When people—including Christians—undergo (especially intense and inexplicable) suffering, it is not uncommon to hear them say some not-so-easy-to-digest words. As Christian counsellor Diane Langberg recently tweeted, “If you are going to enter into the suffering of those who have been traumatized, you have to learn how to sit with and listen to fear, anger and great grief with compassion and understanding. You will also have to learn how to do it for far longer than you prefer.” Job is a case in point. Job’s friends were angry that he was not hearing their counsel—and he was angry that they were not hearing him. In response to Eliphaz’s second speech, Job said some hard-to-hear things as he agonised in confusion. His response reveals a crushed spirit. We consider this lengthy section under the following outline:

I. Eliphaz’s Accusations (15:1–35)
A. Awe-less Arrogance (vv. 1–16)
B. Woeful Wickedness (vv. 17–35)

II. Job’s Excruciating Pain (16:1–22)
A. Exasperated with Friends (vv. 1–5)
B. Exhausted by God (vv. 6–22)

III. Job’s Broken Spirit (17:1–16)
A. Hope Broken (vv. 1–9)
B. Hope Buried (vv. 10–16)