Job 22:3
WEB
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty that you are righteous? Or does it benefit him that you make your ways perfect?
BSB
Does it delight the Almighty that you are righteous? Does He profit if your ways are blameless?
KJV
Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?
Matthew Henry
Hebrew interlinear
H2656
n-m — pleasure, desire, valuable, matter
Derivation: from 2654;
pleasure; hence (abstractly) desire; concretely, a valuable thing; hence (by extension) a matter (as something in mind)
KJV: acceptable, delight(-some), desire, things desired, matter, pleasant(-ure), purpose, willingly.
n.m — delight
חֵ֫פֶץ n.m. delight, pleasure
1. delight
2. desire, longing
3. the good pleasure, will, purpose, of Yahweh
4. that in which one takes delight, his business (late), or matter
H7706
n-m — Almighty
Derivation: from 7703;
the Almighty
KJV: Almighty.
n.m.dei — sufficient
שַׁדַּי 48 n.m.dei (etym. dub. (1) (self-)sufficient. (2) = Almighty)
H3588
conj — relative conjunction
Derivation: a primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent;
(by implication) very widely used as a relative conjunction or adverb (as below); often largely modified by other particles annexed
KJV: and, (forasmuch, inasmuch, where-) as, assured(-ly), but, certainly, doubtless, else, even, except, for, how, (because, in, so, than) that, nevertheless, now, rightly, seeing, since, surely, then, therefore, (al-) though, till, truly, until, when, whether, while, whom, yea, yet.
conj — that
כִּי conj. that, for, when
1. that
2.
a. Of time, when, of the past
b. elsewhere כִּי has a force approximating to if, though it usu. represents a case as more likely to occur than אִם
c. when or if, with a concessive force, i.e. though
3. Because, since
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
forasmuch as
כִּי עַל כֵּן forasmuch as
H6663
v — be, make, right
Derivation: a primitive root;
to be (causatively, make) right (in a moral or forensic sense)
KJV: cleanse, clear self, (be, do) just(-ice, -ify, -ify self), (be turn to) righteous(-ness).
vb. denom — be just
[צָדֵק, צָדֹק] vb. denom. be just, righteous
Qal
1. have a just cause, be in the right
2. be justified
3. be just
4. be just, righteous
Niph. the holy place shall be put right
Pi. justify
Hiph.
1. do justice
2. declare righteous, justify
3. justify, vindicate the cause of, save
4. make righteous, turn to righteousness
Hithp. how shall we justify ourselves
H518
prt — lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not
Derivation: a primitive particle;
used very widely as demonstrative, lo!; interrogative, whether?; or conditional, if, although; also Oh that!, when; hence, as a negative, not
KJV: (and, can-, doubtless, if, that) (not), + but, either, + except, + more(-over if, than), neither, nevertheless, nor, oh that, or, + save (only, -ing), seeing, since, sith, + surely (no more, none, not), though, + of a truth, + unless, + verily, when, whereas, whether, while, + yet.
conj — if
אִם conj.
1. hypoth. part. if
2. Interrog. part.
relative conjunction
כִּי אם־
1. each part. retaining its independent force, and relating to a different clause:
a. that if
b. for if
2. (About 140 t.) the two particles being closely conjoined, and relating to the same clause—
a. limiting the prec. clause, except
b. the if being neglected, and treated as pleonastic, so that the clause is no longer a limitation of the preceding clause but a contradiction of it: but rather, but
c. after an oath, surely
H1215
n-m — plunder, gain
Derivation: from 1214;
plunder; by extension, gain (usually unjust)
KJV: covetousness, (dishonest) gain, lucre, profit.
n.m — gain made by violence
בֶ֫צַע n.m. gain made by violence, unjust gain, profit
H8552
v — complete
Derivation: a primitive root;
to complete, in a good or a bad sense, literal, or figurative, transitive or intransitive
KJV: accomplish, cease, be clean (pass-) ed, consume, have done, (come to an, have an, make an) end, fail, come to the full, be all gone, × be all here, be (make) perfect, be spent, sum, be (shew self) upright, be wasted, whole.
vb — be complete
[תָּמַם], תַּם vb. be complete, finished
Qal
1. be finished, completed
2. be finished, come to an end, cease
3. be complete, of number
4. be consumed, exhausted, spent
5. be finished, consumed, destroyed
6. be complete, sound, unimpaired
7. twice, very strangely
Hiph.
1. finish, complete, perfect, a matter
2. finish, cease doing a thing
3. complete, sum up
4. destroy uncleanness
5. causative: make sound thy ways.
