3 I have seen the foolish taking root: but suddenly I cursed his habitation.
3 I myself have seen a fool taking root, but suddenly his house was cursed.
3 I have seen the fool taking root, but suddenly I cursed his dwelling.
3 I've seen it myself - seen fools putting down roots, and then, suddenly, their houses are cursed.
3 I have seen the foolish taking root, But suddenly I cursed his dwelling place.
3 I have seen that fools may be successful for the moment, but then comes sudden disaster.
Matthew Henry's Commentary on Job 5:3
Commentary on Job 5:1-5
(Read Job 5:1-5)
Eliphaz here calls upon Job to answer his arguments. Were any of the saints or servants of God visited with such Divine judgments as Job, or did they ever behave like him under their sufferings? The term, "saints," holy, or more strictly, consecrated ones, seems in all ages to have been applied to the people of God, through the Sacrifice slain in the covenant of their reconciliation. Eliphaz doubts not that the sin of sinners directly tends to their ruin. They kill themselves by some lust or other; therefore, no doubt, Job has done some foolish thing, by which he has brought himself into this condition. The allusion was plain to Job's former prosperity; but there was no evidence of Job's wickedness, and the application to him was unfair and severe.