Job 15:2 Meaning and Explanation
“Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Eliphaz mocks Job's words as empty and windy, unworthy of a wise man.
What Does Job 15:2 Mean?
Eliphaz begins his attack by questioning whether Job's speech befits a wise man at all. The east wind in this land was the scorching, blistering blast off the desert, bringing no rain and no good. To fill one's belly with it is to be swollen with nothing, full of hot air that nourishes no one.
Beneath the insult lies a real warning that words can be many and yet empty, loud yet hollow. Yet Eliphaz misreads his friend, treating honest anguish as mere noise. The verse cautions every would-be counselor to weigh whether they are answering the person before them or only the argument in their own head. True wisdom listens before it dismisses.
Job 15:2 in the Original Language
qadim (קָדִים), 'east wind' -- the hot, withering desert blast that scorched crops and brought no rain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 15:2
What does Job 15:2 mean?
Eliphaz mocks Job's words as empty and windy, unworthy of a wise man.