Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 34:9
For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
9. Job had nowhere used this precise language, though the idea is not an unnatural inference from much that he had said; comp. ch. Job 9:12, Job 21:7, Job 24:1, and ch. 21 throughout. This charge that a man is nothing bettered by being religious Elihu refutes in ch. 35, directing his attention in the meantime to the general charge of in justice so far as it bore on God Himself.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself in God – That is, there is no advantage in piety, and in endeavoring to serve God. It will make no difference in the divine dealings with him. He will be treated just as well if he lives a life of sin, as if he undertakes to live after the severest rules of piety. Job had not used precisely this language, but in Job 9:22, he had expressed nearly the same sentiment. It is probable, however, that Elihu refers to what he regarded as the general scope and tendency of his remarks, as implying that there was no respect paid to character in the divine dealings with mankind. It was easy to pervert the views which Job actually entertained, so as to make him appear to maintain this sentiment, and it was probably with a special view to this charge that Job uttered the sentiments recorded in Job 21; see the notes at that chapter.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He hath said; not absolutely and in express terms, but by unforced consequence, and as concerning this life, and with reference to himself; because he said that good men were no less, nay, sometimes more, miserable here than the wicked, Job 9:22; 30:26, and that for his part he was no gainer as to this life by his piety, but a loser, and that God showed him no more kindness and compassion than he usually did to the vilest of men; which was a very unthankful and ungodly opinion and expression, seeing godliness hath the promise of this life as well as of that to come, and Job had such supports, and such assurances of his own uprightness, and of his future happiness, as he confesseth, as were and should have been accounted even for the present a greater comfort and profit than all which this world can afford.
That he should delight himself with God; that he should choose and delight to walk with God, and make it his chief care and business to please him, and to do his commandments; which is the true and proper character of a godly man.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. with Godin intimacy (Ps50:18, Margin).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
For he hath said,…. Not plainly and expressly, but consequentially; what it was thought might be inferred from what he had said, particularly in Job 9:22;
it profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God; in his house and ordinances, ways and worship; he may as well indulge himself in the pleasures of sin, and in the delights of the world, if God destroys the perfect and the wicked, as Job had said in the place referred to; if this be the case, it is in vain to serve God, and pray unto him, or keep his ordinances; which are the language and sentiments of wicked men, and according to which they act, see Job 21:14 Mal 3:14. Mr. Broughton renders it,
“when he would walk with God;”
and so the Targum,
“in his walking with God;”
and another Targum,
“in his running with God:”
though he walks and even runs in the way of his commandments, yet it is of no advantage to him; or he does the will of God, as Aben Ezra; or seeks to please him or be acceptable to him, and to find grace in his sight. Whereas though love and hatred are not known by prosperity and adversity, but both come to good and bad men, which seems to be Job’s meaning in the above place, from whence this inference is deduced; yet it is certain that godliness is profitable to all, 1Ti 4:8.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(9) It profiteth a man nothing.Comp. what Job had said (Job. 9:20-22; Job. 9:30-31; Job. 10:6-7; Job. 10:14-15). Eliphaz had virtually said the same thing, though the form in which he cast it was the converse of this (see Job. 22:3), for he had represented it as a matter of indifference to God whether man was righteous or not, which was, of course, to sap the foundations of all morality; for if God cares not whether man is righteous or not, it certainly cannot profit man to be righteous. On the other hand, Eliphaz had in form uttered the opposite doctrine (Job. 22:21).
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
9. It profiteth a man nothing, etc. Job had, indeed, used a similar expression, (Job 21:15,) but had applied it to the wicked. He had maintained the contrary, (Job 17:9; Job 21:15; Job 28:28,) though it must be admitted that some of Job’s repinings are susceptible of such an interpretation (Job 9:22-25; Job 21:7; Job 24:1) as he himself seems to have felt at the close of his description of the happiness of the wicked. (Job 21:7-15.) The variations, if not errors, Elihu makes in his citations from Job are no more than might have been expected from one who had to rely solely on his memory for the points made in the course of the long discussion. They serve to illustrate and demonstrate the reality of the debate, and more particularly the genuineness of the Elihu section. Had Elihu’s speeches been an interpolation, (see Excursus VI,) as some German commentators hold, ordinary prudence, to say nothing of human workmanship in general, would have furnished joinering different from this.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 34:9 For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God.
Ver. 9. For he hath said, It profiteth a man not ] Did Job ever say so or think so? where? and when? He said indeed, and truly, that in this life it is oft seen, that bad men prosper and good men suffer. But must it needs follow, therefore, that it is a course of no profit to walk with God? Knoweth not Elihu that there is nothing that may not be taken with either hand? and that it is a spiritual unmannerliness to take it with the left? Indeed, it is not amiss to admonish good men, what absurdities may be gathered out of their words; and it is fit that they should prevent it as much as may be. Elihu also was the more to be borne with (and that made Job let him go on, likely, without a reply) because he pleaded for God and the glory of his justice, which Job had somewhat wronged, as cannot be denied, while he gave too much way to his grief and other passions, and now beginneth to be sensible of his outbursts. But, truly, if he should have said as here he is taxed (and yet David and Jeremiah said little less), he would have gone in company with those workers of iniquity, Isa 58:3 Mal 3:14-15 , and have lifted at the very foundation of all true religion, Heb 11:6 , and thence it was that Elihu was so hot. But men must take heed of drawing odious consequences out of other men’s speeches; and of forcing them to go two miles when they would go but one. “Surely the churning of milk bringeth forth butter, and the wringing of the nose bringeth forth blood,” &c., Pro 30:33 .
That he should delight himself with God
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
God. Hebrew. Elohim. App-4.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
It: Job 9:22, Job 9:23, Job 9:30, Job 9:31, Job 21:14-16, Job 21:30, Job 22:17, Job 35:3, Mal 3:14
delight: Job 27:10, Psa 37:4
Reciprocal: Gen 25:32 – and what Job 21:15 – and what Job 22:26 – shalt thou Job 33:27 – it profited Job 34:36 – his answers Psa 73:13 – Verily Isa 58:14 – delight Rom 8:33 – Who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
34:9 For he hath said, {h} It profiteth a man nothing that he should {i} delight himself with God.
(h) He wrests Job’s words who said that God’s children are often punished in this world, and the wicked go free.
(i) That is, live godly, Gen 5:22.