Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 5 closes Eliphaz's first speech with the divine-discipline counsel and the call-for-Job to commit-his-cause-to-God (vv. 8–27). Verse 13 — 'he catches the wise in their craftiness' — is cited VERBATIM-FROM-LXX at 1 Corinthians 3:19 in Paul's wisdom-of-the-world critique. Verse 17's 'blessed is the one whom God reproves' is also a discipline-theology classic.
Notable Variants
5:13 'he catches the wise in their craftiness' → 1 Cor 3:19 verbatim-from-LXX; 5:17 'blessed is the one whom God reproves' → Hebrews 12:5–11 discipline-theology family.
Structural Notes
MT Job 5 = LXX Job 5. 27 verses. Closes Eliphaz's first speech.
Call out, if you will — who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?
'Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?' tracks MT. CALL-WHO-WILL-ANSWER. Heb 1:14's 'angels … ministering spirits' indirectly engages.
For vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple.
'Surely vexation kills the fool, and jealousy slays the simple' tracks MT.
I myself have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling —
'I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling' tracks MT.
His children are far from safety; they are crushed at the gate with no one to rescue them.
'His children are far from safety; they are crushed in the gate, and there is no one to deliver them' tracks MT.
The hungry devour his harvest, taking it even from among thorns; the thirsty pant after his wealth.
'The hungry eat his harvest, and he takes it even out of thorns, and the thirsty pant after his wealth' tracks MT.
For misery does not spring from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground.
'For affliction does not come from the dust, nor does trouble sprout from the ground' tracks MT.
But a human being is born for trouble, as surely as sparks fly upward.
'But man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward' tracks MT. MAN-BORN-TO-TROUBLE — anthropological-aphorism. The 'sparks' (benei reshef) might also be read 'sons of Resheph' (a Canaanite plague-god).
But as for me, I would seek God; I would lay my case before God —
'As for me, I would seek God, and to God would I commit my cause' tracks MT. COMMIT-MY-CAUSE-TO-GOD — Eliphaz's good-counsel. 1 Peter 5:7 ('casting all your anxieties on him') and 1 Pet 4:19 ('entrust their souls to a faithful Creator') extend.
He does great things beyond searching out, wonders beyond counting —
'Who does great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number' tracks MT. GREAT-AND-UNSEARCHABLE THINGS. Romans 11:33 ('how unsearchable his judgments') extends.
He gives rain on the face of the earth and sends water on the open fields.
'He gives rain on the earth and sends waters on the fields' tracks MT. RAIN-ON-EARTH. Matthew 5:45 ('your Father in heaven … sends rain on the just and on the unjust') extends.
He sets the lowly on high, and those who mourn are lifted to safety.
'He sets on high those who are lowly, and those who mourn are lifted to safety' tracks MT. EXALT-LOWLY — Magnificat-theology (Luke 1:52).
He frustrates the schemes of the cunning, so that their hands achieve no success.
'He frustrates the devices of the crafty, so that their hands achieve no success' tracks MT. FRUSTRATES-CRAFTY-DEVICES — anti-craftiness divine-action.
He catches the wise in their own craftiness, and the counsel of the twisted is swept away.
Masoretic (WLC)
לֹכֵד חֲכָמִים בְּעָרְמָם וַעֲצַת נִפְתָּלִים נִמְהָרָה
He catches the wise in their craftiness, and the schemes of the wily are brought to a quick end
Septuagint (LXX)
ὁ καταλαμβάνων σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ φρονήσει βουλὴν δὲ πολυπλόκων ἐξέστησεν
He catches the wise in their cunning, and dismays the counsel of the crafty
1 CORINTHIANS 3:19 CITATION. Paul cites this verse verbatim-from-LXX at 1 Cor 3:19: 'For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written: HE CATCHES THE WISE IN THEIR CRAFTINESS (ho drassomenos tous sophous en tē panourgia autōn).' Paul's wording differs slightly from the standard-LXX (drassomenos vs. katalambanōn), suggesting paraphrasing or a variant-LXX text-tradition.
PAUL'S CONTEXT. 1 Cor 3:18–20 deploys this verse together with Ps 94:11 ('the Lord knows the thoughts of the wise that they are futile') as a catena against worldly-wisdom. Paul's argument: Christian-faith reverses Greek-wisdom-categories; what-the-world-calls-wise God-calls-foolish. The Job-citation makes the divine-frustration of human-craftiness a Christological theme.
By day they run into darkness, and at noon they grope as in the night.
'They meet with darkness in the daytime and grope at noonday as in the night' tracks MT.
He saves the needy from the sword of their mouth, and from the hand of the powerful.
'But he saves the needy from the sword of their mouth and from the hand of the mighty' tracks MT.
So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts its mouth.
'So the poor have hope, and injustice shuts her mouth' tracks MT.
How blessed is the person whom God corrects; do not despise the discipline of the Almighty.
'Behold, blessed is the one whom God reproves; therefore despise not the discipline of the Almighty' tracks MT. BLESSED-IS-WHOM-GOD-REPROVES discipline-beatitude. Hebrews 12:5–11 ('whom the Lord loves, he disciplines') extends. Proverbs 3:11–12 directly-cited at Heb 12:5–6.
For He wounds, but He bandages; He strikes, but His hands heal.
'For he wounds, but he binds up; he shatters, but his hands heal' tracks MT. WOUNDS-AND-BINDS-UP. Hosea 6:1's 'he has torn us, that he may heal us' parallels.
In six troubles He will rescue you; in seven, no harm will touch you.
'He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no evil shall touch you' tracks MT. SIX-AND-SEVEN numerical-pattern.
In famine He will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword.
'In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword' tracks MT.
From the lash of the tongue you will be hidden; you will not fear destruction when it comes.
'You shall be hidden from the lash of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes' tracks MT.
At destruction and hunger you will laugh; do not fear the beasts of the earth.
'At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the beasts of the earth' tracks MT.
For you will have a covenant with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field will be at peace with you.
'For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the beasts of the field shall be at peace with you' tracks MT. LEAGUE-WITH-STONES — covenant-with-creation imagery. Hosea 2:18 ('I will make for them a covenant on that day with the beasts of the field') extends.
You will know that your tent is secure; you will inspect your fold and find nothing missing.
'You shall know that your tent is at peace, and you shall inspect your fold and miss nothing' tracks MT.
You will know that your offspring will be many, your descendants like the grass of the earth.
'You shall know also that your offspring shall be many, and your descendants as the grass of the earth' tracks MT.
You will come to the grave in full vigor, like a sheaf of grain gathered in its season.
'You shall come to your grave in ripe old age, like a sheaf gathered up in its season' tracks MT. RIPE-OLD-AGE — full-life ideal.
See — we have examined this, and it is so. Hear it, and know it for yourself.
'Behold, this we have searched out; it is true. Hear, and know it for your good' tracks MT. ELIPHAZ'S CLAIM TO TRUTH closes the speech. The book's-final-revelation (chapter 38–42) will overturn this confidence.