Job 5:15Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

This is the work of God, allowing even the feeble to find hope, preventing the unrighteous from being uplifted, restraining the proud tongue, and bringing low the arrogant. For He mentioned earlier, ‘Call out if anyone hears you,’ to remind us that nothing escapes His providence. Though no one answers him, he insists that even without visible signs of God, He accomplishes many deeds. Eliphaz attempts to wield his words to overwhelm Job. If God typically uplifts the humble yet humbles the proud and rebukes the wicked, you can draw your own conclusions.

**Notes:** * Job 5:1. Synodical translation: Call out, if there be one who answers thee.

But He will rescue the afflicted from the harsh words of their accusers and from the might of the oppressors. For this is indeed the same Afflicted One of whom the Apostle Paul wrote: though He was wealthy, He embraced poverty for our benefit. The Jews, through their accusations, betrayed the Lord, leading to His execution at the hands of the Gentiles. The "harsh words" may refer to the speech of the Jews, who were His accusers, as echoed by the Psalmist when he stated that their teeth are like spears and arrows, and their tongue like a sharp sword.

It is futile for Job to seek out a powerful or righteous individual; calamity relentlessly follows the evildoers. Even when they enjoy brief moments of success, they soon meet their end along with their entire household. Indeed, every person is bound to experience suffering from the moment of birth. However, sincere prayers to the Almighty and Just One provide deliverance for those who are devout, while only the wicked face downfall. The trials endured by the righteous should be embraced with joy, as they are a promise of future blessings. This, Eliphaz concludes, reflects the wisdom gleaned from experience, and it is in line with these teachings that Job should reflect upon his own circumstances.