Job 22:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Did you believe that you would escape the shadows, thinking that the might of surging waters would not sweep over you? Job 22:11. In essence, it is as if he is stating, “You relied on the assurance of peace and therefore reveled in your success and brightness, never imagining that you could be weighed down by hardship. Yet, in your time of distress, you were proven mistaken; now, the shadows of adversity envelop you. Eliphaz likens these troubles to ‘overflowing waters,’ as they come one after another, much like waves crashing in a storm.” The passage goes on to elaborate:

Eliphaz delivers his final condemnation of Job, attempting to demonstrate that since human virtue holds no value in the eyes of God, the afflictions from God should be perceived as expressions of His impartial judgment. He argues that it is a transgression when one has the chance to assist a neighbor but chooses not to do so. Job is suffering precisely for such transgressions. Despite Job’s attempts to find solace in the belief that God's majesty renders Him indifferent to the minor affairs of the world, he echoes the folly of those long ago who viewed God in a similar light and were ultimately met with sudden demise through calamity.