Job 22:18

18 And yet it was God who gave them everything they had. It's beyond me how they can carry on like this!

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 Where did it get them? They died young, flash floods sweeping them off to their doom.
17 They told God, 'Get lost! What good is God Almighty to us?'
18 And yet it was God who gave them everything they had. It's beyond me how they can carry on like this!
19 "Good people see bad people crash, and call for a celebration. Relieved, they crow,
20 'At last! Our enemies - wiped out. Everything they had and stood for is up in smoke!'
Published by permission. Originally published by NavPress in English as THE MESSAGE: The Bible in Contemporary Language copyright 2002 by Eugene Peterson. All rights reserved.