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Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Job 34:17

Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just?

'Can even He who (in thy view) hateth right (justice) govern?' The government of the world would be impossible if injustice were sanctioned. God must be just, because He governs (2 Samuel 23:3, "He that ruleth over men must be just").

Govern - literally, bind, namely, by authority (so 'reign,' margin, 1 Samuel 9:17; cf. Psalms 149:8). Umbreit translates, for "govern," repress wrath-namely, against Job for his accusations.

Most just - rather, 'Him who is at once mighty and just' (in His government of the world) х tsadiyq (H6662) kabiyr (H3524)].

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See also Job 34:17 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 34:17. _SHALL - HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN?_] Or, _Shall he who_ _hateth judgment, lie under obligation_? It is preposterous to suppose that he who lives by no rule, should impose rules up...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN? - Margin, as in Hebrew “bind.” That is, shall he bind by laws. The argument in this verse seems to be an appeal to what must be the conviction of mankind, that...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER 34 _ 1. Hear my words ye wise men (Job 34:1)_ 2. The refutation of Job's accusation of God (Job 34:5) 3. Job needs testing to the end (Job 34:31)...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    Injustice is incompatible with rule. How does Job condemn God, before whom even kings and princes are vile, and who regards rich and poor alike? He sees the oppressor and suddenly destroys him. In Job...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    This charge of injustice Elihu rebuts, _first_, on the general ground of its impiety: God cannot be thought of as acting in the way Job asserted He rewardeth every man according to his works (Job 34:1...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _condemn him that is most just_ Or, CONDEMN THE JUST, THE MIGHTY ONE....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The second thought: without justice rule is impossible; and therefore injustice in the supreme Ruler is inconceivable. The thought is one that finds repeated expression in Scripture, as in the words o...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT— _Would he that hateth judgment reign in his fury?_ The sense is, "Since he can so easily destroy all the human race, would he, if he was not a lover of justice, restra...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. God is supreme, sees every hidden thing, and is an impartial judge. (Job 34:16-30) TEXT 34:16-30 16 If now _thou hast_ understanding, hear this: Hearken to the voice of my words. 17 Shall even...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    34:17 All-just? (e-13) Or 'Mighty Just.'...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    Render, 'Doth one hating right rule?' The thought is the same as Abraham's, 'Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?' (Genesis 18:25): cp. also Romans 3:5. Of course this begs the very question...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SPEECHES OF ELIHU (CONTINUED) 1-9. Elihu appeals to his hearers to judge the matter. He protests against the complaints of Job that he was treated unjustly by God, and that it was no profit to be...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 34 ELIHU DISCUSSES THE SPEE...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    The Bible teaches that God is the ruler of the world. • Pilate thought that he had power over Jesus. But Jesus replied that Pilate’s power came from God – John 19:10-11. • When King Nebuchadnezzar d...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SHALL EVEN HE.... — The argument is that one who holds such a position of absolute rule cannot be other than most just. He who is fit to rule must be just, and He who is the ultimate ruler must be fit...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הַ אַ֬ף שֹׂונֵ֣א מִשְׁפָּ֣ט יַחֲבֹ֑ושׁ וְ אִם

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XXV. POST-EXILIC WISDOM Job 32:1; Job 33:1; Job 34:1 A PERSONAGE hitherto unnamed in the course of the drama now assumes the place of critic and judge between Job and his friends. Elihu, son of Bara...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE ALMIGHTY MUST BE JUST Job 34:1 Elihu stands in Job 34:10 as God's apologist. God's absolute and impartial justice is at all times a matter of untold comfort. There will be no cause of ultimate co...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Job gave no answer to the challenge, and Elihu proceeded. He first appealed to the wise men, asked that they would listen in order to try his words. He then made two quotations from the things Job had...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Shall even he that hateth right (m) govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? (m) If God were not just, how could be govern the world?...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Judgment. How can we hope for redress from God, while he condemns his conduct? (Menochius) --- How can we bring Job to a sense of his duty, since he entertains such perverse notions? Hebrew, "Shall he...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (13) Who hath given him a charge over the earth? or who hath disposed the whole world? (14) If he set his heart upon man, if he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; (15) All flesh shall peri...

