Job 4:15 kjv
Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
Job 4:15 nkjv
Then a spirit passed before my face; The hair on my body stood up.
Job 4:15 niv
A spirit glided past my face, and the hair on my body stood on end.
Job 4:15 esv
A spirit glided past my face; the hair of my flesh stood up.
Job 4:15 nlt
A spirit swept past my face,
and my hair stood on end.
Job 4 15 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Exod 15:16 | "Terror and dread fall upon them..." | Fear from divine power. |
| Pss 55:4–5 | "My heart is in anguish within me; terrors of death have fallen upon me..." | Physical terror and dread. |
| Pss 77:4 | "You held my eyelids open; I was so troubled that I could not speak." | Profound disturbance from a divine encounter. |
| Dan 10:7–9 | "I, Daniel, alone saw the vision, while the men...saw no vision, but a great trembling fell upon them..." | Intense physical reaction to spiritual presence. |
| Luke 24:37 | "But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit." | Human reaction of fear to a spiritual being. |
| Acts 22:9 | "Now those who were with me saw the light but did not understand..." | Witnesses of a spiritual phenomenon. |
| Num 12:6 | "...When a prophet of the Lord is among you, I reveal myself to him in visions, I speak to him in dreams." | Divine communication through visions. |
| Jer 23:25–28 | "I have heard what the prophets have said who prophesy lies in my name...that are only delusions from their own minds!" | Distinguishing true divine visions from false. |
| Joel 2:28 | "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh..." | Prophecy of divine communication via Spirit. |
| Acts 2:17 | "And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh..." | Fulfillment of Joel's prophecy; spiritual revelation. |
| Acts 10:10–17 | "...he fell into a trance and saw the heavens opened..." | Visionary experience of Peter. |
| Exod 3:6 | "...Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God." | Fear in the presence of the divine. |
| Isa 6:5 | "Then I said: 'Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips...'" | Sense of impurity in divine presence. |
| Ezek 1:28 | "As the appearance of the rainbow in the clouds...so was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the Lord. And when I saw it, I fell on my face..." | Overwhelming reaction to God's glory. |
| Dan 8:18 | "And when he had spoken to me, I fell into a deep sleep on my face..." | Falling prostrate in overwhelming visions. |
| Rev 1:17 | "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead." | Prostrate fear and awe before a heavenly being. |
| 1 Cor 12:10 | "...to another the ability to distinguish between spirits..." | Discernment of spiritual origin. |
| 1 John 4:1 | "Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits..." | Warning to test the source of spirits. |
| Job 4:17–19 | "Can mortal man be more righteous than God?...those who dwell in houses of clay..." | Eliphaz's conclusion on human frailty from this vision. |
| Job 15:14–16 | "What is man, that he should be clean? And he who is born of a woman, that he should be righteous?" | Eliphaz reiterates human impurity before God. |
| Pss 8:4 | "What is man that you are mindful of him...?" | Reflection on humanity's smallness before God. |
| Pss 144:3 | "O Lord, what is man that you regard him, or the son of man that you think of him?" | Humanity's insignificance compared to God. |
| Heb 12:29 | "For our God is a consuming fire." | God's powerful and awesome nature. |
| Eccl 11:5 | "As you do not know the way the spirit comes to the bones in the womb...so you do not know the work of God..." | Mysterious nature of the spirit and God's work. |
Job 4 verses
Job 4 15 Meaning
Job 4:15 describes Eliphaz's recounting of a terrifying spiritual encounter. A spirit suddenly passed very close to him, causing an involuntary and intense physical reaction of fear where the hair on his body stood on end. This vision profoundly affected Eliphaz, serving as the basis for his subsequent theological argument concerning the purity of God versus the inherent imperfection of humanity.
Job 4 15 Context
Job chapter 4 marks the beginning of the "dialogues" section of the Book of Job. After Job expresses his lament and curse, Eliphaz the Temanite, the eldest and most prominent of Job's three friends, speaks first. His initial response is framed with cautious reverence, but quickly turns to challenging Job's self-righteousness. Eliphaz appeals to traditional wisdom, particularly the principle of divine retribution (the righteous prosper, the wicked suffer). In Job 4:12-16, he recounts a personal, awe-inspiring, and terrifying vision he experienced, presenting it as divine confirmation of his theology. Verse 15 specifically describes the moment of profound dread within that vision, setting the stage for his subsequent arguments about humanity's inherent impurity compared to God's absolute purity. Eliphaz uses this powerful personal experience to validate his claims that no human, no matter how righteous, can be pure or just in God's eyes, thus subtly implying that Job's suffering must stem from some sin or imperfection.
