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Job Chapter
Twenty-two
New King James Version (NKJV)
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; and as if
he reproved and chastised him, because of his fear of him, whereas it was
because of his sins, Job 22:4; 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; 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; 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.
Job 22:1 Then
Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
YLT
1And Eliphaz the Temanite
answereth and saith: --
Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said. As Eliphaz was
the first that entered the discussion with Job, being perhaps the oldest man,
and might be reckoned the wisest, so he gives the lead in every course of
disputation; and here, instead of replying to Job's arguments and instances, at
which he was very angry, betakes himself to calumny and reproach, and to draw
invidious consequences, instead of making use of solid reasons for conviction
and confutation.
Job 22:2 2 “Can a man be profitable
to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
YLT
2To God is a man profitable,
Because a wise man to himself is profitable?
Can a man be profitable unto God?.... Eliphaz imagined
that Job thought so, by his insisting so much on his integrity, and complaining
of his afflictions; and that God was beholden to him for his holiness and
righteousness, and that instead of afflicting him, should have heaped honours
and happiness upon him; whereas there is not anything a man can do, or does, by
which God can be profiled; which is a very great truth, though misapplied to
Job through a wrong construction of his words and meaning. No man, even the
best of men, and by the best things they can do, can be profitable to God; as
for bad men, they are altogether unprofitable to themselves and to others, and
still less profitable to God; and as for good men, their "goodness
extendeth not" to the Lord, Psalm 16:2; it
comes from him, it is his own previously; it is of no avail and advantage to
him, who is perfect and all sufficient; when they have done all that they are
commanded, they are bid to say, and very truly, "we are unprofitable
servants", Luke 17:10; they do
indeed glorify God, and are the means of others glorifying him by their good
works; but then they add no glory to him, which he had not before; they only
declare the glory of God by the light of their grace and works, as the heavens
and luminaries in them do by their light and lustre; they worship God as they
ought to do; but then he is not worshipped by them "as though he needed
anything" of them, Acts 17:25; it is
they, and not he, that get by worship; it is good for them, and they find their
account in it, to draw near to him, and wait upon him, and worship him; what
are all their prayers and praises to him? the benefit redounds to themselves:
some men are very serviceable to promote the interest of religion, either by
their purses, or by their gifts and talents, fitting for public usefulness; but
then, what do they give to God but what is his own? "of thine own have we
given thee", says David, 1 Chronicles 29:14;
or what do they do for him? it is for the good of themselves, and others, Romans 11:35. Some
are useful in the conversion of men to God, either by the public ministry of
the word, or in private life by discourse and conversation; but then the profit
of all this is to men, and not unto God; there is nothing that a man can do, by
which he can make God his debtor, or lay him under an obligation to him, which
he would, if he could be profitable to him; but whatever he does, it is but his
duty, and what God has a prior right unto; and therefore men can merit nothing
at the hand of God, no, not the least mercy; it is by the grace of God a good
man is what he is, and does what he does; the Targum paraphrases it, "can
a man teach God?" and so Mr. Broughton; see Job 21:22;
as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? or
"though", or "indeed, truly he that is wise", &c.F8כי "immo", Beza; "profecto", Schultens.
. A man that is worldly wise is profitable to himself and his family, by
gathering wealth and riches; and a man that is wise, and has a large
understanding of natural things, may be profitable to himself by enriching his
mind with knowledge, increasing the pleasure of it, and getting credit and fame
among men by it, and may be profitable to others by communicating his knowledge
to them, see Proverbs 9:12; and
one that is spiritually wise, or has the true grace of God, and wisdom in the
hidden part, which is no other than real godliness, gets great gain; for
godliness is that to him, and is profitable for all things, having the promise
of the present and future life; and he that has an interest in Christ, the
Wisdom of God, is a happy man indeed, since he has that, the merchandise of
which is better than silver, and the gain thereof than fine gold; one that is
wise unto salvation, and is a wise professor of religion, and walks wisely and
circumspectly, has great advantages; he builds his salvation on the rock
Christ, and is safe and sure; he is concerned to have the oil of grace, with
the lamp of a profession, and so is always ready to meet the bridegroom; and
being careful of his conversation, keeps his garments that his shame is not
seen; and so a wise minister of the word, "one that instructs"F9משכיל. , or gives instructions to others, as the word here
signifies; or one that causes to understand, or is the means of causing men to
understand, such a man is profitable to himself and to others, see Daniel 12:3.
Job 22:3 3 Is it
any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or is it gain to
Him that you make your ways blameless?
YLT
3Is it a delight to the
Mighty One That thou art righteous? is it gain, That thou makest perfect thy
ways?
Is it any pleasure
to the Almighty that thou art righteous?.... It is not; the Lord
indeed takes pleasure in his people, not as sinners, but as righteous; and as
they are considered such in Christ, he is well pleased for his righteousness'
sake, and with it, being agreeable to his nature, will, and law; and with his
people in Christ, in whom they are accepted, having imputed the righteousness
of his Son unto them, and so they stand before him unblamable and irreprovable,
and he takes pleasure in the work of his own hands upon them, called the good
pleasure of his will, in the new man formed after his image in righteousness
and true holiness, in the graces of his Spirit, and in the exercise of them,
faith, hope, love, humility, fear of God, &c. it is a pleasure to him to
hear their prayers and praises, and to observe their ready and cheerful
obedience to his will; but then all this gives him no new pleasure, or adds
anything to the complacency of his mind; he would have had as much delight and
pleasure within himself, if there had never been an holy angel in heaven, or a
righteous man on earth; he has no such pleasure in either as to be made more
happy thereby, or so as to receive any "gain" or profit from it, as
the next clause explains it. Some render it, "that thou justifiest thyself"F11כי תצדק "quod justifices
te", Junius & Tremellius. , or "that thou art just", or
"seemest to be righteous to thyself"F12"Quum Justus
es apud teipsum", Schmidt; "quod tibi justus esse videris",
Michaelis. ; a self-righteous person is not pleasing to God; it is no pleasure
to him when a man seeks for justification by his own works, or reckons them his
righteousness; the publican that confessed his sin was rather justified with
God than the Pharisee that applauded his own righteousness; such that are
conceited of their own righteousness, and despise others, are an offence to
God, a "smoke in his nose", Isaiah 65:5; for
the righteousness of such is not real righteousness in the account of God, and
according to his law; it has only the shadow and appearance of one, but is not
truly so; and besides, to seek righteousness this way is going contrary to the
revealed will of God, to the Gospel scheme of justification by faith in Christ's
righteousness, without the works of the law, and is a setting aside his
righteousness, and frustrating and making null and void the death of Christ,
and therefore can never be pleasing in the sight of God:
or is it gain to him that thou makest thy ways perfect? no man's ways
are perfect before God, even the best of men have detects in their works, and
failings in their walk and conversations: some men's ways are indeed clean in
their own eyes, and perfect in their own conceit; and if Eliphaz thought Job such
an one, he was mistaken, see Job 9:20; there are
others, who are in a sense unblamable in their walk and conversation; that is,
are not guilty of any notorious crime, but exercise a conscience void of
offence towards God and man, walk in all the commandments and ordinances of the
Lord blameless; and yet this is no "gain" to God; for what does such
a man give to him? or what does he receive of his hands? see Job 35:7. This was
indeed Job's case and character.
