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Perhaps Job was so clear, and so well satisfied, in the goodness of his own cause, that he thought, if he had not convinced, yet he had at least silenced all his three friends; but, it seems he had not: in this chapter they begin a second attack upon him, each of them charging him afresh with as much vehemence as before. It is natural to us to be fond of our own sentiments, and therefore to be firm to them, and with difficulty to be brought to recede from them. Eliphaz here keeps close to the principles upon which he had condemned Job, and, I. He reproves him for justifying himself, and fathers on him many evil things which are unfairly inferred thence, Job 15:2-13. II. He persuades him to humble himself before God and to take shame to himself, Job 15:14-16. III. He reads him a long lecture concerning the woeful estate of wicked people, who harden their hearts against God and the judgments which are prepared for them, Job 15:17-25. A good use may be made both of his reproofs (for they are plain) and of his doctrine (for it is sound), though both the one and the other are misapplied to Job.
1-35
Second Address of Eliphaz (1520 BC)
以利法第二次宣講（主前1520年）
¹ 提幔人以利法回答說：
² 智慧人豈可用虛空的知識回答，用東風充滿肚腹呢？
³ 他豈可用無益的言語爭辯，用無濟於事的話語理論呢？
⁴ 你是廢棄敬畏神的心，在神面前阻止敬虔的禱告。
⁵ 你的罪孽指教你的口；你選擇詭詐人的舌頭。
⁶ 你自己的口定你為有罪，並不是我；你自己的嘴見證你的不是。
⁷ 你是頭一個生下來的人嗎？你受造在山嶺之先嗎？
⁸ 你曾聽見神的秘密嗎？你還將智慧獨自保留嗎？
⁹ 你知道甚麼是我們不知道的呢？你明白甚麼是我們心中所沒有的呢？
¹⁰ 我們這裏有白髮的和年紀老邁的，比你父親還老。
¹¹ 神用溫和的話安慰你，你以為太小嗎？你心中有甚麼隱密的事嗎？
¹² 你的心為甚麼將你帶去？你的眼為甚麼閃動，
¹³ 以致你的靈氣反抗神，任憑這樣的言語從你口中出來？
¹⁴ 人是甚麼，竟算為潔淨呢？婦人所生的是甚麼，竟算為義呢？
¹⁵ 看哪，神不信靠他的眾聖者；在他眼前，天也不潔淨。
¹⁶ 何況那污穢可憎的人，喝罪孽如水的呢？
以利法在此嚴厲地攻擊約伯，因為他反駁了他和他的同事們所說的話，沒有如他們所期望的那樣贊同並喝采。驕傲的人往往如此：若不容他們向周圍的一切人發號施令、制定法則，並把那些凡事不能隨聲附和的人指為無知、頑固和一無是處，他們就大為不悅。以利法在此指控約伯犯了幾項大罪，只因為他不肯承認自己是假冒為善的人。
I. 他指控他愚妄和荒謬（Job 15:2,3），說他從前被認為是個智慧人，如今卻完全喪失了名聲；誰都會說他的智慧已經離他而去，他的話如此荒唐，如此不著邊際。比勒達也是這樣開始的（Job 8:2），瑣法也是如此（Job 11:2,3）。憤怒的爭辯者往往如此把對方的論證描繪成不相干的、可笑的，超過了實際的情況，忘記了那稱弟兄為拉加和你這愚昧人的人所要受的厄運。誠然，1. 世上確有許多虛空的知識——被虛妄地稱為科學的東西，既無用處，因此也無價值。2. 這正是那叫人自高自大的知識，人藉著它在自己成就的虛妄幻想中膨脹自己。3. 無論人頭腦中可能有甚麼虛空的知識，他若想被認為是個智慧人，就不可發表它，而當讓它隨自己一同死去，一如它所配的。4. 無益的談話就是邪惡的談話。在大日我們不僅要為邪惡的話交帳，也要為閒話交帳。因此，那些沒有益處的話語——對神或對鄰舍都沒有益處，或對自己不公正的話，完全沒有建造之功的話——還是不說為好。那些如同風一般輕浮空洞的話語，尤其是如同東風一般有害有毒的話語，拿來充滿自己或別人，將是致命的，因為它們在交帳時將極為不利。5. 虛空的知識或無益的談話應當被責備和制止，尤其在智慧人身上——這最不相稱，而其壞榜樣造成的危害也最大。
II. 他指控他不敬虔和不虔誠（Job 15:4）：你是廢棄敬畏神的心，在神面前阻止禱告。請看宗教被概括為甚麼——敬畏神和向神禱告，前者是最必需的原則，後者是最必需的實踐。沒有對神的敬畏，就不能期望有善；那些不禱告而活的人，確實活在世上沒有神。那些阻止禱告的人，藉此表明他們廢棄了敬畏。那些不敬畏神的威嚴、不懼怕他的震怒、不關心自己的靈魂和永恆的人，必定不向神求恩典。那些不禱告的人，是無所畏懼、沒有恩典的人。對神的敬畏一被廢棄，各樣的罪就湧進來，一切褻瀆的門也被打開了。那些曾有過一些敬畏神的心、如今卻將之廢棄的人——那些曾經常常禱告、如今卻加以阻止的人——景況尤其糟糕。他們墮落得何等厲害！他們的起初的愛心何等失落！這表示他們對自己施加了某種暴力。對神的敬畏本要緊貼著他們，他們卻將之拋棄；禱告本要從口中發出，他們卻加以阻止；在這兩方面，他們都抗拒了自己的信念。那些或忽略禱告、或在禱告中限制和削減自己——壓滅兒子名分的靈，不讓自己在這本分中享受所可得的自由——的人，就是阻止了禱告。這已經夠糟了，但更糟的是阻止別人禱告——禁止和壓制禱告，如大利烏所行的（Da 6:7）。如今——
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以利法將此加在約伯身上，或，（1.）作為他自己的實際行為。他以為約伯以如此放膽的口氣談論神，彷彿與他平起平坐，又如此激烈地指控他苛待自己，如此頻繁地要求公正的審訊，以至於他完全拋棄了對神的一切宗教敬意。這指控是完全虛假的，卻不是沒有一些表面的根據。我們不僅當注意保持禱告和對神的敬畏，更當注意不說出任何不謹慎的話，免得給那些尋找機會質疑我們在宗教上之真誠和堅定的人留下把柄。或，（2.）作為別人會從他所持的道理中推出的結論。「若約伯所說的是真的，」（以利法想）「——一個人可能如此受苦，卻仍是個好人——那麼再見了宗教，再見了禱告和對神的敬畏。若萬事臨到眾人都是一樣的，最好的人在這世上可能遭受最壞的待遇，人人都要說：事奉神是徒然的；遵守他的命令有甚麼益處呢？（瑪拉基書三章14節）我徒然潔淨了我的手（詩篇七十三篇13、14節）。若強盜的帳棚興旺，誰還願意誠實？（Job 12:6）若神不施赦免（Job 7:21），誰還敬畏他？（詩篇一三〇篇4節）若他笑看無辜者的試驗（Job 9:23），若他是如此難以接近（Job 9:32），誰還向他禱告呢？」請注意，即使智慧和善良的人，在辯論的激烈中，也太常犯這樣的不公——把他們對手意見的後果加在他們身上，而這些後果並非公平地從中推出的，且實際上是他們所深惡痛絕的。這不是己所不欲勿施於人。
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以利法根據這牽強的暗示，提出了那嚴厲的不敬虔指控（Job 15:5）：你的罪孽指教你的口——原文是「教導」。你教導別人對神和宗教存有你自己所懷有的那樣苛刻的想法。違背哪怕最小的誡命是不好的，但教導人如此行更糟（Mt 5:19）。我們若有過邪惡的想法，就當用手摀口以壓制那邪惡的念頭（Pr 30:32），斷不可將之說出來；那是給它蓋上印，加以許可地發表，以致虧缺了神的榮耀、損害了別人。請注意，當人廢棄了敬畏和禱告，他們的口就發出罪孽。那些停止行善的人，很快就學會作惡。除了那些不以神的恩典武裝自己來抵擋罪的人，我們還能期望從他們那裏得到甚麼別的呢？但你選擇了詭詐人的舌頭，也就是說，「你以一些敬虔的外貌和藉口發出你的罪孽，把一些好話和壞話攙雜在一起，如同商人對待他的貨物那樣，好幫助脫手。」罪孽的口若沒有詭詐的舌頭，就不能造成如今這麼大的危害。古蛇是藉著他的詭詐欺騙了夏娃。見Ro 16:18。詭詐人的舌頭是帶著目的和計畫說話的；因此使用它的人可被說是選擇了它，以為它比正直人的舌頭更能服事他們的目的：但終必發現，誠實才是最好的策略。以利法在他的第一篇演講中，只是憑猜測來攻擊約伯（Job 4:6,7），如今卻從約伯自己的話中取得了證據（Job 15:6）：*你自己的口定你為有罪，並不是我。*但他應當想到，正是他和他的同伴們激怒約伯說出了如今他們用以攻擊他的話；這是不公平的。那些被自己定罪的，是被最有效地定罪了（Tit 3:11；Lu 19:22）。許多人不需要別的來使他沉淪，只要自己的舌頭落在他身上就夠了。
