John Trapp on Job 4:1

CHAP. IV. Verſe 1. Then Eliphaz the Temanite.]

THen, when Job had laid about him in this ſort: and, giving his tongue too much liberty to laſh out, had uttered words little better then blaſphemous and contumelious againſt God: Then Eliphaz, Temanites ille, the firſt-born of Eſau, Gen. 36. (ſaith R. Salomon) brought up in the boſom of Iſaac, and ſo inured to Revelations from on high. Others think he deſcended of Teman, nephew to Eſau &c. A man of great wiſdome he was, and of grave diſcourſe: One that could ſpeak his mind fitly, and durſt do it freely. He ſeems to have been [illegible: 1 word] chief of the three for age and authority, and therefore begins: pretending to be moved thereunto by zeal for Gods glory, not a little impaired by Jobs impatiency ſavouring of hypocriſie, and arguing [illegible: 1 word] ficto fucatáque carde fuiſſe, that he had b[illegible: 1 letter]en little better then a diſſembler. A cauſeleſſe and uncharitable charge, enough to have driven him into deſperation. The Rabbines ſpeak ſo well of Jobs three friends, that they uſe to ſay in a Proverb,Ba[illegible: 1 letter]a bathra Perech 1o. Let a man either get him ſuch friends as Job had, or elſe get him out of the world, (like as Chryſippus was wont to ſay, Aut mentem, aut restim comparandam) But Gregory the great ſaith, that theſe three, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar do fitly ſet forth hereticks, who begin to ſpeak ſmoothly at firſt, as if they meant no hurt to him to whom they ſpeak, but only good, to purchaſe his benevolous attention, but ſoone come to ſpeak words which much hurt the hearer, and greatly trouble him &c.