Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 15:2
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge ] Or, will a wise man answer with vain, &c., lit., knowledge of wind, i. e. empty and loud, cf. ch. Job 8:2, Job 16:2. The word wise refers back to Job’s claims to superior wisdom, ch. Job 12:3, Job 13:2. Eliphaz asks, Is this the manner of one possessed of wisdom?
fill his belly with the east wind ] i. e. puff himself up and then bring out of his mouth violent blasts of mere barren words; cf. Hos 12:1.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Should a wise man – Referring to Job, and to his claims to be esteemed wise; see Job 12:3; Job 13:2, Job 13:6. The argument of Eliphaz here is, that the sentiments which Job had advanced were a sufficient refutation of his pretensions to wisdom. A wise man would not be guilty of mere talk, or of using language that conveyed no ideas.
Utter – literally, answer. It refers to the replies which Job had made to the arguments of his friends.
Vain knowledge – Margin, Knowledge of wind. So the Hebrew; see Job 6:26; Job 7:7. The wind is used to denote what is unsubstantial, vain, changing. Here it is used as an emblem of remarks which were vain, empty, and irrelevant.
And fill his belly – Fill his mind with unsubstantial arguments or sentiments – as little fitted for utility as the east wind is for food. The image is, he fills himself with mere wind, and then blows it out under pretence of delivering the maxims of wisdom.
With the east wind – The east wind was not only tempestuous and vehement, but sultry, and destructive to vegetation. It passed over vast deserts, and was characterized by great dryness and heat. It is used here to denote a manner of discourse that had in it nothing profitable.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge] Or rather, Should a wise man utter the science of wind? A science without solidity or certainty.
And fill his belly with the east wind?] beten, which we translate belly, is used to signify any part of the cavity of the body, whether the region of the thorax or abdomen; here it evidently refers to the lungs, and may include the cheeks and fauces. The east wind, kadim, is a very stormy wind in the Levant, or the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, supposed to be the same with that called by the Greeks , euroclydon, the east storm, mentioned Ac 27:14. Eliphaz, by these words, seems to intimate that Job’s speech was a perfect storm or tempest of words.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A wise man; such as thou seemest and pretendest to be.
Vain knowledge, i.e. empty words, without any sense or solidity in them.
Fill his belly, i.e. satisfy his own mind and conscience, which being secret is compared to the inwards of the belly; as Job 32:19; Pro 20:27; 22:18.
With the east wind, i.e. with discourses which are not only flashy and unprofitable, and without any weight, but also boisterous and pernicious, both to himself and others; as the east wind was in those parts, Gen 41:6; Exo 10:13; Hos 12:1.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
2. a wise manwhich Job claimsto be.
vain knowledgeHebrew,“windy knowledge”; literally, “of wind” (Job8:2). In Ec 1:14, Hebrew,“to catch wind,” expresses to strive for what is vain.
east windstronger thanthe previous “wind,” for in that region the east wind isthe most destructive of winds (Isa27:8). Thus here,empty violence.
bellythe inward parts,the breast (Pr 18:8).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge,…. As Job had been thought to be, or as he himself thought he was, which he might say sarcastically; or as he really was, not worldly wise, nor merely wise in things natural, but in things divine; being one that had the fear of God, which is the beginning of wisdom, and wisdom itself; believed in Christ, and walked wisely and circumspectly before men; now it is not becoming such a man to utter vain knowledge, or such knowledge as is like the wind, or, as the Targum, windy knowledge; empty, not solid, nor satisfying, but swells and puffs up, and is knowledge falsely so called; but it does not appear that Job did utter such vain and fruitless things as deserved to be compared to the wind:
and fill his belly with the east wind; which is noisy and blusterous, rapid and forcible, bearing all before it, and very infectious in hot countries; and such notions Job, according to Eliphaz, satisfied himself with, and endeavoured to insinuate them into others; which were nothing but great swelling words of vanity, and tended to subvert the faith of men, and overthrow all religion, and were very unwholesome, infectious, and ruinous to the minds of men, as suggested.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(2) Should a wise man utter vain knowledge . . .Job therefore is not wise, and his words have been vain and windy.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
First division JOB’S SPEECHES SUBSTANTIATE HIS GUILT, Job 15:2-19.
First strophe His discourses are distinguished for inane vehemence, destructive godlessness, and low cunning, Job 15:2-6.
2. Vain knowledge Literally, windy knowledge. See note Job 16:3.
His belly The sense of the Hebrew beten is best expressed by the Arabic, el battin, which signifies that which is within. In a mystical sense, it means the inmost being, in which were united, as Orientals believe, all the powers of mind, body, and spirit.
