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Job — Capítulo 4

FIRST SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ. (Job 4:1-21) Eliphaz--the mildest of Job's three accusers. The greatness of Job's calamities, his complaints against God, and the opinion that calamities are proofs of guilt, led the three to …

Versión

Texto — Reina-Valera 1960

1Entonces respondió Elifaz temanita, y dijo:

2Si probáremos a hablarte, te será molesto; Pero ¿quién podrá detener las palabras?

3He aquí, tú enseñabas a muchos, Y fortalecías las manos débiles;

4Al que tropezaba enderezaban tus palabras, Y esforzabas las rodillas que decaían.

5Mas ahora que el mal ha venido sobre ti, te desalientas; Y cuando ha llegado hasta ti, te turbas.

6¿No es tu temor a Dios tu confianza? ¿No es tu esperanza la integridad de tus caminos?

7Recapacita ahora; ¿qué inocente se ha perdido? Y ¿en dónde han sido destruidos los rectos?

8Como yo he visto, los que aran iniquidad Y siembran injuria, la siegan.

9Perecen por el aliento de Dios, Y por el soplo de su ira son consumidos.

10Los rugidos del león, y los bramidos del rugiente, Y los dientes de los leoncillos son quebrantados.

11El león viejo perece por falta de presa, Y los hijos de la leona se dispersan.

12El asunto también me era a mí oculto; Mas mi oído ha percibido algo de ello.

13En imaginaciones de visiones nocturnas, Cuando el sueño cae sobre los hombres,

14Me sobrevino un espanto y un temblor, Que estremeció todos mis huesos;

15Y al pasar un espíritu por delante de mí, Hizo que se erizara el pelo de mi cuerpo.

16Paróse delante de mis ojos un fantasma, Cuyo rostro yo no conocí, Y quedo, oí que decía:

17¿Será el hombre más justo que Dios? ¿Será el varón más limpio que el que lo hizo?

18He aquí, en sus siervos no confía, Y notó necedad en sus ángeles;

19¡Cuánto más en los que habitan en casas de barro, Cuyos cimientos están en el polvo, Y que serán quebrantados por la polilla!

20De la mañana a la tarde son destruidos, Y se pierden para siempre, sin haber quien repare en ello.

21Su hermosura, ¿no se pierde con ellos mismos? Y mueren sin haber adquirido sabiduría.

JAMIESON-FAUSSET-BROWN BIBLE COMMENTARY

Versículo 2

I. If we assay to commune--Rather, two questions, "May we attempt a word with thee? Wilt thou be gri…

If we assay to commune--Rather, two questions, "May we attempt a word with thee? Wilt thou be grieved at it?" Even pious friends often count that only a touch which we feel as a wound.

Versículo 3

II. weak hands-- Isa 35:3; Sa2 4:1.

weak hands-- Isa 35:3; Sa2 4:1.

Versículo 5

III. thou art troubled--rather, "unhinged," hast lost thy self-command (Th1 3:3).

thou art troubled--rather, "unhinged," hast lost thy self-command (Th1 3:3).

Versículo 6

IV. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, &c.--Does thy fear, thy confidence, come to nothing? Does i…

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, &c.--Does thy fear, thy confidence, come to nothing? Does it come only to this, that thou faintest now? Rather, by transposition, "Is not thy fear (of God) thy hope? and the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence? If so, bethink thee, who ever perished being innocent?" [UMBREIT]. But Luk 13:2-3 shows that, though there is a retributive divine government even in this life, yet we cannot judge by the mere outward appearance. "One event is outwardly to the righteous and to the wicked" (Ecc 9:2); but yet we must take it on trust, that God deals righteously even now (Psa 37:25; Isa 33:16). Judge not by a part, but by the whole of a godly man's life, and by his end, even here (Jam 5:11). The one and the same outward event is altogether a different thing in its inward bearings on the godly and on the ungodly even here. Even prosperity, much more calamity, is a punishment to the wicked (Pro 1:32). Trials are chastisements for their good (to the righteous) (Psa 119:67, Psa 119:71, Psa 119:75). See Preface on the DESIGN of this book (see Introduction).

Versículo 8

V. they that plough iniquity . . . reap the same-- (Pro 22:8; Hos 8:7; Hos 10:13; Gal 6:7-8).

they that plough iniquity . . . reap the same-- (Pro 22:8; Hos 8:7; Hos 10:13; Gal 6:7-8).

Versículo 9

VI. breath of his nostrils--God's anger; a figure from the fiery winds of the East (Job 1:16; Isa 5:2…

breath of his nostrils--God's anger; a figure from the fiery winds of the East (Job 1:16; Isa 5:25; Psa 18:8, Psa 18:15).

