Job 22:6

_FOR THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE FROM THY BROTHER FOR NOUGHT, AND STRIPPED THE NAKED OF THEIR CLOTHING._ The crimes alleged, on a harsh inference, by Eliphaz against Job, are such as he would think likely to be committed by a rich man. The Mosaic law (Exodus 22:26; Deuteronomy 24:10) subsequently embodied the feeling that existed among the godly in Job's time against oppression of debtors as to their pledges. Here the case is not quite the same: Job is charged with taking a pledge where be had no just claim to it: and in the second clause, that pledge (the outer garment, which served the poor as a covering by day, and a bed by night) is represented as taken from one who had not "changes of raiment" (a common constituent of wealth in the East), but was poorly clad - "naked" ...

5-14 Eliphaz brought heavy charges against Job, without reason for his accusations, except that Job was visited as he supposed God always visited every wicked man. He charges him with oppression, and that he did harm with his wealth and power in the time of his prosperity....

Verse Job 22:6. _THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE_] Thou hast been vexatious in all thy doings, and hast exacted where nothing was due, so that through thee the poor have been unable to procure their necessary clothing....

FOR THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE FROM THY BROTHER FOR NOUGHT - The only evidence which Eliphaz seems to have had of this was, that this was a heinous sin, and that as Job seemed to be severely punished, it was to be “inferred” that he must have committed some such sin as this. No way of treating an unfortunate and a suffering man could be more unkind. A “pledge” is that which is given by a debtor to a creditor, for security for the payment of a debt, and would be, of course, that which was regardcd as of value. Garments, which constituted a considerable part of the wealth of the Orientals, would usually be the pledge which would be given. With us, in such cases, watches, jewelry, notes, mortgages, are given as collateral security, or as pledges. The law of Moses required, that when a man took the garment of his neighbor for a pledge, it should be restored by the time the sun went down,...

EXPOSITION JOB 22:1 Eliphaz returns to the attack, but with observations that are at first strangely pointless and irrelevant, _e.g._ on the unprofitableness of man to God (verses l, 2), and on the slight importance of Job's case (verse 3). After this weak prelude, however, there is more vigour in his assault. In verses 4-9 he directly charges Job with a number of specified sins, and in verses 10, 11 declares his sufferings to be the consequence of them. He then proceeds to accuse him of denying God's omniscience (verses 12-14), and, alter some not very successful attempts to retort on him his own words (verses 15-20), finally recurs to his favourite devices (see Job 5:17) of exhorting Job to submission and repentance, and promising him restoration to God's favour and a ret

FOR THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE FROM THY BROTHER FOR NOUGHT,.... It can hardly be thought that it was for nothing at all, on no consideration whatever, or that nothing was lent, for which the pledge was taken; but that it was a small trifling sum, and comparatively nothing, not to be spoken of; or it was borrowed for so short a time, that there needed not any pledge it; and it was unkind to take it, especially of a brother, whether in nature, or in religion, whether a near kinsman, or friend, or neighbour. Some render the words, "thou hast taken thy brother", or "brothers, for a pledge" p; them themselves, their persons, as a security for what was lent, in order to sell them, and pay off the debt with the money, or detain them as bondmen till it was paid, 2 Kings 4:1. If Eliphaz said this, and what follows, only as conjectures, as some think, or upon supposition, concluding from his afflict...

THE THIRD SERIES OF CONTROVERSIES CHAPTER 22 The Third Address of Eliphaz _ 1. Is not thy wickedness great? (Job 22:1)_ 2. In what Job had sinned (Job 22:6) 3. The omniscience of God and the ways of the wicked (Job 22:12) 4. Eliphaz's exhortation and promise (Job 22:21) Job 22:1. The third cycle of addresses begins again with Eliphaz, the wise man from Teman. He tries to maintain his dignity and lofty conception, but he proves too well that Job's accusation of insincerity is well-founded. He starts out with reminding Job of the majesty

JOB 22. THIRD SPEECH OF ELIPHAZ. The only new thing that Eliphaz has to say, is definitely to describe the sin of Job! Yet his mildness makes him end with bright promises. JOB 22:1. Is it not to Job's advantage to be pious? Will God chasten him for anything else but sin? Eliphaz would point out that it is Job s advantage to be pious, but he completes his statement by adding that it is no advantage to God. He means that God is too exalted to take any interest in man, except to reward and punish him. Hence the cause of man's calamities cannot be in God, but only in man (Job 22:6). Job 22:6 ascribes to Job the sins typical of the rich man....

STRIPPED THE NAKED. Figure of speech _Oxymoron._ App-6. THE NAKED. the poorly clad, or threadbare....

The Third Circle of Speeches In the first round of speeches the three friends exhausted the argument from the general conception of God. In the second they exhausted the argument from the operation of His providence in the world, as observed in the fate of the wicked. To the last Job had replied by a direct contradiction, adducing facts and testimony in proof that the fate of the wicked man in God's providence was in no way so uniformly miserable as the three friends had represented (ch. 21.) There is, manifestly, now left but one weapon in the hands of the three friends, namely, to express openly what they had hinted at formerly in a veiled manner, and charge Job directly with great sins. This charge is made by Eliphaz in the opening speech of the third round of debate (ch. 22.) As in the two preceding circles of debate, Job's mind is too much absorbed in the contemplation of the grea...