shuts its mouth.
17“Blessed is the one whom God corrects;
so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
18For he wounds, but he also binds up;
he injures, but his hands also heal.
19From six calamities he will rescue you;
in seven no harm will touch you.
20In famine he will deliver you from death,
and in battle from the stroke of the sword.
21You will be protected from the lash of the tongue,
and need not fear when destruction comes.
22You will laugh at destruction and famine,
and need not fear the wild animals.
23For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field,
and the wild animals will be at peace with you.
24You will know that your tent is secure;
you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing.
25You will know that your children will be many,
and your descendants like the grass of the earth.
26You will come to the grave in full vigor,
like sheaves gathered in season.
27“We have examined this, and it is true.
So hear it and apply it to yourself.”
NIV Bible text displayed through the American Bible Society's Global Bible Widget
Commentary
Eliphaz feels that Job’s problem is himself. What you sow, you reap, is his main theme. There is no need for Job to call on the supernatural for help (vv. 1-5).
It is not part of the power of the earth to bring on evil. In (v. 7) Eliphaz speaks of angels coming and delivering trouble and then flying back upward. For this reason, one should seek God (v. 8), who is a Sovereign God (vv. 11-12) and does as He pleases even to the detriment of His creatures, reducing them to toys. If He wants to break His toys, who is going to stop Him? This view of the Sovereignty of God is unbiblical and misses the revelation of His love.
Eliphaz lacks a proper understanding of things—the biblical view. The philosophical idea of self-sacrifice on the one hand and “eating and drinking, for tomorrow we die” on the other hand is the difference between Job's view and Eliphaz’s view.
Dear God, we turn to You for all our needs, not because we want to create our own heaven on earth but because we place our hope in You, for today and for the future. Amen.
Koot van Wyk
Kyungpook National University
Sangju, South Korea
