Job 22:8

"You haven’t given water to the weary to drink, and you have withheld bread from the hungry."

Key Reflection

In Job 22:8, the speaker accuses Job of failing in his duty as a benefactor and community leader by not providing water to the thirsty and food to the hungry. This passage reflects the societal norms where sharing resources like water and bread was expected for those in need, with the broader implication that Job’s suffering might be partly due to his failure to uphold such communal responsibilities. The original audience would have understood this as a critique of Job's moral standing within the community, emphasizing the importance of charity and support during times of hardship.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

But as for the mighty man -Hebrew as in the margin, “man of arm.” The “arm,” in the Scriptures, is the symbol of power;Psalms 10:15, “Break thou the arm of the wicked;”Ezekiel 30:21. “I have broken the arm of Pharaoh;”Psalms 89:13, “Thou hast a mighty arm;”Psalms 97:1, “His holy arm hath gotten him the victory.” The reason of this is, that the sword and spear were principally used in war, and success depended on the force with which they were wielded by the arm. There can be no doubt that this is intended to be applied to Job, and that the meaning is, that he had driven the poor from their possessions, and he had taken forcible occupancy of what belonged to them.

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