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Job 22

Eliphaz speaks to Job a third time [ a ]

22 Then Eliphaz, the man from Teman, replied. This is what he said:

2 ‘Nothing that a man can do will help God.
Even a wise man cannot help God.
3 If you are a righteous person,
it does nothing to help Almighty God.
If you live a completely good life,
it still does not help him.
4 It is not because you respect and obey God
that he punishes you.
It is not because you are a good person
that he accuses you.
5 No! It is because you are a very wicked person.
You have done too many evil things for anyone to count them.
That is why he is punishing you.

6 You took things from your friends when you lent money to them.
You had no reason to do that.
You even took away the only clothes that poor people were wearing. [ b ]
7 When you met people who were weak and tired,
you did not give them any water to drink.
You refused to feed hungry people.
8 You were a powerful man,
with land that belonged to you.
People respected you.
Your land gave you a good life.
9 But you refused to help widows.
You were cruel to children who have no family.
10 That is why you have so many troubles.
That is why you shake with fear.
11 It seems to you that you are in the dark
and you cannot see.
You feel as if a flood of deep water covers you.

12 God lives high above us in heaven.
Look up at the stars and see how high they are!
13 So you say, “God does not know about us.
He cannot judge us,
because darkness hides us from him.
14 Thick clouds cover him,
so that he does not see us.
He moves around high above the sky.”

15 Job, you must not continue to turn against God.
That is the way that evil people lived long ago.
16 Those people died before they should have done.
A great flood of water took them away.
They had no safe place to stand. [ c ]
17 They said to God, “Leave us alone!”
They thought that Almighty God could not hurt them.
18 But it was God who gave them many good things to enjoy.
So I cannot accept the ideas of wicked people.
19 God punishes wicked people.
When righteous people see that happen,
they are happy.
Good people then laugh at wicked people.
20 They say, “God has destroyed our enemies.
He has burned all their valuable things in a fire.”

21 So, Job, agree to accept God's ways.

Have peace in your mind about him.
Then you will again have good success.
22 Listen to his teaching.
Remember carefully what he tells you.
23 Turn back to the Almighty God,
so that you become strong again.
Stop all the evil things that happen in your house.
24 Throw away your gold things.
Throw your pure gold among the rocks in the streams.
25 Then the Almighty God will be like gold for you.
He will be like your valuable silver. [ d ]
26 You will be happy that Almighty God is your friend.
You will look up to him to help you.
27 You will pray to him, and he will answer you.
You will do the things that you have promised to him.
28 You will be able to do everything that you decide to do.
Light from God will show you the right way to go.
29 You will pray for God to help people who are in trouble.
God will save those people who are humble.
30 God will rescue even people who are guilty.
Because you do what is right,
God will save those people.’

Footnotes

  1. 22:1 In this chapter, Eliphaz says three things to Job. First, we cannot give to God anything that he needs. But second, he says that Job must have done many wrong things. That is why God has punished him. Third, he says that Job should not argue with God. Instead Job should obey God. Then his life will be better and God will be kind to him again.
  2. 22:6 When people lent money to others, they took something that belonged to the other person. It was to make sure that the person paid the money back to them.
  3. 22:16 Long ago, a flood of water destroyed people who had turned against God. See Genesis 6:5-22 .
  4. 22:25 This verse is about the things that are most important in Job's life. He may have valuable things like silver and gold. But if he obeys God, then God will be more valuable to him than his silver and gold.

Eliphaz Answers Job

22 Then Eliphaz from Teman answered:

2 “Does God need our help?
Even the wisest of us is not really useful to him.
3 Does your living right benefit him?
Does God All-Powerful gain anything if you follow him?
4 Why does God blame and punish you?
Is it because you worship him?
5 No, it is because you sin so much.
You never stop sinning.
6 Maybe to guarantee loans you took things from people for no reason.
Maybe you took a poor man’s clothes to make sure he paid you back. [ a ]
7 Maybe you failed to give water or food
to people who were tired or hungry.
8 You have a lot of farmland,
and people respect you.
9 But maybe you sent widows away without giving them anything.
And maybe you took advantage of orphans.
10 That is why traps are all around you,
and sudden trouble makes you afraid.
11 That is why it is so dark you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you.

