Job 22:18 kjv
Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job 22:18 nkjv
Yet He filled their houses with good things; But the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job 22:18 niv
Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things, so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
Job 22:18 esv
Yet he filled their houses with good things ? but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.
Job 22:18 nlt
Yet he was the one who filled their homes with good things,
so I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.
Job 22 18 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 73:3-5 | "For I was envious of the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked... their strength is firm." | Prosperity of wicked noted. |
| Jer 12:1-2 | "Why does the way of the wicked prosper? Why do all who are faithless flourish?" | Query about wicked's prosperity. |
| Hab 1:4 | "...the wicked surround the righteous; therefore judgment comes out perverted." | Wicked's influence and prosperity. |
| Matt 5:45 | "...for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust." | God's common grace extended to all. |
| Acts 14:17 | "Yet He has not left Himself without witness, in that He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons..." | God's general goodness to humanity. |
| Ps 1:1 | "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly..." | Rejection of wicked counsel. |
| Ps 33:10-11 | "The Lord brings the counsel of the nations to nothing; He frustrates the plans of the peoples." | God overrules wicked counsel. |
| Prov 19:21 | "Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails." | God's purpose overrides human plans. |
| Isa 46:10 | "declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand..." | God's counsel is unchangeable. |
| Prov 1:24-31 | "Because I have called and you refused... I will mock at your calamity." | Rejecting God's counsel leads to consequence. |
| Prov 5:12 | "And you say: 'How I have hated instruction, and my heart despised correction!'" | Despising divine wisdom. |
| Prov 14:12 | "There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death." | Man's counsel can be destructive. |
| Job 21:14-15 | "Therefore they say to God, 'Depart from us! For we do not desire the knowledge of Your ways.'" | Wicked rejecting God directly. |
| Rom 1:28 | "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind..." | Mind far from God. |
| 1 Cor 1:19-20 | "For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the prudence of the prudent I will set aside.' Where is the wise? Where is the scribe...?" | God frustrates human wisdom. |
| James 3:15 | "This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, demonic." | Earthly "wisdom" or counsel contrasted. |
| 1 Jn 2:16 | "For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world." | Worldly desires contrasted with divine. |
| Ps 139:2-3 | "You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off." | God knows all counsel and thoughts. |
| Ecc 8:11-13 | "Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil." | Delay in judgment and the wicked's counsel. |
| Prov 21:30 | "There is no wisdom nor understanding nor counsel against the LORD." | No counsel can stand against the Lord. |
| Isa 55:8-9 | "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways, says the LORD." | Divine counsel distinct from human. |
Job 22 verses
Job 22 18 Meaning
Job 22:18 presents a complex assertion by Eliphaz, a false comforter to Job, regarding the fate and character of the wicked. He claims that God (the 'He') has, at times, blessed the wicked materially, filling their homes with abundance. Yet, despite this divine provision, the wicked's own thoughts and plans ("counsel") remain fundamentally alienated from God and His ways, indicating their rebellious nature even in the midst of worldly success. Eliphaz implies that such individuals, like Job in his current state, face judgment due to their hardened hearts, regardless of any past prosperity.
Job 22 18 Context
Job chapter 22 is Eliphaz's third and final discourse to Job, filled with harsh accusations and flawed theology. Eliphaz argues for a rigid principle of divine retribution, claiming that great suffering like Job's must be a direct result of great sin. He implies that Job is one of the wicked (Job 22:5-9) who refuse to acknowledge God even when He has blessed them. Verse 18 is part of Eliphaz's broader accusation, where he describes the mindset of the wicked as rejecting God despite His prior goodness, framing it as if God Himself fills their houses with good things and that their counsel remains far from Him, emphasizing their deliberate estrangement. Historically, the prevailing worldview often tied immediate prosperity to righteousness and calamity to sin, a view the Book of Job profoundly challenges through Job's blameless suffering.
