איוב, פרק כ״ב, פסוק א׳

After two rounds of intense debate where Job appeared to overpower his friends by pointing out the suffering of good people and the success of the wicked, Eliphaz launches a third round of arguments. He introduces a comprehensive philosophy to explain how God manages the world. Eliphaz argues that God intentionally holds back from immediately punishing the wicked or rewarding the good in this life. This hiddenness has a distinct purpose: it allows human beings to serve God purely, driven only by a genuine desire to do what is right, rather than a hunger for reward or a fear of punishment. If God's justice were instant and visible to all, people would be forced to do good out of absolute necessity. This would completely destroy free will, which is the very reason humanity was created. Therefore, the prosperity of bad people and the pain of good people are actually a test. They reveal who truly serves God with a sincere heart, while the real rewards and punishments are saved for the world to come [מלבי״ם].

Using this logic, Eliphaz turns his attack back on Job. He claims that Job's bitter complaints prove his devotion was never truly pure. Instead of serving God selflessly, Job was always acting out of self-interest and expecting a reward. The moment his comforts were taken away, his faith crumbled [מלבי״ם].

Eliphaz also directly addresses Job's earlier claim that divine providence is limited to the heavens, leaving the earthly world to chaos. He throws Job's own mocking tone right back at him. Job had previously asked if anyone could teach God anything. Now, Eliphaz asks if a human being's words can actually bring any benefit to God. He delivers a sharp insult, making it clear that while the words of a truly wise person are useful and beneficial, Job's angry complaints directed at Heaven hold absolutely no wisdom or value [תקות אנוש].