Job 4:12-17
12 Now a word was brought to me stealthily,
my ear received the whisper of it.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night,
when deep sleep[1] falls on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling,
which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face;
the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still,
but I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 Can mortal man be righteous before God?
Can a man be pure before his Maker?
12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me,
and mine ear received a little thereof.
13 In thoughts from the visions of the night,
when deep sleep[1] falleth on men,
14 Fear came upon me, and trembling,
which made all my bones to shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face;
the hair of my flesh stood up:
16 It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof:
an image was before mine eyes,
there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
17 Shall mortal man be more just than God?
shall a man be more pure than his maker?
Eliphaz's "deep sleep" and vision
Compare Eliphaz's Tardemah ("deep sleep") as described here, with Abram's; and with Adam's as described in Genesis 2:21-22. The details of this and other "tardemah" visions in the Bible warn against a too literal reading of the Genesis text.
