Job 22:1-7

1 And Eliphaz the Temanite answereth and saith: --

2 To God is a man profitable, Because a wise man to himself is profitable?

3 Is it a delight to the Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy ways?

4 Because of thy reverence Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:

5 Is not thy wickedness abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.

6 For thou takest a pledge of thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.

7 Thou causest not the weary to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.

Job 22:1-7 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.