Job 22:26 kjv
For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.
Job 22:26 nkjv
For then you will have your delight in the Almighty, And lift up your face to God.
Job 22:26 niv
Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty and will lift up your face to God.
Job 22:26 esv
For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.
Job 22:26 nlt
"Then you will take delight in the Almighty
and look up to God.
Job 22 26 Cross References
| Verse | Text | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Ps 37:4 | Delight yourself in the LORD, and He will give you the desires of your heart. | Finding joy and pleasure in God Himself. |
| Isa 58:14 | then you shall take delight in the LORD... | Delight in God as a result of obedience/worship. |
| Ps 4:6 | ...Lift up the light of your face upon us, O LORD! | A request for God's favorable presence and help. |
| Ps 11:7 | For the LORD is righteous; he loves righteous deeds; the upright shall behold his face. | Righteousness leading to beholding God's face. |
| Ps 24:3-4 | Who shall ascend...? He who has clean hands and a pure heart... | Requirements for standing in God's holy presence. |
| Ps 27:8 | You have said, "Seek my face." My heart says to you, "Your face, LORD, I seek." | Seeking intimate fellowship with God. |
| 1 Jn 3:21 | Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; | Confidence from a clear conscience. |
| Heb 4:16 | Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace... | Bold access to God through Christ. |
| Eph 3:12 | ...in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith... | Freedom to approach God through faith in Christ. |
| Gen 17:1 | When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty (El Shaddai)..." | Introduction of "El Shaddai" emphasizing God's sufficiency. |
| Exo 6:3 | I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, as God Almighty (El Shaddai), but by my name the LORD I did not make myself known to them. | God revealing Himself as Almighty to patriarchs. |
| Rev 1:8 | "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty." | God as "The Almighty" in New Testament. |
| Job 42:10 | And the LORD restored the fortunes of Job, when he had prayed for his friends... | God's restoration after Job turned to Him. |
| 2 Chr 7:14 | if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways... | Conditions for divine hearing and healing. |
| Jam 4:8 | Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you... | Reciprocal drawing near to God. |
| Mal 3:7 | Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. | Invitation for restoration through turning. |
| Ps 30:5 | ...weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. | The eventual return of joy and a confident spirit. |
| Neh 8:10 | The joy of the LORD is your strength. | God as the source of true joy and inner strength. |
| Lam 3:3 | If He causes grief, then He will have compassion according to His abundant lovingkindness. | Contrast to grief; foreshadows divine compassion. |
| Ps 42:5 | Why are you cast down, O my soul...? Hope in God... | Admonition to overcome despondency by trusting God. |
Job 22 verses
Job 22 26 Meaning
This verse describes a profound spiritual state where an individual finds their deepest joy and satisfaction in God Himself, specifically the "Almighty" (Shaddai). This intimate delight leads to an unburdened and confident relationship with God, characterized by the ability to "lift up your face" to Him—a posture of boldness, freedom from shame, and direct, joyful communion. It paints a picture of restoration and unhindered access in the divine presence, contingent upon turning towards God.
Job 22 26 Context
Job 22:26 is part of Eliphaz the Temanite's third speech to Job (Job 22:1-30). In this discourse, Eliphaz intensely accuses Job of various secret sins, insisting that Job's profound suffering is a direct consequence of his wickedness (Job 22:5-9). Eliphaz operates under a strict "retribution theology" prevalent in the ancient Near East: the righteous prosper, and the wicked suffer. He views Job's calamity as definitive proof of his sinfulness.
In verses 21-25, Eliphaz offers Job a conditional promise of restoration: if Job would "agree with God," "receive instruction," "return to the Almighty," and discard his perceived injustices, then blessings would follow. Verse 26, "For then you will delight in the Almighty and lift up your face to God," is presented as a direct, positive outcome of this repentance and submission. While Eliphaz's assessment of Job's situation was incorrect—Job was righteous, and his suffering was not due to personal sin—the general truth about finding delight and confidence in God after genuinely turning to Him remains valid in biblical theology.
Job 22 26 Word analysis
- For then: (Hebrew: וְאָז wĕʾāz) This conjunction and adverb emphasize a direct consequence. It implies that the conditions outlined by Eliphaz in the preceding verses (reconciliation with God, returning to Him, accepting His instruction) are prerequisites for the experience described in verse 26.
