| Back to Home Page | Back
to Book Index |
Job Chapter
Thirty-three
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 33
In
this chapter Elihu addresses Job himself
and entreats his attention to what he
had to say to him
and offers several things to induce him to it; and
recommends himself as one that was according to his wish
in the stead of God
a man like himself
and of whom he had no reason to be afraid
Job 33:1; and then
he brings a charge against him of things which he himself had heard
of words
that had dropped from him in the course of his controversy with his friends; in
which he too much and too strongly insisted on his own innocence and purity
and let fill very undue and unbecoming reflections on the dealings of God with
him
Job 33:8; to which
he gives an answer by observing the superior greatness of God to man
and his
sovereignty over him
not being accountable to him for anything done by him;
and therefore man should be silent and submissive to him
Job 33:12; and yet
though he is so great and so absolute
and uncontrollable
and is not obliged
to give an account of his affairs to man
and the reasons of them; yet he
condescends by various ways and means to instruct him in his mind and will
and
even by these very things complained of; and therefore should not be treated as
if unkind and unfriendly to men; sometimes he does it by dreams and visions
when he opens the ears of men
and seals instruction to them
and with this
view
to restrain them from their evil purposes and doings
and to weaken their
pride and humble them
and preserve them from ruin
Job 33:14; and
sometimes by chastening and afflictive providences
which are described
Job 33:19; and
which become teaching ones; through the interposition of a divine messenger
and upon the afflicted man's prayer to God
and humiliation before him
God is
gracious and favourable to him
and delivers him; which is frequently the
design and the use that he makes of chastening dispensations
Job 33:23; and the
chapter is concluded with beseeching Job to mark and consider well what had
been said unto him
and to answer it if he could or thought fit; if not
silently to attend to what he had further to say to him for his instruction
Job 33:31.
Job 33:1 “But
please
Job
hear my speech
And listen to all my words.
YLT
1And yet
I pray thee
O
Job
Hear my speech and [to] all my words give ear.
Wherefore
Job
I pray thee
hear my speeches
.... In the
preceding chapter
Elihu directed his discourse to the three friends of Job
chiefly
here to Job himself
and that by name; which none of his friends in
all their discourses ever used; and in an humble suppliant manner entreats his
attention to what he was about to deliver
and that for reasons which his
address to his friends could furnish him with; and hence begins his speech with
"wherefore"
seeing he took not the part of his three friends
but
blamed them; and because he had the Spirit of God in him
and was full of
matter
and uneasy until he had vented it; and which he proposed to deliver in
a plain and faithful manner
with sincerity and without flattery; on all which
accounts be beseeches him to give him a diligent and attentive hearing:
and hearken to all my words; not to some of them
only
but to all; he bespeaks his candid and constant attention
that he would
hear him out
all that he had to say
with patience
and without interruption;
and then judge of the truth
force
and pertinency of them; which he would not
so well be able to do
unless he heard them all; for sometimes the proof
the
evidence
and demonstration of a thing depends not on a single argument
but
upon many put together; each of them alone being insufficient
at least may
appear so
when all considered together give full satisfaction.
Job 33:2 2 Now
I open my mouth; My
tongue speaks in my mouth.
YLT
2Lo
I pray thee
I have
opened my mouth
My tongue hath spoken in the palate.
Behold
now I have opened my mouth
.... Begun to speak in
order to give vent to the fulness of matter within him
which made him
like bottles
of new wine
ready to burst; and since he had opened his lips
that he might
speak and be refreshed
he desires Job to listen to him
and offers same things
to his consideration to induce him to it:
my tongue hath spoken in my mouth: but does not every man's
tongue speak in his mouth when he speaks? is there anything singular and
peculiar in this
that can excite attention? it may be rendered
"in my
palate"F4בחכי "in palato
meo"
Pagninus
Montanus
Tigurine version
Beza
Schultens; so Mr.
Broughton. ; which
as it is an instrument of speech
so of tasting and trying
food
see Job 6:30; and
Elihu's sense is
that he had thoroughly considered what he should say
he had
well weighed what he should speak
and should not deliver anything raw
crude
and undigested; he had palated his words
in order to discern whether there was
anything in them perverse or not.
Job 33:3 3 My words come from
my upright heart; My lips utter pure knowledge.
YLT
3Of the uprightness of my
heart [are] my sayings
And knowledge have my lips clearly spoken.
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart
.... Not that
the uprightness of his heart
or his own personal integrity
should be the
subject of his discourse; but what he should say would be in or out of the
uprightness of his heart
with all sincerity and faithfulness; what would be
the real sentiments of his mind
and not proceed from a double or insincere
heart:
and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly; what
knowledge he had of God
and of the perfections of his nature
and of his works
in nature and grace
and of his dealings in a providential way with the sons of
men; and what knowledge he had of Christ
his person
office
and grace
somewhat of which speaks in this chapter; and such sort of knowledge is to be
uttered
to be published
and made known to the good of others; and not to be
concealed
and hid
or held
as in a prison
in unrighteousness; and to be
uttered clearly
plainly
and distinctly
in words intelligible
and easy to be
understood; and not in ambiguous terms
or in words of a double meaning; or
which are abstruse and intricate
and serve rather to make the mysteries of
Providence and grace more dark and obscure than to explain them; integrity of
heart
and perspicuity of language
serve much to recommend a speaker
and both
are expressed in this verse.
Job 33:4 4 The Spirit of God has made
me
And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.
YLT
4The Spirit of God hath made
me
And the breath of the Mighty doth quicken me.
The Spirit of God hath made me
.... As a man; so every
man is made by God
and not by himself; Father
Son
and Spirit
are his Makers
or Creators
as we read of them in the plural number
Psalm 149:2; and
this is a proof of the deity of the Spirit
who was not only concerned in the
creation of all things
garnishing the heavens
and moving upon the face of the
waters on the earth; but in the formation of man:
and the breath of the mighty hath given me life; the same with
the Spirit of God
the allusion is to the creation of man at first
when God
breathed into him the breath of life
and he became a living soul: life natural
is from God
he is the God of our life
he gives all the mercies of life
and
by him is this life preserved; and the whole is the effect of almighty power:
now this is observed by Elihu to Job
to encourage him to attend to him without
fear
since he was a man
a creature of God
as he was: it may be understood of
his spiritual formation
the Spirit of God remakes men
or makes them new men
new creatures; this is done in regeneration
which is the work of the Holy
Spirit; hence regeneration
and renewing of the Holy Ghost
are put together;
and being a work of almighty power
is proof of the deity of the Spirit of God;
it is he that quickens men when dead in trespasses and sins
and makes them
alive to God; which appears by their spiritual breathings after divine things
and by the exercise of their spiritual senses
and by their performance of
spiritual actions; and now Elihu
being a man regenerated and quickened by the
Spirit
might more justly claim the attention of Job
since what he should say
was what he had heard
felt
and seen
as good man
one that had an experience
of divine and spiritual things.
