The worthiest among the sons of Esau was his first-born Eliphaz. He had
been raised under the eyes of his grandfather Isaac, from whom he had
learnt the pious way of life.[318] The Lord had even found him worthy
of being endowed with the spirit of prophecy, for Eliphaz the son of
Esau is none other than the prophet Eliphaz, the friend of Job. It was
from the life of the Patriarchs that he drew the admonitions which he
gave unto Job in his disputes with him. Eliphaz spake: "Thou didst ween
thyself the equal of Abraham, and thou didst marvel, therefore, that
God should deal with thee as with the generation of the confusion of
tongues. But Abraham stood the test of ten temptations, and thou
faintest when but one toucheth thee. When any that was not whole came
to thee, thou wouldst console him. To the blind thou wouldst say, If
thou didst build thyself a house, thou wouldst surely put windows in
it, and if God hath denied thee light, it is but that He may be
glorified through thee in the day when 'the eyes of the blind shall be
opened.' To the deaf thou wouldst say, If thou didst fashion a water
pitcher, thou wouldst surely not forget to make ears for it, and if God
created thee without hearing, it is but that He may be glorified
through thee in the day when 'the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped.'
In such wise thou didst endeavor to console the feeble and the maimed.
But now it is come unto thee, and thou art troubled. Thou sayest, I am
an upright man, why doth He chastise me? But who, I pray thee, ever
perished, being innocent? Noah was saved from the flood, Abraham from
the fiery furnace, Isaac from the slaughtering knife, Jacob from
angels, Moses from the sword of Pharaoh, and Israel from the Egyptians
that were drowned in the Sea. Thus shall all the wicked fare."