It’s a fascinating exercise, and sometimes, you stumble upon something truly surprising.

Like this: who was the most righteous of Esau's sons? You might be surprised to learn it was his firstborn, Eliphaz. Now, Esau isn’t exactly known for his piety. But Eliphaz? He was raised under the watchful eye of his grandfather, Isaac, absorbing the patriarch’s ways. According to the Legends of the Jews, Eliphaz even received the gift of prophecy!

And here's where it gets really interesting: Eliphaz, son of Esau, is believed to be none other than the Eliphaz who appears as a friend of Job. Imagine that! The grandson of Isaac, friend to Job, and a prophet in his own right. It’s a lineage you wouldn't necessarily expect, is it?

So, what did this Eliphaz, steeped in the traditions of the Patriarchs, say to Job in his hour of suffering? It wasn't exactly gentle. He essentially accused Job of hypocrisy, drawing parallels between Job’s situation and the trials of Abraham.

Eliphaz rebuked Job, saying, "You thought you were as great as Abraham, so you're shocked that God is treating you like He treated the generation of the Tower of Babel." Ouch. He went on to say that Abraham faced ten trials and passed them all, while Job faltered at the first sign of trouble.

According to Ginzberg's retelling in Legends of the Jews, Eliphaz reminded Job of his past consolations to others. “You used to tell the blind," Eliphaz said, "If you built a house, surely you'd put windows in it. So, if God has denied you light, it's for His glory when the blind will see again." And to the deaf, "If you made a pitcher, wouldn't you put ears on it? If God made you deaf, it's so He can be glorified when the deaf can hear."

Essentially, Eliphaz was calling Job out. "You were so quick to comfort others," he said, "but now that suffering has come to you, you're complaining? You claim to be upright, so why are you being punished? But tell me, who ever perished being truly innocent?"

Eliphaz then lists the righteous who were saved: Noah from the flood, Abraham from the fiery furnace, Isaac from the knife, Jacob from the angel, Moses from Pharaoh's sword, and Israel from the Egyptians in the Red Sea.

His conclusion? The wicked will always face their due. A stark and rather unforgiving perspective, wouldn’t you say? It certainly gives you pause to think about the complexities of justice, suffering, and the often-unexpected paths of those within the biblical narrative. It makes you wonder, doesn't it, about the hidden stories within the stories, and the judgments we make based on incomplete knowledge.