Job 33

Elihu here alludes to Gen. ii. 7. Rosenmüller. 6.—in God’s stead:] To plead His cause against thee, and answer thee, as thou desiredst. Clark.

Ver. 1.— answered and said,] Rather, “spake and said,” as ch. iii. 2, and xxxv. 1; for none had replied to Elihu. Dr. Durell.

Job 33:4

4. Let us choose to us judgment:] Elihu requests here that Job’s friends would proceed judiciously and fairly in the cause before them. Caryl. 5. See note on chap. xxvii. 2.

Job 33:6

6. Should I lie against my right?] Rather, I am disappointed or frustrated of my right. Dr. Durell.

Job 33:7

7. Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid,] Look upon me; the combat is not unequal, as thou complainedst when thou lookedst upon God, chap. ix. 34; xiii. 21: thou seest no dreadful majesty in me to affright thee, nor any power to oppress thee. Bp. Patrick.

8. What man is like Job, &c.] There is no man, that

Job 33:8

8. Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,] Who speaks of God’s service and dispensations as wicked men are wont to do, ver. 9, as if he were one of their society; and acts like the wicked when God afflicts them. Clark.

Job 33:9

9. For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing &c.] Job, so far from using such infidel language, had entered his protest against it, chap. xxi. 14—16. Notwithstanding which, his complaint of hard measure from God, and of the frustration of all the hopes he had formed of a reward to his virtue, would scarce admit of any other construction. See chap. xix. 10; xxix. 18; xxx. 21, 26. Scott.

Job 33:10

10. Behold, he findeth occasions against me,] He seeks to overthrow all my purposes and pursuits. Rosenmüller.

These words are not taken exactly from the speeches of Job, but are charged upon him by Elihu, who puts this construction upon Job’s words. The first branch of this sentence, “Behold, He findeth occasions against me,” is not to be found in Job’s speeches: and as for the other which occurs, chap. xiii. 24, “Wherefore hidesst Thou thy face, and holdest me for Thine enemy?” though there may be something faulty in the expostulation, yet it is very much alleviated by those expressions of humility and self-abasement which immediately precede and follow it. See ver. 23, 25. Peters.

Job 33:11

11. He putteth my feet in the stocks,] He presseth me with very close and sore afflictions. Caryl. See the note on chap. xiii. 27.

Job 33:12

12. Behold, in this thou art not just:] Though in the former part of thy life thou mightest carry thyself without blame, yet in this thou deservest censure, that thou hast so obstinately maintained thy innocence, as if God dealt too hardly with thee. Clark.

— God is greater than man.] He is too great to be withstood, too just to do wrong, too good to delight in any man’s misery. We ought therefore quietly to submit to His dispensations, as the very best. Bp. Wilson.

Job 33:13

13. Who hath given him a charge over the earth?] This argument is founded on the sovereignty of God over all men; the sum and force of it may be stated thus: He cannot do injustice to any, who of right possesseth an absolute power to do what He will towards men. But God hath such a power; therefore He cannot do any injustice. Caryl.

Job 33:14

14.—God speaketh once, yea twice, &c.] Many times

and divers ways God solicits and admonishes men; yet such is the dulness and security of their hearts, that they either do not, or will not, hear and understand them. Bp. Hall.

14, 15. If he set his heart upon man, &c.] If God should resolve to deal with man according to His absolute power; if He should call back that life and soul which He hath given him; there would be no abiding, all flesh would perish at once. Bp. Hall. Before CHRIST about 1520. heart. b Deut. 32. 4. ch. 8. 3. R 36. 23. Ps. 92. 15. Rom. 9. 14. c Ps. 63. 12. Prov. 24. 12. Jer. 32. 19. Zsek. 33. 20. Matt. 16. 27. Rom. 2. 6.

Job 33:15

15—18. In a dream, in a vision of the night, &c.] Elihu having said in the former verse, that “God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not,” proceeds to give an instance of the several ways by which God speaks to man: as first, ver. 15, in dreams and visions; for his instruction, ver. 16; next, to encourage repentance and humiliation, ver. 17; and lastly, to secure his safety, ver. 18. Caryl.

Job 33:16

16, 17. Then he openeth the ears of men, &c.] Then and by these means He causeth men to hear, and imprinteth in their hearts His instructions: that He may prevail with man, to withdraw him from those evil courses and resolutions which he hath undertaken; and that He may convince him of his proud and insolent conceits, which he hath harboured in himself. Bp. Hall.

