Job 34:3 Komentář

Elihu, it is likely, paused awhile, to see if Job had any thing to say against his discourse in the foregoing chapter; but he sitting silent, and it is likely intimating his desire that he would go on, he here proceeds. And, I. He bespeaks not only the audience, but the assistance of the company (Job 34:2-4). II. He charges Job with some more indecent expressions that had dropped from him (Job 34:5-9). III. He undertakes to convince him that he had spoken amiss, by showing very fully, 1. God's incontestable justice (Job 34:10-12, Job 34:17, Job 34:19, Job 34:23). 2. His sovereign dominion (Job 34:13-15). 3. His almighty power (Job 34:20, Job 34:24). 4. His omniscience (Job 34:21, Job 34:22, Job 34:25). 5. His severity against sinners (Job 34:26-28). 6. His overruling providence (Job 34:29, Job 34:30). IV. He teaches him what he should say (Job 34:31, Job 34:32). And then, lastly, he leaves the matter to Job's own conscience, and concludes with a sharp reproof of him for his peevishness and discontent (Job 34:33-37). All this Job not only bore patiently, but took kindly, because he saw that Elihu meant well; and, whereas his other friends had accused him of that from which his own conscience acquitted him, Elihu charged him with that only for which, it is probable, his own heart, now upon the reflection, began to smite him.

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; 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; a refutation of these expressions of his in a variety of arguments, Job 34:10; and the chapter is closed with some good advice to Job, Job 34:31; and with an earnest request of Elihu to men of understanding, to join with him in trying him to the uttermost, Job 34:34.

Let us choose to us judgments,.... Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, and he doubtless has respect to the present controversy with Job; let us know among ourselves what is good; agree upon that which is best to be done in the present case, what judgment to be made of the dealings of God with Job, and his behaviour under them, and what the best advice to give to him.

Hear my words, O ye wise men, and listen to me, ye learned. For the ear trieth words, and the throat discerneth meats by the taste. As if he were to say, as the ear does not discern meats, nor the throat words, so a fool does not understand the sentence of the wise. Hear therefore what I say, ye wise and learned, who can understand the meaning of what has been said. Let us see then how great is his pride, who imagines that his words can be fitly heard only by the wise. But the true preacher of wisdom says, I am a debtor both to the wise, and to the unwise. [Rom. 1, 14] But the arrogant, on the other hand, in his preaching looks only for the ears of the wise. And this not because he preaches for the purpose of making men wise, but he seeks for wise men, in order that he may proudly display his sentiments. For, as was said before, he does not seek to instruct them, but to display himself. Nor does he consider how righteous those that hear him become, but how learned he appears, when listened to by the learned. But since no one would listen to the preaching of the proud, if they did not throw in some semblance of humility; Eliu, after having extolled himself with swelling words, again condescends, as it were, to put himself on a level of equality; saying,

He shows why he invites others to listen saying, "for the ear proves the argument," as if to say: I invite you to listen so that after you have heard my words you judge them. He introduces this as a comparison when he says, "and the palate judges the taste of food," as if to say: Just as taste judges food, so hearing judges words.

Elihu begins with an exhortation to Job's friends, Job 34:1-4; charges Job with accusing God of acting unrighteously, which he shows is impossible, Job 34:5-12; points out the power and judgments of the Almighty, vv. 13-30; shows how men should address God, and how irreverently Job has acted, Job 34:31-37.

The ear trieth words - I do not think, with Calmet, that the inward ear, or judgment, is meant simply. The Asiatics valued themselves on the nice and harmonious collection of words, both in speaking and in writing; and perhaps it will be found here that Elihu labors as much for harmonious versification as for pious and weighty sentiments. To connect sense with sound was an object of general pursuit among the Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian poets; and so fond are the latter of euphony, that they often sacrifice both sense and sentiment to it; and some of the Greek poets are not exempt from this fault.

(Job 34:1-37) answered--proceeded.

palate--(See on Job 12:11; Job 33:2).