Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

Job 4:7-9

Eliphaz was partly right. God punishes evil people. And God protects good people. But Eliphaz’s thoughts were too simple.

Job was suffering. But Job was an innocent man. So, Eliphaz’s words could not help Job. Instead, Eliphaz’s words upset Job.

Many good people suffer now, on this earth. But they will not suffer in heaven (Revelation 21:14). Some evil people are successful on this earth. But nobody will be successful in hell. God knows everybody’s thoughts. God sees our secret plans. And God is a fair judge.

God does not always punish evil people immediately, because God is kind. God does not want anybody to suffer in hell. God sent Jesus to suffer the punishment for our evil deeds. And God will forgive us. So, we must confess our evil deeds to God. And we must trust God.

God does not always rescue good people immediately. Sometimes a good person will suffer, like Job. That person should be patient (James 5:11). Perhaps God is testing that person. Or perhaps God is teaching that person. God is like a father who teaches his children (Hebrews 12:5-11). Or perhaps that person’s troubles are the work of evil people (Matthew 5:11-12). God knows about all these things. God cares about us. And God is making us perfect (Job 23:10; 1 Corinthians 13:10-12).

Continues after advertising

See also Job 4:7-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 4:7. _REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE_] Recollect, if thou canst, a single instance where God abandoned an innocent man, or suffered him to perish. Didst thou ever hear of a case in which God abandon...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, BEING INNOCENT? - The object of this question is manifestly to show to Job the inconsistency of the feelings which he had evinced. He claimed to be a righteou...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 4-5 THE FIRST ADDRESS OF ELIPHAZ _ 1. He rebukes Job (Job 4:1)_ 2. The righteous are not cast off (Job 4:6) 3. An awe-inspiring vision (Job 4:12) 4. Experience and exhortation ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Eliphaz is provoked to reply, in spite of his unwillingness, by the tone of Job's speech, which seems to him altogether irreverent. He wonders that Job, who had comforted so many others in trouble, sh...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    WHO... ? Figure of speech _Erotesis._ App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    First, Eliphaz wonders that Job, who had comforted so many in trouble, and who was a righteous man, should fall into such despair under his afflictions, forgetting the great principle that the righteo...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Eliphaz would have Job remember that the afflictions of the righteous are disciplinary, and not designed for their destruction who ever perished being innocent? He puts his principle first negatively,...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, &C.— _Recollect, I pray thee,_ &c. Eliphaz here begins to shew what he suspected. The strong term he uses, _who ever perished, being innocent?_ and his adding...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    TEXT 4:1-11 4 THEN ANSWERED ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, AND SAID, 2 If one assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? But who can withhold himself from speaking? 3 Behold, thou hast instructed man...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, BEING INNOCENT? OR WHERE WERE THE RIGHTEOUS CUT OFF?_ No JFB commentary on this verse....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE FIRST SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ (JOB 4:5) Eliphaz is the principal and probably the oldest of the three friends: cp. Job 32:6. He is also the most considerate. But the complainings of Job in Job 3 had evi...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    ReMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, BEING INNOCENT? — He challenges Job’s experience, and quotes his own in proof of the universal connection between sin and suffering. In so doing, his object m...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    זְכָר ־נָ֗א מִ֤י ה֣וּא נָקִ֣י אָבָ֑ד וְ֝

