Job 34:16-27

16 "But if you have understanding, hear this; Listen to the sound of my words.

17 "Shall ¹one who hates justice rule? And ²will you condemn the righteous mighty One,

18 Who says to a king, 'Worthless one,' To nobles, 'Wicked ones ';

19 Who shows no ³partiality * to princes Nor regards the rich above the poor, For they all are the ⁴work of His hands?

20 "In a moment they die, and ⁵at midnight * People are shaken and pass away, And ⁶the mighty are taken away without a hand.

21 "For ⁷His eyes are upon the ways of a man, And He sees all his steps.

22 "There is ⁸no darkness or deep shadow Where the workers of iniquity may hide themselves.

23 "For He does not ⁹need to consider a man further, That he should go before God in judgment.

24 "He breaks in pieces ¹⁰mighty men without inquiry, And sets others in their place.

25 "Therefore He ¹¹knows their works, And ¹²He overthrows them in the night, And they are crushed.

26 "He ¹³strikes them like the wicked In a public place,

27 Because * * they ¹⁴turned aside from following Him, And ¹⁵had no regard for any of His ways;

Job 34:16-27 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

• 1. 2 Samuel 23:3; Job 34:30
• 2. Job 40:8
• 3. Leviticus 19:15; 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
• 4. Job 10:3
• 5. Exodus 12:29; Job 34:25; Job 36:20
• 6. Job 12:19
• 7. Job 24:23; Job 31:4; Proverbs 5:21; Proverbs 15:3; Jeremiah 16:17
• 8. Psalms 139:11, 12; Amos 9:2, 3
• 9. Job 11:11
• 10. Job 12:19
• 11. Job 34:11
• 12. Job 34:20
• 13. Psalms 9:5; Psalms 11:5
• 14. 1 Samuel 15:11
• 15. Job 21:14

Footnotes

• [a]. Lit "In the place of the ones seeing"