Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 34:14

If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

14. if he set his heart upon man ] lit. as marg. upon him. The interpretation of the A. V. is possible, the meaning being, if God should set His mind strictly on man, to mark iniquity and the like (ch. Job 7:17). More probably the meaning is: set His mind upon Himself; if He were the object of His own exclusive regard and consideration. If God thought alone of Himself and ceased to think of all creatures with a benevolent consideration, giving them life and upholding by His spirit, all flesh would perish.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

If he set his heart upon man – Margin, as in Hebrew upon him – meaning man. That is, if he fixes his attention particularly on him, or should form a purpose in regard him. The argument seems to be tbis. If God wished such a thing, and should set his heart upon it, he could easily cut off the whole race. He has power to do it, and no one can deny him the right. Man has no claim to life, but he who gave it has a right to withdraw it, and the race is absolutely dependent on this infinite Sovereign. Being such a Sovereign, therefore, and having such a right, man cannot complain of his Maker as unjust, if he is called to pass through trials. Rosenmuller, however, supposes this is to be taken in the sense of severe scrutiny, and that it means, If God should examine with strictness the life of man, and mark all his faults, no flesh would be allowed to live. All would be found to be guilty, and would be cut off. Grotius supposes it to mean, If God should regard only himself; if he wished only to be good to himself – that is, to consult his own welfare, he would take away life from all, and live and reign alone. This is also the interpretation of Umbreit, Schnurrer, and Eichhorn. Noyes regards it as an argument drawn from the benevolence of God, meaning if God were severe, unjust, and revengeful, the earth would be a scene of universal desolation. It seems to me, however, that it is rather an argument from the absolute sovereignty or power of the Almighty, implying that man had no right to complain of the divine dealings in the loss of health, property, or friends; for if he chose he might sweep away the whole race, and leave the earth desolate.

If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath – The spirit of man is represented as having been originally given by God, and as returning to him when man dies; Ecc 12:7, Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 14. If he set his heart upon man] I think this and the following verse should be read thus: – “If he set his heart upon man, he will gather his soul and breath to himself; for all flesh shall perish together, and man shall turn again unto dust.” On whomsoever God sets his heart, that is, his love, though his body shall perish and turn to dust, like the rest of men, yet his soul will God gather to himself.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Upon man, Heb. upon him, i.e. man, as may seem probable from Job 34:11,15, where man is expressed; and from the next clause of this verse, where he speaks of that

spirit and

breath which is in man. If his eye and heart be upon man, if he diligently and exactly observe him, and all his ways, and whatsoever is amiss in him, and, which follows upon it of course, resolve to punish him. Or, if he set his heart against (as this particle el is used, Amo 7:15, and elsewhere, as hath been noted before) him, to wit, to cut him off. If he gather unto himself; if it please him to gather to himself, to wit, by death, , whereby God is said to take away mens breath, Psa 104:29, and to gather mens souls, Psa 26:9, and the spirit is said to return unto God, Ecc 12:7.

His spirit and his breath, i.e. that spirit and breath, or that living soul, that God breathed into man, Gen 2:7, and gives to every man that cometh into the world.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

14, 15. “If He were to setHis heart on man,” either to injure him, or to take strictaccount of his sins. The connection supports rather [UMBREIT],”If He had regard to himself (only), and were to gather untoHimself (Ps 104:29) man’sspirit, c. (which he sends forth, Psa 104:30Ecc 12:7), all flesh must perishtogether,” &c. (Ge 3:19).God’s loving preservation of His creatures proves He cannot beselfish, and therefore cannot be unjust.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

If he set his heart upon man,…. Not his love and affections; though there are some he does in this sense set his heart on, and whose souls at death he gathers to himself, but with this sense the next verse will not agree; but to destroy him, as Jarchi adds by way of explanation; if he gives his mind to it, is set upon it and resolved to do it, none can hinder him; or sets himself against him in an hostile way, the issue must be entire ruin and destruction to the race of men; but it is plain this is not the case, or otherwise all must have perished long ago: or if he severely marks the ways and works of men, and deals with them according to the strictness of his justice, which yet he might do without any charge of injustice, none could stand before him; but this he does not, so far is he from any injustice, or any appearance of it;