Job 22:4 4 “Is it because of your
fear of Him that He corrects you, And enters into judgment with you?
YLT
4Because of thy reverence
Doth He reason [with] thee? He entereth with thee into judgment:
Will he reprove thee for fear of thee?.... That is,
chastise, correct, and afflict, for fear that hurt should be done unto him; no,
he will not; for as the goodness of men does not profit him, the sinfulness of
men does not hurt him, see Job 35:6. Kings and
civil magistrates sometimes chastise offenders, not only to do justice to them,
but through fear of them, lest, if spared or connived at, they should be
hurtful to the state, and overturn it; but though sin is an act of hostility
against God, and strikes at his being and government, yet he is in no fear of
being ruined or dethroned, or of having his government taken out of his hands,
and therefore does not chastise men on that account: or "for thy
fear"F13המיראתך "an de religione
tua", Junius & Tremellius; "ob timorem tuum", so some in
Drusius; "num ob pietatem tuam", others in Michaelis. , for thy fear
of God, thy piety; or "for thy religion", as Mr. Broughton translates
the word. Job had often suggested that good men, such that truly feared God,
are afflicted by him, and therefore his own afflictions were no objection to
his character, as a man that feared God, and eschewed evil, Job 1:1; and in
this sense Eliphaz uses the word, Job 4:6; and here
he intimates, as if, according to the notion of Job, that God afflicted him,
and other good men, because they feared him, and which he observes, as a great
absurdity; whereas, on the contrary, he chastised him for his sins, as Job 22:5 shows; but
though God does not afflict men for their goodness, but for sins, yet they are
only such that fear him, and whom he loves, that he chastises in a fatherly
way, see Hebrews 12:6;
will he enter with thee into judgment? that is, will
he, in reverence to thee, out of respect to so great a person (speaking
ironically), in condescension to one of so much consequence, will he regard thy
request, so often made, as to come into judgment with thee, and to admit of thy
cause being pleaded before him, and to give the hearing of it, and decide the
affair in controversy? or rather, will he not plead against thee, and condemn
thee for thy sins, as follow? in this sense it is to be deprecated, and not
desired, see Psalm 143:2.
Job 22:5 5 Is
not your wickedness great, And your iniquity without end?
YLT
5Is not thy wickedness
abundant? And there is no end to thine iniquities.
Is not thy wickedness great?.... It must be owned it
is, it cannot be denied. Indeed, the wickedness of every man's heart is great,
it being desperately wicked, full of sin, abounding with it; out of it comes
forth everything that is bad, and the wickedness of actions is very great: some
sins are indeed greater than others, as those against God, and the first table
of the law, are greater than those against men, or the second table; some are
like crimson and scarlet, are beams in the eye, while others are comparatively
as motes; yet all are great, as committed against God, and as they are breaches
of his law; and especially they appear so to sensible sinners, to whom sin is
made exceeding sinful; and they see and own themselves to be the chief of
sinners, and as such entreat for pardon on that account, see Psalm 25:11;
and thine iniquities infinite? strictly speaking,
nothing is infinite but God; sins may be said in some sense to be infinite,
because committed against an infinite God, and cannot be satisfied for by a
finite creature, or by finite sufferings, only through the infinite value of
the blood of Christ; here it signifies, that his iniquities were
"innumerable"F14
αναριθμητοι, Sept. , as some versions, they were not to be reckoned up, they
were so many; or, more literally, there is "no end of thine
iniquities"F15אין קץ
לעונותיך "non est finis iniquitatibus
tuis", Pagninus, Montanus, &c. , there is no summing of them up; and
it may denote his continuance in them; Eliphaz suggests as if Job lived in sin,
and allowed himself in it, and was going on in a course of iniquity without
end, which was very uncharitable; here he charges him in a general way, and
next he descends to particulars.
Job 22:6 6 For you have taken pledges
from your brother for no reason, And stripped the naked of their clothing.
YLT
6For thou takest a pledge of
thy brother for nought, And the garments of the naked Thou dost strip off.
For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought,.... It can
hardly be thought that it was for nothing at all, on no consideration whatever,
or that nothing was lent, for which the pledge was taken; but that it was a
small trifling sum, and comparatively nothing, not to be spoken of; or it was
borrowed for so short a time, that there needed not any pledge it; and it was
unkind to take it, especially of a brother, whether in nature, or in religion,
whether a near kinsman, or friend, or neighbour. Some render the words,
"thou hast taken thy brother", or "brothers, for a pledge"F16תחבל אחיך ηνεχυραζες
τους αδελφους σου, Sept. "capies in pignus fratres
tuos", Montanus. ; them themselves, their persons, as a security for what
was lent, in order to sell them, and pay off the debt with the money, or detain
them as bondmen till it was paid, 2 Kings 4:1. If
Eliphaz said this, and what follows, only as conjectures, as some think, or
upon supposition, concluding from his afflictions that those things, or
something like them, had been done by him; it is contrary to that charity that
thinks no ill, and hopes the best; and if they are positive assertions of
matters of fact, as they rather seem to be, delivered upon hearsay, and slender
proof, it shows a readiness to receive calumnies and false accusations against
his friend, and can scarcely be excused from the charge of bearing false
testimony against him, since Job does in the most solemn manner deny those
things in Job 31:1;
and stripped the naked of their clothing; not such as
were stark naked, because they have no clothes to be stripped of; but such that
were poorly clothed, scarce sufficient to cover their nakedness, and preserve
them from the inclemencies of weather; these were stripped of their clothing,
and being stripped, were quite naked and exposed, which to do was very cruel
and hardhearted; perhaps it may respect the same persons from whom the pledge
was taken, and that pledge was their clothing, which was no uncommon thing, see
Exodus 22:26.
Job 22:7 7 You have not given the
weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
YLT
7Thou causest not the weary
to drink water, And from the hungry thou withholdest bread.
Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink,.... To a
weary thirsty traveller, to whom in those hot countries cold water was very
refreshing, and which in desert places was not to be had in common, or any
where; rich men were possessed of their wells and fountains, and were kept for
their own use, and it was a kindness and favour to obtain water of them; and
yet a cup of cold water is one of the least favours to be given to a poor man,
and to deny it him in distress was very inhuman, and was very far from Job's
character:
and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry: bread, which
strengthens man's heart, and is the staff of life, without which he cannot
support; and this is not to be withheld from, but given even to an enemy when
hungry; and to deny it to a poor neighbour in such circumstances is very cruel;
the charge is, that Job would not give a poor hungry man a morsel of bread to
eat; which must be false, being directly contrary to what he strongly asserts, Job 31:17.
Job 22:8 8 But the mighty man
possessed the land, And the honorable man dwelt in it.
YLT
8As to the man of arm -- he
hath the earth, And the accepted of face -- he dwelleth in it.
