Albert Barnes Commentary Job 15:11

"Are the consolations of God too small for thee, Even the word that is gentle toward thee?" — Job 15:11 (ASV)

Are the consolations of God small with you? This question likely refers to the considerations suggested by Eliphaz and his friends, which Eliphaz considers the "consolations" God has provided for the afflicted. He asks whether Job regarded them as of little value. Was Job unwilling to accept the consolations God had provided and allow them to sustain him, instead of permitting himself to speak out strongly against God?

The Septuagint renders this: "You have been chastised less than your sins deserve. You have spoken with excessive haughtiness!"

But the true idea seems to be that Eliphaz regarded the considerations brought forward by him and his friends as the gracious consolations God had provided for people in affliction. He saw them as the results of all previous reflections on God's design in sending trials. Eliphaz now represents Job as regarding these consolations as worthless and maintaining sentiments directly contrary to them, asking, "Is there any secret thing with you?"

Noyes renders this as "and words so full of kindness to you"—that is, are they of no account to you? Similarly, Dr. Good and Wemyss offer: "or the addresses of kindness to yourself?" Luther translates it as: "but you have, perhaps, yet a secret portion with you." Rosenmuller suggests: "and words most guilty spoken toward you." The Septuagint renders it as: "and you have spoken proudly beyond measure"—μεγάλως ὑπερβαλλόντας λελάηκας megalōs huperballontas lelalēkas.

The Hebrew word in question, לאט lâ'aṭ, when it is a single word and used as a verb, means to wrap around, to muffle, to cover, to conceal, and then to be "secret." From this derive the Greek words λάφω lathō and λανθάνω lanthanō, and the Latin lateo. It is in this sense of "secret" that our translators understand it here.

However, לאט lâ'aṭ may also be a compound word, derived from אט 'aṭ—a gentle sound, murmur, or whisper. From this, it is used adverbially as לאט le'at and לאט lâ'aṭ, meaning gently, softly, or slowly. Examples include the slow gait of a mourner (1 Kings 21:27) and water flowing gently, like the water of Siloam (Isaiah 8:6).

Therefore, it may also refer to words flowing kindly or gently toward anyone, and this seems to be the meaning here. Eliphaz asks whether Job could despise or undervalue the words spoken so gently and kindly toward him. This is a singular illustration of kindness, to be sure, but it still shows how Job's friends estimated their own remarks.