Job 33:17-27

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.

21 Their flesh becomes so thin that it can't be seen. Their bones, not seen before, will be exposed.

22 Their souls approach the pit. Their lives come close to those already dead.

23 "If they have a messenger for them, a spokesman, one in a thousand, to tell people what is right for them,

24 then he will have pity on them and say, 'Free them from going into the pit. I have found a ransom.'

25 Then their flesh will become softer than a child's. They will go back to the days of their youth.

26 They will pray to God, who will be pleased with them. They will see God's face and shout for joy as he restores their righteousness.

27 Each one sings in front of other people and says, 'I sinned and did wrong instead of what was right, and it did me no good.

Job 33:17-27 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.