Job 34:3

_FOR THE EAR TRIETH WORDS, AS THE MOUTH TASTETH MEAT._ Palate (note, Job 12:11; Job 33:2)....

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....

Verse Job 34:3. _THE EAR TRIETH WORDS_] I do not think, with _Calmet_, that the _inward ear_, or _judgment_, is meant simply. The Asiatics valued themselves on the _nice and harmonious collection of words_, both in speaking and in writing; and perhaps it will be found here that Elihu labours as much for harmonious versification as for pious and weighty sentiments. To connect _sense_ with _sound_ was an object of general pursuit among the _Hebrew, Arabic_, and _Persian_ poets; and so fond are the latter of _euphony_, that they often sacrifice both _sense_ and _sentiment_ to it; and some of the _Greek_ poets are not exempt from this fault....

FOR THE EAR TRIETH WORDS - Ascertains their meaning, and especially determines what words are worth regarding. The object of this is, to fix the attention on what he was about to say; to get the ear so that every word should make its proper impression. The word ear in this place, however, seems not to be used to denote the external organ, but the whole faculty of hearing. It is by hearing that the meaning of what is said is determined, as it is by the taste that the quality of food is discerned. AS THE MOUTH TASTETH MEAT - Margin, as in Hebrew “palate.” The meaning is, as the organ of taste determines the nature of the various articles of food. The same figure is used by Job in Job 12:11....

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,...

FOR THE EAR TRIETH WORDS,.... Not only the musical sound of them, the goodness of the language and diction, and the grammatical construction of them, but the sense of them, and whether the matter of them is good or not; that they are sound speech, which cannot be condemned, or unsound; whether they are right or wrong, agreeably to right reason, sound doctrine, and the word of God; for there are words and words, some the words of men, others the words of God. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the Lord, from whom are the hearing ear and seeing eye; and such try what they hear, distinguish between good and bad, approve truth and receive it, and retain and hold it fast: AS THE MOUTH TASTETH MEAT; words and doctrines...

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.

MOUTH. palate....