Human tradition can hold truths passed from generation to generation, but it ultimately falls short unless grounded in God’s full knowledge and perspective.
“What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers” (v.18) is spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite in Job 15:18. Eliphaz claims he is passing down established wisdom from previous generations with the authority of tradition. Teman is believed to have been located in Edom, southeast of the land of Israel, and Eliphaz likely belonged to the time of the patriarchs (around 2000-1800 BC). In this portion of his speech, Eliphaz calls forth ancestral knowledge to assert that the basis of his arguments against Job is grounded in time-tested understanding. He believes the teachings of the ancients verify his charge that Job’s suffering points to hidden wrongdoing, a flawed conclusion which will later be rebuked by God (Job 42:7).
When Eliphaz references “What wise men have told” (v.18), he invokes a shared cultural respect for inherited wisdom. This method of appeal to tradition and inherited knowledge surfaces frequently in the book of Job, where friends pressure Job to concede that his disaster comes from divine punishment. In his self-assurance, Eliphaz overlooks that even the best of human wisdom cannot fully comprehend God’s ways, as God later reminds Job of His vast creation and unmatched sovereignty (Job 38:1-3). Eliphaz’s stance connects with the broader theme of the book: human attempts to systematically explain suffering often fall short of the truth. Nevertheless, the references to “wise men” capture the idea that sound counsel can indeed be handed down faithfully from generation to generation—even though, in this case, the friends’ application is amiss.
There is an anticipation of the New Testament principle that true wisdom is found in reliance upon God, who alone can grant clarity in times of hardship (James 1:5). Eliphaz’s reliance on famous traditions rather than on humbly seeking God foreshadows a lesson taught in scripture: tradition is good when it aligns with God’s revelation, but it fails when it assumes knowledge beyond God’s own purposes. By the end of Job’s journey, the self-righteous pronouncements of Eliphaz and his friends are addressed by the LORD, who points to a greater perspective that humans cannot access on their own.
This verse testifies that humans pass knowledge from one generation to the next, yet while inherited wisdom can have value, it is incomplete and can be used wrongly—as Eliphaz does towards Job. Through Job’s story of undeserved suffering, the Bible highlights God’s unique vantage point and invites believers to humbly receive His guidance.
Eliphaz’s speech reminds us that even “what wise men have told” (v.18) cannot replace listening to the voice of the Almighty.
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Job 15:18 meaning
“What wise men have told, And have not concealed from their fathers” (v.18) is spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite in Job 15:18. Eliphaz claims he is passing down established wisdom from previous generations with the authority of tradition. Teman is believed to have been located in Edom, southeast of the land of Israel, and Eliphaz likely belonged to the time of the patriarchs (around 2000-1800 BC). In this portion of his speech, Eliphaz calls forth ancestral knowledge to assert that the basis of his arguments against Job is grounded in time-tested understanding. He believes the teachings of the ancients verify his charge that Job’s suffering points to hidden wrongdoing, a flawed conclusion which will later be rebuked by God (Job 42:7).
When Eliphaz references “What wise men have told” (v.18), he invokes a shared cultural respect for inherited wisdom. This method of appeal to tradition and inherited knowledge surfaces frequently in the book of Job, where friends pressure Job to concede that his disaster comes from divine punishment. In his self-assurance, Eliphaz overlooks that even the best of human wisdom cannot fully comprehend God’s ways, as God later reminds Job of His vast creation and unmatched sovereignty (Job 38:1-3). Eliphaz’s stance connects with the broader theme of the book: human attempts to systematically explain suffering often fall short of the truth. Nevertheless, the references to “wise men” capture the idea that sound counsel can indeed be handed down faithfully from generation to generation—even though, in this case, the friends’ application is amiss.
There is an anticipation of the New Testament principle that true wisdom is found in reliance upon God, who alone can grant clarity in times of hardship (James 1:5). Eliphaz’s reliance on famous traditions rather than on humbly seeking God foreshadows a lesson taught in scripture: tradition is good when it aligns with God’s revelation, but it fails when it assumes knowledge beyond God’s own purposes. By the end of Job’s journey, the self-righteous pronouncements of Eliphaz and his friends are addressed by the LORD, who points to a greater perspective that humans cannot access on their own.
This verse testifies that humans pass knowledge from one generation to the next, yet while inherited wisdom can have value, it is incomplete and can be used wrongly—as Eliphaz does towards Job. Through Job’s story of undeserved suffering, the Bible highlights God’s unique vantage point and invites believers to humbly receive His guidance.
Eliphaz’s speech reminds us that even “what wise men have told” (v.18) cannot replace listening to the voice of the Almighty.