Job 22:24

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust,.... Have such plenty of it, as not to be counted: and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks; which was reckoned the best, probably in Arabia; not in the

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.

Gold; solid or choice gold, as the word signifies. As dust, i.e. in great abundance. Or, upon the dust, or ground; it shall be so plentiful, and therefore vile, that thou shalt not lock it up in chests and treasuries, but scatter it any where, and let it lie even upon the ground. As the stones of the brook; as plentifully as if the places of gold were but so many pebble stones, which are to be found in and near every brook. Or, for the stones, i.e. instead of them. Or, in the rock, or among the rocks: gold shall be so abundant, that thou mayst lay it any where, even upon or among the rocks.

Job 22:24 Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the [gold] of Ophir as the stones of the brooks.Ver. 24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust] Which is as much as to say, saith one, Thou shalt make pavements of gold. See 2 Chronicles 1:15 Psalms 68:30. Then shalt thou have thy desire; for thou shalt be rich with content, which is worth a million, as another paraphraseth it. Beza rendereth it thus: Cast thy gold on the ground (even that worldly wealth, whereto thou hast been wholly addicted), and let the gold of Ophir be unto thee as the pebble stones of the brooks (make no more account of it than of those small stones), and let the Almighty be thy tower, let him be unto thee as plenty of silver. The Spaniards are said to have found in the mines of America more gold than earth. Perhaps Eliphaz here promiseth Job, that upon his return to God his land should have many rich veins of gold. And so Senault paraphraseth this text thus, Then shall you acquit yourself of all your losses, and you shall recover with usury what was taken from you; for, for barren lands, which could bring forth nothing, you shall have such as in their entrails shall produce porphyry; and instead of those unprofitable rocks which made a part of your estate, you shall have fertile mines, from whence shall issue rivers of gold. Agreeable whereunto is that exposition of Brentius, Reponetur pro pulvere aurum, pro vili preciosure, pro fluviis arenam trahentibus torrentes aureis lapillis impleti, Thou shalt have for dust gold, for vile things those that are precious, for sandy rivers golden torrents. A hyperbolic expression. And the gold of Ophir] Where the best gold grew. Possibly the same with Peru, the letters only transposed. Ophir, Genesis 10:29, was one of the sons of Joktan, who came from Shem, from whom, saith Josephus, a country in India, abounding with gold, had its name. Hine aurum obrizum dictum, quasi Ophirizum. Ophir is here put for the gold of Ophir; for the word gold is not in the original.

(24) The gold of Ophir.—And, moreover, that the wealth for which he was so famous among the children of the East was the accumulation of iniquity and wrong-doing. The sense probably is, “Put thy treasure on a level with the dust, and the gold of Ophir among the stones of the brooks”: that is, reckon it of no more value than such stones; do not set thine heart upon it. The situation of Ophir has always been a matter of dispute. Josephus placed it in India (Antt. viii. 6, § 4), as do some moderns; others suppose it to have been an Indian colony in Southern Arabia, and others have placed it on the east coast of Africa.

Verse 24. Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust] The original is not fairly rendered in this translation, ושית על עפר בצר veshith al aphar batser, which Montanus renders: Et pone super pulverem munitionem, "And fix a tower upon the dust;" ובצור נחלים אופיר ubetsur nechalim Ophir, et in petra torrentes Ophir, "and in the rock, the torrents of Ophir." The Vulgate is widely different: Dabit pro terra silicem, et pro silice torrentes aureos, "He will give thee flint for earth: and torrents of gold for flint;" which Calmet thus paraphrases: "Instead of brick thou shalt build with solid stone; and for ornaments, instead of stone as formerly, thou shalt have massive gold!" All the versions are different. Mr. Good translates: "Then count thou treasure as dust: then shall he make fountains to gush forth amidst the rocks." Coverdale is different from all: We shal give the an harvest which, in plenty and abundance, shal exceade the dust of the earthe, and the golde of Ophir like ryver stones.

21–30. Eliphaz exhorts Job to reconcile himself with God; assuring him of restoration and great felicity if he will do so. The passage consists of two parts, first, a series of exhortations, each of which is accompanied by a promise (Job 22:21-25); and second, a series of great promises simply (Job 22:26-30). The exhortations are: (1) that Job should reconcile himself with God and receive His words into his heart—thus should he be in peace and good would come to him (Job 22:21-22); (2) that he should put away his evil—then should he be restored (Job 22:23); (3) that he should set his heart no more on earthly treasure, but fling it to the dust and among the pebbles of the brooks—then should the Almighty be his treasure (Job 22:24-25). The promises are: (1) that, delighting himself in the Almighty, he would be able to lift up his face to God in confidence, unashamed by afflictions (Job 22:26); (2) he would pray unto God with the assurance of being heard, and the vows which he made to God when presenting his request he would have cause to pay, his request being fulfilled (Job 22:27); (3) his purposes in regard to the future would stand and be realized, for the light of God would be on his ways (Job 22:28); (4) any casting down that might happen to him would speedily be turned by God into up-raising, because of his meekness and humility (Job 22:29); and finally, even others who had incurred guilt would be saved through his availing prayer (Job 22:30).

Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust - Margin, or, “on the dust.” Dr. Good renders this, “Thou shalt then count thy treasure as dust” - implying that he would have much of it.

24. Lay up gold as dust, etc. — Literally, And cast to the dust the precious ore; even gold of Ophir to the stones of the brooks. Then the Almighty shall be thy precious ores, and plenty of silver to thee.