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Eliphaz now insists that a person’s piety is of no benefit to God. He portrays God as unaffected by human actions and is therefore apathetic (vv.2-3). Such a concept is out of keeping with the biblical portrayal of God (cf. Luke 15:7). Further, it is not helpful to Eliphaz’s argument. If God is indifferent to piety, must he not also be indifferent to wickedness? Eliphaz may simply be seeking to counter Job’s claim that God seems indifferent to wickedness (21:23-26) by suggesting that God is in reality impartial and fair in his treatment of all.
Following his cataloging of Job’s sins (vv.4-11), Eliphaz accuses Job of taking advantage of God’s transcendence (vv.12-14) and thereby associates him with the wicked men of old (vv.15-18).
As in his first speech (5:17-27), Eliphaz appeals to Job to repent (vv.21-23). His call for Job to love God rather than gold (vv.24-25) may indicate a belief that Job’s sufferings were due at least in part to his love of wealth. While such an assumption was wrong, Eliphaz’s call (vv.26-27) is in keeping with the biblical attitude toward wealth.