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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 22:5–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
Eliphaz and his companions had condemned Job, in general, as a wicked man and a hypocrite; but none of them had descended to particulars, nor drawn up any articles of impeachment against him, until Eliphaz did so here, where he positively and expressly charges him with many high crimes and misdemeanours, which, if he had really been guilty of them, might well have justified them in their harsh censures of him. "Come," says Eliphaz, "we have been too long beating about the bush, too tender of Job and afraid of grieving him, which has but confirmed him in his self-justification. It is high time to deal plainly with him. We have condemned him by parables, but that does not answer the end; he is not prevailed with to condemn himself. We must therefore plainly tell him, Thou art the man, the tyrant, the oppressor, the atheist, we have been speaking of all this while. Is not thy wickedness great? Certainly it is, or else thy troubles would not be so great. I appeal to thyself, and thy own conscience; are not thy iniquities infinite, both in number and heinousness?" Strictly taken, nothing is infinite but God; but he means this, that his sins were more than could be counted and more heinous than could be conceived. Sin, being committed against Infinite Majesty, has in it a kind of infinite malignity. But when Eliphaz charges Job thus highly, and ventures to descend to particulars too, laying to his charge that which he knew not, we may take occasion hence, 1. To be angry at those who unjustly censure and condemn their brethren. For aught I know, Eliphaz, in accusing Job falsely, as he does here, was guilty of as great a sin and as great a wrong to Job as the Sabeans and Chaldeans that robbed him; for a man's good name is more precious and valuable than his wealth. It is against all the laws of justice, charity, and friendship, either to raise or receive calumnies, jealousies, and evil surmises, concerning others; and it is the more base and disingenuous if we thus vex those that are in distress and add to their affliction. Eliphaz could produce no instances of Job's guilt in any of the particulars that follow here, but seems resolved to calumniate boldly, and throw all the reproach he could on Job, not doubting but that some would cleave to him. 2. To pity those who are thus censured and condemned. Innocency itself will be no security against a false and foul tongue. Job, whom God himself praised as the best man in the world, is here represented by one of his friends, and he a wise and good man too, as one of the greatest villains in nature. Let us not think it strange if at any time we be thus blackened, but learn how to pass by evil report as well as good, and commit our cause, as Job did his, to him that judgeth righteously.
Let us see the particular articles of this charge.
I.He charged him with oppression and injustice, that, when he was in prosperity, he not only did no good with his wealth and power, but did a great deal of hurt with them. This was utterly false, as appears by the account Job gives of himself (Job 29:12, etc.) and the character God gave of him, ch. 1. And yet,
1.Eliphaz branches out this charge into divers particulars, with as much assurance as if he could call witnesses to prove upon oath every article of it. He tells him, (1.) That he had been cruel and unmerciful to the poor. As a magistrate he ought to have protected them and seen them provided for; but Eliphaz suspects that he never did them any kindness, but all the mischief his power enabled him to do, - that, for an inconsiderable debt, he demanded, and carried away by violence, a pawn of great value, even from his brother, whose honesty and sufficiency he could not but know (Job 22:6), Thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, or, as the Septuagint reads it, Thou hast taken thy brethren for pledges, and that for nought, imprisoned them, enslaved them, because they had nothing to pay, - that he had taken the very clothes of his insolvent tenants and debtors, so that he had stripped them naked, and left them so (the law of Moses forbade this, Exo 22:26, Deu 24:13), - he had not been charitable to the poor, no, not to poor travellers, and poor widows: "Thou hast not given so much as a cup of cold water (which would have cost thee nothing) to the weary to drink, when he begged for it (Job 22:7) and was ready to perish for want of it, nay, thou hast withholden bread from the hungry in their extremity, hast not only not given it, but hast forbidden the giving of it, which is withholding good from those to whom it is really due, Pro 3:27. Poor widows, who while their husbands were living troubled nobody, but now were forced to seek relief, thou hast sent away empty from thy doors with a sad heart, Job 22:9. Those who came to thee for justice, thou didst send away unheard, unhelped; nay, though they came to thee full, thou didst squeeze them, and send them away empty; and, worst of all, the arms of the fatherless have been broken; those that could help themselves but little thou hast quite disabled to help themselves." This which is the blackest part of the charge, is but insinuated: The arms of the fatherless have been broken. He does not say, "Thou has broken them," but he would have it understood so, and if they be broken, and those who have power do not relieve them, they are chargeable with it. "They have been broken by those under thee, and thou hast connived at it, which brings thee under the guilt." (2.) That he had been partial to the rich and great (Job 22:8): "As for the mighty man, if he was guilty of any crime, he was never questioned for it: he had the earth; he dwelt in it. If he brought an action ever so unjustly, or if an action were ever so justly brought against him, yet he was sure to carry his cause in thy courts. The poor were not fed at thy door, while the rich were feasted at thy table." Contrary to this is Christ's rule for hospitality (Luk 14:12-14); and Solomon says, He that gives to the rich shall come to poverty.
