Job 22
New Living Translation
Eliphaz’s Third Response to Job
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 “Can a person do anything to help God?
Can even a wise person be helpful to him?
3 Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous?
Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect?
4 Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you
and brings judgment against you?
5 No, it’s because of your wickedness!
There’s no limit to your sins.
6 “For example, you must have lent money to your friend
and demanded clothing as security.
Yes, you stripped him to the bone.
7 You must have refused water for the thirsty
and food for the hungry.
8 You probably think the land belongs to the powerful
and only the privileged have a right to it!
9 You must have sent widows away empty-handed
and crushed the hopes of orphans.
10 That is why you are surrounded by traps
and tremble from sudden fears.
11 That is why you cannot see in the darkness,
and waves of water cover you.
12 “God is so great—higher than the heavens,
higher than the farthest stars.
13 But you reply, ‘That’s why God can’t see what I am doing!
How can he judge through the thick darkness?
14 For thick clouds swirl about him, and he cannot see us.
He is way up there, walking on the vault of heaven.’
15 “Will you continue on the old paths
where evil people have walked?
16 They were snatched away in the prime of life,
the foundations of their lives washed away.
17 For they said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things,
so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.
19 “The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed,
and the innocent will laugh in contempt.
20 They will say, ‘See how our enemies have been destroyed.
The last of them have been consumed in the fire.’
21 “Submit to God, and you will have peace;
then things will go well for you.
22 Listen to his instructions,
and store them in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored—
so clean up your life.
24 If you give up your lust for money
and throw your precious gold into the river,
25 the Almighty himself will be your treasure.
He will be your precious silver!
26 “Then you will take delight in the Almighty
and look up to God.
27 You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows to him.
28 You will succeed in whatever you choose to do,
and light will shine on the road ahead of you.
29 If people are in trouble and you say, ‘Help them,’
God will save them.
30 Even sinners will be rescued;
they will be rescued because your hands are pure.”
Job 22
International Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks a Third Time
22 Then in response, Eliphaz from Teman said:
2 “Can a human being be useful to God,
since he, who is wise, is sufficient to himself?
3 Will it please the Almighty if you are innocent,
or does he profit if your life is[a] blameless?
4 Will he acquit you just because you fear him,
and render a verdict on your behalf?
5 Your wickedness is great, isn’t it?
There’s no limit to your iniquity, is there?
6 “After all, you’ve taken collateral from your relatives for no reason;
you stripped the naked of their clothing.[b]
7 You’ve neglected to give water to the weary,[c]
and you’ve withheld food from the hungry.
8 The land belongs to the powerful,
and the privileged[d] thrive in it.
9 You sent away widows empty-handed,
and broke the outstretched arms of orphans.
10 That’s why disaster surrounds you,
terror suddenly overwhelms you,
11 you see nothing but darkness,
and a flood of troubles[e] drowns you.”
Eliphaz Acknowledges God but Issues an Imprecatory Prayer
12 “Isn’t God in heaven above?
Consider how far away the stars are,
and how lofty they are!
13 You’ve asked, ‘What does God know?
Can he sort through pitch black darkness?’[f]
14 Thick clouds cover him so he can’t see
as he walks back and forth at heaven’s horizon.
15 “Will you keep walking on the traditional path
that sinners[g] have tread,
16 who were snatched away before their time;
when their foundation was swept away by a river?
17 They told God, ‘Get away from us!’
and ‘What will the Almighty do to them?’
18 “Though God[h] fills their houses with good things,
the counsel of the wicked will remain far from me.
19 The righteous will see this and rejoice;
the innocent will insult him, saying,[i]
20 ‘Our enemies are sure to be destroyed,
and fire will burn up what’s left of their riches.”
Eliphaz Challenges Job to Repent
21 “Get to know God, and you’ll be at peace with him,
and then prosperity will come to you.
22 Accept what he has to teach you,
and treasure his words in your heart.
23 “If you return to the Almighty you’ll be restored,
as you remove iniquity from your household.[j]
24 Bury your gold nuggets in the dust,
and your source of gold[k] among the stones in a streambed,
25 and then the Almighty will be your gold
and your refined silver.
26 “Then you’ll take delight in the Almighty;
and will turn your face toward God.
27 You’ll entreat him and he’ll listen to you
as you fulfill your vows.
28 When you make a decision on something,
it will be established for you,
and light will brighten[l] your way.
29 “For when they’re humbled, you may respond;[m]
‘It’s their pride!’
but he delivers the humble.
30 He’ll even deliver the guilty,
who will be delivered through your innocence.”[n]
Footnotes
- Job 22:3 Lit. your ways are
- Job 22:6 I.e. in exchange for a short-term loan
- Job 22:7 MT has cause the weary to drink
- Job 22:8 Lit. who lifts the face
- Job 22:11 The Heb. lacks of troubles
- Job 22:13 Or deep darkness
- Job 22:15 MT has men of iniquity
- Job 22:18 Lit. he
- Job 22:19 The Heb. lacks saying
- Job 22:23 Lit. tent
- Job 22:24 Lit. Ophir; i.e., an ancient source fine gold; cf. 1Chr 29:4
- Job 22:28 Or enlighten
- Job 22:29 Lit. say back
- Job 22:30 Lit. through the cleanness of your hands
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
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