New Living Translation
Job 22:2
2“Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him?
Job 22:2 in other versions
- King James Version (KJV)Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?
- New International Version (NIV)“Can a man be of benefit to God? Can even a wise person benefit him?
- English Standard Version (ESV)"Can a man be profitable to God? Surely he who is wise is profitable to himself.
- New King James Version (NKJV)“Can a man be profitable to God, Though he who is wise may be profitable to himself?
Context of Job 22:2
1Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied: “Can a person do anything to help God? Can even a wise person be helpful to him? 3Is it any advantage to the Almighty if you are righteous? Would it be any gain to him if you were perfect? 4Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you and brings judgment against you?
Read all of Job 22Job 22:2 word by word
הַלְאֵ֥ל יִסְכָּן־גָּ֑בֶר כִּֽי־יִסְכֹּ֖ן עָלֵ֣ימוֹ מַשְׂכִּֽיל׃Read the interlinear
Words taken from the KJV.
Cross-references for Job 22:2
- Job 35:6If you sin, how does that affect God? Even if you sin again and again, what effect will it have on him?
- Psalms 16:2I said to the Lord, “You are my Master! Every good thing I have comes from you.”
- Luke 17:10In the same way, when you obey me you should say, ‘We are unworthy servants who have simply done our duty.’”
- Job 21:15Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’
- Deuteronomy 10:13And you must always obey the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good.
- Proverbs 3:13Joyful is the person who finds wisdom, the one who gains understanding.
- Proverbs 4:7Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do! And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.
- Proverbs 9:12If you become wise, you will be the one to benefit. If you scorn wisdom, you will be the one to suffer.
- Ecclesiastes 7:11Wisdom is even better when you have money. Both are a benefit as you go through life.
- Matthew 5:29So if your eye—even your good eye—causes you to lust, gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell.
- Galatians 6:7Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.
Commentaries on Job 22:2
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 2Can a man be profitable unto God - God does not afflict thee because thou hast deprived him of any excellency. A man may be profitable to a man, but no man can profit his Maker. He has no interest in thy conduct; he does not punish thee because thou hast offended and deprived him of some good. Thy iniquities are against justice, and justice requires thy punishment.Read the comment
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 2Can a man be profitable unto God? - Can a man confer any favor on God, so as to lay him under obligation? Eliphaz supposes that Job sets up a “claim” to the favor of God, because he was of service to him, or because God had something to fear if he was cut off. He maintains, therefore, that a man can confer no favor on God, so as to lay him under obligation. God is independent and supreme. He has nothing to gain if man is righteous - he has nothing to…Read the comment
- Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 2-3Eliphaz did not understand that God would delight in Job’s right relationship with him, just as God does with every righteous person (1:8; 2:3; 1 Chronicles 29:17; Psalms 147:10–11; Proverbs 11:1, 20; 12:22). God would also benefit from Job’s steady faith, which exposed the lie in Satan’s challenge (Job 1:9–12; 2:4–6). Job firmly claimed that he was blameless (23:10–12). God said the same thing (1:1, 8; 2:3).Read the comment
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 22. as he that is wise--rather, yea the pious man profiteth himself. So "understanding" or "wise"--pious (Da 12:3, 10; Psa 14:2) [Michaelis].Read the comment
Topics related to Job 22:2
In the dictionaries
Commentaries on Job 22
- Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
- Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
- Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
- Tyndale Open Study Notes
- Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
- Rashi on Tanakh
- Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
- John Wesley’s Notes
- Darby Translation Notes
- Geneva Bible Translation Notes
- Kingcomments
- Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
- Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
- Scofield Reference Notes, 1917 Edition
- Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
- EGW Writings
New Living Translation — © 1996, 2004, 2015 Tyndale House Foundation
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