They devise inner corruption that inevitably spreads into harmful deceit.
Eliphaz the Temanite, believed to have lived around the era of the patriarchs in the ancient Near East, continues his reproach of the wicked in his discourse. He accuses those who turn from God of plotting harmful schemes, declaring, They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception. (v.35) In doing so, Eliphaz emphasizes that evil begins in the heart, takes root in one’s thoughts, and eventually manifests in destructive behavior toward others. His words warn how turning away from faithfulness to God can corrupt one’s entire outlook, leading to a distorted and deceptive mindset.
The term “mischief” appears throughout scripture to convey wrongdoing that often triggers affliction within a community. Likewise, “iniquity” suggests a moral distortion or guilt before God—an unrighteousness that infects an individual from the inside out. According to Eliphaz, when a person’s mind “prepares deception,” they harbor ill intent, allowing sinful desires to grow until they emerge as full-blown treachery. This process resembles the biblical themes elsewhere where inward sin, if left unchecked, produces outward damage and spiritual disconnect.
By illustrating the pattern of conceiving and carrying out evil, Eliphaz calls attention to the sobering reality that unrighteous thoughts breed wrongdoing. Job 15:35 thus points to how defiance toward God can lead one into a downward spiral of corruption, warning people of faith to guard their hearts and renew their minds, rather than feed the seeds of malevolent purpose.
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Job 15:35 meaning
Eliphaz the Temanite, believed to have lived around the era of the patriarchs in the ancient Near East, continues his reproach of the wicked in his discourse. He accuses those who turn from God of plotting harmful schemes, declaring, They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, And their mind prepares deception. (v.35) In doing so, Eliphaz emphasizes that evil begins in the heart, takes root in one’s thoughts, and eventually manifests in destructive behavior toward others. His words warn how turning away from faithfulness to God can corrupt one’s entire outlook, leading to a distorted and deceptive mindset.
The term “mischief” appears throughout scripture to convey wrongdoing that often triggers affliction within a community. Likewise, “iniquity” suggests a moral distortion or guilt before God—an unrighteousness that infects an individual from the inside out. According to Eliphaz, when a person’s mind “prepares deception,” they harbor ill intent, allowing sinful desires to grow until they emerge as full-blown treachery. This process resembles the biblical themes elsewhere where inward sin, if left unchecked, produces outward damage and spiritual disconnect.
By illustrating the pattern of conceiving and carrying out evil, Eliphaz calls attention to the sobering reality that unrighteous thoughts breed wrongdoing. Job 15:35 thus points to how defiance toward God can lead one into a downward spiral of corruption, warning people of faith to guard their hearts and renew their minds, rather than feed the seeds of malevolent purpose.