Job 33:18

18 He keeps their souls from the pit and their lives from crossing the River [of Death].

Job 33:18 Meaning and Commentary

Job 33:18

He keepeth back his soul from the pit
Or, "that he may keep back" ^F14; for this is another end and use of God's speaking unto men; it is to preserve them for the present from going down to the grave, the pit of corruption and destruction; so called because the bodies of men, being there laid, corrupt, and are entirely destroyed by worms, and turn to rottenness and dust; and to preserve them from the bottomless pit of everlasting ruin and destruction; for the Lord's people are reproved by him, that they may not be condemned with the world, ( 1 Corinthians 11:32 ) ;

and his life from perishing by the sword;
by the sword of men, which is one of God's sore judgments; or by the sword of the civil magistrate, the man spoken to being warned of God of committing these sins, which would bring him into the hands of such; or by the sword of divine justice; Jarchi interprets it of the sword of the angel of death; the word signifies a missive weapon, as a dart; so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "and his life from going on the dart": or, as another version has it, "lest it should go on under the cast of darts" ^F15; the darts of an enemy in war, or the fiery darts of Satan, ( Ephesians 6:16 ) .

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FOOTNOTES:

F14 (Kvxy) "ut prohibeat", Mercerus, Piscator.
F15 Tigurine version.

Job 33:18 In-Context

16 he opens people's ears and terrifies them with warnings.

17 [He warns them] to turn away from doing [wrong] and to stop being arrogant.

18 He keeps their souls from the pit and their lives from crossing the River [of Death].

19 In pain on their sickbeds, they are disciplined with endless aching in their bones

20 so that their whole being hates food and they lose their appetite for a delicious meal.