Job 22:15-18

Listen to Job 22:15-18
15 Will you keep to the old way that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away 1before their time; their foundation was washed away.
17 They said to God, 2‘Depart from us, ’and 3‘What can the Almighty do to us? ’ [a]
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—but 4the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Job 22:15-18 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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Cross References 4

  • 1. 22:16 See ch. 15:32
  • 2. 22:17 ch. 21:14
  • 3. 22:17 [Ps. 4:6]
  • 4. 22:18 ch. 21:16

Footnotes 1

  • [a] 22:17 Hebrew 'them'
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®) © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved. ESV Text Edition: 2025