Job 33:5 5 If you can answer me
Set your
words in order before me; Take your stand.
YLT
5If thou art able -- answer
me
Set in array before me -- station thyself.
If thou canst answer me
.... That is
when he had
done speaking
after he had heard him out; if he thought he could make a reply
to him
he gave him full liberty so to do
and tacitly suggests that he should give
him an attentive and candid hearing
as he had requested of him:
set thy words in order before me; put them into
the best form and order thou canst for thy self-defence
and level them at me;
set them
as it were
in battle array against me; give them all the poignancy
strength
and three thou art capable of:
stand up; not out of veneration to him
but to denote freedom and boldness
in himself; a presentation of himself with boldness
and standing and keeping
his ground: the expressions are military; Mr. Broughton renders it
"stand
to it".
Job 33:6 6 Truly I am as your
spokesman[a] before
God; I also have been formed out of clay.
YLT
6Lo
I [am]
according to
thy word
for God
From the clay I -- I also
have been formed.
Behold
I am according to thy wish in God's stead
.... So some
persons are
as civil magistrates
the ministers of the word
the prophets of
the Old Testament
and the apostles of the New; see 2 Corinthians 5:20;
and so in some sense was Elihu; he undertakes to be an advocate for God
to
vindicate his justice in his dealings with the children of men
and clear him
from the charge of severity towards them
and hard usage of them
and
particularly Job; and whom he besought
as in God's stead
to be reconciled to
his providential dealings with him; to bear his afflictions patiently
and wait
the issue of them: or "I am as thou art"; so the Targum and Ben
Gersom interpret it; one that belongs to God
a creature of God's
a sinful
frail mortal creature
as Job was
and accountable to God; one that belonged to
him both as the God of nature and providence
and of grace; and such an one Job
seemed to have wished for
to dispute the point in question with; see Job 9:32;
I also am formed out of the clay; or "cut out"F5קרצתי "excisus"
Montanus
Munster
Mercerus
Cocceius
Michaelis. of it; alluding to the potter
who
out of a mass or lump
of clay before him
cuts a piece out of it to make a vessel of God is the
potter
men are as clay in his hands
their bodies are bodies of clay
houses
of clay
which have their foundation in the dust; reference may be had to the
original formation of man
Genesis 2:7
and
may denote not so
much the pollution of his nature
clay being defiling
but
the frailty of man
a vessel made of clay being brittle
and easily broken; see
Job 4:19
Isaiah 64:8.
Job 33:7 7 Surely no fear of me will
terrify you
Nor will my hand be heavy on you.
YLT
7Lo
my terror doth not
frighten thee
And my burden on thee is not heavy.
Behold
my terror shall not make thee afraid
.... To come
near
join issue in a debate
and speak freely; this Job had wished for
and
desired of God that his fear might not terrify him
and his dread not make him
afraid
and then he could talk and reason freely with him
Job 9:34; now Job
had nothing to fear from Elihu
he was a man and not God
with whom there was
no terrible majesty
as with God; he was but a clod of clay
and had nothing in
him or about him to strike terror into him; he was no great personage
as a
king or prince
nor in any civil authority
nor had so much as age to command
an awe
much less could inject dread and terror:
neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee; which is not
to be literally understood; Job could be in no fear of that
nor Elihu guilty
of such rudeness; but figuratively
that he should not seek to afflict and
distress him
or add to his affliction
and make it heavier
by hard words
severe reflections
and cruel reproaches; he seems to refer to Job 13:21; the
Targum is
"my
burden upon time shall not be heavy;'
he
promises not to aggravate things
but make them as easy as they would admit of.
Job 33:8 8 “Surely you have spoken in
my hearing
And I have heard the sound of your words
saying
YLT
8Surely -- thou hast said in
mine ears
And the sounds of words I hear:
Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing
.... After the
above preface
Elihu proceeds to the point in hand
and enters a charge against
Job; which he took up
not upon suspicion and surmisings
nor upon report
nor
upon accusations received from others
but what he had heard with his own ears
unless he was greatly mistaken indeed
which he thought he was not:
and I have heard the voice of thy words; the sound of
them
clearly and distinctly
and took in the sense of them
as he really
believed:
saying; as follows.
Job 33:9 9 ‘I am pure
without
transgression; I am innocent
and there is no iniquity in me.
YLT
9`Pure [am] I
without
transgression
Innocent [am] I
and I have no iniquity.
I am clean without transgression
.... This with what
follows is supposed to be gathered from Job 10:6; for this
is nowhere said by Job in express words; though I rather think
since Elihu so
peremptorily affirms that they were spoken in his hearing
that these words and
the following did drop from Job's lips
in the controversy with his friends
though not recorded; for we are not to suppose that everything that was said on
both sides is preserved
only so much as the Holy Ghost thought fit should be:
no man is naturally clean
or free from sin; man came clean out of the hands of
God
by sin is become unclean. This impurity is propagated by natural
generation
and is in all without exception. Job expresses himself clearly on
this point
and agreeably to it
Job 14:4; nor is
any man clean by and of himself
or through anything he is capable of doing
in
a moral
ceremonial
or evangelic sense
to make himself clean; as by moral
actions
by ceremonial ablutions and sacrifices
or by submission to evangelic
ordinances
or even by his own tears
repentance
and humiliation. Job seemed
clearly and fully sensible of this
Job 9:30; see Proverbs 20:9; yet
there are some persons that are clean through the blood of Christ
in which
they are washed
and which cleanses from all sin; and through the righteousness
of Christ imputed to them
in which they appear without spot or wrinkle
or any
such thing; and through the sentence of justification pronounced on them
by
which word spoken they are all clean; and through the grace of God bestowed on
them
the clean water that is sprinkled upon them
by which they are cleansed
from all filthiness
and hence said to have clean hearts and clean hands; and
if Job meant it in this sense
as he had knowledge of his living Redeemer
he
no doubt was such an one
Job 19:25
but not
"without transgression": without transgression imputed he was
and
such are all they whose persons are justified
and their sins pardoned; to
those God does not impute sin
Psalm 32:1; but
they are not without the being nor commission of sin; for no man
even the best
of men
are clear of it in this sense. Job might be free from the grosser sins
of life
but not from indwelling sin
and the actings of it; we find him
confessing sin
and disclaiming perfection
Job 7:20;
I am innocent; so he was
as to the
charges brought against him by his friends
or the things it was insinuated he
was guilty of
as hypocrisy
&c. or as to doing any injury to the persons
and properties of men
or with respect to gross enormities
from which he had
sufficiently cleared himself in Job 31:1; but not
so innocent as to be free from all sin
as Adam was in his state of innocence
which is contrary to his own declarations in the passages before referred to;
some
as Aben Ezra observes
interpret the word "covered"F6חף "tectus"
Montanus
Bolducius.
