They who are far from God’s covering face ruin without an advocate.
“His sons are far from safety, They are even [oppressed] in the gate, And there is no deliverer.” (v.4)
This remark in Job 5:4 comes from Eliphaz the Temanite, whose dialogue with Job is recorded in the Old Testament around the time of the Patriarchs (approximately 2000-1800 B.C.). Eliphaz belongs to the region of Teman, an area often associated with Edom, located southeast of the Dead Sea. Here, “His sons are far from safety” (v.4) conveys the deep pain and devastating consequences that befall the offspring of a person under God’s judgment, according to Eliphaz’s reasoning. In the culture of the ancient Near East, being “far from safety” carried the sense of total vulnerability, with none of the protective barriers or social structures to shield one from harm.
When Eliphaz describes “They are even [oppressed] in the gate” (v.4), he is pointing to the gate of the city as the location where legal decisions were deliberated. In biblical times, this gate was the center of community life, commerce, and justice. To be oppressed there implies not only a physical threat but also an unjust social system where these sons cannot find a fair trial or advocacy. Eliphaz uses this image to stress the hopelessness of their situation, suggesting that there is no one to stand up for them and deliver a righteous verdict, reinforcing the idea that sin or folly has placed them in this predicament.
Finally, “And there is no deliverer” (v.4) amplifies how absolute their lack of protection is, underscoring Eliphaz’s argument that suffering and destruction come upon those who walk outside of God’s favor. In the broader biblical context, only God has the power to save and restore (Romans 8:31-39). But Eliphaz mistakenly presumes that all misfortune directly results from personal wrongdoing, missing other inherent purposes of suffering later revealed in Scripture. Ultimately, this verse underscores the vulnerability of those who have alienated themselves from divine protection, pointing to the hope found in the redemptive work of the Lord, who alone can offer true salvation (John 14:6).
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Job 5:4 meaning
“His sons are far from safety, They are even [oppressed] in the gate, And there is no deliverer.” (v.4)
This remark in Job 5:4 comes from Eliphaz the Temanite, whose dialogue with Job is recorded in the Old Testament around the time of the Patriarchs (approximately 2000-1800 B.C.). Eliphaz belongs to the region of Teman, an area often associated with Edom, located southeast of the Dead Sea. Here, “His sons are far from safety” (v.4) conveys the deep pain and devastating consequences that befall the offspring of a person under God’s judgment, according to Eliphaz’s reasoning. In the culture of the ancient Near East, being “far from safety” carried the sense of total vulnerability, with none of the protective barriers or social structures to shield one from harm.
When Eliphaz describes “They are even [oppressed] in the gate” (v.4), he is pointing to the gate of the city as the location where legal decisions were deliberated. In biblical times, this gate was the center of community life, commerce, and justice. To be oppressed there implies not only a physical threat but also an unjust social system where these sons cannot find a fair trial or advocacy. Eliphaz uses this image to stress the hopelessness of their situation, suggesting that there is no one to stand up for them and deliver a righteous verdict, reinforcing the idea that sin or folly has placed them in this predicament.
Finally, “And there is no deliverer” (v.4) amplifies how absolute their lack of protection is, underscoring Eliphaz’s argument that suffering and destruction come upon those who walk outside of God’s favor. In the broader biblical context, only God has the power to save and restore (Romans 8:31-39). But Eliphaz mistakenly presumes that all misfortune directly results from personal wrongdoing, missing other inherent purposes of suffering later revealed in Scripture. Ultimately, this verse underscores the vulnerability of those who have alienated themselves from divine protection, pointing to the hope found in the redemptive work of the Lord, who alone can offer true salvation (John 14:6).