Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 33:33
If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
If not, hearken unto me … – If nothing has been said from which you dissent, then listen to me, and I will explain further the perplexing subject which has excited so much discussion. These remarks of Elihu imply great confidence in the truth of what he had to say, but they are not arrogant and disrespectful. He treats Job with the utmost deference; is willing to hear all that could be said in opposition to his own views, and is desirous of not wounding his feelings or doing injustice to his cause. It may be supposed that he paused here, to give Job an opportunity to reply, but as he made no remarks, he resumed his discourse in the following chapter. The views which he had expressed were evidently new to Job, and were entirely at variance with those of his three friends, and they appear to have been received by all with profound and respectful silence.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 33. If not] Then I will proceed: listen carefully, keep silence, and I will teach thee what true wisdom is.
Job was silent; none of his friends chose to intermeddle farther; and in the next chapter Elihu addresses both Job and them.
THERE are some various readings in the MSS. and versions on certain words in the concluding verses of this chapter, which it will be necessary to mention, as they, if adopted, will lead to a somewhat different paraphrase to that given, especially of Job 33:26-28.
Ver. 26. For tsidkatho, HIS righteousness, one MS. and the Chaldee have ketsidkatho, ACCORDING to his righteousness.
Ver. 28. For naphsho, HIS soul, which is the keri reading, and that which our translation has followed, MY soul is the reading of many MSS., early editions, the Complutensian, Antwerp, and London Polyglots, the Jerusalem Targum, the Chaldee, the Vulgate, and Coverdale.
For chaiyatho, HIS life, many MSS., early editions, the Complutensian, Antwerp, and London Polyglots, the Jerusalem Targum, Chaldee, Vulgate, and Coverdale, read chaiyathi, MY life. Both of these are properly the kethib or textual readings in the best editions, but are directed by the Masora to be changed for the keri readings, or those inserted in the margin.
For baor tireh, SHALL SEE the light, six of Kennicott’s and De Rossi’s MSS. have tihyeh, and twenty-one have caor, thus caor tihiyeh, SHALL BE AS the light. The whole verse, by these various readings, will stand thus: – “He will deliver MY soul from going into the pit, and MY life SHALL BE AS the light.” But if, with the Septuagint, Syriac, and Arabic, we read padah, in the imperative mood, then the verse will read thus:-“DELIVER THOU MY SOUL from going down to the pit, and MY life SHALL BE AS the light.”
On the 26th, 27th, 28th, and 29th, verses, the following paraphrase has been recommended.
Ver. 26. He (Jesus Christ, the head and ransom price) shall pray unto God, (shall make intercession for the transgressors, for he is the Mediator between God and man.) And he (God the Father) will be favourable, ( yirtsehu, will manifest his good will towards him.) And he shall see his face ( panaiv, his faces, God the Father, Son, and Spirit) with joy, ( bithruah, with exultation or triumph,) for he will render unto man his righteousness, ( yasheb leenosh tsidkatho, “He will restore to wretched man his righteousness;” i.e., he will create the soul anew, and restore to the fallen spirit that righteousness and true holiness which it has lost, and bring it again to its original state of perfection, through the grand atonement mentioned Job 33:24.)
But when is it that wretched miserable man shall be brought to this state of salvation? This is answered in
Ver. 27. When God, looking upon men, seeth any of them saying, I have sinned and perverted that which is right, and it hath profited me nothing-has afforded nothing equal to my wishes, and the tribulation which I sustained in seeking happiness in forbidden things. Redeem my soul from going down to destruction, and my life shall see the light, or shall be as the light. This is the prayer of the penitent, which God has promised to hear.
This is one of the best, the deepest, the most spiritual, and most important chapters which the reader has yet met with in the Book of Job. It is every way important, and full of useful information. It is a grand exhibition of the WAY of salvation as revealed to patriarchs and prophets.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
i.e. What thy wisdom and duty is in thy circumstances.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
If not, hearken to me,…. If he had no objection to make, nor answer to return, then he desires he would attend and listen to what he had further to lay before him:
hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. For though Job was a wise and good man, he might become wiser and more knowing; and indeed when instruction is given to a wise man, he will be yet wiser, Pr 9:9; and this may be received sometimes from persons inferior in age and abilities. Elihu proposed to teach him, as he did, natural, moral, and evangelical wisdom, especially the wisdom of God in his providential dealings with men, and what is man’s highest wisdom under them; which is to be reconciled unto them, and patiently to submit, and to fear the Lord, and be careful not to offend him, which to do is wisdom and understanding.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
REFLECTIONS
READER, let the sermon of Elihu call forth your most earnest attention. I pray GOD to render it profitable to us both. Surely it is a sermon full of gospel, full of grace, full of divine teaching; in which is set forth the tender mercies of GOD our FATHER, the preciousness and importance of salvation by the LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the blessedness of that instruction which GOD the HOLY GHOST graciously gives his people, whether by vision or by dream, by private call or public teaching, in his dispensations and his providences, in trouble or in joy, in sickness or in health.
Oh! for grace to profit under all the various mercies by which GOD is forever calling upon the inattentive and ignorant minds of his people. HOLY SPIRIT! condescend to be the teacher, both of writer and reader: and though thou art so gracious as to speak once, yea twice, and our hearts regard it not; yet, oh! thou condescending LORD, go on we beseech thee, notwithstanding all our stubbornness and dullness, and little improvement, under thy various ways, of opening our understanding until the great purpose is accomplished, in making us wise unto salvation, through the faith which is in Christ Jesus.
And oh! my soul, see to it, that all these gracious calls of thy GOD, upon thee, commissioned as they everyone of them is in so much mercy, see that they have their blessed effect. Look diligently, and examine the foundation of thy hope. Art thou awakened! art thou seriously, truly concerned, for thine everlasting welfare? Hath the exceeding sinfulness of sin most solemnly convinced thee, that there is no salvation out of CHRIST? and hast thou under this conviction, so earnestly implored pardon, mercy, and peace, in the blood of the cross, that thou hast at length heard those soul-comforting words of GOD thy FATHER, saying, concerning thee, Deliver him from going down to the pit, I have found a ransom. Oh! blessed deliverance; precious, precious salvation! Then shall my flesh be fresher than a child’s, and my life shall see the light.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 33:33 If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom.
Ver. 33. If not, hearken unto me ] Elihu is much in calling for attention; so are all the prophets, and Christ the arch prophet, as Mat 13:9 , where, although it might seem superfluous to stir up such to hear, as had come from all parts for that purpose, and now hung upon his holy lips, as the babe doth on the breast, Luk 19:48 , yet he, well knowing our heedlessness and fickleness, doth it once and again, leaving all ministers an example to do likewise.
Hold thy peace
And I shall teach thee wisdom
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
hearken = hearken thou.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
hearken: Psa 34:11, Pro 4:1, Pro 4:2, Pro 5:1, Pro 5:2
I: Job 33:3, Psa 49:3, Pro 8:5
Reciprocal: Job 26:3 – plentifully Job 33:5 – If