Job 22:18

18 Yet he filled their houses with good things-- but 1the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Job 22:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 22:18

Yet he filled their houses with good [things]
With temporal good things, with this world's good, with plenty of providential goodness; earthly enjoyments are good things in themselves, and in their effects, when rightly used, and these wicked men have their share of; this is their portion, they have their good things in this life, and a large abundance of them oftentimes; their hearts are filled with food, and should be with gladness and thankfulness; their bellies are filled with hidden treasures; their barns with corn and wheat, and such like fruits of the earth; their shops with all manner of goods; their dwelling houses with gold and silver, with rich furniture, and all precious substance; and all this is from God, every good gift comes from him; the earth is full of his goodness; though these men say, "what can the Almighty do for them?" ( Job 22:17 ) ; this shows, that what they have they are not deserving of; and what is bestowed upon them is not from any merit in them, but according to the sovereign will and pleasure of God; find this is an aggravation of their wickedness, that notwithstanding he has loaded them with his benefits, and indulged them with such a plenty of good things, yet they spurn at him, rebel against him, and bid him depart from them; which conduct of theirs Eliphaz expresses his abhorrence of:

but the counsel of the wicked is far from me;
such impious reasonings, and wicked practices, he was far from justifying; he had them in the utmost detestation, and could not but abhor such vile ingratitude; he makes use of Job's words, ( Job 21:16 ) ; which he thought he could do to better purpose, and with greater sincerity.

Job 22:18 In-Context

16 They were snatched away before their time; their foundation was washed away.
17 They said to God, 'Depart from us,' and 'What can the Almighty do to us?'
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things-- but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 The righteous see it and are glad; the innocent one mocks at them,
20 saying, 'Surely our adversaries are cut off, and what they left the fire has consumed.'

Cross References 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.