Job 34 - ESV - Bible Reading / Study Notes

Job 34

Elihu Asserts God’s Justice

34:1 Then Elihu answered and said:

2   “Hear my words, you wise men,
    and give ear to me, you who know;
3   for the ear tests words
    as the palate tastes food.
4   Let us choose what is right;
    let us know among ourselves what is good.
5   For Job has said, ‘I am in the right,
    and God has taken away my right;
6   in spite of my right I am counted a liar;
    my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.’
7   What man is like Job,
    who drinks up scoffing like water,
8   who travels in company with evildoers
    and walks with wicked men?
9   For he has said, ‘It profits a man nothing
    that he should take delight in God.’
10   “Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding:
    far be it from God that he should do wickedness,
    and from the Almighty that he should do wrong.
11   For according to the work of a man he will repay him,
    and according to his ways he will make it befall him.
12   Of a truth, God will not do wickedly,
    and the Almighty will not pervert justice.
13   Who gave him charge over the earth,
    and who laid on him¹ the whole world?
14   If he should set his heart to it
    and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15   all flesh would perish together,
    and man would return to dust.
16   “If you have understanding, hear this;
    listen to what I say.
17   Shall one who hates justice govern?
    Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18   who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
    and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19   who shows no partiality to princes,
    nor regards the rich more than the poor,
    for they are all the work of his hands?
20   In a moment they die;
    at midnight the people are shaken and pass away,
    and the mighty are taken away by no human hand.
21   “For his eyes are on the ways of a man,
    and he sees all his steps.
22   There is no gloom or deep darkness
    where evildoers may hide themselves.
23   For God² has no need to consider a man further,
    that he should go before God in judgment.
24   He shatters the mighty without investigation
    and sets others in their place.
25   Thus, knowing their works,
    he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
26   He strikes them for their wickedness
    in a place for all to see,
27   because they turned aside from following him
    and had no regard for any of his ways,
28   so that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him,
    and he heard the cry of the afflicted—
29   When he is quiet, who can condemn?
    When he hides his face, who can behold him,
    whether it be a nation or a man?—
30   that a godless man should not reign,
    that he should not ensnare the people.
31   “For has anyone said to God,
    ‘I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more;
32   teach me what I do not see;
    if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more’?
33   Will he then make repayment to suit you,
    because you reject it?
  For you must choose, and not I;
    therefore declare what you know.³
34   Men of understanding will say to me,
    and the wise man who hears me will say:
35   ‘Job speaks without knowledge;
    his words are without insight.’
36   Would that Job were tried to the end,
    because he answers like wicked men.
37   For he adds rebellion to his sin;
    he claps his hands among us
    and multiplies his words against God.”

Footnotes

[1] 34:13 Hebrew lacks on him
[2] 34:23 Hebrew he
[3] 34:33 The meaning of the Hebrew in verses 29–33 is uncertain

Commentary

v1-4: Following 33.31-33, asking first Job, then his friends, to pay attention. He speaks of the need for discernment, that they might truly know the mind of God.

v5-9: Elihu begins his attack on Job. He quotes and rejects Job's claim to a blameless life. He claims that Job associates with the wicked, and despises obedience to God (see 21.14-16, although this is clearly quoted out of context). Elihu concludes that Job multiplies words without knowledge (35.16).

v10-15: God is righteous in His judgements. Men of understanding know that God cannot and will not do evil. Therefore, when man reaps judgment from God it is never unfair.

Men tend to judge God according to their own corrupt standards, rather than recognising Him to do God. In reality, our continued existence depends on God.

v16-20: It is clear, says Elihu, that the great governor over all is mighty and just. He is wrong to assume that one who hates justice should not govern, for many rulers are unjust. Such wrong thinking distorts right judgments.

Rich and poor are all the work of God's hands; kings, nobles, princes, are all alike. Their wealth and position will not prevent them from dying in an instant.

v21-30: God can do what He likes, and no human can frustrate Him. He sees every step of man; in contrast man sees only the mere edges of His ways (26.14). Elihu speaks of God's just and powerful judgment of man; there is no higher court, no opportunity of appeal.

v31-33: Since God will judgment evil-doers, there is the necessity for true repentance. Elihu describes one who seeks to negotiate with God, an incomplete repentance, a conditional surrender. Elihu rightly describes the folly of one who expects God to reward him "on your terms."

v34-37: Elihu quotes the three friends with their accusations against Job.