Job 33:8-33

The argument

8 You certainly said in my hearing; I heard the sound of your words:

9 "I'm pure, without sin; I'm innocent, without offense.

10 Notice that he invents arguments against me; he considers me his enemy,

11 ties up my feet, watches all my paths."

12 Now you're wrong about this; I'll answer you, for God is greater than anybody.

13 Why do you contend with him, saying that he doesn't answer all your words?

14 God speaks in one way, in two ways, but no one perceives it.

15 In the dream, a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls upon humans, during their slumber on a bed,

16 then he opens people's ears, scares them with warnings,

17 to turn them from a deed and to smother human pride.

18 He keeps one from the pit, a life from perishing by the sword.

19 Or a person may be disciplined by pain while in bed, bones ever aching

20 until a person loathes food, an appetite rejects a delicacy;

21 the flesh wastes away, no longer visible; the bones, once hidden, protrude.

22 A life approaches the pit; its very being draws near the death dealers.

23 Surely there's a messenger for this person, a mediator, one out of a thousand to declare one's integrity to another

24 so that God has compassion on that person and says, "Rescue this one from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom."

25 That person's flesh is renewed like a child's; they regain their youth.

26 They pray to God, and God is pleased with them; they behold God's presence with a joyful shout. God rewards a person's righteousness.

27 They sing before people and say: "I have sinned, perverted justice, but didn't experience the consequences.

28 He ransomed me from crossing into the pit; my life beholds light."

29 Look, God does all this, twice, three times with persons

30 to bring them back from the pit, to shine with life's light.

31 Listen, Job; hear me; be quiet, and I will speak.

32 If you have words, answer me; speak, for I want to be innocent.

33 If not, you must hear me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.

Job 33:8-33 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 33

In this chapter Elihu addresses Job himself, and entreats his attention to what he had to say to him, and offers several things to induce him to it; and recommends himself as one that was according to his wish, in the stead of God, a man like himself, and of whom he had no reason to be afraid, Job 33:1-7; and then he brings a charge against him of things which he himself had heard, of words that had dropped from him in the course of his controversy with his friends; in which he too much and too strongly insisted on his own innocence and purity, and let fill very undue and unbecoming reflections on the dealings of God with him, Job 33:8-11; to which he gives an answer by observing the superior greatness of God to man, and his sovereignty over him, not being accountable to him for anything done by him; and therefore man should be silent and submissive to him, Job 33:12,13; and yet, though he is so great and so absolute, and uncontrollable, and is not obliged to give an account of his affairs to man, and the reasons of them; yet he condescends by various ways and means to instruct him in his mind and will, and even by these very things complained of; and therefore should not be treated as if unkind and unfriendly to men; sometimes he does it by dreams and visions, when he opens the ears of men, and seals instruction to them, and with this view, to restrain them from their evil purposes and doings, and to weaken their pride and humble them, and preserve them from ruin, Job 33:14-18; and sometimes by chastening and afflictive providences, which are described, Job 33:19-22; and which become teaching ones; through the interposition of a divine messenger, and upon the afflicted man's prayer to God, and humiliation before him, God is gracious and favourable to him, and delivers him; which is frequently the design and the use that he makes of chastening dispensations, Job 33:23-30; and the chapter is concluded with beseeching Job to mark and consider well what had been said unto him, and to answer it if he could or thought fit; if not, silently to attend to what he had further to say to him for his instruction, Job 33:31-33.

Footnotes

• [a]. Or his words