Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
The words come in Eliphaz's second speech in the long debate between Job and his friends, opening a new round of accusations against Job. Here Eliphaz grounds his charge in what wise men have handed down from their fathers without hiding anything. That ground is merely human wisdom and observation, formed because they had never seen a thoroughly good man afflicted as Job was.
The principle behind the speech is in general true, that evil is at last punished and good at last rewarded, but it is wrongly forced upon Job in his suffering. Statements of this sort in Job 15 are not to be taken as trustworthy where they stand against inspired Scripture.
Job answers in chapters 16-17 by maintaining his innocence and longing for death. He does so because he knows his own integrity and cannot grasp God's dealings with him, yet he does not accuse God without cause. Behind the trial God sees the end from the beginning and is bringing about what will glorify Him forever, comfort and encourage thousands of sufferers, become a blessing to Job himself, and stand revealed in His word.
The words come in Eliphaz's second speech in the long debate between Job and his friends, opening a new round of accusations against Job. Here Eliphaz grounds his charge in what wise men have handed down from their fathers without hiding anything. That ground is merely human wisdom and observation, formed because they had never seen a thoroughly good man afflicted as Job was.
The principle behind the speech is in general true, that evil is at last punished and good at last rewarded, but it is wrongly forced upon Job in his suffering. Statements of this sort in Job 15 are not to be taken as trustworthy where they stand against inspired Scripture.
Job answers in chapters 16-17 by maintaining his innocence and longing for death. He does so because he knows his own integrity and cannot grasp God's dealings with him, yet he does not accuse God without cause. Behind the trial God sees the end from the beginning and is bringing about what will glorify Him forever, comfort and encourage thousands of sufferers, become a blessing to Job himself, and stand revealed in His word.