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Job 34

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Elihu Appeals to the Wise 1–4

1
Furthermore Elihu answered and said,
2
Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
3
For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. ​
4
Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

Job's Words Are Condemned 5–9

5
For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment. ​
6
Should I lie against my right? my wound is incurable without transgression.
7
What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water?
8
Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.
9
For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God. ​

God Is Absolutely Righteous 10–15

10
Therefore hearken unto me, ye men of understanding: far be it from God, that he should do wickedness; and from the Almighty, that he should commit iniquity. ​
11
For the work of a man shall he render unto him, and cause every man to find according to his ways. ​
12
Yea, surely God will not do wickedly, neither will the Almighty pervert judgment.
13
Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world?
14
If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; ​
15
All flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.

God's Impartial Rule and Justice 16–30

16
If now thou hast understanding, hear this: hearken to the voice of my words.
17
Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? ​
18
Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?
19
How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all are the work of his hands. ​
20
In a moment shall they die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and pass away: and the mighty shall be taken away without hand.
21
For his eyes are upon the ways of man, and he seeth all his goings.
22
There is no darkness, nor shadow of death, where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves. ​
23
For he will not lay upon man more than right; that he should enter into judgment with God.
24
He shall break in pieces mighty men without number, and set others in their stead.
25
Therefore he knoweth their works, and he overturneth them in the night, so that they are destroyed.
26
He striketh them as wicked men in the open sight of others;
27
Because they turned back from him, and would not consider any of his ways:
28
So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.
29
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: ​
30
That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared. ​

A Call for Repentance 31–37

31
Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have borne chastisement, I will not offend any more: ​
32
That which I see not teach thou me: if I have done iniquity, I will do no more.
33
Should it be according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest. ​
34
Let men of understanding tell me, and let a wise man hearken unto me.
35
Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom. ​
36
My desire is that Job may be tried unto the end because of his answers for wicked men. ​
37
For he addeth rebellion unto his sin, he clappeth his hands among us, and multiplieth his words against God.

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

Study Notes for Job 34

Verse 3

the ear trieth words — Elihu uses Job’s own saying (12:11), ‘Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?’, as the rule for weighing what he says. ‘Trieth’ is bachan, the verb for testing metal. Heb 5:14 speaks of senses ‘exercised to discern both good and evil’.

Verse 5

God hath taken away my judgment — These are Job’s words in 27:2, ‘who hath taken away my judgment’, with the same verb sur, to turn aside or remove. ‘Judgment’ is mishpat, a verdict or a right. ‘I am righteous’ (tsadaq) is the claim Elihu answers in 33:12, ‘thou art not just’.

Verse 9

It profiteth a man nothing — ‘Profiteth’ is sakan, to be of use, the verb of Eliphaz’s ‘Can a man be profitable unto God?’ (22:2) and used again in 35:3. ‘Delight himself’ is ratsah, to be pleased with or to find favour. Mal 3:14 gives a similar charge: ‘It is vain to serve God’.

Verse 10

far be it from God — ‘Far be it’ is chalilah, a strong refusal found in Gen 18:25, ‘That be far from thee… Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ and in Job’s ‘God forbid’ (27:5). ‘Wickedness’ is resha and ‘iniquity’ evel, the word of Deut 32:4, ‘without iniquity, just and right is he’.

Verse 11

the work of a man shall he render — ‘Render’ is shalam, to repay or make whole, the verb returning in v.33. ‘Ways’ is orach, a trodden path. Ps 62:12 states the principle, ‘thou renderest to every man according to his work’, and Paul repeats it: ‘Who will render to every man according to his deeds’ (Rom 2:6).

Verse 14

his spirit and his breath — These are ruach and neshamah, the same two words as in 33:4. ‘Gather’ is asaph, to take in or take away. Ps 104:29 says it of every creature: ‘thou takest away their breath, they die, and return to their dust’. Life is the LORD’s to give and to take back.

Verse 17

him that is most just — ‘Govern’ is chabash, to bind up, here to hold under rule; ‘most just’ is tsaddiq kabbir, the righteous and mighty one. Elihu argues that one who hated right could not rule, and he who rules all is just, as Abraham held: ‘Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?’ (Gen 18:25).

Verse 19

accepteth not the persons of princes — Literally he does not ‘lift the face’ (nasa panim) of princes. ‘Rich’ is shoa, an opulent or noble man. The reason given, ‘they all are the work of his hands’, is that of Prov 22:2, ‘the LORD is the maker of them all’. Peter draws the same line: ‘God is no respecter of persons’ (Acts 10:34).

Verse 22

nor shadow of death — Tsalmaveth, deep darkness, a word Job used often, as of what God ‘bringeth out to light’ (12:22). No darkness hides ‘the workers of iniquity’ (pa’al aven). Heb 4:13 says it of every creature: ‘not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him’.

Verse 29

when he hideth his face — ‘Hideth his face’ (sathar panim) is the phrase Job used in 13:24, ‘Wherefore hidest thou thy face’. ‘Behold’ is shur, to look at, as in 33:14 and 33:27. Elihu says no one can look on him then, ‘whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only’. ‘Giveth quietness’ is shaqat, to be at rest.

Verse 30

That the hypocrite reign not — ‘Hypocrite’ is chaneph, the godless, the word of Bildad’s ‘the hypocrite’s hope shall perish’ (8:13); it also appears in 15:34, 20:5, 27:8 and 36:13. ‘Ensnared’ is from moqesh, a snare. The cost to the people is stated in Prov 29:2: ‘when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn’.

Verse 31

I have borne chastisement — ‘Borne’ is nasa, to lift or carry, the verb of Mic 7:9, ‘I will bear the indignation of the LORD, because I have sinned against him’. ‘Offend’ is chabal, to act corruptly, literally to bind or twist. The words stand beside the confession of 33:27 as what is ‘meet to be said unto God’.

Verse 33

he will recompense it — ‘Recompense’ is shalam, the verb of ‘render’ in v.11. Elihu asks whether God’s repayment should follow Job’s measure (‘according to thy mind’). ‘Speak what thou knowest’ (yada) is an invitation to reply, as in 33:32, ‘speak, for I desire to justify thee’.

Verse 35

without knowledge — ‘Knowledge’ is da’ath, and ‘without knowledge’ returns in 35:16 and in the LORD’s own question, ‘Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?’ (38:2). Job takes it up in 42:3, ‘therefore have I uttered that I understood not’. ‘Wisdom’ is sakal, to act with insight.

Verse 36

tried unto the end — ‘Tried’ is bachan, to test metal, the verb of ‘trieth’ in v.3 and of Job’s own ‘when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold’ (23:10). ‘Unto the end’ is netsach, what lasts. Elihu wants the trial to go on because of Job’s answers ‘for wicked men’, literally men of aven, iniquity.