Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 33:25
His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:
25. His restoration out of his affliction to health is like the freshness of a new childhood and the strength of a new youth.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
25, 26. The sufferer’s restoration. For the future tenses of A. V. present tenses would be better in these two verses.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His flesh shall be fresher than a childs – Margin, childhood. The meaning is obvious. He would be restored again to health. The calamity which had been brought upon him for purposes of discipline, would be removed. This was the theory of Elihu in regard to afflictions, and he undoubtedly meant that it should be applied to Job. If he would now, understanding the nature and design of affliction, turn to God, he would be recovered again, and enjoy the health and rigor of his youth. We are not to suppose that this is universally true, though it is undoubtedly often a fact now, that if those who are afflicted become truly penitent, and call upon God, the affliction will be removed. It will have accomplished its object, and may be withdrawn. Hence, they who pray that their afflictions may be withdrawn, should first pray that they may accomplish on their own hearts the effect which God designs, producing in them penitence, deadness to the world, and humiliation, and then that his hand may be withdrawn.
He shall return to the days of his youth – That is, to health and rigor.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Job 33:25
He shall return to the days of his youth.
The autumn crocus
If the snowdrop may be called the morning star that ushers in the dawn of the floral year, the crocus may be said to be its sunrise. So much is the crocus associated with the showers and the sunbeams of April, that it requires a special mental effort, even when the fact is known, to realise that it also blooms in the fading light and amid the withering foliage of September. There are well-known species of crocus that flower only during the autumnal months. In Switzerland the sandy meadows along the banks of the Alpine streams are covered with myriads of autumn crocuses, whose exquisitely pure and delicate amethystine hue in the glowing sunshine is a feast of colour of which the eye never wearies. Every one is familiar with the pale violet saffron crocus, which blooms according to soil and position from the end of September to the beginning of November. If the yellow spring crocus is the golden sunrise of the floral year, the lilac autumn crocus is its sunset. The autumn crocus is a type of one of the most interesting phenomena of nature and of human life. In many departments there are numerous instances of the recurrence at a later period of something that belongs to an earlier time. The crimson and gold of the sunrise is repeated in the splendour of sunset. The older one grows, the more pathetic does the tender grace of each spring become. So much of what we loved and lost never comes back, that the beauty of the spring touches us like the brightness of a perfect day, when the grave is closing over dear eyes that shall never more behold it. Why should the inferior things of nature return, and those for whose use they were all made, lie unconscious in the dust? The aged live in the springs of the past and their life goes forward to another and brighter spring in the eternal world, of which the springs of earth are only fleeting types and shadows. But though the bright flame of their spring crocus has burnt down to the socket, and only the green monotonous leaves remain behind, is there no re-kindling in the withered plot of their life of the autumn crocus, whose more sober hue befits the sadder character of the season? Yes, mans life, too, has its Indian summer and its autumn crocus. The season of decay brings to him also reminiscences of the bright season of renewal. Often, where others see only withered leaves, the heart feels the springing of vernal flowers. Job, describing the happiness which he had in former years, and longing for its return, says, Oh that I were as I was in the days of my youth! This phrase literally means the vintage season, the time of fruit gathering; and the authorised version, adopting another translation which the phrase also bears, unwittingly expresses the subtle connection between youth and age, the spring and the autumn, the blossoming and the fruit time of life. The true days of Jobs youth was the period when his life became young again through the maturity of his powers, and the consummation of his hopes. It was in the autumn of his life that he enjoyed all those blessings of prosperity whose loss he deplores. The legitimate symbolic use of autumn is as the season of ripeness–fulness of power, not of decay. That there are days and signs of youth in the time of the harvest and vintage of life everyone can testify. The autumn fields are happy with the flowers that tell of spring, with the remembrance of days that are no more. True, indeed, the autumn crocus is not the same flower as the spring crocus. It has hues deeper and more intense. It speaks of change and decay. So the joys of our early life, which we recall in late years, are not the same as when they stirred our young blood; we colour them with the deeper and tenderer hues of our own spirit. In the physical sphere of man there are numerous instances of the spring crocus blooming again in the autumn. The cutting of new teeth, and the growth of young hair, in old age, are by no means so infrequent as we might suppose. The eagles power of self-renewal has been manifested by many an aged form. In the mental sphere the growth of the autumn crocus is much more common than in the physical, and much more precious and beautiful. How numerous and splendid are the examples of intellect disclosing its fullest powers at the very close of life! As an old man Cute learnt Greek. Goethe was fourscore years old when he completed the second part of Faust. Literary men have often recorded the peculiar delight with which in their later years they have returned to the studies of their youth. The Chinese encourage their students to persevere in their mental pursuits to extreme old age, by bestowing the golden button of the successful candidate upon a man when he is eighty years old, although he has failed in all his previous examinations. But it is in the sphere of the soul that the autumn crocus blooms most beautifully. The rejuvenescence of the soul, the renewal of the spiritual life, may be the experience of all. This youthful victoriousness–the inward man being renewed more and more while the outward man is decaying–is the glory of every true Christians old age. Only the fire that comes down from heaven can preserve the youth of the spirit amid all the changes and sorrows of life. Religion really lived keeps the heart always young, always tender. It teaches us that nothing beautiful or good once possessed is wholly lost to us; that there is a deeper truth in the words, A thing of beauty is a joy forever, than even its poet knew. (Hugh Macmillan, D. D.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 25. His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s] He shall be born a new creature.
