Job 22-27 constitute the third cycle of speeches between Job and his friends. It is unlike the others in that Bildad’s speech is extremely brief and Zophar has no speech at all.

22:1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite responded,- Eliphaz speaks first for the friends as he did in Job 4-5, 15.

Verses 2-5 ask rhetorical questions.

22:2 Can a vigorous man be of use to God,- The word of use or profitable was used in Job 15:3 where Eliphaz accused Job of talk that is not profitable.

Or a wise man be useful to himself? The LORD will sarcastically taunt Job’s claims to wisdom in 38:4, 5, 18, 21.

Even the wisest and strongest of men add nothing to God (Acts 17:25), but they are completely dependent upon Him- Jer. 9:23-24; I Cor. 1:25-26.

22:3 Is there any pleasure to the Almighty if you are righteous,- In I Sam. 15:22 uses this word to tell us that God takes pleasure in the obedience of His people. Whether it is the wisest, strongest, or the most righteous, we cannot benefit God or make God in some way indebted to us.

Or profit if you make your ways perfect? The word perfect, tamam, is connected to the word blameless, tam, used to describe Job in the prologue (1:1, 8; 2:3).

God is still God whether we are righteous or wicked. He is not obligated or indebted to us because we are so good because He gives us every good thing we have (James 1:17). However, the Bible tells a story of God who loves man (John 3:16; I John 4:7-11, 19) and seeks to save man and longs for fellowship with Him (Luke 19:10; John 4:23-24).

22:4 Is it because of your reverence that He reproves you,- The word reverence is from the Hebrew yirah. Eliphaz used the word in 15:4 telling us Job did away with reverence. Remember Job is described as one who feared, yare, God (1:1, 8; 2:3).

22:5 Eliphaz gives no witnesses or evidence of crime.

22:6 For you have taken pledges of your brothers without cause,- The word without cause, chinnam, was used in Job elsewhere in 1:9; 2:3; 9:17; 22:6. The Satan accused Job of serving God for nothing in 1:9. But the LORD says the Satan stirred him up to ruin Job for nothing in 2:3. Job says God multiplied his wounds without cause in 9:17.

22:7 To the weary you have given no water to drink,- Matt. 10:42; Prov. 25:21-22. Being thirsty is connected to being weary in Prov. 25:25.

And from the hungry you have withheld bread. Job denies these charges in 31:17-18.

22:8 But the earth belongs to the mighty man,- This verse unlike those around it is not a specific act of sin but an attitude that led to it. It is also not addressed to Job in second person, but it is in third person.

22:9 You have sent widows away empty,- The idea of sent away, shalach, seems to indicate the widow appealed to him for legal protection. The basic responsibility of caring for these groups is emphasized repeatedly in the Old Testament (Deut. 14:29; 16:11, 14; 24:17; 26:12; 27:19; Isa. 1:17; Jer. 7:6; 22:3; Zech. 7:10).

Why does Eliphaz assume that Job is guilty of these sins? Job has lost everything (1:13-19). The fact that God often punishes man according to his sin (lex talionis) leads his friends to conclude that this was Job’s sin.

22:10 Therefore snares surround you,- The word snares, pach, was used by Bildad in 18:9 to talk of the minefield God laid for the wicked man