Job 22:12-22

12 Is not God in the height of the heavens? Behold the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And thou shalt say, What does God know? How can he judge through the darkness?
14 Thick clouds are his hiding place, and he does not see; and he walks in the circuit of heaven.
15 Dost thou desire to keep the old way which wicked men have trodden?
16 Who were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood.
17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; and what can the Almighty do unto us?
18 He had filled their houses with good things. Therefore, the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous shall see it and be glad; and the innocent laughs them to scorn.
20 Whereas our substance was not cut down, when the fire had consumed the rest of them.
21 Make up thy friendship now with him, and thou shalt have peace; thereby good shall come unto thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine 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.

The Jubilee Bible (from the Scriptures of the Reformation), edited by Russell M. Stendal, Copyright © 2000, 2001, 2010