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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)