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The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

Job 4:8

JOB—NOTE ON Job 4:8 those who plow iniquity and sow trouble reap the same. At the opening of his speech, Eliphaz introduces the claim that the friends will relentlessly defend throughout the dialogue: a person’s character can be judged by his or her circumstances.

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See also Job 4:8 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 4:8. _THEY THAT PLOUGH INIQUITY_] A proverbial form of speech drawn from nature. Whatever seed a man sows in the ground, he reaps the same kind; for every seed produces its like. Thus Solom...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN - Eliphaz appeals to his own observation, that people who had led wicked lives were suddenly cut off. Instances of this kind he might doubtless have observed - as all may have done...

  • 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...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _even as I have seen_ Rather, AS I HAVE SEEN. The words might be also rendered, _when I saw those that ploughed iniquity … they reaped it_. Eliphaz draws a distinction between two classes of men, on b...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Third, surely instead of despairing and murmuring under his afflictions Job should follow a very different way. I, says Eliphaz, putting himself in Job's place, would seek unto God, all whose doings a...

  • 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...

  • 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

    _EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN, THEY THAT PLOW INIQUITY, AND SOW WICKEDNESS, REAP THE SAME._ They that plow iniquity ... reap the same - (Proverbs 22:8; Hosea 8:7; Hosea 10:13;...

  • 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...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 4 ELIPHAZ’S FIRST SPEECH V...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    THEY THAT PLOW INIQUITY. — Comp. Galatians 6:7; and comp. also the strange expression of Isaiah 5:18....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    כַּ אֲשֶׁ֣ר רָ֭אִיתִי חֹ֣רְשֵׁי אָ֑וֶן וְ זֹר

  • 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

    Even as I have seen, they that (e) plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. (e) They who do evil cannot but receive evil....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _Reap them. He insinuates that Job now reaps what he had sown, Galatians vi. 8._...

  • 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

    EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN,.... Here he goes about to prove, by his own experience, the destruction of wicked men; and would intimate, that Job was such an one, because of the ruin he was fallen into: THEY...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Ver. 8. _Even as I have seen_] And therefore can boldly say: for what so sure as sight? See Num 11:23 Genesis 34:1,2....

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

    _Even as I have seen_, &c. As thou hast never seen any example of a righteous man cut off, so I have seen many of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. _They that plough_, &c. They that designedly...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, sowing mischief in their fields, AND SOW WICKEDNESS, misery and ruin for others, REAP THE SAME. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap," Galati...

  • 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

    "ACCORDING TO WHAT. HAVE SEEN, THOSE WHO PLOW INIQUITY AND THOSE WHO SOW TROUBLE HARVEST IT": Eliphaz will often base his arguments on experience. Three times he will say, "I have seen" (Job 4:8; Job...

  • 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

    As thou hast never seen any example of a righteous man cut off, so on the contrary I have seen many examples of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. Or, _As far as I have observed_; or, _But as I...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 4:8 seen H7200 (H8804) plow H2790 (H8802) iniquity H205 sow H2232 (H8802) trouble H5999 reap...

  • 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

    _Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same._ SOWING AND REAPING Eliphaz speaks of himself here as an observer of God’s providence; and the result of his observat...

  • 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 Corinthians 9:6; Galatians 6:7; Galatians 6:8; Hosea 10:12; Hosea

  • 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

    Even — As thou hast never seen any example of a righteous man cut off, so I have seen many of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. They — They that designedly work wickedness, first preparing them...

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