Job 22:1-10

1 Then Eliphaz (the) Temanite answered, and said,

2 Whether a man, yea, (even) when he is of perfect knowing, may be comparisoned to God?

3 What profiteth it to God, if thou art just? either what shalt thou give to him, if thy life is without wem? (What profiteth it to God, if thou art righteous? or what shalt thou give him, if thy life is without blemish, or without fault?)

4 Whether he shall dread (thee), and shall he reprove thee, and shall he come with thee into doom, (Shall he fear thee, and shall he rebuke thee, and shall he take thee to court?)

5 and not for thy full much malice, and thy wickednesses without number, these pains have fallen justly to thee? (and have not these pains fallen justly upon thee, for thy great malice, and for thy wickednesses without number?)

6 For thou hast taken away without cause the wed of thy brethren; and hast spoiled naked men of clothes. (For thou hast taken away thy brother's pledge without a reason; and thou hast robbed people of their clothes, making them naked.)

7 Thou gavest not water to the faint man; and thou withdrewest bread from the hungry man. (Thou gavest no water to the faint; and thou withheldest bread from the hungry.)

8 In the strength of thine arm (By the strength of thy arm), thou haddest the land in possession; and thou, most mighty, heldest (onto) it.

9 Thou lettest go widows void, or unhelped (Thou lettest widows go away void, or without help); and all-brakest the shoulders of fatherless children.

10 Therefore thou art now (en)compassed with snares; and sudden(ly) dread troubleth thee. (And so now thou art surrounded with snares; and the unexpected maketh thee afraid/and suddenly thou art full of fear.)

Job 22:1-10 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.