Job 22 Summary

Let’s open our Bibles to the 22nd chapter of the book of Job.

At this point in the book, Job and his friends are all trying to understand God’s ways without a direct message from God himself. As a result they’re all getting it wrong. What they need to do – and what we need to do – is to trust his wisdom when we can’t understand God’s ways.

Job is getting closer and closer to that point – but he’s not there yet.

As for Job’s friends, we’ll see in this last of three cycles of arguments between Job and his friends – that Eliphaz is not at all closer to trusting God’s wise workings in Job’s life.

Eliphaz Speaks | Job 22

So, Eliphaz speaks for 30 verses in chapter 22 – where he accuses Job of secret unrighteousness – and urges him to get right with God.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 1-3

Even if Job is righteous, God doesn’t care | Job 22:1-3

To begin, Eliphaz says that even if Job were righteous – and that’s a very big “if” in Eliphaz’s mind – well, God wouldn’t even care – verses 1-3…

KJV Job 22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite [answered and said/responded/answered],

Job 22:2 Can a [man/vigorous man/strong man] be [profitable/of use/of benefit] unto God,
[as/or] he that is wise may be [profitable/useful] unto [himself/him]?

Job 22:3 Is it any [pleasure/special benefit] to the Almighty, that thou art righteous?
or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways [perfect/blameless]?

So, it’s not like Job is doing God any favors by being righteous. God’s not impressed.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 4-5

Job really isn’t righteous | Job 22:4-5

But three verses is all the time that Eliphaz will allow himself to pretend like Job is hypothetically righteous. Because in reality, Eliphaz knows without a doubt that Job isn’t really righteous – verses 4 and 5…

Job 22:4 [Will/Does] he [reprove/rebuke] thee for [fear of thee/your reverence/your piety]?
[i.e., and…] [will he enter/enters] with thee into judgment? {i.e., is your righteousness what’s causing God to rebuke and judge you like he’s doing? On the contrary…}

Job 22:5 Is not thy wickedness great?
and thine iniquities [infinite/without end]?

That’s why God is rebuking and judging Job – for his great wickedness.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 6-9

Examples of Job’s alleged unrighteousness | Job 22:6-9

And Eliphaz has fabricated in his mind a few examples of Job’s alleged unrighteousness – verses 6-9…

Job 22:6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother [for nought/without cause/for no reason],
and stripped the naked of their clothing.

Job 22:7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,
and thou hast withholden [bread/food] from the hungry.

Job 22:8 [But as for/Although you were]the mighty man {i.e., Job…}, [he/and] [had/owned] [the earth/land];
and [i.e., you were…] the honourable man {i.e., Job…} [i.e., who…] dwelt in it.

Job 22:9 Thou hast sent widows away empty[-handed],
and the [arms/strength] of the [fatherless/orphans] have been [broken/crushed] [by you…].

So, Job used his power and position to abuse those who were helpless.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 10-11

Job is being punished for his unrighteousness | Job 22:10-11

Certainly that’s why God is punishing you! – says Eliphaz – verses 10 and 11…

Job 22:10 [Therefore/That is why] snares [are round about/surround] thee,
and [why…] sudden [fear/dread] [troubleth/terrifies] thee;

Job 22:11 Or [why…]darkness [surrounds you…], [that/so that]thou canst not see;
and [abundance/why a flood] of waters cover thee.

It’s surely not because Job is righteous that God is punishing him. He must be wicked. Because according to the thinking of the three friends – wickedness is always punished swiftly in this life. If Job is being punished, therefore, he must be wicked.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 12-14

Job thinks God is ignorant of his unrighteous deeds | Job 22:12-14

And Eliphaz goes on to accuse Job of assuming that God is ignorant of all of his secret wickedness – verses 12-14…

Job 22:12 Is not God in the height of heaven?
and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!

Job 22:13 [And/But/Because of that distance] thou sayest,

[How/What] doth God know?
can he judge through [the dark cloud/such deep darkness]?

Job 22:14 Thick clouds are a [covering to/veil for] him, that he seeth not [us…];
and he [walketh/goes back and forth] in the [circuit/vault] of heaven.

