Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Elihu Offers (o Reason with Job. JOB XXXIII. God Calleth 3fan to Repentance.
ble themselves under the mighty hand of God." 18. IiU soiU—his life, tlie pit—the grave; a symbol of hell, perisltlng toy tlie sword— i. e., a violent death ; in the Old Testament .a symbol of the future punishment of the ungodly. 19. When man does not heed warnings of the night, he is chastened, &c. The new thought suggested by Elihu is that affliction is disciplinary (ch. 36. 10) ; for the good of the godly, multitude—so the Margin, Hebrew (Keri). Better with the text (Chetib), "And with the perpetual (strong) contest of his bones;" the never-resting fever in his bones (Psalm 38. 3) [Umbreit]. ao. life—i. e., the apnever accept," &c. Elihu jlludes to Job's words (ch. 13.
8, 10), wherein he complains that the friends plead for God paxtially, "accepting His person." Elihu says, he will not do so, but act impartially between God and Job. " And I will not give flattery," &c. (Proverbs 24. 23). aa. t&kf me aivny—as a punisliment (Psalm 102. 2i).
CHAPTER XXXIII.
Ver. 1-33. Address to Job, as (ch. 32.) to the Friends. a. moutli—Rather, palate, whereby the taste discerns. Every man speaks with his mouth, but few, as Elihu, try their words with discrimination first, and only say what is really good (ch. 30; 12. 11). liatU spoken—Rather, Proceeds to speak. 3. I will speak according to my inward conviction, clearly—Rather, purely: sincerely, not distorting the truth through passion, as the friends. 4. "The Spirit of God hath made me," as He did thee : latter clause of v. 6 (Genesis 2. 7). Therefore thou needest not fear me, asthou wouldest God(i'. 7; ch. 9. 31). On the other hand, "the breath of the Almighty hatli inspired me" (as ch.32. 8); notas ^^ngii-s/i Fcr«!on, "given me life :" therefore " I am according to thy wish (ch. 9. 32, 33) in God's stead" to thee; a "daysman," umpire, or mediator, between God and thee. So Elihu was designed by the Holy Ghost to be a {yps of Jesus Christ (v. 23-2G). 5. Images from a court of justice, stand up—alluding to Job's words (ch.
petite, which ordinarily sustains "life" (ch. 38. 39; Psalm
107. 18; Ecclesiastes 12. 5). The taking away of desire for food by sickness symbolizes the removal by atiliction of lust, for things which foster the spiritual fever of pride, soul—desire, ai. His flesh once prominent " can no more be seen." His bones once not seen now appear prominent, stick out lit., are bare. The Margin Hebrew (K ERi) reading. The text (Chetib) reads it a noun (are become), "bareness." The Keri was no doubt an explanatory reading of transcribers. 22. destroyers angels of death commissioned by God to end man's life (2 Samuel 24.16; Psalm 78. 49). The death pains personified may, however, be meant; so "gnawers" (note ch. 30. 17). 23. Elihu refers to himself as the Divinely-sent (ch. 32.8; 33.6) "messenger," the " interpi-eter" to explain to Job and vindicate God's righteousness; such a one Eliphaz had denied that Job could look for (ch.5. 1), and Job (ch. 9. 3;5) had wished
30.20). 6. Noted). 4; ch. 31. 35; 13.3,20,21). formed—though acting as God's representative, I am but a creature, like thyself. Arabic, pressed together, as a mass of clay by the potter, in /ormirtj; a vessel. [Umbreit.] i/eirejc, cut off, as the portion taken from the clay to form it. [Mauker.] 7. Iiand—alluding to Job's words (ch.l3. 21). 8. tliy words —(Ch. 10.7; 16. 17; 23. 11, 12; 27. 5, 6; 29. 14.) In ch. 9. 30; 13.
for such a "daysman" or umpire between him and God. The " messenger" of good is antithetical to the "destroyers"
(u. 23). withhim—If there be vouchsafed to The ot Hce of the interpreter is stated " to show unto man God's uprightness" in His dealings; or, as Umbreit, "man's upright course towards God" (Proverbs 14. 2). The former
Is better; Job maintained his own " uprightness" (ch. 10.
