33 5 Elihu accuseth Job of ignorance. 14 He showeth that God hath divers means to instruct man and to draw him from sin. 19, 29 He afflicteth man and suddenly delivereth him. 26 Man being delivered giveth thanks to God.
1 Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my talk, and hearken unto all my words.
2 Behold now, I have opened my mouth: my tongue hath spoken in my mouth.
3 My words are in the uprightness of mine heart, and my lips shall speak pure knowledge.
4 The [a]Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.
5 If thou canst give me answer, prepare thyself and stand before me.
6 Behold, I am according to thy wish in [b]God’s stead: I am also formed of the clay.
7 Behold, my terror shall not fear thee, neither shall mine hand [c]be heavy upon thee.
8 Doubtless thou hast spoken in mine ears, and I have heard the voice of thy words.
9 I am [d]clean, without sin: I am innocent and there is none iniquity in me.
10 Lo, he hath found occasions against me, and counted me for his enemy.
11 He hath put my feet in the stocks, and looketh narrowly unto all my paths.
12 Behold, in this hast thou not done right: I will answer thee, that God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he doth not [e]give account of all his matters.
14 For God speaketh [f]once or twice, and one seeth it not.
15 In dreams and [g]visions of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep upon their beds,
16 Then he openeth the ears of men, even by their corrections, which he [h]had sealed,
17 That he might cause man to turn away from his enterprise, and that he might hide the [i]pride of man,
18 And keep back his soul from the pit, and that his life should not pass by the sword.
19 He is also stricken with sorrow upon his bed, and the grief of his bones is sore,
20 So that his [j]life causeth him to abhor bread, and his soul dainty meat.
21 His flesh faileth that it cannot be seen, and his bones which were not seen, clatter.
22 So his soul draweth to the grave, and his life [k]to the buriers.
23 If there be a [l]messenger with him, or an interpreter, one of a thousand [m]to declare unto man his righteousness,
24 Then will he have [n]mercy upon him, and will say, [o]Deliver him, that he go not down into the pit: for I have received a reconciliation.
25 Then shall his flesh be [p]as fresh as a child’s, and shall return as in the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favorable unto him, and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his [q]righteousness.
27 He looketh upon men, and if one say, I have sinned, and [r]perverted righteousness, and it did not profit [s]me,
28 [t]He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.
29 Lo, all these things will God work [u]twice or thrice with a man,
30 That he may turn back his soul from the pit, to be illuminated in the light of the living.
31 Mark well, O Job, and hear me: keep silence and I will speak.
32 If there be [v]matter, answer me, and speak: for I desire to [w]justify thee.
33 If thou hast not, hear me: hold thy tongue, and I will teach thee wisdom.
Footnotes
- Job 33:4 I confess the power of God, and am one of his, therefore thou oughtest to hear me.
- Job 33:6 Because Job had wished to dispute his cause with God, Job 16:21, so that he might do it without fear, Elihu saith, he will reason in God’s stead, whom he needeth not to fear, because he is a man made of the same matter that he is.
- Job 33:7 I will not handle thee so roughly as these others have done.
- Job 33:9 He repeateth Job’s words, whereby he protested his innocence in divers places, but specially in Job 13, 16 and 30.
- Job 33:13 The cause of his judgments is not always declared to man.
- Job 33:14 Though God by sundry examples of his judgments speak unto man, yet the reason thereof is not known: yea and though God should speak, yet is he not understood.
- Job 33:15 God saith he, speaketh commonly, either by visions to teach us the cause of his judgments, or else by afflictions, or by his messenger.
- Job 33:16 That is, determined to send upon them.
- Job 33:17 He showeth for what end God sendeth afflictions: to beat down man’s pride, and to turn from evil.
- Job 33:20 That is, his painful and miserable life.
- Job 33:22 To them that shall bury him.
- Job 33:23 A man sent of God to declare his will.
- Job 33:23 A singular man, and as one chosen out of a thousand, which is able to declare the great mercies of God unto sinners: and wherein man’s righteousness standeth, which is through the justice of Jesus Christ and faith therein.
- Job 33:24 He showeth that it is a sure token of God’s mercy toward sinners, when he causeth his word to be preached unto them.
- Job 33:24 That is, the minister shall by the preaching of the word pronounce unto him the forgiveness of his sins.
- Job 33:25 He shall feel God’s favor and rejoice: declaring hereby wherein standeth the true joy of the faithful, and that God will restore him to health of body, which is a token of his blessing.
- Job 33:26 God will forgive his sins, and accept him as just.
- Job 33:27 That is, done wickedly.
- Job 33:27 But my sins hath been the cause of God’s wrath toward me.
- Job 33:28 God will forgive the penitent sinner.
- Job 33:29 Meaning, oftentimes, even as oft as a sinner doth repent.
- Job 33:32 If thou doubt of anything, or see occasion to speak against it.
- Job 33:32 That is, to show thee, wherein man’s justification consisteth.