2.He attributes all his present troubles to these supposed sins (Job 22:10, Job 22:11): "Those that are guilty of such practices as these commonly bring themselves into just such a condition as thou art now in; and therefore we conclude thou hast been thus guilty." (1.) "The providence of God usually crosses and embarrasses such; and snares are, accordingly, round about thee, so that, which way soever thou steppest or lookest, thou findest thyself in distress; and others are as hard upon thee as thou hast been upon the poor." (2.) "Their consciences may be expected to terrify and accuse them. No sin makes a louder cry there than unmercifulness; and, accordingly, sudden fear troubles thee; and, though thou wilt not own it, it is guilt of this kind that creates thee all this terror." Zophar had insinuated this, Job 20:19, Job 20:20. (3.) "They are brought to their wits' end, so amazed and bewildered that they know not what to do, and that also is thy case; for thou art in darkness that thou canst not see wherefore God contends with thee nor what is the best course for thee to take, for abundance of waters cover thee," that is, "thou art in a mist, in the midst of dark waters, in the thick clouds of the sky." Note, Those that have not shown mercy may justly be denied the comfortable hope that they shall find mercy; and then what can they expect but snares, and darkness, and continual fear?
II.He charged him with atheism, infidelity, and gross impiety, and thought this was at the bottom of his injustice and oppressiveness:
he that did not fear God did not regard man. He would have it thought that Job was an Epicurean, who did indeed own the being of God, but denied his providence, and fancied that he confined himself to the entertainments of the upper world and never concerned himself in the inhabitants and affairs of this.
1.Eliphaz referred to an important truth, which he thought, if Job had duly considered it, would have prevented him from being so passionate in his complaints and bold in justifying himself (Job 22:12): Is not God in the height of heaven? Yes, no doubt he is. No heaven so high but God is there; and in the highest heavens, the heavens of the blessed, the residence of his glory, he is present in a special manner. There he is pleased to manifest himself in a way peculiar to the upper world, and thence he is pleased to manifest himself in a way suited to this lower world. There is his throne; there is his court: he is called the Heavens, Dan 4:26. Thus Eliphaz proves that a man cannot be profitable to God (Job 22:2), that he ought not to contend with God (it is his folly if he does), and that we ought always to address ourselves to God with very great reverence; for when we behold the height of the stars, how high they are, we should, at the same time, also consider the transcendent majesty of God, who is above the stars, and how high he is.
2.He charged it upon Job that he made a bad use of this doctrine, which he might have made so good a use of, Job 22:13. "This is holding the truth in unrighteousness, fighting against religion with its own weapons, and turning its own artillery upon itself: thou art willing to own that God is in the height of heaven but thence thou inferrest, How doth God know?" Bad men expel the fear of God out of their hearts by banishing the eye of God out of the world (Eze 8:12), and care not what they do if they can but persuade themselves that God does not know. Eliphaz suspected that Job had such a notion of God as this, that, because he is in the height of heaven,
(1.)It is therefore impossible for him to see and hear what is done at so great a distance as this earth, especially since there is a dark cloud (Job 22:13), many thick clouds (Job 22:14), that come between him and us, and are a covering to him, so that he cannot see, much less can he judge of, the affairs of this lower world; as if God had eyes of flesh, Job 10:4. The interposing firmament is to him as transparent crystal, Eze 1:22. Distance of place creates no difficulty to him who fills immensity, any more than distance of time to him who is eternal. Or,
(2.)That it is therefore below him, and a diminution to his glory, to take cognizance of this inferior part of the creation: He walks in the circuit of heaven, and has enough to do to enjoy himself and his own perfections and glory in that bright and quiet world; why should he trouble himself about us? This is gross absurdity, as well as gross impiety, which Eliphaz here fathers upon Job; for it supposes that the administration of government is a burden and disparagement to the supreme governor and that the acts of justice and mercy are a toil to a mind infinitely wise, holy, and good. If the sun, a creature, and inanimate, can with his light and influence reach this earth, and every part of it (Psa 19:6), even from that vast height of the visible heavens in which he is, and in the circuit of which he walks, and that through many a thick and dark cloud, shall we question it concerning the Creator?