But as for the mighty man, he had the earth,.... A large
share and portion of it, which Job could not hinder him from the enjoyment of,
because mightier than he, or otherwise he would have done it; or Job was
content he should have what he had, and gave him more than what of right
belonged to him; for when any cause came before him as a judge, or civil
magistrate, between a rich man, and a poorer man, relating to a field, or piece
of land he always gave the cause to the rich and mighty and so he had the land,
as is suggested:
and the honourable man dwelt in it; peaceably, quietly, and
undisturbed, though he had no just title to it; or "the man accepted of
face" or "countenance"F17נשוא
פנים "acceptus faciebus", Montanus;
"vel facie", Vatablus, Beza, Junius & Tremellius, Drusius,
Mercerus. , who was respected because of his outward circumstances, wealth and
riches, power and authority; and so Job is tacitly charged with being a
respecter of persons in judgment, which was not good; and in general these
phrases denote partiality in him, that he was favourable to the mighty and
powerful, and unkind and cruel to the poor and needy. SomeF18Jarchi,
Ramban, Bar Tzemach, Sephorno. understand all this of Job himself, that because
he was the mighty man, or "man of arms"F19איש זרוע "viro
brachii", Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Vatablus, Drusius, &c. , he
made use of his power and might, and stretched out his arm, and grasped and got
into his possession, by force and violence, the houses, and lands, and estates
of others, and became the greatest man in all the east, and the earth in a
manner was his alone; and because he was respected for his greatness and
riches, he was confirmed therein, and dwelt securely: or rather, taking the
words in this sense, they may be considered as an aggravation of Job's sins,
both before and after charged upon him; as that when he was the mighty and
honourable man, and though he was such, and had it in the power of his hands to
do a great deal of good to the poor and needy; yet took a pledge from his
indigent brother, stripped those that were almost naked of their clothing, and
would not give a poor weary traveller a cup of water, nor a morsel of bread to
an hungry man; yea, abused his power and authority which he had, to the
oppression of the widow and fatherless, as in Job 22:9.
Job 22:9 9 You have sent widows away
empty, And the strength of the fatherless was crushed.
YLT
9Widows thou hast sent away
empty, And the arms of the fatherless are bruised.
Thou hast sent widows away empty,.... Either out of their
own houses, which he spoiled, and devoured, and stripped, and cleared of all
that were in them, as did the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's time, Matthew 23:14; or
out of his own house, when they came to him, as a rich man, for charity; as
they came to him wanting relief, they went away so; if without food and
clothing, they were bid to depart without giving them anything to feed and
clothe them with; or if they came to him as a civil magistrate to have justice
done them, and to be delivered out of the hands of their oppressors, they could
not obtain any, but were dismissed without it; how contrary is this to Job 29:13;
and the arms of the fatherless have been broken; not in a
literal sense, as if when refusing to go out, when their mothers, the widows,
had their houses spoiled, and they sent empty out of them; these laid hold on
something within them, and would not depart, and so, had their arms broken by
the mighty man, the man of arms; but, in a metaphorical and figurative sense,
their substance, and goods, and possessions, left them by their fathers for
their support, these were taken away from them, and so they were as impotent
and helpless as if their arms had been broken; or their friends on whom they
relied for their sustenance, these were either ruined, and so could not help
them; or else their affections were alienated from them, and would not. This
indeed is not expressly charged upon Job, but it is intimated that it was done
with his knowledge and consent, good will, and approbation; at least that he
connived at it, and suffered it to be done when it was in his power to have
prevented it, and therefore to be ascribed unto him; but how foreign is all
this to Job's true character, Job 29:12 ?
Job 22:10 10 Therefore snares are
all around you, And sudden fear troubles you,
YLT
10Therefore round about thee
[are] snares, And trouble thee doth fear suddenly.
Therefore snares are round about thee,.... Not what
occasion sin, draw into it, and issue in it, as inward corruptions, the
temptations of Satan, and the things of this world, but punishments; because of
the above sins charged upon Job, therefore evils, calamities, and distresses of
various kinds, came upon, him, beset him, and encompassed him all around, so
that there was no way left for him to escape; it may refer to the Sabeans and
Chaldeans seizing on his cattle, and carrying them away; to the fire that fell
from heaven upon his sheep, and consumed them; to the great wind that blew down
the house in which his children were, and destroyed them; and to the boils and
ulcers that were all over his body:
and sudden fear troubleth thee; those things, at least
some of them, were what he feared, and they came suddenly upon him, and gave
him great trouble and distress, Job 3:25; and
present fear frequently, on a sudden, darted into his mind, and gave him fresh
trouble; he was afraid of his present sorrows, and of further and future ones, Job 9:28; and
perhaps Eliphaz might think he was afraid of hell and damnation, and of sudden
destruction from the Almighty coming upon him, Job 31:23; see Isaiah 24:17.
Job 22:11 11 Or darkness so that
you cannot see; And an abundance of water covers you.
YLT
11Or darkness -- thou dost
not see, And abundance of waters doth cover thee.
Or darkness, that thou canst not see,.... Or
darkness is round about thee, thou art enveloped in it; meaning either judicial
blindness, and darkness, and stupidity of mind, which must be his case, if he
could not see the hand of God upon him, or the snares that were about him, or
was not troubled with sudden fear; or else the darkness of affliction and
calamity, which is often signified hereby, see Isaiah 8:22;
afflictive dispensations of Providence are sometimes so dark, that a man cannot
see the cause and reason of them, or why it is he is brought into them; which
was Job's case, and therefore desires God would show him wherefore he contended
with him, Job 10:9; nor can
he see, perceive, or enjoy any light of comfort; he is in inward darkness of
soul, deprived of the light of God's countenance, as well as he is in the
outward darkness of adversity, which is a most uncomfortable case, as it was
this good man's; nor can he see any end of the affliction, or any way to escape
out of it, and which were the present circumstances Job was in:
and abundance of waters cover thee; afflictions, which are
frequently compared to many waters, and floods of them, because of the
multitude of them, their force and strength, the power and rapidity with which
they come; and because overflowing, overbearing, and overwhelming, and threaten
with utter ruin and destruction, unless stopped by the mighty hand of God, who
only can resist and restrain them; Eliphaz represents Job like a man drowning,
overflowed with a flood of water, and covered with its waves, and in the most
desperate condition, see Psalm 69:1.
Job 22:12 12 “Is not God in the height
of heaven? And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
YLT
12Is not God high [in]
heaven? And see the summit of the stars, That they are high.
