Job 15:13

15:1-16 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?

That thou turnest thy spirit against God,.... Not against men, his friends only, but against God himself, being filled with wrath and indignation at him; showing the enmity of his heart unto him, and committing hostilities upon him, stretching out his hand, and strengthening himself against him, running upon him, on the thick bosses of his buckler, as after expressed: and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? as in Job 9:22.

13 . turnest thy spirit ] “Spirit” may be breath, i. e., anger, fury, ch. Job 4:9 “blast”; cf. Proverbs 16:32 ; Isaiah 25:4 . The words against God are emphatic. lettest such words go out ] lit. bringest forth words out of thy mouth. The reference is less to the kind of words spoken than to the passionate manner in which they are uttered.

Verse 13 - That thou turnest thy spirit against God . To Eliphaz and his companions, the wild remonstrances of Job, his vehement expostulations and despairing outcries, are, one and all, nothing better than indications of a proud and rebellious spirit, that sets itself up against the Almighty, and openly contends with him. They view Job, after the speeches that he has made, as a declared rebel, and no longer regard it as incumbent upon them to use any "gentleness" in their reprimands. And lettest such words go out of thy mouth? It is remarkable that neither Eliphaz nor either of his friends ever points out what particular words of Job they object to and regard as impious, so as to give him the opportunity of defending, explaining, or retracting them. They take refuge in vague generalities, with which it is impossible to grapple. But this vagueness and want of logical accuracy is characteristic of the Oriental nations, who scarcely ever reason cogently or bring matters to a point. Job 15:13

11 Are the consolations of God too small for thee, And a word thus tenderly spoken with thee? 12 What overpowers thy hearts? And why do thine eyes wink, 13 That thou turnest thy snorting against God, And sendest forth such words from thy mouth? By the consolations of God, Eliphaz means the promises in accordance with the majesty and will of God, by which he and the other friends have sought to cheer him, of course presupposing a humble resignation to the just hand of God. By "a word (spoken) in gentleness to him," he means the gentle tone which they have maintained, while he has passionately opposed them. לאט, elsewhere לאט (e.g., Isaiah 8:6, of the softly murmuring and gently flowing Siloah), from אט (declined, אטּי), with the neutral, adverbial ל (as לבטה), signifies: with a soft step, gently, The word has no connection with לוּט, לאט, to cover over, and is not third praet. (as it is regarded by Raschi, after Chajug): which he has gently said to you, or that which has gently befallen you; in which, as in Frst's Handwrterbuch, the notions secrete (Judges 4:21, Targ. בּרז, in secret) and leniter are referred to one root. Are these divine consolations, and these so gentle addresses, too small for thee (מעט ממך, opp. 1 Kings 19:7), i.e., beneath thy dignity, and unworthy of they notice?

What takes away (לקה, auferre, abripere, as frequently) thy heart (here of wounded pride), and why do thine eyes gleam, that thou turnest (השׁיב, not revertere, but vertere, as freq.) thy ill-humour towards God, and utterest מלּין (so here, not מלּים) words, which, because they are without meaning and intelligence, are nothing but words? רזם, ἅπ. γεγρ., is transposed from רמז, to wink, i.e., to make known by gestures and grimaces, - a word which does not occur in biblical, but is very common in post-biblical, Hebrew (e.g., חרשׁ רומז ונרמז, a deaf and dumb person expresses himself and is answered by a language of signs). Modern expositors arbitrarily understand a rolling of the eyes; it is more natural to think of the vibration of the eye-lashes or eye-brows. רוּח, Job 15:13, is as in Judges 8:3; Isaiah 25:4, comp. Job 13:11, and freq. used of passionate excitement, which is thus expressed because it manifests itself in πνέειν (Acts 9:1), and has its rise in the πνεῦμα (Ecclesiastes 7:9). Job ought to control this angry spirit, θυμός (Psychol. S. 198); but he allows it to burst forth, and makes even God the object on which he vents his anger in impetuous language. How much better it would be for him, if he would search within himself (Lamentations 3:39) for the reason of those sufferings which so deprive him of his self-control!

And so this phrase in the last branch of this verse answers to for ever in the former; as it is also in the foregoing verse, and so in Psa_89:4; in both which verses for ever in the first clause is explained thus in the latter, to all generations . ## Psalms 89:3 With my chosen; with David, whom I have chosen to the kingdom. Psalms 89:4 I will perpetuate the kingdom to thy posterity; which was promised upon condition, and was literally and fully accomplished in Christ, who was of the seed of David. ## Psalms 89:5 The heavens, i.e. the inhabitants of heaven, the holy angels, as Job_15:15; who clearly discern and constantly adore thy mercy and faithfulness, when men upon earth are filled with doubts and perplexities about it. ## Thy faithfulness also; understand, shall be praised , out of the foregoing clause; which supplements are most usual in Scripture, as hath been already showed by divers instances. ## In the congregation of the saints; either, first, Of thy saints upon earth in their public assemblies; who always acknowledge and celebrate thy truth, although they cannot always discern the footsteps of it. Or rather, secondly, Of the angels of heaven, of whom he speaks in the foregoing clause; who are oft called saints or holy ones , as Deu_33:2 Job_15:15 Dan_4:13 ,17 8:13 .

I trust there is a time coming when thou wilt grant me the mercy which now thou deniest me, to wit, a favourable hearing, when thou wilt call to me to speak for myself, and I shall answer thee ; which I know will be to thy satisfaction and my comfort. Compare this with #Job 13:22 , where the same words are used in this same sense. Or, Thou shalt call me out of the grave of my calamities, and I shall answer thee , and say, Here I am, raised out of the pit in which I was buried by thy powerful and gracious command. To the work of thine hands , i.e. to me, who am thy workmanship in ## divers respects, from whom thou now seemest to have an aversion and abhorrency; but I doubt not thou wilt have a desire , i.e. show thy affection or good will to me; or a desire to look upon me, and to deliver me. Nor is it strange that Job, who lately was upon the brink of despair, doth now breathe out words of hope; such ebbings and flowings being usual, both with Job elsewhere, as #Job 13:15,16 , and with David frequently in the Psalms, and with others of God’s people. ## Ver. 16. For now; so this is a reason of his desire of death, #Job 14:13 . Or rather, But now ; for this seems to be added by way of opposition. I believe thou wilt pity and help me, but for the present it is far otherwise with me. ## Thou, numberest my steps; thou makest a strict inquiry into all my actions, that thou mayst find out all mine errors, and punish them. Compare #Job 13:27 31:4 34:1 Psalms 56:6 .