Job 22:27
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.
Original Language Analysis
תַּעְתִּ֣יר
Thou shalt make thy prayer
H6279
תַּעְתִּ֣יר
Thou shalt make thy prayer
Strong's:
H6279
Word #:
1 of 5
to burn incense in worship, i.e., intercede (reciprocally, listen to prayer)
וְיִשְׁמָעֶ֑ךָּ
unto him and he shall hear
H8085
וְיִשְׁמָעֶ֑ךָּ
unto him and he shall hear
Strong's:
H8085
Word #:
3 of 5
to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)
Cross References
Isaiah 58:9Then shalt thou call, and the LORD shall answer; thou shalt cry, and he shall say, Here I am. If thou take away from the midst of thee the yoke, the putting forth of the finger, and speaking vanity;Psalms 116:1I love the LORD, because he hath heard my voice and my supplications.Psalms 91:15He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.Job 33:26He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.Job 34:28So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.Ecclesiastes 5:4When thou vowest a vow unto God, defer not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools: pay that which thou hast vowed.Psalms 116:14I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people.Psalms 56:12Thy vows are upon me, O God: I will render praises unto thee.Jonah 2:9But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.
Historical Context
Vow-making was common in Ancient Near Eastern religion, often conditional ('If you do X, I will do Y'). Israel's vow theology emphasized faithfulness to commitments made to YHWH (Deuteronomy 23:21-23). The later revelation shows God hearing Job's prayer to forgive his friends, demonstrating that the righteous sufferer's intercession carries unique weight.
Questions for Reflection
- How do you respond when prayers seem unanswered despite faithfulness?
- What does Job's eventual intercessory role teach about God's purpose in allowing seasons of apparent silence?
- How should we evaluate our spiritual state when God delays answering prayer?
Analysis & Commentary
Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee—The verb shama (שָׁמַע) means to hear with intent to respond, not merely auditory reception. Eliphaz promises restored fellowship where prayer receives answer. Thou shalt pay thy vows uses shalam (שָׁלַם), meaning to complete, fulfill, or make peace—the root of shalom. Vows (neder, נֶדֶר) were conditional promises made to God, expected to be fulfilled when prayers were answered (Psalm 50:14, 116:14).
The bitter irony: Job's prayers seem unanswered throughout the dialogue, yet God ultimately vindicates him and commands the friends to have Job intercede for them (42:8). Job becomes the one whose prayers God hears, while Eliphaz needs Job's mediation. This foreshadows Christ, the suffering righteous one who intercedes for transgressors (Isaiah 53:12, Hebrews 7:25). Sometimes God's silence during suffering precedes vindication and greater ministry.