Is not God in the height of
heaven?.... The heaven is high, it has its name from its height, and is
noted for it; some of the heavens are higher than others, as the heaven of
heavens, the third heaven, the habitation of angels and glorified saints; and
here God dwells, this is the habitation of his holiness, and the high and holy
place he inhabits; his throne is in heaven, in the heaven of heavens is his
throne, where he in an especial manner manifests his glory, and the lustre of
it; he is not indeed continued here, the heaven of heavens cannot contain him,
he is everywhere; yet this is his court and palace, where his residence and
retinue is and angels behold his face, and wait upon him; and because this is
the principal seat of his majesty, it becomes one of his names, Daniel 4:26; and
the words here will bear to be rendered, "is not God the height of the
heavens?"F20גבה שמים
"sublimitas coelorum", Bolducius; "altitudo coeli",
Michaelis; "altitudo coelorum", Schultens. or, as the Vulgate Latin
version, "higher than the heavens"; he is above them, more exalted
than they, being the Creator of them, see Hebrews 7:26;
and behold the height of the stars, how high they are; or "the
head" or "top of the stars"F21ראש
כוכבים "capat stellarum", Montanus,
Bolaucius, Mercerus, Cocceius; "verticem stellarum", V. L. Tigurine
version, Michaelis, Schultens. , which Ben Gersom interprets of the supreme
orb, or that high and vast space in which the fixed stars are, or the highest
of them, which are at the greatest distance; according to Mr. HuygensF23Cosmotheoros,
l. 2. p. 125, 137. a cannon ball discharged would be twenty five years in
passing from the earth to the sun, from, Jupiter to the sun an hundred twenty
five years, from Saturn two hundred fifty, and from the sun to the dog starF22(The
Dog Star is the brighest star in the heavens when viewed from the earth. It has
a visual magnitude of -1.4 and is 8.7 light years from
the earth. It is in the constellation Sirius. The closest star to the earth is α Centaurus and has a visual magnitude of 0 and is 4.3 light years from
the earth. It is several times fainter the the Dog Star but is still quite
bright compared to neighbouring stars. 1969 Oberserver's Handbook, p. 74, 75.
The Royal Astonomical Society of Canada, Toronto, Ontario. Editor) 691,600
years; and if therefore it would be so long going to the nearest of the fixed
stars, how great must be the distance of them from our earth, which are so much
higher than the dog star as that is from the sun? But, though these are so
exceeding high, yet God is higher than they, see Isaiah 14:13; the
truth contained in these words was what both Eliphaz and Job were agreed in,
let them be spoken by which they will, some ascribing them to the One, and some
to the other; from whence Eliphaz represents Job drawing an inference very
impious, blasphemous, and atheistical.
Job 22:13 13 And you say, ‘What does
God know? Can He judge through the deep darkness?
YLT
13And thou hast said, `What
-- hath God known? Through thickness doth He judge?
And thou sayest, how doth God know?.... What is done on
earth, the works of the children of men, their sinful actions, when he dwells
at such a distance, and so remote from the earth, as the height of the stars,
and highest heavens, be; not that Job said this expressly with his lips, but in
his heart; Eliphaz imagined and supposed that such was the reasoning of his
mind; it was an invidious consequence he had drawn from what Job had said
concerning the afflictions of the godly, and the prosperity of the wicked;
which he interpreted as a denial of the providence of God, as if he had no
regard to human affairs, but things took place in a very disorderly and
confused way, without any regard to right or wrong; and he concluded that Job
was led into these sentiments by the consideration of the distance of God from
the earth; that, dwelling in the highest heavens, he could not and did not see
what was done here, and therefore men might commit all manner of sin with
impunity; that their sins would never be taken notice of, or they be called to
an account for them; which are the very language and sentiments of the most
abandoned of men, see Psalm 10:11;
can he judge through the dark clouds? if he cannot
see and know what is done, he cannot judge of it, whether it is good or bad,
and so can neither justify nor condemn an action. By "the dark cloud"
is not meant the matter, or corporeal mass, with which man is covered, as a
Jewish commentatorF24Peritzol. interprets it; rather the cloudy air,
or atmosphere around us; or that thick darkness in which Jehovah dwells, clouds
and darkness being around him, Psalm 97:2; but all
this hinders not his sight of things done here below; what is thick darkness to
us is pure light to him, in which also he is said to dwell, and with which he
covers himself as with a garment; and the darkness and the light are both alike
to him, he can see and judge through the one as well as the other.
Job 22:14 14 Thick clouds cover Him, so
that He cannot see, And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
YLT
14Thick clouds [are] a secret
place to Him, And He doth not see;' And the circle of the heavens He walketh
habitually,
Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not,.... Thus Job
is made to speak, or to reason as atheistical persons, or such who are inclined
to atheism would, who take God to be altogether such an one as themselves; as
that because thick clouds hide objects, as the sun, and moon, and stars, from
their sight, therefore they must hide men and their actions from the sight of
God; whereas there is nothing between God and man to hide them from him, let
them be what they will, clouds as thick and as dark as can be imagined, yet his
eyes are upon the ways of man, and see all his goings, nor is there any
darkness that can hide from him, Job 34:21;
and he walketh in the circuit of heaven; within which
he keeps himself, and never looks down upon the earth, or takes any notice of
what is done there; quite contrary to Psalm 14:3; as if
he only took his walks through the spacious orb of heaven, and delighted
himself in viewing the celestial mansions, and the furniture of them, but had
no regard to anything below them; whereas, though he walks in the circuit of
heaven, he also sits upon the circle of the earth, Isaiah 41:22;
Eliphaz seems here to ascribe the sentiments perhaps of the Zabians in former
times to Job, and since adopted by some philosophers; that God only regards the
heavenly bodies, and supports them in their beings, and regulates and directs
their motions, and leaves all things below to be governed and influenced by
them, as judging it unworthy of him to be concerned with things on earth.
Indeed the earth and the inhabitants of it are unworthy of his notice and care,
and of his providential visits, but he does humble himself to look upon things
on earth as well as in heaven, Psalm 8:4; to make
Job reason after this Epicurean manner was doing great injustice to his
character, who most firmly believed both the being and providence of God, and
that as extending to all things here below, see Job 12:13.
Job 22:15 15 Will you keep to the old
way Which wicked men have trod,
YLT
15The path of the age dost
thou observe, That men of iniquity have trodden?
Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? The evil way
that wicked men have walked in ever since man apostatized from God, the way of
Cain and his descendants, who were of the wicked one, and lived wicked lives
and conversations; "the way of the old world", as Mr. Broughton
renders the phrase here, the imagination of the thoughts of whose hearts was
evil, and that continually; who filled the earth with rapine and violence, and
all flesh corrupted their way with all manner of impurity and wickedness, and
indulged themselves in the gratification of their sensual lusts and pleasures;
and were, as the Apostle Peter calls them, "the world of the
ungodly"; and here, "men of wickedness", or "iniquity"F25מתי און "viri
iniquitatis", Montanus, Mercerus; so Drusius, Michaelis. ; such who gave
themselves up to it, and were immersed in it; these trod the paths of sin, and
made it a beaten road; they frequented this way, they walked continually in it;
their life was a series and course of iniquity, in which they obstinately
persisted, and proceeded from evil to evil, to more and more ungodliness. Now
Job is asked if he had "marked" this their way and course of life;
the evil of their way should have been marked, in order to avoid it; it being
an old way should not recommend it; and the end of it, which was sudden ruin
and destruction, should be marked to deter from it: but it is suggested that
Job kept in this way, and observed it himself, and walked in it; for the words
may be rendered, "truly thou keepest the old way", or "the way
of the world"F26הארח עולם תשמור "profecto viam
seculi servas", Schultens. ; trod in the steps of wicked men, was a close
follower of them, and companied with them; like manner is Job charged by Elihu,
Job 34:7; and this
sense agrees with what goes before.
Job 22:16 16 Who were cut down before
their time, Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
YLT
16Who have been cut down
unexpectedly, A flood is poured out on their foundation.
