Where we are
Where we are in the book
The second debate cycle begins with less patience and more direct blame.
Follow every verse
Verse-by-verse study
Move from the study rendering, to the verse's place in the argument, to Hebrew and detailed language notes.
Jobs 1–8 include detailed verse-level notes from the supplied exegetical companion. Jobs 9–42 currently use the supplied whole-book synthesis and Hebrew text, with that source-depth difference marked on every verse.
Job 15:1
Your mouth condemns you
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Job 15:2
Your mouth condemns you
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Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:3
Your mouth condemns you
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Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:4
Your mouth condemns you
Read Job 15:4 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:5
Your mouth condemns you
Read Job 15:5 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:6
Your mouth condemns you
Read Job 15:6 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:7
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:8
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:9
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:10
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:11
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:12
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:13
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:14
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:15
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:16
Are you the first human born?
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Commentary in context
Job 15:7-16: Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures. Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:17
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:18
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:19
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:20
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:21
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:22
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:23
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:24
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:25
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:26
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:27
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:28
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:29
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:30
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:31
The wicked writhe in pain
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Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:32
The wicked writhe in pain
Read Job 15:32 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:33
The wicked writhe in pain
Read Job 15:33 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:34
The wicked writhe in pain
Read Job 15:34 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Job 15:35
The wicked writhe in pain
Read Job 15:35 in your preferred licensed English Bible. An English text is not reproduced here without confirmed publication permission.
Commentary in context
Job 15:17-35: A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes. The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Read the movement
Chapter outline and verse-range explanation
Job 15:1-6 · Your mouth condemns you
- What is being said?
- Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom.
- Why does it matter here?
- Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.
Job 15:7-16 · Are you the first human born?
- What is being said?
- Eliphaz invokes age, tradition, and the universal impurity of creatures.
- Why does it matter here?
- Creaturely humility is true, but it does not prove Job committed the crimes alleged.
Job 15:17-35 · The wicked writhe in pain
- What is being said?
- A long portrait of the wicked emphasizes dread, desolation, and barren outcomes.
- Why does it matter here?
- The implied identification of Job with this portrait hardens the debate.
Coverage check: Job 15:1-35 is covered continuously by the ranges above.
Follow the argument
Words, images, and argument flow
Key words and images
wisdom, fear, condemn, wicked, terror
Argument flow
Job ended the first cycle asking whether a mortal might live again. Eliphaz accuses Job's speech of undermining reverence, appeals to ancient authority, and paints the wicked person's terror as Job's portrait. Job names the friends miserable comforters and appeals to a heavenly witness.
Connection to the previous speech
Job ended the first cycle asking whether a mortal might live again.
Connection to the next speech
Job names the friends miserable comforters and appeals to a heavenly witness.
Read beneath the cross
Law, Gospel, and Christian hope
Law
We protect tidy systems by accusing neighbors and speaking beyond what God has revealed.
Gospel
God hears Job's appeal and will finally expose false accusation rather than abandon the sufferer to it.
Theology of the cross
The cross overturns a theology of glory that measures righteousness by visible ease and power.
Lutheran theological connection
Law and Gospel must be distinguished and personally applied; true doctrine used to crush the wrong person becomes false counsel.
Christ-centered canonical connection
Job's longings for witness, mediator, and Redeemer find their sure canonical fulfillment in Christ while each Job text retains its literary context.
Life together
Pastoral and vocational application
Pastoral application
Do not diagnose calamity as punishment for a particular hidden sin without a word God has actually spoken.
Vocation and life together
Use speech to defend reputations, accompany sufferers, and correct unsupported accusations.
Harmful readings to avoid
- Do not infer a specific hidden sin from suffering, illness, bereavement, infertility, mental illness, or disaster.
- Do not treat lament or questioning as automatic unbelief.
Reflect and pray
Discussion questions
- What changes in the argument or story across Job 15?
- Which words or images in Job 15 deserve slow attention?
- What is true here, and what conclusion must not be drawn?
- How does this chapter teach us to accompany a suffering neighbor?
Prayer
Patient Savior, restrain our need to win arguments when a neighbor needs mercy.
Go further
Related themes, voices, and media
Related themes
Related speakers
Verified media
- Live Dramatic Reading of Job, Part 1, Concordia Seminary (opens in a new tab)
- 40 Minutes in the Old Testament: Job, 1517 (opens in a new tab)
- Job's Resurrection Cry, The Lutheran Witness (opens in a new tab)
Sources
- Holy Scripture, Job
- Lutheran Confessions and Small Catechism
- South Lake Job research corpus
Commentary in context
Job 15:1-6: Eliphaz calls Job's words windy and irreverent, then accuses him of claiming privileged wisdom. Attention shifts from comforting Job to prosecuting his speech.