Job Chapter 22 — Eliphaz’s Final Accusation
In this chapter, Eliphaz makes direct accusations against Job’s character and urges him to repent so that God might restore his prosperity.
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,
2“Can a man be profitable to God?
3Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
4Is it for your piety that he reproves you,
5Isn’t your wickedness great?
6For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing,
7You haven’t given water to the weary to drink,
8But as for the mighty man, he had the earth.
9You have sent widows away empty,
10Therefore snares are around you.
11or darkness, so that you can not see,
12“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven?
13You say, ‘What does God know?
14Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see.
15Will you keep the old way,
16who were snatched away before their time,
17who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’
18Yet he filled their houses with good things,
19The righteous see it, and are glad.
20saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off.
21“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace.
22Please receive instruction from his mouth,
23If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up,
24Lay your treasure in the dust,
25The Almighty will be your treasure,
26For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty,
27You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you.
28You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you.
29When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’
30He will even deliver him who is not innocent.
WEB Translation
Notable Verses
Job 22:2-3
“Can a man be profitable to God? ... Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?”
This verse reflects Eliphaz's theological perspective that God is entirely self-sufficient and independent of human actions.
Job 22:21
“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. Please receive instruction from his mouth.”
This is a pivotal call to reconciliation, presenting Eliphaz's belief that peace only comes through submission to divine instruction.
Job 22:25
“The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.”
It emphasizes the idea that God should be valued above all material wealth, which Eliphaz believes Job has lost due to sin.
Chapter Summary
Job 22 contains the third and final speech of Eliphaz the Temanite. He begins by questioning whether a human's righteousness can truly benefit the Almighty, suggesting that God’s judgment is not based on a need for Job's piety but on Job’s alleged wickedness. Eliphaz moves from general theories to specific, harsh accusations, claiming Job has mistreated the poor, widows, and orphans. He suggests Job believes God is too high in the heavens to see earthly deeds. Eliphaz concludes with an appeal for Job to reconcile with God, promising that if he returns to the Almighty and values God above earthly gold, he will be heard, restored, and even able to help others. This speech represents the height of the friends' legalistic view that suffering must be the result of personal sin.
Frequently Asked Questions
Eliphaz accuses Job of taking pledges from his brothers for nothing, withholding water from the weary, and sending widows away empty-handed. These are direct charges of social injustice and lack of compassion.
Eliphaz argues that a man cannot be 'profitable' to God and that God gains nothing from a person being righteous. He suggests that God's correction of Job is a response to wickedness rather than a test of piety.
He promises that if Job returns to the Almighty, he will be 'built up,' his prayers will be heard, and he will find delight in God. He also suggests that Job will be restored to a position where he can decree things and they will be established.
Study Note
Eliphaz's shift from general observations in his first speech to specific, unfounded accusations in this third speech illustrates the hardening of the friends' position against Job.
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