and as having
the same sense with Psalm 32:1; and in
which sense it was true of Job
that his iniquities were covered; and others of
his being covered with righteousness
with civil righteousness
as in Job 29:14; which
was true of the exercise of it; and in an evangelic sense he was covered with
the justifying righteousness of Christ; the Targum renders the word
"washed"
as he was in a spiritual sense. Jarchi interprets it
"wiped" or "rubbed"
and others combed and brushed
and so
"neat" and "clean"
which is the sense of several versionsF7"Mundus"
Beza; "nitidus"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator;
"tersus"
Codurcus
Cocceius. :
neither is there iniquity in me; in a Gospel
sense there is none in believers in Christ; their iniquities being removed from
them to him
and are done away and made an end of by him; nor are they to be
seen with the eye of vindictive justice; God has cast them behind his back
and
into the depths of the sea
never to be seen more; but then there is iniquity
in them
as considered in themselves; for men to say they have none shows pride
and ignorance
and is inconsistent with the truth of grace. If Job is to
understood in these expressions in an evangelical sense
or with respect to the
grossest sins of life
or a vicious course of life (and indeed in no other
sense can he well be understood
consistent with himself)
he is not to be
blamed for what he said
and I apprehend that Elihu does not blame him for
saying these things in his own defence; but for insisting so much and so long
upon his innocence and purity
and unspotted life; and especially for joining
with it undue and unbecoming reflections on the Lord
for afflicting a person
so holy and righteous
as follows.
Job 33:10 10 Yet He finds occasions
against me
He counts me as His enemy;
YLT
10Lo
occasions against me He
doth find
He doth reckon me for an enemy to Him
Behold
he findeth occasions against me
.... That is
sought in order to find them; so Job in some places suggests
that God inquired
after his sins
and sought diligently after them
that he might have something
to bring against him; and because he could not find great sins
gross
enormities
he sought after lesser sins; so some render the word
"staggerings"
"totterings"F8תנואות
"vacillationes"
Cocceius; "aut mutationes"
Michaelis. ;
frailties
failings
and infirmities; and because he could find none of late of
a very heinous nature
he went back as far as the sins of his youth; see Job 10:6; and this
in order to pick a quarrel with him; and so Mr. Broughton renders the words
"lo
he picketh quarrels against me"; or that he might have just
reason to depart from him
or to break from him
or to break off friendship
with him
or to break him to pieces in his estate
family
and health; all
which senses some observe the words will bear: but it would be needless for God
to seek in order to find occasions against men; there is enough ready at hand
the sins that are about them; and to represent the Lord as dealing thus with
good men is to represent him as acting contrary to the declarations and methods
of his grace; yea
as doing what wicked men do to good men
as the enemies of
David
Daniel
and Jeremiah
did to them; nay
even as Satan himself does
who
goes about and seeks for
and picks up accusations against the saints; this
must be owned to be a very irreverent and unbecoming expression of Job's
and
for which he deserved to be sharply rebuked
as well as for some following
ones
and for which he afterwards was thoroughly humbled:
he counteth me for his enemy; this he had often said
but very wrongly; See Gill on Job 13:24
and See
Gill on Job 16:9
and See
Gill on Job 19:11.
Job 33:11 11 He puts my feet in the
stocks
He watches all my paths.’
YLT
11He doth put in the stocks
my feet
He doth watch all my paths.'
He putteth my feet in the stocks
.... This also he had
said
Job 13:27; by which
he would suggest not only that his afflictions were painful and disgraceful
and from which he could not extricate himself
being close fettered by them;
but that they were inflicted on him as punishments
and he was treated as a
criminal
as a malefactor
who had been guilty of some notorious breach of the
law:
he marketh all my paths; looked narrowly at them
numbered and counted them; this also he had said
Job 13:27; meaning
not only his natural and civil paths and steps
but his moral ones
that he
could not step the least awry
but presently it was marked and observed
Job 10:14; but
though God does take notice of the sins of his people
and chastises them for
them
yet he does not mark them in strict justice
for
should he
they could
not stand before him
Psalm 130:3.
Job 33:12 12 “Look
in this you
are not righteous. I will answer you
For God is greater than man.
YLT
12Lo
[in] this thou hast not
been righteous
I answer thee
that greater is God than man.
Behold
in this thou art not just
.... Here
begins Elihu's answer
who does not deny that Job was a just man
both before
God in an evangelic sense
and before men in a moral sense; he did not go about
to detract from Job's general character
as a man that lived soberly
righteously
and godly in the world; but in this he was not just
nor is it to
be justified
with respect to this thing
he could not acquit him of doing what
was wrong; namely
insisting so much on his own innocence
and tacking
therewith such unbecoming and undue reflections on the dealings of God with
him; he did not give to God his due
he did not do him justice in representing
him in this light; he did not say nor do the right thing
so Mr. Broughton
translates the words
"lo
here thou art not in the right;'
see
Job 32:2;
I will answer thee; or "I must tell thee"; as the
same writer renders the words
being able to make it clear and plain:
that God is greater than man: than any man
than the
greatest of men
most famous for power
wisdom
or justice; he is not only
greater in his power
faithfulness
goodness
grace
and mercy
but in his
holiness and righteousness
wisdom and knowledge; and therefore can never do
either an unjust thing
or an unwise one; and for man
who is both sinful and
ignorant
even the best in comparison of him
to arraign him at his bar
is
very arrogant and presumptuous; since he knows best what to do
and what are
his reasons for so doing
and is righteous in all his ways
and holy in all his
works.
Job 33:13 13 Why do you contend with
Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words.
YLT
13Wherefore against Him hast
thou striven
When [for] all His matters He answereth not?
