Job 34:2

_HEAR MY WORDS, O YE WISE MEN; AND GIVE EAR UNTO ME, YE THAT HAVE KNOWLEDGE._ This chapter is addressed also to the "friends," as Job 33:1 was to Job alone....

1-9 Elihu calls upon those present to decide with him upon Job's words. The plainest Christian, whose mind is enlightened, whose heart is sanctified by the Spirit of God, and who is versed in the Scriptures, can say how far matters, words, or actions, agree with true religion, better than any that lean to their own understandings. Job had spoken as if he meant wholly to justify himself. He that say, I have cleansed my hands in vain, does not only offend against God's children, Psalms 73:13, but gratifies his enemies, and says as they say....

HEAR MY WORDS, O YE WISE MEN - Addressing particularly the three friends of Job. The previous chapter had been addressed to Job himself. He had stated to him his views of the design of affliction, and he had nothing to reply. He now addresses himself to his friends, with a particular view of examining some of the sentiments which Job had advanced, and of showing where he was in error. He addresses them as “wise men,” or sages, and as endowed with “knowledge,” to conciliate their attention, and because he regarded them as qualified to understand the difficult subject which he proposed to explain....

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,...

HEAR MY WORDS, O YE WISE [MEN],.... This is not an address to Job's three friends, as some think; for Elihu had expressed his displeasure at them, in condemning Job without convicting him, and returning solid answers to him; and therefore he should not take their method of dealing with him, but take another; and plainly suggests that wisdom was not with them, nor taught by them; and therefore, as he could not give flattering titles to men, it could not well be thought that he should address them as wise and understanding men, unless indeed in an ironic way, as some choose to interpret it; see Job 32:3. Rather therefore some bystanders are here spoken to, whom Elihu knew to be men of wisdom and knowledge, c. as it follows, AND GIVE EAR UNTO ME, YE THAT HAVE KNOWLEDGE and as they were endued not only with natural and political wisdom and knowledge, but with that which i

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

Elihu summons the wise men who hear him to seek a right decision. Job has accused God of injustice, when he is innocent. But in reality Job is the worst of scorners, for he denies the profit of religion. JOB 34:3 is quoted from Job 12:11. With Job 34:7 f., _cf._ Psalms 1:1. JOB 34:10. God will not do wickedly, but will render to each man retribution. He is no deputy of some higher power (Job 34:13), but the Sovereign Lord of man's breath; when He withdraws it, man returns to dust.

WORDS. speech....

_The wise_men are not the three friends, but the bystanders who hear Elihu; cf. Job 34:34....