Job 22:18-28

18 Yet he himself had filled their homes with good things! (But the advice of the wicked is far away from me.)
19 The righteous saw this and rejoiced; the innocent laughed them to scorn -
20 'Indeed, our substance has not been not cut off, but the fire has consumed their wealth.'
21 "Learn to be at peace with [God]; in this way good will come [back] to you.
22 Please! Receive instruction from his mouth, and take his words to heart.
23 If you return to Shaddai, you will be built up. If you drive wickedness far from your tents,
24 if you lay your treasure down in the dust and the gold of Ofir among the rocks in the vadis,
25 and let Shaddai be your treasure and your sparkling silver;
26 then Shaddai will be your delight, you will lift up your face to God;
27 you will entreat him, and he will hear you, and you will pay what you vowed;
28 what you decide to do will succeed, and light will shine on your path;

Job 22:18-28 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.

Complete Jewish Bible Copyright 1998 by David H. Stern. Published by Jewish New Testament Publications, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.