Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.
Then shalt thou lay up {H7896} gold {H1220} as {H5921} dust {H6083}, and the gold of Ophir {H211} as the stones {H6697} of the brooks {H5158}.
if you lay your treasure down in the dust and the gold of Ofir among the rocks in the vadis,
and consign your gold to the dust and the gold of Ophir to the stones of the ravines,
And lay thou thy treasure in the dust, Andthe gold ofOphir among the stones of the brooks;
-
1 Kings 9:28
And they came to Ophir, and fetched from thence gold, four hundred and twenty talents, and brought [it] to king Solomon. -
Isaiah 13:12
I will make a man more precious than fine gold; even a man than the golden wedge of Ophir. -
Job 31:25
If I rejoiced because my wealth [was] great, and because mine hand had gotten much; -
2 Chronicles 9:27
And the king made silver in Jerusalem as stones, and cedar trees made he as the sycomore trees that [are] in the low plains in abundance. -
2 Chronicles 9:10
And the servants also of Huram, and the servants of Solomon, which brought gold from Ophir, brought algum trees and precious stones. -
Psalms 45:9
Kings' daughters [were] among thy honourable women: upon thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir. -
1 Kings 10:21
And all king Solomon's drinking vessels [were of] gold, and all the vessels of the house of the forest of Lebanon [were of] pure gold; none [were of] silver: it was nothing accounted of in the days of Solomon.
Job 22:24 is a verse from Eliphaz the Temanite's third and final discourse to Job, where he urges Job to repent and promises him immense material prosperity as a result. This verse paints a vivid picture of the abundance Eliphaz believes Job will experience if he turns back to God.
Context
This verse is part of Eliphaz's argument that Job's suffering must be due to some hidden sin, and that if Job would only humble himself and return to God, he would be restored to even greater wealth and honor. Eliphaz, like Job's other friends, operates under the assumption of a strict retribution theology: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. He believes that by casting off his love for worldly possessions and focusing on God, Job will then receive an overflow of wealth as a divine blessing. While God does indeed bless the righteous, the book of Job ultimately challenges this simplistic cause-and-effect understanding of suffering and prosperity.
Key Themes
Linguistic Insights
The phrase "lay up gold as dust" uses a powerful hyperbole to convey extreme abundance. The Hebrew word for "gold" here is betser (בֶּצֶר), which can refer to unrefined gold or treasure. The "gold of Ophir" (אוֹפִיר) was renowned for its purity and value, often mentioned in biblical texts (e.g., 1 Kings 9:28) as a symbol of great wealth and luxury. By comparing this precious metal to "dust" and "stones of the brooks," Eliphaz implies a quantity so vast that it loses its perceived value.
Significance and Application
While Eliphaz's theology is ultimately revealed as flawed in the book of Job (God later rebukes him and his friends in Job 42:7), this verse still offers insights into the human desire for prosperity and the perception of God's blessing. It challenges us to consider: