Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 32:22
For I know not to give flattering titles; [in so doing] my maker would soon take me away.
22. Elihu is conscious of sincerity; it is not in his nature to flatter. His fear of God also and sense of His rectitude would deter him from such a thing; comp. Job’s language, ch. Job 13:7 seq.
These last words and many other things which Elihu says enable us to judge rightly of the part which the author intends him to play. There are some things in his manner of introducing himself and in the way in which he speaks of his own arguments, which seem to offend against modesty and almost shock our sense of decorum. We must not, however, apply Western standards of taste to the East. There was nothing further from the intention of the author of these Chapters than to make Elihu play a ridiculous part. This speaker is meant to offer what the writer judged a weighty contribution to the discussion, and to the vindication of the ways of God to man. It is just this fact, however, that Elihu is a serious speaker and yet so characterized by mannerisms that raises the question whether the author of such a character possessed the severe taste and high dramatic genius which so conspicuously belong to the author of the other characters; in other words, the question whether these chapters are not the composition of a different writer (see the Introduction).
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For I know not to give flattering titles – I do not know how to flatter. It is not in my character; it has not been my habit. In so doing. These words are not in the Hebrew, and they greatly mar the sense, and give a different idea from that which was intended by the speaker.
My Maker would soon take me away – Or, rather, My Maker will soon take me away. That is, I know that I must soon be removed, and must stand before my Maker. I must give an account for all that I say. Knowing that I am to go to the realities of another state of being, I cannot flatter people. I must tell them the exact and simple truth. There could be no better preventive of flattery than this. The conviction that we are soon to appear before God, where all are on a level, and where every mask will be stripped off, and everything appear as it is, would prevent us from ascribing to others qualities which we know they do not possess, and from giving them titles which will only exalt them in their own estimation, and hide the truth from their minds. Titles which properly belong to men, and which pertain to office, religion does not forbid us to confer – for the welfare of the community is promoted by a proper respect for the names and offices of those who rule. But no good end is answered in ascribing to men titles as mere matters of distinction, which serve to keep before them the idea of their own talents or importance; or which lead them to forget that they like others are soon to be taken away, and called to give up their account in another world. The deep conviction that we are all soon to try the realities of a bed of death and of the grave, and that we are to go to a world where there is no delusion, and where the ascription of qualities to us here which do not belong to us will be of no avail, would prompt to a wish to state always the simple truth. Under that conviction, we should never so ascribe to another any quality of beauty, strength, or talent, any name or title, as to leave him for one moment under a deception about himself. If this rule were followed, what a change would it produce in the social, the political, the literary, and even the religious world!
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 22. My Maker would soon take me away.] Were I to copy this conduct while under the influence which I now feel, God might justly consume me as in a moment. He is my Maker; he made me to know truth, to tell truth, and to live according to truth; for he is the God of truth: I shall, therefore through his help, speak the TRUTH, the WHOLE TRUTH, and NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH.
WE find from the above that vain titles of ceremony, expressive of the most eminent qualities, were given to worthless men, from time immemorial; and no wonder, for hypocrisy entered into man at the same time that sin entered into the world.
Of the flattering titles used in the East, I shall give a few specimens from the [Arabic] Kooayid us Sultanet SHAH JEHAN, or, “The Rules observed during the Reign of the Mogul Emperor Shah Jehan.”
Speaking of the emperor, he is entitled,
“The SUN which illuminates the firmament in the universe of royalty and dominion; the MOON, which irradiates the sky of monarchy and felicity; the King who in pomp resembles Gem-sheed. His hand is boundless as the ocean in bestowing bounties, being the key of the gates of kindness and liberality!” Again: –
“The Sun of the heaven of prosperity and empire, the SHADOW OF GOD, the Asylum of the Universe, the splendour of whose instructive front causes light and gladness to the world and to mankind.”
“The just and vigilant Monarch; the Asylum of Truth, the Refuge of the World; the Diffuser of Light, the Solver of all human difficulties.”
“The Lord of the Age, who is endowed with such perfect excellence, both in internal and external qualifications, that on all occasions he holds fast the thread of good counsel, prudence, and purity of morals.”
“The faculty of apprehension is possessed by him in such a degree, that before the matter ha s scarcely obtained utterance he comprehends the purport, and gives answers with the tongue of inspiration.”
Addresses to Persons of Distinction
“Let them convey to the presence of glorious empire, the Sultan, in pomp like Solomon, the centre of the universe, powerful as heaven!”
“Let them who kiss the carpet of the palace, in pomp like heaven, convey this letter to his majesty, whose sight is as creative as alchymy, king of kings, the asylum of the world!”
“To the exalted presence, which gratifies the desires of all people, the most beneficent of the age, the vizier, protector of the universe, may the Almighty perpetuate his fortune!”
“May this letter be dignified in the presence of Naweeb Saheb, diffuser of benefits, of exalted pomp, the respectable, the discriminator of ranks! May his power increase!”
“Let them convey this to the perusal of his excellency, conversant in realities and mysteries, the support of excellencies, the cream of his contemporaries, and the cherisher of the poor!”