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
2 surviving comments on this verse. Each one is dated, so this reads as a timeline rather than a list.
Select a marker to jump to its quote. Markers stagger vertically where authors wrote within a few decades of each other.
Since [Eliphaz] had said that [Job] had sinned not mildly or, so to speak, with feeble strength but greatly and with much force, he now fervently invokes revenge against him, so that it may appear that the crime and the revenge are weighed for him at the same time. “And a sudden terror overwhelms you.” Another version of the text reads, “a sudden force.”“And you thought that you would have not seen the darkness.” You also added this crime to your iniquities—the fact that you believed that revenge would have not followed. If you had thought about it, it would have turned you from the dangerous ways of your actions or frightened you less by being already foreseen.
11. That man ‘sudden fear doth trouble,’ who neglects to consider what there is hanging over his head from the severity of the Judge, when He comes. Therefore, whereas heretics look upon the faithful people as borne down by sins of misbelief, they make it a charge that ‘snares are round about them.’ And because they believe that it does not foresee the future, they suppose this people under the smiting to be ‘troubled with sudden fear;’ which persons adding yet further insult.
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Summary
Job 22:10 is a pivotal verse within Eliphaz's third and most aggressive speech to Job, where he directly accuses Job of specific, unconfessed sins as the cause of his immense suffering. Operating under a rigid framework of retribution theology, Eliphaz asserts that Job's calamities—symbolized by "snares" and "sudden fear"—are undeniable evidence of divine judgment for his alleged wickedness. This verse encapsulates the friends' misguided attempts to explain Job's suffering through a simplistic cause-and-effect model of sin and punishment, a perspective that the book of Job ultimately challenges and refutes.
Context
Literary Context
Job 22:10 is situated in the heart of Eliphaz's final and most confrontational discourse (Job 22). Having previously offered more veiled suggestions of Job's sin, Eliphaz now escalates his accusations, directly listing specific transgressions he believes Job has committed, such as oppressing the poor, withholding water from the thirsty, and mistreating widows and orphans, as detailed in Job 22:5-9. This verse, "Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee," serves as Eliphaz's conclusion to his litany of charges, presenting Job's current suffering as the inevitable and just consequence of his imagined iniquity. This speech sets the stage for Job's continued lament and defense in chapters 23-24, where he longs for an audience with God to plead his case, highlighting the profound disconnect between Job's experience and his friends' theological explanations. The entire dialogue between Job and his friends (Job 3-31) explores the complexities of suffering, justice, and divine wisdom, ultimately demonstrating the inadequacy of human understanding in the face of God's sovereign plan.
Historical & Cultural Context
The book of Job is set in the ancient Near East, a region where wisdom literature flourished, often exploring themes of justice, righteousness, and the consequences of human actions. A prevalent belief system, particularly emphasized in Deuteronomic theology, was that righteousness led to blessing and prosperity, while wickedness resulted in curses and suffering. This "retribution theology" formed the bedrock of Eliphaz's, Bildad's, and Zophar's arguments. They interpreted Job's catastrophic losses and physical affliction through this lens, concluding that such immense suffering could only be a direct punishment for equally immense, though hidden, sin. Culturally, friends were expected to offer comfort and solidarity in times of mourning, but Job's friends, adhering rigidly to their theological framework, instead became accusers, believing they were upholding divine justice. Their arguments reflect a common, yet ultimately flawed, understanding of God's ways in a world where suffering is not always a direct consequence of personal sin, a truth that the book of Job powerfully reveals.
