Job 34:35

34:31-37 When we reprove for what is amiss, we must direct to what is good. Job's friends would have had him own himself a wicked man. Let will only oblige him to own that he spoke unadvisedly with his lips. Let us, in giving reproof, not make a matter worse than it is. Elihu directs Job to humble himself before God for his sins, and to accept the punishment. Also to pray to God to discover his sins to him. A good man is willing to know the worst of himself; particularly, under affliction, he desires to be told wherefore God contends with him. It is not enough to be sorry for our sins, but we must go and sin no more. And if we are affectionate children, we shall love to speak with our Father, and to tell him all our mind. Elihu reasons with Job concerning his discontent under affliction. We are ready to think every thing that concerns us should be just as we would have it; but it is not reasonable to expect this. Elihu asks whether there was not sin and folly in what Job said. God is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, Ps 145:17. The believer saith, Let my Saviour, my wise and loving Lord, choose every thing for me. I am sure that will be wisest, and the best for his glory and my good.

Job hath spoken without knowledge,.... Not that Job was an ignorant man, either in things natural or divine; but in this point, about the chastening hand of God upon him, he had said some things which betrayed lack of knowledge, as in Job 34:5 ; and his words were without wisdom; Job was not destitute of human wisdom, nor of spiritual wisdom, but no man is wise at all times; some things had dropped from him which savoured of folly and ignorance, and which he afterwards was convinced of, and confessed with shame, Job 40:4; being charged by the Lord himself with what he is here by Elihu, Job 38:2; and it may be observed, that Elihu does not charge Job with being a wicked man, as his three friends did, but as having spoken unadvisedly with lips, under his chastening circumstances, and which he labours to convince him of.

Let men of understanding - Margin, as in Hebrew "heart." The "heart," as there has been frequent occasions to remark, in the Scriptures is often used to denote the seat of the mind or soul, as the head is with us. Rosenmuller, Umbreit, and Noyes, render this passage as if it were to be taken in connection with the following verse, "Men of understanding will say, and a wise man who hears my views will unite in saying, 'Job has spoken without knowledge, and his words are without wisdom.'" According to this, the two verses express a sentiment in which Elihu supposes every wise man who had attended to him would concur, that what Job had said was not founded in knowledge or on true wisdom.

33 Shall He recompense it as thou wilt? For thou hast found fault, So that thou hast to determine, not I, And what thou knowest speak out! 34 Men of understanding will say to me, And a wise man who listeneth to me: 35 "Job speaketh without knowledge, "And his words are without intelligence." 36 O would that Job were proved to the extreme On account of his answers after the manner of evil men; 37 For he addeth transgression to his sin, Among us he clappeth And multiplieth his speeches against God. The question put to Job, whether then from him or according to his idea (עם in מעמּך as Job 23:10; Job 27:11, which see) shall God recompense it (viz., as this "it" is to be understood according to Job 34:32: man's evil-doing and actions in general), Elihu proves from this, that Job has despised (shown himself discontented with it) the divine mode of recompense, so that therefore (this second כּי signifies also nam, but is, because extending further on account of the first, according to the sense equivalent to ita ut) he has to choose (seek out) another mode of recompense, not Elihu (who is perfectly satisfied with the mode with which history furnishes us); which is then followed by the challenge (דּבּר not infin., but as Job 33:32): what (more corresponding to just retribution) thou knowest, speak out then!

Elihu on his part knows that he does not stand alone against Job, the censurer of the divine government of the world, but that men of heart (understanding) and (every) wise man who listens to him will coincide with him in the opinion that Job's talk is devoid of knowledge and intelligence (on the form of writing השׂכּיל as Jeremiah 3:15, vid., Ges. 53, rem. 2). In Job 34:36 we will for the present leave the meaning of אבי undecided; יבּחן is certainly intended as optative: let Job be tried to the extreme or last, i.e., let his trial by affliction continue until the matter is decided (comp. Habakkuk 1:4), on account of the opposition among men of iniquity, i.e., after the manner of such (on this Beth of association comp. בּקּשׁשׁים, Job 36:14), for to חטּאת, by which the purpose of his affliction is to be cleared up, he adds פּשׁע, viz., the wickedness of blasphemous speeches: among us (therefore without fear) he claps (viz., his hands scornfully together, יספּוק only here thus absolute instead of ישׂפּק כּפּיו fo dae, Job 27:23, comp. בשׂפק Job 36:18 with ספקו Job 20:22) continued...