[if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath; not his own spirit and breath, drawing in and retaining that within himself, and withholding the influence of it from his creatures, which the Septuagint version seems to favour; but the spirit and breath of man, which are of God, and which, as he gives, he can gather when he pleases. The spirit or rational soul of man is put in him by the Lord; this at death is separated from the body, yet dies not with it, but is gathered to the Lord: and the breath which he breathes into man, and is in his nostrils, and which, as he gives, he can take away, and then man dies. But in doing this he does no injustice; indeed, should he in anger and resentment rise up and deal thus with men in general, the consequence must be as follows.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(14) If he set his heart upon man.Or, upon himself. It is ambiguous: and so, likewise, the next clause is. We must either regard it as the consequence of the former oneIf He set His heart upon Himself, had regard to His own interest, then He would gather unto Himself His own spirit and His own breathor we must do as some do: supply the if at the beginning of it, and read it as in the Authorised Version. In this sense, the setting His heart upon man would mean in a bad senseto do him injury. In doing him injury He would, in fact, injure His own. The effect of His setting His heart on man would be that all flesh would perish together, and man would turn again to his dust; but then God would have injured His own, and not anothers, in so doing. It is hardly possible that the writer of this last clause should have been ignorant of Gen. 3:19. The speech of Elihu is marked with entire self-confidence.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

14. Upon man The marginal reading is now quite generally accepted upon him, meaning God himself. That God is not self-seeking does not set his heart upon himself, but is a being of benevolence is evinced by the continued preservation of all living beings. He needs but withdraw to himself his spirit and breath, and all flesh would suddenly perish together. Life is not a spontaneous product of matter, but an element imparted to it by God, and entirely dependent upon him. The argument in brief is: God is not selfish, and therefore is not unjust. Compare Wisdom of Solomon, Wis 11:24-26 .

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 34:14 If he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath;

Ver. 14. If he set his heart upon man ] viz. For evil, and not for good, and have a purpose to unmake him again, which he can as easily do as will it to be done.

If he gather unto himself his spirit and his breath ] If he take away his life, which what is it else but a puff of wind, a vapour, &c., who can say he is unjust? May not the potter do with his pot as he pleaseth? We subsist merely by his manutension; and if he but pull back his hand only we are gone immediately. This is to be seen in those that swoon suddenly away. See Psa 104:29 , and consider how little this is considered by the most. Elihu thought that Job was wanting herein; for he had heard him, Job 12:13-25 , disputing concerning the sovereign and absolute power of God almost in the very same words which himself here useth, from Job 34:13-31 .

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

man = him.

spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.

and = even; or. Figure of speech Hendiadys (App-6), one thing meant by the two words.

breath. Hebrew. neshamah. App-16. Compare Gen 2:7.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

set: Job 7:17, Job 9:4

upon man: Heb. upon him

he gather: Psa 104:29, Isa 24:22

Reciprocal: Exo 9:21 – regarded not Num 17:13 – consumed 1Ki 17:17 – that there was 2Ch 11:16 – set Job 1:8 – considered Job 9:3 – he will contend Job 12:10 – the breath Psa 90:3 – Thou Ecc 8:8 – is no Ecc 12:7 – dust Isa 40:15 – the nations Isa 42:5 – he that giveth Isa 43:13 – I will work Isa 57:16 – the souls Dan 4:35 – all Dan 5:23 – in whose Act 17:25 – seeing Jam 2:26 – as

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Job 34:14-15. If he set his heart upon man Hebrew, , eelaiv, upon him, meaning man, doubtless. If his eye and heart be upon man, and he diligently observe him and all his ways, and whatsoever is amiss in him, and therefore resolve to punish him: or, if he set his heart against him, (as the word may properly be, and often is rendered,) and therefore resolve to cut him off: if he gather Or, without if, which is not in the Hebrew, he will gather unto himself his spirit and his breath Namely, by death, by which God is said to take away mens breath, Psa 104:29, and to gather their souls, Psa 26:9. All flesh All mankind, who are called flesh, Gen 6:3; Gen 6:17; Isa 40:6; shall perish together Or, alike, without any exception, be they high or low, wise or foolish, good or bad; if God design to destroy them, they cannot withstand his power, but must needs perish by his stroke. The design of this and the foregoing verse is the same with that of Job 34:13, namely, to declare Gods absolute and uncontrollable sovereignty over all men, to dispose of them either for life or death as it pleases him; and consequently to show that Job had cause to be thankful unto God, who had continued his life so long to him, and had no cause to complain, or tax God with any injustice for afflicting him.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

34:14 If {k} he set his heart upon man, [if] he gather unto himself his spirit {l} and his breath;

(k) To destroy him.

(l) The breath of life which he gave man.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes