Lexical Summary Eliphaz: Eliphaz Original Word: אֱלִיפַז Strong's Exhaustive Concordance Eliphaz From 'el and paz; God of gold; Eliphaz, the name of one of Job's friends, and of a son of Esau -- Eliphaz. see HEBREW 'el see HEBREW paz NAS Exhaustive Concordance Word Originfrom el and paz Definition "God is fine gold," a son of Esau, also a friend of Job NASB Translation Eliphaz (15). Brown-Driver-Briggs אֱלִיפַז proper name, masculine (God is fine gold?) a. son of Esau Genesis 36:4,10,11,12 (twice in verse); Genesis 36:15,16; 1 Chronicles 1:35,36. b. friend of Job Job 2:11; Job 4:1; Job 15:1; Job 22:1; Job 42:7,9. Topical Lexicon Appearance in Patriarchal GenealogiesEliphaz first surfaces in the Chronicles of Esau’s household (Genesis 36:4, 10–16; 1 Chronicles 1:35–36). Scripture records him as Esau’s firstborn through Adah: “And Adah bore Eliphaz to Esau” (Genesis 36:4). His sons—Teman, Omar, Zepho, Gatam, Kenaz, and, through the concubine Timna, Amalek (Genesis 36:11–12)—became tribal heads, forming the earliest strata of Edomite leadership. The repeated notices (“chiefs of the sons of Esau: the sons of Eliphaz,” Genesis 36:15–16) underline his prominence in Edom’s social order. Family and Descendants 1. Teman: Ancestor of the Temanites; later a synonym for Edom itself (Obadiah 9). Through these lines Eliphaz exerted enduring influence on Israel’s geopolitical landscape. Teman provided a wisdom tradition (Jeremiah 49:7), while Amalek embodied hostile world-power opposed to covenant purposes. Historical Context of the Edomites Edom, descending from Esau, occupied the Seir highlands. Eliphaz’s offspring managed trade routes between Arabia and the Mediterranean, fostering wealth that later prophets condemned for pride (Obadiah 3). Yet Genesis never portrays Eliphaz as personally antagonistic toward Jacob; the later enmity of Edom arises from his progeny, not from the patriarch himself. Eliphaz the Temanite: Friend and Opponent of Job The wisdom narrative introduces “Eliphaz the Temanite” (Job 2:11), most reasonably read as a descendant of Esau’s Eliphaz through Teman. His presence in Uz situates him within Edom’s sage tradition, renowned for insight (compare Jeremiah 49:7). Structure of His Dialogues • First Speech (Job 4–5) – Appeals to personal experience and a nocturnal vision. – “Consider now: Who, being innocent, has ever perished?” (Job 4:7). – Concludes with the call to accept divine chastening: “Blessed indeed is the man whom God corrects” (Job 5:17). • Second Speech (Job 15) – Accuses Job of undermining the fear of God. – Emphasizes the fate of the wicked as self-evident tradition. • Third Speech (Job 22) – Levels explicit charges of social injustice. – Offers a pathway of repentance: “Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you” (Job 22:21). Theology and Themes 1. Retribution Principle: Eliphaz assumes a fixed correlation between sin and suffering. While containing elements of truth—God does discipline (Hebrews 12:5–11)—his counsel collapses because he absolutizes temporal retribution and misreads the innocent sufferer. Divine Evaluation After the LORD’s revelation, “My anger burns against you … for you have not spoken about Me what is right” (Job 42:7). Eliphaz must offer sacrifices and seek Job’s intercession (Job 42:8–9). The scene vindicates Job and corrects Eliphaz’s theology without discarding his reverence for God, demonstrating that orthodoxy involves both right confession and compassion. Spiritual Lessons • Experience, tradition, and reason serve faith but must bow to divine self-revelation. Legacy in Biblical Theology Eliphaz’s lineage illustrates the dual potential of heritage: Teman produced sages, Amalek produced adversaries. His speeches preserve ancient Near-Eastern wisdom, while his failure warns against rigid theodicies. Ultimately, Eliphaz points the reader beyond human conjecture to God’s sovereign freedom and mercy revealed most fully in the gospel. Forms and Transliterations אֱלִיפַ֗ז אֱלִיפַ֛ז אֱלִיפַ֣ז אֱלִיפַ֤ז אֱלִיפַ֥ז אֱלִיפַ֨ז אֱלִיפַז֙ אֱלִיפָ֑ז אליפז לֶֽאֱלִיפַז֙ לֶאֱלִיפַ֖ז לאליפז ’ĕ·lî·p̄az ’ĕ·lî·p̄āz ’ĕlîp̄az ’ĕlîp̄āz eliFaz le’ĕlîp̄az le·’ĕ·lî·p̄az leeliFazLinks Interlinear Greek • Interlinear Hebrew • Strong's Numbers • Englishman's Greek Concordance • Englishman's Hebrew Concordance • Parallel TextsEnglishman's Concordance Genesis 36:4 HEB: לְעֵשָׂ֖ו אֶת־ אֱלִיפָ֑ז וּבָ֣שְׂמַ֔ת יָלְדָ֖ה NAS: bore Eliphaz to Esau, KJV: to Esau Eliphaz; and Bashemath INT: Adah to Esau Eliphaz and Basemath bore Genesis 36:10 Genesis 36:11 Genesis 36:12 Genesis 36:12 Genesis 36:15 Genesis 36:16 1 Chronicles 1:35 1 Chronicles 1:36 Job 2:11 Job 4:1 Job 15:1 Job 22:1 Job 42:7 Job 42:9 15 Occurrences |
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