Which were cut down out of time,.... Sent out of time
into eternity, time being no more with men, and they no longer in time, when
death seizes upon them; or "before time"F1ולא עת "ante tempus
suum", V. L. Mercerus; "ante tempus", Cocceius, Schultens. ,
before the common term of life, which, according to the course of nature, and
human probability, they might have arrived unto: as this is spoken of the men
of the old world that lived before the flood, when the lives of men were very
long, it is highly probable there, were many that were destroyed by the general
deluge, who, had it not for that, might have lived many hundreds of years,
according to the usual course: or "without time"F2"Sine
mora", Cocceius; "in momento", Codurcus. , without any delay
suddenly, at once, at an unawares; for, though they had notice of the flood,
they did not regard it, but lived careless and secure; and it came upon them
without any further warning, and swept them away, when they were "cut
down", as trees by the axe laid to the root of them, to which wicked, men
in great power and flourishing circumstances are sometimes compared, Psalm 37:35; or
like grass by the scythe, which it is not able to resist, and to which all men
are like for their numbers and weaknesses, and who are cut down by death as
easily as the grass is by the mower, see Psalm 37:1. Some
render it "wrinkled"F3קמטו
"corrugati sunt", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator, Bolducius,
Cocceius. , as in Job 16:8; as bodies
when dead are, and especially such as are drowned, and have been long floating
in the water, as those that perished by the flood were, for to such the words
have respect, as appears by what follows:
whose foundation was overflown with a flood; either of
water, or of fire and brimstone, as Jarchi observes; the former is most likely
to be meant; for by the flood, or universal deluge, all that was thought firm
and permanent, and might be called a foundation, was overflown and carried
away, as houses, goods, furniture, wealth, and riches, and everything that men
had a dependence upon for the support and comfort of life; yea, the earth
itself, on which they dwelt, and was reckoned "terra firma", this being
founded upon, and over the waters; or, as the Apostle Peter describes it,
"it standing out of the water and in the water", 2 Peter 3:5; or
"their foundation was a flood poured out"F4נהר יוצק יסידם
"fundamentum eorum ut flumen diffluxit", Tigurine version;
"fluvius effusus fundamentum eorum", Codurcus, Beza; to the same
sense Drusius, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens. ; what they thought were solid,
and firm, and durable, and built their hopes of happiness upon, were like a
flood of water, poured, dissipated, and scattered, and which disappeared and
came to nothing: and such is every foundation that a man builds his hope,
especially of eternal happiness, upon, short of Christ, the only sure
foundation laid in Zion, his person, grace, blood, and righteousness;
everything else, let it seem ever so firm, is as sand, yea, as water, as a
flood of water that spreads itself, and quickly comes to nothing.
Job 22:17 17 They said to God, ‘Depart
from us! What can the Almighty do to them?’[a]
YLT
17Those saying to God, `Turn
aside from us,' And what doth the Mighty One to them?
Which said unto God, depart from us,.... Choosing not to be
admonished of their sins, nor be exhorted to repentance for them, nor be
instructed by him in the way of their duty, nor to attend the worship and
ordinances of God, nor be under his rule and government; the same is observed
by Job of wicked men, but to a different purpose; he makes this to be the
language of such who were in very prosperous circumstances, and continued in
them, notwithstanding their impiety; here by this Eliphaz describes such
persons who were cut off, and destroyed for their wickedness, see Job 21:14;
and what can the Almighty do for them? that is, for
us; for these are either the words of the wicked continued, being so
self-sufficient, and full of good things, having as much, or more, than heart
can wish, that they stood in no need of anything from God; nor could they
imagine they should receive any profit and advantage from him, by listening to
his instructions, or obeying his will; they had such low and mean thoughts of
God, that he would neither do them good nor evil; they expected no good from
him, and feared no ill at his hands; they ascribed all the good things they had
to their own care, industry, and diligence; and when any ill befell them, they
attributed it to chance, and second causes, thinking nothing of God: as these
are the words of Eliphaz, they may be rendered, "what has the Almighty
done to them", or "against them?"F5ומה יפעל שדי
למו "et quid fecerat omnipotens illis?"
Piscator. what injury has he done them, or ill will has he shown them, that
they should treat him in so contemptuous a manner? so far from it, that he has
bestowed abundance of good things on them, as follows, see Jeremiah 2:5.
Job 22:18 18 Yet He filled their houses
with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
YLT
18And he hath filled their
houses [with] good: (And the counsel of the wicked Hath been far from me.)
Yet he filled their houses with good things,.... With
temporal good things, with this world's good, with plenty of providential
goodness; earthly enjoyments are good things in themselves, and in their
effects, when rightly used, and these wicked men have their share of; this is
their portion, they have their good things in this life, and a large abundance
of them oftentimes; their hearts are filled with food, and should be with gladness
and thankfulness; their bellies are filled with hidden treasures; their barns
with corn and wheat, and such like fruits of the earth; their shops with all
manner of goods; their dwelling houses with gold and silver, with rich
furniture, and all precious substance; and all this is from God, every good
gift comes from him; the earth is full of his goodness; though these men say,
"what can the Almighty do for them?" Job 22:17; this
shows, that what they have they are not deserving of; and what is bestowed upon
them is not from any merit in them, but according to the sovereign will and
pleasure of God; find this is an aggravation of their wickedness, that notwithstanding
he has loaded them with his benefits, and indulged them with such a plenty of
good things, yet they spurn at him, rebel against him, and bid him depart from
them; which conduct of theirs Eliphaz expresses his abhorrence of:
but the counsel of the wicked is far from me; such impious
reasonings, and wicked practices, he was far from justifying; he had them in
the utmost detestation, and could not but abhor such vile ingratitude; he makes
use of Job's words, Job 21:16; which he
thought he could do to better purpose, and with greater sincerity.
Job 22:19 19 “The righteous see it
and are glad, And the innocent laugh at them:
YLT
19See do the righteous and
they rejoice, And the innocent mocketh at them,
The righteous see it, and are glad,.... Not the counsel of
the wicked, nor their outward prosperity, but their ruin and destruction, which
is sure and certain; though it may sometimes seem to linger, it is often public
and visible to the view of every man, being made public examples, see Psalm 91:8; and
which is matter of joy and gladness to truly good and righteous men; who have
the righteousness of Christ on them, his grace in them, and in consequence of
that live soberly, righteously, and godly; these rejoice at the vengeance of
God on wicked men, Psalm 52:5; not
that the misery of their fellow creatures is pleasing to them as such; this
would be brutish and inhuman, as well as contrary to the grace of God, and to
their character as good men, and also would be displeasing to God, Proverbs 24:17; but
partly because they themselves, through the grace and goodness of God, have
been kept from such sins as bring to ruin and destruction; and partly because
they are delivered out of the hands of these wicked men, who were distressing
to them; and chiefly because of the glory of the divine perfections,
particularly the holiness and justice of God displayed herein; for God is known
and glorified by the judgments which he executeth, see Psalm 9:16;
and the innocent laugh them to scorn; such as are
upright and sincere, live holy and harmless lives and conversations, though not
entirely free from sin; these deride them for their impieties, and observe to
them the justness of the divine judgments upon them. The Jewish writers, many
of themF6Aben Ezra, Ben Gersom, Sephorno, et alii. , restrain these
words to Noah and his sons, who saw with their eyes the flood that destroyed
the world of the ungodly, and rejoiced at it, and in their turn had them in
derision, who had made a mock at Noah's building of the ark, and at his
exhortations to them; but though the characters of righteous and innocent agree
with Noah, who was just and perfect in his generation, yet not with all his
sons; and it is best to understand this of good men in general; though it must
be observed and owned, that the destruction of the wicked by the flood is
before spoken of, and their character described. The word "saying" is
by some supplied at the close of this verse, and so the following words are
what the righteous are represented as saying, upon sight of the destruction of
the wicked.
