Job 22:8-18

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; And the honorable man, he dwelt in it.

9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, And the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

10 Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,

11 Or darkness, so that thou canst not see, And abundance of waters cover thee.

12 Is not God in the height of heaven? And behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

13 And thou sayest, What doth God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he seeth not; And he walketh on the vault of heaven.

15 Wilt thou keep the old way Which wicked men have trodden?

16 Who were snatched away before their time, Whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

17 Who said unto God, Depart from us; And, What can the Almighty do for us?

18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Job 22:8-18 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.