Job 34:19-29

19 He does not take the side of rulers nor favor the rich over the poor, for he created everyone.

20 We may suddenly die at night. God strikes us down and we perish; he kills the mighty with no effort at all.

21 He watches every step we take.

22 There is no darkness dark enough to hide a sinner from God.

23 God does not need to set a time for us to go and be judged by him.

24 He does not need an investigation to remove leaders and replace them with others.

25 Because he knows what they do; he overthrows them and crushes them by night.

26 He punishes sinners where all can see it,

27 because they have stopped following him and ignored all his commands.

28 They forced the poor to cry out to God, and he heard their calls for help.

29 If God decided to do nothing at all, no one could criticize him. If he hid his face, we would be helpless.

Job 34:19-29 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.

Footnotes

• [a]. [Probable text] a time; [Hebrew] yet.