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EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

Job 34:7-9

Elihu was saying that Job’s words sounded like the words of a wicked man. Elihu was not saying that Job was evil. But evil men do say things like those that we read in verses 5-6. Job seemed to copy an evil man’s ideas. Job was a holy man. But he was actually arguing that it is better to be evil than to be good. His words seemed as if he was laughing at God.

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See also Job 34:7-9 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 34:7. _DRINKETH UP SCORNING LIKE WATER?_] This is a repetition of the charge made against Job by _Eliphaz_, Job 15:16. It is a proverbial expression, and seems to be formed, as a metaphor,...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    WHAT MAN IS LIKE JOB, WHO DRINKETH UP SCORNING LIKE WATER? - A similar image occurs in Job 15:16. The idea is, that he was full of reproachful speeches respecting God; of the language of irreverence a...

  • 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

    Elihu summons the wise men who hear him to seek a right decision. Job has accused God of injustice, when he is innocent. But in reality Job is the worst of scorners, for he denies the profit of religi...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    MAN. strong man. Hebrew. _geber._ App-14....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elihu recites Job's statement of his cause against God, expressing his abhorrence of Job's sentiments....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elihu cannot restrain his abhorrence of Job's sentiments. By _scorning_is meant impiety and scepticism. On the figure comp. ch. Job 15:16....

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    C. THE SOURCE OF JUSTICE (Job 34:1-37) 1. Job is walking with wicked men when he attributes injustice to God. (Job 34:1-9) TEXT 34:1-9 1 MOREOVER ELIHU ANSWERED AND SAID, 2 Hear my words, ye wis...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _WHAT MAN IS LIKE JOB, WHO DRINKETH UP SCORNING LIKE WATER?_ (Job 15:16.) Image from the camel. SCORNING - against God (Job 15:4)....

  • 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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    WHO DRINKETH UP SCORNING? — The same word had been applied to Job by Zophar (Job 11:3), “And when thou _mockest,_ shall no man make thee ashamed?” and the same reproach by Eliphaz (Job 15:16)....

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    מִי ־גֶ֥בֶר כְּ אִיֹּ֑וב יִֽשְׁתֶּה ־לַּ֥עַג...

  • 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

    What man [is] like Job, [who] drinketh up (f) scorning like water? (f) Which is compelled to receive your reproach and scorns of many for his foolish words....

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _What. This may be a continuation of Job's speech, who seemed to assert that none had ever been insulted like himself, nor borne it with greater patience; (chap. xvi. 4.) or Eliu reproaches him with t...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (1) В¶ Furthermore Elihu answered and said, (2) Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. (3) For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat. (4) Let us choose t...

  • 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

    WHAT MAN [IS] LIKE JOB,.... This is said as wondering at the part he acted, that a man so wise and good as Job was esteemed to be should behave in such a manner as he did; [WHO] DRINKETH UP SCORNING...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    What man [is] like Job, [who] drinketh up scorning like water? Ver. 7. _What man is like Job?_] This Elihu speaketh by way of angry admiration, as if he would make Job a very nonsuch, a matchless off...

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

    _Who drinketh up scorning like water_ That is, abundantly and greedily: who doth so break forth into scornful expressions, not only against his friends, but, in some sort, even against God himself. Th...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? For in his suspecting the divine justice Job was filling himself with scornful speeches and then uttering them in a blasphemous manner....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB ACCUSED OF FALSEHOOD AND BLASPHEMY...

  • 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...

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "WHO DRINKS UP DERISION LIKE WATER": "Elihu is petrified by such an accusation. He says that Job scorns God like drinking up water" _(p. 71)._ Eliphaz had basically made the same accusation (Job 15:16...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    1-9 Elihu calls upon those present to decide with him upon Job's words. The plainest Christian, whose mind is enlightened, whose heart is sanctified by the Spirit of God, and who is versed in the Scr...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    i.e. Abundantly and greedily; who doth so oft and so easily break forth into scornful and contemptuous expressions, not only against his friends, but in some sort even against God himself, whom he foo...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 34:7 man H1397 Job H347 drinks H8354 (H8799) scorn H3933 water H4325 Job 15:16;...

  • 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

    _What man is like Job?_ ELIHU’S ESTIMATE OF JOB It was natural that, with all his reverence for Job, Elihu should be offended by the heat and passion of his words, by the absence of moderation and se...

  • 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

    Deuteronomy 29:19; Job 15:16; Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 4:17...

  • 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

    Like water — Abundantly and greedily: who doth so break forth into scornful expressions, not only against his friends, but in some sort against God himself....

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