Job 22
Modern English Version
Eliphaz Speaks: Job’s Wickedness Is Great
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered:
2 “Can a man be profitable to God,
as 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 infinite?
6 For you have taken a pledge from your brother for nothing,
and stripped the naked of their clothing.
7 You have not given water to the weary to drink,
and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
8 But as for the mighty man, he possessed the earth,
and the honorable man lived in it.
9 You have sent widows away empty,
and the 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 waters covers you.
12 “Is not God in the height of heaven?
And see the height of the stars, how high they are!
13 And you say, ‘What does God know?
Can He judge through the dark cloud?
14 Thick clouds are His covering, so He cannot see;
and He walks above the circle of heaven.’
15 Will you keep to the old way,
that wicked men have trod?
16 They were cut down before their time;
their foundations were swept away by a flood.
17 They said to God, ‘Depart from us,’
and, ‘What can the Almighty do to us?’
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 ‘Surely our adversaries are cut down,
and the fire consumes their remnant.’
21 “Now acquaint yourself with Him and be at peace;
thereby good will come to you.
22 Receive, I pray, the teaching from His mouth,
and lay up His words in your heart.
23 If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up;
you will put away iniquity far from your tents.
24 Then you will lay up gold as dust,
and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
25 Yes, the Almighty will be your gold
and your precious silver;
26 for then you will delight yourself in the Almighty,
and will lift up your face unto God.
27 You will make your prayer to Him, and He will hear you,
and you will pay your vows.
28 You will also declare a matter, and it will be established unto you;
and the light will shine upon your ways.
29 When men are cast down, and you say, ‘There is a time of exaltation!’
then He will save the humble person.
30 He will even deliver one who is not innocent;
he will be delivered by the purity of your hands.”
Job 22
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Third Series of Speeches
Eliphaz Speaks
22 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Can a man be of any use to God?
Can even a wise man be of use to Him?
3 Does it delight the Almighty if you are righteous?
Does He profit if you perfect your behavior?(A)
4 Does He correct you and take you to court
because of your piety?(B)
5 Isn’t your wickedness abundant
and aren’t your iniquities endless?
6 For you took collateral(C) from your brothers without cause,
stripping off their clothes and leaving them naked.
7 You gave no water to the thirsty
and withheld food from the famished,(D)
8 while the land belonged to a powerful man
and an influential man lived on it.
9 You sent widows away empty-handed,
and the strength of the fatherless(E) was[a] crushed.
10 Therefore snares surround you,
and sudden dread terrifies(F) you,
11 or darkness, so you cannot see,
and a flood of water covers you.(G)
12 Isn’t God as high as the heavens?
And look at the highest stars—how lofty they are!
13 Yet you say: “What does God know?
Can He judge through thick darkness?(H)
14 Clouds(I) veil Him so that He cannot see,
as He walks on the circle of the sky.”
15 Will you continue on the ancient path
that wicked men have walked?
16 They were snatched away before their time,
and their foundations(J) were washed away by a river.
17 They were the ones who said to God, “Leave us alone!”
and “What can the Almighty do to us?”[b](K)
18 But it was He who filled their houses with good things.
The counsel of the wicked is far from me!
19 The righteous see this and rejoice;
the innocent mock them, saying,(L)
20 “Surely our opponents are destroyed,
and fire has consumed what they left behind.”(M)
21 Come to terms with God and be at peace;(N)
in this way[c] good will come to you.
22 Receive instruction from His mouth,(O)
and place His sayings(P) in your heart.
23 If you return(Q) to the Almighty, you will be renewed.
If you banish injustice from your tent
24 and consign your gold to the dust,
the gold of Ophir(R) to the stones in the wadis,
25 the Almighty will be your gold
and your finest silver.
26 Then you will delight(S) in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.(T)
27 You will pray to Him, and He will hear you,(U)
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 When you make a decision, it will be carried out,[d]
and light will shine on your ways.(V)
29 When others are humiliated and you say, “Lift them up,”
God will save the humble.[e](W)
30 He will even rescue the guilty one,
who will be rescued by the purity of your hands.(X)
The Holy Bible, Modern English Version. Copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House.
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