The verse stands in the book of Job, which is a poem best understood by reading the whole book together. It stands in one of the oldest books written, using ancient words found nowhere else in Scripture. Eliphaz the Temanite was the son of Esau, and Teman was named after one of Esau's sons and was noted for its wise men.
The verse begins Eliphaz's answer to Job in affliction, the first response and first accusing speech in the argument and debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions and about the cause and purpose of human suffering. Eliphaz's speech beginning here continues through Job 4-7 and is summarized as teaching Job not to despise God's chastening. The book's setting is overruling providence and sin and suffering, in which God is disciplining Job and bringing him through the fire of affliction. God was trying him not only for his own good but for the good of those who should live after.
The friends argued that affliction always proves sin and that prosperity is evidence of God's favor, charging Job with sin and with secret and open sins and declaring his sufferings were because of sin. Their arguments were generally true but were wrongly applied to Job. Eliphaz used the words of the spirit he described to condemn Job for what God had not condemned. The friends' statements about Job and about God are not automatically reliable, since the Lord says they did not speak truthfully about either, so the teachings of the speeches beginning here must be tested against inspired Scripture with discernment.
Job's early trials did not shake his faith, but the continued pain of his boils and the even worse torment of his friends' words, starting here, led him almost to despair. This shows human misunderstanding of God's purposes and misjudgment in God's dealing with His children. It exposes how prone humanity still is to misjudge its fellows in the same way.
The verse stands in the book of Job, which is a poem best understood by reading the whole book together. It stands in one of the oldest books written, using ancient words found nowhere else in Scripture. Eliphaz the Temanite was the son of Esau, and Teman was named after one of Esau's sons and was noted for its wise men.
The verse begins Eliphaz's answer to Job in affliction, the first response and first accusing speech in the argument and debate between Job and his three friends about his afflictions and about the cause and purpose of human suffering. Eliphaz's speech beginning here continues through Job 4-7 and is summarized as teaching Job not to despise God's chastening. The book's setting is overruling providence and sin and suffering, in which God is disciplining Job and bringing him through the fire of affliction. God was trying him not only for his own good but for the good of those who should live after.
The friends argued that affliction always proves sin and that prosperity is evidence of God's favor, charging Job with sin and with secret and open sins and declaring his sufferings were because of sin. Their arguments were generally true but were wrongly applied to Job. Eliphaz used the words of the spirit he described to condemn Job for what God had not condemned. The friends' statements about Job and about God are not automatically reliable, since the Lord says they did not speak truthfully about either, so the teachings of the speeches beginning here must be tested against inspired Scripture with discernment.
Job's early trials did not shake his faith, but the continued pain of his boils and the even worse torment of his friends' words, starting here, led him almost to despair. This shows human misunderstanding of God's purposes and misjudgment in God's dealing with His children. It exposes how prone humanity still is to misjudge its fellows in the same way.