This verse warns against arrogance that can grow out of material comfort.
“For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27). These words are spoken by Eliphaz, one of Job’s three friends who came to comfort him after he suffered deep personal loss. According to many scholars, Job’s life events likely took place during the patriarchal period (approximately 2000-1700 BC), placing Eliphaz and his companions in an era before the formation of the nation of Israel as told in the book of Exodus. In this verse, Eliphaz is describing a person who has grown complacent or self-indulgent, reflected in the imagery of “covering his face with fat” and marking a state of arrogance or spiritual blindness. The physical metaphor speaks of one who is so self-satisfied that he cannot see beyond his own prosperity or pride.
“For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27) underscores the belief that excessive comfort can lead to moral neglect. Eliphaz hints that such worldly puffiness might symbolize a lack of humility before God. In the broader narrative of Job, Eliphaz repeatedly suggests that suffering is directly tied to wrongdoing, implying that being blessed with abundance (as indicated by “fatness”) comes with the risk of forgetting one’s dependence on the Lord. Old Testament teachings repeatedly emphasize that an inflated ego can veil one’s face from truly beholding God’s holiness and grace (Proverbs 16:18).
Job’s story ultimately points to the importance of relying fully on God rather than human understanding (Job 42:1-6). From a New Testament perspective, this aligns with Jesus’ teaching that spiritual wealth surpasses worldly abundance (Matthew 6:19-21). When Eliphaz says of someone, “he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27), he highlights the danger of allowing worldly ease to erode humility, reminding believers that true strength comes from a heart devoted to God.
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Job 15:27 meaning
“For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27). These words are spoken by Eliphaz, one of Job’s three friends who came to comfort him after he suffered deep personal loss. According to many scholars, Job’s life events likely took place during the patriarchal period (approximately 2000-1700 BC), placing Eliphaz and his companions in an era before the formation of the nation of Israel as told in the book of Exodus. In this verse, Eliphaz is describing a person who has grown complacent or self-indulgent, reflected in the imagery of “covering his face with fat” and marking a state of arrogance or spiritual blindness. The physical metaphor speaks of one who is so self-satisfied that he cannot see beyond his own prosperity or pride.
“For he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27) underscores the belief that excessive comfort can lead to moral neglect. Eliphaz hints that such worldly puffiness might symbolize a lack of humility before God. In the broader narrative of Job, Eliphaz repeatedly suggests that suffering is directly tied to wrongdoing, implying that being blessed with abundance (as indicated by “fatness”) comes with the risk of forgetting one’s dependence on the Lord. Old Testament teachings repeatedly emphasize that an inflated ego can veil one’s face from truly beholding God’s holiness and grace (Proverbs 16:18).
Job’s story ultimately points to the importance of relying fully on God rather than human understanding (Job 42:1-6). From a New Testament perspective, this aligns with Jesus’ teaching that spiritual wealth surpasses worldly abundance (Matthew 6:19-21). When Eliphaz says of someone, “he has covered his face with his fat And made his thighs heavy with flesh,” (v.27), he highlights the danger of allowing worldly ease to erode humility, reminding believers that true strength comes from a heart devoted to God.