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Texts -- Job 33:1-20 (NET)

Context
Elihu Invites Job’s Attention
33:1 “But now , O Job , listen to my words , and hear everything I have to say ! 33:2 See now , I have opened my mouth ; my tongue in my mouth has spoken . 33:3 My words come from the uprightness of my heart , and my lips will utter knowledge sincerely . 33:4 The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life . 33:5 Reply to me, if you can ; set your arguments in order before me and take your stand ! 33:6 Look , I am just like you in relation to God ; I too have been molded from clay . 33:7 Therefore no fear of me should terrify you, nor should my pressure be heavy on you.
Elihu Rejects Job’s Plea of Innocence
33:8 “Indeed , you have said in my hearing (I heard the sound of the words !): 33:9 ‘I am pure , without transgression ; I am clean and have no iniquity . 33:10 Yet God finds occasions with me; he regards me as his enemy ! 33:11 He puts my feet in shackles ; he watches closely all my paths .’ 33:12 Now in this , you are not right – I answer you, for God is greater than a human being. 33:13 Why do you contend against him, that he does not answer all a person’s words ?
Elihu Disagrees With Job’s View of God
33:14 “For God speaks , the first time in one way, the second time in another, though a person does not perceive it. 33:15 In a dream , a night vision , when deep sleep falls on people as they sleep in their beds . 33:16 Then he gives a revelation to people, and terrifies them with warnings , 33:17 to turn a person from his sin , and to cover a person’s pride . 33:18 He spares a person’s life from corruption , his very life from crossing over the river . 33:19 Or a person is chastened by pain on his bed , and with the continual strife of his bones , 33:20 so that his life loathes food , and his soul rejects appetizing fare .

Pericope

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Bible Dictionary

  • Elihu

    [ebd] whose God is he. (1.) "The son of Barachel, a Buzite" (Job 32:2), one of Job's friends. When the debate between Job and his friends is brought to a close, Elihu for the first time makes his appearance, and delivers his opini...
    [nave] ELIHU 1. A Buzite and one of Job's three friends, Job 32-37. 2. Son of Tohu, 1 Sam. 1:1. Probably identical with Eliel, 1 Chr. 6:34, and Eliab, 1 Chr. 6:27. 3. A Manassite warrior, who joined David at Ziklag, 1 Chr. 12:20...

  • Job

    [nave] JOB 1. A man who dwelt in Uz, Job 1:1. Righteousness of, Job 1:1, 5, 8; 2:3; Ezek. 14:14, 20. Riches of, Job 1:3. Trial of, by affliction of Satan, Job 1:13-19; 2:7-10. Fortitude of, Job 1:20-22; 2:10; Jas. 5:11. Visite...

  • God

    [nave] GOD. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Access to; Compassion of; Creator; Creator of Mankind; Eternity of; Faithfulness of; Fatherhood of; Favor of; Foreknowledge of; Glory of; Goodness of...

  • Philosophy

    [nave] PHILOSOPHY The nature of things, Eccl. 1-7. A philosophical inquiry on wisdom, Job. 28. Philosophical inductions and deductions relating to God and his providence, Job 5:8-20; 9; 10:2-21; 12:6-24; 33:12-30; 37. Reveals th...

  • Agency

    [nave] AGENCY. In Salvation of Men Job 33:14-30; Psa. 8:2; Matt. 4:19 Luke 5:10. Matt. 5:13-16; Luke 1:17; Luke 10:17, 21; John 15:16; 1 Cor. 1:26-29; 1 Thess. 2:4; 1 Tim. 1:11; 1 Tim. 6:20; Jas. 5:20 See: Duties of Men; Preachin...

  • Wicked

    [nave] WICKED Compared with: Abominable branches, Isa. 14:19; ashes under the feet, Mal. 4:3; bad fishes, Matt. 13:48; beasts, Psa. 49:12; 2 Pet. 2:12; the blind, Zeph. 1:17; Matt. 15:14; bronze and iron, Jer. 6:28; Ezek. 22:18; br...

