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Job 22:13 - Eliphaz Exhorts Job

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Context

Eliphaz Exhorts Job
12Is not God as high as the heavens? Look at the highest stars, how lofty they are! 13Yet you say: ‘What does God know? Does He judge through thick darkness? 14Thick clouds veil Him so He does not see us as He traverses the vault of heaven.’…

Cross References

Psalm 73:11
The wicked say, “How can God know? Does the Most High have knowledge?”Psalm 10:11
He says to himself, “God has forgotten; He hides His face and never sees.”Psalm 94:7
They say, “The LORD does not see; the God of Jacob pays no heed.”Isaiah 29:15
Woe to those who dig deep to hide their plans from the LORD. In darkness they do their works and say, “Who sees us, and who will know?”Ezekiel 8:12
“Son of man,” He said to me, “do you see what the elders of the house of Israel are doing in the darkness, each at the shrine of his own idol? For they are saying, ‘The LORD does not see us; the LORD has forsaken the land.’”Jeremiah 23:23-24
“Am I only a God nearby,” declares the LORD, “and not a God far away?” / “Can a man hide in secret places where I cannot see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.Psalm 139:7-12
Where can I go to escape Your Spirit? Where can I flee from Your presence? / If I ascend to the heavens, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there. / If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle by the farthest sea, ...Proverbs 15:3
The eyes of the LORD are in every place, observing the evil and the good.Isaiah 47:10
You were secure in your wickedness; you said, ‘No one sees me.’ Your wisdom and knowledge led you astray; you told yourself, ‘I am, and there is none besides me.’Psalm 14:1
For the choirmaster. Of David. The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt; their acts are vile. There is no one who does good.Psalm 64:5-6
They hold fast to their evil purpose; they speak of hiding their snares. “Who will see them?” they say. / They devise injustice and say, “We have perfected a secret plan.” For the inner man and the heart are mysterious.Romans 1:28
Furthermore, since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, He gave them up to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.2 Peter 3:4
“Where is the promise of His coming?” they will ask. “Ever since our fathers fell asleep, everything continues as it has from the beginning of creation.”Hebrews 4:13
Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.Matthew 6:4
so that your giving may be in secret. And your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

Treasury of Scripture

And you say, How does God know? can he judge through the dark cloud?

How.

Psalm 10:11
He hath said in his heart, God hath forgotten: he hideth his face; he will never see it.

Psalm 59:7
Behold, they belch out with their mouth: swords are in their lips: for who, say they, doth hear?

Psalm 73:11
And they say, How doth God know? and is there knowledge in the most High?

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Job 22

1. Eliphaz shows that man's goodness profits not God
5. He accuses Job of various sins
21. He exhorts him to repentance, with promises of mercy

Yet you say:
This phrase introduces a direct accusation from Eliphaz, one of Job's friends, who is responding to Job's earlier speeches. Eliphaz is suggesting that Job has questioned God's knowledge and justice. This reflects the ongoing debate between Job and his friends about the nature of suffering and divine justice. The friends believe that suffering is a direct result of sin, while Job maintains his innocence.

‘What does God know?:
This rhetorical question implies skepticism about God's omniscience. In the context of the ancient Near East, gods were often seen as distant and uninvolved in human affairs. However, the God of Israel is portrayed throughout the Bible as all-knowing and intimately involved with His creation (Psalm 139:1-4). This question challenges the belief in God's comprehensive understanding and oversight of human actions.

Does He judge through thick darkness?:
The imagery of "thick darkness" suggests a barrier to vision and understanding. In biblical literature, darkness often symbolizes ignorance or evil (John 3:19-20). Eliphaz is accusing Job of suggesting that God cannot see or judge clearly because of this darkness. However, other scriptures affirm that God sees all, even in darkness (Psalm 139:11-12). This phrase also touches on the theme of divine justice, questioning whether God can administer justice if He is obscured by darkness. This reflects a misunderstanding of God's nature, as He is described as light and truth (1 John 1:5).

Persons / Places / Events

1. Job
A man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. He is the central figure in the Book of Job, enduring immense suffering and questioning the reasons behind it.

2. Eliphaz the Temanite
One of Job's three friends who comes to comfort him. In this chapter, Eliphaz is speaking, accusing Job of questioning God's knowledge and justice.

3. Teman
A region in Edom, known for its wise men. Eliphaz, being a Temanite, is considered to be a man of wisdom.

4. God
The omniscient and omnipotent Creator, whose knowledge and justice are being questioned by Eliphaz on behalf of Job.

5. Thick Darkness
A metaphor used to describe the perceived distance or obscurity between God and human affairs, suggesting that God might not see or judge clearly.

Teaching Points

God's Omniscience
Despite human perceptions, God sees and knows everything. Our understanding is limited, but God's is infinite.

Human Misunderstanding
Like Eliphaz, we may sometimes misinterpret God's actions or inactions. It's crucial to seek wisdom and understanding through prayer and scripture.

Faith in God's Justice
Trust that God's judgments are righteous and just, even when we cannot see the full picture.

The Danger of Assumptions
Be cautious of assuming others' spiritual conditions or God's intentions based on limited understanding.

Seeking God's Perspective
In times of doubt, seek God's perspective through prayer and study of His Word, rather than relying solely on human reasoning.

Verse 13. - And thou sayest, How doth God know? Job had not said this in so many words, but, by equalizing the godly and the wicked (Job 9:22; Job 21:23-26), he might be supposed to mean that God took no note of men's conduct, and therefore had not a perfect knowledge of all things. The psalmist implies that many men so thought (Psalm 10:11; Psalm 73:11; Psalm 94:7). Can he judge through the dark cloud? rather, through the thick darkness. God was supposed to dwell remote from man, in the highest heaven, and, according to many, "clouds and darkness were round about him" (Psalm 97:2) - he "dwelt in the thick darkness" (1 Kings 8:12) - he "made darkness his secret place; his pavilion round about him was waters, and thick clouds of the skies" (Psalm 18:11). The imagery was, no doubt, at first used in reference to man's inability to see and know God; but when men became familiar with it, they turned the metaphor round, and questioned God's ability to see and know anything about man. Job had not really ever shared in these doubts; but it suits Eliphaz's purpose to malign and misrepresent him. Parallel Commentaries ...

Hebrew

Yet you say:
וְֽ֭אָמַרְתָּ (wə·’ā·mar·tā)
Conjunctive waw | Verb - Qal - Conjunctive perfect - second person masculine singular
Strong's 559: To utter, say

‘What
מַה־ (mah-)
Interrogative
Strong's 4100: What?, what!, indefinitely what

does God
אֵ֑ל (’êl)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 410: Strength -- as adjective, mighty, the Almighty

know?
יָּ֣דַֽע (yā·ḏa‘)
Verb - Qal - Perfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 3045: To know

Does He judge
יִשְׁפּֽוֹט׃ (yiš·pō·wṭ)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 8199: To judge, pronounce sentence, to vindicate, punish, to govern, to litigate

through
הַבְעַ֖ד (haḇ·‘aḏ)
Preposition
Strong's 1157: In up to, over against, at, beside, among, behind, for

thick darkness?
עֲרָפֶ֣ל (‘ă·rā·p̄el)
Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 6205: Cloud, heavy cloud

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Job 22:13 Catholic BibleOT Poetry: Job 22:13 You say 'What does God know? Can (Jb)