East wind See Job 1:19. This wind was exceedingly violent and destructive, and is frequently used in the prophets as an image of desolation and emptiness.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 15:2 Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?
Ver. 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge ] Heb. Knowledge of the wind; light, frothy, empty discourses, that have no tack or substance in them, but only words that are no better than wind, a mere flash or airy nothing. Solomon thinks a wise man should beware of falling into this fault, lest he forfeit his reputation: Ecc 10:1 , “Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour”; as spots are soonest observed in the whitest and finest garments; and envy, like worms and moths, doth usually feed on the purest cloth. A great many dead flies may be found in a tar box, and no harm done, but one of them fallen into a pot of sweet odours, or precious perfumes, may soon taint and corrupt them.
And fill his belly with the east wind?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Should . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.
vain = empty. i.e. windy science.
wind. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
a wise man: Job 11:2, Job 11:3, Job 13:2, Jam 3:13
vain knowledge: Heb. knowledge of wind, Job 6:26, Job 8:2
fill: Hos 12:1
Reciprocal: Job 12:2 – ye are the people Job 16:3 – vain words Job 24:25 – who will make Job 33:3 – my lips Job 34:35 – General Isa 44:20 – feedeth
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 15:2. Should a wise man Such as thou pretendest to be, utter vain knowledge Hebrews , dagnath, ruach, knowledge of wind; that is, empty words, without any sense or solidity in them; and fill his belly Satisfy his mind and conscience; with the east wind With notions and speeches, which are not only unsubstantial and unprofitable, but also hasty, impetuous, and pernicious; and full as hurtful to the peace of his own mind, and the quiet and comfort of others, as the boisterous, scorching east wind is to fruits and herbs of every kind. The Hebrew is literally, And should the east wind fill his belly his vain and useless knowledge puff him up with pride and self-conceit?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 15:2-19 is a polemic against Jobs arrogance and pretence of wisdom. Jobs words are empty and violent (Job 15:2 f.). He does away with all religion (Job 15:4) and breaks the reverential stillness, which should be observed in the presence of God. It is his wickedness that inspires his words and gives to his tongue the craft of the serpent (Genesis 31) (Job 15:5). So he stands self-condemned (Job 15:6). Is he the primval man of whom the myths tell, who sat in the council of God? (Job 15:7 f.). This mythical figure is not elsewhere found in the OT but cf. the figure of Wisdom in Pro 8:22-31); it is, however, a conception which spreads its branches wide over the most various regions of religion (Bousset, Hauptprobleme der Gnosis, 1907, p. 160). What does Job know, Eliphaz continues, that the friends do not know? (Job 15:9). Age is on their side (Job 15:10). Why did he despise Eliphazs former gentle speech, roll his eyes in anger, and defy God (Job 15:11-13)? Eliphaz can only repeat that no man or angel is pure (Job 15:14-18). What he says is ancient wisdom, come down from the fathers, before intermixture with strangers had defiled the pure tradition (Job 15:17-19).
Job 15:16 refers, as the context indicates, to man in general. To drink like water means to drink in large draughts, whereas strong liquor is drunk more cautiously.
Job 15:20-35 describes the fate of the ungodly. The teaching which the wise have handed down is now given. While the wicked lives in outward prosperity he is constantly tormented by forebodings of disaster (Peake). These forebodings proceed from his impiety against God (Job 15:25 f.). With Job 15:28 cf. Deu 13:16, Jos 6:26, 1Ki 16:34. The impious man shall perish hopelessly (Job 15:29-35). Eliphaz does not even yet, however, apply this doctrine to Job; he leaves Job to make the application for himself From Job 15:29 onwards the text is in disorder. Job 15:29 b is hopelessly corrupt. It is best to omit the verse. Delete Job 15:30 a as a variant upon that of Job 15:22 a and read the last line and his fruit is whirled away by the wind.
Job 15:31 is probably a gloss; it interrupts the continuity of the description of the fate of the impious with an admonition.
Job 15:32 is perhaps best read, after LXX. His stem shall wither before his time, and his palm-branch shall not be green. With these alterations Job 15:30-33 pursues the metaphor of a withering tree.
Job 15:35 is also probably a gloss (cf. Isa 59:4).
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
15:2 Should a wise man utter {a} vain knowledge, and fill his belly {b} with the east wind?
(a) That is, vain words, and without consolation?
(b) Meaning, with matters that are of no importance, which are forgotten as soon as they are uttered, as the East wind dries up moisture as soon as it falls.