If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, or any poor without covering;
This verse belongs to Job's protestation and appeal that he had maintained his integrity and was morally upright. It stands among the conduct his friends condemned but could not prove sinful. In it he declares that he did not ignore people perishing for want of clothing or the poor without covering, but shared with the needy and provided clothing, covering, and warmth from the fleece of his sheep.
He invokes a broken arm upon himself as the consequence if he had failed them in this duty. The verse shows his right view and right use of wealth: though one of the richest men of his day, he did not trust in his riches, rejoice because his wealth was great, or become proud and highminded because of it. He trusted in the living God and remembered that God gave him power to get wealth, looking upon his wealth only as a means of blessing the poor, the needy, the fatherless, and the widow.
The sin is not in being rich but in trusting in riches, putting confidence in them, rejoicing in them, and being proud and highminded because of them, which denies the God that is above. His actions toward the poor were right, but he erred by appealing to them to prove his righteousness and claim vindication, trusting in his own works instead of giving God the glory. God's blessings are given so they can be passed on to others. His protestation shows what true honesty is: merely paying debts to fellow men and saying owe no man anything does not prove a man honest, while Job's integrity is much stronger proof of honesty, which is integrity, candor, and dazzling whiteness of character.
This verse belongs to Job's protestation and appeal that he had maintained his integrity and was morally upright. It stands among the conduct his friends condemned but could not prove sinful. In it he declares that he did not ignore people perishing for want of clothing or the poor without covering, but shared with the needy and provided clothing, covering, and warmth from the fleece of his sheep.
He invokes a broken arm upon himself as the consequence if he had failed them in this duty. The verse shows his right view and right use of wealth: though one of the richest men of his day, he did not trust in his riches, rejoice because his wealth was great, or become proud and highminded because of it. He trusted in the living God and remembered that God gave him power to get wealth, looking upon his wealth only as a means of blessing the poor, the needy, the fatherless, and the widow.
The sin is not in being rich but in trusting in riches, putting confidence in them, rejoicing in them, and being proud and highminded because of them, which denies the God that is above. His actions toward the poor were right, but he erred by appealing to them to prove his righteousness and claim vindication, trusting in his own works instead of giving God the glory. God's blessings are given so they can be passed on to others. His protestation shows what true honesty is: merely paying debts to fellow men and saying owe no man anything does not prove a man honest, while Job's integrity is much stronger proof of honesty, which is integrity, candor, and dazzling whiteness of character.