1 So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he was righteous in his own eyes.
Although thou knowest that I am not wicked, And there is none that can deliver out of thy hand?
I am clean, without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me:
I will say unto God, Do not condemn me; Show me wherefore thou contendest with me.
Behold, he will slay me; I have no hope: Nevertheless I will maintain my ways before him.
Surely my lips shall not speak unrighteousness, Neither shall my tongue utter deceit. Far be it from me that I should justify you: Till I die I will not put away mine integrity from me. My righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: My heart shall not reproach `me' so long as I live.
For when the ear heard `me', then it blessed me; And when the eye saw `me', it gave witness unto me: Because I delivered the poor that cried, The fatherless also, that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me; And I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: My justice was as a robe and a diadem. I was eyes to the blind, And feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the needy: And the cause of him that I knew not I searched out. And I brake the jaws of the unrighteous, And plucked the prey out of his teeth.
I made a covenant with mine eyes; How then should I look upon a virgin? For what is the portion from God above, And the heritage from the Almighty on high? Is it not calamity to the unrighteous, And disaster to the workers of iniquity? Doth not he see my ways, And number all my steps? If I have walked with falsehood, And my foot hath hasted to deceit; (Let me be weighed in an even balance, That God may know mine integrity); If my step hath turned out of the way, And my heart walked after mine eyes, And if any spot hath cleaved to my hands: Then let me sow, and let another eat; Yea, let the produce of my field be rooted out. If my heart hath been enticed unto a woman, And I have laid wait at my neighbor's door; Then let my wife grind unto another, And let others bow down upon her. For that were a heinous crime; Yea, it were an iniquity to be punished by the judges: For it is a fire that consumeth unto Destruction, And would root out all mine increase. If I have despised the cause of my man-servant or of my maid-servant, When they contended with me; What then shall I do when God riseth up? And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him? Did not he that made me in the womb make him? And did not one fashion us in the womb? If I have withheld the poor from `their' desire, Or have caused the eyes of the widow to fail, Or have eaten my morsel alone, And the fatherless hath not eaten thereof; (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a father, And her have I guided from my mother's womb); If I have seen any perish for want of clothing, Or that the needy had no covering; If his loins have not blessed me, And if he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep; If I have lifted up my hand against the fatherless, Because I saw my help in the gate: Then let my shoulder fall from the shoulder-blade, And mine arm be broken from the bone. For calamity from God is a terror to me, And by reason of his majesty I can do nothing. If I have made gold my hope, And have said to the fine gold, `Thou art' my confidence; If I have rejoiced because my wealth was great, And because my hand had gotten much; If I have beheld the sun when it shined, Or the moon walking in brightness, And my heart hath been secretly enticed, And my mouth hath kissed my hand: This also were an iniquity to be punished by the judges; For I should have denied the God that is above. If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me, Or lifted up myself when evil found him; (Yea, I have not suffered by mouth to sin By asking his life with a curse); If the men of my tent have not said, Who can find one that hath not been filled with his meat? (The sojourner hath not lodged in the street; But I have opened my doors to the traveller); If like Adam I have covered my transgressions, By hiding mine iniquity in my bosom, Because I feared the great multitude, And the contempt of families terrified me, So that I kept silence, and went not out of the door- Oh that I had one to hear me! (Lo, here is my signature, let the Almighty answer me); And `that I had' the indictment which mine adversary hath written! Surely I would carry it upon my shoulder; I would bind it unto me as a crown: I would declare unto him the number of my steps; As a prince would I go near unto him. If my land crieth out against me, And the furrows thereof weep together; If I have eaten the fruits thereof without money, Or have caused the owners thereof to lose their life: Let thistles grow instead of wheat, And cockle instead of barley. The words of Job are ended.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 32
Commentary on Job 32 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 32
Job 32:1-37:24. Speech of Elihu.
1-6. Prose (poetry begins with "I am young").
because, &c.—and because they could not prove to him that he was unrighteous.
2. Elihu—meaning "God is Jehovah." In his name and character as messenger between God and Job, he foreshadows Jesus Christ (Job 33:23-26).
Barachel—meaning "God blesses." Both names indicate the piety of the family and their separation from idolaters.
Buzite—Buz was son of Nahor, brother of Abraham. Hence was named a region in Arabia-Deserta (Jer 25:23).
Ram—Aram, nephew of Buz. Job was probably of an older generation than Elihu. However, the identity of names does not necessarily prove the identity of persons. The particularity with which Elihu's descent is given, as contrasted with the others, led Lightfoot to infer Elihu was the author of the book. But the reason for particularity was, probably, that Elihu was less known than the three called "friends" of Job; and that it was right for the poet to mark especially him who was mainly to solve the problem of the book.
rather than God—that is, was more eager to vindicate himself than God. In Job 4:17, Job denies that man can be more just than God. Umbreit translates, "Before (in the presence of) God."
3. Though silenced in argument, they held their opinion still.
4. had spoken—Hebrew, "in words," referring rather to his own "words" of reply, which he had long ago ready, but kept back in deference to the seniority of the friends who spoke.
6. was afraid—The root meaning in Hebrew is "to crawl" (De 32:24).
7. Days—that is, the aged (Job 15:10).
8. Elihu claims inspiration, as a divinely commissioned messenger to Job (Job 33:6, 23); and that claim is not contradicted in Job 42:4, 5. Translate: "But the spirit (which God puts) in man, and the inspiration … is that which giveth," &c.; it is not mere "years" which give understanding (Pr 2:6; Joh 20:22).
9. Great—rather, "old" (Job 32:6). So Hebrew, in Ge 25:23. "Greater, less" for the older, the younger.
judgment—what is right.
10. Rather, "I say."
opinion—rather, "knowledge."
11. Therefore Elihu was present from the first.
reasons—literally, "understandings," that is, the meaning intended by words.
whilst—I waited until you should discover a suitable reply to Job.
13. This has been so ordered, "lest you should" pride yourselves on having overcome him by your "wisdom" (Jer 9:23, the great aim of the Book of Job); and that you may see, "God alone can thrust him down," that is, confute him, "not man." So Elihu grounds his confutation, not on the maxims of sages, as the friends did, but on his special commission from God (Job 32:8; 33:4, 6).
14. I am altogether unprejudiced. For it is not I, whom he addressed. "Your speeches" have been influenced by irritation.
15. Here Elihu turns from the friends to Job: and so passes from the second person to the third; a transition frequent in a rebuke (Job 18:3, 4).
they left off—Words were taken from them.
17. my part—for my part.
opinion—knowledge.
18. "I am full of words," whereas the friends have not a word more to say.
the spirit—(Job 32:8; 33:4; Jer 20:9; Ac 18:5).
19. belly—bosom: from which the words of Orientalists in speaking seem to come more than with us; they speak gutturally. "Like (new) wine (in fermentation) without a vent," to work itself off. New wine is kept in new goatskin bottles. This fittingly applies to the young Elihu, as contrasted with the old friends (Mt 9:7).
20. refreshed—literally, "that there may be air to me" (1Sa 16:23).
21. "May I never accept," &c. Elihu alludes to Job's words (Job 13:8, 10), wherein he complains that the friends plead for God partially, "accepting His person." Elihu says he will not do so, but will act impartially between God and Job. "And I will not give flattery," &c. (Pr 24:23).
22. take me away—as a punishment (Ps 102:24).