Job 22:10

KJV

Therefore snares [are] round about thee, and sudden fear troubleth thee;

KJV (with Strong's)

Therefore snares {H6341} are round about {H5439} thee, and sudden {H6597} fear {H6343} troubleth {H926} thee;

Complete Jewish Bible

"No wonder there are snares all around you, and sudden terror overwhelms you,

Berean Standard Bible

Therefore snares surround you, and sudden peril terrifies you;

American Standard Version

Therefore snares are round about thee, And sudden fear troubleth thee,

Commentary

### 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. Eliphaz, operating under a rigid framework of retribution theology, 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 (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 (e.g., [Job 1:8](/job/1-8 "Job 1:8 - God's Commendation of Job's Righteousness")). 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 (e.g., [Job 7](/job/7 "Job 7 - Job's Lament and Despair")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **Snares (Hebrew, _pach'_):** This word (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.
* **Fear (Hebrew, _behalah'_):** The Hebrew term (בֶּהָלָה) signifies terror, panic, dismay, or sudden alarm. 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.

#### 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 בָּהַל, _bahal_, 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 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.

* [Job 4:7](/job/4-7 "Job 4:7 - Eliphaz's Initial Retribution Theology")
* [John 9:1-3](/john/9-1 "John 9:1-3 - Jesus on Suffering Not Always Due to Sin")
* [Proverbs 29:6](/proverbs/29-6 "Proverbs 29:6 - The Wicked Caught in Their Own Transgressions")

### 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
* **How do I typically respond when I see someone experiencing significant suffering? Do I tend to look for a "reason" or a "cause" for their pain?**
* **In what ways might I, like Eliphaz, inadvertently add to someone's burden by offering simplistic or judgmental explanations for their suffering?**
* **How can I cultivate a more empathetic and compassionate response to those who are hurting, even when I don't understand the reasons for their pain?**
* **What does the book of Job, particularly in light of Eliphaz's accusations, teach me about the limits of human wisdom in understanding God's ways?**

### FAQ
**What is "retribution theology" and how does Job 22:10 illustrate it?**

Answer: 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 (e.g., [Job 22:5-9](/job/22-5 "Job 22:5-9 - Eliphaz's Accusations Against Job")). 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?**

Answer: 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 (e.g., [Job 42:7](/job/42-7 "Job 42:7 - God Rebukes Job's Friends")), directly challenges this simplistic view. The New Testament further clarifies this, as seen in [John 9:1-3](/john/9-1 "John 9:1-3 - Jesus on the Man Born Blind"), 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](/john/1-29 "John 1:29 - Jesus, the Lamb of God"), bore the full weight of the "sudden fear" and terror of divine judgment that we deserved. He experienced the ultimate abandonment and anguish (e.g., [Matthew 27:46](/matthew/27-46 "Matthew 27:46 - Jesus' Cry of Dereliction")) 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 (e.g., [Hebrews 4:15](/hebrews/4-15 "Hebrews 4:15 - Jesus, Our Sympathetic High Priest")), and through His sacrifice, He transforms the meaning of suffering, offering hope and ultimate victory beyond any earthly tribulation.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Job 18:8

For he is cast into a net by his own feet, and he walketh upon a snare.

Job 18:10

The snare [is] laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way.

Job 6:4

For the arrows of the Almighty [are] within me, the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: the terrors of God do set themselves in array against me.

Job 13:21

Withdraw thine hand far from me: and let not thy dread make me afraid.

1 Thessalonians 5:3

For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

Psalms 11:6

Upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire and brimstone, and an horrible tempest: [this shall be] the portion of their cup.

Proverbs 1:27

When your fear cometh as desolation, and your destruction cometh as a whirlwind; when distress and anguish cometh upon you.