Eliphaz: Can we be of any use to God?
1 Eliphaz the Temanite replied:
2 Can we be of any use to God?
Only himself a wise man benefits.
3 What would the Almighty gain if you were upright?
What profit if you were blameless in your ways?
4 Is it for your piety that he reproves
and brings you to judgment?
5 Is it not for your great wickedness,
for there is no end to your sins?
6 Without any need you kept your kins men’s goods
and stripped them naked of their clothing.
7 You denied drink to the thirsty
and withheld bread from the hungry.
8 The powerful control the land
and allot it to their cronies.
9 You have sent widows away empty-handed
and crushed the arms of orphans.
10 No wonder snares are round about you
and sudden terror makes you dismayed,
11 you are blinded by darkness
and covered by flood.
12 Is not God above the heavens?
See how lofty are the highest stars.
13 Yet you say, “What does God know?
Can he see through deep shadows?
14 He cannot see for thick clouds veil him
as he walks upon the vault of the heavens.”
15 Will you keep to the old path
that the wicked have trod?
16 In a moment they were carried off
and their foundation washed away.
17 They said to God, “Away from us!
What can the Almighty do to us?”
18 He had filled their houses with good things,
but the thoughts of the wicked were far from him.
19 The righteous see their ruin and are glad,
the innocent laugh at them and say,
20 “Now the great have come to nothing,
fire has devoured their heritage.”
21 Come to terms with God and make peace;
in this way you will prosper.
22 Listen to his teaching
and keep his words in your heart.
23 If you return humbled to the Al mighty,
if you drive injustice from your tent,
24 then you will look on gold as dust,
gold of Ophir as pebbles from a stream.
25 For the Almighty will be your gold
and your sparkling silver.
26 For then you will delight in the Almighty
and lift up your face to God.
27 You will pray to him and he will hear,
and you will fulfill your vows.
28 You will succeed in your decision,
and light will shine upon your way.
29 For God brings down the proud
and saves the downcast.
30 He who rescues the innocent,
will rescue you too if your hands are clean.
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Comments Job, Chapter 22
• 22.3 Eliphaz’ speeches are repetitious: if Job suffers, it is because he has sinned. He must have oppressed his neighbor in spite of his reputation for integrity. Yet, note the list of sins that Job might have committed: it is always a matter of oppressing the weak or failing to assist them. Jesus will say nothing new when, in Matthew 25:40 he condemns to eternal punishment those who failed to provide bread and water to those in need.
The commentary on vv. 29-30 can be found with Isaiah 2:6-22.