1Eliphaz sheweth that man's goodness profiteth not God: 5he accuseth Job of various sins, to which he imputeth his calamities: 15he bringeth evidence of the example of wicked men to shew that God's judgments at length overtake them: 21and exhorteth Job to repentance with promises of mercy.
1THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
2aCan a man be profitable unto God, 1as he that is wise may be profitable bunto himself?
1Or, if he may be profitable, doth his good success depend thereon?
a ch. 35.2. Ps. 16.2. Lu. 17.10. 1Ch. 29.14. Ro. 11.35,36. b Pr. 9.12. De. 10.13. Ga. 6.9. 1Co. 15.58.
3Is cit any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him , that thou makest thy ways perfect?
c ch. 35.6,7. Is. 65.5. Lu. 18.9-14.
4Will he dreprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
d Ps. 39.11; 76.6; 80.16. He. 12.6,7.
5Is not thy wickedness egreat? and thine iniquities infinite?
e Ge. 13.13; 19.13. Ps. 19.13; 25.11. 2Sa. 24.10.
6For fthou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and 2stripped the naked of their clothing.
2Heb. stripped the clothes of the naked.
f Ex. 22.26,27. De. 24.10-13. Eze. 18.16. ch. 31.16-22.
7gThou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hhast withholden bread from the hungry.
g Pr. 3.27. Ja. 2.15,16. Is. 58.7. h Mat. 25.42.
8But as for 3the mighty man, he ihad the earth; and the 4honourable man dwelt in it.
3Heb. the man of arm.
4Heb. eminent, or accepted for countenance.
i Ps. 12.8; 17.14. Ja. 2.1-3.
9jThou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.
j De. 27.19. Ps. 94.6. ch. 24.3,21; 29.12-17; 31.16-22. Lu. 1.53.
10Therefore ksnares are round about thee, and sudden lfear troubleth thee;
k ch. 18.8-10; 19.6. Ps. 11.6. l 1Sa. 28.20. He. 10.26,27. ch. 9.28; 31.23. Is. 24.17,18.
11Or mdarkness, that thou canst not see; nand abundance of waters cover thee.
m ch. 18.6-18; 20.5-29. La. 3.1,2. Is. 8.22. n Ps. 69.1,2; 42.7; 32.6. Is. 43.1,2.
12oIs not God in the height of heaven? and behold 5the height of the stars, how high they are!
5Heb. the head of the stars.
o Ps. 115.3. Is. 66.1; 14.13,14.
13And thou sayest, p6How doth God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?
6Or, What.
p Ps. 73.11,12; 94.7; 10.11,14. Zep. 1.12. Eze. 8.12; 9.9.
14qThick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in rthe circuit of heaven.
q Ps. 139.12; 97.2. ch. 34.21,22. r Eze. 8.12; 9.9. Ps. 14.2; 33.13,14. Is. 40.22.
15Hast thou marked the sold way which wicked men have trodden?
s Ge. 6.5,11-13. ch. 34.7,8.
16Which twere cut down out of time, 7whose foundation was overflown with a flood:
7Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation, Ge. 7.10-24. 2Pe. 2.5.
t ch. 15.32. Ps. 55.23; 37.35,36; 129.5,6. Ec. 7.17.
17Which said unto God, uDepart from us: and what can the Almighty do 8for them?
8Or, to them.
u ch. 21.14. Mat. 8.29,34.
18Yet he vfilled their houses with good things : but wthe counsel of the wicked is far from me.
v Ps. 17.14. Ac. 14.15-17. Je. 12.1,2. w ch. 21.16. Ps. 1.1.
19The xrighteous see it , and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.
x Ps. 107.42; 58.10; 48.11; 91.8; 97.8. Re. 18.20; 19.1-3.
20Whereas our 9substance is not cut down, but 10the remnant of them the yfire consumeth.
9Or, estate.
10Or, their excellency.
y Ge. 19.24. 2Pe. 2.6,7. ch. 20.26; 1.16.
21zAcquaint now thyself with 11him, and abe at peace: thereby bgood shall come unto thee.
11That is, God.
z 1Ch. 28.9. Ps. 46.10. a Mat. 5.25. Is. 27.5. Phi. 4.7. b Mat. 6.33. 1Ti. 4.8. Is. 1.19; 3.10.
22cReceive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and dlay up his words in thine heart.
c Eze. 3.17. De. 4.1,2. d Ps. 119.11. Pr. 4.21. Mat. 13.9. Lu. 2.19,51. ch. 23.12.
23eIf thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt fput away iniquity far from thy *tabernacles.
*tabernacles-tents, dwellings.
e ch. 8.5,6; 11.13; 8.18; 9.13. Ho. 14.1,2. f 2Ti. 2.19.
24Then gshalt thou lay up gold 12as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
12Or, on the dust.
g 2Ch. 1.15; 9.27.
25Yea, the Almighty shall be thy 13defence, and thou shalt have 14plenty of silver.
13Or, gold, Ps. 16.5,6. 1Ti. 4.8. Mat. 6.33. Re. 3.18.
14Heb. silver of strength.
26For then shalt thou hhave thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt ilift up thy face unto God.
h Ps. 37.4. Ca. 2.3. ch. 27.10. i ch. 11.15. 1Jn. 3.21.
27Thou jshalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
j Ps. 50.14,15; 91.15; 66.13,14,17-20; 116; 118; 56.12,13; 61.8. Is. 58.9.
28Thou shalt also kdecree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the llight shall shine upon thy ways.
k Ps. 20.4; 21.4. Pr. 16.3. Is. 45.11. 2Sa. 7.29. Mat. 21.22. l Ps. 1.3; 80.3,19; 119.105.
29mWhen men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he nshall save 15the humble person.
15Heb. him that hath low eyes, Ps. 138.6. Is. 62.2.
m Ps. 9.1-10. ch. 5.19-26. n Ja. 4.6. 1Pe. 5.5. Lu. 14.11.
3016He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.
16Or, The innocent shall deliver the island, ch. 42.8. Ge. 18.32. Je. 5.1. Eze. 22.30.