  • John Brown Commentaries Selected Books of the Bible

    3. NOW ON TO CHAPTER 34 H. Job 34:1-9 (NKJV) Elihu further answered and said: 2 "Hear my words, you wise [men]; Give ear to me, you who have knowledge. 3 For the ear tests words As the palate taste...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 32 THROUGH 37. But these spiritual affections of Job did not prevent his turning this consciousness of integrity into a robe of self-righteousness which hid G...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN?.... That hates moral and civil justice; is such an one fit to rule among men or over them? No, surely; for to love righteousness and do it is a qualification of...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Shall even he that hateth right govern? and wilt thou condemn him that is most just? Ver. 17. _Shall even he that hateth right govern?_] Heb. Bind; _sc._ malefactors, whom magistrates use to hamper?...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _If thou hast understanding, hear this_ As thou art a man of understanding, hear and consider what I say. _Shall even he that hateth right_ That is unrighteous; _govern_ Hebrew, יחבושׁ, _jachabosh, bi...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Shall even he that hateth right govern? The love of righteousness and justice is a condition of proper government. AND WILT THOU CONDEMN HIM THAT IS MOST JUST, the mighty Just One, that is, God Himsel...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    PROOF OF THE DIVINE RIGHTEOUSNESS...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    HIS APPEAL AS TO WISE MEN (vv.1-4) Since Job had wisely refrained from speaking, Elihu makes an appeal to all his hearers, as to wise men (v.2). This reminds us of1 Corinthians 10:15, "I speak as to...

  • Marginal Notes in the King James Version (1611)

    GOVERN? _HEB._BINDE...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    16-30 Elihu appeals directly to Job himself. Could he suppose that God was like those earthly princes, who hate right, who are unfit to rule, and prove the scourges of mankind? It is daring presumpti...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    HE THAT HATETH RIGHT, i.e. that is unrighteous. But this he expresseth in a most emphatical manner, the reason and weight whereof seems to me to be this: If God be unjust, he is not so from fear of an...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 34:17 hates H8130 (H8802) justice H4941 govern H2280 (H8799) condemn H7561 (H8686) most H3524 just...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Job 34:1. _Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat._ I wish that verse was...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Elihu's discourse continued. He magnifies God's holiness. CHARACTERS: God, Elihu, Job, friends. CONCLUSION: It is absurd and unreasonable to multiply words in complaint against God's ways....

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 34:5. _Job hath said God hath taken away my judgment._ See on Job 27:2. Elihu, in every accusation, takes or turns Job's words in a wrong sense. Job meant that God had varied, in regard of him, th...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _If now thou hast understanding, hear this._ ELIHU’S REMONSTRANCE I. Founded on the supremacy of God. Where there is absolute supremacy, there can be no injustice. There are some who speak of the ab...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    JOB—NOTE ON JOB 34:1 Elihu calls on “wise men” to hear Job’s contention that he is in the right (vv. Job 34:2) and “men of understanding” to hear Elihu’s argument against this claim (vv....

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _ELIHU’S SECOND SPEECH_ Probably after waiting for a reply from Job, and none being forthcoming, Elihu resumes. Job 34:1.—“Furthermore Elihu answered (took up speech), and said”. Job’s silence probabl...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 34:1 In this chapter Elihu turns from Job to those whom he addresses as "wise men" (verse 2), or "men of understanding" (verse 10). Whether these are Job's three special friends, or ot...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Furthermore Elihu went on then [Job didn't answer], he said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; give ear unto me, that have knowledge. For the ear tries words, as the mouth tastes meat (Job 34:1-3). That'...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    2 Samuel 19:21; 2 Samuel 23:3; Genesis 18:25; Job 1:22; Job 40:8;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    HIGH ALTITUDES IN ELIHU'S ANSWER TO JOB Job 32:1, Job 33:1; Job 34:1; Job 35:1; Job 3

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Shall he — That is unrighteous. Govern — Elihu's argument is the same with that of Abraham, Genesis 18:25, and that of St. Paul, Romans 3:5. If God be unrighteous, how shall he judge or govern the wor...

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