Key Themes
Job 22:10 powerfully contributes to several overarching themes within the book of Job. The most prominent is retribution theology, the belief that God's justice operates on a strict quid pro quo basis, where suffering is always a direct punishment for sin. Eliphaz's assertion that "snares" and "sudden fear" surround Job directly stems from this flawed theological premise, which the book systematically dismantles. This verse also highlights the theme of false accusation and the misguided nature of human judgment. Eliphaz, despite his piety, presumes to know the mind of God and the hidden sins of Job, leading him to condemn an innocent man. This contrasts sharply with God's own assessment of Job's righteousness found at the outset of the narrative, as seen in Job 1:8. Furthermore, the verse implicitly raises the problem of suffering, challenging the simplistic notion that all affliction is punitive. By portraying Job's undeserved suffering, the book compels readers to grapple with the mystery of pain and the limits of human understanding concerning divine providence, a theme that resonates throughout the entire book, particularly as Job grapples with his plight in Job 7.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
This word (H6341, פַּח) literally refers to a fowler's trap or a net used for catching birds or animals. In a figurative sense, as used here, it denotes a sudden, inescapable, and dangerous predicament or calamity. Eliphaz employs this imagery to convey that Job's troubles are not random misfortunes but are like a trap that has sprung, ensnaring him due to his alleged moral failings. The imagery suggests a sense of being caught, helpless, and surrounded by overwhelming difficulties from which there is no easy escape.
The Hebrew term (H6343, פַּחַד) signifies a (sudden) alarm, dread, or terror. It describes an overwhelming and disorienting state of anxiety and dread. When Eliphaz states that "sudden fear troubleth thee," he implies that Job's internal state is one of profound and unexpected terror, directly linked in Eliphaz's mind to the guilt of his unconfessed sins. This is not merely discomfort but a deep, unsettling psychological distress, which Eliphaz attributes to divine retribution.
This primitive root (H926, בָּהַל) means to tremble inwardly, palpitate, or be (causative, make) suddenly alarmed or agitated. It can also imply hastening anxiously or being thrown into confusion. When Eliphaz says this fear "troubleth" Job, he describes the profound internal disquiet and agitation that Job is experiencing. It suggests a complete disruption of peace and composure, implying that Job's inner world is in turmoil, a direct consequence, in Eliphaz's view, of his unacknowledged sin.
Verse Breakdown
"Therefore snares [are] round about thee"
Eliphaz begins with "Therefore," indicating a logical consequence derived from his preceding accusations (Job 22:5-9). The "snares" represent the comprehensive and inescapable nature of Job's calamities—his loss of family, wealth, and health. The phrase "round about thee" emphasizes that these troubles are not isolated incidents but completely envelop Job, leaving him no avenue for escape. In Eliphaz's view, Job is trapped by the consequences of his own wickedness, caught in a divine judgment that surrounds him on every side.
"and sudden fear troubleth thee;"
This clause describes the psychological and emotional impact of the "snares." The "sudden fear" (or "terror" or "dismay") points to the unexpected and overwhelming nature of the distress Job experiences. Eliphaz suggests that this internal turmoil is a direct result of Job's guilt, a divine punishment that has seized his inner being. The verb "troubleth" (from bâhal, to be dismayed, terrified, or thrown into confusion) further emphasizes the disorienting and deeply unsettling effect of this fear, implying that Job's peace and composure have been shattered by the weight of his perceived sin.
