Job 33:10

_BEHOLD, HE FINDETH OCCASIONS AGAINST ME, HE COUNTETH ME FOR HIS ENEMY,_ Occasions - for hostility: literally, enmities (Job 13:24; Job 16:9; Job 19:11; Job 30:21). х_ TªNUW'OWT_ (H8569)]...

8-13 Elihu charges Job with reflecting upon the justice and goodness of God. When we hear any thing said to God's dishonour, we ought to bear our testimony against it. Job had represented God as severe in marking what he did amiss. Elihu urges that he had spoken wrong, and that he ought to humble himself before God, and by repentance to unsay it. God is not accountable to us. It is unreasonable for weak, sinful creatures, to strive with a God of infinite wisdom, power, and goodness. He acts with perfect justice, wisdom, and goodness, where we cannot perceive it....

BEHOLD, HE FINDETH OCCASIONS AGAINST ME - That is, God. This is not exactly the language of Job, though much that he had said had seemed to imply this. The idea is, that God sought opportunity to oppose him; that he was desirous to find in him some ground or reason for punishing him; that he wished to be hostile to him, and was narrowly on the watch to find an opportunity which would justify his bringing calamity upon him. The word rendered “occasions” - תנואה _t__e__nû'âh_, is from נוא _nû'_, in the Hiphil, הניא _hāniy'_ - to refuse, decline; to hinder, restrain, Numbers 30:6, Numbers 30:9,

EXPOSITION JOB 33:1 In this chapter Elihu, turning away from the "comforters," proceeds to address Job himself, offering to reason out the matter in dispute with him, in God's stead. After a brief exordium (verses 1-7), he takes exception (1) to Job's self-assertion (verses 8, 9); and (2) to his charges against God (verses 10-13), which (he says) are unjust. He next brings forward his theory of God-inflicted sufferings being, in the main, chastisements proceeding from a loving purpose, intended to purify, to strengthen, to purge out faults, to "save from the pit," to improve, and to enlighten (verses 14-24). He points out in what spirit chastisement should be received (verses 25-30); and concludes with a recommendation to Job to remain silent, and hear him out, while at the same time he expresses a willingn

BEHOLD, HE FINDETH OCCASIONS AGAINST ME,.... That is, sought in order to find them; so Job in some places suggests, that God inquired after his sins, and sought diligently after them, that he might have something to bring against him; and because he could not find great sins, gross enormities, he sought after lesser sins; so some render the word, "staggerings", "totterings" h; frailties, failings, and infirmities; and because he could find none of late of a very heinous nature, he went back as far as the sins of his youth; see Job 10:6; and this in order to pick a quarrel with him; and so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "lo, he picketh quarrels against me"; or that he might have just reason to depart from him, or to break from him, or to break off friendship with him, or to break him to pieces in his estate, family, and health; all which senses some observe the words will bear: but it...

This is a speech of young Elihu, who had sat quietly listening to the taunting words of the three «candid friends» of Job, and to the somewhat exasperated replies of the patriarch. At last, the young man breaks the silence, and with some dignity, and quite sufficient of self-content, he thus addresses himself to Job: Job 33:1. _Wherefore, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words._ «I am but a young man, but I speak because I cannot be quiet. An impulse moves me; I am as a vessel wanting vent. I desire to speak impartially; therefore, hear me, but hear all that I have to say; do not listen merely here and there to a part of my speech, but hearken to all my words.» Sometimes, it is very necessary to beg our hearers not to run away with only one sentence, or even with one sentiment. «Hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words,» for there is a proportion

CHAPTER 33:8-33 _ 1. Elihu rebukes Job (Job 33:8)_ 2. How God deals with man (Job 33:14) 3. How God in grace recovers (Job 33:23) 4. Mark well, Job, hearken unto me (Job 33:31) Job 33:8. Elihu treats Job in a dignified, yet firm manner. He speaks as one who is sure of the whole matter. He has heard Job's speeches; he knows the mistake Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar made, in treating Job as a suspicious character, a hypocrite and a godless man. No such wrong accusations are made by Elihu. He knows where Job's trouble lies and already spoke of

FINDETH. seeketh. Compare Numbers 14:35; Numbers 32:7. HE COUNTETH. Some codices, with one early printed edition, Septuagint, Syriac, and Vulgate, read "that He may count"....

To Job's complaint that God shewed a hostility to him which was arbitrary and without cause Elihu replies that such a thing was unbecoming God and not to be thought of, for God is greater than man....

BEHOLD HE FINDETH OCCASIONS AGAINST ME— The first branch of this passage, _Behold he findeth occasions against me;_ or, as Heath and others render it, _He inventeth cruelties against me,_ is not to be found in Job's speeches; and as for the other branch, which occurs, chap. Job 13:24 we have there observed, that though there may be something faulty in the expostulation; yet it is much alleviated by the expressions of humility which precede and follow it. See the note on that place....