Job 22:2 Meaning and Explanation
“Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself?”
King James Version (KJV)
Read this verse in context with translation switching:
Read Full Chapter →Eliphaz asks whether any person can add benefit to God, as a wise man benefits himself.
What Does Job 22:2 Mean?
Eliphaz opens his argument with a rhetorical question about whether human righteousness gives God any gain. He means to undercut Job's appeal: if God needs nothing from us, then Job's integrity cannot be the reason for his suffering, and his suffering must be punishment.
The premise contains a true thread even as Eliphaz misuses it. God is complete in Himself and does not depend on our goodness to be enriched. Yet this truth, rightly held, magnifies grace rather than diminishing it. God seeks our righteousness not because He lacks but because He loves. The One who needs nothing still delights to call us His own.
Frequently Asked Questions About Job 22:2
What does Job 22:2 mean?
Eliphaz asks whether any person can add benefit to God, as a wise man benefits himself.