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Job 33

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Elihu Appeals to Job 1–7

1
Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. ​
2
Behold, now I have opened my mouth, my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3
My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.
4
The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. ​
5
If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me, stand up.
6
Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay. ​
7
Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee.

Elihu Rebuts Job’s Claim of Innocence 8–11

8
Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing, and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, ​
9
I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. ​
10
Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy,
11
He putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

God’s Justice and Communication 12–18

12
Behold, in this thou art not just: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. ​
13
Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not account of any of his matters. ​
14
For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. ​
15
In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; ​
16
Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
17
That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. ​
18
He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

Suffering as a Means of Restoration 19–30

19
He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: ​
20
So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21
His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22
Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.
23
If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: ​
24
Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. ​
25
His flesh shall be fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:
26
He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness. ​
27
He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not; ​
28
He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29
Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,
30
To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

A Final Call for Response 31–33

31
Mark well, O Job, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I will speak. ​
32
If thou hast any thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to justify thee.
33
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Job 33

Verse 1

hear my speeches — Elihu turns from the three friends to Job himself, naming him here and again in v.31. ‘Hearken’ is azan, to give the ear. His anger had been kindled because Job ‘justified himself rather than God’ (32:2), and the speech that follows answers that charge.

Verse 4

The Spirit of God hath made me — ‘Spirit’ is ruach, breath or wind, and ‘breath’ is neshamah, the word of Gen 2:7, ‘breathed into his nostrils the breath of life’. Elihu had said the same in 32:8: ‘the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.’ It is the same breath Job names in 27:3.

Verse 6

formed out of the clay — ‘Formed’ is qarats, to pinch off, as a piece is nipped from a lump; the KJV renders it ‘wink’ in Ps 35:19. ‘According to thy wish’ is literally ‘according to thy mouth’. Job had said ‘thou hast made me as the clay’ (10:9) and asked that God’s dread not make him afraid (13:21).

Verse 8

I have heard the voice of thy words — Elihu repeats what Job said in his hearing, and vv.10–11 echo Job’s own complaints: ‘holdest me for thine enemy’ (13:24) and ‘Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks’ (13:27). ‘Voice’ is qol and ‘in mine hearing’ is literally ‘in mine ears’.

Verse 9

I am clean without transgression — ‘Clean’ is zak, the word for the ‘pure oil’ of the lamp (Ex 27:20). Job’s own words used it: ‘My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in thine eyes’ (11:4), ‘my prayer is pure’ (16:17). ‘Innocent’ is chaph, which the KJV prints nowhere else.

Verse 12

God is greater than man — ‘Not just’ is tsadaq, to be righteous, the verb behind the charge in 32:2 that Job ‘justified himself rather than God’. ‘Man’ is enosh, the mortal, set against eloah, God. He returns to the same ground in 36:26: ‘God is great, and we know him not’ (36:26).

Verse 13

he giveth not account — The Hebrew reads ‘he answereth not’ (anah) ‘any of his words’ (dabar). ‘Strive’ is rib, to contend, the verb of 40:2, ‘he that contendeth with the Almighty’. Paul states the same limit in Rom 9:20: ‘who art thou that repliest against God?’

Verse 14

God speaketh once, yea twice — The pairing of ‘once’ and ‘twice’ is found also in Ps 62:11, ‘God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this’. ‘Perceiveth’ is shur, to look at or regard, so man does not look. Vv.15–16 name one way God speaks; Heb 1:1 speaks of ‘divers manners’.

Verse 15

In a dream, in a vision of the night — ‘Deep sleep’ is tardemah, the sleep that fell on Adam (Gen 2:21) and on Abram (Gen 15:12). God spoke to Abimelech and Laban in dreams (Gen 20:3; 31:24). Elihu’s words nearly repeat Eliphaz’s in 4:13: ‘visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men’.

Verse 17

withdraw man from his purpose — ‘Purpose’ is ma’aseh, a man’s work or deed. ‘Pride’ is gevah, a lifting up, which the KJV prints only here, in Job 22:29 and in Jer 13:17. God’s words to Abimelech show the same end: ‘I also withheld thee from sinning against me’ (Gen 20:6).

Verse 19

chastened also with pain — ‘Chastened’ is yakach, to reprove or correct, the verb of ‘happy is the man whom God correcteth’ (5:17). ‘Pain’ is makob, the word of Isa 53:3, ‘a man of sorrows’. Heb 12:6 says the same of the Father’s dealing: ‘whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth’.

Verse 23

an interpreter, one among a thousand — ‘Messenger’ is mal’ak, the usual word for an angel. ‘Interpreter’ is luts, one who speaks between two parties, as in Joseph’s ‘interpreter’ (Gen 42:23) and Babylon’s ‘ambassadors’ (2 Chr 32:31). ‘One among a thousand’ marks how rare he is (compare Eccl 7:28).

Verse 24

I have found a ransom — Kopher, from the verb ‘to cover’; the same word is ‘pitch’ on the ark (Gen 6:14) and the ‘ransom for his soul’ given at the census (Ex 30:12). Ps 49:7 says no man can ‘give to God a ransom’ for another, but here it is found for him. ‘Pit’ (shachath) recurs in vv.18, 22, 28, 30.

Verse 26

see his face with joy — ‘Pray’ is athar, to entreat, as Isaac ‘intreated the LORD’ (Gen 25:21). ‘Joy’ is teruah, a shout, the word of ‘sacrifices of joy’ (Ps 27:6). To see his face recalls Ps 17:15, ‘I will behold thy face in righteousness’; ‘his righteousness’ (tsedaqah) is what God gives back.

Verse 27

I have sinned, and perverted that which was right — ‘Looketh upon’ is shur, the verb the KJV renders ‘perceiveth’ in v.14. ‘Perverted’ is avah, to make crooked, set against yashar, straight or ‘right’. The confession is David’s, ‘I have sinned against the LORD’ (2 Sam 12:13), and Prov 28:13 promises mercy to it.

Verse 31

hold thy peace, and I will speak — ‘Mark well’ is qashab, to prick up the ears; ‘hold thy peace’ is charash, to be silent. His purpose follows in v.32, ‘speak, for I desire to justify thee’, and v.33 repeats the call to silence. No reply from Job is recorded; 34:1 reads ‘Furthermore Elihu answered and said’.