Job 22:24

In an almost prophetic way, Eliphaz holds out the hope that all Job's old prosperity will come back — wealth and happiness. Verses 24 and 25 have been translated in different ways. The usually excellent version of Delitzsch makes everything conditional to the end of verse 24. He renders it: "If you lay by in the dust the gold ore, and under the pebbles of the brooks the gold of Ophir, then the Almighty shall be to you gold ore in abundance, and silver of the brightest lustre."

The usual rendering, however, seems to be the better one. Old Testament usage, and especially usage in the book of Job, links wealth in this life with the favour of God. So Eliphaz promises restoration of all the wealth that Job had lost. Then, too, it would be nothing short of mockery to tell a man who had already lost his wealth to lay it aside in the dust, or treat it as worthless stones of the brook. Others therefore argue that Eliphaz speaks figuratively, and that Job is told to lay aside his greedy love of gold in the dust...

Ophir is the place from which Solomon imported gold, precious stones, and almug trees. Ships brought them to the Gulf of Akaba. It may be in southern Arabia, but some suggest India or Africa.

Eliphaz now speaks to him for the last time. He tries to impress him with the size of his charges: "Is not your evil abundant? There is no end to your iniquities." He repeats that false principle which the natural mind so readily holds about God's dealings — that He gives the gold and the silver to those who return to Him.

Job would be greatly blessed with the finest gold. Eliphaz adds that "the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver" (v.25). This reminds us of the words of the Lord to Abram, "Fear not, Abram, I am your shield; your reward shall be very great" (Genesis 15:1). But it does not seem likely that Eliphaz was personally enjoying the blessing of knowing God Himself as his own true wealth. If he were, he would not have been so unfairly representing God.

In truth Job knew God better than any of his friends did... They had no true idea of God's gracious work in souls: humbling them, breaking down self, and making His grace infinitely precious... Eliphaz takes him for a deserter, and so urges him to return to the Almighty and be built up, and to put iniquity far away from his tents. That is a faithful saying if spoken to someone far from God. But how galling to a saint under deep trial to be told to lay his precious ore on the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the pebbles of the brooks, and that the Almighty should be his precious ore and hard-won silver!

"And lay up His words in your heart. If you return to the Almighty, you will be built up." And so it was. Little did he know that that return was about to be made plain, to their shame. "Then you will lay up gold as dust, and light will shine on your ways" (vv. 21-28). And so it did, in the most marvellous way.

Again, we must warn God's people of the snare into which Eliphaz has fallen. All pious calls to repent, to give up sin, to judge a course of evil are simply insults if they do not rest on known facts. They smell of a self-righteous, Pharisee-like spirit — and with Eliphaz and his friends, that spirit must itself be repented of.