Why dost thou strive against him?.... A creature against
the Creator
a man against his Maker
the clay against the potter; how absurd
and stupid is this! and a piece of weakness and folly it was in him to desire
to litigate the point with God
and dispute with him
as he often did
when men
cannot answer him one of a thousand
as he himself owned
Job 9:3; and very
sinful and criminal it is to chide with God
or complain of him
on account of
any of his dealings with the sons of men
as well as it is vain and fruitless:
for he giveth not account of any of his matters; he is a
sovereign Being
and does what he pleases in nature
providence
and grace
and
is not accountable to any for what he does; in things temporal
he does all
after the counsel of his will; he bestows riches and honours
wealth and
health
gifts of natural wisdom and knowledge on some
and withholds them from
others; and each of these are his own
and he may do with them as he pleases:
so likewise in things spiritual
he loves
chooses
redeems
regenerates
calls
by his grace
and brings to glory whom he thinks fit; the blessings of grace
and glory are his own
and he disposes of them as seems good in his sight; and
in all respects he acts according to his will in heaven and in earth; none can
stay his hand
or hinder him from doing his pleasure; and none ought to say to
him
what dost thou? or why dost thou thus? or
if they do
he is not obliged
to give any reasons for his so doing. Some take this to be the thing Job strove
and contended with God about
that he did not
and because he did not give an
account of all his matters
or answer all his words; and particularly he did
not show to him wherefore he contended with him; and others think the meaning
is
that God does not reveal all his secrets to men
but only as much as he
thinks fit to acquaint them with; secret things belong to him
and things
revealed to men; the secrets of his own nature
and the modes of subsistence of
the divine Persons in the Godhead
the secret reasons of divine predestination
of men to life or death
and of his dealings with men in a providential way
afflicting the righteous
and suffering the wicked to prosper.
Job 33:14 14 For God may speak in one
way
or in another
Yet man does not perceive it.
YLT
14For once doth God speak
and twice
(He doth not behold it.)
For God speaketh once
yea
twice
.... Or
"but God
speaketh"F9כי "sed"
Beza
Piscator. ; though he is not bound to give an account of his matters
and the
reasons of his proceedings in a way of providence or grace; yet such is his
condescension and goodness
that he makes use of various ways and means to make
known his mind and will in his dispensations
if men were but attentive to
them; he speaks once
in dreams and visions
as in Job 33:15; and
twice
or a second time
by chastisements
as in Job 33:18; or he
speaks frequently
again and again
see Psalm 62:11; gives
line upon line
and precept upon precept; if one way is without effect
he will
take another; and if one warning and admonition is not sufficient
he will give
another; so that though he is a sovereign Being
and not accountable to any
yet he does not act the unkind and unfriendly part Job had suggested:
yet man perceiveth it
not: the voice of God speaking in one way or another; hearkens not to
the admonition given in a dream or vision
nor hears the chastising rod
and
him that has appointed it; he is deaf to all instructions; he understands not
the mind and meaning of God in his dispensations; which is not owing to want of
means of knowledge
but to the blindness and ignorance of his mind
to dulness
of hearing
to negligence and inattention
and to the prevalence of sin and
corruption: the words
"yet man"
are a supplement to the text
and
not in it
and some versions are without it
and understand the whole of God
rendering the words thus
"God speaketh once
and a second time he does
not repeat it"; so the Vulgate Latin
Syriac
and Arabic versions: or
"does not revise it"
or "will not see it"F11ובשתים לא ישורנה
"secundo non revidet"
Schmidt & Maius apud Michaelis; "et
secunda vice non videbit illud"
Schultens. ; to which agrees the Targum
"and
a second time he needs not to look upon it;'
and
which rendering
as it suits with the context
so is more agreeable to the
accents; but is differently applied
by some to the sufficiency of the word of
God
that God has at once made known all truth
and there is no need to do it a
second time; but certain it is
that God did at sundry times
and in divers
manners
speak unto the fathers by the prophets; though indeed in these last
days he hath spoken at once all his mind and will by his Son
so that no future
revelation is to be expected; but though this is true now
it was not in the
times of Elihu: by others it is referred to God's dealings with a proud man
that calls him to an account for his actions
to whom he speaks once
and
reproves him for his boldness; but a second time he will not look at him
nor
bear his pride and insolence: and by others to the unalterable decrees and
purposes of God; what he has said or determined in his eternal mind is done at
once
and remains invariably fixed; he has no need to look over a second time
or revise his first thoughts and designs
or reconsider them
whether it is
proper to make any alteration in them or not
they are at once so wisely
formed; and he has all things before him in one view in his all comprehending
mind
so that there cannot possibly anything turn up unforeseen by him
to
hinder the execution of his purposes
or cause him to make any change in them;
no new thoughts
resolutions
or purposes
can arise in his mind
with whom
there is no variableness
nor shadow of turning. This agrees well with his
sovereignty
expressed in Job 33:13
and
carries in it a strong reason enforcing what is there said. Though some take
the meaning to be this
that God speaks once to a man
and admonishes and
reproves him as he used to do
in the way expressed in the following verse; and
if he regards it not
he do not speak to him a second time in that way
or no
more by words
but now by blows or chastisements.
Job 33:15 15 In a dream
in a vision of
the night
When deep sleep falls upon men
While slumbering on their beds
YLT
15In a dream -- a vision of
night
In the falling of deep sleep on men
In slumberings on a bed.
In a dream
in a vision of the night
.... That is
God speaks to men in this way
and which in those times was his most usual way;
see Job 4:12; sometimes
he spake to a prophet
a person in public office
and made known his mind and
will in this manner to him
that he might deliver it to others
Numbers 12:6; and
sometimes directly and immediately to persons themselves
as he did to
Abimelech and Laban
Genesis 20:3;
when deep sleep lieth upon men
in slumberings upon the bed; the former
denotes a fast
heavy
and sound sleep
when the senses are all locked up
and
there is not the least attention to any outward object; the latter a slight
sleep
when a man is between sleeping and waking; and now at such a time
when
he was laid on his bed in the night season
it was usual for God to come to him
in a visionary way
and impress things on his mind; when it was called off
front worldly and earthly thoughts and cares
and was calm and serene
and so
fit to receive what intimations and instructions might be given this way; see Psalm 4:4. Job had
his dreams and night visions
though he seems not to have had any benefit by
them
or to have understood them
but was scared and terrified with them
Job 7:14; to which
Elihu may have some respect.
Job 33:16 16 Then He opens the ears of
men
And seals their instruction.
