Job 4:12 Meaning and Explanation
“Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Eliphaz claims a secret word came to him, of which his ear caught only a little.
What Does Job 4:12 Mean?
Eliphaz now shifts to recount a mysterious nighttime experience that he offers as the source of his authority. A thing, he says, was secretly brought to him, and his ear received only a whisper of it. He presents this as a hidden revelation, a message stealing upon him in the dark, of which he grasped but a fragment. From this private vision he will draw the lesson he means to teach Job.
The appeal to a secret word lends his counsel an air of solemn weight. Yet readers do well to weigh such claims against the clearer light of God's revealed truth. Not every voice in the night carries divine authority, and a fragment half-heard can be easily mistaken. The verse invites discernment, reminding us to test every spirit and to anchor our convictions in what God has plainly made known.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 4:12
What does Job 4:12 mean?
Eliphaz claims a secret word came to him, of which his ear caught only a little.