Job 22:20 20 ‘Surely our adversaries[b] are cut
down, And the fire consumes their remnant.’
YLT
20`Surely our substance hath
not been cut off, And their excellency hath fire consumed.'
Whereas our substance is not cut down,.... As yours
is; Noah and his family were preserved in the ark, and the creatures with him,
and sufficient sustenance was laid up for them all, when everything relating to
the wicked was destroyed: but this may be thought too restrictive, as well as
what follows too subtle, that this should respect the human species not being
cut down and utterly destroyed in the flood, but preserved in and restored by
Noah and his family; it may perhaps be thought better to interpret these words
as the words of Eliphaz and his friends, joining with the righteous and the
innocent, putting themselves in their number, and rejoicing with them at the
destruction of the wicked, and as having a particular regard to Job's case, and
the difference between him and them; his substance being cut down, and he
stripped of all; whereas they were not deprived of theirs, but it continued
with them, and they in the full possession of it; the reason of which
difference was, he was a wicked man, and they righteous and innocent; but by
others, who also take them to be the words of the righteous triumphing over the
wicked, they are rendered thus; "is not he cut off that rose up against
us?"F7אם לא
נכחד קימנו "annon
exscinditur qui insurgit contra nos", Schmidt, Michaelis. Our enemy and
adversary, he is no more, he can do us no more hurt, and we are delivered out
of his hand:
but the remnant of them the fire consumes; which Aben
Ezra, Ben Gersom, and others, interpret of the destruction of Sodom and
Gomorrah, and the other cities, by fire; which would have had some appearance
of truth, if the destruction had been of the whole world, and as general as the
flood was, or more so, and had cleared the world of the remnant of the ungodly,
whereas it was only of a few cities: rather it may be Eliphaz glances at the
case of Job, as different from him and his friends, that when their substance
was untouched, the remnant of Job's was consumed by fire; what were left by the
Chaldeans and Sabeans were destroyed by fire from heaven; though if it could be
thought that Eliphaz had knowledge of the general conflagration at the last
day, and had that in view, it would afford a better sense; but it may be he does
not mean material, but metaphorical fire, the fire of divine wrath, which will
consume the wicked, root and branch, and leave them nothing.
Job 22:21 21 “Now acquaint yourself
with Him, and be at peace; Thereby good will come to you.
YLT
21Acquaint thyself, I pray
thee, with Him, And be at peace, Thereby thine increase [is] good.
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace,.... Not with
the righteous and innocent, but with God, as Job 22:22 show:
from severe charges and censures, Eliphaz proceeds to advice and exhortations,
and seems to be in a better temper, and to talk in a more kind and gentle
manner, only he goes upon a false supposition and mistaken notion, that Job was
a bad man; had he had a proper object to have directed his discourse to, it
would have been excellently said; and, as it is, is not without its use: this
first exhortation supposes unacquaintance with God, and an estrangedness from
him; which is the case of every man from the womb, and in a state of nature and
unregeneracy. Acquaintance with God begins at conversion, when he is made
known, not only as the God of nature and providence, but as the God of grace
and peace in Christ; and it is carried on by prayer, which is a converse with
God, and by attendance on his worship and ordinances, in which men walk before
him, and have fellowship with him: this is sometimes interrupted and dropped
for a while, through temptation or sin; when there arises on account thereof a
shyness and backwardness to draw nigh unto God, until he calls and invites them
to take with them words, and return unto him; an acquaintance with God is not
kept up when prayer before him is restrained; which Eliphaz charges Job with, Job 15:4; and when
saints forsake the assembling of themselves together, or neglect public
worship, or grow indifferent to it; and it is renewed again by prayer, and a
fresh attendance on the above things; in which frequent visits are made between
God and his people, mutual secrets communicated, a holy freedom, familiarity,
and boldness contracted, and communion with God enjoyed: men may also acquaint
themselves with him yet more and more by the contemplation of his works, by
reading and hearing his word, and by conversation with good men, ministers, and
others. The Jewish commentatorsF8Aben Ezra, Ben Gersom, Bar Tzemach.
generally interpret it, "use" or "accustom thyself with
him", to walk in his ways, and observe his commands: "and be at
peace"; not make his peace with God, which a creature cannot do; only
Job's living Redeemer could do that, and he has done it; but be easy and still
under the afflicting hand of God, quietly submit to it, and patiently endure
it, and not murmur at it; or, as Aben Ezra interprets it, as a promise of God,
"thou shalt be in peace", or "thou shalt have peace"; all
outward prosperity and happiness, which is often signified by this word; or
inward peace of mind, which comes from God, and through an acquaintance with
him, and from Christ, his blood, righteousness, and sacrifice, by whom the
acquaintance with God is opened and maintained; and it is had in a way of duty,
in attendance on the ordinances of God, which are paths of peace; and also
eternal peace hereafter, when acquaintance with God will be no more dropped,
nor interrupted, but continue for ever:
thereby good shall come unto thee: temporal good things,
necessary and convenient, the promise of which is annexed to godliness, or an
acquaintance with God; spiritual good things, the blessings of grace, all
things pertaining to life and godliness, and eternal good things; that far more
exceeding and eternal weight of glory, which afflictions, peaceably and
patiently borne, work for and bring unto.
Job 22:22 22 Receive, please,
instruction from His mouth, And lay up His words in your heart.
YLT
22Receive, I pray thee, from
His mouth a law, And set His sayings in thy heart.
Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth,.... Not the
law of Moses; for it is a question whether that was as yet, or could come to
the knowledge of Job; rather any doctrine, as the word signifies, any
revelation of the mind and will of God, made unto the patriarchs in former
times, and which was handed down from one to another, and was to be received as
coming from the mouth of God, not as the word of man, but as the word of God;
and as such to be received with meekness and reverence, with readiness,
cheerfulness, and gladness; and not only to be attended to but obeyed:
and lay up his words in thine heart: as a rich treasure, very
valuable, and preferable to gold, silver, and precious stones, laid up in
chests and cabinets because of their value, and that they might not be lost,
but be preserved safe and sure, and that they might be come at, and made use of
on proper occasions; as the words of God and doctrines of the Scriptures may
be, against the temptations of Satan, the lusts of the flesh, and for the instruction
of ourselves and others; and therefore should be retained in our minds, hid in
our hearts, and dwell richly in us; and, unless they are in the heart, and have
a place there, they will be of little avail to have them in the head or on the
tongue; but if they come with power into the heart, and have a place there,
they work effectually, and influence the life and conversation: these Job had,
and had a great value for them; see Job 6:10.