Job 33:17

17. That he may withdraw man from his purpose,] Rather, his “doing,” or “work,” as in the margin; namely, all actions and words which proceed from pride, mentioned in the next clause, or from any other corrupt affection. Scott.

— and hide pride from man.] That is, keep him humble. Want of true humility was Job’s great fault. Elihu takes pains to convince him of this, but all in vain, till God awakened him, ch. xlii. 6; then he saw his fault and was humbled. Bp. Wilson.

17. Shall even he that hateth right govern? &c.] “What? shall He who hateth right” (as Job in his impatience had supposed God to do) “govern? and wilt thou condemn him who is evidently just?” That is, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? Parkhurst.

17—19. Shall even he that hateth right govern? &c.] Miss Smith, in her translation of this passage, by a close adherence to the original, has given an excellent sense to the whole. She renders these verses thus:

Shall He who hateth right govern? And wilt thou condemn Him who shoundeth in justice! Who saith to the king, Thou art unprofitable; Wicked to the nobles: Who lifteth not up the faces of prisons, Nor turneth away from the cry of the poor; For they are all the work of his hands. Dr. Magee.

Job 33:18

18.—the pit,] This is one of the names of the sepulchral grot, denoting it to be a place of putrefaction. Scott.

Job 33:19

19—22. He is chastened &c.] These verses point out the second method which the wisdom of God employs for the humiliation of man, and for the revelation of His mind unto him: God speaketh unto him by pain and sickness. Caryl.

Job 33:20

20. In a moment shall they die, &c.] He shall fetch away the great commanders of the earth at a time when it is least expected; even in the deepest security shall He cause astonishment and tumult in the death of the mighty ones. Bp. Hall.

Job 33:22

22.—the destroyers.] The instruments of death and destruction: probably the diseases, which by God’s

22. There is no darkness, &c.] Not death itself shall conceal “the workers of iniquity” from the eye of God, or withdraw them from His justice. Men may flatter themselves, if they please, with the hope of annihilation; but they will find themselves fatally disappointed when they come to make trial of the other state. Peters.

Job 33:23

23—26. If there be a messenger with him, &c.] When a man is thus soundly humbled, if a faithful messenger and minister of God, which is not easy to be found, shall shew that man his true estate, then will God be gracious to him. Bp. Hall.

— a messenger] One sent by the providence of God, or by special commission from Him, to assist the sick man with his instructions and prayers. Scott.

— an interpreter.] A rare person, that can expound the mind of God. Bp. Patrick.

“One among a thousand” is an expression to signify the difficulty of meeting with such a person. Chappelow.

— his uprightness:] His duty; what right reason and religion required from a man in his situation; repentance, submission, and prayer to God for pardon. The instruction is supposed to be effectual; as appears from the following verses. Scott.

23. — that he should enter into judgment with God.] That man should therefore have any just cause of contention with God, or any ground of evil against Him. Bp. Hall.

Job 33:24

24. Then he is gracious unto him, &c.] God mercifully accepts his repentance, and saith, “Deliver him,” that is, He shall be delivered, “from going down to the pit.” Scott.

A blessing or benefit is here promised on God’s part, which is deliverance from the ill consequences and punishment of sin: and though temporal death be here immediately intended, yet that is a type of our deliverance from eternal death, which is expressly promised in the Gospel. But then there is a condition required on our part: “If any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not,” ver. 27. In which words are contained, first, a penitent confession of our sins to God: “If any say, I have sinned,” that is, if he make a penitent confession of his sin to God: secondly, a true contrition for our sin, not only for fear of the pernicious consequences and the punishment that will follow it, implied in these words, “and it profited me not,” for this is but a very imperfect contrition; but from a just sense of the evil nature of sin, and the fault and offence of it against God, that we have done contrary to right and our duty: “If any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right.” Thus a true and perfect contrition for our sins is made a necessary condition of our deliverance from the punishment due to them. Abp. Tillotson.

— I have found a reason.] Or, “an atonement,” as in the margin. Whatever is a means of averting punishment, and conciliating the Divine favour, is termed in Scripture an atonement. The intercession of Moses, Exod. xxxii. 30; and the act of l’hinehas, Numb. xxv. 13; are so called: and here the sick man’s repentance. See Ecclus, xxxv. 3. Scott.

he will render unto man his righteousness.

24. — without number.] “Without searching,” as in the margin; without a formal process, which He needeth not. Parkhurst.

