Job 22:12-20

Job 22:12-20

[12] Is not God  in the height  of heaven?  and behold  the height  of the stars,  how high  [13] And thou sayest,  How doth God  know?  can he judge  through the dark cloud?  [14] Thick clouds  are a covering  to him, that he seeth  not; and he walketh  in the circuit  of heaven.  [15] Hast thou marked  the old  way  which wicked  men  have trodden?  [16] Which were cut down  out of time,  whose foundation  was overflown  with a flood:  [17] Which said  unto God,  Depart  from us: and what can the Almighty  do  for them? [18] Yet he filled  their houses  with good  things: but the counsel  of the wicked  is far  [19] The righteous  see  it, and are glad:  and the innocent  laugh them to scorn.  [20] Whereas  our substance  is not cut down,  but the remnant  of them the fire  consumeth. 

What does Job 22:12-20 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Eliphaz proceeded next to judge Job"s motives. He assumed Job had concluded that because God was far away in heaven, he would get away with sin on earth. However, Job had affirmed God"s omniscience ( Job 21:22).
"Presuming to read Job"s secret thoughts, Eliphaz puts in Job"s mouth blasphemies untrue to the sentiments he has actually expressed ( Job 22:12-14)." [1]
Perhaps Eliphaz had in mind the wicked of Noah"s generation in Job 22:15-16. In Job 22:18 a Eliphaz seems to be admitting that some of the wicked do prosper temporarily. In his view, Job had been one of these fortunate individuals.