Job 33

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33

Pompous prefaces, like the teeming mountain, often introduce poor performances; but Elihu's discourse here does not disappoint the expectations which his preface had raised. It is substantial, and lively, and very much to the purpose. He had, in the foregoing chapter, said what he had to say to Job's three friends; and now he comes up close to Job himself and directs his speech to him. I. He bespeaks Job's favourable acceptance of what he should say, and desires he would take him for that... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33:1-7

Several arguments Elihu here uses to persuade Job not only to give him a patient hearing, but to believe that he designed him a good office, and to take it kindly, and be willing to receive the instructions he was now about to give him. Let Job consider, 1. That Elihu does not join with his three friends against him. He has, in the foregoing chapter, declared his dislike of their proceedings, disclaimed their hypothesis, and quite set aside the method they took of healing Job. ?Wherefore, Job,... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33:8-13

In these verses, I. Elihu particularly charges Job with some indecent expressions that had dropped from him, reflecting upon the justice and goodness of God in his dealings with him. He does not ground the charge upon report, but was himself an ear-witness of what he here reproves him for (Job 33:8): ?Thou hast spoken it in my hearing, and in the hearing of all this company.? He had it not at second hand; if so, he would have hoped it was not so bad as it was represented. He did not hear it... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33:14-18

Job had complained that God kept him wholly in the dark concerning the meaning of his dealings with him, and therefore concluded he dealt with him as his enemy. ?No,? says Elihu, ?he speaks to you, but you do not perceive him; so that the fault is yours, not his; and he is designing your real good even in those dispensations which you put this harsh construction upon.? Observe in general, 1. What a friend God is to our welfare: He speaketh to us once, yea, twice, Job 33:14. It is a token of... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33:19-28

God has spoken once to sinners by their own consciences, to keep them from the paths of the destroyer, but they perceive it not; they are not aware that the checks their own hearts give them in a sinful way are from God, but they are imputed to melancholy or the preciseness of their education; and therefore God speaks twice; he speaks a second time, and tries another way to convince and reclaim sinners, and that is by providences, afflictive and merciful (in which he speaks twice), and by the... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 33:29-33

We have here the conclusion of this first part of Elihu's discourse, in which, 1. He briefly sums up what he had said, showing that God's great and gracious design, in all the dispensations of his providence towards the children of men, is to save them from being for ever miserable and bring them to be for ever happy, Job 33:29, 30. All these things God is working with the children of men. He deals with them by conscience, by providences, by ministers, by mercies, by afflictions. He makes them... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 33

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 33 In this chapter Elihu addresses Job himself, and entreats his attention to what he had to say to him, and offers several things to induce him to it; and recommends himself as one that was according to his wish, in the stead of God, a man like himself, and of whom he had no reason to be afraid, Job 33:1 ; and then he brings a charge against him of things which he himself had heard, of words that had dropped from him in the course of his controversy with his friends;... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 33:1

Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches ,.... In the preceding chapter, Elihu directed his discourse to the three friends of Job chiefly, here to Job himself, and that by name; which none of his friends in all their discourses ever used; and in an humble suppliant manner entreats his attention to what he was about to deliver, and that for reasons which his address to his friends could furnish him with; and hence begins his speech with "wherefore", seeing he took not the part of his... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 33:2

Behold, now I have opened my mouth ,.... Begun to speak in order to give vent to the fulness of matter within him, which made him, like bottles of new wine, ready to burst; and since he had opened his lips, that he might speak and be refreshed, he desires Job to listen to him, and offers same things to his consideration to induce him to it: my tongue hath spoken in my mouth : but does not every man's tongue speak in his mouth when he speaks? is there anything singular and peculiar in... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 33:3

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart ,.... Not that the uprightness of his heart, or his own personal integrity, should be the subject of his discourse; but what he should say would be in or out of the uprightness of his heart, with all sincerity and faithfulness; what would be the real sentiments of his mind, and not proceed from a double or insincere heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly ; what knowledge he had of God, and of the perfections of his nature, and... read more

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