III. 他指控他不可容忍的傲慢和自負。約伯所提出的要求——承認我與你們一樣有聰明（Job 12:3）——是公正、合理而謙遜的；但請看他們如何尋找機會攻擊他：這被曲解為他自稱比任何人都更有智慧。因為他不肯把智慧的壟斷權讓給他們，他們就讓人以為他在獨自宣稱擁有它（Job 15:7-9）。彷彿他認為自己在各方面都勝過全人類，1. 在認識世界的年資上，這為人提供更多的經驗：*你是頭一個生下來的人嗎？*因而比我們年長，更能判斷古人的智慧和最早期、最智慧、最純潔時代的見解？你比亞當還早嗎？有人如此讀。*他豈不是因罪受苦嗎？你這樣一個大受苦者，還不肯承認自己是罪人嗎？你受造在山嶺之先嗎，*如同智慧本身那樣？（Pr 8:23等）神的謀略如同大山（詩篇三十六篇6節），不可動搖如永世的岡陵，難道必須順服你的觀念、向它屈膝嗎？你比我們中任何人都更認識世界嗎？不，你與我們一樣，不過是昨日的（Job 8:9）。或，2. 在與神親密的認識上（Job 15:8）：*你曾聽見神的秘密嗎？*你假裝是天庭內閣的一員，以致你能比別人為神的作為提供更好的理由嗎？神有隱秘的事，不屬於我們，因此我們不可假裝加以解釋。那些如此行的人是大膽而放肆的。他也把他描繪成，（1.）自稱擁有別人所沒有的知識：*你還將智慧獨自保留嗎，*彷彿除了你以外沒有人有智慧？約伯曾說過（Job 13:2）：*你們所知道的，我也知道；*如今他們以此反擊他——這是激烈爭辯者的慣用伎倆，他們以為自己有權稱讚自己：*你知道甚麼是我們不知道的呢？*這樣的反駁在辯論的激烈中何等自然！但回顧起來，它們看起來何等幼稚！（2.）與古人的傳統對抗——這是一個可敬的名字，一切爭論的黨派都設法在它的庇護下藏身：我們這裏有白髮的和年紀老邁的（Job 15:10）。我們有先賢站在我們這邊；古代教會的博學之士都與我們同心。這話說起來容易，證明起來就不那麼容易了；即使被證明了，真理也不像大多數人所想像的那樣容易藉之被發現和證實。大衛看重正確的聖經知識勝過古人（詩篇一一九篇100節）：*我比年老的更通達，因我守了你的訓詞。*也許約伯的這三個朋友中有一個或幾個，若不是全部，比他年長（Job 32:6），因此他們認為他理當承認他們是對的。這也是爭辯者用來虛張聲勢、卻毫無效果的手段。他們若比對手年長，能說自己在對手出生前就知道某件事，這也不能為他們的傲慢和專橫開脫；因為最年長的並不總是最有智慧的（Job 32:9）。
IV. 他指控他藐視朋友們所給的忠告和安慰（Job 15:11）：神用溫和的話安慰你，你以為太小嗎？1. 以利法認為約伯不夠重視他和朋友們所提供的安慰——他似乎確實如此，也沒有把他們所說的每一句話當作真實而重要的話來歡迎。誠然，他們說了一些很好的話，但在應用於約伯時，他們是令人愁煩的安慰者。請注意，我們容易以為自己說的話偉大而重要，而別人或許有充分理由認為微不足道、不值一提。保羅發現那些似乎是甚麼人物的人，在會面中並沒有加添他甚麼（Ga 2:6）。2. 他把這描繪成對神聖安慰的普遍輕視，彷彿安慰在他看為微不足道，而實際上並非如此。他若不高度重視它們，就不能像他所做的那樣在受苦中支撐自己。請注意，（1.）神的安慰本身並不微小。神的安慰是大事——從神而來的安慰，尤其是在神裏面的安慰。（2.）神的安慰本身既不微小，它若在我們看為微小，就非常令人遺憾了。輕視屬靈的喜樂、藐視那美地，是對神的極大冒犯，也是心靈退化敗壞的明證。「甚麼！」（以利法說）*你心中有甚麼隱密的事嗎？*你有某種支持自己的秘方，是別人所不能自稱、或一無所知的嗎？或，「你心中是否懷藏並放縱著某種隱秘的罪，阻礙了神聖安慰的運行？」除了那些暗中貪愛世界和肉體的人，沒有人輕看神的安慰。
V. 他指控他反對神自己和宗教（Job 15:12,13）：你的心為甚麼將你帶去，說出如此不得體、不敬虔的話？請注意，人被試探，乃是被自己的私慾牽引（雅各書一章14節）。我們若偏離神和我們的本分，或爆發出任何偏差，都是我們自己的心把我們帶走的。你若褻慢，就必獨自擔當。人心的轉向中有一種暴力、一種不受控制的衝力；敗壞的心彷彿以強力把人帶走，違背他們的信念。「你的眼為甚麼閃動？為甚麼對所說的話如此漫不經心、不加留意，聽起來彷彿半睡半醒？為甚麼如此輕蔑，對我們所說的嗤之以鼻，彷彿不屑一顧？我們說了甚麼該被如此輕視的話——不，以致你的靈氣反抗神？」他的心被帶走離開神已經不好了，但他的心被扭轉反對神就更糟了。但那些離棄神的人，很快就會公然爆發出對他的敵意。這如何顯明呢？為甚麼，「你任憑這樣的話從你口中出來，影射神，影射他的公義和良善。」惡人的特徵是他們的口褻瀆天上（詩篇七十三篇9節），這是靈被扭轉反對神的確切標記。他以為約伯的靈對神懷怨，從從前的樣子轉變了，又因神對待他的方式而被激怒。以利法缺少寬容和愛心，否則他不會對一個在敬虔上有如此確立聲譽、如今又處於試探中的人的話，作如此苛刻的解釋。這實際上等於把勝利讓給撒但那一邊，承認約伯行了撒但所說他將行的事——當面咒詛神。
VI. 他指控他稱義自己到了否認自己在人性共同的敗壞和污穢中有分的程度（Job 15:14）：*人是甚麼，竟算為潔淨呢？*也就是說，他竟假裝如此，或竟有人期望在他身上找到如此。婦人所生的——一個罪惡的婦人——*是甚麼，竟算為義呢？*請注意，1. 義就是潔淨；它使我們在神眼中蒙悅納，在自己心中得安穩（詩篇十八篇24節）。2. 人在墮落的狀態中，不能在神面前假裝潔淨和公義，既不能向神的公義開脫自己，也不能向他的恩寵推薦自己。3. 他當被判定為不潔和不義，因為他是婦人所生的——他從她那裏遺傳了敗壞的本性，這既是他的罪咎，也是他的污染。以利法想用這些淺顯的真理來使約伯知罪，而約伯剛才也說了同樣的話（Job 14:4）：*誰能使潔淨之物出於污穢之物呢？*但這是否因此意味著約伯是假冒為善的人、是惡人——這正是他所否認的全部內容呢？絕非如此。人作為婦人所生的固然不潔淨，但作為從聖靈重生的，卻是潔淨的。4. 為了進一步證明這一點，他在此指出，（1.）最明亮的受造物在神面前也是不完全、不純潔的（Job 15:15）。神不把信任放在聖徒和天使身上；他二者都使用，卻不把他的事奉託付給他們中的任何一個，除非給他們新鮮的力量和智慧之供應，因為他知道他們自己並不充足，不過是、也不過比他的恩典所造成的更好。他也不以諸天本身為足。諸天在我們看來無論多麼純潔，在他眼中卻有許多斑點和瑕疵：*在他眼前，天也不潔淨。*若星辰（卡里爾先生說）在太陽面前沒有光，那太陽在神面前又有甚麼光呢！見以賽亞書二十四章23節。（2.）人更是如此（Job 15:16）：何況那污穢可憎的人！若聖徒不可信賴，罪人更不可。若諸天——是神所造的——尚不純潔，那退化的人更是如此。不但如此，他在神眼中是可憎可污穢的，若他一旦悔改，在自己眼中也是如此，因此厭惡自己。罪是可憎之物，它使人令人憎惡。罪的身體如此，因此被稱為死屍，令人作嘔。看見人吃豬食，或喝某種令人作嘔的污穢之物，豈不是污穢不堪，足以使任何人作嘔嗎？人的污穢就是如此——他喝罪孽（那耶和華所恨惡的可憎之物）如同乾渴的人喝水一樣貪婪，一樣甘之如飴。這是他慣常的飲料；犯罪對罪人來說是自然的。它滿足了舊人的胃口，卻不能使之滿足。它對罪人而言如同水對患水腫的人一樣。人越犯罪，就越想要犯罪。
¹⁷ 我指示你，你要聽我；我所看見的，我必述說，
¹⁸ 就是智慧人從列祖所受，傳說而不隱瞞的。
¹⁹ 這地惟獨賜給他們，並無外人從他們中間經過。
²⁰ 惡人一生之日劬勞痛苦；強暴人的年數都被隱藏。
²¹ 恐怖的聲音在他耳中；在興旺時，毀滅者必臨到他。
²² 他不信自己能從黑暗中轉回；刀劍等候著他。
²³ 他漂流在外求食，說：在哪裏呢？他知道黑暗的日子準備好了，近在手中。
²⁴ 急難困苦使他驚惶；它們必勝過他，如同君王預備上陣。
²⁵ 因為他向神揮手，強硬自己，抵擋全能者；
²⁶ 用盾牌的厚墩迎著他，跑上去攻擊他的頸項。
²⁷ 因為他以臉上的脂肪遮蓋自己，在腰旁積聚肥肉。
²⁸ 他住在荒涼的城邑，住在無人居住、將成廢堆的房屋中。
²⁹ 他不得富足，財產也不存留；他也不得在地上延長其興旺。
³⁰ 他不得離開黑暗；火焰必使他的枝子枯乾，他必因神口中的氣而去。
³¹ 不要讓受欺騙的人信靠虛空；因為虛空必作他的報應。
³² 日期未到，這事就要成就；他的枝子也不發青。
³³ 他必像葡萄樹褪去未熟的葡萄，像橄欖樹凋落其花。
³⁴ 因為假冒為善之人的會眾必荒涼，火必吞滅賄賂之人的帳幕。
³⁵ 他們所懷的是毒害，所生的是虛妄；他們的肚腹所預備的是詭詐。
以利法責備了約伯的回答之後，如今來維護他自己的論點——他正是以此論點來論斷約伯的。他的意見是：惡人必定是悲慘的；由此他要推論：悲慘的人必定是惡人，因此約伯也是如此。請看——
