Albert Barnes Commentary Job 4:6

"Is not thy fear [of God] thy confidence, [And] the integrity of thy ways thy hope?" — Job 4:6 (ASV)

Is not this your fear, your confidence? - There has been considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. Dr. Good renders it:

Is your piety then nothing? your hope

Your confidence? Or the uprightness of your ways?

Noyes renders it:

Is not your fear of God your hope,

And the uprightness of your ways your confidence?

Rosenmuller translates it:

Is not in your piety and integrity of life

Your confidence and hope?

In the Vulgate it is translated, “Where is your fear, your fortitude, your patience, and the integrity of your ways?” In the Septuagint, “Is not your fear founded on folly, and your hope, and the evil of your way?”

Castellio translates it:

Nimirum tantum religionis, quantum expectationis;

Quantum spei, tantum habebas integritatis morum;

And the idea according to his version is, that he had as much religion as was prompted by the hope of reward; that his piety and integrity were sustained only by his hope, and were not the result of principle; and that of course his religion was purely selfish.

If this is the sense, it is designed to be a reproach, and accords with the charge in the question of Satan (Job 1:9), “Doth Job fear God for naught?”

Rosenmuller adopts the opinion of Ludovicus de Dieu, and explains it as meaning, “You seemed to be a man fearing God, and a man of integrity, and you were led from this to cherish high hopes and expectations; but now you perceive that you were deceived. Your piety was not sincere and genuine, for the truly pious do not suffer in this way. Remember therefore that no one perishes being innocent.”

Codurcus renders it, “All your hope was placed in your religion, and your expectation in the rectitude of your ways; consider now, who perishes being innocent?”

The true sentiment of the passage has undoubtedly been expressed by Good, Noyes, and Codurcus.

The Hebrew rendered your fear, יראתך (yârê'tek), doubtless means religious fear, veneration, or piety. It is a word synonymous with εὐλάβεια (eulabeia)—εὐσέβεια (eusebeia)—religion.

The sentiment is that his confidence or hope was placed in his religion—in his fear of God, his respect and veneration for him, and in reliance on the equity of his government. This had been his stay in the past, and this was the subject which was naturally brought before him then. Eliphaz asks whether he should not still put his trust in that God, and not reproach him as unequal and unjust in his administration.

The uprightness of your ways - Hebrew, The perfection of your ways. .

The idea is, that his hope was founded on the integrity of his life, and on the belief that the upright would be rewarded.

The passage may be rendered:

Is not your confidence and your expectation

Founded on your religion,

And on the integrity of your ways?

This is the general sentiment which Eliphaz proceeds to illustrate and apply. If this was a just principle, it was natural to ask whether the trials of Job did not prove that he had no well-grounded reason for such confidence.