Literary Devices
Eliphaz's statement in Job 22:10 effectively employs several literary devices to convey his accusatory message. Imagery is prominent, particularly with the use of "snares." This vivid image of a fowler's trap immediately evokes a sense of being caught, helpless, and surrounded by danger, making Job's predicament tangible and inescapable in Eliphaz's eyes. The phrase "round about thee" further amplifies this sense of encirclement and complete entrapment. There is also a strong element of Irony in Eliphaz's words. He and his friends came to "comfort" Job, yet their pronouncements, like this one, serve only to deepen his distress and accuse him falsely. Their "comfort" is, in fact, a source of greater pain. Furthermore, Eliphaz's speech, including this verse, relies on Didacticism, presenting a moral lesson based on his rigid theological framework. He is teaching Job (and implicitly, the reader) that suffering is a direct consequence of sin, a lesson that the broader narrative of Job ultimately refutes, highlighting the limitations of human wisdom.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 22:10, though spoken from a flawed theological perspective, serves as a crucial point of tension in the biblical narrative concerning suffering and divine justice. It embodies the common ancient Near Eastern belief that all suffering is a direct consequence of sin, a "retribution theology" that the book of Job meticulously deconstructs. While the Bible does teach that sin has consequences and that God is just, Job's experience demonstrates that not all suffering is punitive. Sometimes, suffering serves mysterious purposes, such as testing faith, refining character, or revealing God's glory, as seen in the broader narrative of Job and in New Testament teachings. This verse, therefore, forces us to grapple with the complexities of God's sovereignty, the nature of human suffering, and the dangers of simplistic theological explanations that fail to account for the multifaceted ways God interacts with humanity.
Reflection and Application
Job 22:10, despite being an accusation from a friend, offers profound lessons for contemporary believers. It serves as a powerful cautionary tale against the human tendency to quickly judge the suffering of others. When we see someone in distress, our immediate impulse should not be to search for their hidden sins or to offer simplistic theological explanations for their pain. Such responses, like Eliphaz's, often inflict more harm than comfort, adding the burden of false guilt to existing suffering. Instead, this verse calls us to cultivate empathy, humility, and compassion. We are reminded that God's ways are often beyond our full comprehension, and suffering can have purposes far deeper than mere punishment. Our role, as followers of Christ, is to come alongside those who hurt with genuine love, to listen, to lament with them, and to offer the presence of God's comfort, rather than to pronounce judgment or impose our limited understanding on their complex realities. It challenges us to trust in God's ultimate goodness and sovereignty, even when the reasons for affliction remain shrouded in mystery.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What is "retribution theology" and how does Job 22:10 illustrate it?
Retribution theology is the belief that God's justice operates on a strict system of immediate rewards and punishments: righteousness leads to blessing and prosperity, while sin inevitably leads to suffering and calamity. In this view, suffering is always a direct consequence of personal wrongdoing. Job 22:10 perfectly illustrates this by Eliphaz's assertion, "Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee." Eliphaz directly links Job's immense suffering ("snares" and "sudden fear") to specific, though unproven, sins he accused Job of committing in the preceding verses, such as Job 22:5-9. He sees Job's plight as undeniable proof of his guilt, demonstrating the rigid cause-and-effect thinking characteristic of this theological framework, which the book of Job ultimately challenges and refutes.
Does the Bible teach that all suffering is a direct result of personal sin?
No, the Bible does not teach that all suffering is a direct result of personal sin. While sin certainly has consequences and can lead to suffering, the book of Job, particularly through God's vindication of Job in Job 42:7, directly challenges this simplistic view. The New Testament further clarifies this, as seen in John 9:1-3, where Jesus explicitly states that a man's blindness was "neither that this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should be revealed in him." Suffering can have many purposes beyond punishment, including testing faith, developing character, revealing God's glory, or simply being part of living in a fallen world.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 22:10, though a false accusation, powerfully foreshadows the ultimate innocent sufferer in Christ. Eliphaz's assertion that "snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee" describes a predicament of overwhelming, undeserved affliction. While Job was indeed righteous, his suffering was a shadow of the perfect, innocent suffering of Jesus, who truly had "snares" round about Him—the snares of human sin, false accusation, and the very wrath of God. Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, bore the full weight of the "sudden fear" and terror of divine judgment that we deserved. He experienced the ultimate abandonment and anguish, as cried out in Matthew 27:46, not for His own sin, but for ours. Through His innocent suffering, death, and resurrection, Christ broke the power of sin and death, offering true comfort and redemption to all who are caught in the "snares" of this fallen world. He is the one who, having suffered, can truly empathize with our weaknesses, as affirmed in Hebrews 4:15, and through His sacrifice, He transforms the meaning of suffering, offering hope and ultimate victory beyond any earthly tribulation.