Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite [a]responded,
2 “Can a vigorous (A)man be of use to God,
Or a wise man be useful to himself?
3 “Is there any pleasure to [b]the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or profit if you make your ways perfect?
4 “Is it because of your [c]reverence that He reproves you,
That He (B)enters into judgment against you?
5 “Is not (C)your wickedness great,
And your iniquities without end?
6 “For you have (D)taken pledges of your brothers without cause,
And (E)stripped [d]men naked.
7 “To the weary you have (F)given no water to drink,
And from the hungry you have (G)withheld bread.
8 “But the earth (H)belongs to the (I)mighty man,
And (J)the honorable man dwells in it.
9 “You have sent (K)widows away empty,
And the [e]strength of the (L)orphans has been crushed.
10 “Therefore (M)snares surround you,
And sudden (N)dread terrifies you,
11 Or (O)darkness, so that you cannot see,
And an (P)abundance of water covers you.
12 “Is not God (Q)in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [f]distant stars, how high they are!
13 “You say, ‘(R)What does God know?
Can He judge through the thick darkness?
14 ‘(S)Clouds are a hiding place for Him, so that He cannot see;
And He walks on the [g]vault of heaven.’
15 “Will you keep to the ancient path
Which (T)wicked men have trod,
16 Who were snatched away (U)before their time,
Whose (V)foundations were [h]washed away by a river?
17 “They (W)said to God, ‘Depart from us!’
And ‘What can [i]the Almighty do to them?’
18 “Yet He (X)filled their houses with good things;
But (Y)the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “The (Z)righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them,
20 Saying, ‘Truly our adversaries are cut off,
And their [j]abundance (AA)the fire has consumed.’
21 “[k](AB)Yield now and be at peace with Him;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 “Please receive [l](AC)instruction from His mouth
And establish His words in your heart.
23 “If you (AD)return to [m]the Almighty, you will be [n]restored;
If you (AE)remove unrighteousness far from your tent,
24 And (AF)place your [o]gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [p]the Almighty will be your [q]gold
And choice silver to you.
26 “For then you will (AG)delight in [r]the Almighty
And lift up your face to God.
27 “You will (AH)pray to Him, and (AI)He will hear you;
And you will pay your vows.
28 “You will also decree a thing, and it will be established for you;
And (AJ)light will shine on your ways.
29 “When [s]you are cast down, you will speak with [t]confidence,
And the [u](AK)humble person He will save.
30 “He will deliver one who is not innocent,
And he will be (AL)delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”
Footnotes
- Job 22:1 Lit answered and said
- Job 22:3 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:4 Or fear
- Job 22:6 Lit clothing of the naked
- Job 22:9 Lit arms
- Job 22:12 Lit head, top-most
- Job 22:14 Lit circle
- Job 22:16 Lit poured out
- Job 22:17 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:20 Or excess
- Job 22:21 Or Know intimately
- Job 22:22 Or law
- Job 22:23 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:23 Lit built up
- Job 22:24 Lit ore
- Job 22:25 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:25 Lit ore
- Job 22:26 Heb Shaddai
- Job 22:29 Lit they cast you down
- Job 22:29 Lit pride
- Job 22:29 Lit lowly of eyes
Cross references
- Job 22:2 : Job 35:7; Luke 17:10
- Job 22:4 : Job 14:3; 19:29
- Job 22:5 : Job 11:6; 15:5
- Job 22:6 : Ex 22:26; Deut 24:6, 17; Job 24:3, 9; Ezek 18:16
- Job 22:6 : Job 31:19, 20
- Job 22:7 : Job 31:16, 17
- Job 22:7 : Job 31:31
- Job 22:8 : Job 9:24
- Job 22:8 : Job 12:19
- Job 22:8 : Is 3:3; 9:15
- Job 22:9 : Job 24:3, 21; 29:13; 31:16, 18
- Job 22:9 : Job 6:27
- Job 22:10 : Job 18:8
- Job 22:10 : Job 15:21
- Job 22:11 : Job 5:14
- Job 22:11 : Job 38:34; Ps 69:2; 124:5; Lam 3:54
- Job 22:12 : Job 11:7-9
- Job 22:13 : Ps 10:11; 59:7; 64:5; 94:7; Is 29:15; Ezek 8:12
- Job 22:14 : Job 26:9
- Job 22:15 : Job 34:36
- Job 22:16 : Job 15:32; 21:13, 18
- Job 22:16 : Job 14:19; Ps 90:5; Is 28:2; Matt 7:26, 27
- Job 22:17 : Job 21:14, 15
- Job 22:18 : Job 12:6
- Job 22:18 : Job 21:16
- Job 22:19 : Ps 52:6; 58:10; 107:42
- Job 22:20 : Job 15:30
- Job 22:21 : Ps 34:10
- Job 22:22 : Job 6:10; 23:12; Prov 2:6
- Job 22:23 : Job 8:5; 11:13; Is 19:22; 31:6; Zech 1:3
- Job 22:23 : Job 11:14
- Job 22:24 : Job 31:24, 25
- Job 22:26 : Job 27:10; Ps 37:4; Is 58:14
- Job 22:27 : Job 11:13; 33:26; Is 58:9
- Job 22:27 : Job 34:28
- Job 22:28 : Job 11:17; Ps 112:4
- Job 22:29 : Job 5:11; 36:7; Matt 23:12; James 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5
- Job 22:30 : Job 42:7, 8; Ps 18:20; 24:3, 4