Hebrew Word Study – Studied – Chaqar – חקר  Cheth Qop Resh

Job 4:8:  “Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.”

Job 5:27: “Lo this, we have searched it, so it [is]; hear it, and know thou [it] for thy good.”

After Job lost everything and was sitting in ashes along comes three friends who seek to comfort him. Such comfort is not unlike the comfort many Christians get from other Christians.  This friend was Eliphaz the Temanite.  Bible scholars believe that Temanites were Edomites and descended from Esau the rogue brother of Jacob. But they believed in God Jehovah. However, there was no Bible, no Torah in those days. They based their doctrine of God on experience, tradition and what they observed. Hence Eliphaz seemed quite comfortable telling Job his doctrine based upon his personal observation.

I remember when teaching in a Bible College class I threw out a question. “Would God draw away from us or do we just draw away from Him?”  This sparked quite a discussion and I allowed my students to debate this question for the full class hour.  As the class drew to a close, I made this comment. “You debated this question now for forty five minutes. The most common phrases I heard were: ‘Well, I think’ ‘Well, I heard’ ‘Well Dr. so and so said’ ‘Well, I read’ ‘This is what I believe’ and ‘Well this is the way I see it.’  In forty five minutes not one of you quoted a verse of scripture. This is a Bible College for crying out loud.  You are future pastors, Bible teachers and Missionaries and all I hear is your opinion.”

Eliphaz tells Job that what he has seen is that if you plant iniquity and wickedness that is what you will reap.  In other words: “Job the reason you are suffering is because you have planted wickedness and iniquity.”  What was the result?  Job looked into his heart and he did not see wickedness or iniquity.  His sins were all confessed and a sacrifice was offered for those sins. He outright rejected Eliphaz’s conclusion.  In fact, the word see in Hebrew is ra’ah which is a physical and spiritual seeing. Eliphaz in the next few verses back his theory up with a vision he had.  Ok, maybe you can argue an opinion, but how about a vision, huh?  Job rejected that as well.  

So, Eliphaz concludes his counseling session with Job telling him he is suffering because of his sin by saying: “We have search it, so it is, hear it and know that is for you own good.”   Ever have anyone tell you off and end by saying it is for your own good?  And still Job rejected his counsel.  

Note he says; “We have search it” In Hebrew that is the word chaqarenuha from the root word chaqar. It is in Qal perfect form and means to investigation, examined, searched, proven true and studied.  You will find that all our modern English translations will use one of these words. However, the one thing they have in common is that it is proven true.

I grew up in a fundamentalist church where we were taught dancing, drinking, smoking were all sins.  Dancing and drinking are mentioned in the Bible.  There was absolutely no condemnation for dancing and in fact it was even encouraged.  Drinking was also not condemned except for drunkenness and there was no mention of smoking.  “So if the Bible does not condemn these things and in fact encourages it (a little wine is good for the stomach) why do we say it is sinful.” I asked my pastor who immediately pointed out verse like be not part of this world, body is the temple, lust is wrong etc. I wasn’t satisfied so giving a sigh he patted me on the head and said: “Look, our leaders have researched this, studied it, investigated it and they have proven it to be true that it is a sin, and we are only condemning this for your own good.”  Where have I heard that before, oh yeah, Job 5:27 and yet Job rejected the counsel of Eliphaz even after that statement. 

The only difference is that today we have the inspired Word of God.  So would it have made any difference to Job is Eliphaz quoted scripture.  I doubt it. Because Job had a witness in his heart.  He knew his heart was right with God and that Eliphaz’s application of the Scripture passage did not apply to his situation.  Fortunately, scripture is teaching us that Eliphaz’s conclusion that you suffer because of some sin in your life is not true.  I mean habitual drunkenness will damage your liver, but God did not cause that damage, you did. 

The point is that when you seek spiritual counsel from someone make sure they quote scripture but first make sure that the scripture they use applies to the situation. God makes the final judgment as He did with Job and no one knows your heart better than God. 

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