12 “God lives in the highest part of heaven
and looks down on the highest stars.
13 But you might say, ‘What does God know?
Can he see through the dark clouds to judge us?
14 Thick clouds hide us from his eyes,
so he cannot see us as he walks around the edge of the sky.’

15 “Job, you are walking on the old path
that evil people walked on long ago.
16 They were destroyed before it was their time to die.
They were washed away by the flood.
17 They told God, ‘Leave us alone!’
and said, ‘God All-Powerful cannot do anything to us!’
18 And it was God who filled their houses with good things.
No, I would never follow the advice of evil people.
19 Those who do what is right are happy to see them destroyed.
The innocent laugh at them and say,
20 ‘Surely our enemies are destroyed!
Their wealth burned up in the fire!’

21 “Now, Job, give yourself to God and make peace with him.
Do this, and you will get many good things.
22 Accept his teaching.
Pay attention to what he says.
23 If you return to God All-Powerful, you will be restored.
But remove the evil from your house.
24 Think of your gold as nothing but dirt.
Think of your finest gold as rocks from a stream.
25 And let God All-Powerful be your gold.
Let him be your pile of silver.
26 Then you will enjoy God All-Powerful,
and you will look up to him.
27 When you pray, he will hear you.
And you will be able to do all that you promised him.
28 If you decide to do something, it will be successful.
And your future will be very bright!
29 When people are brought down and you ask God to help them,
he will rescue those who have been humbled.
30 Even those who are guilty will be forgiven.
They will be saved because you did what was right.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:6 paid you back See Deut. 24:12-13 for rules about making loans to the poor.

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?

3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?

4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?

5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.

8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man 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, 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, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.

15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?

16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood:

17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?

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

19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.

20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.

21 Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.

22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.

23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

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

27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.

28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.

29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person.

30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.

Eliphaz Accuses and Exhorts Job

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,

2 “Can a strong ( A ) man be of use to God,
Or a wise one be useful to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to [ a ] the Almighty if you are righteous,
Or gain if you make your ways blameless?
4 Is it because of your [ b ] reverence that He punishes you,
That He ( B ) enters into judgment against you?
5 Is ( C ) your wickedness not abundant,
And is there no end to your guilty deeds?
6 For you have ( D ) seized pledges from your brothers without cause,
And [ c ] ( E ) stripped people naked.
7 You have ( F ) given the weary no water to drink,
And you have ( G ) withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the earth ( H ) belongs to the ( I ) powerful man,
And ( J ) the one who is honorable dwells on it.
9 You have sent ( K ) widows away empty,
And the [ d ] strength of ( L ) orphans has been crushed.
10 Therefore ( M ) traps surround you,
And sudden ( N ) dread terrifies you,
11 Or ( O ) darkness, so that you cannot see,
And a ( P ) flood of water covers you.

12 “Is God not ( Q ) in the height of heaven?
Look also at the [ e ] highest stars, how high they are!
13 But 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 [ f ] vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the ancient path
Which ( T ) wicked people have walked,
16 Who were snatched away ( U ) before their time,
Whose ( V ) foundations were [ g ] washed away by a river?
17 They ( W ) said to God, ‘Go away from us!’
And ‘What can [ h ] the Almighty do to them?’
18 Yet He ( X ) filled their houses with good things ;
But ( Y ) the advice of the wicked is far from me.
19 The ( Z ) righteous see and are glad,
And the innocent mock them, saying ,
20 ‘Truly our enemies are eliminated,
And ( AA ) fire has consumed their [ i ] abundance.’

