Job Chapter 22 verse 21 Holy Bible

Pulpit Commentary

Pulpit CommentaryVerses 21-30. - At this point a transition occurs. Eliphaz turns away from reproaches, open or covert, designed to exhibit Job as an example of extreme wickedness, and falls back on those topics which were the main subjects of his first exhortation (Job 5:8-27), viz. an earnest appeal to Job to return to God, to repent and amend (vers. 21-23) and a lavish outpouring of promises, or prophecies, that in that case he should be delivered from all his troubles, should recover his wealth and prosperity, obtain of God all that he should pray for, succeed in all his enterprises, and be able to help and ease others, even those who might be guilty in God's sight (vers. 24-30). Verse 21. - Acquaint now thyself with him (i.e. God), and be at peace; or, make, I beseech thee a trial of him, and be at peace; i.e. risk everything, throw thyself upon his mercy, and so make thy peace with him. To do so is well worth thy while, for thereby good shall come unto thee. It is a question what sort of "good" is meant. If we are to explain the "good" of this passage by vers. 24, 25 exclusively, Eliphaz will become a mere utilitarian, and he will be rightly characterized as "selfish and sordid" (Cook) - an anticipation of the Mammon of Milton. But there seem to be no sufficient grounds for singling out vers. 24, 25 from the rest of the passage, and regarding them as forming its key-note. The "good" which Eliphaz promises to Job includes, besides "the gold of Ophir" and "plenty of silver," such things as "delight in the Almighty," and confident trust in him (ver. 26), God's hearing of his prayers (ver. 27), the shining of light upon his path (ver. 28), his own payment of his vows (ver. 27), his giving assistance to the poor and needy (ver. 29), and even his deliverance of the guilty by the pureness of his hands (ver. 30); so that other besides material considerations are clearly taken into account, and the worldly prosperity which Eliphaz promises forms a part only of the good result which he anticipates from the patriarch making his peace with the Almighty.

Ellicott's Commentary

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers(21) Acquaint now thyself with him.--As he himself had done in Job 5, and as Zophar had done in Job 11, Eliphaz proceeds to give Job some good advice. "Thereby good shall come unto thee," or "Thereby shall thine increase be good;" or perhaps he means that peace and rest from the obstinate questionings he was disturbed with would come to him thereby.