“The righteous find joy in God’s justice; the innocent recognize that evil will not ultimately stand.”
In this passage, Eliphaz the Temanite continues his counsel to Job. He observes that “The righteous see and are glad; And the innocent mock them” (v.19), emphasizing a perspective that the downfall of evildoers elicits a positive response from those who hold fast to integrity. Eliphaz’s statement reveals his assumption that the wicked—and by extension anyone he perceives as unrighteous—will eventually face consequences. He suggests that those who have maintained their innocence look on triumphantly, mocking those who have stumbled in wrongdoing. This viewpoint mirrors a broader biblical theme in which righteousness contrasts sharply with wickedness (Psalm 1:5-6).
When Eliphaz uses the term “the righteous” (v.19), he likely refers to those who honor God’s ways and stand before Him in honest living. In the historical context, Job is believed to have lived during or possibly prior to the time of Abraham, around 2000-1900 BC, a period when faithfulness and obedience were measured by genuine worship of the LORD and adherence to moral codes passed down through generations. By proclaiming that “the innocent mock them” (v.19), Eliphaz implies that moral purity grants a vantage point from which people can see God’s justice at work. However, he seems to oversimplify suffering by associating it too readily with wrongdoing, an assumption the New Testament often corrects by teaching grace and empathy even for the undeserving (Luke 6:35).
Moreover, Eliphaz’s words may reflect a partial truth about divine justice: God does bring justice, and the righteous do have a reason for hope. Yet suffering in the life of the faithful, as in Job’s case, cannot always be explained by simple cause-and-effect. The New Testament continues this conversation when Jesus, the ultimate example of an Innocent sufferer, endured rejection and pain for a higher redemptive purpose (1 Peter 2:21-24). Job’s story foreshadows that good people may still endure hardship without it meaning they have rebelled against the LORD.
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Job 22:19 meaning
In this passage, Eliphaz the Temanite continues his counsel to Job. He observes that “The righteous see and are glad; And the innocent mock them” (v.19), emphasizing a perspective that the downfall of evildoers elicits a positive response from those who hold fast to integrity. Eliphaz’s statement reveals his assumption that the wicked—and by extension anyone he perceives as unrighteous—will eventually face consequences. He suggests that those who have maintained their innocence look on triumphantly, mocking those who have stumbled in wrongdoing. This viewpoint mirrors a broader biblical theme in which righteousness contrasts sharply with wickedness (Psalm 1:5-6).
When Eliphaz uses the term “the righteous” (v.19), he likely refers to those who honor God’s ways and stand before Him in honest living. In the historical context, Job is believed to have lived during or possibly prior to the time of Abraham, around 2000-1900 BC, a period when faithfulness and obedience were measured by genuine worship of the LORD and adherence to moral codes passed down through generations. By proclaiming that “the innocent mock them” (v.19), Eliphaz implies that moral purity grants a vantage point from which people can see God’s justice at work. However, he seems to oversimplify suffering by associating it too readily with wrongdoing, an assumption the New Testament often corrects by teaching grace and empathy even for the undeserving (Luke 6:35).
Moreover, Eliphaz’s words may reflect a partial truth about divine justice: God does bring justice, and the righteous do have a reason for hope. Yet suffering in the life of the faithful, as in Job’s case, cannot always be explained by simple cause-and-effect. The New Testament continues this conversation when Jesus, the ultimate example of an Innocent sufferer, endured rejection and pain for a higher redemptive purpose (1 Peter 2:21-24). Job’s story foreshadows that good people may still endure hardship without it meaning they have rebelled against the LORD.