Job 33:23-28

4. A messenger (angel) may interpret to man what is right, that he be led to pray and to confess his guilt. (Job 33:23-28)

TEXT 33:23-28

23 If there be with him an angel,

An interpreter, one among a thousand,
To show onto man what is right for him;

24 Then God is gracious onto him, and saith,

Deliver him from going down to the pit,
I have found a ransom.

25 His flesh shall be fresher than a child'S;

He returneth to the days of his youth.

26 He prayeth unto God, and he is favorable unto him,

So that he seeth his face with joy:
And he restoreth unto man his righteousness.

27 He singeth before men, and saith,

I have sinned, and perverted that which was right,
And it profited me not:

28 He hath redeemed my soul from going into the pit,

And my life shall behold the light.

COMMENT 33:23-28

Job 33:23Mediation by an angel might interpret God's providential meaning of his sicknessPsalms 91:11-13; Matthew 18:10; Acts 12:15; Revelation 8:3. Eliphaz is probably referring to this idea in Job 5:1holy ones. Perhaps the concept is involved in Job's request for a mediatorJob 9:33, a witnesss interpreterJob 16:19-21, and a redeemerJob 19:25-27. The word rendered interpreter is applied to the prophetsIsaiah 43:27. This verse presents the concept of a personal God[336]1 Kings 22:19; Daniel 7:10; Revelation 5:11. The purpose of the angelic visit is not to justify the sick, but to call to repentance.

[336] That Yahweh is a personal God there is no doubt, but for general Mesopotamian mythical concept of a personal god, see S. N. Kramer, Harvard Theological Review, 1956, p. 59.

Job 33:24The verse implies successful interceding in that he is gracious. God as in A. V. is not in the text, though the pronoun he could refer to God. The imperative form makes little sense in this verse. No man could give a ransom for himselfPsalms 49:7-9; Matthew 16:26; Matthew 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:6; Revelation 5:9. Though the nature of the ransom is not specified, it is clearly vicarious and is the expression of His graciousness. The answer to man's perennial problem lies outside of man's capacity. Only the word from outside can bring the Shattering of Silence.

Job 33:25Elihu here describes the recovery of the afflicted person. The A. V. rendering of the first line fresher than a child adds nothing to the meaning which is to be soft or tender, probably from the Hebrew -ratob. This Hebrew word is found no where else in the scriptures and is of an unusual form. A similar statement is made of Naaman the prophet after his recovery1 Kings 5:14; Isaiah 40:31; Psalms 103:5; Psalms 110:3; Psalms 144:12; and Ecclesiastes 11:9.

Job 33:26After restoration, the man is admitted into the presence of GodGenesis 32:20; Genesis 44:23; Genesis 44:26; 2 Samuel 3:13; 2 Samuel 14:24; 2 Samuel 14:28; 2 Samuel 14:32; Psalms 11:7. Prayer is the seeking of God's presencePsalms 24:6; Psalms 27:8. The joyous shout is a cultic cryPsa. 8:21 and Psalms 104:4; Proverbs 7:15; Hosea 5:15. It can also be a battle cry, which is here inappropriate. The joy bursts forth becauselit. he restores to his righteousness, i.e., to God's act of acquittalPsalms 22:22-31; Psalms 30; Psalms 66; Psalms 116. The restoration to righteousness means victory or salvation in a larger sense than saving his soul.

Job 33:27Public expression of his gratitude for being restored is clearly the thought back of this verse.[337] He sings before men (idiom sing beforeProverbs 25:20) and acknowledges his sins. The rendering of the final line in A. V. is inadequate. The verb is not found elsewhere in the sense. In other occurrences it means to be equal, but this yields little sense in this present context, i.e., it was not equal to me. However we resolve the grammatical difficulties here, it is certain the healed sinner is expressing his gratitude through public thanksgiving and confession.

[337] For the possibilities in this verse, see J. Reider, Zeitschrift fur alttestamentlische Wissenschqften, 1953, p. 275.

Job 33:28He has been redeemed from death. Thus darkness has been removed by the glorious light of His presence. The idiom shall behold is used for looking with satisfaction on someone or some thingcf. Psalms 22:17 where enemies gloat over.