God’s discipline is necessary for our growth, and His healing is always timely.
Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends from Teman—an area traditionally thought to be in Edom, located in what is now southwestern Jordan—describes God’s ability to both afflict and restore when he states, “For He inflicts pain and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal” (Job 5:18). Though Eliphaz delivers these words during Job’s suffering, his conviction stands as a profound reminder that God’s sovereignty extends to the trials and the comfort that follow. Historically, Eliphaz may have lived around the same period in which the Book of Job is set, possibly during the patriarchal era, often estimated around 2000-1800 BC. This dating highlights the ancient and enduring question of divine justice and compassion, illustrating how these words have carried hope across many centuries.
When Eliphaz stresses “For He inflicts pain and gives relief” (Job 5:18), he underscores a belief that the Almighty orchestrates circumstances for a divine purpose. In the broader context of Scripture, we see that God’s discipline is often not to destroy but to refine; Hebrews 12:6 teaches that the Lord disciplines those He loves. By wounding, the verse suggests that God sometimes allows or enables hardship as a tool of growth, humility, or correction. Yet such discipline is coupled with mercy, as God also provides relief. This tension reveals that, although suffering can be bitter, it may lead to spiritual maturation, deeper faith, and eventual restoration.
The last phrase, “He wounds, and His hands also heal” (Job 5:18), points to the healing work that is ultimately found in the Creator. In the New Testament, we see the same heart of compassion in Jesus’s ministry of healing (Matthew 4:23). The image of God’s hands here conveys personal care, implying that the same divine power which permits pain can, and does, mend the broken. Eliphaz’s insight resonates through the ages to remind believers that God is deeply involved in the process of brokenness and restoration, guiding hearts toward redemption.
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Job 5:18 meaning
Eliphaz, one of Job’s friends from Teman—an area traditionally thought to be in Edom, located in what is now southwestern Jordan—describes God’s ability to both afflict and restore when he states, “For He inflicts pain and gives relief; He wounds, and His hands also heal” (Job 5:18). Though Eliphaz delivers these words during Job’s suffering, his conviction stands as a profound reminder that God’s sovereignty extends to the trials and the comfort that follow. Historically, Eliphaz may have lived around the same period in which the Book of Job is set, possibly during the patriarchal era, often estimated around 2000-1800 BC. This dating highlights the ancient and enduring question of divine justice and compassion, illustrating how these words have carried hope across many centuries.
When Eliphaz stresses “For He inflicts pain and gives relief” (Job 5:18), he underscores a belief that the Almighty orchestrates circumstances for a divine purpose. In the broader context of Scripture, we see that God’s discipline is often not to destroy but to refine; Hebrews 12:6 teaches that the Lord disciplines those He loves. By wounding, the verse suggests that God sometimes allows or enables hardship as a tool of growth, humility, or correction. Yet such discipline is coupled with mercy, as God also provides relief. This tension reveals that, although suffering can be bitter, it may lead to spiritual maturation, deeper faith, and eventual restoration.
The last phrase, “He wounds, and His hands also heal” (Job 5:18), points to the healing work that is ultimately found in the Creator. In the New Testament, we see the same heart of compassion in Jesus’s ministry of healing (Matthew 4:23). The image of God’s hands here conveys personal care, implying that the same divine power which permits pain can, and does, mend the broken. Eliphaz’s insight resonates through the ages to remind believers that God is deeply involved in the process of brokenness and restoration, guiding hearts toward redemption.