Job 22 18 Word analysis
- Yet He filled (וְהוּא מָלֵא - və·hū mā·lê’): The opening 'Yet He' (literally "and He" or "but He") often suggests a contrast or surprising continuation. Eliphaz acknowledges God's agency in granting abundance. The verb mā·lê’ means 'to fill, be full'. This implies a generous act of provision, which can be seen as an aspect of God's common grace, showering good upon both the righteous and the unrighteous alike.
- their houses (בָּתֵּיהֶם - bā·ttê·hem): Refers to the homes, possessions, and livelihoods of the wicked. It signifies material prosperity and abundance. The reference is concrete, pointing to tangible blessings.
- with good things (טוֹבָה - ṭō·w·ḇāh): The word ṭō·w·ḇāh denotes goodness, welfare, prosperity, or bounty. It's a general term for positive material blessings, such as food, wealth, peace, or other desirable possessions.
- But the counsel (וַעֲצַת - va·‘ă·ṣaṯ): The conjunction 'but' introduces the contrasting element. ‘ă·ṣaṯ refers to advice, purpose, plan, or resolve. It denotes the thoughts, intentions, and guiding principles of a person. In this context, it speaks to the core direction and alignment of the wicked's will and wisdom.
- of the wicked (רְשָׁעִים - rə·šā·‘îm): The Hebrew term for "wicked," often signifying those who are lawless, unjust, or rebellious against divine order. Eliphaz implicitly lumps Job into this category. This identifies the subjects whose counsel is being discussed.
- is far from Him (רָחֲקָה מִמֶּנּוּ - rā·ḥă·qāh mim·men·nū): Rā·ḥă·qāh means 'to be far, distant'. Mim·men·nū means 'from Him', referring to God. This phrase signifies a profound separation, alienation, or opposition. It's not just a physical distance but a moral, spiritual, and intellectual chasm between the wicked's intentions/plans and God's nature, will, or wisdom.
- "Yet He filled their houses with good things, But the counsel of the wicked...": This segment presents a stark antithesis. It highlights the divine irony or paradox Eliphaz perceives: God bestows material blessings even on those who fundamentally oppose His wisdom. It implies a tension between external circumstances (blessing) and internal disposition (rebellion).
- "counsel of the wicked is far from Him": This phrase directly points to the wicked's rejection of divine truth and guidance. Their plans and principles are self-derived, self-serving, and antithetical to God's righteous character and divine purpose. This "far-ness" indicates a deep-seated antagonism, not merely a misunderstanding.
Job 22 18 Bonus section
Eliphaz's words, though wrongly applied to Job, contain a general truth about common grace and human rebellion. God's universal benevolence (His sun rising on the good and evil, giving rain to just and unjust) provides resources even to those who reject Him. However, this beneficence does not compel or change the heart. The wicked, by definition, are those whose inner "counsel" (their intentions, plans, wisdom) is alienated from God. This alienation means their "wisdom" is often earthly and self-serving, leading to schemes that are inherently opposed to divine justice and truth. This sets a clear boundary: human ingenuity, no matter how successful in worldly terms, cannot override or stand against the counsel of the Almighty. The verse implicitly critiques a pragmatic, success-oriented worldview that might mistake outward prosperity for divine endorsement.
Job 22 18 Commentary
Job 22:18, as spoken by Eliphaz, aims to characterize the wicked as those who, despite receiving blessings from God (whether through common grace or temporary prosperity), nonetheless persist in a path directly opposed to His counsel. Eliphaz uses this to underpin his flawed argument against Job, suggesting Job's present suffering is a sign that he, too, falls into this category of the wicked whose hearts and plans are estranged from God, regardless of any past abundance. The verse articulates a theological truth – God often allows prosperity for the wicked in this life (Ps 73), yet their minds remain alienated from Him – but Eliphaz misapplies it to Job's blameless situation. It emphasizes that material well-being does not equate to divine approval or righteous standing, nor does it guarantee adherence to God's will. The true issue is the heart's disposition towards God's wisdom, which the wicked deliberately distance themselves from.