Here is a list of whole words used by Eliphaz in his first speech and also by Job - maybe his words in chapters 4 and 5 show that he was listening to chapter 3.
Many of the comments from scholars on the relationship among the speeches concentrate rightly on the issue of sin and deserved punishment. It seems clear that we must hear a sub-text of implied accusation - the very role that the accuser made present to the heavenly council. The mutual accusations, I suggested early in the sequence of 100 posts to date, are a central problem of the children of God. Note that there is no closing bracket in the story concerning 'accusation'.
Another common comment is that the Job of the poem is a sinner - after all he is so rude - and the Job of the frame is not - after all he is so pious. This makes mincemeat of the epic. What would be its point? We have already seen Job admit the sins of his youth and more. There is no question he is 'a sinner'. But did he deserve such 'punishment' - being shut up in such a frame till all iniquitous mortals should turn (34:36)? And in his confrontational words to his friends and to God does he sin? All this should lead us to question our doctrine and definition of sin. If he sins in his prayer, then the epic should be ignored except for historical interest. If he does not, then perhaps we have an invitation to 'sin boldly' - and really question God on those aspects of our 'situation' (a Dickensian word) that are of greatest disturbance to us - skin for skin. (Compare Romans 11:32.)
Job's greatest disturbance is his completeness. I suggest - at the risk of oversimplifying - that he finds completion in the parable which is why he is given נחם - he is permitted to use a word that is God's word as his comfort. The theophany sates (42:17). He becomes incarnationally complete in dust and ashes. We have moved from the uncreation of chapter 3 to a renewed creation and satisfaction. Eliphaz didn't 'get it' - but he too with his friends - all those with doctrine but without good news - can find what has been prepared before the foundation of the world in Job's completeness.
| ג יֹאבַד יוֹם אִוָּלֶד בּוֹ וְהַלַּיְלָה אָמַר הֹרָה גָבֶר | Perish! day in which I was born and the night that said a warrior-child is conceived | 3.03 | גבר | 4.17 | יז הַאֱנוֹשׁ מֵאֱלוֹהַּ יִצְדָּק אִם מֵעֹשֵׂהוּ יִטְהַר-גָּבֶר | a mortal than God more just? even than his maker a warrior more pure? |
| ד הַיּוֹם הַהוּא יְהִי-חֹשֶׁךְ אַל-יִדְרְשֵׁהוּ אֱלוֹהַּ מִמַּעַל וְאַל-תּוֹפַע עָלָיו נְהָרָה | That day - let it be darkness let God not seek for it from above nor let a sunbeam on it shine | 3.04 | חשׁך | 5.14 | יד יוֹמָם יְפַגְּשׁוּ-חֹשֶׁךְ וְכַלַּיְלָה יְמַשְׁשׁוּ בַצָּהֳרָיִם | by day they meet darkness and as at night they grope at noon |
| ה יִגְאָלֻהוּ חֹשֶׁךְ וְצַלְמָוֶת תִּשְׁכָּן-עָלָיו עֲנָנָה יְבַעֲתֻהוּ כִּמְרִירֵי יוֹם | let darkness and obscurity redeem it let a cloud dwell on it let blackness of day terrify it | 3.05 | חשׁך | 5.14 | יד יוֹמָם יְפַגְּשׁוּ-חֹשֶׁךְ וְכַלַּיְלָה יְמַשְׁשׁוּ בַצָּהֳרָיִם | by day they meet darkness and as at night they grope at noon |
| ו הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא יִקָּחֵהוּ-אֹפֶל אַל-יִחַדְּ בִּימֵי שָׁנָה בְּמִסְפַּר יְרָחִים אַל-יָבֹא | That night - let gloom take it let it not rejoice the days of the year into the number of months let it not come | 3.06 | יקחהו | 5.05 | ה אֲשֶׁר קְצִירוֹ רָעֵב יֹאכֵל וְאֶל-מִצִּנִּים יִקָּחֵהוּ וְשָׁאַף צַמִּים חֵילָם | whose harvest famine eats and their strength dearth takes and thirst longs for their wealth |
| ז הִנֵּה הַלַּיְלָה הַהוּא יְהִי גַלְמוּד אַל-תָּבוֹא רְנָנָה בוֹ | behold that night let it be barren let no joyful cry come into it | 3.07 | תבוא | 4.05 | ה כִּי עַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא תִּגַּע עָדֶיךָ וַתִּבָּהֵל | for now it comes to you and you will do nothing it reaches you and you are dismayed |