Job 4 15 Word analysis
- Then (וְרוּחַ - wə·rū·aḥ): Starts a sequence, introducing a sudden, pivotal event. It connects the vision to a direct experience rather than an abstract thought.
- a spirit (רוּחַ - rū·aḥ): This significant Hebrew word means "wind," "breath," or "spirit." Its exact nature is left ambiguous by Eliphaz—it could be a ghostly apparition, a divine messenger, or even the breath of God. The ambiguity enhances its mysterious and terrifying quality, preventing precise identification and magnifying its impact.
- passed before (חָלַף עַל־ - ḥā·laf ‘al): Chalaf means "to pass by," "to glide by," or "to pass over." Al means "upon" or "over." The phrasing suggests a rapid, ephemeral, almost tactile movement very close to Eliphaz, emphasizing its immediate proximity and fleeting presence.
- my face (פָּנַי - pā·nay): Literally "my face," indicating direct frontal encounter, suggesting it was felt or perceived in a very personal and invasive way. The face is where a person expresses fear.
- the hair of my flesh (שׂעֲרַת בְּשָׂרִי - śa‘ă·raṯ bə·śā·rî): This is a precise physiological description. Sa'arat means "hair" or "bristle"; b'sari means "my flesh" or "my body." This detail vividly portrays an involuntary, intense physical response to extreme fear or horror.
- stood up (סָמָר - sā·mar): Samar means "to stand on end," "to bristle," "to shudder." It depicts piloerection, a primal and universal sign of intense terror, cold, or awe, underscoring the profound shock and dread Eliphaz experienced.
Words-Group by words-group analysis:
- "Then a spirit passed before my face": This phrase evokes a sudden, personal, and frightening encounter. The "spirit" is vague yet impactful, arriving unexpectedly in Eliphaz's personal space ("before my face"). This suggests a direct, palpable manifestation rather than just an internal thought. The passing motion highlights its mysterious and transient nature.
- "the hair of my flesh stood up": This is a direct, physiological consequence of the terrifying encounter. It's a vivid depiction of visceral fear, known as horripilation, illustrating the depth of the dread that permeated Eliphaz's entire being, not just his mind. It signifies an overwhelming, involuntary reaction that communicates true terror.
Job 4 15 Bonus section
The nature of the "spirit" Eliphaz encounters is a subject of interpretation. While Eliphaz presents it as a revelation from God, validating his traditional wisdom, the text itself only identifies it as a "spirit" (ruach). This ambiguity allows for various interpretations, ranging from a truly divine encounter (e.g., an angel or aspect of God's presence), a malevolent spiritual being, or even a product of Eliphaz's own deeply ingrained theological framework projected into a visionary experience. The horror is clear regardless of the spirit's source. This verse also illustrates the power of an encounter with the unseen, regardless of its specific identity, to profoundly shape one's understanding of God and humanity's place before Him. It's a primal encounter with the transcendent.
Job 4 15 Commentary
Job 4:15 is the dramatic peak of Eliphaz's account of a terrifying spiritual encounter, serving as a rhetorical anchor for his ensuing argument. The description is remarkably vivid and relatable, portraying a common physiological response to extreme fear or supernatural awe. The "spirit" (ruach), though undefined, generates profound dread through its close, passing proximity to Eliphaz. This isn't merely a dream, but an experience powerful enough to cause a visceral, bodily reaction. Eliphaz recounts this vision to Job not out of personal vulnerability but as an undeniable, direct revelation supporting his assertion: if a spirit could provoke such fear and make Eliphaz feel utterly insignificant, how much less could a mere mortal stand righteous before God's ultimate purity? It validates his traditional understanding that no human can ever be fully justified before the Creator, thereby subtly challenging Job's perceived innocence and providing a "divine" justification for suffering. It also functions as a chilling example of what humans might experience in the very fringes of the spiritual realm.