[Bible] 34:17. Can he be healed that loveth not judgment? and how dost thou so far condemn him that is just? 34:18. Who saith to the king: Thou art an apostate: who calleth rulers ungodly: 34:19. Who accepteth not the persons of princes: nor hath regarded the tyrant, when he contended against the poor man: for all are the work of his hands. 34:20. They shall suddenly die, and the people shall be troubled at midnight, and they shall pass, and take away the violent without hand. 34:21. For his eyes are upon the ways of men, and he considereth all their steps. 34:22. There is no darkness, and there is no shadow of death, where they may be hid who work iniquity. 34:23. For it is no longer in the power of man to enter into judgment with God. 34:24. He shall break in pieces many and innumerable, and shall make others to stand in their stead. 34:25. For he knoweth their works: and therefore he shall bring night on them, and they shall be destroyed. 34:26. He hath struck them, as being wicked, in open sight. 34:27. Who as it were on purpose have revolted from him, and would not understand all his ways: 34:28. So that they caused the cry of the needy to come to him, and he heard the voice of the poor. 34:29. For when he granteth peace, who is there that can condemn? When he hideth his countenance, who is there that can behold him, whether it regard nations, or all men? 34:30. Who maketh a man that is a hypocrite to reign for the sins of the people? 34:31. Seeing then I have spoken of God, I will not hinder thee in thy turn. 34:32. If I have erred, teach thou me: if I have spoken iniquity, I will add no more. 34:33. Doth God require it of thee, because it hath displeased thee? for thou begannest to speak, and not I: but if thou know any thing better, speak. 34:34. Let men of understanding speak to me, and let a wise man hearken to me. 34:35. But Job hath spoken foolishly, and his words sound not discipline. 34:36. My father, let Job be tried even to the end: cease not from the man of iniquity.

Job elsewhere alludes to the flood. So he might easily know of the fall, through the two links which connect Adam and Abraham (about Job's time), namely, Methuselah and Shem. Adam is representative of fallen man's propensity to concealment (Proverbs 28:13). It was from God that Job did not "hide his iniquity in his bosom," as on the contrary it was from God that "Adam" hid in his lurking-place. This disproves the translation, "as men"; for it is from their fellow men that "men" are chiefly anxious to hide their real character as guilty. M AGEE , to make the comparison with Adam more exact, for my "bosom" translates, "lurking-place." 34. Rather, the apodosis to Job 31:33, "Then let me be fear-stricken before a great multitude, let the contempt, &c., let me keep silence (the greatest disgrace to a patriot, heretofore so prominent in assemblies), and not go out," &c. A just retribution that he who hides his sin from God, should have it exposed before man (2 Samuel 12:12). But Job had not been so exposed, but on the contrary was esteemed in the assemblies of the "tribes"—("families"); a proof, he implies, that God does not hold him guilty of hiding sin (Job 24:16, contrast with Job 29:21-25). 35. Job returns to his wish (Job 13:22; 19:23). Omit "is"; "Behold my sign, " that is, my mark of subscription to the statements just given in my defense: the mark of signature was originally a cross; and hence the letter Tau or T. Translate, also "Oh, that the Almighty," &c.

## Proverbs 10:32 , "The lips of the righteous, know what is acceptable;" that is, they speak so prudently, as if knowledge resided in them, which Job 34:35 , is in the negative expressed, "Job hath spoken without knowledge, and his words were without wisdom." Matthew 6:3 , "But when thou givest alms, let not thy left-hand know what thy right-hand doeth;" this is spoken to prohibit the vain glory of almsgiving, when done for praise, &c. Theophilact expounds it, "if it be possible, you are even to forget all your own good deeds, or at least by no means to glory in them, or rest upon them, lest you be vainly lifted up." To this may be referred, where anger is attributed to the eyes, Genesis 31:35; 45:5; Isaiah 3:8 ; and concupiscence, pleasure, or desire, 1 Kings 20:6; Ezekiel 24:16,21; 1 John 2:16, (hence the phrase of the heart's walking after the eyes, Job 31:7 ; that is, the desires and lusts follow, which the eyes moved by outward objects, endeavour to stir up in the heart. "The abominations of the eyes," Ezekiel 20:7 ; that is, which were the object and scope of desire;) and adultery, 2 Peter 2:14 , and compassion, as when the eye is said to pity, Deuteronomy 13:8; Isaiah 13:18 , (&c).; the hope or expectation, Psalms 119:82,123; 145:14- 15, vid. Gram. Sacr . p. 282. ## 2. Words are used of brutes which properly belong to man, as Job 12:7 , "But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the