# Job Chapter 4
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## Summarrium
Eliphaz the Temanite speaks first beginning by first expressing concern that Job will be inpatient with him or not accept the kind of advice he himself has given to strengthen others at such a time. He argues that the innocent never perish and that it is only those who sow trouble that reap it. 

Eliphaz then proceeds to describes a vision of, or a possible haunting by, a spirit. In this the question or doubt is introduced in verse 17. Can a man be righteous or *more* righteous than God? Eliphaz rejects this idea pointing to the general inability of man to do so.

## Reflections
There is evidently something interesting going on in verse 17. The ESV and NASB translation point to the question 'can man be righteous' or 'in the right' whereas the KJV and NIV ask a more unsettling question: can we be 'more just that God' or 'more righteous than God'. It makes me vurious why the disparity. Let's take a look 

- Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? (KJV)
- ‘Can mortal man be in the right before[b] God? Can a man be pure before his Maker? (ESV)
- ‘Can mankind be righteous [h]before God? Can a man be pure [i]before his Maker? (NASB)
- ‘Can a mortal be more righteous than God? Can even a strong man be more pure than his Maker? (NIV)

From one perspective the challenge is a claim to moral superiority and the other the claim to being in right standing with God. The context of the argument is not about humans attempting to surpass God in terms of moral standing but instead claiming innocence under divine judgement. Interestingly Job has done no such thing at this point.

## Thoughts
- It is easy to assume we know how others think and feel when in reality we do not.
- All have sinned and fall short of the Glory of God
- Job's innocence wasn't in question here; he has not claimed that he is righteous or undeserving of suffering