Job 34:14-24

14 If he should 1set his heart to it and 2gather to himself his 3spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together, and man would 4return to dust.
16 "If you have understanding, hear this; listen to what I say.
17 5Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who 6says to a king, 'Worthless one,' and to nobles, 'Wicked man,'
19 who 7shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich 8more than the poor, for 9they are all the work of his hands?
20 In a moment 10they die; at 11midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by 12no human hand.
21 "For his eyes are on 13the ways of a man, and he sees all his 14steps.
22 There is no 15gloom or 16deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves.
23 For God[a] has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in 17judgment.
24 He 18shatters the mighty without investigation and sets 19others in their place.

Job 34:14-24 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 34

In this chapter Elihu reassumes his discourse, and proceeds in his answer to Job, in which are first a preface exciting attention, Job 34:1-4; then a charge is brought against Job, expressed in or extracted from some words that dropped from his lips, not so well guarded, Job 34:5-9; a refutation of these expressions of his in a variety of arguments, Job 34:10-30; and the chapter is closed with some good advice to Job, Job 34:31-33; and with an earnest request of Elihu to men of understanding, to join with him in trying him to the uttermost, Job 34:34-37.

Cross References 19

  • 1. [Job 2:3]
  • 2. Psalms 104:29; [Psalms 146:4]
  • 3. Job 32:8
  • 4. See Job 10:9
  • 5. [Genesis 18:25]
  • 6. Exodus 22:28
  • 7. Deuteronomy 10:17; 2 Chronicles 19:7; Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11; Galatians 2:6; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 3:25; 1 Peter 1:17
  • 8. [James 2:5]
  • 9. See Job 31:15
  • 10. Job 21:13
  • 11. Exodus 11:4; [Job 27:20; Job 36:20]
  • 12. Daniel 8:25; [Lamentations 4:6]
  • 13. Job 14:16; See Job 31:4
  • 14. Job 14:16; See Job 31:4
  • 15. [Psalms 139:12; Amos 9:2, 3; Hebrews 4:13]
  • 16. See Job 3:5
  • 17. Job 14:3
  • 18. Psalms 2:9
  • 19. See Job 8:19

Footnotes 1

The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.