Job 33:1

Elihu Rebukes Job

1 "But now, please hear my speeches, Job, and hear all my words.

Job 33:1 Meaning and Commentary

Job 33:1

Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches
In the preceding chapter, Elihu directed his discourse to the three friends of Job chiefly, here to Job himself, and that by name; which none of his friends in all their discourses ever used; and in an humble suppliant manner entreats his attention to what he was about to deliver, and that for reasons which his address to his friends could furnish him with; and hence begins his speech with "wherefore", seeing he took not the part of his three friends, but blamed them; and because he had the Spirit of God in him, and was full of matter, and uneasy until he had vented it; and which he proposed to deliver in a plain and faithful manner, with sincerity and without flattery; on all which accounts be beseeches him to give him a diligent and attentive hearing:

and hearken to all my words;
not to some of them only, but to all; he bespeaks his candid and constant attention, that he would hear him out, all that he had to say, with patience, and without interruption; and then judge of the truth, force, and pertinency of them; which he would not so well be able to do, unless he heard them all; for sometimes the proof, the evidence, and demonstration of a thing depends not on a single argument, but upon many put together; each of them alone being insufficient, at least may appear so, when all considered together give full satisfaction.

Job 33:1 In-Context

1 "But now, please hear my speeches, Job, and hear all my words.

2 Please look, I open my mouth; my tongue in my mouth speaks.

3 My words [declare] my heart's uprightness, and my lips sincerely speak {what my lips know}.

4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of Shaddai gives life to me.

5 "If you are able, answer me. Present [your argument] {before me}; take your stand.

Footnotes

• [a] Or "my sentences," or "what I have to say"
• [b] Or "give ear to"