YLT
16Then He uncovereth the ear
of men
And for their instruction sealeth:
Then he openeth the ears of men
.... Not the ears of his
body
which remaining shut while things are presented to his mind in a dream or
vision
but his internal ears; it is the same with opening the heart or
understanding to attend to and receive the things delivered in this visionary
way:
and sealeth their instruction; sends home the
instruction given in this manner
and imprints it upon the mind
so that it is
well remembered when awake
not only the dreams themselves
but the lessons
taught and learnt there
as may be observed in the cases of Abimelech and
Laban
Genesis 20:3; the
word signifies "chastisement"F12במסרם
"disciplinam eorum"
Tigurine version; "castigationem
eorum"
Beza
Vatablus
Drusius
Mercerus
Piscator
Michaelis
Schultens.
as well as instruction
that being one way in which God teaches and instructs
men
Psalm 94:12; and so
the sense may be
that God in a dream or vision makes it known to men
that if
they regard not what he says to them
and repent not of their evils
and turn
from them
he will correct and chastise them
and this he assures them of; and
they may look for the certain performance of it
that he will visit their
transgressions with a rod
and their iniquities with stripes; things that are
sealed being sure and firm. Mr. Broughton renders the words
"and imprints
why they are chastised."
Job 33:17 17 In order to turn man from
his deed
And conceal pride from man
YLT
17To turn aside man [from]
doing
And pride from man He concealeth.
That he may withdraw a man from his purpose
.... Or
"work"F13מעשה "opere"
Pagninus
Montanus
Mercerus
&c.
his wicked work
as the Targum; either
which he has begun upon
or which he designed to do. Thus Abimelech and Laban
were restrained from their intentions by a divine admonition in a dream
the one
from taking Abraham's wife
as he intended
and the other from doing harm to
Jacob
which he designed:
and hide pride from man; by pardoning his sins
in which there is always pride
so some; pardon of sin being expressed by
covering it
Psalm 32:1; or
rather by repressing
weakening
and preventing it; and that by not suffering
vain and proud men to perform their enterprises
but obliging them to submit to
the will of God
and humble themselves under his mighty hand. These are the
ends proposed
and which are effected through the Lord speaking to men in
dreams
opening their ears
and sending instructions to them; and others also
for their good follow.
Job 33:18 18 He keeps back his soul
from the Pit
And his life from perishing by the sword.
YLT
18He keepeth back his soul
from corruption
And his life from passing away by a dart.
He keepeth back his soul from the pit
.... Or
"that he may keep back"F14יחשך
"ut prohibeat"
Mercerus
Piscator. ; for this is another end and use
of God's speaking unto men; it is to preserve them for the present from going
down to the grave
the pit of corruption and destruction; so called because the
bodies of men
being there laid
corrupt
and are entirely destroyed by worms
and turn to rottenness and dust; and to preserve them from the bottomless pit
of everlasting ruin and destruction; for the Lord's people are reproved by him
that they may not be condemned with the world
1 Corinthians 11:32;
and his life from perishing by the sword; by the sword
of men
which is one of God's sore judgments; or by the sword of the civil
magistrate
the man spoken to being warned of God of committing these sins
which would bring him into the hands of such; or by the sword of divine
justice; Jarchi interprets it of the sword of the angel of death; the word
signifies a missive weapon
as a dart; so Mr. Broughton renders the words
"and his life from going on the dart": or
as another version has it
"lest it should go on under the cast of darts"F15Tigurine
version. ; the darts of an enemy in war
or the fiery darts of Satan
Ephesians 6:16.
Job 33:19 19 “Man is also
chastened with pain on his bed
And with strong pain in many of his
bones
YLT
19And he hath been reproved
With pain on his bed
And the strife of his bones [is] enduring.
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed
.... This
seems to be another way
in which God
according to his eternal purposes
speaks unto men
as the word "also" intimates; namely
by
afflictions
and sometimes painful ones; which have a voice in them
and men of
wisdom will hearken to it
Micah 6:9. Pain
here signifies not pain of the mind
or a wounded spirit
which is very
afflicting
distressing
and intolerable; but pain of the body
as the next
clause shows; and this endured on the bed
it being so great as to confine a
man to his bed
or is what he felt there
where he might hope for ease and
rest; see Job 7:13;
and the multitude of his bones with strong pain; not with a
slight one
but a very strong one
such as those felt who gnawed their tongues
for pain
Revelation 16:10.
Jarchi interprets it
the multitude of his bones
which are strong; though they
are hardy and strong
yet filled with exquisite pain; and not one
or a few of
them
but a multitude of them
as there are a multitude of them in a man's
body; even all of them
as Hezekiah complains
which must be very excruciating
indeed
Isaiah 38:13; and
which was Job's case; not only his flesh was in pain
through the sores and
ulcers upon him
but his bones were pierced in him
and his sinews had no rest
and he was full of tossings to and fro
Job 7:3; and in
this way he was
as other good men are
reproved and chastened by the Lord; and
in which way he had spoke to him
as he does to others
and which should be
attended to; and since such painful afflictions are but fatherly chastisements
they should be patiently endured
and the voice of God in them listened to
and
before long there will be no more pain: the "Cetib"
or textual
writing
is
"the contention of his bones is strong"; through pain
or with which God contends with men; we follow the marginal reading.
Job 33:20 20 So that his life abhors
bread
And his soul succulent food.
YLT
20And his life hath nauseated
bread
And his soul desirable food.
So that his life abhorreth bread
.... Through the force of
pain he loses his appetite for food
and even a nausea of it takes place; he
loathes it as the most abominable and filthy thing that can be thought of; even
bread
so necessary to the support of human life
so strengthening to the heart
of man
and what he every day stands in need of
and should pray for
and in
health is never weary of; it may be put for all common and useful food:
and his soul dainty meat; the most rich and
delicious; such as the tables of the great and rich are furnished with:
"food of desire"F16מאכל תאוה "cibum desiderii"
Vatablus
Drusius
Michaelis; "cibum appetentiae"
Mercerus. ; or desirable food
as it
may be rendered; see Daniel 10:3; such
as in the time of health the appetite craves and desires
and is fed on with
delight and pleasure
but now had in the utmost aversion. Pains and diseases of
body often produce such a nausea in men
Psalm 107:17
and
was Job's case
Job 3:24.
Job 33:21 21 His flesh wastes away from
sight
And his bones stick out which once were not seen.
YLT
21His flesh is consumed from
being seen
And high are his bones
they were not seen!
His flesh is consumed away
that it cannot be seen
.... All being
gone
none left to be seen
nothing but skin and bones; and this partly through
the vehemence of strong pain
and partly through the nausea of food; not being
able to take anything for nourishment and the support of the fluids
and so
quite emaciated:
and his bones that were not seen stick out: which before
were covered with flesh and fat
so that they could not be seen; but now the
flesh and fat being wasted
they seem as if they rose up in an eminence
and
stood out to be beheld; this was also Job's case
being reduced to a mere
skeleton
Job 19:20. Elihu
in this description of an afflicted man
seems to have Job chiefly in view
and
by this would intimate to him that God had been
and was speaking to him by
those afflictions
which he would do well to advert unto.
