The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. Wicked men, especially oppressors, are often compared to lions in Scripture (see Psalms 7:2; Psalms 10:9; Psalms 17:12, etc.; Ezekiel 19:3,Ezekiel 19:5; Nahum 2:12; Zephaniah 3:3, etc.). The meaning of Eliphaz is that, within his experience, all classes of wicked men, young, or old, or middle-aged, weak or strong, have received in this life the reward of their iniquity. However fiercely they might roar, however greedily they might devour, their roaring has died away, their teeth have been broken in their mouths, vengeance has lighted on them in some shape or other; they have paid the penalty of their transgressions. Five classes of lions seem to be spoken of in this and the following verses:
To these is joined (Job 4:11) labi, "the lioness." Lions are still frequent in the Mesopotamian region, though no longer found in Palestine, nor in Arabia.