Job 22:23 23 If you return to the
Almighty, you will be built up; You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
YLT
23If thou dost return unto
the Mighty Thou art built up, Thou puttest iniquity far from thy tents.
If thou return to the Almighty,.... Which supposes a
departure from him; and that is by sinning against him, which should be
repented of, confessed, and pardoning grace and mercy be implored, by all those
that have backslidden, and return to God; to which they are encouraged by his
being the "Almighty", who has power to forgive sins, also to cause
all grace to abound, and to save to the uttermost; he is not a God that is
prayed and returned to, that cannot save, or whose hand is shortened, or his
ear heavy; the word is "shaddai", which signifies "who is
sufficient", all sufficient; whose grace is sufficient to restore and
receive backsliders, pardon their sins, accept their persons, supply their
wants, and preserve them safe to his kingdom and glory:
thou shalt be built up; restored to his former
happiness, have all his breaches repaired and made up; his body, which was like
a building out of repair and dropping down, become hale and healthful; his
family, which was in a ruinous condition, being deprived of his children as
well as substance, be increasing again through a like number of children; by
which means families are built up, 4:16; and by
having a large affluence of good things, abundantly greater than he had before;
and also, in a spiritual sense, be edified and built up in his soul, through
the light of God's countenance, the discoveries of his love, the comforts of
his spirit, an application of precious promises, and divine truths, and a
communication of grace, and the blessings of it:
thou shall put away iniquity far from thy tabernacle; not commit it
himself, nor connive at it in others, nor suffer it in his family, suggesting
as if he had so done in times past; or remove men of iniquity, wicked men, from
his house, and not allow them to dwell there; though rather this seems to be
spoken of by way of promise, and as an encouragement to return to the Almighty;
upon which all evils and calamities, the effects of sin and iniquity, should be
removed from his house, and the apartments of it, they were now full of.
Job 22:24 24 Then you will lay your
gold in the dust, And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
YLT
24So as to set on the dust a
defence, And on a rock of the valleys a covering.
Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust,.... Have such plenty of
it, as not to be counted:
and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks; which was
reckoned the best, probably in Arabia; not in the East and West Indies, which
were not known to Job; though some take this to be an exhortation to despise
riches, and as a dissuasion from covetousness, rendering the words, "put
gold upon the dust", or earthF9ושית על עפר בצר
"pone aurum super pulverem", Codurcus; "in pulvere aurum",
Cocceius; "abjice humi aurum", Beza; so Grotius. , and trample upon
it, as a thing not esteemed by thee, as Sephorno interprets it; make no more
account of it than of the dust of the earth; let it be like dirt unto thee,
"and among the stones of the brooks", OphirF11ובציר נחלים אופיר
"et inter saxa torrentium Ophir", Codurcus. ; that is, the gold of
Ophir, reckon no more of it, though the choicest gold, than the stones of the
brook; or thus, "put gold for dust, and the gold of Ophir for the
flint of the brooks"F12"Pro rupe aurum Ophirinum",
Junius & Tremellius; so Schultens. ; esteem it no more than the dust of the
earth, or as flint stones; the latter clause I should choose rather to render,
"and for a flint the rivers of Ophir", or the golden rivers, from
whence the gold of Ophir was; and it is notorious from historians, as StraboF13Geograph.
l. 11. p. 344. and others, that gold is taken out of rivers; and especially
from the writers of the history of the West IndiesF14Pet. Martyr.
Decad. 3. l. 4. .
Job 22:25 25 Yes, the Almighty will be
your gold[c] And your
precious silver;
YLT
25And the Mighty hath been
thy defence, And silver [is] strength to thee.
Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence,.... In
temporal things, secure the plenty of gold and silver possessed of; surround
and protect by his providence, that there shall be no danger of the Sabeans and
Chaldeans, or others, breaking in and stealing it away; and, in spirituals,
preserve from all enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; be a wall of fire about
him, his fortress, his tower, and place of defence; or keep him as in a
garrison, through faith unto salvation; or, as others render the words,
"and let the Almighty be", or "he shall be thy gold", or "golds"F15בצריך "lectissimum aurum tuum", Junius &
Tremellius, Piscator; so Vatablus, Schmidt, Schultens; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel
Moed, fol. 23. 2. ; all thy gold, the same word being used as in Job 22:24; treat
earthly riches, gold and silver, with contempt, and reckon God to be thy truest
riches: esteem him as gold, and more precious than that, and put thy confidence
in him; his grace is compared to gold, for its lustre, value, and duration, and
is more precious than gold that perisheth, Revelation 3:18;
the righteousness of Christ is, for its excellency, called the gold of Ophir,
and clothing of wrought gold, Psalm 45:9; and he
himself is much more precious than the gold of Ophir, and the gain that comes
by him than fine gold, Song of Solomon 5:11;
the doctrines of the grace of God are comparable to gold, silver, and precious
stones; yea, to be preferred unto them, 1 Corinthians 3:12.
God is instead of all riches to his people; and they that have an interest in
him share in the riches of grace, and are entitled to the riches of glory; all
are theirs:
and thou shall have plenty of silver; or God shall
be, or "let him be to thee silver of strength"F16וכסף תועפות לך
"et argentum fortitudinum tibi", Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; or
instead of silver, which is the strength of men, in which they confide for
business or war; but God is to his people infinitely more than what silver or
gold can be to them.
Job 22:26 26 For then you will have
your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
YLT
26For then on the Mighty thou
delightest thyself, And dost lift up unto God thy face,
For then shall thou have thy delight in the Almighty,.... In the perfections
of his nature, in the works of his hands, in his word and worship, in communion
with him, and in the relation he stands in to his people as their covenant God
and Father; this would be the case when Job should be more and better
acquainted with God, and with the law or doctrine his month, and the words of
his lips, and should return unto him with his whole heart; and when his
affections should be taken off of all earthly riches; when he should look upon
gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brook, and God should
be to him his gold and his silver; then, and not till then, could he have true
delight and complacency in God:
and shalt lift up thy face unto God; in prayer, as Sephorno
interprets it, with an holy confidence, boldness, and cheerfulness; as a
believer in Christ may, having on his righteousness, and having his heart
sprinkled from an evil conscience by his blood; such an one can appear before
God, and lift up his face to him, as without spot, so without confusion, shame,
and blushing, without a load of guilt upon him, without fear of wrath or
punishment, and of being repulsed; see Job 11:15.
Job 22:27 27 You will make your prayer
to Him, He will hear you, And you will pay your vows.
YLT
27Thou dost make supplication
unto Him, And He doth hear thee, And thy vows thou completest.