Job 33:22 22 Yes
his soul draws near
the Pit
And his life to the executioners.
YLT
22And draw near to the pit
doth his soul
And his life to those causing death.
Yea
his soul draweth near unto the grave
.... Not the
soul
strictly and properly speaking
for that does not
nor is it laid in the
grave at death
but returns to God that gave it; rather the body
for which it
is sometimes put
and of which what is here said is true
see Psalm 16:10; or the
person of the sick man
whose disease being so threatening
all hope is gone
and he is given up by his physicians and friends
and seemingly is at the
grave's mouth
and that is ready for him
and he on the brink of that; which
were the apprehensions Job had of himself
Job 17:1; see Psalm 88:3;
and his life to the destroyers; the destroying angels
as Aben Ezra
and so the Septuagint version: or destroying diseases
and so Mr.
Broughton renders it
"to killing maladies"; or it may be to worms
which destroy the body in the grave
and which Job was sensible of would
quickly be his case
Job 19:26; though
some interpret it of those that kill
or of those that are dead
with whom they
are laid that die; or of deaths corporeal and eternal
and the horrors and
terrors of both
with which persons in such circumstances are sometimes
distressed.
Job 33:23 23 “If there is a messenger
for him
A mediator
one among a thousand
To show man His uprightness
YLT
23If there is by him a
messenger
An interpreter -- one of a thousand
To declare for man his
uprightness:
If there be a messenger with him
.... Or angel
either
with God
as some think; or rather with the sick man; by which messenger is
meant not an angel by nature
a created angel
though sometimes such are God's
messengers
sent by him on errands to men
are interpreters of things to them
as Gabriel was to Daniel; of whom there are thousands
and who may be of
service to sick men for their comfort and instruction
since it is certain they
attend saints in their dying moments; yet this proves not that they are to be
invoked as mediators between God and men: but rather a minister of the word is
designed
who is by office an angel
a "messenger" of Christ
and of
the churches; an "interpreter" of the Scriptures
and of the mind of
God in them; and a spiritual
evangelical
faithful minister
is scarce and
rare
one among a thousand; and his business is to visit sick persons
and to
observe the "uprightness" and faithfulness of God in afflicting them
that they may quietly submit to and patiently bear the affliction; and to
direct them for their peace and comfort to the uprightness or righteousness of
Christ
for their justification before God; and to show them what is right for
them to do in their present circumstances; whether the sick man be stupid and
insensible of his case
and his need of righteousness
or whether he be a truly
gracious man
yet labouring under doubts and fears about the truth of grace in
him
the uprightness of his heart
and his interest in the righteousness of
Christ: but it seems best to understand this of Christ himself
the angel of
God's presence
the messenger of the covenant
who is with the sick man
and
favours him with his spiritual presence; or is "for him"F17עליו "pro eo"
V. L. Pagninus
Mercerus. as it
may be rendered
is on his side
an advocate and intercessor for him with God;
an interpreter of his Father's mind
and with which he is
long acquainted
he lying in his bosom; and of the sacred Scriptures
as he was
to his disciples concerning himself; or an "orator"F18מליץ "eloquens"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"orator"
Tigurine version
Bolducius.
an eloquent one
never man
spake like him
having the tongue of the learned given him as man; and who as a
divine Person is the eternal and essential Word of God; who spake for his
people in the council of peace and covenant of grace; and also as Mediator is
the antitypical Aaron
can speak well for them on all occasions:
one among a thousand: the chiefest among ten
thousand
angels or men; see Song of Solomon 5:10;
to show unto man his uprightness; which to do is his
office as Mediator
and especially as a prophet
even to show the uprightness
of God
the rectitude of his nature
the righteousness required in his holy
law; and this Christ has shown forth and declared in his being the propitiation
for the sins of his people
Romans 3:25; by his
Spirit he shows to man
and so to a sick man
his want of uprightness in
himself
his need of righteousness from another; and brings it near him
and
shows it to be perfect
complete
and suitable; as well as teaches to live
soberly
righteously
and godly.
Job 33:24 24 Then He is gracious to
him
and says
‘Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom’;
YLT
24Then He doth favour him and
saith
`Ransom him from going down to the pit
I have found an atonement.'
Then he is gracious to him
.... To the sick man;
either the messenger or the minister that is with him
who pities his case and
prays for him; and by some the following words are supposed to be a prayer of
his
"deliver me"
&c. since one find in the Gospel there is a
ransom for such persons. Rather Christ
who is gracious to man
as appears by
his assumption of their nature and becoming a ransom for them
and who upon the
foot of redemption which he has "found" or obtained
see Hebrews 9:12;
pleads for the present comfort and future happiness of his people
in such
language as after expressed
"deliver him"
&c. Or rather God the
Father is gracious to the sick man for his Son's sake
and saith
deliver him from going down to the pit; addressing
either the disease
so Mr. Broughton renders the word
"spare him (O
killing malady) from descending into the pit"
the grave
for the present
his disease threatened him with. Or the minister of the word attending the sick
man
who is bid to declare to him
as Nathan to David
and Isaiah to Hezekiah
that he should live longer
and not die for the present: or rather the address
is to law and justice
to let the redeemed of the Lord go free
and
particularly the sick man being one of them; and not thrust him down into the
bottomless pit of everlasting ruin and destruction
for the reason following:
I have found a ransom; which is no other than
Christ the Son of God; whom Jehovah
in his infinite wisdom
found out and
settled upon to be the ransomer of his people; to which he agreed
and in the
fulness of time came to give his life a ransom for many
and for whom he has
given himself as a ransom price
which has been testified in due time: and this
ransom is for all the elect of God
and is of them from sin
Satan
law
hell
and death; and the finding of it is not of man
nor is the scheme of
propitiation
peace and reconciliation by Christ
or of atonement and
satisfactionF19כפר
"propitiationem"
Beza
Pagninus
Montanus
Munster
Bolducius
Vatablus; "expiationem"
Tigurine version; "lytrum"
Cocceius; "satisfactionem"
Schmidt. by the sacrifice of Christ
as
the word here used signifies
an invention of men; but is the effect of
infinite wisdom
and a scheme drawn in the eternal mind
and formed in Christ
from everlasting; see 2 Corinthians 5:19.
Some take these words to be spoken by the Father to the Son
upon his
appointment and agreement to be the ransomer and Redeemer
saying
"go
redeem him"
&c. for so the wordsF20פדעהו
"redime eum"
Pagninus
Montanus &c. may be rendered; and others
think they are the words of the Son the messenger to his Father
the advocate
with him for his people
as before observed.
