Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Eliphaz isn't just asking if Job knows God's secrets; he's accusing Job of acting like he alone has access to divine wisdom. This is a pointed retort, as Job had previously leveled a similar charge of monopolizing wisdom against his friends.
Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?
English Standard Version (ESV)
Eliphaz, growing frustrated with Job's continued defense of his innocence, launches a second, more accusatory speech. He begins by sarcastically questioning Job's claim to such profound understanding, implying Job believes he has privileged access to God's inner workings and hoards divine wisdom for himself. This sets the stage for Eliphaz to present his theory that Job's suffering must be a result of hidden sin, a common belief among them at the time.
Eliphaz throws some intense rhetorical questions at Job. What does he mean by accusing Job of being privy to God's inner circle?
Eliphaz's questions are dripping with sarcasm. He's not actually asking if Job was physically present in heaven. Instead, he's challenging Job's absolute certainty about God's justice and motives.
The Heavenly Cabinet
Think of the 'council of God' as a divine 'cabinet meeting.' It’s where God's ultimate plans and judgments are decided. Eliphaz is essentially asking: 'Did God reveal His secret blueprints to you, Job? Were you there when He made His final decisions about how the world works?'
A Charge of Arrogance
By posing these questions, Eliphaz accuses Job of extreme arrogance. He implies that Job is acting as if he has divine insight, making pronouncements about God's actions as if he fully understands God's hidden reasons. Eliphaz believes only God possesses such comprehensive wisdom.
Beyond just claiming divine insight, Eliphaz accuses Job of something else. What is it, and why is it so serious?
The second part of Eliphaz’s accusation, 'And do you restrain wisdom to yourself?', is a direct challenge to Job's perceived intellectual pride.
Wisdom is Not a Private Asset
Eliphaz suggests that Job isn't just special knowledge; he's also unwilling to share it or acknowledge any wisdom in others. It's like saying, 'Are you the only one in the whole world who truly understands anything? Are you keeping all the good ideas to yourself?'
Ask a follow-up
The Danger of Spiritual Monopoly
This charge touches on a dangerous spiritual tendency: to believe that only you have the right answers, especially when it comes to spiritual matters. It dismisses the insights and experiences of others, effectively shutting down genuine dialogue and mutual learning. Eliphaz sees Job's lamentations not as genuine cries of pain, but as an attempt to monopolize wisdom and invalidate his friends' counsel.
Understand the original words
sod · Hebrew Noun
A formal assembly, gathering, or secret meeting of divine beings or heavenly council; it implies access to the divine perspective or God's secret counsel.
chokmah · Hebrew Noun
The quality of having experience, knowledge, and good judgment; in scripture, it is often tied to the fear of the Lord and the ability to discern God's ways and live uprightly.
This passage echoes Eliphaz's question by asking who has stood in God's council and heard His word, highlighting the arrogance of claiming divine insight.
Amos 3:7This verse reveals that God shares His secrets and plans with His servants, the prophets, contrasting with Eliphaz's accusation that Job is arrogantly hoarding wisdom.
John 15:15Jesus calls His disciples 'friends' and tells them He has made known everything His Father has told Him, showing a model of divine wisdom being shared, unlike the exclusivity Job is accused of.
Romans 11:34Paul marvels at the depth of God's wisdom and incomprehensible judgments, underscoring how impossible it is for a human to claim full knowledge of God's counsel.
pooleJob 15:8: "Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?"
Hath God acquainted thee with all his secret counsels, whereby he governs the world, that thou dost pass so bold a censure upon all his designs and actions? Art thou the only wise man in the world, and we and all others but fools?
clarkeJob 15:8: "Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself?"
Hast thou heard the secret of God? - "Hast thou hearkened in God's council?" Wert thou one of the celestial cabinet, when God said, Let Us make man in Our image, and in Our likeness? Dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? - Dost thou wish us to understand that God's counsels were revealed to none but thyself? And dost thou desire that we should give implicit credence to whatsoever thou art pleased to speak?…
Eliphaz isn't just asking if Job knows God's secrets; he's accusing Job of acting like he alone has access to divine wisdom. This is a pointed retort, as Job had previously leveled a similar charge of monopolizing wisdom against his friends.
Eliphaz, growing frustrated with Job's continued defense of his innocence, launches a second, more accusatory speech. He begins by sarcastically questioning Job's claim to such profound understanding, implying Job believes he has privileged access to God's inner workings and hoards divine wisdom for himself. This sets the stage for Eliphaz to present his theory that Job's suffering must be a result of hidden sin, a common belief among them at the time.
Eliphaz, growing frustrated with Job's continued defense of his innocence, launches a second, more accusatory speech. He begins by sarcastically questioning Job's claim to such profound understanding, implying Job believes he has privileged access to God's inner workings and hoards divine wisdom for himself. This sets the stage for Eliphaz to present his theory that Job's suffering must be a result of hidden sin, a common belief among them at the time.
"Have you listened in the council of God? And do you limit wisdom to yourself?" — Eliphaz isn't just asking if Job knows God's secrets; he's accusing Job of acting like he alone has access to divine wisdom. This is a pointed retort, as Job had previously leveled a similar charge o…
Get the original Greek and Hebrew, verse-by-verse context, and related passages inside the app.
Last reviewed October 2026