  • AFFLICTION

    [isbe] AFFLICTION - a-flik'-shun: Represents no fewer than 11 Hebrew words in the Old Testament, and 3 Greek words in the New Testament, of which the most common are (oni), (thlipsis). It is used (1) actively = that which causes or...

  • Conviction

    [nave] CONVICTION. Of Sin Gen. 4:13; Deut. 28:65-67; Job 40:4, 5; Psa. 31:10; Psa. 38:1-22; Psa. 51:1-4, 7-17; Isa. 6:5; Lam. 1:20; Ezek. 7:16-18, 25, 26; Ezek. 33:10; Mic. 7:17; Luke 5:8; Acts 2:37; Acts 9:6; Acts 16:29, 30; Rom...

  • Afflictions and Adversities

    [nave] AFFLICTIONS AND ADVERSITIES. List of Sub-Topics Miscellany of Minor Sub-Topics; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Benefits of; Benefits of, Illustrated; Consolation in; Deliverance from; Design of; Despondency in; Dispe...

  • Dream

    [nave] DREAM Evanescent, Job 20:8. Vanity of, Eccl. 5:3, 7. Revelations by, Num. 12:6; Job 33:15-17; Jer. 23:28; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:17. The dreams of the butler and baker, Gen. 40:8-23; Pharaoh, Gen. 41:1-36. Interpreted by Jose...

  • Prophets

    [nave] PROPHETS Called Seers, 1 Sam. 9:19; 2 Sam. 15:27; 24:11; 2 Kin. 17:13; 1 Chr. 9:22; 29:29; 2 Chr. 9:29; 12:15; 29:30; Isa. 30:10; Mic. 3:7. Schools of, 1 Kin. 20:35; 2 Kin. 2:3-15; 4:1, 38; 9:1. Kept the chronicles, 1 Chr....

  • Self-righteousness

    [nave] SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS. Num. 16:3; Deut. 9:4-6; 1 Sam. 2:9; Job 6:13; Job 11:4-6; Job 12:2; Job 13:3, 13, 15, 19; Job 16:17, 18; Job 18:2-4; Job 21:27-29; Job 22:2, 3; Job 32:1, 2; Job 33:8, 9; Job 35:2, 7, 8; Psa. 10:5, 6; Pro...

  • Blasphemy

    [nave] BLASPHEMY See also Slander; Speaking, Evil.Ex. 20:7 Deut. 5:11. Lev. 19:12 Lev. 22:32. Lev. 24:10-16; 2 Kin. 19:22 Isa. 37:23. 2 Chr. 32:19 The following passages from the book of Job (with the exception of Job 21:13,14) are...

  • Complaint

    [nave] COMPLAINT of Israelites against Moses, Ex. 5:21; 15:24; 16:2, 3; Num. 16:2, 3, 13, 14, 41; 20:2-4. Against God Ex. 5:22, 23; Ex. 16:8, 12; Num. 14:26-37 Num. 17:10, 11. Job 15:11-13; Job 33:12, 13; Job 34:37; Psa. 37:1; Ps...

  • Stocks

    [smith] (An instrument of punishment, consisting of two beams, the upper one being movable, with two small openings between them, large enough for the ankles of the prisoner.--ED.) The term "stocks" is applied in the Authorized Versi...
    [nave] STOCKS Feet fastened in, as a punishment, Job 13:27; 33:11; Prov. 7:22. In prisons, Jer. 20:2; Acts 16:24.

  • Pain

    [isbe] PAIN - pan (chul, chil, chebhel, chalah, chalchalah, ka'-ebh, ke'ebh, metsar, makh'obh, `amal, tsir; basanizo, ponos, odin): These words signifying various forms of bodily or mental suffering are generally translated "pain";...
    [nave] PAIN. Job 14:22; Job 30:17, 18; Job 33:19; Lam. 3:5; Rev. 16:10; Rev. 21:4 See: Afflictions.