Job 33:25 25 His flesh shall be young
like a child’s
He shall return to the days of his youth.
YLT
25Fresher [is] his flesh than
a child's
He returneth to the days of his youth.
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's
.... Being
recovered from illness and restored to health
through the gracious dealings of
God with him. This is to be understood not simply and absolutely
but
comparatively
or with respect to his former condition; that he
who before was
reduced to skin and bone
is now become fat and plump; and whose flesh was dry
and withered
now moist
succulent
and juicy; and whose skin was wrinkled
now
soft and smooth
and sleek; and whose face was pale
now bloomy and ruddy. The
Targum is
"his
flesh is weakened more than a child
'
and
the Vulgate Latin
"is
consumed
'
referring
to his former state:
he shall return to the days of his youth. His youth
renewed
and he seem young again; become hale and robust as in his youthful
days; see Psalm 103:5.
Job 33:26 26 He shall pray to God
and
He will delight in him
He shall see His face with joy
For He restores to man
His righteousness.
YLT
26He maketh supplication unto
God
And He accepteth him. And he seeth His face with shouting
And He
returneth to man His righteousness.
He shall pray unto God
.... As the former verse
expresses the condition of the body of the man recovered from sickness
this
the frame of his soul
and the spiritual blessings enjoyed by him: some
understand this of his praying in the time of his affliction
and consider it
as one means of his recovery; and indeed a time of affliction is a time for
prayer; and which brings a good man to it
who in health and prosperity has
been negligent of it; such an one will make his application to God for
deliverance
and not to the creature; and it is his mercy and privilege he has
a God to pray unto
who can and will help him. But according to the course and
connection of the words
it seems rather to respect what the good man would do
and the frame he would be in upon his recovery; who would entreat the Lord to
make him thankful the mercy received
and accept of his thanksgiving for the
same; that his affliction might appear to be sanctified unto him
and that he
is much the better for it
more holy and more humble; and that he would
manifest his pardoning grace to him for all the sins and transgressions he had
been guilty of
his murmurings and repinings
and everything else during his
affliction; and that he may make use of his health and strength given him in
the service of God
and for the glory of his name;
and he will be favourable to him; which
if understood of
the time of affliction
it may be interpreted of his laying no more on him than
he will enable him to bear
and supporting him under it; of granting his
gracious presence in it
and of his taking notice of him
visiting him
knowing
owning
and choosing him in the furnace of affliction
and manifesting
his care unto him; and of the deliverance of him out of it. But if it respects
the man as recovered out of affliction
it denotes further discoveries of the
special care and favour of God to him
which are very enlivening and
refreshing
strengthening and supporting; and of his gracious acceptance of his
person
and of his sacrifices of prayer
praise
and thanksgiving
through
Christ the Mediator and messenger of the covenant;
and he shall see his face with joy: that is
either God who
is favourable to him
he looks with a smiling countenance upon the man now
recovered
who before seemed to look upon him with frowns in his countenance
there being a change in the outward dispensations of his providence towards
him
though none in his heart: his countenance beholds the upright with
pleasure
whether they see it or not; he looks upon his people in Christ with
the utmost complacency and delight
and particularly when they come to him in
the exercise of grace
with their prayers
praises
and thanksgivings. Or the
man recovered from illness
God being favourable to him
he beholds the face of
God with joy
who perhaps had hid it from him in his affliction
which caused
trouble; but now showing his face and favour
it causes joy and exultation
even a jubilee in his soul. He beholds him in Christ as the God of grace and
peace; and through him can come to him
and look him in the face with comfort
and pleasure
as nothing is more delightful to him than the light of his
countenance;
for he will render unto man his righteousness: not the sick
man recovered render to another man what is his right and due
or what he may
have wronged him of; for which being reproved by the affliction
and convicted
of
is desirous of making restitution: but God
who will render
return
or
restore to the man recovered his righteousness
which is the foundation of his
joy; not render to him according to his own righteousness
as the Targum
which
would be but a poor recompense if strictly given; nor restore to him the
righteousness he lost in Adam
which is but a creature righteousness; but the
righteousness of Christ
as Mr. Broughton
which is the good man's or the
believer's in Christ
because wrought out for him
imputed to him
and bestowed
as a free gift on him. Now though this righteousness can never be lost
being
an everlasting one
yet a sense of interest in it may
which is returned
restored
and rendered to a man
when that righteousness is afresh revealed to
him from faith to faith; the consequence of which is peace and comfort
joy and
triumph.
Job 33:27 27 Then he looks at men and
says
‘I have sinned
and perverted what was right
And it did not
profit me.’
YLT
27He looketh on men
and
saith
`I sinned
And uprightness I have perverted
And it hath not been
profitable to me.
He looketh upon men
.... According to our
version
and other interpreters
the sense is
God looks upon men as he does on
all men in general
their ways and their works; and particularly he takes
notice of men under affliction
and observes how they behave; if they are
penitent and confess their sins
he restores them to health
and does them good
both in body and soul. But most carry the sense another way
and interpret it
of the sick man recovered
who looks upon his friends and relations about him
and any others that come within his reach; of he goes about them
as Aben Ezra explains
the word; or will accompany with men
as Mr. Broughton; or sets them in rows
as Gersom
in order
as at a levee
that he may the better address them; or he
shall direct himself to them
as the Targum; or shall sing over them or before
them
so SchultensF20ישר על "cantabit super vel coram"
Schultens. ; in a
joyful manner
in an exulting strain
express himself
as follows; for the
phrase
and if any sayF21ויאסר "et dicat"
V. L. Beza
Montanus
Mercerus
Michaelis
Schultens.
should be rendered
"and he shall say"; make the
following confession of his acknowledgment of the goodness of God unto him;
I have sinned; against God and man
and that has been the
cause of all my afflictions; I am now sensible of it
and ingenuously own it:
and perverted that which was right: have not done
that which is right in the sight of God
nor what is just and right between man
and man; have perverted the right ways of God
swerved from his commandments
and gone into crooked paths
with the workers of iniquity; and declined from
or perverted
justice and judgment among men;
and it profiteth me not; as sin does not in the
issue; though it promises profit and advantage
it does not yield it; but
on
the contrary
much harm and mischief come by it.
Job 33:28 28 He will redeem his[b] soul from
going down to the Pit
And his[c] life shall
see the light.
YLT
28He hath ransomed my soul
From going over into the pit
And my life on the light looketh.'