| תבוא | 5.26 | כו תָּבוֹא בְכֶלַח אֱלֵי-קָבֶר כַּעֲלוֹת גָּדִישׁ בְּעִתּוֹ | and you will come in full to your tomb as a rich heap is offered in its time | |||
| ט יֶחְשְׁכוּ כּוֹכְבֵי נִשְׁפּוֹ יְקַו-לְאוֹר וָאַיִן וְאַל-יִרְאֶה בְּעַפְעַפֵּי-שָׁחַר | let the stars of its twilight be dark let it expect light but have none neither let it see the eyelids of dawn | 3.09 | ואין | 5.04 | ד יִרְחֲקוּ בָנָיו מִיֶּשַׁע וְיִדַּכְּאוּ בַשַּׁעַר וְאֵין מַצִּיל | his children are far from safety and they are crushed in the gate and there is no one to rescue |
| ואין | 5.09 | ט עֹשֶׂה גְדֹלוֹת וְאֵין חֵקֶר נִפְלָאוֹת עַד-אֵין מִסְפָּר | who does great things and there is no finding out his wonders without number | |||
| י כִּי לֹא סָגַר דַּלְתֵי בִטְנִי וַיַּסְתֵּר עָמָל מֵעֵינָי | because it did not shut the doors of my belly or conceal misery from my eyes | 3.10 | עמל | 4.08 | ח כַּאֲשֶׁר רָאִיתִי חֹרְשֵׁי אָוֶן וְזֹרְעֵי עָמָל יִקְצְרֻהוּ | for as I have seen who plow iniquity and sow misery reap it |
| עמל | 5.06 | ו כִּי לֹא-יֵצֵא מֵעָפָר אָוֶן וּמֵאֲדָמָה לֹא-יִצְמַח עָמָל | for iniquity doesn't come from dust nor from the ground does misery sprout | |||
| יג כִּי-עַתָּה שָׁכַבְתִּי וְאֶשְׁקוֹט יָשַׁנְתִּי אָז יָנוּחַ לִי | For now I would be lying down and quiet I would be asleep then it would be rest for me | 3.13 | עתה | 4.05 | ה כִּי עַתָּה תָּבוֹא אֵלֶיךָ וַתֵּלֶא תִּגַּע עָדֶיךָ וַתִּבָּהֵל | for now it comes to you and you will do nothing it reaches you and you are dismayed |
| יד עִם-מְלָכִים וְיֹעֲצֵי אָרֶץ הַבֹּנִים חֳרָבוֹת לָמוֹ | with kings and counselors of earth who built desolations for themselves | 3.14 | ארץ | 5.10 | י הַנֹּתֵן מָטָר עַל-פְּנֵי-אָרֶץ וְשֹׁלֵחַ מַיִם עַל-פְּנֵי חוּצוֹת | giving rain on the face of the earth sending waters on the face of the streets |
| יט קָטֹן וְגָדוֹל שָׁם הוּא וְעֶבֶד חָפְשִׁי מֵאֲדֹנָיו | small and great there he is servant free from his lords | 3.19 | הוא | 4.07 | ז זְכָר-נָא מִי הוּא נָקִי אָבָד וְאֵיפֹה יְשָׁרִים נִכְחָדוּ | Remember then if anyone innocent perished or where the upright are cut down |
| הוא | 5.18 | יח כִּי הוּא יַכְאִיב וְיֶחְבָּשׁ יִמְחַץ וְיָדָו תִּרְפֶּינָה | for this one mars and he binds he wounds and his hands make whole | |||
| כ לָמָּה יִתֵּן לְעָמֵל אוֹר וְחַיִּים לְמָרֵי נָפֶשׁ | Why give to the miserable light and sustenance to the bitter of life | 3.20 | לעמל | 5.07 | ז כִּי-אָדָם לְעָמָל יוּלָּד וּבְנֵי-רֶשֶׁף יַגְבִּיהוּ עוּף | when a human is born to misery the children of fire carry it high |
| כב הַשְּׂמֵחִים אֱלֵי-גִיל יָשִׂישׂוּ כִּי יִמְצְאוּ-קָבֶר | who rejoice toward a tomb glad when they find a grave | 3.22 | אלי | 5.26 | כו תָּבוֹא בְכֶלַח אֱלֵי-קָבֶר כַּעֲלוֹת גָּדִישׁ בְּעִתּוֹ | and you will come in full to your tomb as a rich heap is offered in its time |
| קבר | 5.26 | כו תָּבוֹא בְכֶלַח אֱלֵי-קָבֶר כַּעֲלוֹת גָּדִישׁ בְּעִתּוֹ | and you will come in full to your tomb as a rich heap is offered in its time | |||
| כד כִּי-לִפְנֵי לַחְמִי אַנְחָתִי תָבֹא וַיִּתְּכוּ כַמַּיִם שַׁאֲגֹתָי | for in the face of my bread, my sighing comes and poured out like waters are my cries | 3.24 | לפני | 4.19 | יט אַף שֹׁכְנֵי בָתֵּי-חֹמֶר אֲשֶׁר-בֶּעָפָר יְסוֹדָם יְדַכְּאוּם לִפְנֵי-עָשׁ | as for those that live in clay houses with dust for foundation who are crushed in the face of their maker |
| כה כִּי פַחַד פָּחַדְתִּי וַיֶּאֱתָיֵנִי וַאֲשֶׁר יָגֹרְתִּי יָבֹא לִי | for the dread I dreaded has arrived and what I was afraid of is come to me | 3.25 | פחד | 4.14 | יד פַּחַד קְרָאַנִי וּרְעָדָה וְרֹב עַצְמוֹתַי הִפְחִיד | dread met me and trembling and my many bones were in dread |
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