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Texts -- Job 33:1-25 (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 . 33:21 His flesh wastes away from sight , and his bones , which were not seen , are easily visible . 33:22 He draws near to the place of corruption , and his life to the messengers of death . 33:23 If there is an angel beside him, one mediator out of a thousand , to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness ; 33:24 and if God is gracious to him and says , ‘Spare him from going down to the place of corruption , I have found a ransom for him,’ 33:25 then his flesh is restored like a youth’s ; he returns to the days of his youthful vigor.

Pericope

NET

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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • 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....

  • 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.

  • Ransom

    [isbe] RANSOM - ran'-sum (the noun occurs in the English Bible 12 times (Ex 21:30 the King James Version pidhyon; Ex 30:12; Job 33:24; 36:18; Prov 6:35; 13:8; 21:18; Isa 43:3, kopher; Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45, lutron; 1 Tim 2:6, antilutr...
    [nave] RANSOM Of one's life, Ex. 21:30; 30:12; Job 36:18; Psa. 49:7, 8; Prov. 6:35; 13:8; Hos. 13:14. Figurative Job 33:24; Isa. 35:10; 51:10; Matt. 20:28; 1 Tim. 2:6. See: Atonement; Jesus; Savior; Redemption.

  • 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...

  • Jesus, The Christ

    [nave] JESUS, THE CHRIST. Index of Sub-topics History of; Miscellaneous Facts Concerning; Unclassified Scriptures Relating to; Ascension of; Atonement by; Attributes of; Compassion of; Confessing; Creator; Death of; Design of His...

  • 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...

  • 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...

  • Breath

    [nave] BREATH Of life, Gen. 2:7; 7:22; Acts 17:25. Of God, 2 Sam. 22:16; Job 4:9; 15:30; 33:4; 37:10; Psa. 18:15; 33:6; Isa. 30:33. Figurative Ezek. 37:9.

  • Chastisement

    [nave] CHASTISEMENT. From God Lev. 26:28; Deut. 11:2-9; 2 Sam. 7:14, 15; 2 Chr. 6:24-31; 2 Chr. 7:13, 14; Job 5:17; Job 33:19; Psa. 6:1 Psa. 38:1. Psa. 73:14; Psa. 89:32; Psa. 94:12, 13; Psa. 106:41-44; Psa. 107:17-31; Psa. 118:1...
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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 ...
  • Satan again claimed that Job served God only because God had made it advantageous for Job to do so. Job still had his own life. Satan insinuated that Job had been willing to part with his own children and his animals (wealth)...
  • "But it is just here, when everything is blackest, that his faith . . . like the rainbow in the cloud . . . shines with a marvelous splendor."89This short section contains probably the best known verses in the book (vv. 23-27...
  • 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...
  • Even though the righteous sometimes do not receive a reward in this life and the wicked prosper, it is still better to live righteously."Proper evaluation of a man's character helps to explain the apparent inequalities in div...
  • 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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