Job 15:1-16

Eliphaz rebukes Job's contemptuous treatment of the opinions of his friends, and his irreverence towards God

First, starting with Job's claim to a wisdom beyond that of his friends (ch. Job 12:3; Job 12:7 seq., Job 13:2), Eliphaz asks if it be in the manner of a wise man to use loud and empty words as arguments (Job 15:2). But in truth Job was more than unwise, he was impious. His demeanour and sentiments did away with all devoutness and religion. Such language as he uttered could be inspired only by deep evil in his heart; and was proof enough without anything more of his wickedness (Job 15:4).

Second, then coming back upon these two points, Job's claim to wisdom and his irreverence, Eliphaz developes each of them separately.

(1) This claim to wisdom, which he puts forth, whence has he it? Was he the first man born? Did he come straight from God's hand? Did he sit in the council of heaven and appropriate wisdom to himself? And how came he, a man not yet old, to have such preeminence in wisdom over them, some of whom were old enough to be his father, that he thought himself entitled to put away from him admonitions which were consoling truths of God's revelation and spoken to him in gentleness and temperance? (Job 15:7).

(2) And why did he allow his passion to carry him away into making charges of unrighteousness against God? For how can a man be pure in God's sight? In His eyes the heavens are not clean, much less man, whose avidity for evil is like that of a thirsty man for water (Job 15:12).