22 2 Eliphaz affirmeth that Job is punished for his sins. 6 He accuseth him of unmercifulness. 13 And that he denied God’s providence. 21 He exhorteth to repentance.

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered, and said,

May a man be [a]profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable to himself?

(A)Is it anything unto the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it profitable to him, that thou makest thy ways upright?

Is it for fear [b]of thee that he will accuse thee? or go with thee into judgment?

Is not thy wickedness great, and thine iniquities innumerable?

For thou hast taken the [c]pledge from thy brother for nought, and spoiled the clothes of the naked.

To such as were weary, thou hast not given water to drink, and hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.

But the mighty man [d]had the earth, and he that was in authority, dwelt in it.

Thou hast cast out widows empty, and the arms of the [e]fatherless were broken.

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and fear shall suddenly trouble thee.

11 Or darkness that thou shouldest not see, and [f]abundance of waters shall cover thee.

12 Is not God on [g]high in the heaven? and behold the height of the [h]stars how high they are.

13 But thou sayest, How should God [i]know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

14 The clouds hide him that he cannot see, and he walketh in the circle of heaven.

15 Hast thou marked the way of the world, [j]wherein wicked men have walked?

16 Which were [k]cut down before the time, whose foundation was as a river that overflowed:

17 Which said unto God, Depart from us, and asked what the Almighty could do for them.

18 Yet he [l]filled their houses with good things: but let the counsel of the wicked be far from me.

19 The righteous shall see them, and shall rejoice, [m]and the innocent shall laugh them to scorn.

20 Surely [n]our substance is hid: but the fire hath devoured the remnant of [o]them.

21 Therefore acquaint thyself, I pray thee, [p]with him, and make peace: thereby thou shalt have prosperity.

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law of his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt [q]be built up, and thou shalt put iniquity far from thy tabernacle.

24 Thou shalt lay up gold for [r]dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the flints of the rivers.

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defense, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

26 And thou shalt then delight in the Almighty, and lift up thy face unto God.

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt render thy vows.

28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and he shall establish it unto thee, and the [s]light shall shine upon thy ways.

29 [t]When others are cast down, then shalt thou say, I am lifted up: and God shall save the humble person.

30 The innocent shall deliver the [u]island, and it shall be preserved by the pureness of thine hands.

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:2 Though man were just, yet God could have no profit of this his justice: and therefore when he punished him, he hath no regard to his justice, but to his sin.
  2. Job 22:4 Lest thou shouldest reprove or hurt him?
  3. Job 22:6 Thou hast been cruel and without charity, and wouldest do nothing for the poor, but for thine own advantage.
  4. Job 22:8 When thou wast in power and authority, thou didst not justice but wrong.
  5. Job 22:9 Thou hast not only not showed pity, but oppressed them.
  6. Job 22:11 That is, manifold afflictions.
  7. Job 22:12 He accuseth Job of impiety and contempt of God, as though he would say, If thou pass not for men, yet consider the height of God’s majesty.
  8. Job 22:12 That so much the more by that excellent work thou mayest fear God, and reverence him.
  9. Job 22:13 He reproveth Job, as though he denied God’s providence and that he could not see the things that were done in this world.
  10. Job 22:15 How God hath punished them from the beginning?
  11. Job 22:16 He proveth God’s providence by the punishment of the wicked, whom he taketh away before they can bring their wicked purposes to pass.
  12. Job 22:18 He answereth to that which Job had said, Job 21:7, that the wicked have prosperity in this world: desiring that he might not be partaker of the like.
  13. Job 22:19 The just rejoice at the destruction of the wicked for two causes: first, because God showeth himself judge of the world and by this means continueth his honor and glory: secondly, because God showeth that he hath care over his in that he punished their enemies.
  14. Job 22:20 That is, the state and preservation of the godly, is hid under God’s wings.
  15. Job 22:20 Meaning, of the wicked.
  16. Job 22:21 He exhorteth Job to repentance, and to return to God.
  17. Job 22:23 God will restore unto thee all thy substance.
  18. Job 22:24 Which shall be in abundance like dust.
  19. Job 22:28 That is, the favor of God.
  20. Job 22:29 God will deliver his when the wicked are destroyed round about them, as in the flood and in Sodom.
  21. Job 22:30 God will deliver a whole country from peril, even for the just man’s sake.

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite(A) replied:

“Can a man be of benefit to God?(B)
    Can even a wise person benefit him?(C)
What pleasure(D) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?(E)
    What would he gain if your ways were blameless?(F)

“Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?(G)
Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins(H) endless?(I)
You demanded security(J) from your relatives for no reason;(K)
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.(L)
You gave no water(M) to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,(N)
though you were a powerful man, owning land(O)
    an honored man,(P) living on it.(Q)
And you sent widows(R) away empty-handed(S)
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.(T)
10 That is why snares(U) are all around you,(V)
    why sudden peril terrifies you,(W)
11 why it is so dark(X) you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.(Y)

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven?(Z)
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know?(AA)
    Does he judge through such darkness?(AB)
14 Thick clouds(AC) veil him, so he does not see us(AD)
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’(AE)
15 Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked(AF) have trod?(AG)
16 They were carried off before their time,(AH)
    their foundations(AI) washed away by a flood.(AJ)
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’(AK)
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,(AL)
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.(AM)
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;(AN)
    the innocent mock(AO) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,(AP)
    and fire(AQ) devours their wealth.’

21 “Submit to God and be at peace(AR) with him;(AS)
    in this way prosperity will come to you.(AT)
22 Accept instruction from his mouth(AU)
    and lay up his words(AV) in your heart.(AW)
23 If you return(AX) to the Almighty, you will be restored:(AY)
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent(AZ)
24 and assign your nuggets(BA) to the dust,
    your gold(BB) of Ophir(BC) to the rocks in the ravines,(BD)
25 then the Almighty will be your gold,(BE)
    the choicest silver for you.(BF)
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty(BG)
    and will lift up your face(BH) to God.(BI)
27 You will pray to him,(BJ) and he will hear you,(BK)
    and you will fulfill your vows.(BL)
28 What you decide on will be done,(BM)
    and light(BN) will shine on your ways.(BO)
29 When people are brought low(BP) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.(BQ)
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent,(BR)
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”(BS)