34For the company of the godless will be barren, and fire will consume the tents of those who love bribes.
This is mudslinging at its worst. Eliphaz knows he is losing his argument with Job, so he pulls out anything he can to throw in an attempt to win. Everything he has said so far Job has answered. Nothing seems to get Job to change his mind and admit something, anything that would support these friend’s attacks. So they keep attacking. Without proof, Eliphaz throws godlessness and bribery at Job. Remember from the beginning of the book that Job is declared by God to be blameless and upright, fearing God and shunning evil. So these accusations are completely baseless and yet Eliphaz throws them Job’s direction. And part of what is thrown is extremely personal. Eliphaz wants to get a rise out of Job. He wants to lower Job to his level. Have you ever pushed someone’s buttons in the middle of an argument, one that you felt you were losing? The more you feel like you are losing, the nastier you get, and the more you bring up the past and throw it in their face. You do just about anything to keep from losing, even if it makes things much worse in the long-run. Sound familiar? So how do you get out of this mess? Honesty! A lack of honesty has allowed the words to fly. Honesty will restore the balance. Eliphaz is just as stuck as Job. He has no better idea why things have happened than Job does. He could be honest and share his own frustration with not knowing. Rather than taking a position of strength, he could admit his own weakness, vulnerability, bewilderment and pain. But that would take courage, something he does not exercise at this moment in time.
The Arnold Journey 