Old Testament Commentary - Job 22

by Don R. Hender

Scriptural Text [& Editorial]	Commentary & Explanation	Footnotes ~ References ~ JST
CHAPTER 22 Eliphaz accuses Job of divers sins and exhorts him to repent.
1 THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Can a man be profitable unto God^a, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art ^arighteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways ^bperfect? 4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?	2^a Can a man be profitable unto God Certainly the balance sheet is heavily uneven as God has given man much, but there is that which God does require of man to do which is beneficial unto God and the cause of God. So can man ever repay God for all that God has done for man? NO. But man can be of benefit to the work of the rolling forth of the Kingdom of God on earth. And this do we owe our God to do for his cause all that we can do.	3^a Mosiah 2:21 (20-22) ^b 2 Sam. 22:33
5 Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite? 6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. 7 Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden ^abread from the ^bhungry.		7^a TG Bread ^b Matt. 25:42; Mosiah 4:26; Alma 4:12-13
8 But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. 9 Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the ^afatherless have been broken. 10 Therefore snares are round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee; 11 Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.		9^a Job 31:21-22; James 1:27; 3 Ne. 24:5
12 Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! 13 And thou sayest, How doth God ^aknow? can he ^bjudge through the dark cloud? 14 Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.		13^a Ps. 73:11 ^b Ps. 94:9 (7-10); D&C 88:41
15 Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden? 16 Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: 17 Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me. 19 The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn. 20 Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth.
21 Acquaint now thyself with ^ahim, and be at ^bpeace: thereby good shall come unto thee. 22 Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. 23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be ^abuilt up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles. 24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.		21^a IE God ^b TG Peace of God 23^a 1 Ne. 17:3
25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. 26 For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy ^aface unto God. 27 Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy ^avows.		26^a Job 11:15 (13-16, 18) 27^a TG Vows
28 Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways. 29 When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the ^ahumble person. 30 He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.		29^a TG Humility; TG Poor in Spirit