These are a specimen of the flattering titles given in the East to persons in eminent stations. Their kings they clothe in all the attributes of the Deity, when both in their public and private character they are corrupt and unholy, rascals in grain, and the ruthless oppressors of suffering humanity.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
I have neither skill nor will to flatter Job or any man so as to debauch my conscience, or corrupt the truth, or speak falsely for his sake. If I should be guilty of that sin, God would quickly and sorely punish me for it. Or without this supplement,
my Maker will quickly take me away, to wit, out of this world. I dare not flatter any man, because I consider I must shortly die and go to judgment, to give an account of all my words and actions.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
22. take me awayas apunishment (Ps 102:24).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For I know not to give flattering titles,…. He had not been brought up in such a manner, nor taught to use them; he had not been inured to them, nor did he know or approve of them; nor could he in conscience give them;
[in so doing], my Maker would soon take me away; it being such a piece of wickedness, so abominable to him, and so highly resented by him, that I might justly expect he would, as he could, strike me dead at once; just as Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for lying, Ac 5:5: or he knew that it would be but a short time at most, and he should be taken out of the world by death, when he must appear before his Maker, his Judge, to whom he must give an account of his words, as well as actions; the awe of this being continually on his mind would not admit him to flatter any man. Some render it, “will burn me” c, as in 2Sa 5:21; so Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom, that is, in hell fire; see Ps 12:2.
c “comburet me”, Pagninus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(22) In so doing my maker would soon take me away.Or perhaps the meaning may be, My Maker will almost have to forgive me: that is, for being too candid, frank, and straightforward; for speaking too plainly. Some commentators regard Elihus character with great disfavour, and consider him to be an empty and arrogant talker, mainly, perhaps, from Job. 32:18-19; others accept him as a wise and pious friend of Job, who not only gave him good advice, but perhaps more nearly than any other of the disputants hit the truth about Jobs afflictions. We are probably more right in this latter view, because at the climax of the poem we do not read that Elihu had any share in the condemnation which was passed by God on the three friends of Job. He is not noticed for either praise or blame.
It is to be observed that the last eight verses of this chapter are a kind of soliloquy, unlike the former part of it, which was addressed to the friends, or the next chapter, which is addressed to Job.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
22. Give flattering titles This expression means to give proud titles to persons who are worthless. (Dr. Clarke.) The practice was common among the Orientals of addressing superiors with long and fulsome, and even divine, titles. The ancient Egyptian and Assyrian inscriptions abound in illustrations. In thus paying greater homage to the creature than the Creator, “his Maker would soon take him away.”
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
REFLECTIONS
THE zeal of Elihu, his impartiality, his diligence, his faithfulness, modesty; how graceful they make him appear, even before he enters upon the great subject he hath to propose to Job and his three disputants. Such methinks should be the servant of JESUS. The apostle describes him when he saith, The servant of the LORD must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient in meekness, instructing those that oppose themselves. He that winneth souls is wise. And when the great difficulty of the ministerial employment be considered, and in what a diversity of ways it may and must be administered, so as to suit the various minds, tempers, state, and dispositions, of the several hearers, certainly it requires the zeal of Elihu, and his mildness and earnestness also, to know how rightly to divide the word of truth, and to show men that he is a workman that needeth not to be ashamed. And when we look on, and behold any congregation assembled, and consider them as they really are; some to be fed with milk, others with meat: the insensible and unawakened sinners to be roused; the trembling to be comforted; wanderers reclaimed; backsliders reproved; surely such a diversity requires all that prudence, wisdom, and grace, which Elihu appears in this chapter to be anxious in the exercising; so that the great purposes of the ministry might be accomplished. Happy the man that ministers in divine things, who, like the Apostle, in the close of his labours, can look up with humble confidence to the LORD, while taking a farewell of his people, and say, that he had kept nothing back that was profitable, neither had shunned to declare the whole counsel of GOD. But a who is sufficient for these things? LORD JESUS! do thou graciously impart suited strength to all thy sent servants, and let their weakness be made perfect in thy strength; that, like one of old, they may determine to know nothing among men but JESUS CHRIST, and him crucified, having themselves experienced thee to be the power of GOD, and the wisdom of GOD for salvation to everyone that believeth.
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 32:22 For I know not to give flattering titles; [in so doing] my maker would soon take me away.
Ver. 22. For I know not to give, &c. ] I have as little art in it (it is out of my road) as heart to it. For,
In so doing my maker should take me away
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
soon. See note on Pro 5:14.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
I know not: That is, I cannot, Job 17:5, Psa 12:2, Psa 12:3, Pro 29:5, 1Th 2:5, Gal 1:10
Reciprocal: 2Sa 14:20 – according Job 13:7 – General Job 35:10 – my Psa 5:9 – they Psa 15:4 – a vile Mat 22:16 – neither Mat 23:9 – call
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
32:22 For I know not to give flattering {n} titles; [in so doing] my maker would soon take me away.
(n) The Hebrew word signifies to change the name as to call a fool a wise man: meaning, that he would not cloak the truth to flatter men.