Hithp. deal in integrity with
H1870
n-m — road, trodden, course, mode
Derivation: from 1869;
a road (as trodden); figuratively, a course of life or mode of action, often adverb
KJV: along, away, because of, by, conversation, custom, (east-) ward, journey, manner, passenger, through, toward, (high-) (path-) way(-side), whither(-soever).
n.m — way
דֶּ֫רֶךְ 715 n.m. way, road, distance, journey, manner
1. way, road, path
2. journey
3. of direction, almost or quite = toward
4. way, manner
5. fig. of course of life, or action, undertakings
6.
a. of moral action and character
b. of duty
c. specif.: in good sense
d. oftener in bad sense
e. way of י׳
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Verses 1–4
Job 22:1–4
Eliphaz here insinuates that, because Job complained so much of his afflictions, he thought God was unjust in afflicting him; but it was a strained innuendo. Job was far from thinking so. What Eliphaz says here is therefore unjustly applied to Job, but in itself it is very true and good,
I. That when God does us good it is not because he is indebted to us; if he were, there might be some colour to say, when he afflicts us, "He does not deal fairly with us." But whoever pretends that he has by any meritorious action made God his debtor, let him prove this debt, and he shall be sure not to lose it, Rom 11:35. Who has given to him, and it shall be recompensed to him again? But Eliphaz here shows that the righteousness and perfection of the best man in the world are no real benefit or advantage to God, and therefore cannot be thought to merit any thing from him. 1. Man's piety is no profit to God, no gain, Job 22:1, Job 22:2. If we could by any thing merit from God, it would be by our piety, our being righteous, and making our way perfect. If that will not merit, surely nothing else will. If a man cannot make God his debtor by his godliness, and honesty, and obedience to his laws, much less can he by his wit, and learning, and worldly policy. Now Eliphaz here asks whether any man can possibly be profitable to God. It is certain that he cannot. By no means. He that is wise may be profitable to himself. Note, Our wisdom and piety are that by which we ourselves are, and are likely to be, great gainers. Wisdom is profitable to direct, Ecc 10:10. Godliness is profitable to all things, Ti1 4:8. If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself, Pro 9:12. The gains of religion are infinitely greater than the losses of it, and so it will appear when they are balanced. But can a man be thus profitable to God? No, for such is the perfection of God that he cannot receive any benefit or advantage by men; what can be added to that which is infinite? And such is the weakness and imperfection of man that he cannot offer any benefit or advantage to God. Can the light of a candle be profitable to the sun or the drop of the bucket to the ocean? He that is wise is profitable to himself, for his own direction and defence, his own credit and comfort; he can with his wisdom entertain himself and enrich himself; but can he so be profitable to God? No; God needs not us nor our services. We are undone, for ever undone, without him; but he is happy, for ever happy, without us. Is it any gain to him, any real addition to his glory or wealth, if we make our way perfect? Suppose it were absolutely perfect, yet what is God the better? Much less when it is so far short of being perfect. 2. It is no pleasure to him. God has indeed expressed himself in his word well pleased with the righteous; his countenance beholds them and his delight is in them and their prayers; but all that adds nothing to the infinite satisfaction and complacency which the Eternal Mind has in itself. God can enjoy himself without us, though we could have but little enjoyment of ourselves without our friends. This magnifies his condescension, in that, though our services be no real profit or pleasure to him, yet he invites, encourages, and accepts them.
II. That when God restrains or rebukes us it is not because he is in danger from us or jealous of us (Job 22:4): "Will he reprove thee for fear of thee, and take thee down from thy prosperity lest thou shouldst grow too great for him, as princes sometimes have thought it a piece of policy to curb the growing greatness of a subject, lest he should become formidable?" Satan indeed suggested to our first parents that God forbade them the tree of knowledge for fear of them, lest they should be as gods, and so become rivals with him; but it was a base insinuation. God rebukes the good because he loves them, but he never rebukes the great because he fears them. He does not enter into judgment with men, that is, pick a quarrel with them and seek occasion against them, through fear lest they should eclipse his honour or endanger his interest. Magistrates punish offenders for fear of them. Pharaoh oppressed Israel because he feared them. It was for fear that Herod slew the children of Bethlehem and that the Jews persecuted Christ and his apostles. But God does not, as they did, pervert justice for fear of any. See Job 35:5-8.
Cross-references: Rom 11:35 · Job 22:1 · Job 22:2 · Eccl 10:10 · 1Tim 4:8 · Prov 9:12 · Job 22:4 · Job 35:5