Job 22:23-30

23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored: If you remove wickedness far from your tent
24 and assign your nuggets to the dust, your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold, the choicest silver for you.
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you, and you will fulfill your vows.
28 What you decide on will be done, and light will shine on your ways.
29 When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ then he will save the downcast.
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Job 22:23-30 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.

Cross References 22

  • 1. Job 8:5; Isaiah 31:6; Isaiah 44:22; Isaiah 55:7; Isaiah 59:20; Jeremiah 3:14,22; Ezekiel 18:32; Zechariah 1:3; Malachi 3:7
  • 2. S Job 5:24; Isaiah 19:22; Acts 20:32
  • 3. Job 11:14
  • 4. Job 28:6
  • 5. Psalms 19:10
  • 6. S Genesis 10:29
  • 7. S Job 1:10; Job 31:25; Isaiah 2:20; Isaiah 30:22; Isaiah 31:7; Isaiah 40:19-20; Matthew 6:19
  • 8. Job 31:24; Psalms 49:6; Psalms 52:7; Proverbs 11:28
  • 9. 2 Kings 18:7; Isaiah 33:6; Matthew 6:20-21
  • 10. Job 27:10; Psalms 2:8; Psalms 16:6; Psalms 37:4; Isaiah 58:14; Isaiah 61:10
  • 11. Job 11:15
  • 12. Job 11:17; Job 33:26; Psalms 27:6; Psalms 100:1
  • 13. S Job 5:27; Job 33:26; Job 34:28; Isaiah 58:9
  • 14. S Job 5:15; S Psalms 86:7; S Isaiah 30:19
  • 15. S Numbers 30:2
  • 16. Psalms 103:11; Psalms 145:19
  • 17. Job 33:28; Psalms 97:11; Proverbs 4:18
  • 18. S Job 11:17
  • 19. S Esther 5:12
  • 20. Psalms 18:27; S Matthew 23:12; 1 Peter 5:5
  • 21. Isaiah 1:18; Romans 4:5
  • 22. S 2 Samuel 22:21; Job 42:7-8
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