Job 22
New Catholic Bible
Third Cycle of Speeches[a]
Eliphaz’s Third Speech
Chapter 22
Is God Punishing You for Your Piety?[b] 1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded:
2 “Can anyone be of the slightest interest to God,
even if that person is recognized for his wisdom?
3 Does the Almighty derive any pleasure if you are righteous?
Does he profit if you lead a blameless life?
4 Is he punishing you for your piety
and therefore will bring you to justice?
5 Is not your wickedness great?
Is there any limit to your iniquities?
The Injustice Job Has Committed[c]
6 “You have exacted pledges from your brothers as security
and left them naked, stripped of their clothing.[d]
7 To the thirsty you offered no water to drink,
and you withheld bread from those who were starving.
8 Should the land belong only to the powerful?
Are only those who are favored allowed to dwell in it?
9 “You have sent widows away empty-handed
and left orphans without any means of support.
10 That is why snares surround you
and sudden terror causes you to cringe,
11 why light has turned to darkness, leaving you unable to see,
and flood waters envelop you.
The Unbelief of Job
12 “Does not God who dwells in the heights of the heavens
behold how lofty are the highest stars?
13 Even so, you say, ‘What does God know?
How can he possibly judge through such deep darkness?
14 He cannot possibly see through the thick clouds
as he roams through the vault of the heavens.’
15 “Will you still continue to follow the ancient way
that those who are wicked have trod?
16 They were snatched away before their time;
their foundations were swept away by a flood.[e]
17 They had said to God, ‘Leave us alone!’
and thought, ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
18 “Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,
even though his plans and theirs were diametrically opposed.
19 The upright rejoice at witnessing such a spectacle,
and the innocent deride them:
20 ‘See how our enemies have been destroyed,
and what remained of their wealth has been consumed by fire.’[f]
If You Return to the Almighty . . .
21 “Come to terms with God and be reconciled.
In this way good fortune will come to you.
22 Accept the instruction from his lips
and keep his words in your heart.[g]
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored;
if you remove iniquity from your tent
24 and treat gold as if it were only dust
and the gold of Ophir[h] as pebbles from the stream,
25 then the Almighty himself will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 “For then the Almighty will be your delight
and you will lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to him and he will hear you,
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 Whatever decision you make will be successful,
and light will shine along your path.
29 For God brings low the arrogant
while he saves the humble.
30 He delivers anyone who is innocent;
if your hands are clean, you will be saved.”
Footnotes
- Job 22:1 In this third cycle of speeches, the debate on the human condition remains intense. Job gives a firm answer to the attacks of the three friends by protesting his innocence.
It is important to note that the biblical text itself has reached us in a corrupt form in some places; this makes it impossible to certify fully that the discourses are assigned to the right persons. - Job 22:1 If God intervenes to punish anyone, it is only because justice demands it. Indeed, Job’s situation is so lamentable that Eliphaz believes his fault must be especially grave.
- Job 22:6 According to Eliphaz, Job’s misfortunes are nothing but the punishment for his faults. In chapter 29, Job will deny the type of behavior of which Eliphaz is here accusing him.
- Job 22:6 You have exacted pledges . . . stripped of their clothing: sins that have been condemned by the Prophets (see Am 2:8).
- Job 22:16 An allusion to the flood (Gen 6–8).
- Job 22:20 Fire: moving beyond the allusion to the flood, the speaker expands his horizon to include a description of the destiny in store for all sinners.
- Job 22:22 Job responds to this verse in the next chapter (Job 23:12). Keep his words in your heart: see note on Ps 119:11.
- Job 22:24 Ophir: a section of Arabia, probably on the western coast, from which highly refined gold was imported (see 1 Ki 9:28; 10:11; Ps 45:10).
Job 22
English Standard Version
Eliphaz Speaks: Job's Wickedness Is Great
22 Then (A)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 (B)“Can a man be profitable to God?
Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty if you are in the right,
or is it gain to him if you (C)make your ways blameless?
