Job 22:4-14

4 "You say you have respect for him. Is that why he corrects you? Is that why he brings charges against you?
5 Haven't you done many evil things? Don't you sin again and again?
6 You took clothes away from your relatives just because they owed you some money. You left them naked for no reason at all.
7 You didn't give any water to people who were tired. You held food back from those who were hungry.
8 You did it even though you were honored and powerful. You owned land and lived on it.
9 But you sent widows away without anything. You mistreated children whose fathers had died.
10 That's why traps have been set all around you. That's why sudden danger terrifies you.
11 That's why it's so dark you can't even see. That's why a flood covers you up.
12 "Isn't God in the highest parts of heaven? See how high the highest stars are!
13 But you still say, 'What does God know? Can he see through the darkest clouds to judge us?
14 He goes around in the highest heavens. Thick clouds keep him from seeing us.'

Job 22:4-14 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.

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