Job 22

Eliphaz: Can a Man Be of Use to God?

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

2 “Can a man be of use to God? ‡ Luk 17:10Gal 6:7-8Job 35:6-8Pro 3:13-18Psa 16:2Job 21:15Ecc 7:11-12Mat 5:29 +3

Can even a wise man benefit Him?

3 Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? ‡ 2Co 7:1Pro 15:8Pro 11:1Pro 12:22Psa 147:10-111Ch 29:17Act 24:16Job 23:10-12 +6

Does He profit if your ways are blameless?

4 Is it for your reverence that He rebukes you ‡ Job 14:3Psa 143:2Isa 3:14-15Rev 3:19Job 16:21Job 19:29Job 23:6-7Job 34:23 +8

and enters into judgment against you?

5 Is not your wickedness great? ‡ Job 15:5-6Psa 40:12Job 11:14Job 11:6Job 15:31-34Job 21:27Job 32:3Job 4:7-11 +1

Are not your iniquities endless?

6 For you needlessly demanded security from your brothers ‡ Exo 22:26Ezk 18:12Ezk 18:16Deu 24:10-18Job 24:3Deu 24:6Job 24:9-10Job 31:19-20 +2

and deprived the naked of their clothing.

7 You gave no water to the weary ‡ Job 31:17Isa 58:7Mat 25:42Ezk 18:16Ezk 18:7Deu 15:7-11Isa 58:10Job 31:31 +4

and withheld food from the famished,

8 while the land belonged to a mighty man, ‡ Isa 9:151Ki 21:11-15Isa 3:3Job 13:8Job 29:7-17Job 31:34Mic 7:3Psa 12:8

and a man of honor lived on it.

9 You sent widows away empty-handed, ‡ Ezk 22:7Job 24:21Job 24:3Isa 10:2Job 31:21Deu 27:19Exo 22:21-24Ezk 30:22 +9

and the strength of the fatherless was crushed.

10 Therefore snares surround you, ‡ Job 13:21Job 18:8-10Job 6:41Th 5:3Pro 1:27Psa 11:6Job 19:6Pro 3:25-26

and sudden peril terrifies you;

11 it is so dark you cannot see, ‡ Lam 3:54Psa 69:1-2Jon 2:3Job 18:18Job 18:6Job 19:8Job 38:34Job 5:14 +7

and a flood of water covers you.

12 Is not God as high as the heavens? ‡ Ecc 5:2Isa 66:1Job 11:8Psa 8:3-4Isa 57:15Psa 115:3Psa 115:16

Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are!

13 Yet you say: ‘What does God know? ‡ Ezk 8:12Psa 10:11Ezk 9:9Psa 73:11Isa 29:15Psa 59:7Psa 94:7-9Psa 64:5 +1

Does He judge through thick darkness?

14 Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us ‡ Psa 97:2Psa 139:11-12Psa 33:14Jer 23:24Job 26:9Job 34:22Luk 12:2-3Psa 139:1-2

as He traverses the vault of heaven. ¹’

15 Will you stay on the ancient path ‡ Luk 17:26-27Gen 6:11-13Gen 6:5

that wicked men have trod?

16 They were snatched away before their time, ‡ Job 15:32Gen 7:17-241Pe 3:19-202Pe 2:5Gen 7:11Mat 24:37-39Psa 55:23Ecc 7:17 +3

and their foundations were swept away by a flood.

17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us. ‡ Job 21:14-15Psa 4:6Rom 1:28Isa 30:11Job 21:10Mal 3:14Mat 8:29Mat 8:34

What can the Almighty do to us?’

18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things; ‡ Job 21:16Job 12:61Sa 2:7Act 14:17Jer 12:2Psa 17:14Psa 1:1Act 15:16

so I stay far from the counsel of the wicked.

19 The righteous see it and are glad; ‡ Psa 58:10Psa 107:42Psa 52:6Job 9:23Pro 11:10Psa 48:11Psa 97:8Rev 18:20 +1

the innocent mock them:

20 ‘Surely our foes are destroyed, ‡ 2Pe 2:6-7Gen 19:24Job 1:16Job 20:26Job 15:30Job 15:5-6Job 20:18-19Job 21:27-28 +4

and fire has consumed their excess.’

21 Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; ‡ 1Ch 28:9Isa 27:5Php 4:7Psa 34:10Eph 2:14-172Co 5:20Act 10:36Jhn 17:3 +3

thereby good will come to you.

22 Receive instruction from His mouth, ‡ Psa 119:11Job 23:12Deu 4:1-2Deu 6:6-9Jer 15:16Pro 4:21Pro 4:4Luk 2:19 +5

and lay up His words in your heart.

23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. ‡ Job 11:13-14Zec 1:3Job 8:5-6Isa 55:6-7Hos 14:1-22Ti 2:19Act 26:20Jos 7:13-16 +9

If you remove injustice from your tents

24 and consign your gold to the dust ‡ 1Ki 9:28Isa 13:121Ki 10:211Ki 22:482Ch 1:52Ch 9:102Ch 9:27Gen 10:29 +2

and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,

25 then the Almighty will be your gold ‡ Isa 33:6Psa 16:5-6Gen 15:1Psa 18:2Psa 84:11Isa 41:10Jas 2:52Co 6:10 +1

and the finest silver for you.

26 Surely then you will delight in the Almighty ‡ Isa 58:14Psa 37:4Job 27:10Job 11:15Rom 7:22Psa 86:41Jn 3:20-21Psa 143:8 +3

and lift up your face to God.

27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you, ‡ Isa 58:91Jn 5:14-15Psa 116:1Psa 91:15Psa 50:14-15Job 33:26Psa 66:17-20Ecc 5:4 +5

and you will fulfill your vows.

28 Your decisions will be carried out, ‡ Mat 21:22Psa 90:17Psa 20:4Isa 30:21Pro 4:18Jhn 8:12Lam 3:37Mal 4:2 +4

and light will shine on your ways.

29 When men are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’ ‡ Jas 4:6Job 5:19-271Pe 5:5Luk 1:52Mat 23:12Psa 91:14-16Isa 66:2Luk 18:9-14 +7

then He will save the lowly.

30 He will deliver even one who is not innocent, ‡ Job 42:7-8Jas 5:15-16Gen 18:26-32Psa 18:20Act 27:24Mal 1:9Mat 17:19-20Psa 24:4 +5

rescuing him through the cleanness of your hands.”