Job’s three friends, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar, came to sympathize and comfort him (Job 2:11). In this chapter, Eliphaz has a few things to say. Job is a great man, able to instruct to get things done and support others in time of need (v3-4). But now this happened to Job, and he could not apply to himself what he preached to others (v5-6).
Eliphaz thinks that Job had sinned against God because the innocent do not suffer as Job did (v7). Based on his observations and experiences, those who plough evil will sow trouble (v8). Those who do evil will be destroyed by God, even for a powerful lion (v8-11). What he is saying is, God is fair and just, good people will be blessed, sinful will be destroyed, so Job should stop thinking he is innocence. Eliphaz suggested that everyone sin, and there is no shame admitting that he had sinned (v17).
- Like many of us, Eliphaz also speaks from experiences, and with our limited wisdom. If we are with Job, it is tough to find the reason for Job suffering, given that he is blameless, even God acknowledged that. So we tend to suggest and think based on what we know every time we do that, we need to be very careful.
Job cursed the day of his birth and wondered why he is in such a situation