Job 22:29
For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’; but he saves the lowly.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The real sting here is that Eliphaz is turning Job’s suffering into an accusation. When people are brought low, he sneers, you'll see it's because they were too proud, but God only saves those who are truly humble. Eliphaz twists God’s promise of lifting up the lowly into a judgment against Job's perceived pride.
Eliphaz is trying to convince Job that his suffering is a direct result of his own sin, specifically pride. He argues that God punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous, and that Job's current state proves he must be guilty. This verse, however, shifts to contrast Eliphaz's harsh judgment with God's merciful nature, highlighting that God actually lifts up the humble, not the proud, suggesting Eliphaz's perspective is flawed.
When life knocks you down, what's the first explanation that comes to mind? For Job's friends, it was always pride.
Eliphaz, in this verse, seems to be accusing Job. He suggests that when people are in distress ('cast down'), the reason is their own arrogance.
A Wrong Diagnosis
But what if the solution isn't in figuring out the why of the fall, but in embracing a different posture?
The second part of the verse offers a powerful counterpoint: 'but he saves the lowly.'
God's Preference
Understand the original words
gevah · Hebrew Noun
Refers to an arrogant attitude or self-exaltation that sets oneself against God. It is frequently associated with the rebellion of the heart and is consistently judged by God throughout Scripture.
shaphal · Hebrew Adjective
Those who are oppressed, poor, or of a humble spirit before God. Biblically, God is consistently portrayed as the defender and savior of those who do not rely on their own strength.
This verse echoes the sentiment that God actively opposes the proud but generously blesses those who are humble, directly contrasting the arrogance Eliphaz accuses Job of with the salvation God offers the lowly.
James 4:10James directly instructs believers to 'Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.' This passage highlights the divine principle of exaltation following humility, which is central to Eliphaz's counsel to Job.
Luke 14:11Jesus' teaching, 'Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,' provides a foundational understanding of the spiritual dynamic at play when Eliphaz speaks of the downfall of the proud and the salvation of the humble.
Psalm 37:24This psalm reassures the righteous that though they may stumble, they will not be completely thrown down, and God upholds them. This aligns with the idea that even in distress, the humble find divine support and eventual restoration.
1 Peter 5:6Peter urges believers to 'Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.' This passage directly links submission to God's authority with future exaltation, mirroring Eliphaz's message to Job.
gillJob 22:29: "When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person."
When men are cast down,.... Wicked men are brought down from a state of prosperity to a state of adversity, are in low circumstances, great straits and difficulties: then thou shall say, there is lifting up; that is, for himself and his; when others are in adversity, he should be in prosperity; when others are cast down into a very low estate and distressed condition, he should be…
clarkeJob 22:29: "When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person."
When men are cast down - There is a great difficulty in this verse; the sense, however, is tolerably evident, and the following is nearly a literal version: When they shall humble themselves, thou shalt say, Be exalted, or, there is exaltation: for the down-cast of eye he will save. The same sentiment as that of our Lord, "He that exalteth himself shall be abased; but he that humb…
The real sting here is that Eliphaz is turning Job’s suffering into an accusation. When people are brought low, he sneers, you'll see it's because they were too proud, but God only saves those who are truly humble. Eliphaz twists God’s promise of lifting up the lowly into a judgment against Job's perceived pride.
Eliphaz is trying to convince Job that his suffering is a direct result of his own sin, specifically pride. He argues that God punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous, and that Job's current state proves he must be guilty. This verse, however, shifts to contrast Eliphaz's harsh judgment with God's merciful nature, highlighting that God actually lifts up the humble, not the proud, suggesting Eliphaz's perspective is flawed.
Eliphaz is trying to convince Job that his suffering is a direct result of his own sin, specifically pride. He argues that God punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous, and that Job's current state proves he must be guilty. This verse, however, shifts to contrast Eliphaz's harsh judgment with God's merciful nature, highlighting that God actually lifts up the humble, not the proud, suggesting Eliphaz's perspective is flawed.
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"For when they are humbled you say, ‘It is because of pride’; but he saves the lowly." — The real sting here is that Eliphaz is turning Job’s suffering into an accusation. When people are brought low, he sneers, you'll see it's because they were too proud, but God only saves those who…
