Job 4

Eliphaz talks to Job for the first time.
 

Eliphaz talks to Job. Graphic from www.breadsite.org

Job's friend, Eliphaz, talked to Job. He asked if it was all right with Job if he talked. He said he can't be quiet anymore.
[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?


He said that Job has taught many people in the past. Job helped weak people feel strong. He helped people who were having a hard time.
[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.


He said it is Job who is having trouble now. He said Job is worried now. But Job has always trusted and obeyed God in the past.
[5] But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
[6] Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?


Eliphaz feels that only bad people suffer.

He told Job to remember that good people don't die.
[7] Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
 

He has seen people who do bad things. Then bad things happen to them. God destroys and burns them.
[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.

He compares bad people to lions.  The lions roar and are fierce. Then their teeth get broken.  With broken teeth, they cannot catch other animals to eat. Their babies cannot eat either and are scattered.
[10] The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
[11] The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.


Eliphaz tells Job about a dream he had.  The dream showed him that God is more pure and fair than men.


Eliphaz tells Job that he learned a secret. He learned it in a dream. He was afraid when he had the dream. It made him shake.
[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.

In his dream, he saw a spirit go past his face. He was afraid, and the hair on his skin stood up.
[15] Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:


The spirit stopped. He couldn't tell what the spirit looked like. It was quiet, and then he heard a voice. The spirit said that God is more fair than men. God is more pure than men.
[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?
 

God sees that his servants and his angels have faults. They are not perfect.
[18] Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly:


God made men out of clay. They are not strong.  Clay can be crushed by moths.
[19] How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?


Men have short lives. Their lives are short like one day. They die, and the good things they did while they lived are gone. They have not become wise and smart.
[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.
 

Job 5


Eliphaz says that foolish men get angry. Then bad things will happen to them.
 

Eliphaz says that Job should call for help. He asks which of the holy ones he will ask for help.
[1] Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?


Foolish men die because they are angry. Silly men die because they are jealous.
[2] For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one.
 

He says that in the past, he saw foolish men who were doing well. But then bad things started happening to them.  Their children were destroyed, and the food in their farms was stolen and eaten.
[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.
 

Job 6


Job answers Eliphaz.  Job explains why he said that he wanted to die.
 

Job replied to Eliphaz.  He said that his sadness and troubles weigh more than the water in the sea. That is why he said he wished he had not been born.
[1] But Job answered and said,
[2] Oh that my grief were throughly weighed, and my calamity laid in the balances together!
[3] For now it would be heavier than the sand of the sea: therefore my words are swallowed up.
 

Job compares his troubles to arrows. Job said that God's arrows have hit him. The poison in the arrows destroys his spirit.  The arrows line up and scare him.
[4] For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

 

Job answers Eliphaz. Graphic from www.breadsite.org

He says that animals do not make noise if they have food to eat.
[5] Doth the wild ass bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
 

If food does not taste good, it needs salt. The white part of an egg does not taste good. It needs salt.
[6] Can that which is unsavoury be eaten without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an egg?


He talks about the things he refused to think about in the past. Now they are like food. He must think about them everyday.
[7] The things that my soul refused to touch are as my sorrowful meat.


Job tells why he wants to die.

He hopes that God will give him the things he prays for.
[8] Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me the thing that I long for!


He says that if God wants to destroy him, it is all right. Then after he dies, he would have comfort.
[9] Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his hand, and cut me off!
[10] Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden myself in sorrow: let him not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One.


He asks why he should live longer. He says he does not have more strength.
[11] What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life?


He does not feel strong like stones or brass. He doe not feel smart anymore. He does not feel that he can help himself.
[12] Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
[13] Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me?


Job says his friends aren't helping him.

A person who is having a hard time needs help. His friends should help him. But Job does not feel that his friends are helping him. They are not respecting God if they don't help him.
[14] To him that is afflicted pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.


