Job 22:17
Which said unto God, Depart from us: and what can the Almighty do for them?
Original Language Analysis
לָ֭אֵל
unto God
H410
לָ֭אֵל
unto God
Strong's:
H410
Word #:
2 of 8
strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the almighty (but used also of any deity)
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
H4480
מִמֶּ֑נּוּ
Strong's:
H4480
Word #:
4 of 8
properly, a part of; hence (prepositionally), from or out of in many senses
וּמַה
H4100
וּמַה
Strong's:
H4100
Word #:
5 of 8
properly, interrogative what? (including how? why? when?); but also exclamation, what! (including how!), or indefinitely what (including whatever, and
יִּפְעַ֖ל
do
H6466
יִּפְעַ֖ל
do
Strong's:
H6466
Word #:
6 of 8
to do or make (systematically and habitually), especially to practise
Cross References
Psalms 4:6There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us.Isaiah 30:11Get you out of the way, turn aside out of the path, cause the Holy One of Israel to cease from before us.Job 21:10Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.Romans 1:28And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;Matthew 8:34And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought him that he would depart out of their coasts.Matthew 8:29And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?Malachi 3:14Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the LORD of hosts?
Historical Context
The demand 'Depart from us' appears in wisdom literature as the ultimate expression of rebellion against God. Ancient Near Eastern thought recognized the connection between acknowledging deity and receiving blessing. To dismiss God was to invite curse—yet Job observed that the wicked often prospered despite this (21:7-13).
Questions for Reflection
- How does Eliphaz's misuse of Job's own words illustrate the danger of hearing selectively what confirms our biases?
- What is the difference between Job's honest wrestling with why the wicked prosper versus the wicked's dismissal of God?
- When have you seen someone's words twisted to mean the opposite of their actual intent?
Analysis & Commentary
Which said unto God, Depart from us (הָאֹמְרִים לָאֵל סוּר מִמֶּנּוּ)—Sur mimmennu (depart from us) represents willful rejection of God's authority. Eliphaz quotes the wicked man's defiant cry (compare Job 21:14, where Job quoted this same phrase—but as the wicked's words, not his own!).
What can the Almighty do for them? (וּמַה־יִּפְעַל שַׁדַּי לָמוֹ)—This rhetorical question expresses practical atheism: God is irrelevant to our prosperity. Shaddai (Almighty) emphasizes God's power, making the dismissal more blasphemous. Crucially, Eliphaz has taken Job's quotation of the wicked out of context. Job cited this in chapter 21 to challenge retribution theology (the wicked prosper!), explicitly distancing himself from their philosophy (21:16). Eliphaz either hasn't listened or deliberately misrepresents Job's words.