21 “ ( AB ) Be reconciled with Him, and be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Please receive [ j ] ( AC ) instruction from His mouth,
And put His words in your heart.
23 If you ( AD ) return to [ k ] the Almighty, you will be [ l ] restored;
If you ( AE ) remove injustice far from your tent,
24 And ( AF ) put your [ m ] gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks,
25 Then [ n ] the Almighty will be your [ o ] gold
And abundant silver to you.
26 For then you will ( AG ) take pleasure in [ p ] 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 decide something, and it will be established for you;
And ( AJ ) light will shine on your ways.
29 When [ q ] they have brought you low, you will speak with [ r ] confidence,
And He will save the [ s ] ( AK ) humble person.
30 He will rescue one who is not innocent,
And he will be ( AL ) rescued due to the cleanness of your hands.”

Footnotes

  1. Job 22:3 Heb Shaddai
  2. Job 22:4 Or fear
  3. Job 22:6 Lit stripped clothing of the naked
  4. Job 22:9 Lit arms
  5. Job 22:12 Lit head, top-most
  6. Job 22:14 Lit circle
  7. Job 22:16 Lit poured out
  8. Job 22:17 Heb Shaddai
  9. Job 22:20 Or excess
  10. Job 22:22 Or law
  11. Job 22:23 Heb Shaddai
  12. Job 22:23 Lit built up
  13. Job 22:24 Lit ore
  14. Job 22:25 Heb Shaddai
  15. Job 22:25 Lit ore
  16. Job 22:26 Heb Shaddai
  17. Job 22:29 Lit they cast you down
  18. Job 22:29 Lit pride
  19. Job 22:29 Lit lowly of eyes

Eliphaz

22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite ( A ) replied:

2 “Can a man be of benefit to God? ( B )
Can even a wise person benefit him? ( C )
3 What pleasure ( D ) would it give the Almighty if you were righteous? ( E )
What would he gain if your ways were blameless? ( F )

4 “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
and brings charges against you? ( G )
5 Is not your wickedness great?
Are not your sins ( H ) endless? ( I )
6 You demanded security ( J ) from your relatives for no reason; ( K )
you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked. ( L )
7 You gave no water ( M ) to the weary
and you withheld food from the hungry, ( N )
8 though you were a powerful man, owning land ( O ) —
an honored man, ( P ) living on it. ( Q )
9 And you sent widows ( R ) away empty-handed ( S )
and broke the strength of the fatherless. ( T )
10 That is why snares ( U ) are all around you, ( V )
why sudden peril terrifies you, ( W )
11 why it is so dark ( X ) you cannot see,
and why a flood of water covers you. ( Y )

12 “Is not God in the heights of heaven? ( Z )
And see how lofty are the highest stars!
13 Yet you say, ‘What does God know? ( AA )
Does he judge through such darkness? ( AB )
14 Thick clouds ( AC ) veil him, so he does not see us ( AD )
as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’ ( AE )
15 Will you keep to the old path
that the wicked ( AF ) have trod? ( AG )
16 They were carried off before their time, ( AH )
their foundations ( AI ) washed away by a flood. ( AJ )
17 They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’ ( AK )
18 Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, ( AL )
so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked. ( AM )
19 The righteous see their ruin and rejoice; ( AN )
the innocent mock ( AO ) them, saying,
20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, ( AP )
and fire ( AQ ) devours their wealth.’

21 “Submit to God and be at peace ( AR ) with him; ( AS )
in this way prosperity will come to you. ( AT )
22 Accept instruction from his mouth ( AU )
and lay up his words ( AV ) in your heart. ( AW )
23 If you return ( AX ) to the Almighty, you will be restored: ( AY )
If you remove wickedness far from your tent ( AZ )
24 and assign your nuggets ( BA ) to the dust,
your gold ( BB ) of Ophir ( BC ) to the rocks in the ravines, ( BD )
25 then the Almighty will be your gold, ( BE )
the choicest silver for you. ( BF )
26 Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty ( BG )
and will lift up your face ( BH ) to God. ( BI )
27 You will pray to him, ( BJ ) and he will hear you, ( BK )
and you will fulfill your vows. ( BL )
28 What you decide on will be done, ( BM )
and light ( BN ) will shine on your ways. ( BO )
29 When people are brought low ( BP ) and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
then he will save the downcast. ( BQ )
30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, ( BR )
who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.” ( BS )

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