Job 22:18

Job 22:18 Yet he filled their houses with good [things]: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.

Ver. 18. Yet he filled their houses with good things] Heb. With good; that is, with all precious and pleasant riches, whereof he gave them both plenty and propriety, but no otherwise than as Joseph caused his cup to be conveyed into Benjamin’s sack, the better to furnish out an indictment against him. And as Benjamin’s pretended theft was held more heinous, by how much his welcome was the greater, for he had a five fold portion; so shall it one day fare with such rich wretches, as whose bellies God filleth with his hidden treasure, and whose houses he filleth top-full with good things.

- Eutrapelus cuicunque nocere volebat.

Vestimenta dabat pretiosa - (Horat.)

Well might Eliphaz add, all things reckoned.

But (or yet) the counsel of the wicked is (or be) far from me] See these words expounded Job 20:16, where Job hath the very same. Sed ea vult illi eripere Eliphaz, saith a learned interpreter. But Eliphaz will needs take them away from him, and it is as if be should say, Thou, O Job, seemest by thy words and with thy mouth to detest the counsel of the wicked; but thy doings declare the contrary, while thou so many ways celebrate the prosperity of the ungodly. To me, therefore, and to all righteous men, who do heartily hate the wicked, and do seriously set forth God’s just judgments against them, doth this speech better agree and more truly appertain, &c. And as for these righteous men, let me tell thee further,

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 22:18. Yet he filled their houses with good things — Yet it is true, that for a time God did prosper them, but, at last, cut them off in a tremendous manner. But the counsel of the wicked, &c. — He repeats Job’s words, (Job 21:16,) not without reflection: thou didst say so, but against thy own principle, that God carries himself indifferently toward good and bad; but I, who have observed God’s terrible judgments upon wicked men, have much more reason to abhor their counsels.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

22:18 I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking: Eliphaz threw Job’s words back at him (21:16b).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

He answereth to that which Job had said, Job 21:7, that the wicked have prosperity in this world: desiring that he might not be partaker of the like.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

"Yet" you say (see on Job 21:16) that it is "He who filled their houses with good"--"their good is not in their hand," but comes from God.

but the counsel . . . is--rather, "may the counsel be," &c. Eliphaz sarcastically quotes in continuation Job's words (Job 21:16). Yet, after uttering this godless sentiment, thou dost hypocritically add, "May the counsel," &c.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 18. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.] Sarcastically quoting Job's words, Job 21:14; Job 21:16. Job, having in the preceding chapter described the wicked, who said unto the Almighty, "Depart from us," &c., adds, But the counsel of the wicked is far from me. Eliphaz here, having described the impious, among whom he evidently ranks Job, makes use of the same expression, as if he had said, "Thank God, I have no connection with you nor your companions, nor is my mind contaminated by your creed."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(18) Yet he filled their houses.—The bitterness of his irony now reaches its climax in that he adopts the very formula of repudiation Job had himself used (Job_14:16).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

18. Eliphaz expresses his abhorrence of the ingratitude and evil principles of such men, repeating the words employed by Job, ch. Job_21:16 (far be from me the counsel of the wicked); but while Job referred to the worldly prosperity of such persons, in spite of their ungodliness, Eliphaz lays stress upon their sure destruction, and how the righteous see in their downfall an illustration of God’s righteous rule of the world (Job_22:19-20).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

The righteous see it, and are glad,.... Not the counsel of the wicked, nor their outward prosperity, but their ruin and destruction, which is sure and certain; though it may sometimes seem to linger, it is often public and visible to the view of every man, being made public examples, see Psa 91:8; and which is matter of joy and gladness to truly good and righteous men; who have the righteousness of Christ on them, his grace in them, and in consequence of that live soberly, righteously, and godly; these rejoice at the vengeance of God on wicked men, Psa 52:5; not that the misery of their fellow creatures is pleasing to them as such; this would be brutish and inhuman, as well as contrary to the grace of God, and to their character as good men, and also would be displeasing to God, Pro 24:17; but partly because they themselves, through the grace and goodness of God, have been kept from such sins as bring to ruin and destruction; and partly because they are delivered out of the hands of these wicked men, who were distressing to them; and chiefly because of the glory of the divine perfections, particularly the holiness and justice of God displayed herein; for God is known and glorified by the judgments which he executeth, see Psa 9:16;

