What is the meaning of Job 22:1? Then “Then” signals the flow of the conversation. • It links directly to Job’s words in chapter 21, showing that Eliphaz is reacting to what he has just heard (Job 21:34). • The timing underscores the orderly structure God inspired in the book: three friends, three rounds of speeches, each building in intensity (Job 4:1; 15:1; 22:1). • The word also reminds us that God allows a sustained dialogue so truth and error can be exposed over time, much like the progressive exchanges in Exodus 5–12 or John 3–4. Eliphaz Eliphaz is the first—and apparently oldest—of Job’s friends (Job 2:11; 4:1). • His earlier counsel sounded gentle (Job 4–5), then more insistent (Job 15), and now turns severe (Job 22). • He represents a traditional, retribution-based theology: righteousness brings blessing; sin brings suffering (cf. Deuteronomy 28). • By putting Eliphaz first again, Scripture keeps that worldview in the forefront so the reader can weigh it against God’s ultimate verdict in Job 42:7. the Temanite “Teman” was a region of Edom noted for wisdom (Jeremiah 49:7; Obadiah 8). • Identifying Eliphaz this way highlights his reputation as a wise man, setting up the contrast between human wisdom and God’s higher wisdom (Isaiah 55:8–9; 1 Corinthians 1:25). • It also reminds us that Job’s dilemma reaches beyond national boundaries; even respected sages from other lands wrestle with the mystery of suffering (cf. the Queen of Sheba seeking Solomon, 1 Kings 10:1–9). • The title underscores authenticity: Job is not a parable but a historical account involving real places and people (Ezekiel 14:14, 20; James 5:11). replied Eliphaz is not speaking into a vacuum; he is responding to Job’s passionate defense of innocence. • The back-and-forth shows the value God places on honest dialogue, even when participants are mistaken (Proverbs 27:17; Acts 17:17). • “Replied” prepares readers for Eliphaz’s longest, sharpest speech, where he accuses Job of hidden sin (Job 22:5–11) and urges repentance (Job 22:21–30). • It foreshadows God’s own replies later in the book, proving that every human word ultimately invites a divine answer (Job 38:1; Romans 14:11). summary Job 22:1 is more than a heading; it frames the third—and harshest—cycle of debate. The simple sequence word “Then,” the respected yet fallible friend “Eliphaz,” his prestigious origin “the Temanite,” and the conversational cue “replied” collectively remind us that human wisdom, no matter how seasoned, must bow to God’s final word on suffering, righteousness, and redemption. |
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