This verse shows the serious nature of failing to show compassion to the needy and sets the stage for further disputes about the source of Job’s suffering.
Eliphaz the Temanite continues his accusations against Job by highlighting a lack of compassion, saying “To the weary you have given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have withheld bread” (v.7). Teman was a region in Edom, located south of the Dead Sea, and Eliphaz’s name suggests his origins in that area, possibly during the era that some scholars believe was around 2000-1800 BC. In this verse, Eliphaz charges Job with failing to meet a basic need for both the thirsty and the hungry, reflecting the moral obligation within Middle Eastern culture of that time to provide for those in distress.
In the broader biblical context, meeting the needs of the weary and the hungry is a recurring theme, as caring for others is seen as an act that honors God. Jesus reinforces this concept in the New Testament, associating feeding the hungry and offering a drink to the thirsty with serving Him (Matthew 25:35). By accusing Job of neglecting this duty, Eliphaz implies that Job has violated a fundamental standard of righteousness, aligning Job with the behavior of the unjust rather than the righteous.
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Job 22:7 meaning
Eliphaz the Temanite continues his accusations against Job by highlighting a lack of compassion, saying “To the weary you have given no water to drink, And from the hungry you have withheld bread” (v.7). Teman was a region in Edom, located south of the Dead Sea, and Eliphaz’s name suggests his origins in that area, possibly during the era that some scholars believe was around 2000-1800 BC. In this verse, Eliphaz charges Job with failing to meet a basic need for both the thirsty and the hungry, reflecting the moral obligation within Middle Eastern culture of that time to provide for those in distress.
In the broader biblical context, meeting the needs of the weary and the hungry is a recurring theme, as caring for others is seen as an act that honors God. Jesus reinforces this concept in the New Testament, associating feeding the hungry and offering a drink to the thirsty with serving Him (Matthew 25:35). By accusing Job of neglecting this duty, Eliphaz implies that Job has violated a fundamental standard of righteousness, aligning Job with the behavior of the unjust rather than the righteous.