- you will delight: (Hebrew: תִּתְעַנַּג titteʿannag) This verb comes from the root עָנַג (ʿānog), meaning to be soft, dainty, or to take exquisite pleasure and enjoyment. It denotes a deep, inward satisfaction and delight that transcends mere happiness, implying a luxuriating in or finding utter pleasure in something or someone. It speaks of inner contentment and profound joy.
- in the Almighty: (Hebrew: עַל־שַׁדַּי ʿal-Shadday)
- Almighty (שַׁדַּי Shadday): This is one of the oldest and most profound names for God in the Old Testament, frequently appearing in Job (31 times). It is often translated as "Almighty," emphasizing God's omnipotence, all-sufficiency, and power to provide, sustain, and fulfill. Delight here is not in things from God, but in God Himself, particularly in His boundless power and sufficiency. It implies complete trust and reliance on His divine might.
- and lift up: (Hebrew: וְתִשָּׂא wĕtiśśāʾ) From the root נָשָׂא (nāśāʾ), meaning "to lift," "to carry," or "to raise." In this context, it signifies a change of posture from one of shame, dejection, or mourning (where one's head or face is cast down) to one of confidence, freedom, and bold assurance.
- your face: (Hebrew: פָּנֶיךָ pāneykhā) The face represents one's persona, honor, and directly confronts or interacts. A bowed or hidden face indicates shame, guilt, sorrow, or fear. Lifting one's face signifies direct and open access, courage, a clear conscience, and a lack of condemnation, allowing for unhindered communication.
- to God: (Hebrew: אֱלוֹהַּ ʾĕlōah) A singular form of the Hebrew word for God (plural Elohim). This term points to the true, sovereign God. The phrase signifies not just lifting the face in a general sense, but specifically directing that posture of confidence and intimacy toward the Divine.
Words-group analysis:
- delight in the Almighty: This phrase encapsulates a profound shift in focus from earthly sorrows or human solutions to finding supreme pleasure and satisfaction exclusively in God. It highlights a relationship where God's nature and being become the source of one's deepest joy, rather than merely His provisions or absence of trouble.
- lift up your face to God: This signifies an internal transformation resulting in an external posture of assurance. It describes direct and unhindered fellowship with the Creator. It implies having overcome shame, guilt, or fear of judgment, allowing for confident, open communion, and bold access into God's presence, indicative of reconciliation and restored relationship.
Job 22 26 Bonus section
- The inverse of "lifting your face" is seen in Genesis 4:6, where Cain's face had "fallen" due to anger and sin, symbolizing guilt and alienation from God's favor. This highlights the positive change implied in Job 22:26.
- While Eliphaz incorrectly diagnosed Job's suffering, his proposed result of repentance—joy and unashamed fellowship with God—is exactly what Job experiences at the end of the book (Job 42), albeit through a different process (Job's repentance for his ignorant speeches about God, leading to restoration, not repentance for hidden sin).
- This verse can be seen as an invitation for all individuals burdened by sin or suffering: a genuine turning to God is met with His readiness to transform sorrow into delight and shame into confident, intimate communion.
Job 22 26 Commentary
Job 22:26, though spoken by Eliphaz from a flawed premise regarding Job's situation, presents a profound and timeless truth about the nature of a redeemed relationship with God. It asserts that genuine spiritual delight and unburdened confidence are the fruit of rightly relating to the Divine. To "delight in the Almighty" is to find one's deepest pleasure, satisfaction, and peace not in circumstances or material blessings, but in the Person of God Himself, particularly His omnipotence and sufficiency as Shaddai. This intrinsic joy frees the soul from despair and human anxieties. Consequently, this inner delight allows one to "lift up your face to God." This is a stark contrast to a bowed head of shame, guilt, fear, or despair that marked Job's initial responses to his suffering. Lifting the face denotes bold, direct, and unhindered access to God, a posture of freedom, trust, and intimacy. It is the hallmark of a pure conscience and a heart unashamed before its Maker, allowing for open prayer and genuine communion. This concept resonates strongly with New Testament teachings on confident access to God through faith in Christ, removing the veil of sin and allowing believers to draw near to a loving Father. It implies restoration, acceptance, and a clear pathway for divine blessing.