Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 4 opens ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE'S first speech (chapters 4–5) — the eldest-friend's gentle-but-firm theology-of-retribution. Eliphaz appeals to a night-vision (vv. 12–21) for the axiom 'can mortal man be in the right before God?' (v. 17) — a verse Paul indirectly engages at Romans 3:10–20.
Notable Variants
4:8 'those who plow iniquity reap the same' — sowing-and-reaping ethical-axiom; 4:17 'can mortal man be in the right before God?' anticipating Pauline justification debate; 4:12–16 'spirit-night-vision' — the only night-vision in the dialogues.
Structural Notes
MT Job 4 = LXX Job 4. 21 verses. Eliphaz's first speech begins.
Then responded:
'Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said' tracks MT. ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE — likely Edomite (Teman, near Petra). The eldest-and-most-respected friend, speaking first.
If one ventures a word with you, will you be wearied? But who can hold back from speaking?
'If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient? Yet who can keep from speaking?' tracks MT.
You have instructed many; you have strengthened weak hands.
'Behold, you have instructed many, and you have strengthened the weak hands' tracks MT. INSTRUCTED-MANY — Eliphaz reminds Job of his own past-counseling-of-others.
Your words have steadied those who stumbled; you have strengthened buckling knees.
'Your words have upheld him who was stumbling, and you have made firm the feeble knees' tracks MT. STRENGTHEN-FEEBLE-KNEES. Hebrews 12:12 ('lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees') directly-cites this image (combined with Isa 35:3).
But now it has come upon you, and you falter; it touches you, and you are shaken.
'But now it has come to you, and you are impatient; it touches you, and you are dismayed' tracks MT. IRONIC-REVERSAL — the counselor needs counsel; the strong now-weak.
Is not your fear of God your confidence? Is not the integrity of your ways your hope?
'Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope?' tracks MT.
Consider now — what innocent person has ever perished? Where have the upright been destroyed?
'Remember: who that was innocent ever perished? Or where were the upright cut off?' tracks MT. THE RETRIBUTION-AXIOM — Eliphaz's theological-thesis. The innocent-do-not-suffer-irretrievably; therefore Job must-have-sinned. The whole-book argues against this axiom.
As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap it.
'As I have seen, those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same' tracks MT. PLOW-INIQUITY / SOW-TROUBLE / REAP-THE-SAME. Galatians 6:7 ('whatever one sows, that will he also reap') directly extends.
By the breath of God they perish; by the blast of His anger they are consumed.
'By the breath of God they perish, and by the blast of his anger they are consumed' tracks MT.
The lion roars, the fierce lion growls, but the teeth of the young lions are broken.
'The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion, the teeth of the young lions are broken' tracks MT.
The old lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.
'The strong lion perishes for lack of prey, and the cubs of the lioness are scattered' tracks MT.
Now a word was brought to me in secret; my ear caught a whisper of it.
'Now a word was brought to me stealthily; my ear received the whisper of it' tracks MT. NIGHT-VISION begins. Eliphaz's appeal-to-revelation as authority.
In troubled thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on people,
'Amid thoughts from visions of the night, when deep sleep falls on men' tracks MT.
Dread came upon me, and trembling, and all my bones shook with fear.
'Dread came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones shake' tracks MT.
A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my body stood on end.
'A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up' tracks MT. SPIRIT-GLIDED-PAST. The ambiguous-figure — angelic-being or demonic-impersonator? Eliphaz's confidence in the vision is itself questioned by the book's-thrust.
It stopped — I could not make out its appearance. A form stood before my eyes. Silence — then a voice I heard:
'It stood still, but I could not discern its appearance. A form was before my eyes; there was silence, then I heard a voice' tracks MT. SILENCE-THEN-VOICE — 1 Kings 19:12's still-small-voice pattern.
Can a mortal be righteous before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?
'Can mortal man be in the right before God? Can a man be pure before his Maker?' tracks MT. CAN-MAN-BE-RIGHTEOUS-BEFORE-GOD. The voice's-question. Romans 3:20 ('by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight') directly engages this question — Paul's justification-by-faith answer is no, not on his own. Job 9:2 will repeat this question; the book's-tension between Job's-righteousness (1:1, 1:8) and universal-unrighteousness creates the theological-paradox.
If He puts no trust in His servants, and charges His angels with error —
'Even in his servants he puts no trust, and his angels he charges with error' tracks MT. EVEN-ANGELS-CHARGED-WITH-ERROR — divine-distance from even celestial-beings.
How much less those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust — crushed more easily than a moth!
'How much more those who dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, who are crushed like the moth' tracks MT. HOUSES-OF-CLAY anthropology. 2 Corinthians 4:7 ('treasure in earthen vessels,' en ostrakinois skeuesin) extends.
Between morning and evening they are shattered; with no one noticing, they perish forever.
'Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces; they perish forever without anyone regarding it' tracks MT.
Is not their tent cord pulled up within them? They die — and not in wisdom.
'Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them, do they not die, and that without wisdom?' tracks MT. DIE-WITHOUT-WISDOM — Eliphaz's somber-conclusion to the night-vision.