I. 他這段論述的莊嚴序言，在其中他籲請約伯的關注——這是他幾乎沒有理由期望的，因為他對約伯所說的話如此少加留意、如此不加重視（Job 15:17）：*我指示你那值得聽的事，不像你那樣用無益的言語爭辯。*人往往如此：在譴責別人的論證時，稱讚自己的。他答應要教導他，1. 從他自己的經驗和觀察：*我所看見的，*在各樣的實例中，*我必述說。*留意神關乎世人的護理作為是大有益處的，從中可以學到許多好的功課。我們所做的好觀察、自己從中得益的，當樂意與人分享以造福別人；當我們述說我們所看見的，就可以放膽說話。2. 從古人的智慧（Job 15:18）：*就是智慧人從列祖所受，傳說而不隱瞞的。*請注意，現代人的智慧和學問，很大程度上是從古人那裏得來的。好的兒女會從好的父母那裏學到許多；我們從先祖所領受的，必須傳給我們的後裔，不向將來的世代隱瞞。見詩篇七十八篇3-6節。若許多時代的知識之線因一代人的疏忽而被切斷，又沒有做甚麼來保持其純全完整，所有後繼的人都受害更深。以利法所引用的權威確實是權威——有身分有地位的人（Job 15:19），*這地惟獨賜給他們，*因此你可以推想他們是天所寵愛的，也最能對這地的事務作出觀察。智慧的訓誨從那些身居尊貴和權力之位的人那裏傳出來，更有分量，如所羅門；然而有一種智慧，這世上有權有位的人沒有一個知道的（1Co 2:7,8）。
II. 論述本身。他在此設法表明——
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那些智慧良善的人通常在這世上興旺。這一點他只是暗示（Job 15:19）：與他同心的人，是那些這地惟獨賜給他們的人，而且惟獨賜給他們；他們完全而平安地享有它，沒有外人從他們中間經過——或來分享，或來攪擾。約伯曾說，地交在惡人手中（Job 9:24）。「不，」以利法說，「地是交在聖徒手中的，與交託給他們的信仰一同流傳；他們也不被外人和敵人的入侵所搶奪劫掠，如你被示巴人和迦勒底人所搶的那樣。」但因為許多屬神的人在這世上顯著地興旺過，如亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，這不因此意味著那些遭遇挫折和貧困的人——如約伯——就不是屬神的人。
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惡人——特別是壓迫者和暴虐的統治者——常受驚恐困擾，生活極不安寧，結局極為悲慘。在這方面他加以詳述，表明即使那些不敬虔地膽敢面對神審判的人，也不能不懼怕它們，終必感受它們。他用單數說話——*惡人，*意思（如有人所想）是寧錄；或許是基大老瑪，或某個在神面前英勇的獵戶。我恐怕他指的是約伯自己——他後來明確地指控約伯既有此處所描述的暴虐，又有其中的膽怯（Job 22:9,10）。他在此認為應用很容易，約伯可以從這描述中如同從鏡子裏看見自己的面貌。如今——
（1.）讓我們看看他如何描述這個如此悲慘地生活的罪人。他不是先從這方面開始，而是將之作為他厄運的原因引入（Job 15:25-28）。這不是普通的罪人，而是一等的大罪人——一個壓迫者（Job 15:20），一個褻瀆者和逼迫者，一個既不敬畏神也不尊重人的人。[1.] 他向神挑釁，向他權柄和權能挑釁（Job 15:25）。告訴他神的律法及其義務；他折斷那些繩索，甚至不容造他的主來約束他或統治他。告訴他神的震怒及其恐怖；他要全能者盡其所能，他偏要行己意，偏要走己路，不顧他，不受律法、良心或將來審判之警告的約束。他向神揮手，公然挑釁他和他的震怒之權能。神確實在他所能及之外，但他向他揮手，表明他若有能力，就要推翻神。這適用於某些罪人大膽的不敬——他們實在是仇恨神的（Ro 1:30），他們屬肉體的心思不僅是他的仇敵，更是仇敵本身（Ro 8:7）。但唉！罪人的惡意正如它的放肆一樣無能為力；他能做甚麼呢？他強硬自己（有人讀作他要逞勇）抵擋全能者。他以為自己可以憑著越軌的專橫權力改變節期和律法（Da 7:25），不顧護理，憑搶奪和欺壓得勝，擺脫良心的責備。請注意，放肆的罪人與全能者交鋒，是驚人的瘋狂。*與造他的主爭鬧的人有禍了。*Job 15:26通常被理解為對罪人大膽放肆的進一步描述：他跑上去攻擊他，攻擊神自己，正面反對他，反對他的誡命和護理，甚至迎著他的頸項，如同一個絕望的鬥士，當他發現自己不是對手的時候，撲向他的臉面，雖然同時他撞在了劍尖上，或盾牌的尖釘上。一般的罪人從神面前逃跑；但那放肆的、高舉膀臂犯罪的罪人，卻跑上去攻擊他，與他爭戰，向他挑釁；其結局如何，是不難預料的。[2.] 他把自己裹在安穩和感官享受中（Job 15:27）：他以臉上的脂肪遮蓋自己。這既表示他以每日的珍饈肥甘餵養自己的肉體，也表示他的心因此而被硬化，抵擋神的審判。請注意，滿足身體的胃口，盡情地吃喝宴樂，往往損害了靈魂及其利益。為甚麼神被忘記和輕視，豈不是因為肚子被當作了神，幸福被置於感官的快樂中嗎？那些以酒和濃酒充滿自己的人，拋棄了一切嚴肅的事，奉承自己說明日必像今日一樣（賽五十六章12節）。那些在錫安安逸的人有禍了（Am 6:1,3,4；Lu 12:19）。他臉上的脂膏使他看起來傲慢大膽，腰旁的肥肉使他躺臥安舒柔軟，感覺甚少；但這在神的震怒之箭面前將被證明是可憐的庇護。[3.] 他以掠奪周圍一切人而致富（Job 15:28）。他住在自己使之荒涼的城中——他趕走了其中的居民，好使自己獨佔其中（賽五章8節）。驕傲殘忍的人對廢墟有一種奇異的快感，尤其是自己親手造成的廢墟，在毀滅城市中（詩篇九篇6節）並在其中誇勝，因為他們除非使城市將成廢堆並恐嚇居民離開，就不能據為己有。請注意，那些想要把世界獨佔給自己、樣樣都要抓住的人，失去了一切的安慰，在一切之中使自己悲慘。這個暴君如何達到目的，使自己成為那些具有古蹟標記的城邑的主人呢？我們被告知（Job 15:35）他是藉著惡意和虛謊——他的邪惡的兩個主要成分——他從起初就是說謊的，也是殺人的：他們所懷的是毒害，然後他們藉著肚腹所預備的詭詐來實行它——假裝保護他們所設計要征服的人，以和平的盟約更有效地推行戰爭的行動。願神救一切好人脫離這樣的惡人。
（2.）讓我們如今看看這個惡人悲慘的景況——無論在屬靈的還是屬世的審判中。
[1.] 他的內心平安不斷被擾亂。他在周圍的人看來似乎安穩，他們因此羨慕他，希望自己也在他的景況中；但知道人心裏有甚麼的那一位告訴我們，惡人自己胸中幾乎沒有安慰和滿足，他與其被羨慕，不如被憐憫。第一，他自己的良心控告他，隨著良心的陣痛和翻騰，他一生之日劬勞痛苦（Job 15:20）。他一想到自己所犯的殘忍和手上所沾的血，就持續不安。他的罪在每一個轉角處盯著他。有罪的心思混亂而驚惶。第二，他為自己財富和權力的持續性之不確定而煩惱：強暴人的年數都被隱藏。他無論怎樣假裝，都知道它們不會永遠持續，有理由擔心它們不會持續多久，這使他煩躁。第三，他處於戰懼等候審判和那燒滅眾人的烈火之中（Heb 10:27），這使他陷入並持續在恐懼和驚惶之中，以至於他如同該隱住在挪得之地——即動盪之地（Ge 4:16），又被作成巴施戶珥，瑪歌珥米撒畢——四圍驚嚇（耶利米書二十章3、4節）。恐怖的聲音在他耳中（Job 15:21）。他知道天地都向他發怒，神惱怒他，全世界都恨他；他沒有做甚麼來與任何一方和好，因此他以為凡遇見他的必殺他（Ge 4:14）。或他像一個為躲債而藏匿的人，以為每個人都是法警。恐懼起初隨罪而來（Ge 3:10），至今仍伴隨著它。即使在興旺中，他也預料毀滅者會臨到他——或是神所差遣來報仇的某個滅命天使，或是他的一些受害臣民要自行報仇。那些在活人之地成為強者所懼怕之對象的人，通常下去被殺在坑中（Eze 32:25），這預期使他們成為自己的恐怖。這一點在Job 15:22中進一步說明：他在自己的想像中被刀劍等候；因為他知道用刀殺人的，必被刀殺（啟示錄十三章10節）。有罪的良心向罪人呈現一把四面轉動發火焰的劍（Ge 3:24），以及他自己不可避免地要撞上去。又（Job 15:23）：他知道黑暗的日子（或更確切地說黑暗之夜）準備好了，近在手中——已經為他指定，不能被推遲；正在迅速臨近，不能被推辭。這黑暗的日子不僅僅是死亡；那是主的日子，對一切惡人來說是黑暗而不是光明，在其中他們將被判受完全的、無盡的黑暗。請注意，有些惡人雖然表面安穩，卻已經在自己裏面領受了死亡——永遠死亡——的判決，清楚地看見地獄為他們張口。難怪接下來說（Job 15:24），急難困苦（即Ro 2:8,9所說的內心的患難和靈魂的痛苦，是神的震怒和憤恨抓住良心的結果）*使他驚惶，*害怕更糟的還要來。若這是他心中的地獄，那麼他面前的地獄又是怎樣的呢？雖然他很想擺脫恐懼，藉喝酒消除它們，藉玩笑驅散它們，卻做不到；*它們必勝過他，*制伏他，*如同君王預備上陣，*其力量太強而不能被抵抗。誰想保持平安，就當保守無虧的良心。*第四，*他若何時落在患難中，就絕望於脫身（Job 15:22）：他不信自己能從黑暗中轉回，卻自暴自棄，以為要在無盡的黑暗中永遠沉淪。好人盼望傍晚時有亮光，從黑暗中得著亮光；但那些不肯從罪的黑暗中轉回、卻在其中前行的人，有甚麼理由盼望他們會從患難的黑暗中轉回呢？（詩篇八十二篇5節）。被定罪的罪人的悲慘在於，他們知道自己永不能從那完全的黑暗中轉回，也不能越過那裏所定的深淵。第五，他以持續的憂慮使自己困惑，尤其在護理稍有皺眉之時（Job 15:23）。他對貧窮如此恐懼，對自己的產業如此察見損耗，以致他已經在想像中漂流在外求食，出去乞討一頓飯，並說：在哪裏呢？那個財主在豐裕之中呼喊說：我怎麼辦呢？（Lu 12:17）。也許他假裝害怕缺乏，作為他貪婪之行的藉口；他也該公正地終於被帶到這絕境。我們讀到那些飽足的，卻為工價雇了自身（1Sa 2:5），這個罪人不會如此行。他不能掘地；他太肥胖了（Job 15:27）：但乞食他實在羞於啟齒。見詩篇一〇九篇10節。大衛從未看見義人被棄到要討飯的地步；因為他們確實要蒙慈善的人不待求而供應（詩篇三十七篇3、25節）。但惡人缺乏，也不能指望別人樂意施捨給他們。那些從不施憐憫的人，怎能指望得著憐憫呢？
