02_Biblica_1_B_Pinker_Layout 1 30/01/13 13:15 Pagina 517 517 ON THE MEANING OF JOB 4,18 Eliphaz tries in vv. 5,9-10 to correct this impression. The balance is, however, set right only with God’s speeches from the whirlwind. V. The Weakness of His Messengers Job 4,18 has been considered by many commentators as part of a mysterious nocturnal dream-vision experienced by Eliphaz 69. Smith observes: “Since this vision is repeated three times and treats the central issue of the book, a person’s righteousness before God, it must have an important role in the overall development of the theological argu- ment of the book” 70. The content of the vision, however, seems to champion ideas “that were normative in Mesopotamian theology since the beginning of the second millennium”. It is doubtful that the author wanted to rehash these old notions 71. Whether the night vision de- scribed by Eliphaz was an actual heavenly communication, or believed to be such by Eliphaz, it is clear that he wanted the rhetorical questions in 4,17 to have some unassailable imprimatur and to serve as the linch- pin of his argument 72. Consequently, whether 4,18-19 is or is not part of the vision, 4,18 must be considered subsidiary to the theological frame set by 4,17. TUR-SINAI, Job, 88-91; GINSBERG, “Job the patient and Job the impatient”, 69 Congress Volume. Rome 1968 (ed. J.A. EMERTON) (SVT 17; Leiden 1969) 98-107, and SMITH, “Job”, 454-463, think Eliphaz quotes Job’s vision. For instance, TUR- SINAI, Job, 88-89, argues: “Is it not, moreover, undeniable that the ideas expressed in the dream story are alien and even contrary to Eliphaz’s train of thought?” Gins- berg is convinced that 4,12-20 originally stood at the end of chapter three. SMITH, “Job”, 454, argues: “if the central thesis of the vision is that no person can be just before God (iv 17), why do the friends consistently maintain the theological view that the righteous never perish (iv 7), that God judges the sinner and blesses the righteous (v 17, viii 3-6, 20, xi 13-20, xxii 21-9)?” For a more recent rebuttal of Tur-Sinai’s arguments see WEISS, “Metaphor”, 204-206, n. 59 (b). SMITH, “Job”, 453. Eliphaz usually relies on Wisdom tradition and his 70 own experience. G.L. MATTINGLY, “The Pious Sufferer: Mesopotamia’s Traditional Theod- 71 icy and Job’s Counselors”, The Bible in the Light of Cuneiform Literature (eds. W.W. HALLO et al.) (Scripture in Context III. Ancient Near Eastern Texts and Studies 8; Lewiston, NY 1990) 333. SMITH, “Job”, 454. The fact that Bildad in 25,4-6 paraphrases 4,17-20, 72 which are usually considered part of the vision, casts considerable doubt on the authenticity of Eliphaz’s implied claim. It is possible that Bildad attempts to politely correct Eliphaz’s theologically problematic exaggeration. © Gregorian Biblical Press 2012 - Tutti i diritti riservati