So, Eliphaz slanderously imagines Job saying to himself, “God’s up there and I’m down here doing my secret wickedness. God won’t see what I’m up to.”

Job 22 Summary of Verses 15-17

Will Job repeat the error of wicked men of old? | Job 22:15-17

But Eliphaz wants Job to know that if he continues in these wicked ways of his, he’ll end up just like all the wicked people down through the ages whom God punished – just like he’s punishing Job – verses 15-17…

Job 22:15 [Hast/Will] thou [marked/keep to] the [old/ancient] [way/path]
which wicked men have trodden?

Job 22:16 Which were [cut down/snatched away/carried off] [out of/before their] time,
whose foundation was overflown with [a/the] flood: {i.e., could be a reference to Noah’s flood…}

Job 22:17 Which said unto God,

[Depart/Turn away] from us:
and what can the Almighty do for [them/us]?

Job 22 Summary of Verses 18-20

God was good to those wicked men and the righteous mock their demise | Job 22:18-20

And Eliphaz starts showing some willingness to admit that God is sometimes good to the wicked – but after a few words of that he’ll revert back to the thought of the righteous mocking the demise of the wicked in this life – verses 18-20…

Job 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good things:
but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. {like Job said earlier – this seems to be a pivot away from this thought and back toward his typical message…}

Job 22:19 The righteous see [it/their destruction], and [are glad/rejoice]:
and the innocent [laugh/mock] them [to scorn/scornfully] [saying…].

Job 22:20 [Whereas/Truly/Surely] our [substance/adversaries/enemies] [is not cut down/are cut off/are destroyed],
but [the remnant of them/their abundance/their wealth] the fire consumeth.

So, the righteous end up being fine in this life. But not so for the wicked – of whom Job is surely one – according to Eliphaz.

Job 22 Summary of Verses 21-24

Return to God | Job 22:21-24

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Eliphaz is going to once again hold out to Job hope. There’s still time for Job to return to God from his supposed secret wickedness – verses 21-24…

Job 22:21 [Acquaint now/Yield now/Reconcile] thyself with [him/God], and be at peace:
thereby good shall come unto thee.

Job 22:22 [Receive/Accept], I pray thee, [the law/instruction] from his mouth,
and [lay up/establish/store up] his words in thine heart.

Job 22:23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be [built up/restored],
[thou shalt/if you] [put away/remove] [iniquity/unrighteousness/wicked behavior] far from thy tabernacles.

Job 22:24 [Then shalt thou lay up/and place your/and throw your] gold [as/in the] dust,
and the gold of Ophir [as/among] the stones of the brooks.

So, return all that money you stole and stop relying on it as your idol, Job!

Job 22 Summary of Verses 25-30

Promised blessings for returning to God | Job 22:25-30

And of course, Eliphaz promises Job wonderful blessings for him once he stops all of his secret wickedness and returns to God – verses 25-30…

Job 22:25 [Yea/Then], the Almighty shall be thy [defence/gold],
and thou shalt have [him as…] [plenty of/choice] silver.

Job 22:26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty,
and shalt lift up thy face unto God.

Job 22:27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him,
and he shall hear thee,
and thou shalt [pay/fulfill to him] thy vows.

Job 22:28 [Whatever…] Thou shalt also [decree/decide on] a [thing/matter], and it shall be established [unto/for] thee:
and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

Job 22:29 When men are [cast down/brought low], then thou shalt say, [There is lifting up/Lift them up!];
and he shall save the [humble/downcast] person.

Job 22:30 He shall deliver the [island of the/one who is not/someone who is not] innocent:
and [it is/he will be] delivered [by/through] the [pureness/cleanness] of thine hands.

So, once Job gets on the Retribution Theology bandwagon, he’ll be able to pray for other people who are in his current situation – and God will hear him and restore them – like Job is in need of currently…

And that’s the end of Eliphaz’s speech. Job is wicked. That’s the only explanation as to why he’s suffering so much at God’s hands. But if he turns from his wickedness, then God will bless him once more.

Eliphaz has come to completely and fully understand God’s ways in Job’s life… Or has he? (No, of course he hasn’t.)