Job 22:5

5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.

Job 22:5 Meaning and Commentary

Job 22:5

Is not thy wickedness great?
&c.] It must be owned it is, it cannot be denied. Indeed, the wickedness of every man's heart is great, it being desperately wicked, full of sin, abounding with it; out of it comes forth everything that is bad, and the wickedness of actions is very great: some sins are indeed greater than others, as those against God, and the first table of the law, are greater than those against men, or the second table; some are like crimson and scarlet, are beams in the eye, while others are comparatively as motes; yet all are great, as committed against God, and as they are breaches of his law; and especially they appear so to sensible sinners, to whom sin is made exceeding sinful; and they see and own themselves to be the chief of sinners, and as such entreat for pardon on that account, see ( Psalms 25:11 ) ;

and thine iniquities infinite?
strictly speaking, nothing is infinite but God; sins may be said in some sense to be infinite, because committed against an infinite God, and cannot be satisfied for by a finite creature, or by finite sufferings, only through the infinite value of the blood of Christ; here it signifies, that his iniquities were "innumerable" F14, as some versions, they were not to be reckoned up, they were so many; or, more literally, there is "no end of thine iniquities" F15, there is no summing of them up; and it may denote his continuance in them; Eliphaz suggests as if Job lived in sin, and allowed himself in it, and was going on in a course of iniquity without end, which was very uncharitable; here he charges him in a general way, and next he descends to particulars.


FOOTNOTES:

F14 (anariymhtoi) , Sept.
F15 (Kytwnwel Uq Nya) "non est finis iniquitatibus tuis", Pagninus, Montanus

Job 22:5 In-Context

3 Is it of any interest to the Ruler of all that you are upright? or is it of use to him that your ways are without sin?
4 Is it because you give him honour that he is sending punishment on you and is judging you?
5 Is not your evil-doing great? and there is no end to your sins.
6 For you have taken your brother's goods when he was not in your debt, and have taken away the clothing of those who have need of it.
7 You do not give water to the tired traveller, and from him who has no food you keep back bread.
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