Job 15 2

Job 15:2 kjv

Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

Job 15:2 nkjv

"Should a wise man answer with empty knowledge, And fill himself with the east wind?

Job 15:2 niv

"Would a wise person answer with empty notions or fill their belly with the hot east wind?

Job 15:2 esv

"Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?

Job 15:2 nlt

"A wise man wouldn't answer with such empty talk!
You are nothing but a windbag.

Job 15 verses

Job 15 2 Meaning

Eliphaz the Temanite rhetorically questions Job's wisdom, implying that a truly wise person would not utter empty, insubstantial, or destructive words that are akin to filling one's inner being with the barren and scorching east wind. This criticism labels Job's discourse as useless and harmful, stemming from a foundation of inner void rather than sound understanding.

Job 15 2 Context

Job 15:2 marks the beginning of Eliphaz the Temanite's second speech to Job. Having previously spoken in Job 4-5, Eliphaz now takes on a more aggressive and less sympathetic tone. He perceives Job's earlier responses (Job 12-14) as defiant and blasphemous. In this chapter, Eliphaz rejects Job's complaints and challenges God's justice, viewing Job's words not as a plea from deep suffering, but as a dangerous outburst stemming from a troubled spirit and false wisdom. He suggests Job's afflictions are a direct consequence of his hidden wickedness, a conventional wisdom framework that Eliphaz rigidly applies. This verse sets Eliphaz's critical stance, immediately dismissing Job's arguments as devoid of substance and even harmful.

Historically and culturally, debates among "wise men" were common, where rhetoric and the application of traditional wisdom played crucial roles. The concept of "wisdom" (hokhmah) in ancient Israel often encompassed not just intellectual prowess but also practical righteousness and understanding of divine ways. To accuse someone of speaking "windy knowledge" was a grave insult, undermining their intellectual and moral standing. The "east wind" (qadim) was notorious in the ancient Near East as a harsh, scorching, dry wind that withered crops and brought desolation, often associated with divine judgment and destruction (e.g., in agricultural contexts and military metaphors). Therefore, filling one's "belly" or inner self with such a wind meant being consumed by, and speaking forth, utter barrenness, desolation, and destruction. This polemic targets Job's self-perception of wisdom, arguing that his words defy the expected decorum and truth of a wise man.

Job 15 2 Word analysis

• הַיֵּדַע (Ha-yê-da'): This begins with the interrogative particle 'Ha-' (ה) meaning "Does/Should?" affixed to the verb 'yada' (ידע), meaning "to know," "to understand," or here, "to answer knowledgeably." Eliphaz's use of a rhetorical question challenges Job directly, implying a clear negative answer: a truly wise man would not behave or speak as Job has. It subtly questions Job's claim to understanding and integrity.
• חָכָם (Cha-kam): This term means "wise man" or "skillful one." In biblical wisdom literature, a chakham is one who possesses true understanding, often rooted in the fear of the LORD. Eliphaz, by using this term and immediately questioning it in relation to Job, casts doubt on Job's authenticity as a truly wise individual, setting him in opposition to the established archetype of a wise person.
• מַעֲנֶה (Ma'a-neh): Translates as "answer," "discourse," or "speech." It refers specifically to Job's replies and pronouncements to his friends. Eliphaz is not just criticizing a few words, but the very nature and content of Job's entire argument.
• רוּחַ (Ru-ach): This versatile Hebrew word can mean "wind," "spirit," or "breath." In this context, combined with ma'aneh, it refers to something insubstantial, empty, or vain, akin to "windy knowledge." It implies words devoid of substance or value, just mere "air." The connotation here is derogatory, suggesting a lack of depth or truth.
• וַיְמַלֵּא (Va-ye-mal-le'): Meaning "and he fills" or "and fill." This verb suggests thorough saturation. It implies a deliberate or complete ingestion. The choice of "filling" one's "belly" is not superficial but deep and permeating.
• קָדִים (Qa-dim): Refers to the "east wind." In the Middle East, this wind is notorious for being hot, dry, and destructive, scorching vegetation and bringing desolation. It represents futility, harmfulness, and utter barrenness. Its metaphorical use here enhances the destructive nature of Job's "empty notions."
• בִּטְנוֹ (Bit-no): Meaning "his belly" or "his stomach." Biblically, the "belly" can symbolize the innermost being, the seat of thoughts, emotions, intentions, and even moral character (e.g., Prov 20:27, 22:18). Therefore, "filling his belly with the east wind" is not merely about speaking empty words, but about those empty and destructive words originating from the very core of Job's corrupted inner self.

Words-group by words-group analysis

• "Should a wise man answer with windy knowledge?": This rhetorical question is a pointed challenge to Job's credibility. It directly attacks the very nature of Job's arguments, labeling them as unsubstantial, lacking wisdom, and contrary to what a genuinely wise person would say. It functions as Eliphaz's dismissive judgment of Job's prior statements.
• "and fill his belly with the east wind?": This second part amplifies and clarifies the first. It serves as a vivid metaphor for the source and harmful nature of Job's speech. "Filling his belly" signifies deeply internalizing and being consumed by; "east wind" signifies something utterly barren, destructive, and worthless. Thus, Job's "windy knowledge" is not just empty, but is born from a desolate inner state, polluting his very being and emanating outward as destructive speech.

Job 15 2 Bonus section

• Polemics against superficial wisdom: The verse functions as a polemic against human wisdom that presumes to understand God's complex ways without truly listening or humbly acknowledging limits. Eliphaz uses conventional wisdom to attack what he perceives as Job's unconventional defiance.
• Irony of Accusation: There is profound irony here, as the friends' repetitive and accusatory speeches are arguably more akin to "windy knowledge" and "east wind" than Job's desperate laments, a point the LORD will implicitly validate later (Job 42:7-8).
• Consequences of Words: The passage highlights the ancient understanding of words not as mere sounds but as powerful entities carrying substantial impact, whether beneficial (like wisdom) or detrimental (like the east wind).
• Psychological Insight: "Filling his belly" offers insight into the presumed internal state of Job—one of inner emptiness or a corrupted source from which unedifying words flow. It points to a connection between inner disposition and outward expression.

Job 15 2 Commentary

Job 15:2 reveals Eliphaz's deep frustration and critical misjudgment of Job. Rather than addressing Job's suffering or wrestling with his theological questions, Eliphaz defaults to a traditional, rigid interpretation of divine justice, under which Job's plight must be due to hidden sin. He begins his second speech by immediately launching an ad hominem attack, dismissing Job's wisdom outright. The accusation that Job "answers with windy knowledge" means his words are seen as nothing more than insubstantial breath, lacking divine wisdom or practical truth. The vivid image of Job "filling his belly with the east wind" goes deeper: it implies that Job's very core, his intellect, spirit, and emotional being, is corrupted by something that produces only barrenness and destruction. This is not just an empty statement; it’s an indictment of the perceived malevolence and destructive futility inherent in Job's words, contrasting sharply with the nourishing wisdom expected from a righteous individual. It demonstrates the friends' inability to grasp Job's innocent suffering, projecting their flawed theological assumptions onto him.