Job 22 7
Explore the Job 22:7 meaning and summary with context and commentary explained. This study includes verse insights, deep explanation, word analysis, and cross-references.
Job chapter 22 - Eliphaz’s Specific (and False) Accusations
Job 22 documents Eliphaz’s third speech, where he abandons all subtlety and accuses Job of specific social sins like stripping the naked and withholding water from the weary. He assumes that because Job is suffering greatly, his sins must have been equally great, regardless of the lack of evidence.
Job 22:7
ESV: You have given no water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry.
KJV: Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.
NIV: You gave no water to the weary and you withheld food from the hungry,
NKJV: You have not given the weary water to drink, And you have withheld bread from the hungry.
NLT: You must have refused water for the thirsty
and food for the hungry.
Meaning
Job 22:7 conveys Eliphaz's baseless accusation against Job, asserting that Job failed to provide fundamental sustenance and compassion to those in dire need. He claims Job did not offer water to the exhausted or bread to the famished. This accusation is presented as evidence for Eliphaz's belief that Job's suffering is a direct result of hidden, unconfessed wickedness.
Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Deu 15:7-8 | If there be among you a poor man... thou shalt open thine hand... | Command to help the needy. |
| Pro 25:21 | If thine enemy be hungry, give him bread... and if he be thirsty, give him water. | Provision even for adversaries. |
| Isa 58:7 | Is it not to deal thy bread to the hungry... | True fasting includes caring for the poor. |
| Eze 18:7-8 | has not oppressed any... has given his bread to the hungry, and has covered the naked with a garment. | Righteousness includes feeding the hungry. |
| Psa 41:1 | Blessed is he that considers the poor... | Blessing for those who care for the needy. |
| Pro 21:13 | Whoso stops his ears at the cry of the poor... | Warning against ignoring the needy. |
| Isa 58:10 | if you extend your soul to the hungry... | Blessings for providing for the hungry. |
| Matt 25:35 | For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink... | Jesus identifies with the hungry and thirsty. |
| Matt 25:42 | For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat... | Consequences of neglecting the hungry. |
| Luke 3:11 | He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none... | Sharing with those in need. |
| Jas 2:15-16 | If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute... | Faith without works is dead. |
| 1 John 3:17 | Whoso hath this world's good... and sees his brother in need... | Love requires compassionate action. |
| Gal 6:10 | let us do good unto all men... | Call to do good universally. |
| Heb 13:2 | Forget not to entertain strangers... | Hospitality to strangers. |
| Gen 18:4-5 | Let a little water... I will fetch a morsel of bread... | Abraham's example of hospitality. |
| Pro 19:17 | He that has pity upon the poor lends unto the Lord... | Helping the poor is serving God. |
| Amos 2:6-7 | they sell the righteous for silver... turn aside the way of the meek. | Judgment for oppressing the poor. |
| Jer 5:26-28 | ...fat, they shine, yes, they overpass the deeds of the wicked... | Wickedness often involves neglecting justice. |
| Job 29:15-16 | I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame... | Job's actual compassionate character. |
| Job 31:17 | If I have eaten my morsel alone... | Job's self-vindication about his generosity. |
| Matt 5:42 | Give to him that asks you... | Call to generosity. |
| Luke 14:13-14 | when you make a feast, call the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind... | Blessing in inviting the marginalized. |
Context
Job 22:7 is part of Eliphaz's third and final speech to Job. Having previously argued generally that all suffering comes from sin, Eliphaz here begins to accuse Job directly and concretely of specific grave offenses, despite having no factual basis for these claims. Eliphaz asserts that Job's profound suffering is irrefutable proof of his wickedness, therefore fabricating sins for Job to confess. This particular accusation relates to neglecting basic human needs and demonstrates the friends' rigid adherence to a strict retribution theology, where prosperity equals righteousness and suffering equals sin. In the ancient Near East, hospitality and care for the vulnerable were highly esteemed virtues and divinely commanded acts of righteousness. Eliphaz's charge directly challenges Job's reputation and piety.
Word analysis
- Thou hast not given: (לֹא־נָתַתָּה - lo'-naṯattāh) This is a strong, direct accusation of omission. Eliphaz charges Job with a specific failure to act charitably.
- water: (מַיִם - mayim) A most basic necessity for life, especially in arid regions. Symbolizes essential provision and refreshment.
- to the weary to drink: (לָעָיֵף מַיִם / לִצְמֵא - lā‘āyēf mayim / liṣmē’) The KJV phrase "to the weary to drink" captures the intent, but the Hebrew for "to drink" (liṣmē') literally means "to the thirsty one." This highlights the specific distress of the recipient and the specific need unaddressed. "Weary" (עָיֵף - ‘ayef) denotes extreme fatigue and faintness, often due to thirst or hunger.
- and thou hast withholden: (תִּמְנַע - timnaʿ) From the root מָנַע (manaʿ), meaning to hold back, to restrain, to refuse. This implies an active, deliberate act of denial, not merely an oversight. It's a stronger accusation than just "not given."
- bread: (לֶחֶם - leḥem) The staple food, essential for sustenance. Represents basic provisions for survival.
- from the hungry: (מֵרָעֵב - mērā‘ēv) "Hungry" (רָעֵב - raʿēv) denotes one who is famished, in desperate need of food. Again, emphasizes the profound need of the recipient.
Words-group by words-group analysis:
- "Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry": This structure employs parallelism, a common poetic device in Hebrew literature. It juxtaposes two identical accusations of severe neglect of basic humanitarian duties, emphasizing the gravity of the alleged offense. The pairing of "water to the weary" and "bread from the hungry" underscores a complete disregard for the most vulnerable and their fundamental needs. Eliphaz frames these omissions not as accidental lapses, but as willful acts of callousness, thereby attempting to paint Job as utterly unrighteous and undeserving of divine favor. This contrasts starkly with Job's own later testimony of his extensive care for the poor and needy (Job 29-31).
Commentary
Job 22:7 reveals the tragic misapplication of truth by Eliphaz. While it is undeniably a righteous act to provide for the weary and hungry (a core tenet of God's law), Eliphaz wrongly attributes the lack of such charity to Job. This verse is central to understanding the flawed theology of Job's friends, who believed that intense suffering must correspond to equally severe sin. Therefore, when Job refused to confess, Eliphaz resorted to fabricating sins for him. This accusation, though presented as a concrete charge, is baseless and serves to highlight the spiritual pride and judgmentalism of Job's accusers. It's a prime example of human limitations in discerning divine providence and of misinterpreting the signs of God's working.
Bonus section
The irony of Eliphaz's accusation is profound when contrasted with Job's actual character. Job later provides extensive testimony in chapters 29-31, detailing how he was a diligent helper of the poor, the blind, the lame, and the orphan. He explicitly states, "If I have eaten my morsel alone, and the fatherless has not eaten thereof..." (Job 31:17). Thus, Eliphaz's charges are not merely unfounded but directly contradictory to Job's well-established record of righteousness and compassion. This underscores a key message of the Book of Job: human assessment of spiritual standing based solely on outward circumstances (like suffering or prosperity) is often deeply flawed and does not align with God's perfect justice and knowledge.
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