Job 22:7-17

7 "To the weary you have 1given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have 2withheld bread.
8 "But the earth 3belongs to the 4mighty man, And 5the honorable * man dwells in it.
9 "You have sent 6widows away empty, And the strength of the 7orphans has been crushed.
10 "Therefore * 8snares surround you, And sudden 9dread terrifies you,
11 Or 10darkness, so that you cannot see, And an 11abundance of water covers you.
12 "Is not God 12in the height of heaven? Look also at the distant stars, how high they are!
13 "You say, '13What does God know? Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 '14Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see; And He walks on the vault of heaven.'
15 "Will you keep to the ancient path Which 15wicked men have trod,
16 Who were snatched away 16before their time, Whose 17foundations were washed away by a river?
17 "They 18said to God, 'Depart from us!' And 'What can the Almighty do to them?'

Job 22:7-17 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 18

  • 1. Job 31:16, 17
  • 2. Job 31:31
  • 3. Job 9:24
  • 4. Job 12:19
  • 5. Isaiah 3:3; Isaiah 9:15
  • 6. Job 24:3, 21; Job 29:13; Job 31:16, 18
  • 7. Job 6:27
  • 8. Job 18:8
  • 9. Job 15:21
  • 10. Job 5:14
  • 11. Job 38:34; Psalms 69:2; Psalms 124:5; Lamentations 3:54
  • 12. Job 11:7-9
  • 13. Psalms 10:11; Psalms 59:7; Psalms 64:5; Psalms 94:7; Isaiah 29:15; Ezekiel 8:12
  • 14. Job 26:9
  • 15. Job 34:36
  • 16. Job 15:32; Job 21:13, 18
  • 17. Job 14:19; Psalms 90:5; Isaiah 28:2; Matthew 7:26, 27
  • 18. Job 21:14, 15

Footnotes 5

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