Job 22:12-22

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven? And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know? Does he judge through such darkness?
14 Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’
15 Will you keep to the old path that the wicked have trod?
16 They were carried off before their time, their foundations washed away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone! What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; the innocent mock them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, and fire devours their wealth.’
21 “Submit to God and be at peace with him; in this way prosperity will come to you.
22 Accept instruction from his mouth and lay up his words in your heart.

Job 22:12-22 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 22

This chapter contains the third and last reply of Eliphaz to Job, in which he charges him with having too high an opinion of himself, of his holiness and righteousness, as if God was profited by it, and laid thereby under obligation to him, whereas he was not, Job 22:1-3; and as if he reproved and chastised him, because of his fear of him, whereas it was because of his sins, Job 22:4,5; an enumeration of which he gives, as of injustice, oppression, cruelty to the poor, and even of atheism and infidelity, for which snares and fears were around him, and various calamities, Job 22:6-14; and compares his way and course of life to that of the men of the old world, and the inhabitants of Sodom and Gomorrah, and suggests that his end would be like theirs, unless he repented, Job 22:15-20; and then concludes with an exhortation to him to return to God by repentance, and to reform, when he should see happy times again, and enjoy much outward and inward prosperity, and be an instrument of doing much good to many, Job 22:21-30.

Cross References 24

  • 1. S Job 11:8; S Job 16:19
  • 2. ver 14; Psalms 10:11; Psalms 59:7; Psalms 64:5; Psalms 73:11; Psalms 94:7; Isaiah 29:15; Ezekiel 9:9; Zephaniah 1:12
  • 3. Psalms 139:11; Ezekiel 8:12; Ephesians 6:12
  • 4. Job 26:9; Psalms 97:2; Psalms 105:39
  • 5. S ver 13; S 2 Kings 21:16
  • 6. Job 37:18; Psalms 18:11; Proverbs 8:27; Isaiah 40:22; Jeremiah 23:23-24
  • 7. Job 23:10; Job 34:36
  • 8. Job 34:8; Psalms 1:1; Psalms 50:18
  • 9. S Job 15:32
  • 10. S Job 4:19
  • 11. S Genesis 7:23; Job 14:19; Matthew 7:26-27
  • 12. Job 21:15
  • 13. S Job 12:6
  • 14. S Job 21:16
  • 15. Psalms 5:11; Psalms 9:2; Psalms 32:11; Psalms 58:10; Psalms 64:10; Psalms 97:12; Psalms 107:42
  • 16. Job 21:3; Psalms 52:6
  • 17. Psalms 18:39
  • 18. S Job 15:30
  • 19. Isaiah 26:3,12; Isaiah 27:5; Romans 5:1
  • 20. S Genesis 17:1; Jeremiah 9:24
  • 21. S Job 8:7; Psalms 34:8-10; Proverbs 3:10; 1 Peter 5:6
  • 22. S Deuteronomy 8:3
  • 23. S Job 6:10
  • 24. S Job 15:11; Job 28:23; Psalms 37:31; Psalms 40:8; Proverbs 2:6; Ezekiel 3:10
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