Job 34:17

_SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN? AND WILT THOU CONDEMN HIM THAT IS MOST JUST?_ 'Can even He who (in thy view) hateth right (justice) govern?' The government of the world would be impossible if injustice were sanctioned. God must be just, because He governs (2 Samuel 23:3, "He that ruleth over men must be just"). GOVERN - literally, bind, namely, by authority (so 'reign,' margin, 1 Samuel 9:17; cf. Psalms 149:8). Umbreit translates, for "govern," repress wrath-namely, against Job for his accusations. MOST JUST - rather, 'Him who is at once mighty and just' (in His government of the world) х_ TSADIYQ_ (H6662) kabiyr

16-30 Elihu appeals directly to Job himself. Could he suppose that God was like those earthly princes, who hate right, who are unfit to rule, and prove the scourges of mankind? It is daring presumption to condemn God's proceedings, as Job had done by his discontents. Elihu suggests divers considerations to Job, to produce in him high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him to submit. Job had often wished to plead his cause before God. Elihu asks, To what purpose? All is well that God does, and will be found so. What can make those uneasy, whose souls dwell at ease in God? The smiles of all the world cannot quiet those on whom God frowns....

Verse Job 34:17. _SHALL - HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN?_] Or, _Shall he who_ _hateth judgment, lie under obligation_? It is preposterous to suppose that he who lives by no rule, should impose rules upon others. God, who is the _fountain_ of all _justice_ and _righteousness,_ _binds_ man by his laws; and wilt thou, therefore, _pretend to_ _condemn him who is the sum of righteousness_?...

SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN? - Margin, as in Hebrew “bind.” That is, shall he bind by laws. The argument in this verse seems to be an appeal to what must be the conviction of mankind, that God, the Great Governor of the universe, could not be unjust. This conviction, Elihu appears to have supposed, was so deep in the human mind, that he might appeal even to Job himself for its truth. The question here asked implies that it would be impossible to believe that one who was unjust could govern the universe. Such a supposition would be at variance with all the convictions of the human soul, and all the indications of the nature of his government to be found in his works. AND WILT THOU CONDEMN HIM THAT IS MOST JUST? - The great and holy Ruler of the universe. The argument here is, that Job had in fact placed himself in the attitude of condemning him who, from the fact that he was th...

EXPOSITION JOB 34:1 In this chapter Elihu turns from Job to those whom he addresses as "wise men" (verse 2), or "men of understanding" (verse 10). Whether these are Job's three special friends, or others among the company which had perhaps gathered to hear the debate, is uncertain. He makes the subject of his address to them Job's conduct—scarcely a polite thing to do in Job's presence. Job, he says, has scorned God and charged him with injustice (verses 5-9). He will vindicate him. This he proceeds to do in verses 10-30. He then points out what Job's course ought to be (verses 31-33), and winds up by an appeal to the "men of understanding" to endorse his condemnation of Job as a sinner and a rebel (verses 34-37). JOB 34:1,...

SHALL EVEN HE THAT HATETH RIGHT GOVERN?.... That hates moral and civil justice; is such an one fit to rule among men or over them? No, surely; for to love righteousness and do it is a qualification of a civil governor; it is his business to administer justice; and if an hater of it, he can never be a proper person to rule: and if God was an hater of that which is right, as he would seem to be if he did not do it, he would not be fit to govern the world as he does. To this absurdity is Job reduced, by suggesting that right was not done him, or that God had removed his judgment from him; see 2 Samuel 23:3 Romans 3:5. Mr. Broughton translates the words, "can a foe to judgment rule well?" And yet it cannot be denied, but must be owned, that God does judge in the earth, and judges righteously. Or shall such an one "b

Job 34:1. _Furthermore Elihu answered and said, Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge. For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat._ I wish that verse was always true, especially concerning those who hear what purports to be the gospel; I only wish they would test and try what they hear, just as, with their mouth, they taste what they eat. But, as there are some persons who will eat anything that is set before them, so there are some who will accept anything that they hear, without exercising any spiritual discernment whatever. «It is cleverly put,» they say, and therefore they receive it; yet they would scarcely be foolish enough to eat unhealthy food simply because it was skillfully carved. Job 34:4. Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among

CHAPTER 34 _ 1. Hear my words ye wise men (Job 34:1)_ 2. The refutation of Job's accusation of God (Job 34:5) 3. Job needs testing to the end (Job 34:31) Job 34:1. In beginning this part of the address, in which Elihu vindicates God's character against Job's insinuations, he addresses the friends of Job, and perhaps others who were gathered there. He wants them to pay the closest attention to what he will say. Job 34:5. This is the main burden of his address; it is taken up with refuting Job's charge against God. He treats Job with all fairness a

Injustice is incompatible with rule. How does Job condemn God, before whom even kings and princes are vile, and who regards rich and poor alike? He sees the oppressor and suddenly destroys him. In Job 34:16 follow _mg._ only understand. In Job 34:18 read with LXX, Vulg. Who saith to a king, Thou art vile, and to nobles, Ye are wicked; that respecteth not the persons of princes. It is God who so speaks. In Job 34:20 b read for the people with Budde the rich; without hand means by the act of God. In Job 34:23 read, For he appointeth no set time for a man that he should go before God in judgment (Wright, Budde, Duhm). In...

This charge of injustice Elihu rebuts, _first_, on the general ground of its impiety: God cannot be thought of as acting in the way Job asserted He rewardeth every man according to his works (Job 34:10); and _second_, he then resolves the general idea into two distinct thoughts, Job 34:13, and Job 34:16....