Job 22:19

“The righteous see it, and are glad, etc.] Not the counsel of the wicked, nor their outward prosperity, but their ruin and destruction, which is sure and certain; though it may sometimes seem to linger, it is often public and visible to the view of every man, being made public examples, (see <199108>Psalm 91:8); and which is matter of joy and gladness to truly good and righteous men; who have the righteousness of Christ on them, his grace in them, and in consequence of that live soberly, righteously, and godly; these rejoice at the vengeance of God on wicked men, (<195205>Psalm 52:5-7 58:10); not that the misery of their fellow creatures is pleasing to them as such; this would be brutish and…”

“Triumph of the pious at the fall of the recent followers of the antediluvian sinners. While in the act of denying that God can do them any good or harm, they are cut off by Him. Eliphaz hereby justifies himself and the friends for their conduct to Job: not derision of the wretched, but joy at the vindication of God's ways (Psa 107:42; Rev 15:3; Rev 16:7; Rev 19:1-2).”

“The righteous see it, and are glad - see the destruction of the wicked; compare Revelation 15:3; Revelation 16:7; Revelation 19:1-2. This is designed by Eliphaz, probably, not only to state a fact about the righteous of other times who saw the wicked punished, but, also, to vindicate his own conduct and that of his two friends in regard to Job. If the righteous of other times had rejoiced when the wicked were punished, they inferred that it was not improper for them to manifest similar rejoicings when God had overtaken one who was so signally depraved as they supposed Job to be. Their lack of sympathy for him, therefore, they would defend by a reference to the conduct of the people of other…”

“22:19-20 The righteous will be happy to see the wicked destroyed: They will be glad to see justice done and injustices avenged (see also Ps 58:10-11; Rev 19:1-4). Eliphaz’s sentiment neglected God’s desire that sinful people repent (see Ezek 33:11).”

“righteous: Psa 48:11, Psa 58:10, Psa 97:8, Psa 107:42; Pro 11:10; Rev 18:20, Rev 19:1-3 innocent: Job 9:23; Psa 52:6 Job 22:20”

“19 The righteous see it and rejoice, And the innocent mock at them: 20 "Verily our opponent is destroyed, And the fire hath devoured their abundance." This thought corresponds to that expressed as a wish, hope, or anticipation at the close of many of the Psalms, that the retributive justice of God, though we may have to wait a long time for it, becomes at length the more gloriously manifest to the joy of those hitherto innocently persecuted, Psa 58:11. The obj. of יראוּ, as in Psa 107:42, is this its manifestation. למו is not an ethical dative, as in Psa 80:7, but as in Psa 2:4 refers to the ungodly whose mocking pride comes to such an ignominious end. What follow in Job 22:20 are the words…”