  • Humility

    [nave] HUMILITY. Deut. 9:7 vs. 4-29.; Deut. 15:15; Job 5:11; Job 22:29; Job 25:5, 6; Psa. 9:12; Psa. 10:17; Psa. 22:6, 26; Psa. 25:9; Psa. 37:11; Psa. 69:32; Psa. 86:1; Psa. 131:1, 2; Psa. 138:6; Psa. 147:6; Psa. 149:4; Prov. 3:34...

  • Impenitence

    [nave] IMPENITENCE. Lev. 23:26-29; Lev. 26:21 vs. 22-24.; Deut. 29:19-21; 1 Sam. 15:23; Job 9:2, 4; Job 24:13; Job 33:14; Psa. 7:11, 12 v. 13.; Psa. 10:3; Psa. 32:9; Psa. 50:17, 21; Psa. 52:1, 7; Psa. 58:3-5; Psa. 68:21; Psa. 78:8...

  • Holy Spirit

    [nave] HOLY SPIRIT. Gen. 1:2; Gen. 6:3; Gen. 41:38; Ex. 31:3 Ex. 35:31. Num. 27:18; Neh. 9:20; Job 16:19; Job 32:8; Job 33:4; Psa. 51:11, 12; Psa. 103:9; Psa. 139:7; Isa. 4:4; Isa. 6:8; Isa. 11:2; Isa. 28:6; Isa. 30:1; Isa. 32:15;...

  • Ground

    [nave] GROUND Man made from, Gen. 2:7; 3:19, 23; Job 4:19; 33:6. Animals from, Gen. 2:19. Vegetables from, Gen. 2:9. Cursed, Gen. 3:17; 5:29.
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Expository Notes on the Bible (Constable)

  • What this book is all about has been the subject of considerable debate. Many people think God gave it to us to provide His answer to the age-old problem of suffering. In particular, many believe it is in the Bible to help us...
  • I. Prologue chs. 1-2A. Job's character 1:1-5B. Job's calamities 1:6-2:101. The first test 1:6-222. The second test 2:1-10C. Job's comforters 2:11-13II. The dialogue concerning the basis of the divine-human relationship 3:1-42...
  • The writer composed the prologue and epilogue of this book in prose narrative and the main body (3:1-42:6) in poetry. The prologue and epilogue form a frame around the main emphasis of the revelation, the poetic section, and ...
  • Because the speech in this chapter is more soliloquy than dialogue some scholars have concluded that someone other than Job spoke it: Zophar, Bildad, or God. One writer argued for its being a speech by none of the characters,...
  • Many critical scholars believe that a later editor inserted chapters 32-37 in the text of Job.135Most conservatives believe there is ample external and internal evidence indicating that this section of chapters fits into the ...
  • Before Elihu began presenting his views (ch. 33), he first had to gain the attention of his elders and to explain why he wanted to speak (32:6-22)....
  • Elihu began by voicing his respect for Job's three friends (vv. 6-10). They were older than he, and for this reason he said he had refrained from speaking until now. However he had become convinced that advancing age does not...
  • This whole speech is an attempt to explain to Job why God was not responding to him. Elihu was very wordy, which he admitted in 32:18. In summary, he told Job that God was not silent, as Job had charged, but that He was speak...
  • We could chart the differences in Elihu's first three speeches this way.Elihu's SpeechJob's question that Elihu answeredJob's charge that Elihu refutedFirstWhy doesn't God respond to me?God is insensitive (ch. 33).SecondWhy d...
  • Earlier in the book Job had hesitated to confront God (9:14). Gradually he became more confident and demanded an audience with God (13:22a). Still later he spoke almost as God's equal boasting that he would approach God as a ...
  • Andersen, Francis I. Job. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. Leicester, Eng. and Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1976.Archer, Gleason L., Jr. A Survey of Old Testament Introduction. Revised ed. Chicago: Moody...
  • The "multitudes"or "crowds"consisted of the people Matthew just mentioned in 4:23-25. They comprised a larger group than the "disciples."The disciples were not just the Twelve but many others who followed Jesus and sought to ...
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