4 Is it for your fear of him that he reproves you
and (D)enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your evil abundant?
There is no end to your iniquities.
6 For you have (E)exacted pledges of your brothers for nothing
(F)and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have given no water to the weary to drink,
and you have (G)withheld bread from the hungry.
8 (H)The man with power possessed the land,
and (I)the favored man lived in it.
9 You have (J)sent widows away empty,
and (K)the arms of (L)the fatherless were crushed.
10 Therefore (M)snares are all around you,
and sudden terror overwhelms you,
11 or (N)darkness, so that you cannot see,
and a (O)flood of (P)water covers you.
12 “Is not God high in the heavens?
See (Q)the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 But you say, (R)‘What does God know?
Can he judge through (S)the deep darkness?
14 (T)Thick clouds veil him, so that he does not see,
and he walks on the vault of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were snatched away (U)before their time;
their foundation was washed away.[a]
17 They said to God, (V)‘Depart from us,’
and (W)‘What can the Almighty do to us?’[b]
18 Yet he filled their houses with good things—
but (X)the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 (Y)The righteous see it and are glad;
the innocent one (Z)mocks at them,
20 saying, ‘Surely our adversaries are cut off,
and what they left (AA)the fire has consumed.’
21 (AB)“Agree with God, and (AC)be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from (AD)his mouth,
and (AE)lay up his words in your heart.
23 If you (AF)return to the Almighty you will be (AG)built up;
if you (AH)remove injustice far from your tents,
24 if you lay gold in (AI)the dust,
and gold of (AJ)Ophir among the stones of the torrent-bed,
25 then the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver.
26 For then you (AK)will delight yourself in the Almighty
and (AL)lift up your face to God.
27 You will (AM)make your prayer to him, and he will hear you,
and you will (AN)pay your vows.
28 You will decide on a matter, and it will be established for you,
and (AO)light will shine on your ways.
29 For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’;[c]
but he saves (AP)the lowly.
30 He (AQ)delivers even the one who is not innocent,
who will be delivered through (AR)the cleanness of your hands.”
Job 22
New King James Version
Eliphaz Accuses Job of Wickedness
22 Then (A)Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2 “Can(B) a man be profitable to God,
Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous?
Or is it gain to Him that you make your ways blameless?
4 “Is it because of your fear of Him that He corrects you,
And enters into judgment with you?
5 Is not your wickedness great,
And your iniquity without end?
6 For you have (C)taken pledges from your brother for no reason,
And stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given the weary water to drink,
And you (D)have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But the [a]mighty man possessed the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty,
And the [b]strength of the fatherless was crushed.
10 Therefore snares are all around you,
And sudden fear troubles you,
11 Or darkness so that you cannot see;
And an abundance of (E)water covers you.
12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the highest stars, how lofty they are!
13 And you say, (F)‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the deep darkness?
14 (G)Thick clouds cover Him, so that He cannot see,
And He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way
Which wicked men have trod,
16 Who (H)were cut down before their time,
Whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 (I)They said to God, ‘Depart from us!
What can the Almighty do to [c]them?’
18 Yet He filled their houses with good things;
But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
19 “The(J) righteous see it and are glad,
And the innocent laugh at them:
20 ‘Surely our [d]adversaries are cut down,
And the fire consumes their remnant.’
21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him, and (K)be at peace;
Thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, please, (L)instruction from His mouth,
And (M)lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
You will remove iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will (N)lay your gold in the dust,
And the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your [e]gold
And your precious silver;
26 For then you will have your (O)delight in the Almighty,
And lift up your face to God.
27 (P)You will make your prayer to Him,
He will hear you,
And you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a thing,
And it will be established for you;
So light will shine on your ways.
29 When they cast you down, and you say, ‘Exaltation will come!’
Then (Q)He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
Yes, he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Copyright © 2004 by World Bible Translation Center