Job 5:15
A focused desk for reading, commentary, cross-references, original language notes, and your own observations.
Job 5:15
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Chapter Context
Job 5 is a wisdom dialogue chapter in the Old Testament that explores themes of prayer, redemption, fellowship. Written during the patriarchal period (literary composition later), this chapter should be understood within its historical context: Ancient wisdom traditions often wrestled with the problem of suffering and divine justice.
The chapter can be divided into several sections:
- Verses 1-5: Introduction and setting the context
- Verses 6-12: Development of key themes
- Verses 13-20: Central message and teachings
- Verses 21-27: Conclusion and application
This chapter is significant because it provides essential context for understanding God's covenant relationship with His people. When studying this passage, it's important to consider both its immediate context within Job and its broader place in the scriptural canon.
Verse Study
Job 5:15
15 But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.
Analysis
Eliphaz continues: 'But he saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty.' God delivers the vulnerable from violence ('sword'), slander ('mouth'), and oppression ('hand of the mighty'). This is true—God defends the defenseless (Psalm 82:3-4). But Eliphaz wrongly implies that Job's suffering proves he's not among the poor/righteous God saves. This ignores that God sometimes permits His people to suffer before eventual deliverance (Hebrews 11:35-38).
Historical Context
Protection of the poor from the powerful was a key responsibility of righteous rulers and a mark of divine justice in ancient Near Eastern ethics. Eliphaz uses this to argue that undelivered sufferers must not be truly righteous.
Reflection
- How do you reconcile God's promise to deliver His people with the reality of continued suffering?
- What does Scripture teach about the timing of divine deliverance?
Word Studies
- Save: יָשַׁע (Yasha) H3467 - To save, deliver, rescue
Cross-References
- Salvation: Psalms 72:4, 109:31
- Parallel theme: Job 4:10, Psalms 10:14, 10:17, 35:10, 107:41, 140:12