Job 22:23

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles.

If thou return {H7725} to the Almighty {H7706}, thou shalt be built up {H1129}, thou shalt put away {H7368} iniquity {H5766} far {H7368} from thy tabernacles {H168}.

If you return to Shaddai, you will be built up. If you drive wickedness far from your tents,

If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored. If you remove injustice from your tents

If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up, If thou put away unrighteousness far from thy tents.

Commentary

Commentary on Job 22:23 (KJV)

Job 22:23 is spoken by Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job's three friends, during their attempts to understand and explain Job's immense suffering. In this verse, Eliphaz presents a conditional promise of restoration, urging Job to repent and return to God. While Eliphaz's premise that Job's suffering was a direct result of hidden sin was ultimately incorrect in Job's unique case, the principle he articulates holds significant theological truth about God's nature and the path to spiritual and physical renewal.

Context

In the book of Job, the protagonist, Job, experiences catastrophic loss and suffering, yet maintains his integrity and innocence before God. His friends, including Eliphaz, adhere to the traditional wisdom of their day: righteousness leads to blessing, and sin leads to suffering. From this perspective, Eliphaz concludes that Job must be secretly wicked, and thus, his only path to relief is heartfelt repentance. This verse is part of Eliphaz's third and final speech, where he directly accuses Job of various sins and offers a path to reconciliation and prosperity if Job would simply "return to the Almighty."

Key Themes

  • Repentance and Restoration: The core message is that turning away from sin and back to God (the "Almighty") is the prerequisite for being "built up," signifying renewal, prosperity, and stability. This highlights a fundamental biblical truth about God's willingness to restore those who genuinely seek Him.
  • Divine Power and Sufficiency: The term "the Almighty" emphasizes God's sovereign power and capacity to both bring low and to "build up." It implies His absolute authority and ability to effect transformation.
  • Purity and Separation from Sin: "Thou shalt put away iniquity far from thy tabernacles" underscores the necessity of removing sin and its influence from one's life and dwelling. It speaks to a commitment to holiness and a clean break from past wrongdoing.

Linguistic Insights

  • "Almighty" (Hebrew: Shaddai): This powerful name for God, often translated as "God Almighty," emphasizes His omnipotence, self-sufficiency, and His ability to nourish and sustain. It conveys a sense of overwhelming power and might.
  • "Built up" (Hebrew: banah): This verb means to build, establish, or rebuild. It suggests restoration, prosperity, and the re-establishment of what was lost or broken. It implies a return to a state of strength and flourishing.
  • "Iniquity" (Hebrew: 'awon): This term refers to perversity, guilt, or punishment for sin. It highlights the moral crookedness and deviance of sin, emphasizing the need for its complete removal.
  • "Tabernacles" (Hebrew: 'ohel): While literally meaning a tent or dwelling, in this context, it metaphorically refers to one's home, family, sphere of influence, or even one's entire life. To put away iniquity from one's "tabernacles" means to cleanse one's personal life and environment from sin.

Practical Application

While Eliphaz misapplied this principle to Job, the verse beautifully articulates a timeless spiritual truth: God is faithful to restore those who genuinely repent. For individuals facing challenges or consequences of past choices, this verse offers hope. It encourages self-examination and a sincere turning away from any known sin. When we return to the Almighty with a humble heart, He promises to "build us up"—to restore our lives, relationships, and spiritual well-being. This involves not just acknowledging wrongdoing but actively putting away "iniquity far from thy tabernacles," striving for a life of increasing holiness and alignment with God's will.

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Please note that only the commentary section is AI-generated — the main Scripture and cross-references are stored on the site and are from trusted and verified sources.

Cross-References

  • Job 11:13

    ¶ If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him;

  • Job 11:14

    If iniquity [be] in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

  • Zechariah 1:3

    Therefore say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Turn ye unto me, saith the LORD of hosts, and I will turn unto you, saith the LORD of hosts.

  • Job 8:5

    If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;

  • Job 8:6

    If thou [wert] pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

  • Isaiah 55:6

    ¶ Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

  • Isaiah 55:7

    Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.