23, Job had acknowledged sin; but the general spirit of his words was to maintain himself to be "clean:" and to charge God witli injustice. He went too far on the opposite side in opposing the friends' false charge of hypocrisy. Even the godly, though willing to confess themselves sinners in general, often dislike sin in particular to be brought as a charge against them. Affliction is tlierefore needed to bring them to feel that sin in them deserves even worse tlian they suffer, and that God does them no Injustice. Then at last humbled under God they find,
17; 27.5,6); Elihu on the contrary maintains God's, and that man's true uprightness lies In submission to God. " One among a thousand" Is a man rarely to be found. So Jesus Christ (Song of Solomon 5. 10). Elihu, the God-sent mediator of a temporal deliverance (t». 54-26), is a type of the God-man Jesus Christ the Mediator of eternal deliverance: "the messetiger of the covenant" (Malachl 3. 1). This is the wonderful work of the Holy Ghost, that persons and events move in their own sphere in such a way as unconsciously to shadow forth Him, whose " testimony affliction is for their real good, and so at last it is taken iway either here, or at least at death. To teach this is Eliliu's mission. 9. clean—spotless. 10. occasions—for hostility: lit., enmities (ch. 13. 24; 16.9; 19.11; 30.21). 11.
Is the Spirit of propliecy ;" as the same point may be centre of a small and of avastly larger concentric circle. 24. Apodosis to 23. lie—God. Deliver—itY., redeem: in it and " ransom" there is reference to the cmtsideration, on account of which God pardons and relieves the sufferers ; here it is primarily the intercession of Elihu. But tlie language is too strong for its full meaning to be exhausted by this. The Holy Ghost has suggested language which receives its ftill realization only in the "eternal redemption found" by God in the price paid by .lesus Christ for it, i. e.. His blood and meritorious intercession (Hebrews 9. 12). "Obtained," lit., found: implying the earnest zeal, wisdom, and faithfulness of the finder, and the newness and joyousness of the finding. Jesus Christ could not but have found it, but still His seeking it was needed. [Bengei.] (Luke 15. 8.) God tlie Fatlier, Is the Fliuler (Psalm 89. 19). Jesus Christ the Redeemer, to whom He saith, Jicdeem
(Cli. 13. 27.) mnrketU—narrowly watehes (ch. 14. 16; 7. 12; 31.4). 12. In tltls-view of God and His government. It cannot be that God should jealously " watcli" man, though "spotless," as an "enemy," or as one afraid of him as an equal. For "God is greater than man!" There must be sin in man, even though he be no hypocrite, which needs correction by suffering for the sufferer's good. 13. (Isaiah
45.9.) Ills jnatters—ways. Our part is, not to "strive" with God, but to submit. To believe it is right liecause He does it, not because we see all tlie reasons for His doing It. 14. Translate, "Yet man rer/ardcth it not;" or rather, as Umbreit, "Yea, twice (He repeats the warning)— If man gives no hoed" to the first warning. Eliliu implies tliat God's reason for sending aflliolion is, liecause, wlien God has communicated His will in various ways, man In prosperity has not heeded It; God therefore must try what affliction will ef Teet (John 15. 2; Psalm 62. 11 ; Isaiah 28. 10,
(so Hebrew) hini from going, <&c. (2 Corinthians 5. 19). ransom—U.sed In a general sense by Elihu, but meant by the Holy Ghost in its strict sense as applied to Jesus Christ, of a jirice paid for deliverance (Exodus 21. 30), au atonement {i.e., means of selling at once, i. e., reconeilliig
13). 15. slnmberlngs—light, is opposed to "deep sleep." Elihu has in view Ellithaz (ch. 4. 13), and also Job lilmself (ch. 7. 11). "Dreams" In sleep, and "visions" of actual apparitions, were among the ways whereby God then Bpake to man (Genesis 20.3). 10. sealeth (their ears) to himself by warnings, i. e., with tlie .sureness and secresy of a seal He reveals Ills warnings. [Umiiueit.] To seal up securely ((h.37.7). On the "openetli" (.see ch. 38. 10). 17. purpose Margin, work. Soch.36. 9. So "business" In a bad sense (1 Samuel 20. 19). Elihu alludes to .lob's Avords (ch. 17. 11). "Pride" Is an open "pit" (u. IS) which God hides or covers up, lest man should fall Into It. Even the godly need to learn the lesson which trials teach, to " Auwtii'O who are estranged), a covering, as of flie ark with pitch, typical of what covers us sinners from wrath ((i(uiesis fi. 14; Psalm 32. 1). The pit Is primarily here the i/rave
(I.salah 88. 17), but the spiritual pit Is mainly shadowed forth (Zecharlali 9. U). as-as. Effects of restoration to God's favour; to Job a tenii)oial revival; spiritually, an eternal regeneration. The striking wonls cannot he restricted to their temporal meaning, as used by EUhu
(1 Peter 1. 11, 12). his flesli shall he fresher than a chtld'a —So Nuaman, 2 Kings 5. II; spiritually, John 3. 3-7. 20. Job shall no longer pray to God, as he complains, lu viiln