Job 33:16

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

Then he openeth {H1540} the ears {H241} of men {H582}, and sealeth {H2856} their instruction {H4561},

he opens people's ears and seals the matter with a warning,

He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings

Then he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction,

Commentary

Job 33:16 KJV: "Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction."

Context

This verse is part of Elihu's significant discourse in the Book of Job. Elihu, a younger man who has patiently listened to Job and his three friends, now speaks, claiming to offer a perspective from God. He argues that God communicates with humanity in various ways, not just through direct speech but also through dreams and visions (Job 33:15). In Job 33:16, Elihu explains the profound effect and purpose of such divine communication: God's active intervention to convey vital messages to individuals. Elihu's aim is to correct Job's perception that God is silent or indifferent to human suffering, emphasizing God's redemptive and instructive purpose even in affliction.

Key Themes

  • Divine Communication: The verse highlights God's initiative in speaking to humanity. It underscores that God is not distant but actively seeks to convey truth and guidance, often to prevent wrongdoing.
  • Spiritual Awakening: "He openeth the ears of men" signifies a spiritual enabling, moving beyond mere physical hearing to genuine understanding and receptivity to God's message. It's an internal work of God that allows a person to truly grasp divine truth.
  • Divine Instruction and Warning: God's communication is purposeful. The "instruction" (often a warning or correction) is given to turn people from harmful paths, to preserve them from destruction, and to lead them toward righteousness, as further elaborated in the verses that follow (Job 33:17-18).
  • Confirmation and Imprinting: To "sealeth their instruction" implies that God confirms, validates, and deeply imprints the message upon the individual. It's not a casual word but a truth that is meant to stick and have a profound, inescapable effect, like a seal on wax making something official or undeniable.

Linguistic Insights

The phrase "openeth the ears" (Hebrew: יִגְלֶה אֹזֶן yigleh ozen) literally means "he uncovers the ear," which is an idiom in Hebrew for revealing something or imparting a secret. It signifies making someone receptive to divine truth, similar to how God opens the ear of the servant in Isaiah 50:4 so they may hear and obey. The term "sealeth" (Hebrew: יַחְתֹּם yaḥtom) can mean to make firm, to confirm, or to impress deeply. In this context, it suggests that the instruction is not lightly given but is made potent and unignorable, ensuring its lasting impact on the hearer, often to prevent them from a destructive course.

Practical Application

Job 33:16 encourages us to cultivate spiritual receptivity and actively listen for God's voice in our lives. God communicates through various means today, preeminently through His written Word, the Bible. Just as God "opened the understanding" of His disciples to comprehend the Scriptures (Luke 24:45), He desires to do the same for us. This verse reminds us that God's primary purpose in communicating is often for our correction, instruction, and ultimate preservation from harm. We are called to heed His warnings and embrace His guidance, allowing His truths to be "sealed" deeply within our hearts, leading us away from destructive paths and towards life.

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Cross-References

  • Job 36:10 (9 votes)

    He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

  • Job 36:15 (7 votes)

    ¶ He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

  • Psalms 40:6 (6 votes)

    ¶ Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

  • Isaiah 50:5 (5 votes)

    The Lord GOD hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

  • Luke 24:45 (4 votes)

    Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

  • Acts 16:14 (4 votes)

    And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard [us]: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

  • Isaiah 6:10 (4 votes)

    Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.