He shall return to the days of his youth] He shall be born again, and become a child of God, through faith in Christ Jesus.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Fresher than a childs, i.e. more sound and tender. These joyful tidings delivered to him by Gods messenger shall revive his spirit, and by degrees restore his former health and vigour.
To the days of his youth, i. e. to the same healthful and strong constitution of body which he had in his youth.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
25-28. Effects of restoration toGod’s favor; literally, to Job a temporal revival; spiritually, aneternal regeneration. The striking words cannot be restrictedto their temporal meaning, as used by Elihu (1Pe 1:11;1Pe 1:12).
his flesh shall be fresherthan a child’sso Naaman, 2Ki5:14, spiritually, Joh3:3-7.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s,…. Being recovered from illness and restored to health, through the gracious dealings of God with him. This is to be understood not simply and absolutely, but comparatively, or with respect to his former condition; that he, who before was reduced to skin and bone, is now become fat and plump; and whose flesh was dry and withered, now moist, succulent, and juicy; and whose skin was wrinkled, now soft and smooth, and sleek; and whose face was pale, now bloomy and ruddy. The Targum is,
“his flesh is weakened more than a child,”
and the Vulgate Latin,
“is consumed,”
referring to his former state:
he shall return to the days of his youth. His youth renewed, and he seem young again; become hale and robust as in his youthful days; see
Ps 103:5.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
25 His flesh swelleth with the freshness of youth,
He returneth to the days of his youth.
26 If he prayeth to Eloah, He showeth him favour,
So that he seeth His face with joy,
And thus He recompenseth to man his uprightness.
27 He singeth to men and saith:
“I had sinned and perverted what was straight,
“And it was not recompensed to me.
28 “He hath delivered my soul from going down into the pit,
“And my life rejoiceth in the light.”
Misled by the change of the perf. and fut. in Job 33:25, Jer. translates Job 33:25: consumta est caro ejus a suppliciis ; Targ.: His flesh had been weakened ( ), or made thin ( ), more than the flesh of a child; Raschi: it had become burst (French , in connection with which only appears to have been in his mind, in the sense of springing up, prendre son escousse ) from the shaking (of disease). All these interpretations are worthless; , peculiar to the Elihu section in the book of Job (here and Job 36:14), does not signify shaking, but is equivalent to (Job 13:26; Job 31:18); and is in the perf. only because the passive quadriliteral would not so easily accommodate itself to inflexion (by which all those asserted significations, which suit only the perf. sense, fall to the ground). The Chateph instead of the simple Sehev is only in order to give greater importance to the passive u. But as to the origin of the quadriliteral (on the four modes of the origin of roots of more than three radicals, vid., Jesurun, pp. 160-166), there is no reason for regarding it as a mixed form derived from two different verbs: it is formed just like (from , by Arabizing = ) with a sibilant termination from = , and therefore signifies to be (to have been made) over moist or juicy. However, there is yet another almost more commendable explanation possible. In Arab. trfs signifies to recover, prop. to grow green, become fresh (perhaps from tarufa , as in the signification to blink, from tarafa ). From this Arab. tarfasha , or even from a Hebr. ,
(Note: The Talmud. ( Chullin, 49 b) signifies, according to the customary rendering, the pericardium, and ( ib. 46 a) the diaphragm, or rather the little net ( omentum minus ). Originally, however, the former signified the cushion of fat under the pericardium on which the heart rests, especially in the crossing of the furrows; the latter the accumulation of fat on the porta ( ) and between the laminae of the little net. For is correctly explained by , fat. It has nothing to do with (an old name for a part of the liver), with which Ges. after Buxtorf connects it.)