[2.] 他的外在興旺很快就要終結，他一切的倚靠和一切的安慰也將隨之終結。當神衝向他時，他怎能興旺呢？有人如此理解Job 15:26。神所衝上去的，他必定衝*倒；*因為神審判時必勝過。請看神的審判如何在這屬世的惡人的一切憂慮、慾望和計畫上與他作對，從而完成他的悲慘。第一，他費心去獲取，卻不得富足（Job 15:29）。他自己貪婪的心使他不能真正富足。不感到滿足的人不是富足的；不覺得自己有的是夠的人，就沒有夠。唯有知足才是大利。護理顯著地阻止一些人致富——挫敗他們的事業，打破他們的計畫，使他們一直落後。許多人靠欺詐和不義得了許多，卻沒有變得更富足：進來多少出去多少；一方面以罪得來，另一方面以罪花去。*第二，*他費心去保守已有的，卻是徒然：*他的財產不存留；它將萎縮，歸於無有。神擊打它，那一夜發芽的，一夜之間就枯乾了。以虛妄得來的財富必定減少。*有些人親眼看見了靠壓迫而興起的產業之毀滅；但若非如此，所剩下的也帶著咒詛歸給繼承的人。不義之財，第三代也難以享受。他為自己和他的後裔永遠購置產業；但有何用處呢？*他不得在地上延長其興旺；*他財富的榮耀和安慰都不能延長；當那些過去之後，其完美又在哪裏呢？我們怎能期望任何事物的完美在地上被延長呢——在地上一切都是暫時的，我們很快就看見一切完美的結局。第三，他費心把所獲得並保守的留給他的兒女。但在這方面他也受到挫折；他家族的枝子要滅亡——他原指望在其中存活興旺、因使他們都成為大人物而享有聲望。他們也不發青（Job 15:32）。火焰必使他枯乾（Job 15:30）。他要把他們抖落，如同永不結實的花，或如同未熟的葡萄（Job 15:33）。他們要在年日之初死去，永不到達成熟。許多人的家庭因他的罪孽而毀滅。*第四，*他費心要長久享受它；但在這方面他也受到挫折。1. 他也許會被從中取去（Job 15:30）：*他必因神口中的氣而去，*把財富留給別人；也就是說，藉著神的震怒——*如同硫磺的溪流，*點燃了吞噬他的火（賽三十章33節）——或藉著他的話；他一發言，事就立刻成了。*今夜就要你的靈魂；於是惡人在他的邪惡中被趕走，*屬世的人在他的世俗中被趕走。2. 它也許會被從他取去，如同鷹向天飛去：日期未到，這事就要成就（或被剪斷）（Job 15:32）；也就是說，他要活過自己的興旺，看見自己被剝奪。*第五，他在患難中費心於如何脫身（不是如何從中得益）；但在這方面他也受到挫折（Job 15:30）：他不得離開黑暗。當他開始跌倒，如同哈曼，人人都說：「讓他倒下去。」先前說到他（Job 15:22）：他不信自己能從黑暗中轉回。他以自己災禍的持久性嚇唬自己，神也必選擇他的迷惑並將他的恐懼臨到他（賽六十六章4節），如同他待以色列人那樣（Nu 14:28）。神對他的不信和絕望說阿們。*第六，*他費心要保護他的同夥，並希望藉著與他們結夥來保護自己；但那也是徒然（Job 15:34,35）。*他們的會眾，*整個聯盟，他們和他們一切的帳幕，*必荒涼，*被火吞滅。假冒為善和賄賂在此被加在他們身上；也就是說，既欺騙對待神又欺騙對待人——在宗教的外衣下冒犯神，在公義的外衣下冤枉人。這些不可能有好的結局。雖然手聯手支持這些背信的行徑，惡人仍不免受罰。（3.）這一切的應用。放肆罪人的興旺若如此悲慘地終結，那麼（Job 15:31）*不要讓受欺騙的人信靠虛空。讓臨到別人的災禍作我們的警戒，讓我們不要倚靠那始終使倚靠它的人失望的壓傷蘆葖。[1.] 那些信靠自己犯罪的致富之道的人，是信靠虛空，虛空必作他的報應，*因為他們得不著所期望的。他們的手段會欺騙他們，或許在今世就毀滅他們。[2.] 那些得著財富後信靠自己財富——尤其是以不誠實手段得來的財富——的人，是信靠虛空；因為它不能給他們帶來滿足。黏附其上的罪咎要毀滅其中的喜樂。他們種的是風，要收的是暴風，終必以極大的困惑承認，是欺哄人的心使他們偏離，他們以右手中的謊言欺騙了自己。
英文原文
Second Address of Eliphaz (1520 BC)
¹ Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
² Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
³ Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
⁴ Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
⁵ For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
⁶ Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
⁷ Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
⁸ Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?
⁹ What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
¹⁰ With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
¹¹ Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
¹² Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
¹³ That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
¹⁴ What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?
¹⁵ Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
¹⁶ How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?
Eliphaz here falls very foul upon Job, because he contradicted what he and his colleagues had said, and did not acquiesce in it and applaud it, as they expected. Proud people are apt thus to take it very much amiss if they may not have leave to dictate and give law to all about them, and to censure those as ignorant and obstinate, and all that is naught, who cannot in every thing say as they say. Several great crimes Eliphaz here charges Job with, only because he would not own himself a hypocrite.
I. He charges him with folly and absurdity (Job 15:2,3), that, whereas he had been reputed a wise man, he had now quite forfeited his reputation; any one would say that his wisdom had departed from him, he talked so extravagantly and so little to the purpose. Bildad began thus (Job 8:2), and Zophar, Job 11:2,3. It is common for angry disputants thus to represent one another's reasonings as impertinent and ridiculous more than there is cause, forgetting the doom of him that calls his brother Raca, and Thou fool. It is true, 1. That there is in the world a great deal of vain knowledge, science falsely so called, that is useless, and therefore worthless. 2. That this is the knowledge that puffs up, with which men swell in a fond conceit of their own accomplishments. 3. That, whatever vain knowledge a man may have in his head, if he would be thought a wise man he must not utter it, but let it die with himself as it deserves. 