Job 22:2-12

2 Can man be compared with God, even though he were of perfect knowledge?
3 What doth it profit God if thou be just? or what dost thou give him if thy way be unspotted?
4 Shall he reprove thee for fear, and come with thee into judgment:
5 And not for thy manifold wickedness and thy infinite iniquities?
6 For thou hast taken away the pledge of thy brethren without cause, and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 Thou hast not given water to the weary, thou hast withdrawn bread from the hungry.
8 In the strength of thy arm thou didst possess the land, and being the most mighty thou holdest it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless thou hast broken in pieces.
10 Therefore art thou surrounded with shares, and sudden fear troubleth thee.
11 And didst thou think that thou shouldst not see darkness, and that thou shouldst not be covered with the violence of overflowing waters?
12 Dost not thou think that God is higher than heaven, and is elevated above the height of the stars?

Job 22:2-12 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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