What is the meaning of Job 15:17? Listen to me - Eliphaz begins with an appeal for attentive ears. He has already spoken once (Job 4–5) and now asks Job to grant him a patient hearing again. - Scripture often underscores the moral duty to listen when counsel is offered: • “Give ear, O heavens, and I will speak” (Deuteronomy 32:1). • “Incline your ear, and hear the words of the wise” (Proverbs 22:17). - The invitation implies respect for God-given order. Elders or friends may have imperfect insight, yet God can still use them as instruments of reproof or comfort (Proverbs 27:6). - By listening first, Job models humility even while wrestling with profound pain—echoing James 1:19, “Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak.” and I will inform you - Eliphaz claims he possesses information that will clarify Job’s situation. While his theology turns out to be flawed, his earnest intention mirrors the biblical call to share truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). - Informing another person involves: • Pointing to God’s revealed principles (Psalm 32:8). • Applying those principles to present circumstances (2 Timothy 3:16-17). - Eliphaz believes suffering always follows sin; although his conclusion is mistaken in Job’s case, the impulse to connect life’s events with God’s moral order is not wrong in itself (Galatians 6:7-8). - The verse reminds us to test every teaching by the whole counsel of Scripture (Acts 17:11) rather than dismissing it outright or accepting it blindly. I will describe what I have seen - Eliphaz rests his argument on personal observation. Experience can be a valid witness (1 John 1:3), yet it must submit to God’s full revelation. - Three cautions flow from this clause: • Personal testimony is compelling but limited (Proverbs 3:5). • Experience needs the corrective lens of God’s Word (Psalm 119:105). • We should avoid making universal rules from isolated cases (Luke 13:1-5). - Positively, sharing “what I have seen” fosters community learning. Believers grow when we recount God’s works (Psalm 66:16) and lessons gleaned from life (2 Corinthians 1:4). summary Job 15:17 records Eliphaz’s earnest plea: “Listen to me and I will inform you. I will describe what I have seen.” The verse highlights three timeless principles—attentive listening, careful teaching, and honest testimony. Each is valuable, yet all must bow to the absolute authority of God’s complete Word. |
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