This verse underscores human frailty in the presence of the supernatural.
“Then a spirit passed by my face, And the hair of my flesh bristled up.” (v.15) In this verse, Eliphaz the Temanite recounts a mysterious encounter during the night. Teman was likely located in the region of Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea, in terrain known for rocky deserts and rugged wilderness areas. This part of Eliphaz’s speech suggests a supernatural or spiritual event, stirring fear and awe in him. By describing “the hair of his flesh bristling up” (v.15), he conveys the intense dread that overwhelmed him. Eliphaz aims to use this dramatic vision as a form of authority for the rebuke he will deliver to Job, believing that this message from the spirit is divine or at least spiritually guided.
In the broader context of the Book of Job, Job’s friends attempt to grapple with the question of why the righteous suffer. Eliphaz, one of these friends, believes in a worldview where wrongdoing leads to punishment. He uses this eerie incident to suggest that there is a moral order in the universe, implying that Job has offended that order somehow. While Eliphaz’s experience might be genuinely frightening and mystical, the later chapters of Job reveal that human understanding of God’s ways is far from complete (Job 38-42). This tension between partial insight into spiritual realities and divine sovereignty foreshadows the New Testament teaching that sometimes suffering can be a path to greater understanding or redemption, such as Jesus’ own suffering (Romans 5:3-5).
“Then a spirit passed by my face, And the hair of my flesh bristled up.” (v.15) portrays a profound moment where fear and revelation merge, leaving Eliphaz—even in his possible misunderstanding—convinced of a higher purpose in human trials.
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Job 4:15 meaning
“Then a spirit passed by my face, And the hair of my flesh bristled up.” (v.15) In this verse, Eliphaz the Temanite recounts a mysterious encounter during the night. Teman was likely located in the region of Edom, southeast of the Dead Sea, in terrain known for rocky deserts and rugged wilderness areas. This part of Eliphaz’s speech suggests a supernatural or spiritual event, stirring fear and awe in him. By describing “the hair of his flesh bristling up” (v.15), he conveys the intense dread that overwhelmed him. Eliphaz aims to use this dramatic vision as a form of authority for the rebuke he will deliver to Job, believing that this message from the spirit is divine or at least spiritually guided.
In the broader context of the Book of Job, Job’s friends attempt to grapple with the question of why the righteous suffer. Eliphaz, one of these friends, believes in a worldview where wrongdoing leads to punishment. He uses this eerie incident to suggest that there is a moral order in the universe, implying that Job has offended that order somehow. While Eliphaz’s experience might be genuinely frightening and mystical, the later chapters of Job reveal that human understanding of God’s ways is far from complete (Job 38-42). This tension between partial insight into spiritual realities and divine sovereignty foreshadows the New Testament teaching that sometimes suffering can be a path to greater understanding or redemption, such as Jesus’ own suffering (Romans 5:3-5).
“Then a spirit passed by my face, And the hair of my flesh bristled up.” (v.15) portrays a profound moment where fear and revelation merge, leaving Eliphaz—even in his possible misunderstanding—convinced of a higher purpose in human trials.