Job Chapter 4 Revew

 Chapter 4

Job 4:1-21 KJV

(1)  Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, (2)  If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking?

Thus begins the intervention of Job’s friends.  They are misguided in their comments and advice to him, but. . . the energy they gave him, by their false accusations saved him.  Job was falling down a hole of despair and self-pity.  Their words to him, gave him a way out of the dark valley that he was headed for.  From Job’s repeatedly extolling the peace of death, it doesn’t appear to me that he was far from considering suicide as a very possible release from his troubles.

I’m reminded of this verse:

Proverbs 27:17 KJV

(17)  Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.

(3)  Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. (4)  Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. (5)  But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.

This is truth.  How easy is it for us to give sage advice to others in travail, but how difficult is it for us to abide by that same advice when we are ourselves consumed with fear, depression, doubt, and great loss. It’s easy not to be afraid, when there is nothing to fear.  We give our platitudes of pat answers to those in need, when a hug, or a helping hand may be much more needed.

(6)  Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?

Rightly reminding Job of his confidence in God in better times.

(7)  Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? (8)  Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.(9)  By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Now Eliphaz brings sin into his remarks.  He is merely asking questions, but reading between the lines, he may be implying that Job deserves what has happened to him due to sin.  Job never claimed to be sin free, and knowing what we do of what transpired behind the scenes between God and satan, we know that God considered Job to be a perfect and upright man.

Job 1:8 KJV

(8)  And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

10)  The roaring of the lion (1), and the voice of the fierce lion (2), and the teeth of the young lions (3), are broken. (11)  The old lion (4) perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's (5) whelps are scattered abroad.

I thought this was fascinating, in a difference between English and Hebrew here.  English uses adjectives to modify the noun ‘lion’.  Hebrew has completely different nouns. I’ve heard it said that the Inuit have a dozen or more different words for snow.  I don’t know the truth of that, but familiarity with something allows greater awareness, and shading of distinctions.  I think it fair to say, those of Job’s time had greater familiarity with lions than we do.  In Bible times, Asiatic lions were greatly feared predators in the region.  David is recorded as killing a lion and a bear, while watching his flock of sheep. The word lion, or lions are found 136 times in the Bible.

 Here’s a list of the lion nouns in verse 10:

Strong’s numbers

1. H738 - violence, a lion

2. H7826 - roaring, fierce lion

3. H3715 - young lion with a mane

4. H3918 - destructive blows, old lion

5. H3833 - a lioness as the fiercer

Eliphaz has a dream that he relates:

(12)  Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. (13)  In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, (14)  Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. (15)  Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: (16)  It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, (17)  Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?

(18)  Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: (19)  How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? 

The Hebrew word translated ‘folly’ above, only occurs in this verse.  Its precise meaning is speculative.  Houses of clay. . . built on dust. . . without a firm foundation.  Whose houses so fragile, even a moth will bring them down.

(20)  They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. (21)  Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.

Eliphaz seems to rather drift away from particularly addressing Job, and expands his comments to focus on his reaction to his terrifying dream and the general unworthiness of mankind at large.

Men at large die every day without awareness.  

I like another translation for verse 21:

Job 4:21 TS2009

(21)  Are not the cords of their tents pulled up? They die, without wisdom!’

The sense of breaking camp when one's life ends.  The stakes and cords of the tent pulled out, and nothing left behind.

The same Hebrew word translated 'excellency' in the KJV V21 is translated as 'bowstrings' in these verses:

Judges 16:7-8 NLT (7)  Samson replied, “If I were tied up with seven new bowstrings that have not yet been dried, I would become as weak as anyone else.” (8)  So the Philistine rulers brought Delilah seven new bowstrings, and she tied Samson up with them.