4. Unprofitable talk is evil talk. We must give an account in the great day not only for wicked words, but for idle words. Speeches therefore which do no good, which do no service either to God or our neighbour, or no justice to ourselves, which are no way to the use of edifying, were better unspoken. Those words which are as wind, light and empty, especially which are as the east wind, hurtful and pernicious, it will be pernicious to fill either ourselves or others with, for they will pass very ill in the account. 5. Vain knowledge or unprofitable talk ought to be reproved and checked, especially in a wise man, whom it worst becomes and who does most hurt by the bad example of it.
II. He charges him with impiety and irreligion (Job 15:4): "Thou castest off fear," that is, "the fear of God, and that regard to him which thou shouldst have; and then thou restrainest prayer." See what religion is summed up in, fearing God and praying to him, the former the most needful principle, the latter the most needful practice. Where no fear of God is no good is to be expected; and those who live without prayer certainly live without God in the world. Those who restrain prayer do thereby give evidence that they cast off fear. Surely those have no reverence of God's majesty, no dread of his wrath, and are in no care about their souls and eternity, who make no applications to God for his grace. Those who are prayerless are fearless and graceless. When the fear of God is cast off all sin is let in and a door opened to all manner of profaneness. It is especially bad with those who have had some fear of God, but have now cast it off—have been frequent in prayer, but now restrain it. How have they fallen! How is their first love lost! It denotes a kind of force put upon themselves. The fear of God would cleave to them, but they throw it off; prayer would be uttered, but they restrain it; and, in both, they baffle their convictions. Those who either omit prayer or straiten and abridge themselves in it, quenching the spirit of adoption and denying themselves the liberty they might take in the duty, restrain prayer. This is bad enough, but it is worse to restrain others from prayer, to prohibit and discourage prayer, as Darius, Da 6:7. Now,
1. Eliphaz charges this upon Job, either, (1.) As that which was his own practice. He thought that Job talked of God with such liberty as if he had been his equal, and that he charged him so vehemently with hard usage of him, and challenged him so often to a fair trial, that he had quite thrown off all religious regard to him. This charge was utterly false, and yet wanted not some colour. We ought not only to take care that we keep up prayer and the fear of God, but that we never drop any unwary expressions which may give occasion to those who seek occasion to question our sincerity and constancy in religion. Or, (2.) As that which others would infer from the doctrine he maintained. "If this be true" (thinks Eliphaz) "which Job says, that a man may be thus sorely afflicted and yet be a good man, then farewell all religion, farewell prayer and the fear of God. If all things come alike to all, and the best men may have the worst treatment in this world, every one will be ready to say, It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it to keep his ordinances? Mal 3:14. Verily I have cleansed my hands in vain, Ps 73:13,14. Who will be honest if the tabernacles of robbers prosper? Job 12:6. If there be no forgiveness with God (Job 7:21), who will fear him? Ps 130:4. If he laugh at the trial of the innocent (Job 9:23), if he be so difficult of access (Job 9:32), who will pray to him?" Note, It is a piece of injustice which even wise and good men are too often guilty of, in the heat of disputation, to charge upon their adversaries those consequences of their opinions which are not fairly drawn from them and which really they abhor. This is not doing as we would be done by.