He feels that his friends were not honest with him. They were like a creek that hides under snow and ice.
[15] My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
[16] Which are blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:

When the weather is warmer, the creek gets bigger. When it's very hot, they dry up and disappear.
[17] What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is hot, they are consumed out of their place.
[18] The paths of their way are turned aside; they go to nothing, and perish.


The soldiers from the area named Tema looked for water. The people from the area named Sheba waited for water, too. But they did not get water.
[19] The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them.
[20] They were confounded because they had hoped; they came thither, and were ashamed.


But his friends have done nothing. They see his troubles, and they are afraid.
[21] For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid.

Job didn't tell his friends to bring anything to him or to rescue him.
[22] Did I say, Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
[23] Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?


Job tells his friends to show him how he sinned. He says he didn't do anything wrong.


He wants them to tell him and make him understand what he has done wrong. He will be quiet and listen to them.
[24] Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.


If they say the right things, they can help him. But if they argue, it won't help. He is desperate and wants their help.
[25] How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove?
[26] Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?


They would not be mean to orphans or dig holes in the ground for their friends. They should look at him and see that he is honest.
[27] Yea, ye overwhelm the fatherless, and ye dig a pit for your friend.
[28] Now therefore be content, look upon me; for it is evident unto you if I lie.


He asks them again for help. He is being righteous and good. He is not saying anything wrong.
[29] Return, I pray you, let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness is in it.
[30] Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things?
 

Job 7

Job talks about his hard life.

Job says that each person has a time when he will die.
[1] Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? are not his days also like the days of an hireling?

 

Job waits for his time to die. He waits like workers wait for the evening so they can stop working. 
[2] As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow, and as an hireling looketh for the reward of his work:
[3] So am I made to possess months of vanity, and wearisome nights are appointed to me.


When he goes to bed at night, he asks if he will live through the night. He worries and does not sleep well. His skin has worms and dirt on it. His skin has sores and looks terrible.
[4] When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise, and the night be gone? and I am full of tossings to and fro unto the dawning of the day.
[5] My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust; my skin is broken, and become loathsome.


He says his life is passing quickly like the weaving tool moves fast.  He does not have hope.
[6] My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle, and are spent without hope.


He feels his life is almost gone like the wind.  His eyes will not see anymore good things.
[7] O remember that my life is wind: mine eye shall no more see good.


He says that they won't see him anymore. He will die and be in the grave. He will not be back.
[8] The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no more: thine eyes are upon me, and I am not.
[9] As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more.


He won't go back to his house.
[10] He shall return no more to his house, neither shall his place know him any more.


Job talks about how upset he feels.

Job says he will not be quiet now. He will tell them about his pain. He will complain about his bitter soul.
[11] Therefore I will not refrain my mouth; I will speak in the anguish of my spirit; I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.


Jobs asks God why He watches him.  He asks if he is like the sea or a whale.
[12] Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me?


He says he wants to go to bed. He thinks he'll rest and feel better. But then he has bad dreams and gets scared.
[13] When I say, My bed shall comfort me, my couch shall ease my complaint;
[14] Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions:

He would rather be strangled and die than to continue his life. 
[15] So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.


He hates his life. He does not want to live. He says the days of his life are not valuable.
[16] I loathe it; I would not live alway: let me alone; for my days are vanity.


Job says that men are not valuable. God should not pay attention to them. God should not visit them and test them.
[17] What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him?
[18] And that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment?


Job wants God to look away from him. He wants God to leave him alone at least for a short time, like the time it takes to swallow.
[19] How long wilt thou not depart from me, nor let me alone till I swallow down my spittle?


Job says he has sinned. He asks God what he should do now.  He asks God why He sees him as an enemy. He is now a burden to himself.
[20] I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? why hast thou set me as a mark against thee, so that I am a burden to myself?
 

He asks why God won't forgive his sins and take away his punishment. He says he will now sleep in the dirt. God will look for him in the morning, but he won't be there.
[21] And why dost thou not pardon my transgression, and take away mine iniquity? for now shall I sleep in the dust; and thou shalt seek me in the morning, but I shall not be.