Job 33:25

25. His flesh shall be fresher &c.] A beautiful description of the sick man’s recovery. The word, translated “shall be fresher,” is an elegant metaphor from plants; which, having been withered by a long drought, recover their vigour and verdure on the falling of a shower of rain. Scott.

— fresher than a child’s:] This was probably a proverbial form of expression. Compare 2 Kings v. 14. Schultens, Chappelow.

25. Therefore he knoweth their works, &c.] Forssmuch as God overturneth them, it is an argument that He knoweth what they are, and what they have been doing. Caryl.

— in the night.] Suddenly, unexpectedly. Caryl.

Job 33:26

26. He shall pray unto God.] Prayer is a duty never out of season, yet at some times more in season than at others, and most of all in time of affliction: “Is any man afflicted? let him pray,” James v. 13. And among all afflictions, that of sickness seems to be a special call for this duty; therefore in the fourteenth verse of the same chapter, soon after the Apostle had said, “Is any afflicted? let him pray;” he adds, “Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him.” But to desire others to pray for us in bodily sickness, and neglect it ourselves, is an ill symptom of a sick soul: the prayers of others are rarely beneficial to any, unless they either pray, or have a desire to pray, for themselves. Caryl.

— he shall see his face with joy:] He shall be sensible that God is pleased with, or looks graciously upon him. Chappelow.

— his righteousness.] The reward of his present holiness; and will deal with him according to that, and not according to his former wickedness. Clark.

26. He striketh them as wicked men &c.] This is a metaphor taken from publick executions, which are performed in publick places, amidst a variety of spectators, for the sake of the example. Heath.

Their punishment is open and exemplary. It is the triumph of Providence over tyrants. The expressions of the sacred writer allude to the publick execution of malefactors. What is translated, “in the open sight of others,” is, in the original, in the place of spectators. And what is rendered “He striketh them,” is literally, He clappeth His hands at them, as in chap. xxvii. 23, and in the last verse of the present chapter. It is a gesture of exultation and derision. Compare Lam. ii. 15; Ezek. xxv. 6. Scott.

Job 33:27

27, 28. He looketh upon men, and if any say, &c.] The marginal reading is, “He shall look upon men, and say, I have sinned, &c. He hath delivered my soul from going into the pit, and my life shall see the light.” The passage may be thus paraphrased: And he, as becomes a true penitent, casting his eyes upon his neighbours, shall openly confess and say, I have offended God, and He hath justly chastised me; I have done wickedly, and He hath punished me according to my desert: but hath redeemed me from that death into which I was going; and not only made me live, but given me hope that I shall enjoy prosperous days. Bp. Patrick.

The words of his confessional and thanksgiving hymn, or rather the substance and burden of it, are, “I have sinned, &c.” Scott.

Job 33:28

28. — his life shall see the light.] Shall be prolonged in comfort and prosperity. Clark.

Job 33:29

29. When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?] If he shows favour to the poor and oppressed persons last mentioned, or to any other persons or people, as it follows in the latter part of the verse; or if He withdraws His favour and assistance from them, and thereby exposes them to oppression and calamity; no man or creature can hinder God’s design and work. Poole.

Job 33:30

30. To bring back his soul from the pit.] He repeats, from ver. 18, the merciful design of Divine admonitions and corrections, in order to fix the persuasion of it in the mind of Job. Eliphax and Zophar had hinted this, chap. v. 17, 18; and xi. 11, 12. But Elihu expatiates on the subject. His aim likewise differs from theirs. The reclaiming of a wicked man, such as they supposed Job to be, was the point they had in view; whereas Elihu

Elihu accuseth Job for charging God with injustice. Before CHRIST about 1520.

30. That the hypocrite reign not, &c.] Yes, not only does God execute His judgments upon the people, but also upon the great potentates of the earth, striking wicked tyrants with His plagues, lest the people should be too much oppressed by their injustice. Bp. Hall.

Job 33:31

31. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, &c.] Instead of complaining of God and His dealings with thee, it would have better become thee to submit patiently, saying, Since it is Thy pleasure to chastise me, I will endeavour to bear the affliction without murmuring. Clark.

Job 33:33

33. Should it be according to thy mind? &c.] Dost thou think it meet that God should proceed in His judgments according to thy conceits? If you and I should determine what were fit for Him to do, He would still take what course He thought best, whether we liked or disliked it. Bp. Hall.

Before CHRISY about 1320. crushed. in the place of shoulders. after him.