Job 5 1

Job 5:1 kjv

Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; and to which of the saints wilt thou turn?

Job 5:1 nkjv

"Call out now; Is there anyone who will answer you? And to which of the holy ones will you turn?

Job 5:1 niv

"Call if you will, but who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

Job 5:1 esv

"Call now; is there anyone who will answer you? To which of the holy ones will you turn?

Job 5:1 nlt

"Cry for help, but will anyone answer you?
Which of the angels will help you?

Job 5 verses

Job 5 1 Meaning

Eliphaz, attempting to counsel Job, sarcastically challenges Job to find anyone, human or angelic, who would listen to or affirm his complaints of suffering while claiming innocence. He implies that no one in the universe, earthly or heavenly, would side with Job against the apparent divine judgment he is experiencing, given the prevailing belief that suffering is a direct result of sin.

Job 5 1 Context

Job 5:1 initiates the concluding segment of Eliphaz’s first discourse, which runs from Job 4 through chapter 5. Having heard Job's deep lament in chapter 3, Eliphaz begins his counsel by suggesting that innocent people do not perish, implicitly asserting that Job's suffering must stem from his own sin (Job 4:7-9). This verse serves as a direct rhetorical challenge and sarcastic dare, aimed at cornering Job. Eliphaz assumes a strict theological framework where divine justice unfailingly ensures suffering is always a punishment for wickedness. His question seeks to expose Job’s isolation and the perceived lack of cosmic support for his cries of innocence, driving him towards acknowledging his hidden transgression.

Job 5 1 Word analysis

• Call (קְרָא־נָ֣א, qərāʼ-nāʼ): An imperative form urging Job to appeal or cry out. The appended particle na adds a tone of insistence, serving here as a rhetorical, almost mocking challenge, as if to say, "Go ahead, try it now!"

• now (נָ֣א, nāʼ): This particle emphasizes the immediate challenge. In this context, it contributes to Eliphaz's impatient and confident assertion that Job's appeal will be met with silence.

• if there be any that will answer thee (וְיַעֲנֶ֗ךָ, vəyaʿăneḵā): This phrase highlights Eliphaz's anticipation of no affirmative response. The verb means "to answer" or "to respond," and its placement here underscores Eliphaz's conviction that Job will find no one who confirms his complaints or validates his innocence in the face of his calamity. It subtly conveys Job’s cosmic solitude.

• and to which (וְאֶל־מִ֥י, vəʾel-mî): A conjunction connecting the initial challenge to a more specific inquiry about whom Job might appeal to. It means "and to whom," specifying the intended recipient of Job's purported appeal.

• of the holy ones (קְדֹשִׁ֣ים, qədošîm): This plural noun, derived from the concept of holiness, refers specifically to celestial beings or angels, members of the divine assembly, not to human saints. It speaks to Eliphaz’s view of a divinely ordered cosmos where even these heavenly beings would recognize and uphold God’s justice, thus confirming Job's guilt in Eliphaz's mind.

• wilt thou turn? (תִּפְנֶֽה׃, tipneh): This verb means "to turn," "to face," or "to direct oneself." Here, it signifies seeking help, comfort, or intercession. Eliphaz challenges Job to find any such divine or angelic being who would be sympathetic to his plight or validate his claims, presuming none would because of his "guilt."

• "Call now, if there be any that will answer thee": This phrase functions as Eliphaz's dare. He provocatively invites Job to test his conviction about his own innocence by seeing if any entity, divine or otherwise, would confirm it. This rhetorical challenge frames Job's complaints as so obviously unjustified that no one would endorse them.

• "and to which of the holy ones wilt thou turn?": This particular query narrows the challenge to the divine realm, excluding even angelic beings from Job's potential allies. It asserts that even the members of God's celestial court, understanding God’s flawless judgment, would find no basis to intercede for or sympathize with Job. It emphasizes the absolute conviction of Eliphaz that Job stands utterly alone in his unjustified protest against divine action.

Job 5 1 Bonus section

The mention of "holy ones" (קְדֹשִׁ֣ים, qədošîm) by Eliphaz provides an important window into ancient Near Eastern cosmology and, by extension, biblical theology regarding celestial beings. These "holy ones" are widely understood as angelic beings, part of God’s heavenly assembly or divine council, a concept also seen in passages like Psa 89:5-7 and Job 1:6 (where "sons of God" are present before the Lord). Eliphaz’s challenge therefore not only includes earthly arbiters but extends to the cosmic realm, suggesting that Job's presumed guilt is so undeniable that no angelic being would side with him. Ironically, the opening chapters of Job reveal that the actual source of Job's suffering was determined in a heavenly assembly, between God and Satan, completely unrelated to Job's sin. Thus, Eliphaz's unwitting reference to the "holy ones" subtly prefigures the divine dimension of Job’s suffering that the friends—and even Job initially—do not comprehend.

Job 5 1 Commentary

Job 5:1, spoken by Eliphaz, is a cornerstone of the traditional retribution theology espoused by Job’s friends. It serves as a sarcastic dare, challenging Job to find any support for his claim of innocence amidst his suffering. By inviting Job to call upon either men or "holy ones" (angelic beings), Eliphaz intends to expose Job's perceived isolation and futility in arguing against divine judgment. He believes that the sheer weight of Job's calamity must point to an underlying sin, so obvious that not even the heavenly host would dare to contradict it. This verse tragically reveals the theological blindness of Eliphaz, who, despite his apparent wisdom and respect, cannot grasp a God whose ways transcend human, even angelic, understanding of suffering and justice. The true irony lies in the fact that the book of Job later demonstrates that God himself will directly answer Job and, importantly, rebuke the friends for their mistaken counsel.

• Example: When one rigidly applies "What goes around comes around," disregarding that God's ways and purposes are often beyond human comprehension of immediate justice.
• Example: A modern interpretation might involve telling a suffering person, "If you were truly innocent, why would God allow this?" which discounts grace and God's larger purposes.