Job 15:31

Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.

Job 15:31 (KJV)

Context

Eliphaz speaks these words during his second reply to Job. He argues that suffering comes from sin, yet his warning still carries lasting truth. The Hebrew word for vanity means emptiness, worthlessness, and deceit. Eliphaz warns that a person can be deceived while believing he acts wisely.

Meaning

The verse commands that the deceived person must not trust in vanity, because vanity becomes his recompense. What a person trusts in becomes what he receives. If he trusts empty things, emptiness is his reward. This is not mere disappointment but a just consequence. The warning applies to every wicked person, deceived by sin, by his own heart, or by Satan.

Biblical connections

The same principle appears in Proverbs 12:11, where the diligent farmer has plenty of bread, but the one who follows vanity has poverty. Honest labor produces abundance, while a life aimed at fleeting goals ends in lack. Both verses teach that outcomes match the nature of our choices.

Application

Believers must examine where they place their trust. Sin promises profit, pleasure, and security, but delivers only emptiness. Only God is faithful and true. He alone provides true security and lasting reward. Turn away from deceptive pursuits and embrace disciplined, honest work that leads to provision and satisfaction.

Reflection

This verse calls for self-examination. Do we trust in things that cannot save? The sobering truth is that self-deception is real. Yet the remedy is simple: place hope in God, who is not vain, and reject the empty promises of the world.