and the innocent laugh them to scorn; such as are upright and sincere, live holy and harmless lives and conversations, though not entirely free from sin; these deride them for their impieties, and observe to them the justness of the divine judgments upon them. The Jewish writers, many of them (f), restrain these words to Noah and his sons, who saw with their eyes the flood that destroyed the world of the ungodly, and rejoiced at it, and in their turn had them in derision, who had made a mock at Noah's building of the ark, and at his exhortations to them; but though the characters of righteous and innocent agree with Noah, who was just and perfect in his generation, yet not with all his sons; and it is best to understand this of good men in general; though it must be observed and owned, that the destruction of the wicked by the flood is before spoken of, and their character described. The word "saying" is by some supplied at the close of this verse, and so the following words are what the righteous are represented as saying, upon sight of the destruction of the wicked.

(f) Aben Ezra, Ben Gersom, Sephorno, et alii.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Yet he filled their houses with good things - This is undoubtedly a biting sarcasm. Job had maintained that such people were prosperous. “Yes,” says Eliphaz, “their houses were well filled! They were signally blessed and prospered!”

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me - This is the very language of Job, Job 21:16. It is used here sarcastically. “Far from me,” you say, “be the counsel of the wicked. Thus you defend them, and attempt to show that they are the favorites of heaven! You attempt to prove that God must and will bless them! Far from me, say I, be the counsel of the wicked! With them I have no part, no lot. I will not defend them ... I will not be their advocate!” The object is, to show that, notwithstanding all that Job had said, he was secretly the advocate of the wicked, and stood up as their friend.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

From me. He thus insinuates that Job entertained such sentiments, though he seemed to condemn them, chap. xxi. 16. (Calmet) --- Septuagint, "is far from him," God.

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Yet it is true that for a time God did prosper them, as he did thee; which also was the aggravation of their sin, and that which hastened their ruin: but at last, and in due time, God cut them off in a tremendous and exemplary manner; as he will also do thee, if thou dost not repent.

But the counsel of the wicked is far from me; he repeats Job’s words, Job 21:16, not without reflection and some kind of derision. Thou didst say so, but without sufficient reason, and against thy own principle, that God carries himself indifferently towards good and bad; but I, who have observed God’s terrible judgments upon wicked men, have much more reason to abhor their counsels which had so sad an issue.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

18. Good things — Job had said their good is not in their hand, Job_21:16. Eliphaz goes further, and admits that God “filled the houses” of the antediluvians with like “good,” but only that their destruction might be the more complete. In irony he retorts upon Job still further his own words, But far from me be the counsel of the wicked.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet he filled their houses with good things. The "he" is emphatic (aWh). Translate, Yet it was he that filled their houses with good things; and comp. Job_21:16, where the prosperity of the wicked is said not to have proceeded from themselves. But the counsel of the wicked is far from me; or, but let the counsel of the wicked be far from me. Again, Job"s words in Job_21:16 are echoed, perhaps that Eliphaz may show himself to be at least as pious as Job.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Yet - Yet it is true, that for a time God did prosper them, but at last, cut them off in a tremendous manner, But - He repeals Job's words, chap. xxi, 16, not without reflection: thou didst say so, but against thy own principle, that God carries himself indifferently towards good and bad; but I who have observed God's terrible judgments upon wicked men, have much more reason to abhor their counsels.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

Connecting Statement:

Eliphaz continues speaking to Job.

Yet he filled

"Yet God filled"

the plans of wicked people are far from me

The idiom "far from me" means Eliphaz rejects them. AT: "but I will not listen to their wicked plans" (See: Idiom)

see their fate

"know what will happen to the wicked"

laugh them to scorn

"mock the wicked people"

They say

"The righteous say"

Surely those who rose up against us are cut off

Here "those who rose up" refers to the wicked people. This can be stated in active form. AT: "Surely God has destroyed the wicked people who harmed us" (See: Active or Passive)

translationWords

evil

righteous

innocent

raise

cut off

fire

consume

possess

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.