Then you will take delight in the Almighty
    and look up to God.
You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
    and you will fulfill your vows to him.
You will succeed in whatever you choose to do,
    and light will shine on the road ahead of you. (Job 22:26-28)

If you could summarize almost every major world religion, it would sound like Job 22:26-28. 1) If you make this deity, ideal, being, or force your focus and 2) follow all these rules – pray in this way, follow these precepts, etc. 3) then you will get everything you want (or, sometimes, everything we tell you you *should* want). That’s it. That’s the basic premise of *almost* every religion that has ever existed. Do what we tell you and you’ll get what you came for. Even exchange. What a bargain.

So Eliphaz refuses to concede Job’s point, then. He won’t budge. The more Job insists he is innocent, the more blatantly Eliphaz accuses him.

Is it because you’re so pious that he accuses you
    and brings judgment against you?
No, it’s because of your wickedness!
    There’s no limit to your sins. (Job 22:4-5)

Since Job won’t tell them what he’s done, he begins to invent accusations, in case maybe Job doesn’t understand what sin is. He gives him examples of things he may have done without even realizing it –

For example, you must have lent money to your friend
    and demanded clothing as security.
    Yes, you stripped him to the bone.
You must have refused water for the thirsty
    and food for the hungry.
You probably think the land belongs to the powerful
    and only the privileged have a right to it!
You must have sent widows away empty-handed
    and crushed the hopes of orphans. (Job 22:6-9)

There is a glaring problem with this argument, of course. 1) Job has already told them he has done nothing but take care of the weak and the poor and 2) they’ve seen it for themselves! His reputation is untainted by scandal, people have nothing but good things to say about him, and no one will testify against him. There is no foundation for these accusations. Poorly reasoned, Professor.

Submit to God, and you will have peace;
    then things will go well for you. (Job 22:21)

In verse 21 Eliphaz reaches the culmination and conclusion of his argument. You can solve this problem by just repenting and doing what God said, Job. Just get it over with already so we can all go home. Eliphaz, splash! in the water saving his drowning buddy Job.

One small problem, of course. He has not been listening. Job has nothing to apologize for!