pinguefacere (which may with Frst be regarded as springing from , to be fleshy, like , ), might have sprung by transposition. In a remarkable manner one and the same idea is attained by all these ways: whether we regard as a mixed form from and , or as an extended root-form from one or other of these verbs, it is always according to the idea: a superabundance of fresh healthfulness. The or is chiefly regarded as comparative: more than youth, i.e., leaving this behind, or exceeding it, Ew. 221, a; but Job 33:25, according to which he who was hitherto sick unto death actually renews his youth, makes it more natural to take the as causal: it swells from youth or youthfulness. In this description of the renovation which the man experiences, it is everywhere assumed that he has taken the right way announced to him by the mediating angel. Accordingly, Job 33:26 is not intended of prayer that is heard, which resulted in pardon, but of prayer that may be heard continually, which results from the pardon: if he prays to Eloah ( fut. hypotheticum as Job 22:27, vid., on Job 29:24), He receives him favourably ( , Arab. radiya , with , Arab. b, to have pleasure in any one, with the acc. eum gratum vel acceptum habere ), and he (whose state of favour is now established anew) sees God’s countenance (which has been hitherto veiled from him, Job 34:29) with rejoicing (as Psa 33:3 and freq.), and He (God) recompenses to the man his uprightness (in his prolonged course of life), or prop., since it is not , but , He restores on His part his relation in accordance with the order of redemption, for that is the idea of ; the word has either a legal or a so-to-speak evangelical meaning, in which latter, used of God (as so frequently in Isaiah II), it describes His rule in accordance with His counsel and order of redemption; the primary notion is strict observance of a given rule.
In Job 33:27 the favoured one is again the subj. This change of person, without any indication of the same, belongs to the peculiarities of the Hebrew, and, in general, of the Oriental style, described in the Geschichte der jd. Poesie, S. 189 [ History of Jewish Poetry; ] the reference of , as Hiph., to God, which is preferred by most expositors, is consequently unnecessary. Moreover, the interpretation: He causes his (the favoured one’s) countenance to behold joy (Umbr., Ew.), is improbable as regards the phrase ( ) , and also syntactically lame; and the interpretation: He causes (him, the favoured one) to behold His (the divine) countenance with joy (Hirz., Hahn, Schlottm., and others), halts in like manner, since this would be expressed by ( ). By the reference to psalmody which follows in Job 33:27 (comp. Job 36:24), it becomes natural that we should understand Job 33:26 according to such passages in the Psalms as Psa 90:2; Psa 67:2; Psa 17:15. is a poetically contracted fut. after the manner of a jussive, for ; and perhaps it is a dialectic form, for the Kal = occurs only besides in 1Sa 18:6 as Chethb. With (comp. Pro 25:20) it signifies to address a song to any one, to sing to him. Now follows the psalm of the favoured one in outline; Job 33:28 also belongs to it, where the Keri (Targ. Jer.), without any evident reason whatever, gets rid of the 1 pers. (lxx, Syr.). I had sinned – he says, as he looks back ashamed and thankful – and perverted what was straight (comp. the confession of the penitent, Psa 106:6), , et non aequale factum s. non aequatum est mihi ,
(Note: In Arabic swy ( sawa ) is the most general expression for “to be worth, to cost,” usually with the acc. of price, but also with li, e.g., in the proverb hal kake ma tiswe li – hal dake , this (wretched) bite of bread (of subsistence) is not worth this (excessive) pressure after it. Accordingly would signify: it (what I suffered) came not equal to me (did not balance me), which at any rate is equivalent to ”it did not cost my life” (Wetzst.), but would be indistinctly expressed.)
i.e., it has not been recompensed to me according to my deserts, favour instead of right is come upon me. (Arab. sawa ) is intended neutrally, not so that God would be the subj. (lxx ). Now follows, Job 33:28, the positive expression of the favour experienced. The phrase , after the analogy of above, and also for , are characteristic of the Elihu section. Beautiful is the close of this psalm in nuce : “and my life refreshes itself ( as Job 20:17 and freq.) in the light,” viz., in the light of the divine countenance, which has again risen upon me, i.e., in the gracious presence of God, which I am again become fully conscious of.