2. Upon this strained innuendo Eliphaz grounds that high charge of impiety (Job 15:5): Thy mouth utters thy iniquity—teaches it, so the word is. "Thou teachest others to have the same hard thoughts of God and religion that thou thyself hast." It is bad to break even the least of the commandments, but worse to teach men so, Mt 5:19. If we ever thought evil, let us lay our hand upon our mouth to suppress the evil thought (Pr 30:32), and let us by no means utter it; that is putting an imprimatur to it, publishing it with allowance, to the dishonour of God and the damage of others. Observe, When men have cast off fear and prayer their mouths utter iniquity. Those that cease to do good soon learn to do evil. What can we expect but all manner of iniquity from those that arm not themselves with the grace of God against it? But thou choosest the tongue of the crafty, that is, "Thou utterest thy iniquity with some show and pretence of piety, mixing some good words with the bad, as tradesmen do with their wares to help them off." The mouth of iniquity could not do so much mischief as it does without the tongue of the crafty. The serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety. See Ro 16:18. The tongue of the crafty speaks with design and deliberation; and therefore those that use it may be said to choose it, as that which will serve their purpose better than the tongue of the upright: but it will be found, at last, that honesty is the best policy. Eliphaz, in his first discourse, had proceeded against Job upon mere surmise (Job 4:6,7), but now he has got proof against him from his own discourses (Job 15:6): Thy own mouth condemns thee, and not I. But he should have considered that he and his fellows had provoked him to say that which now they took advantage of; and that was not fair. Those are most effectually condemned that are condemned by themselves, Tit 3:11, Lu 19:22. Many a man needs no more to sink him than for his own tongue to fall upon him.
III. He charges him with intolerable arrogancy and self-conceitedness. It was a just, and reasonable, and modest demand that Job had made (Job 12:3), Allow that I have understanding as well as you; but see how they seek occasion against him: that is misconstrued, as if he pretended to be wiser than any man. Because he will not grant to them the monopoly of wisdom, they will have it thought that he claims it to himself, Job 15:7-9. As if he thought he had the advantage of all mankind, 1. In length of acquaintance with the world, which furnishes men with so much the more experience: "Art thou the first man that was born; and, consequently, senior to us, and better able to give the sense of antiquity and the judgment of the first and earliest, the wisest and purest, ages? Art thou prior to Adam?" So it may be read. "Did not he suffer for sin; and yet wilt not thou, who art so great a sufferer, own thyself a sinner? Wast thou made before the hills, as Wisdom herself was? Pr 8:23, etc. Must God's counsels, which are as the great mountains (Ps 36:6), and immovable as the everlasting hills, be subject to thy notions and bow to them? Dost thou know more of the world than any of us do? No, thou art but of yesterday even as we are," Job 8:9. Or, 2. In intimacy of acquaintance with God (Job 15:8): "Hast thou heard the secret of God? Dost thou pretend to be of the cabinet-council of heaven, that thou canst give better reasons than others can for God's proceedings?" There are secret things of God, which belong not to us, and which therefore we must not pretend to account for. Those are daringly presumptuous who do. He also represents him, (1.) As assuming to himself such knowledge as none else had: "Dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself, as if none were wise besides?" Job had said (Job 13:2), What you know, the same do I know also; and now they return upon him, according to the usage of eager disputants, who think they have a privilege to commend themselves: What knowest thou that we know not? How natural are such replies as these in the heat of argument! But how simple do they look afterwards, upon the review! (2.) As opposing the stream of antiquity, a venerable name, under the shade of which all contending parties strive to shelter themselves: "With us are the gray-headed and very aged men, Job 15:10. We have the fathers on our side; all the ancient doctors of the church are of our opinion." A thing soon said, but not so soon proved; and, when proved, truth is not so soon discovered and proved by it as most people imagine. David preferred right scripture-knowledge before that of antiquity (Ps 119:100): I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. Or perhaps one or more, if not all three, of these friends of Job, were older than he (Job 32:6), and therefore they thought he was bound to acknowledge them to be in the right. This also serves contenders to make a noise with to very little purpose. If they are older than their adversaries, and can say they knew such a thing before their opponents were born, this will not serve to justify them in being arrogant and overbearing; for the oldest are not always the wisest, Job 32:9.
IV. He charges him with a contempt of the counsels and comforts that were given him by his friends (Job 15:11): Are the consolations of God small with thee? 1. Eliphaz takes it ill that Job did not value the comforts which he and his friends administered to him more than it seems he did, and did not welcome every word they said as true and important. It is true they had said some very good things, but, in their application to Job, they were miserable comforters. Note, We are apt to think that great and considerable which we ourselves say, when others perhaps with good reason think it small and trifling. Paul found that those who seemed to be somewhat, yet, in conference, added nothing to him, Ga 2:6. 2. He represents this as a slight put upon divine consolations in general, as if they were of small account with him, whereas really they were not. If he had not highly valued them, he could not have borne up as he did under his sufferings. Note, (1.) The consolations of God are not in themselves small. Divine comforts are great things, that is, the comfort which is from God, especially the comfort which is in God. (2.) The consolations of God not being small in themselves, it is very lamentable if they be small with us. It is a great affront to God, and an evidence of a degenerate depraved mind, to disesteem and undervalue spiritual delights and despise the pleasant land. "What!" (says Eliphaz) "is there any secret thing with thee? Hast thou some cordial to support thyself with, that is a proprium, an arcanum, that nobody else can pretend to, or knows any thing of?" Or, "Is there some secret sin harboured and indulged in thy bosom, which hinders the operation of divine comforts?" None disesteem divine comforts but those that secretly affect the world and the flesh.
V. He charges him with opposition to God himself and to religion (Job 15:12,13): "Why doth thy heart carry thee away into such indecent irreligious expressions?" Note, Every man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust, Jam 1:14. If we fly off from God and our duty, or fly out into anything amiss, it is our own heart that carries us away. If thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. There is a violence, an ungovernable impetus, in the turnings of the soul; the corrupt heart carries men away, as it were, by force, against their convictions. "What is it that thy eyes wink at? Why so careless and mindless of what is said to thee, hearing it as if thou wert half asleep? Why so scornful, disdaining what we say, as if it were below thee to take notice of it? What have we said that deserves to be thus slighted—nay, that thou turnest thy spirit against God?" It was bad that his heart was carried away from God, but much worse that it was turned against God. But those that forsake God will soon break out in open enmity to him. But how did this appear? Why, "Thou lettest such words go out of thy mouth, reflecting on God, and his justice and goodness." It is the character of the wicked that they set their mouth against the heavens (Ps 73:9), which is a certain indication that the spirit is turned against God. He thought Job's spirit was soured against God, and so turned from what it had been, and exasperated at his dealings with him. Eliphaz wanted candour and charity, else he would not have put such a harsh construction upon the speeches of one that had such a settled reputation for piety and was now in temptation. This was, in effect, to give the cause on Satan's side, and to own that Job had done as Satan said he would, had cursed God to his face.
VI. He charges him with justifying himself to such a degree as even to deny his share in the common corruption and pollution of the human nature (Job 15:14): What is man, that he should be clean? that is, that he should pretend to be so, or that any should expect to find him so. What is he that is born of a woman, a sinful woman, that he should be righteous? Note, 1. Righteousness is cleanness; it makes us acceptable to God and easy to ourselves, Ps 18:24. 2. Man, in his fallen state, cannot pretend to be clean and righteous before God, either to acquit himself to God's justice or recommend himself to his favour. 3. He is to be adjudged unclean and unrighteous because born of a woman, from whom he derives a corrupt nature, which is both his guilt and his pollution. With these plain truths Eliphaz thinks to convince Job, whereas he had just now said the same (Job 14:4): Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? But does it therefore follow that Job is a hypocrite, and a wicked man, which is all that he denied? By no means. Though man, as born of a woman, is not clean, yet, as born again of the Spirit, he is clean. 4. Further to evince this he here shows, (1.) That the brightest creatures are imperfect and impure before God, Job 15:15. God places no confidence in saints and angels; he employs both, but trusts neither with his service, without giving them fresh supplies of strength and wisdom for it, as knowing they are not sufficient of themselves, neither more nor better than his grace makes them. He takes no complacency in the heavens themselves. How pure soever they seem to us, in his eye they have many a speck and many a flaw: The heavens are not clean in his sight. If the stars (says Mr. Caryl) have no light in the sight of the sun, what light has the sun in the sight of God! See Isa 24:23. (2.) That man is much more so (Job 15:16): How much more abominable and filthy is man! If saints are not to be trusted, much less sinners. If the heavens are not pure, which are as God made them, much less man, who is degenerated. Nay, he is abominable and filthy in the sight of God, and if ever he repent he is so in his own sight, and therefore he abhors himself. Sin is an odious thing, it makes men hateful. The body of sin is so, and is therefore called a dead body, a loathsome thing. Is it not a filthy thing, and enough to make any one sick, to see a man eating swine's food or drinking some nauseous and offensive stuff? Such is the filthiness of man that he drinks iniquity (that abominable thing which the Lord hates) as greedily, and with as much pleasure, as a man drinks water when he is thirsty. It is his constant drink; it is natural to sinners to commit iniquity. It gratifies, but does not satisfy, the appetites of the old man. It is like water to a man in a dropsy. The more men sin the more they would sin.
