Eliphaz

Eliphaz the Temanite was the eldest of Job's three friends who came to comfort him and the first to speak. His arguments rest on the conventional wisdom that suffering is God's punishment for sin, urging Job to repent of hidden wrongdoing. Though sincere and eloquent - even claiming a night vision - his counsel misjudged Job's righteousness, and God ultimately rebuked him and his companions, requiring Job to pray for them.

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Biography

Occupation: One of Job's counselors
Era: Patriarchal Age
Nationality: Temanite (Edom)

Old Testament Job

Did You Know?

Eliphaz the Temanite speaks first and most often among Job's friends, and he grounds his case in a spooky nighttime vision (Job 4:12-16) - the only one of the friends to claim direct revelation.

Teman, his home, was a district of Edom famous for its wise men (Jeremiah 49:7), so Eliphaz represents the celebrated wisdom tradition of the ancient Near East that the book of Job ultimately overturns.

In the end God tells Eliphaz that he and his friends 'have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath' (Job 42:7), and requires Job to sacrifice and pray for them - a stunning reversal of who needed correcting.

Key Chapters

Job 4 Eliphaz's First Speech 2 min read Eliphaz opens the debate, arguing from experience that the innocent do not peris... Job 42 Job's Restoration 3 min read The LORD declares that Eliphaz and his friends have not spoken rightly, and acce...

Key Passages

Eliphaz's First Speech

Job 4:1-9

Eliphaz opens the debate, arguing from experience that the innocent do not perish and the guilty reap what they sow.

T¹hen Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

² If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? ³ Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. ⁴ Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. ⁵ But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. ⁶ Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? ⁷ 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 blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.

Read full chapter: Job 4 →

God Rebukes the Friends

Job 42:7-9

The LORD declares that Eliphaz and his friends have not spoken rightly, and accepts Job's intercession for them.

A⁷nd it was so, that after the LORD had spoken these words unto Job, the LORD said to Eliphaz the Temanite, My wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends: for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

⁸ Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job. ⁹ So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Job.

Read full chapter: Job 42 →