Job 15:17
I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
Original Language Analysis
אֲחַוְךָ֥
I will shew
H2331
אֲחַוְךָ֥
I will shew
Strong's:
H2331
Word #:
1 of 6
properly, to live; by implication (intensively) to declare or show
שְֽׁמַֽע
thee hear
H8085
שְֽׁמַֽע
thee hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
2 of 6
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
וְזֶֽה
H2088
Historical Context
Ancient wisdom teachers regularly appealed to both personal observation and ancestral tradition for authority. Eliphaz skillfully combines both appeals, making his coming assault on Job seem unassailable. The book exposes this as rhetorical manipulation.
Questions for Reflection
- When have you heard someone demand a hearing based on claimed authority rather than the strength of their argument?
- How do you discern between legitimate prophetic insight and weaponized religious authority?
- What makes you worthy to be heard when suffering people challenge traditional explanations?
Analysis & Commentary
I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare—Eliphaz shifts to prophetic authority language: achavvecha (אֲחַוֶּךָּ, 'I will show you') and asapperah (אֲסַפְּרָה, 'I will declare'). The phrase chaziti (חָזִיתִי, 'I have seen') often introduces prophetic vision (Isaiah 6:1, Daniel 8:2). Eliphaz claims experiential authority ('that which I have seen') while preparing to quote tradition (v. 18).
This rhetorical move bridges personal experience and collective wisdom, making Eliphaz's coming argument seem both empirically verified and traditionally validated. Yet the content will be the standard retribution doctrine that Job's experience contradicts. The confident tone—'hear me'—demands submission to what follows. Authority claims like this deserve scrutiny, especially when they silence victims' testimony.