Collop
Definition and Usage
The word "collop" is an old English term referring to a thick fold or slice of flesh, particularly fatty meat. In the King James Version, it appears in Job 15:27, where Eliphaz the Temanite describes the wicked man as one who "covers his face with his fatness, and makes collops of fat on his flanks." Modern translations render this more plainly — the ESV reads "gathered fat upon his waist," and the NIV says "his waist bulges with fat."
Context in Job's Dialogue
The verse appears in Eliphaz's second speech to Job, found in Job 15. Eliphaz was the first of Job's three friends to speak, and by this point in the dialogue, he has grown more forceful in his arguments. In his first speech (Job 4-5), Eliphaz was relatively gentle, but here he accuses Job more directly. He describes the fate of the wicked in vivid physical terms, painting a picture of someone who has prospered through ungodliness (Job 15:20-35).
The image of collops of fat serves Eliphaz's argument that the wicked may appear to thrive outwardly — growing physically prosperous and well-fed — but they are ultimately doomed to destruction (Job 15:30-35).
Physical Prosperity as a Biblical Symbol
Throughout Scripture, physical fatness sometimes symbolizes prosperity and blessing, but it can also represent complacency and rebellion against God. In Deuteronomy 32:15, Israel is described as growing fat and kicking against God: "Jeshurun grew fat and kicked." Psalm 73:7 describes the wicked whose "eyes swell out through fatness." The image in Job 15:27 fits this broader biblical theme of outward prosperity masking spiritual corruption.
Eliphaz's Theology of Retribution
Eliphaz's description of the fat wicked man reflects a theology of strict retribution — the belief that suffering always indicates sin and prosperity always indicates righteousness. This framework is central to the debate in Job. While Eliphaz uses the image of collops to argue that the wicked will eventually face judgment despite their prosperity (Job 15:29-30), the book of Job ultimately challenges this simplistic view. God himself declares at the end that Eliphaz and his friends have not spoken rightly (Job 42:7).
The Word in Historical Context
The English word "collop" was in common use when the King James Version was translated in 1611. It referred to a slice or rasher of meat, and by extension, a fold of flesh on the body. The underlying Hebrew word describes thick layers of fat, conveying an image of excessive physical abundance. As English evolved, the word fell out of common usage, which is why modern translations replace it with more accessible language.
Biblical Context
The word collop appears once in the KJV, in Job 15:27, within Eliphaz the Temanite's second speech to Job. Eliphaz uses it to describe the physical prosperity of the wicked person who defies God. The broader passage (Job 15:17-35) outlines the ultimate doom that awaits such a person despite their apparent success.
Theological Significance
The collop image illustrates the biblical tension between outward prosperity and spiritual reality. Eliphaz uses physical fatness to represent ungodly self-indulgence, but the book of Job challenges his simplistic theology. The passage reminds readers that appearances can be deceiving and that God's justice operates on a deeper level than human observation suggests.
Historical Background
In 1611 England, 'collop' was a common culinary term for a slice of meat or fat. The Hebrew word it translates refers to thick folds of flesh. In ancient Near Eastern culture, fatness could signify wealth and power, as food abundance was a mark of prosperity. The imagery would have been immediately understood by ancient audiences as describing someone living in luxury.