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    VII. THE THINGS ELIPHAZ HAD SEEN Job 4:1; Job 5:1 ELIPHAZ SPEAKS THE ideas of sin and suffering against which the poem of Job was written come now dramatically into view. The belief of the three fr...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    “SHALL MORTAL MAN BE MORE JUST THAN GOD?” Job 4:1 The first cycle of speeches is opened by Eliphaz. It must be remembered that he and the two others believed that special suffering resulted from and...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Now begins the great controversy between Job and his friends, which occupies the major portion of the Book. This controversy moves in three cycles. The first, commencing here, runs through chapter fou...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Remember, I pray thee, who [ever] perished, being (d) innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? (d) He concludes that Job was reproved seeing that God handles him so extremely, which is the argu...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Destroyed? They never were eternally. But Abel and many other just persons, have been exposed to tribulation in this world, (Worthington) for their greater improvement. Yet Eliphaz falsely concludes f...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (7) В¶ Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? (8) Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. (9) By the bl...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    Eliphaz Relying on Experience I. INTRODUCTION A. Last week, in Chapter 3, Job was at the height of his deep, dark, depression! 1. In fact, he stated over and over again that he wished that he had n...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 4 THROUGH 31. As to the friends of Job, they do not call for any extended remarks. They urge the doctrine that God's earthly government is a full measure and...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, BEING INNOCENT?.... Here Eliphaz appeals to Job himself, and desires him to recollect if ever anyone instance had fallen under his observation, in the whole c...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Remember, I pray thee, who [ever] perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Ver. 7. _Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent?_] Why? that hath many a one, as the...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Remember, I pray thee_ Consult thy own experience, observation, or reading, and produce one example. _Who ever perished_ That is, was so utterly undone as thou art, so miserably afflicted by such unp...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the righteous cut off? This overemphasis on the safety of the upright shows that Eliphaz intended to voice his doubts concerning...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Job having thus given way to his impatience, his friends thought it their duty to correct him. But instead of showing him in what respect his position was wrong, they proceed according to the assumpti...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    ELIPHAZ: COMMENDATION TWISTED INTO REBUKE (vv.1-6) The three friends of Job could only think of God's justice in reference to Job's sufferings, and had no idea of God's love. Eliphaz no doubt though...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "REMEMBER, NOW, WHO EVER PERISHED BEING INNOCENT? OR WHERE WERE THE UPRIGHT DESTROYED?": This is his theory on suffering. Whoever heard of an innocent man suffering? Yet this theory is false. Abel was...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-11 Eliphaz argues, 1. That good men were never thus ruined. But there is one event both to the righteous and to the wicked, Ecclesiastes 9:2, both in life and death; the great and certain differenc...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Give me one example hereof out of all thy experience or reading. WHO EVER PERISHED, i.e. was so utterly undone, as thou art, so miserably afflicted by such unparalleled and various judgments from God...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 4:7 Remember H2142 (H8798) perished H6 (H8804) innocent H5355 where H375 upright H3477 off H3582 ...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Eliphaz's theory in regard to Job's suffering. CHARACTERS: God, Eliphaz, Job. CONCLUSION: Those who pass rash and uncharitable censures upon their brethren, do Satan's work. We should be c...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 4:1. _Eliphaz answered,_ being the eldest, or the more eloquent. Job 4:3. _Thou hast instructed many._ The holy patriarchs were all preachers of righteousness on the sabbath days, &c, He admits t...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Who ever perished, being innocent?_ DIVINE RETRIBUTIONS This grand maxim, of a just and sure retribution at the hand of God, must be admitted to be sound and true. His blessing is over the righteous...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said._ THE FIRST COLLOQUY At this point we pass into the poem proper. It opens with three colloquies between Job and his friends. In form these colloquies clos...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _COMMENCEMENT OF THE CONTROVERSY BETWEEN JOB AND HIS THREE FRIENDS_ First Course of the Speeches. First Dialogue,—Eliphaz and Job FIRST SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ _Eliphaz censures Job for his impatience, an...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION Job having ended his complaint, Eliphaz the Temanite, the first-named of his three friends (Job 2:11), and perhaps the eldest of them, takes the word, and endeavours to answer him. After a...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    So Job has made his complaint, and so Eliphaz, his friend who came to comfort him, he said, If we attempt to talk to you, will you be grieved? [But really after what you've said] who can keep silent?...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Peter 2:9; Acts 28:4; Ecclesiastes 7:15; Ecclesiastes 9:1;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE PHILOSOPHY OF ELIPHAZ Job 4:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We are now approaching a part of the Book of Job that is most interesting. Job's three friends have at last broken their silence, and Eliphaz th...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Innocent — Therefore thou art guilty of some great, though secret crimes, and thy sin hath now found thee out. Cut off — By the sickle of Divine vengeance before his time, which is like to be thy case...

Continues after advertising