Yea, the Almighty shall be - Or, rather, "then the Almighty shall be" - והיה yehâyâh. The meaning is, that if he would return to God, and cast off his anxiety for gold, "then" the Almighty would be his real treasure, and would impart to him solid happiness.

Thy defense - Margin, "gold." The margin is the more correct translation. The word is the same which occurs in the previous verse בצר betser, and there rendered "gold." The word may have the sense of "defense," as the verb בצר bâtsar is often used with such a reference; Numbers 13:28; Deuteronomy 1:28; Deuteronomy 3:5; Deuteronomy 9:1, et al. The meaning of such places, where the word is applied to walled towns or fortified places, is, that the enemy was, by means of walls, "cut off" from approach. Here, however, the idea of "gold" or "treasure" better suits the connection, and the meaning is, that "God" would be to him an invaluable "treasure" or source of happiness.

And thou shalt have plenty of silver - Margin, "silver of strength." The correct idea, however, is, "and the Almighty shall be treasures of silver unto thee;" that is, he shall be better to you than an abundance of the precious metals. The Hebrew is literally, "And silver of treasures unto thee."

Thou shalt have plenty of silver - Here again the versions and critics vary. The critics may disagree; but the doctrine of Eliphaz is sufficiently plain: "To those whom God loves best he gives the most earthly good. The rich and the great are his high favorites: the poor and the distressed he holds for his enemies." In the above verses there seems to be a reference to the mode of obtaining the precious metals:

1. Gold in dust;

2. Gold in streams from the hills and mountains;

3. Silver in mines; כסף תועפות keseph toaphoth, "silver of giddiness," of mines so deep as to make one giddy by looking into them. See Mr. Good.

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence,.... In temporal things, secure the plenty of gold and silver possessed of; surround and protect by his providence, that there shall be no danger of the Sabeans and Chaldeans, or others, breaking in and stealing it away; and, in spirituals, preserve from all enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; be a wall of fire about him, his fortress, his tower, and place of defence; or keep him as in a garrison, through faith unto salvation; or, as others render the words, "and let the Almighty be", or "he shall be thy gold", or "golds" (o); all thy gold, the same word being used as in Job 22:24; treat earthly riches, gold and silver, with contempt, and reckon God to be thy truest riches: esteem him as gold, and more precious than that, and put thy confidence in him; his grace is compared to gold, for its lustre, value, and duration, and is more precious than gold that perisheth, Revelation 3:18; the righteousness of Christ is, for its excellency, called the gold of Ophir, and clothing of wrought gold, Psalm 45:9; and he himself is much more precious than the gold of Ophir, and the gain that comes by him than fine gold, Sol 5:11; the doctrines of the grace of God are comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; yea, to be preferred unto them, 1 Corinthians 3:12. God is instead of all riches to his people; and they that have an interest in him share in the riches of grace, and are entitled to the riches of glory; all are theirs:

and thou shall have plenty of silver; or God shall be, or "let him be to thee silver of strength" (p); or instead of silver, which is the strength of men, in which they confide for business or war; but God is to his people infinitely more than what silver or gold can be to them.

(o) "lectissimum aurum tuum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Vatablus, Schmidt, Schultens; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 23. 2.((p) "et argentum fortitudinum tibi", Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt.

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

defence: or, gold

plenty...: Heb. silver of strength

25. Apodosis.

Yea-rather, Then shall the Almighty be, &c.

defence-rather, as the same Hebrew means in Job 22:24 (see on [516]Job 22:24)-Thy precious metals; God will be to thee in the place of riches.

plenty of silver-rather, "And shall be to thee in the place of laboriously-obtained treasures of silver" [Gesenius]. Elegantly implying, it is less labor to find God than the hidden metals; at least to the humble seeker (Job 28:12-28). But [Maurer] "the shining silver."

22:21-30 The answer of Eliphaz wrongly implied that Job had hitherto not known God, and that prosperity in this life would follow his sincere conversion. The counsel Eliphaz here gives is good, though, as to Job, it was built upon a false supposition that he was a stranger and enemy to God. Let us beware of slandering our brethren; and if it be our lot to suffer in this manner, let us remember how Job was treated; yea, how Jesus was reviled, that we may be patient. Let us examine whether there may not be some colour for the slander, and walk watchfully, so as to be clear of all appearances of evil.