¹⁷ I will show thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
¹⁸ Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
¹⁹ Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them.
²⁰ The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor.
²¹ A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
²² He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
²³ He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
²⁴ Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
²⁵ For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
²⁶ He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
²⁷ Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
²⁸ And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
²⁹ He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth.
³⁰ He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
³¹ Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
³² It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
³³ He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
³⁴ For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery.
³⁵ They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit.
Eliphaz, having reproved Job for his answers, here comes to maintain his own thesis, upon which he built his censure of Job. His opinion is that those who are wicked are certainly miserable, whence he would infer that those who are miserable are certainly wicked, and that therefore Job was so. Observe,
I. His solemn preface to this discourse, in which he bespeaks Job's attention, which he had little reason to expect, he having given so little heed to and put so little value upon what Job had said (Job 15:17): "I will show thee that which is worth hearing, and not reason, as thou dost, with unprofitable talk." Thus apt are men, when they condemn the reasonings of others, to commend their own. He promises to teach him, 1. From his own experience and observation: "That which I have myself seen, in divers instances, I will declare." It is of good use to take notice of the providences of God concerning the children of men, from which many a good lesson may be learned. What good observations we have made, and have found benefit by ourselves, we should be ready to communicate for the benefit of others; and we may speak boldly when we declare what we have seen. 2. From the wisdom of the ancients (Job 15:18): Which wise men have told from their fathers. Note, The wisdom and learning of the moderns are very much derived from those of the ancients. Good children will learn a good deal from their good parents; and what we have learned from our ancestors we must transmit to our posterity and not hide from the generations to come. See Ps 78:3-6. If the thread of the knowledge of many ages be cut off by the carelessness of one, and nothing be done to preserve it pure and entire, all that succeed fare the worse. The authorities Eliphaz vouched were authorities indeed, men of rank and figure (Job 15:19), unto whom alone the earth was given, and therefore you may suppose them favourites of Heaven and best capable of making observations concerning the affairs of this earth. The dictates of wisdom come with advantage from those who are in places of dignity and power, as Solomon; yet there is a wisdom which none of the princes of this world knew, 1Co 2:7,8.
II. The discourse itself. He here aims to show,
1. That those who are wise and good do ordinarily prosper in this world. This he only hints at (Job 15:19), that those of whose mind he was were such as had the earth given to them, and to them only; they enjoyed it entirely and peaceably, and no stranger passed among them, either to share with them or give disturbance to them. Job had said, The earth is given into the hand of the wicked, Job 9:24. "No," says Eliphaz, "it is given into the hands of the saints, and runs along with the faith committed unto them; and they are not robbed and plundered by strangers and enemies making inroads upon them, as thou art by the Sabeans and Chaldeans." But because many of God's people have remarkably prospered in this world, as Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, it does not therefore follow that those who are crossed and impoverished, as Job, are not God's people.
2. That wicked people, and particularly oppressors and tyrannizing rulers, are subject to continual terrors, live very uncomfortably, and perish very miserably. On this head he enlarges, showing that even those who impiously dare God's judgments yet cannot but dread them and will feel them at last. He speaks in the singular number—the wicked man, meaning (as some think) Nimrod; or perhaps Chedorlaomer, or some such mighty hunter before the Lord. I fear he meant Job himself, whom he expressly charges both with the tyranny and with the timorousness here described, Job 22:9,10. Here he thinks the application easy, and that Job might, in this description, as in a glass, see his own face. Now,
(1.) Let us see how he describes the sinner who lives thus miserably. He does not begin with that, but brings it in as a reason of his doom, Job 15:25-28. It is no ordinary sinner, but one of the first rate, an oppressor (Job 15:20), a blasphemer, and a persecutor, one that neither fears God nor regards man. [1.] He bids defiance to God, and to his authority and power, Job 15:25. Tell him of the divine law, and its obligations; he breaks those bonds asunder, and will not have, no, not him that made him, to restrain him or rule over him. Tell him of the divine wrath, and its terrors; he bids the Almighty do his worst, he will have his will, he will have his way, in spite of him, and will not be controlled by law, or conscience, or the notices of a judgment to come. He stretches out his hand against God, in defiance of him and of the power of his wrath. God is indeed out of his reach, but he stretches out his hand against him, to show that, if it were in his power, he would ungod him. This applies to the audacious impiety of some sinners who are really haters of God (Ro 1:30), and whose carnal mind is not only an enemy to him, but enmity itself, Ro 8:7. But, alas! the sinner's malice is as impotent as it is impudent; what can he do? He strengthens himself (he would be valiant, so some read it) against the Almighty. He thinks with his exorbitant despotic power to change times and laws (Da 7:25), and, in spite of Providence, to carry the day for rapine and wrong, clear of the check of conscience. Note, It is the prodigious madness of presumptuous sinners that they enter the lists with Omnipotence. Woe unto him that strives with his Maker. That is generally taken for a further description of the sinner's daring presumption (Job 15:26): He runs upon him, upon God himself, in a direct opposition to him, to his precepts and providences, even upon his neck, as a desperate combatant, when he finds himself an unequal match for his adversary, flies in his face, though, at the same time, he falls on his sword's point, or the sharp spike of his buckler. Sinners, in general, run from God; but the presumptuous sinner, who sins with a high hand, runs upon him, fights against him, and bids defiance to him; and it is easy to foretel what will be the issue. [2.] He wraps himself up in security and sensuality (Job 15:27): He covers his face with his fatness. This signifies both the pampering of his flesh with daily delicious fare and the hardening of his heart thereby against the judgments of God. Note, The gratifying of the appetites of the body, feeding and feasting that to the full, often turns to the damage of the soul and its interests. Why is God forgotten and slighted, but because the belly is made a god of and happiness placed in the delights of sense? Those that fill themselves with wine and strong drink abandon all that is serious and flatter themselves with hopes that tomorrow shall be as this day, Isa 56:12. Woe to those that are thus at ease in Zion, Am 6:1,3,4, Lu 12:19. The fat that covers his face makes him look bold and haughty, and that which covers his flanks makes him lie easy and soft, and feel little; but this will prove poor shelter against the darts of God's wrath. [3.] He enriches himself with the spoils of all about him, Job 15:28. He dwells in cities which he himself has made desolate by expelling the inhabitants out of them, that he might be placed alone in them, Isa 5:8. Proud and cruel men take a strange pleasure in ruins, when they are of their own making, in destroying cities (Ps 9:6) and triumphing in the destruction, since they cannot make them their own but by making them ready to become heaps, and frightening the inhabitants out of them. Note, Those that aim to engross the world to themselves, and grasp at all, lose the comfort of all, and make themselves miserable in the midst of all. How does this tyrant gain his point, and make himself master of cities that have all the marks of antiquity upon them? We are told (Job 15:35) that he does it by malice and falsehood, the two chief ingredients of his wickedness who was a liar and a murderer from the beginning, They conceive mischief, and then they effect it by preparing deceit, pretending to protect those whom they design to subdue, and making leagues of peace the more effectually to carry on the operations of war. From such wicked men God deliver all good men.
(2.) Let us see now what is the miserable condition of this wicked man, both in spiritual and temporal judgments.