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him,.... To God, and him
only; for not a creature, angels, or men, are to be prayed to; and this is to
be done in a supplicating, entreating way, as the word signifies; not pleading
merit, but mercy, not presenting prayers and supplications for a man's own
righteousness' sake, but for the Lord's mercy's sake, and for the sake of
Christ and his righteousness; and prayer is to be made in this manner
frequently, to be multiplied, as the word also signifies; prayer should be made
always, and without ceasing; and this is not only a duty, but a privilege; and
as such it is here observed, even as a benefit and blessing to be enjoyed; as
it is when a man can come to God as his Father, through Christ the Mediator,
with boldness and confidence, in the faith of him, and to God as on a throne of
grace, where he may find grace and mercy to help him in time of need, and
especially it is so when attended with the success following:
and he shall hear thee; as he does hear those
that pray to him in the name of Christ, in the exercise of faith, and in the
sincerity and uprightness of their hearts; and answers their requests, fulfils
their desires, and gives them what they ask of him; for he is a God hearing
prayer, and sooner or later, in his own time and way, grants the petitions of
his people:
and thou shalt pay thy vows; the sacrifices of praise
and thanksgiving which he promised to offer up to God, should he grant him the
desires of his heart; and these being granted, he would be laid under
obligation to perform his promises; so that this also is to be considered as a
benefit and blessing; for it does not so much regard the payment of vows, as it
is designed to observe to him that he should have that done for him which would
be a sufficient ground and reason for paying his vows, or making good what he
promised in the time of his distress; since what he then requested, and was the
condition of his vow, should now be granted; see Psalm 56:12.
Job 22:28 28 You will also declare a
thing, And it will be established for you; So light will shine on your ways.
YLT
28And thou decreest a saying,
And it is established to thee, And on thy ways hath light shone.
Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto
thee,.... Strictly speaking, this is only true of God, whose decrees
are unfrustrable, whose counsel shall stand, and the thoughts of his heart be
established to all generations; and frequently so it is, according to an usual
saying, man appoints, but God disappoints; this may be understood of Job,
either as a civil magistrate, that he should decree a thing in a court of
judicature with so much wisdom and equity, that it should stand firm and sure,
and, though made on earth, should be ratified in heaven, as the decrees and
doctrines of the apostles of Christ are said to be, Matthew 16:19; see Proverbs 8:15; or,
as a private man in civil affairs, signifying that he should be so guided by
the Lord, and prospered and succeeded in all his ways and works, that what he
determined to do, and formed a scheme for the execution of, it should be
brought about and confirmed; he committing his ways to the Lord, his thoughts
should be established, or his purposes and designs effected, see Psalm 1:3; or
rather as a praying man; and so it agrees with what goes before, that he should
lift up his voice to God, and pray unto him with success, and have just
occasion to praise him, or pay his vows to him, since he should have the
desires of his heart; whatever was upon his mind, and he prayed in faith for,
he should have it; as Elijah prayed, both that it might not rain, and that it
might rain, and both were according to his word, or the decree of his lips in
prayer: see 1 Kings 17:1;
and the light shall shine upon thy ways; which is the
reason of all things prospering and succeeding, and being established according
to his wish and will; the light of grace shining in him, to put him upon and
instruct him in denying and avoiding that which is sinful, and doing that which
was just and good; and the light of the word without him, being a light unto
his feet, and a lamp to his paths, to guide and direct him, and especially the
light of God's favour and blessing on him, succeeding him in all his ways and works,
and making them prosperous.
Job 22:29 29 When they cast you
down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’ Then He will save the humble person.
YLT
29For they have made low, And
thou sayest, `Lift up.' And the bowed down of eyes he saveth.
When men are cast down,.... Wicked men are
brought down from a state of prosperity to a state of adversity, are in low
circumstances, great straits and difficulties:
then thou shall say, there is lifting up; that is, for
himself and his; when others are in adversity, he should be in prosperity; when
others are cast down into a very low estate and distressed condition, he should
be exalted to a very high estate, and be in affluent circumstances, see Psalm 147:6; or
else the sense is, when thou and thine, and what belong to thee, are humbled
and brought low, then thou mayest promise thyself a restoration and change for
the better; and boldly say, they will be lifted up, and raised up again, since
God's usual method is to exalt the humble, and to abase the proud, Luke 14:11; or
rather, this may respect the benefit and advantage that humble persons wound
gain by Job, and his prayers for them, and may be rendered and interpreted
thus: "when they have humbled"F17כי
השפילו "quum humiliaverint", Montanus,
Cocceius, Michaelis. themselves, and bowed themselves low at thy feet, and
especially before God, "then thou shall say", pray unto God for them,
that "there may be a lifting up", raising them up out of their
low estate, and thou shall be heard:
and he shall save the humble person; that is, "low of
eyes"F18שח עינים
"demissum oculis", Montanus, Beza, Junius & Tremellius, Piscator;
"humilem oculis", Vatablus. , humble in his eyes; who is so pressed
with troubles and distress, that he hangs down his head, looks upon the ground,
and will not lift up his eyes, but is of a dejected countenance; or that is low
in his own eyes, has humble thoughts of himself, esteems others better than
himself, and lies low before God under a sense of his sinfulness and
unworthiness, and casts himself entirely upon the grace and mercy of God; such
an one he saves, in a spiritual sense, out of his troubles and afflictions; he
does not forget the cry of such humble ones, but remembers them, and grants
their desires: and he saves the lowly and humble with a spiritual and eternal
salvation; gives more grace unto them, and outfits them for glory, and at last
gives glory itself; raises them on high to sit among princes, and to inherit
the throne of glory; the meek shall inherit the earth, the new heavens and
earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness, James 4:6.
Job 22:30 30 He will even
deliver one who is not innocent; Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of
your hands.”
YLT
30He delivereth the not
innocent, Yea, he hath been delivered By the cleanness of thy hands.
He shall deliver the island of the innocent,.... But where
is there such an island, an island of innocent persons? it seems to be better
rendered by others, "the innocent shall deliver the island"F19ימלט אי נקי
"innocens insulam liberabit", Montanus; so Pagninus, Vatablus. : good
men are sometimes, by their counsel and advice, and especially by their
prayers, the means of delivering an island or country from ruin and
destruction: but the word rendered "island" is a negative particle,
as in 1 Samuel 4:21; and
signifies "not"; and so in the Targum; which is
"a
man that is not innocent shall be delivered:'
in
like manner Jarchi interprets it, and so do NoldiusF20Concordant.
Ebr. Part. p. 25. No. 135. and othersF21אי
נקי "non innocentem", Drusius, Piscator,
Michaelis; "non insontem", Schultens; to the same sense Beza,
Mercerus, Codurcus, Junius, & Tremellius. ; and the sense is, that Job, for
he is the person spoken of, as appears from the following clause, should not
only be beneficial by his prayers, to humble and good men, but even to the
wicked, such as were not innocent and free from fault and punishment, but
guilty, and obnoxious to wrath and ruin; and yet such should escape it, at
least for the present, through the prayers and intercession of Job; or God
should do this for Job's sake and his prayers:
and it is, or "he is"
delivered by the pureness of thine hands; either by his
good works, setting a good example, which, being followed, would be the means
of the prevention of present ruin; or by his lifting up pure and holy hands in
prayer to God for a sinful people; which God often attends to and hears, and so
delivers them from destruction; as the Israelites were delivered through the
prayer of Moses, when they had made the golden calf, and worshipped it; see Psalm 106:19;
though sometimes God will not admit of an intercessor for such persons, Ezekiel 14:20.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)