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Eliphaz

Biblical
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

One of Job’s friends who argued that God rewards the righteous and punishes the wicked

Detailed Definition
Eliphaz the Temanite, likely the eldest, based his arguments on visions and tradition, urging Job to repent. Though compassionate initially, his logic failed to address Job’s innocence. In poetry, Eliphaz embodies the limits of human wisdom, the danger of presuming divine motives, and the need for humility before suffering’s mystery.
Example
Example in poetry:
In John Milton’s "Paradise Lost," Eliphaz’s arguments in Job (Job 4–5, 15, 22) illustrate flawed but well-intentioned theodicy; In Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s "A Drama of Exile," Eliphaz symbolizes traditional wisdom that misapplies divine justice; In George Herbert’s "The Church-porch," Eliphaz’s vision of terror (Job 4) warns against presuming to understand God’s ways; In John Keble’s "Lyra Apostolica," Eliphaz represents the danger of reducing suffering to sin; In Christina Rossetti’s "Later Life," Eliphaz’s certainty contrasts with Job’s honest questioning; In T.S. Eliot’s "Ash-Wednesday," Eliphaz’s formulas fail before the mystery of grace.
Additional Notes
Eliphaz: One of Job’s three friends (from Teman, associated with Edom); he argues that suffering results from sin and urges repentance (Job 4–5, 15, 22). Though rooted in traditional wisdom, his assumptions are rebuked by God (Job 42:7). In poetry, Eliphaz embodies the danger of applying rigid moral frameworks to complex suffering—ideal for exploring the failure of platitudes, the arrogance of certainty, or the pain of misapplied comfort. His visions (Job 4:12–21) offer eerie, poetic imagery useful in apocalyptic or psychological verse.
Also Known As
Eliphaz the Temanite Eliphaz friend of Job
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