Job 22:1-11

1 Is there anyone, even the wisest, 1
2 who could ever be of use to God?
3 Does your doing right benefit God, or does your being good help him at all?
4 It is not because you stand in awe of God that he reprimands you and brings you to trial.
5 No, it's because you have sinned so much; it's because of all the evil you do.
6 To make a brother repay you the money he owed, you took away his clothes and left him nothing to wear.
7 You refused water to those who were tired, and refused to feed those who were hungry.
8 You used your power and your position to take over the whole land.
9 You not only refused to help widows, but you also robbed and mistreated orphans.
10 So now there are pitfalls all around you, and suddenly you are full of fear.
11 It has grown so dark that you cannot see, and a flood overwhelms you.

Job 22:1-11 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 1

  • 1. 22.2,Job 35.6-8.
Scripture taken from the Good News Translation - Second Edition, Copyright 1992 by American Bible Society. Used by Permission.