Job 22:23

22:21-30 The answer of Eliphaz wrongly implied that Job had hitherto not known God, and that prosperity in this life would follow his sincere conversion. The counsel Eliphaz here gives is good, though, as to Job, it was built upon a false supposition that he was a stranger and enemy to God. Let us beware of slandering our brethren; and if it be our lot to suffer in this manner, let us remember how Job was treated; yea, how Jesus was reviled, that we may be patient. Let us examine whether there may not be some colour for the slander, and walk watchfully, so as to be clear of all appearances of evil.

Job 22:23 . If thou return to the Almighty — The Hebrew phrase, תשׁוב עד שׁדי , tashub gnad shaddai, is emphatical, and implies a thorough turning from sin to God, so as to love him, and cleave to him, and sincerely devote a man’s self to his fear and service. Thou shalt be built up — God will repair thy ruins, and give thee more children, and bless thee with prosperity. Thou shalt put away iniquity, &c. — It is either, 1st, A spiritual promise; if thou dost sincerely repent, God will give thee grace effectually to reform thyself and family: or, 2d, A temporal promise, meaning, thou shalt put away the punishment of thy sins, as iniquity is very often used; far from thy tabernacles — From all thy dwellings, and tents, and possessions.

Verse 23. - If thou shalt return to the Almighty . Eliphaz, like Bildad in Job 8:5 , and Zophar in Job 11:13 , taxes Job with having fallen away from God, almost with having apostatized. All his prophecies of future prosperity rest upon the assumption that Job, having fallen away, is now about to turn to God, repent of his misdoings, and be again received with favour . Thou shall be built up ; i.e. "restored, re-established! Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles (comp. Job 11:14 , where Zophar implies that Job's tents have ill-gotten gains concealed in them). Job 22:23

To the Almighty; or, home to the Almighty ; or, so as to reach to the Almighty , and be joined to him. The Hebrew phrase is extraordinary, and emphatical, and implies a thorough and effectual turning not only from sin, (which a hypocrite may do in great part, at least for a time, upon carnal motives, and without any respect or love to God,) but also unto God, so as to love him, and cleave to him, and sincerely devote a man’s self to his fear and service. And he expresseth it in this manner, because he thought Job to be a hypocrite, and therefore counselleth him to turn to God in another and better manner than he had done, to wit, with all his heart, and not feignedly. Thou shalt be built up; God, who hath pulled thee down in thy estate, and honour, and children, will repair thy ruins, and give thee more children, which is oft called building ; Genesis 16:2 Exodus 1:21 Ruth 4:11 ; and bless thee with prosperity and happiness, as building signifies, Jeremiah 42:10 31:4 . Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles: this may be either, 1.

A condition, upon which God makes the following promises, If (which particle may be repeated out of the former part of the verse) thou shalt put away , &c., i.e. if thou shalt effectually purge thyself and family from all sin, and keep thyself and them, as far as thou canst, from all appearances and occasions of sin, which is the duty of all, and the practice of true penitents; whereby he seems to reflect upon Job, as if he had been faulty and negligent in the government of himself or children, notwithstanding his sacrificing for them, Job 1 . Or rather, 2. A promise, because the conditions required had been expressed together, Job 22:21,22 , and in the beginning of this verse, after which he comes to the promises, and begins with this, thou shalt be built up, and so proceeds to other promises; and therefore it seems not probable that he should return to the conditions again, and mix the conditions and promises together, which he hath so carefully separated in these verses. And so it is either, 1. A spiritual promise, If thou dost sincerely repent, God will give thee more grace effectually to reform thyself and family, according to that rule, To him that hath shall be given . Or, 2.

If thou return to the Almighty - Assuming that he was an impenitent sinner, and wholly unreconciled to him. Thou shalt be built up - A figure taken from building up a house, in contradistinction from pulling one down, and denoting that he would be prospered and happy. Thou shalt put away iniquity - Rosenmuller, Good, Noyes, and Wemyss, suppose correctly, as it seems to me, that the word "if" is to be understood here to complete the sense - "if thou shalt put away iniquity." From thy tabernacle - From thy tent, or dwelling.