Versículo 10

VII. lion--that is, wicked men, upon whom Eliphaz wished to show that calamities come in spite of thei…

lion--that is, wicked men, upon whom Eliphaz wished to show that calamities come in spite of their various resources, just as destruction comes on the lion in spite of his strength (Psa 58:6; Ti2 4:17). Five different Hebrew terms here occur for "lion." The raging of the lion (the tearer), and the roaring of the bellowing lion and the teeth of the young lions, not whelps, but grown up enough to hunt for prey. The strong lion, the whelps of the lioness (not the stout lion, as in English Version) [BARNES and UMBREIT]. The various phases of wickedness are expressed by this variety of terms: obliquely, Job, his wife, and children, may be hinted at by the lion, lioness, and whelps. The one verb, "are broken," does not suit both subjects; therefore, supply "the roaring of the bellowing lion is silenced." The strong lion dies of want at last, and the whelps, torn from the mother, are scattered, and the race becomes extinct.

Versículo 12

VIII. a thing--Hebrew, a "word." Eliphaz confirms his view by a divine declaration which was secretly a…

a thing--Hebrew, a "word." Eliphaz confirms his view by a divine declaration which was secretly and unexpectedly imparted to him. a little--literally, "a whisper"; implying the still silence around, and that more was conveyed than articulate words could utter (Job 26:14; Co2 12:4).

Versículo 13

IX. In thoughts from the visions of the night--[So WINER]. While revolving night visions previously m…

In thoughts from the visions of the night--[So WINER]. While revolving night visions previously made to him (Dan 2:29). Rather, "In my manifold (Hebrew, divided) thoughts, before the visions of the night commenced"; therefore not a delusive dream (Psa 4:4) [UMBREIT]. deep sleep-- (Gen 2:21; Gen 15:12).

Versículo 16

X. It stood still--At first the apparition glides before Eliphaz, then stands still, but with that s…

It stood still--At first the apparition glides before Eliphaz, then stands still, but with that shadowy indistinctness of form which creates such an impression of awe; a gentle murmur: not (English Version): there was silence; for in Kg1 19:12, the voice, as opposed to the previous storm, denotes a gentle, still murmur.

Versículo 17

XI. mortal man . . . a man--Two Hebrew words for "man" are used; the first implying his feebleness; t…

mortal man . . . a man--Two Hebrew words for "man" are used; the first implying his feebleness; the second his strength. Whether feeble or strong, man is not righteous before God. more just than God . . . more pure than his maker--But this would be self-evident without an oracle.

Versículo 18

XII. folly--Imperfection is to be attributed to the angels, in comparison with Him. The holiness of so…

folly--Imperfection is to be attributed to the angels, in comparison with Him. The holiness of some of them had given way (Pe2 2:4), and at best is but the holiness of a creature. Folly is the want of moral consideration [UMBREIT].

Versículo 19

XIII. houses of clay-- (Co2 5:1). Houses made of sun-dried clay bricks are common in the East; they are…

houses of clay-- (Co2 5:1). Houses made of sun-dried clay bricks are common in the East; they are easily washed away (Mat 7:27). Man's foundation is this dust (Gen 3:19). before the moth--rather, "as before the moth," which devours a garment (Job 13:28; Psa 39:11; Isa 50:9). Man, who cannot, in a physical point of view, stand before the very moth, surely cannot, in a moral, stand before God.

Versículo 20

XIV. from morning to evening--unceasingly; or, better, between the morning and evening of one short da…

from morning to evening--unceasingly; or, better, between the morning and evening of one short day (so Exo 18:14; Isa 38:12). They are destroyed--better, "they would be destroyed," if God withdrew His loving protection. Therefore man must not think to be holy before God, but to draw holiness and all things else from God (Job 4:17).

Versículo 21

XV. their excellency-- (Psa 39:11; Psa 146:4; Co1 13:8). But UMBREIT, by an Oriental image from a bow…

their excellency-- (Psa 39:11; Psa 146:4; Co1 13:8). But UMBREIT, by an Oriental image from a bow, useless because unstrung: "Their nerve, or string would be torn away." MICHAELIS, better in accordance with Job 4:19, makes the allusion be to the cords of a tabernacle taken down (Isa 33:20). they die, even without wisdom--rather, "They would perish, yet not according to wisdom," but according to arbitrary choice, if God were not infinitely wise and holy. The design of the spirit is to show that the continued existence of weak man proves the inconceivable wisdom and holiness of God, which alone save man from ruin [UMBREIT]. BENGEL shows from Scripture that God's holiness (Hebrew, kadosh) comprehends all His excellencies and attributes. DE WETTE loses the scope, in explaining it, of the shortness of man's life, contrasted with the angels "before they have attained to wisdom." Next: Job Chapter 5

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