He will deliver his soul from going into the pit
.... Into the
pit of the grave; and then the soul is put for the man or for the body; or into
the pit of hell or perdition:
and his life shall see the light; or he shall live and
enjoy outward prosperity here
and the light of eternal happiness hereafter;
and so the Targum interprets it of superior light
or the light above
even the
inheritance of the saints in light. These words have a double reading; the
"Keri"
or marginal reading
is what we follow; but the
"Cetib"
or textual reading
is
"he hath delivered my soul from
going into the pit
and my life sees the light"; and which seems to be the
better reading; and so the words are a continuation of the address of the man
recovered from illness to his friends; setting forth and acknowledging
with
joy and thankfulness
the great goodness of God unto him
that he had delivered
him from the grave
and spared his life
and given him to enjoy great
prosperity
both temporal and spiritual.
Job 33:29 29 “Behold
God works all
these things
Twice
in fact
three times with a man
YLT
29Lo
all these doth God
work
Twice -- thrice with man
Lo
all these things worketh God oftentimes with man. This is a
summary or recapitulation of what goes before
from Job 33:15; God is
an operating Being
he is always at work in a providential way: "my father
worketh hitherto"
John 5:17;
sometimes on the minds of men in dreams and visions; and sometimes by
affliction; and sometimes by his prophets
messengers and ministers of the
word; he works with and by these
and all according to the internal workings
and actings of his mind
his eternal purposes and decrees
which are hereby
brought about: and these he works "oftentimes"
or
as in the
original
"twice"F23פעמים שלש "bis aut ter"
Tigurine version; "bis et
ter"
Beza; "bis
ter"
Mercerus
Cocceius. ; therefore when
once is not sufficient
he repeats it in dreams and visions; when men are not
admonished by one
he comes to them in another: and afflictions
when one does
not bring men to repentance
or answer a good purpose
he sends another; and
continues the ministry of the word
in which he waits to be gracious
till all
his people are brought to repentance
and all his ends answered by it: and all
this he works "with man"
his darling object
the special care of his
providence; and for whom his great concern is in redemption and salvation. He
works with men distributively considered
with various men
in the several ways
before expressed; and with men personally and individually; to one and the same
man he has often appeared in dreams and visions
and on the same person has
laid his afflicting hand again and again; and to the same individual has given
line upon line
and precept upon precept. And because this is certain and to be
depended upon as truth
and is worthy of notice and consideration
as well as
is very wonderful and astonishing
that God should thus be mindful of man
and
work with him and for him
"lo"
or "behold"
is prefixed
unto it: the ends for which all this is done follow.
Job 33:30 30 To bring back his soul
from the Pit
That he may be enlightened with the light of life.
YLT
30To bring back his soul from
the pit
To be enlightened with the light of the living.
To bring back his soul from the pit
.... From the pit of the
grave; at the mouth or on the brink of which he seemed to be in the
apprehension of his friends
and having the sentence of death in himself; see Psalm 90:3. Or
"to turn away"F24להשיב "ut
avertat"
Beza
Mercerus
Piscator
Michaelis
Schultens.
or "stay
his soul from the pit"
as Mr. Broughton; prevent his going into it by
removing his disorder
and restoring him to health
as in the case of Hezekiah
Isaiah 38:17. Or
figuratively
from the pit of an unregenerate state
which may be compared to a
pit or grave
because in it lie such who are dead in trespasses and sins; and
which is a pit of corruption
or a corrupt state: men in it are corrupt and
corrupters
corrupt both in principles and practices; and is an impure one
like to mire and clay; and a very uncomfortable one
a pit wherein is no water
no refreshment
no solid peace and comfort. In conversion
which sometimes is
brought about by the above means
afflictive providences
as well as by the
ministry of the word
souls are brought back from hence; are regenerated
quickened
and raised from the graves of sin
and live spiritually
as they are
also secured from going down into the pit of hell and everlasting destruction:
to be enlightened with the light of the living; in a natural
sense
to enjoy the light of living men
the light of the sun
and to live in
health and prosperity
which is called light in opposition to affliction and
adversity
expressed by darkness; see Esther 8:15
Isaiah 8:22. And in
a spiritual sense
to live a spiritual life
who before were dead in sin
to
live a life of faith on Christ as their righteousness
and to live a life of
holiness from him
and in newness of life to his honour and glory; and to have
spiritual light into their state by nature
and their recovery and salvation by
Christ; to see their need of him
his suitableness
worth
and excellency
and
to have a glimpse of eternal glory; as also hereafter to partake both of
eternal life and eternal light
called by our Lord "the light of
life"
John 8:12.
Job 33:31 31 “Give ear
Job
listen to
me; Hold your peace
and I will speak.
YLT
31Attend
O Job
hearken to
me
Keep silent
and I -- I do speak.
Mark well
O Job
.... Consider and weigh well what has been
said; or rather attend to what is further to be said:
hearken unto me; to what he was about to say; for he was full
of matter
and had not yet vented all he had to utter:
hold thy peace
and I will speak; be silent and do not
interrupt
and I will go on with my discourse.
Job 33:32 32 If you have anything to
say
answer me; Speak
for I desire to justify you.
YLT
32If there are words --
answer me
Speak
for I have a desire to justify thee.
If thou hast anything to say
answer me
.... Any thing
to object to what he had delivered
or any answer to return to what he had
charged him with:
speak
for I desire to justify thee. Elihu was a fair
antagonist
and gave free liberty
time and space
to make whatsoever reply he
thought fit
and which he should patiently and attentively hear: his view was
not victory
but that truth might come out
and take place and prevail
having
nothing more at heart than Job's good; and could wish it would appear that he
was in all respects a just man
and even in that in which he thought he was not
just; but could he fairly acquit himself it would be a pleasure to him.
Job 33:33 33 If not
listen to me; Hold
your peace
and I will teach you wisdom.”
YLT
33If there are not -- hearken
thou to me
Keep silent
and I teach thee wisdom.
If not
hearken to me
.... If he had no
objection to make
nor answer to return
then he desires he would attend and
listen to what he had further to lay before him:
hold thy peace
and I shall teach thee wisdom. For though
Job was a wise and good man
he might become wiser and more knowing; and indeed
when instruction is given to a wise man
he will be yet wiser
Proverbs 9:9; and
this may be received sometimes from persons inferior in age and abilities.
Elihu proposed to teach him
as he did
natural
moral
and evangelical wisdom
especially the wisdom of God in his providential dealings with men
and what is
man's highest wisdom under them; which is to be reconciled unto them
and
patiently to submit
and to fear the Lord
and be careful not to offend him
which
to do is wisdom and understanding.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)