[1.] His inward peace is continually disturbed. He seems to those about him to be easy, and they therefore envy him and wish themselves in his condition; but he who knows what is in men tells us that a wicked man has so little comfort and satisfaction in his own breast that he is rather to be pitied than envied. First, His own conscience accuses him, and with the pangs and throes of that he travaileth in pain all his days, Job 15:20. He is continually uneasy at the thought of the cruelties he as been guilty of and the blood in which he has imbrued his hands. His sins stare him in the face at every turn. Diri conscia facti mens habet attonitos—Conscious guilt astonishes and confounds. Secondly, He is vexed at the uncertainty of the continuance of his wealth and power: The number of years is hidden to the oppressor. He knows, whatever he pretends, that they will not last always, and has reason to fear that they will not last long and this he frets at. Thirdly, He is under a certain fearful expectation of judgment and fiery indignation (Heb 10:27), which puts him into, and keeps him in, a continual terror and consternation, so that he dwells with Cain in the land of Nod, or commotion (Ge 4:16), and is made like, Pashur, Magor-missabib—a terror round about, Jer 20:3,4. A dreadful sound is in his ears, Job 15:21. He knows that both heaven and earth are incensed against him, that God is angry with him and that all the world hates him; he has done nothing to make his peace with either, and therefore he thinks that every one who meets him will slay him, Ge 4:14. Or he is like a man absconding for debt, who thinks every man a bailiff. Fear came in, at first, with sin (Ge 3:10) and still attends it. Even in prosperity he is apprehensive that the destroyer will come upon him, either some destroying angel sent of God to avenge his quarrel or some of his injured subjects who will be their own avengers. Those who are the terror of the mighty in the land of the living usually go down slain to the pit (Eze 32:25), the expectation of which makes them a terror to themselves. This is further set forth (Job 15:22): He is, in his own apprehension, waited for of the sword; for he knows that he who killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword, Re 13:10. A guilty conscience represents to the sinner a flaming sword turning every way (Ge 3:24) and himself inevitably running on it. Again (Job 15:23): He knows that the day of darkness (or the night of darkness rather) is ready at his hand, that it is appointed to him and cannot be put by, that it is hastening on apace and cannot be put off. This day of darkness is something beyond death; it is that day of the Lord which to all wicked people will be darkness and not light and in which they will be doomed to utter, endless, darkness. Note, Some wicked people, though they seem secure, have already received the sentence of death, eternal death, within themselves, and plainly see hell gaping for them. No marvel that it follows (Job 15:24), Trouble and anguish (that inward tribulation and anguish of soul spoken of Ro 2:8,9, which are the effect of God's indignation and wrath fastening upon the conscience) shall make him afraid of worse to come. What is the hell before him if this be the hell within him? And though he would fain shake off his fears, drink them away, and jest them away, it will not do; they shall prevail against him, and overpower him, as a king ready to the battle, with forces too strong to be resisted. He that would keep his peace, let him keep a good conscience. Fourthly, If at any time he be in trouble, he despairs of getting out (Job 15:22): He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, but he gives himself up for gone and lost in an endless night. Good men expect light at evening time, light out of darkness; but what reason have those to expect that they shall return out of the darkness of trouble who would not return from the darkness of sin, but went on in it? Ps 82:5. It is the misery of damned sinners that they know they shall never return out of that utter darkness, nor pass the gulf there fixed. Fifthly, He perplexes himself with continual care, especially if Providence ever so little frown upon him, Job 15:23. Such a dread he has of poverty, and such a waste does he discern upon his estate, that he is already, in his own imagination, wandering abroad for bread, going a begging for a meal's meat, and saying, Where is it? The rich man, in his abundance, cried out, What shall I do? Lu 12:17. Perhaps he pretends fear of wanting, as an excuse of his covetous practices; and justly may he be brought to this extremity at last. We read of those who were full, but have hired out themselves for bread (1Sa 2:5), which this sinner will not do. He cannot dig; he is too fat (Job 15:27): but to beg he may well be ashamed. See Ps 109:10. David never saw the righteous so far forsaken as to beg their bread; for, verily, they shall be fed by the charitable unasked, Ps 37:3,25. But the wicked want it, and cannot expect it should be readily given them. How should those find mercy who never showed mercy?
[2.] His outward prosperity will soon come to an end, and all his confidence and all his comfort will come to an end with it. How can he prosper when God runs upon him? so some understand that, Job 15:26. Whom God runs upon he will certainly run down; for when he judges he will overcome. See how the judgments of God cross this worldly wicked man in all his cares, desires, and projects, and so complete his misery. First, He is in care to get, but he shall not be rich, Job 15:29. His own covetous mind keeps him from being truly rich. He is not rich that has not enough, and he has not enough that does not think he has. It is contentment only that is great gain. Providence remarkably keeps some from being rich, defeating their enterprises, breaking their measures, and keeping them always behind-hand. Many that get much by fraud and injustice, yet do not grow rich: it goes as it comes; it is got by one sin and spent upon another. Secondly, He is in care to keep what he has got, but in vain: His substance shall not continue; it will dwindle and come to nothing. God blasts it, and what came up in a night perishes in a night. Wealth gotten by vanity will certainly be diminished. Some have themselves lived to see the ruin of those estates which have been raised by oppression; but, where this is not the case, that which is left goes with a curse to those who succeed. De male quæsitis vix gaudet tertius hæres—Ill-gotten property will scarcely be enjoyed by the third generation. He purchases estates to him and his heirs for ever; but to what purpose? He shall not prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth; neither the credit nor the comfort of his riches shall be prolonged; and, when those are gone, where is the perfection of them? How indeed can we expect the perfection of any thing to be prolonged upon the earth, where every thing is transitory, and we soon see the end of all perfection? Thirdly, He is in care to leave what he has got and kept to his children after him. But in this he is crossed; the branches of his family shall perish, in whom he hoped to live and flourish and to have the reputation of making them all great men. They shall not be green, Job 15:32. The flame shall dry them up, Job 15:30. he shall shake them off as blossoms that never knit, or as the unripe grape, Job 15:33. They shall die in the beginning of their days and never come to maturity. Many a man's family is ruined by his iniquity. Fourthly, He is in care to enjoy it a great while himself; but in that also he is crossed. 1. He may perhaps be taken from it (Job 15:30): By the breath of God's mouth shall he go away, and leave his wealth to others; that is, by God's wrath, which, like a stream of brimstone, kindles the fire that devours him (Isa 30:33), or by his word; he speaks, and it is done immediately. This night thy soul shall be required of thee; and so the wicked is driven away in his wickedness, the worldling in his worldliness. 2. It may perhaps be taken from him, and fly away like an eagle towards heaven: It shall be accomplished (or cut off) before his time (Job 15:32); that is, he shall survive his prosperity, and see himself stripped of it. Fifthly, He is in care, when he is in trouble, how to get out of it (not how to get good by it); but in this also he is crossed (Job 15:30): He shall not depart out of darkness. When he begins to fall, like Haman, all men say, "Down with him." It was said of him (Job 15:22), He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness. He frightened himself with the perpetuity of his calamity, and God also shall choose his delusions and bring his fears upon him (Isa 66:4), as he did upon Israel, Nu 14:28. God says Amen to his distrust and despair. Sixthly, He is in care to secure his partners, and hopes to secure himself by his partnership with them; but that is in vain too, Job 15:34,35. The congregation of them, the whole confederacy, they and all their tabernacles, shall be desolate and consumed with fire. Hypocrisy and bribery are here charged upon them; that is, deceitful dealing both with God and man—God affronted under colour of religion, man wronged under colour of justice. It is impossible that these should end well. Though hand join in hand for the support of these perfidious practices, yet shall not the wicked go unpunished. (3.) The use and application of all this. Will the prosperity of presumptuous sinners end thus miserably? Then (Job 15:31) let not him that is deceived trust in vanity. Let the mischiefs which befal others be our warnings, and let not us rest on that broken reed which always failed those who leaned on it. [1.] Those who trust to their sinful ways of getting wealth trust in vanity, and vanity will be their recompence, for they shall not get what they expected. Their arts will deceive them and perhaps ruin them in this world. [2.] Those who trust to their wealth when they have gotten it, especially to the wealth they have gotten dishonestly, trust in vanity; for it will yield them no satisfaction. The guilt that cleaves to it will ruin the joy of it. They sow the wind, and will reap the whirlwind, and will own at length, with the utmost confusion, that a deceived heart turned them aside, and that they cheated themselves with a lie in their right hand.
約伯也許對自己有理這一點十分清楚、十分滿足，以至於他以為，就算沒有說服三位朋友，至少也使他們全都噤口了；但看來並非如此：在本章中他們開始對他發起第二輪攻勢，每人都像先前一樣激烈地重新指控他。人天性喜愛自己的見解，因而固執己見，難以退讓，這是自然之理。以利法在此緊守他先前定約伯為罪的原則：I. 他責備約伯為自己辯護，並將許多由此不公平地推論出來的惡事歸咎於他（Job 15:2-13）。II. 他勸他在神面前自卑，以羞辱為衣（Job 15:14-16）。III. 他給他上了一堂長課，論到那些向神硬著心腸的惡人悲慘的結局，以及為他們所預備的審判（Job 15:17-25）。他的責備（因為直率）和他的教訓（因為正確）都能好好使用，儘管兩者都誤用在了約伯身上。