Job 22:3-13

3 Does it help the Almighty for you to be good? Does he gain anything if you are innocent?
4 Does God punish you for respecting him? Does he bring you into court for this?
5 No! It is because your evil is without limits and your sins have no end.
6 You took your brothers' things for a debt they didn't owe; you took clothes from people and left them naked.
7 You did not give water to tired people, and you kept food from the hungry.
8 You were a powerful man who owned land; you were honored and lived in the land.
9 But you sent widows away empty-handed, and you mistreated orphans.
10 That is why traps are all around you and sudden danger frightens you.
11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see and a flood of water covers you.
12 "God is in the highest part of heaven. See how high the highest stars are!
13 But you ask, 'What does God know? Can he judge us through the dark clouds?

Job 22:3-13 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.

Scripture taken from the New Century Version. Copyright © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.