The Book of Job

⭑ World English Bible Catholic :: King James Version ⭑

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- Chapter 22 -

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered,

“Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.

Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?

Is it for your piety that he reproves you, that he enters with you into judgment?

Isn’t your wickedness great? Neither is there any end to your iniquities.

For you have taken pledges from your brother for nothing, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth. The honorable man, he lived in it.

You have sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Therefore snares are around you. Sudden fear troubles you,

or darkness, so that you can not see, and floods of waters cover you.

“Isn’t God in the heights of heaven? See the height of the stars, how high they are!

You say, ‘What does God know? Can he judge through the thick darkness?

Thick clouds are a covering to him, so that he doesn’t see. He walks on the vault of the sky.’

Will you keep the old way, which wicked men have trodden,

who were snatched away before their time, whose foundation was poured out as a stream,

who said to God, ‘Depart from us!’ and, ‘What can the Almighty do for us?’

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

The righteous see it, and are glad. The innocent ridicule them,

saying, ‘Surely those who rose up against us are cut off. The fire has consumed their remnant.’

“Acquaint yourself with him now, and be at peace. By it, good will come to you.

Please receive instruction from his mouth, and lay up his words in your heart.

If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up, if you put away unrighteousness far from your tents.

Lay your treasure in the dust, the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.

The Almighty will be your treasure, and precious silver to you.

For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty, and will lift up your face to God.

You will make your prayer to him, and he will hear you. You will pay your vows.

You will also decree a thing, and it will be established to you. Light will shine on your ways.

When they cast down, you will say, ‘be lifted up.’ He will save the humble person.

He will even deliver him who is not innocent. Yes, he will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

Eliphaz accuses Job of wickedness

Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,

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

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

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

Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?

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

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

But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it.(c)

(d)

Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.

Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.

Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are!(e)

And thou sayest, How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?(f)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

(j)

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

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

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

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

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

(n)

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

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

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

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

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

Footnotes

(a)22:2 as he…: or, if he may be profitable, doth his good success depend thereon?

(b)22:6 the naked…: Heb. the clothes of the naked

(d)22:8 honourable…: Heb. eminent, or, accepted for countenance

(e)22:12 height of the stars: Heb. head of the stars

(f)22:13 How: or, What

(g)22:16 whose…: Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation

(h)22:17 for: or, to

(i)22:20 substance: or, estate

(j)22:20 the remnant…: or, their excellency

(k)22:21 him: that is, God

(l)22:24 as dust: or, on the dust

(m)22:25 defence: or, gold

(n)22:25 plenty…: Heb. silver of strength

(o)22:29 the humble…: Heb. him that hath low eyes

(p)22:30 He shall…: or, The innocent shall deliver the island