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
25. Fresher than a child’s His flesh swells with the vigour of youth, (Delitzsch,) or, more than in his youth, (Hitzig,) according as is regarded as causal or comparative. The word ratphash appears in the Arabic with letters transposed, tarphasha, and signifies to “become fresh or convalescent,” or to “grow green.” The figure is taken from plants long withered, but restored to more than pristine vigour under the life-giving power of copious showers of rain. The change Elihu speaks of is like that which took place in Naaman when delivered from leprosy, the type of sin. In the view of Elihu the perfect health of the body sets forth in emblem the work wrought in the soul. Thus Christ spoke the outward healing, and at the same time healed the soul. “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature.” In the old economy temporal blessings were brought into greater prominence than in the new.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 33:25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:
Ver. 25. His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s] Tender and smooth, full of good blood and fresh spirits, he shall be battle and blithe like a suckling. See a like hyperbole concerning Naaman the Syrian restored to health, 2Ki 5:14 , implying that his disease was thoroughly cured, and his flesh in better case than ever. There is a memorable story in the Acts and Monuments of the Church, which here may not unfitly be inserted, to show the sweet fruits of remission of sins by the free mercy of God. In the dungeon with Petrus Bergerius at Lyons, in France, was a certain thief and malefactor, who had lain in the dungeon for seven or eight months. This thief, for pain and torment, cried out for God, and cursed his parents that begat him, being almost eaten up with lice, miserably handled, and fed with such bread as dogs and horses had refused to eat. So it pleased the goodness of the Almighty, that through the teaching and prayer of this Bergerius, he was brought to repentance and the knowledge of God, learning much comfort and patience by the word of the gospel preached unto him. Touching his conversion, himself wrote a sweet letter to some friends, declaring therein that the next day after he had taken hold of the gospel, and framed himself to patience according to the same, his lice (which he could pluck out before by twenty at once between his fingers) now were so gone from him, that he had not one; his rotten flesh (the Vulgate translateth this text thus, Consumpta est eius caro a suppliciis ) was recruited, and the alms of good people so extended toward him, that he was fed with white bread, and that which was very good. His name was John Chambone.
He shall return to the days of his youth
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
His flesh: 2Ki 5:14
a child’s: Heb. childhood
return: Job 42:16, Deu 34:7, Jos 14:10, Jos 14:11, Psa 103:5, Hos 2:15
Reciprocal: Gen 31:24 – dream Mar 5:29 – straightway
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 33:25-26. His flesh shall be fresher than a childs Presently the sick man shall begin to recover: these joyful tidings delivered to him by Gods messenger shall revive his spirit, and, by degrees, restore his former health and vigour; so that he shall become a new man in his body, as well as in his mind: his flesh shall look as fresh as when he was a child; and he shall return to the days of his youth To the same healthful and strong constitution of body which he had in his youth. He shall pray unto God The sick man shall, being encouraged and engaged so to do, either by the aforesaid gracious message, or by the goodness of God manifested in his miraculous recovery. And he will be favourable unto him In hearing and answering his prayers, which before he seemed to neglect. And he shall see his face with joy God will lift up upon him the light of his reconciled countenance; whereas, before, he either hid his face from him, or seemed to frown upon him: in other words, he shall now be sensible that God looks graciously upon and is pleased with him. For he will render unto man his righteousness He will deal with him as with one now reconciled to him through the Mediator, and turning from sin to righteousness.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
33:25 His flesh shall be {q} fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:
(q) He will feel God’s favour and rejoice; declaring by this in which stands the true joy of the faithful, and that God will restore him to health, which is a token of his blessing.