Job 15 27

Job 15:27 kjv

Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.

Job 15:27 nkjv

"Though he has covered his face with his fatness, And made his waist heavy with fat,

Job 15:27 niv

"Though his face is covered with fat and his waist bulges with flesh,

Job 15:27 esv

because he has covered his face with his fat and gathered fat upon his waist

Job 15:27 nlt

"These wicked people are heavy and prosperous;
their waists bulge with fat.

Job 15 verses

Job 15 27 Meaning

Job 15:27 describes the self-indulgent state of the wicked person from Eliphaz's perspective. It paints a picture of extreme prosperity and physical excess leading to spiritual arrogance and insensitivity. The imagery of "covered his face with his fatness" speaks of one who is so consumed by his own wealth and comfort that it metaphorically blinds him to God and reality, or represents a haughty, unashamed display of his abundance. "Made himself the side folds of his loins" further emphasizes gross corpulence resulting from unchecked indulgence, signifying a life devoid of discipline, devoted to sensual gratification, and steeped in proud self-sufficiency. Eliphaz suggests that such excessive physical comfort and pride become an impediment to recognizing sin or needing God.

Job 15 27 Context

Job 15:27 appears within Eliphaz's second speech to Job. Having previously encouraged Job to repent (Job 5), Eliphaz now becomes more confrontational. He asserts that Job's words are empty and that Job himself is ungodly (Job 15:2-6). Eliphaz then launches into a lengthy description of the fate of the wicked, which constitutes the bulk of this chapter (Job 15:17-35). He firmly believes in the direct retribution theology: the wicked always suffer, and Job's suffering must therefore signify his wickedness. This particular verse (15:27) portrays a key characteristic of such a "wicked" individual – their prosperity and resulting pride. This description aims to link outward appearances of physical excess with an inward spiritual rebellion against God. The immediate preceding verses speak of the wicked having filled cities and houses (15:26), setting up the scenario for their fatness, pride, and subsequent divine downfall as per Eliphaz's theological framework. Historically and culturally, in the ancient Near East, prosperity was generally viewed as a sign of divine favor. However, the Bible frequently cautions against the spiritual dangers of wealth and abundance, which can lead to pride, forgetting God, and a turning away from righteousness (e.g., Deut 8:12-14; 32:15). Eliphaz uses the physical manifestation of "fatness" to denote a spiritual condition of haughty self-sufficiency that blinds the individual to truth and accountability, and eventually brings judgment.

Job 15 27 Word Analysis

• Because: The verse begins with a causal "Because" (כִּי - ki), indicating Eliphaz's explanation for the fate of the wicked previously alluded to or about to be described. Their lifestyle is the root cause.

• he has covered: The Hebrew verb is עָטָה (ʿaṭa), meaning "to cover," "to wrap," "to cloak." It implies a deliberate or acquired state of being cloaked or veiled. Here, it is self-imposed, an internal condition manifesting outwardly.

• his face: The Hebrew is פָנָיו (panāyw), meaning "his face," denoting the forefront of a person, where expressions are shown. Covering it suggests hiding shame, presenting a bold front, or being literally "fat-faced" to the point of obscuring features. It may symbolize a spiritual blindness or an unseeing pride.

• with his fatness: The Hebrew is חֶלְבּוֹ (ḥelbo), meaning "his fat" or "his choicest part." In a physical sense, it indicates corpulence, obesity, and by extension, luxurious living or overindulgence. In cultic contexts, chelev (fat) was reserved for God; here, it signifies self-gratification rather than devotion. It is a sign of an excessive, comfort-seeking lifestyle.

• and has made himself: The verb is וַיַּעַשׂ (wayyaʿaś), from עָשָׂה (ʿāśāh), "to do," "to make," "to fashion." This stresses that this condition of fatness is not accidental or divinely ordained for punishment but is a direct, deliberate consequence of the person's own choices and lifestyle.

• the side folds: The Hebrew is פִימָה (pîmāh), a unique and rare term in the Hebrew Bible, which means "folds" or "swelling," specifically referring to excess flesh or fat rolls. Its rarity emphasizes the specific and grotesque image of advanced corpulence being conveyed.

• of his loins: The Hebrew is מָתְנָיִם (motnayim), meaning "loins" or "waist." This part of the body is often associated with strength (cf. Is 45:1), reproduction, and preparedness for action (girding the loins). To have fat folds here suggests sluggishness, physical decay due to excess, and a total lack of readiness for anything demanding.

• "covered his face with his fatness": This phrase paints a vivid picture. It signifies that the individual's excessive prosperity and physical indulgence have become so pervasive that they obscure his vision or represent a proud, unblushing self-satisfaction. It conveys a spiritual denseness or arrogance, where the physical manifestation of overindulgence literally becomes a barrier to perception or humility.

• "made himself the side folds of his loins": This further emphasizes extreme corpulence. It implies an active shaping of one's body through uncontrolled appetite and luxurious ease. This image concretely portrays a life lived purely for physical comfort and gratification, leading to a state of sloth and immobility. The individual has, by his choices, become "bound" or "weighed down" by his own excesses, signifying his moral and spiritual deterioration.

Job 15 27 Bonus section

The specific choice of "fatness" imagery (חֶלְבּוֹ, ḥelbo) is interesting. In ancient Israelite worship, the fat (or chelev) of sacrifices was considered the choicest part, belonging exclusively to God and burnt upon the altar. For a person to be "covered" with his fat, making "himself" the fat, subtly subverts this sacred order. Instead of offering the choicest to God, the wicked consumes it, becoming physically and spiritually bloated with self-indulgence, essentially taking for themselves what should have been directed towards worship and devotion. This amplifies the sense of impiety and egocentricity in Eliphaz's accusation. The language suggests a person so detached from spiritual accountability that they build their own physical prison of self-gratification, symbolically cutting themselves off from divine favor and spiritual alertness.

Job 15 27 Commentary

Eliphaz's description of the wicked in Job 15:27 is a powerful metaphorical portrayal of spiritual decay brought about by material excess. The imagery of "fatness" is not merely descriptive of a physical condition, but a symbolic representation of the hardening of the heart and the arrogance that often accompany unchecked prosperity and indulgence. The wicked, in Eliphaz's view, have become so engorged with their own success and pleasure that it manifests physically as overwhelming corpulence. This "fatness" effectively blinds them to spiritual realities, fosters a haughty self-reliance, and prevents any introspection or recognition of sin. Their bodies become a testament to their absorption in earthly gratifications, showing an individual who is not lean and disciplined but weighed down by their own material prosperity. This serves Eliphaz's larger argument that Job's suffering must stem from a similar (though perhaps hidden) pride or sinfulness. This portrayal also contains a subtle polemic against the idea that material prosperity always signifies God's favor, particularly when it leads to arrogance and spiritual blindness.