Job 22:21
in Job 22Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: Thereby good shall come unto thee.
KJV
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace: thereby good shall come unto thee.
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This verse in Job 22
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Acquaint now thyself with him - Margin, that is, “with God.” Eliphaz takes it for granted now, that Job was a sinner wholly unreconciled to God, and unacquainted with him. This fact, he supposes, was the source of all his calamities. As long as he remained thus unreconciled to God, he must be miserable. He proceeds, therefore, in a most beautiful manner, to exhort him to be at peace with God, and portrays the benefits which would result from such a reconciliation.
This site's exposition
Reconcile now and be at peace with Him
This single verse holds the book's most quoted wrong counsel: "Reconcile now and be at peace with Him; thereby good will come to you". The words are sound counsel for a man estranged from God by sin, a description the opening chapters of the book deny to Job.
The record, by era
The Medieval Church2 voices
Since he had said (v.17) that this kind of ruin happens to the wicked because they struggled against God, so that Job is able to avoid a similar overturning when he adds, "Go along with him and be at peace," as if to say: You …
Be at one then with Him, and be at peace; thereby thou shalt have the best fruits. Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart. There is the sin of pride in teaching one better than one's self, which heretics are often guilty of, who touching things which they have wrong notions of, take upon them as if to instruct Catholics.
The Puritans and the Awakening3 voices
It is our honour, that we are made capable of this acquaintance, our misery that by sin we have lost it; our privilege, that through Christ we may return to it; and our unspeakable advantage, to renew and cultivate it.
Thy family shall be built up in children, thy estate in wealth, and thy soul in holiness and comfort." The promises which Eliphaz here encourages Job with are reducible to three heads:-- 1. That his estate should prosper, and temporal blessings should be bestowed abundantly on him; for godliness has the promise of the life that now is. It is promised, (1.) That he shall be very rich (
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens+odd-straight-quotes
1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, 2 Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? 3 Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect? 4 Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?
quarantine:scripture (2026-07-29) — verbatim-scripture
3 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace,....
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
A commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
proposed
Eliphaz takes it for granted, Job is not yet "acquainted" with God; literally, "become a companion of God." Turn with familiar confidence to God. and be--So thou shalt be: the second imperatively expresses the consequence of obeying the first (Ps 37:27). peace--prosperity and restoration to Job; true spiritually also to us (Ro 5:1;
quarantine:debris (2026-07-29) — unbalanced-parens
Acquaint now thyself with him - Perhaps the verb הסכן hasken should be translated here, treasure up, or lay up. Lay up or procure an interest now with him, and be at peace. Get the Divine favor, and then thou wilt be at peace with God, and have happiness in thy own soul. Thereby good shalt come unto thee - בהם bahem, “in them,” shall good come unto thee. That is, in getting an interest in the Divine favor, and in having thy soul brought into a state of peace with him; thereby, in them, that is, these two things, good will come unto thee. First, thou wilt have an interest in his favor, from which thou mayest expect all blessings; and, secondly, from his peace in thy conscience thou wilt feel unutterable happiness. Get these blessings now, for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth. Reader, hast thou these blessings?
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| הַסְכֶּן־ | hasken- | be reconciled | H5532 → | 12 times |
| נָ֣א | na' | please | H4994 → | 404 times |
| עִמּ֑וֹ | imo | with him | H5973 → | 1050 times |
| וּשְׁלם | ushelm | and be at peace | H7999 → | 116 times |
| בָּ֝הֶ֗ם | bahem | by them | ||
| תְּֽבוֹאַתְךָ֥ | tevoatkha | it will come to you | H935 → | 2568 times |
| טוֹבָֽה׃ | tovah | good | H2896 → | 538 times |
הַסְכֶּן־be reconciled
hasken-H5532 →12 times
נָ֣אplease
na'H4994 →404 times
עִמּ֑וֹwith him
imoH5973 →1050 times
וּשְׁלםand be at peace
ushelmH7999 →116 times
בָּ֝הֶ֗םby them
bahem
תְּֽבוֹאַתְךָ֥it will come to you
tevoatkhaH935 →2568 times
טוֹבָֽה׃good
tovahH2896 →538 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
1 Chronicles 28:9As for you, Solomon my son, know the God of your father and serve Him wholeheartedly and with a willing mind, for the LORD searches every heart and understands the intent of every thought.…
it leads to
- Jeremiah 29:13
You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.
- James 4:8–11
Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.
- Matthew 7:7–8
Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened to you.
- Isaiah 55:6–7
Seek the LORD while He may be found; call on Him while He is near.
- Jeremiah 24:7
I will give them a heart to know Me, that I am the LORD. They will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with all their…
- Jeremiah 29:13
Through
Philippians 4:7And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
it leads to
- John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled; do not be afraid.
- Isaiah 26:3
You will keep in perfect peace the steadfast of mind, because he trusts in You.
- 2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
- John 14:27
About Job
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XVI; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament; Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.