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Mark Dunagan Commentaries

Job 34:33

Is God accountable to man? Must God operate on man's terms? Job must decide, because Elihu cannot make this decision for him. "By telling Job that he must choose, Elihu meant that it was up to Job, not Elihu, to suggest an alternative to God's ways of running the universe" (Zuck p. 151). Notice the "if" in verse 32. Elihu does not come right out and accuse Job of having lived. double life, rather, he is showing that Job is off base by demanding that God explain Himself.

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See also Job 34:33 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 34:33. _ACCORDING TO THY MIND? HE WILL RECOMPENSE IT_] Mr. _Good_ renders the whole passage thus: - "Then in the presence of thy tribes According as thou art bruised shall he make it whole...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    SHOULD IT BE ACCORDING TO THY MIND? - Margin, as in Hebrew “from with thee” - המעמך _hamē‛im__e__kā_. There has been much diversity of opinion in regard to the meaning of this verse. It is exceeding...

  • 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

    If God does not intervene, who can condemn Him, even if He set up the wicked to rule? If only man penitently confesses his sin, is Job to presume to fix his punishment? Wise men will say that Job has...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    SHOULD IT BE. See rendering below....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elihu's answer to this complaint is that it is a claim to regulate the government of God, to give laws to Him how He shall act, and to decide how He shall recompense. Such a position the complainer ta...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    The connexion of the following verses is rather uncertain. The sense of Job 34:30 might suggest the connexion of Job 34:29 with the preceding. In this case Job 34:31 would make a new start, and the co...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Elihu gradually approaches the conduct of Job. He supposes the case of one animadverting on the Divine procedure and complaining of unjust affliction. This is presumption and implies that one usurps t...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    SHOULD IT BE ACCORDING TO THY MIND? &C.— _It is He will recompence that which proceedeth from thee; whether thou refusest, or whether thou choosest; and not I._ The latter clause is an invitation to a...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    4. Job is rebellious in multiplying wicked words against God. (Job 34:31-37) TEXT 34:31-37 31 FOR HATH ANY SAID UNTO GOD, I have borne _chastisement__,_ I WILL NOT OFFEND _ANY MORE:_ 32 That which...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    _SHOULD IT BE ACCORDING TO THY MIND? HE WILL RECOMPENSE IT, WHETHER THOU REFUSE, OR WHETHER THOU CHOOSE; AND NOT I: THEREFORE SPEAK WHAT THOU KNOWEST._ 'Should God recompense (sinners) according to th...

  • 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...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    RV 'Shall his recompence be as thou wilt, that thou refusest it? For thou must choose and not I: Therefore speak what thou knowest.' Elihu asks Job ironically if he is to lay down the law to God....

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Job and his friends agreed that God should punish evil people. In fact, God prefers to forgive people. However, God will not forgive everyone, whatever their attitude may be. People must confess their...

  • 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...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    SHOULD IT BE ACCORDING TO THY MIND? is obscure from its abruptness. We understand it thus: “Should he recompense it (_i.e.,_ a man’s conduct) according to thy mind, with thy concurrence, whether thou...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הַֽ מֵ עִמְּךָ֬ יְשַׁלְמֶ֨נָּה כִּֽי ־מָאַ֗סְתָּ...

  • 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

    [Should it be] according to (b) thy mind? he will recompense (c) it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest. (b) Will God use your counsel in doing...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    _It, my iniquity. (Menochius) --- Will God make thee accountable for it? (Haydock) --- Yea, if thou keep silence, (Calmet) thou wilt seem to connive at it. (Haydock) --- He wishes to engage Job to spe...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (29) When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only: (30) That the hypocrite reig...

  • 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

    [SHOULD IT BE] ACCORDING, TO THY MIND?.... O Job, for the words seem to he directed to him; and may respect either the government of the world in general, and the disposal of all things in it, treated...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Job 34:33 [Should it be] according to thy mind? he will recompense it, whether thou refuse, or whether thou choose; and not I: therefore speak what thou knowest. Ver. 33. _Should it be according to t...

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

    _Should it be according to thy mind?_ Having advised and directed Job how to conduct himself, and what to say to God in his afflicted state, he now proceeds to enforce his advice with solid arguments;...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    JOB CHARGED WITH INCONSISTENCY...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Should it be according to thy mind? He will recompense it, whether thou refuse or whether thou choose, and not I; therefore speak what thou knowest. These words are addressed to Job, sneeringly asking...

  • 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)

    SHOULD IT BE ACCORDING TO THY MIND? _HEB._SHOULD IT BE FROM WITH THEE?...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    31-37 When we reprove for what is amiss, we must direct to what is good. Job's friends would have had him own himself a wicked man. Let will only oblige him to own that he spoke unadvisedly with his...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    Having advised and directed Job how to behave himself, and what to say to God in his case, he now proceedeth to enforce his advice by solid arguments. SHOULD IT (to wit, God's chastening of thee, abou...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 34:33 repay H7999 (H8762) disavow H3588 H3988 (H8804) choose H977 (H8799) speak H1696 ...

  • 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

    _Should it be according to thy mind?_ CONCEIT REBUKED The verse is written in language of the most ancient kind, which is but little understood. Moreover, it is extremely pithy and sententious, and...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Surely it is meet to be said unto God._ THE SECOND SPEECH OF ELIHU I. A good counsel. Elihu recommends Job to do two things. 1. To resolve on an improved life. This includes-- (1) Moral reform....

  • 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 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:7; Hebrews 11:26; Hebrews 2:2;...

  • 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

    Should it be — Doth God need thy advice how to govern the world, and whom, and when to reward or punish? Refuse — To submit as is expressed, Job 34:32. Therefore — If thou canst say any thing for thys...

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Old Testament