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15:1 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? 15:3 Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? 15:4 Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
15:5 For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
15:6 Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
15:7 Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? 15:8 Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? 15:9 What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? 15:10 With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
15:11 Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? 15:12 Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, 15:13 That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? 15:14 What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? 15:15 Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
15:16 How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? 15:17 I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare; 15:18 Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it: 15:19 Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
15:20 The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
15:21 A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
15:22 He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
15:23 He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
15:24 Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
15:25 For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
15:26 He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers: 15:27 Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
15:28 And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
15:29 He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
15:30 He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
15:31 Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
15:32 It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
15:33 He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
15:34 For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
15:35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.


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Everything King James Bible:Job
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to: Job
Book: Job
Chapter: 15

Overview:
Eliphaz reproves Job. (1-16) The unquietness of wicked men.
(17-35)

1-16 Eliphaz begins a second attack upon Job, instead of being
softened By his complaints. He unjustly charges Job with casting
off the fear of God, and all regard to him, and restraining
Prayer. See in what religion is summed up, fearing God, and
praying to him; the former the most needful principle, the
latter the most needful practice. Eliphaz charges Job with
self-conceit. He charges him with contempt of the counsels and
comforts given him By his friends. We are apt to think that
which we ourselves say is important, when others, with reason,
think little of it. He charges him with opposition to God.
Eliphaz ought not to have Put harsh constructions upon the words
of one Well known for Piety, and now in Temptation. It is Plain
that these disputants were deeply convinced of the doctrine of
original Sin, and the total depravity of human nature. Shall we
not admire the patience of God in bearing with us? and still
more his Love to us in the Redemption of Christ Jesus his
beloved Son?

17-35 Eliphaz maintains that the wicked are certainly
miserable: whence he would infer, that the miserable are
certainly wicked, and therefore Job was So. But because many of
God's people have prospered in this world, it does not therefore
follow that those who are crossed and made Poor, as Job, are not
God's people. Eliphaz shows also that wicked people,
particularly oppressors, are subject to continual terror, live
very uncomfortably, and perish very miserably. Will the
prosperity of presumptuous sinners End miserably as here
described? Then let the mischiefs which befall others, be our
warnings. Though No chastening for the present seemeth to be
joyous, but grievous, nevertheless, afterward it yieldeth the
peaceable fruits of Righteousness to them that are exercised
thereby. No calamity, No trouble, however heavy, however severe,
can rob a follower of the Lord of his favour. What shall
separate him from the Love of Christ?

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