1A ešte odpovedal Elíhu a riekol: 2Počujte, múdri, moje slová; a vy, ktorí viete voľačo, pozorujte ma ušima! 3Lebo ucho posudzuje slová, a ďasno ochutnáva pokrm. 4Zvoľme si súd; poznajme medzi sebou, čo je dobré. 5Lebo Job povedal: Som spravedlivý, ale silný Bôh odmietnul môj súd. 6Napriek svojmu spravedlivému súdu luhám! Moja strela je smrteľná bez prestúpenia! 7Kto je muž ako Job, ktorý by pil výsmech ako vodu? 8Ktorý putuje do spolku s činiteľmi neprávosti a je hotový ísť s bezbožnými mužmi? 9Lebo hovorí: Neprospeje človekovi, keď sa bude ľúbiť u Boha. 10Preto, mužovia rozumného srdca, počujte ma! Nech je to preč od silného Boha, aby mal učiniť nejakú bezbožnosť a Všemohúci nejakú neprávosť! 11Lebo on odplatí človekovi jeho skutok a dá najsť každému podľa toho, jaká je čia cesta. 12Áno, je istá pravda, že silný Bôh neučiní bezbožnosti, a Všemohúci neprevráti súdu. 13Kde kto mu sveril zem, aby na ňu dozeral, a kto složil na neho celý okruh sveta? 14Keby naň obrátil svoje srdce, a keby jeho ducha a jeho dych vzal k sebe; 15razom by zomrelo každé telo, a tak by sa človek navrátil do prachu. 16Ak je tedy u teba rozum, nože, počuj to, pozoruj ušima na hlas mojich slov! 17Či by azda ten, kto by nenávidel súdu, mohol spravovať? Alebo či toho, ktorý je svrchovane spravodlivý a mocný, vyhlásiš za bezbožného? 18Či sa patrí povedať kráľovi Ty nešľachetníku! Vy bezbožníci! kniežatám? 19Tým menej tomu, ktorý nehľadí na osobu vladárov, a u ktorého nemá prednosti urodzený pred chudobným, lebo všetci sú dielom jeho rúk. 20Náhle zomierajú, a o polnoci; národ sa otrasie a zajde, a odstránia mocného, nie ľudskou rukou. 21Lebo jeho oči hľadia na cesty človeka, a vidí všetky jeho kroky. 22Neni tmy a neni tône smrti, kde by sa skryli činitelia neprávosti. 23Lebo ani nevzkladá viacej na človeka, aby išiel k silnému Bohu na súd. 24Láme mocných bez vyšetrovania a stavia iných na ich miesto. 25Pretože on zná ich skutky, a len čo sa obráti noc, bývajú zdrtení. 26medzi inými bezbožníkmi ich bije na mieste divákov, 27preto, že odstúpili od neho nenasledujúc ho a neporozumeli niktorým jeho cestám 28pôsobiac to, že prichádza k nemu krik chudobného. A on počuje krik biednych. 29No, keď on upokojí, kto potom odsúdi?! Alebo keď skryje svoju tvár, kto ho uvidí? Jedno, či už nad celým národom a či nad jednotlivým človekom, 30aby nekraľoval človek pokrytec, zpomedzi tých, ktorí sú osídlom národa. 31Lebo takto sa povie silnému Bohu: Ponesiem, nebudem robiť zlého. 32Tomu, čoho nevidím, ma ty vyuč; ak som urobil nejakú neprávosť, neurobím viacej. 33Či to azda má odplacovať podľa tvojho zdania, keď zavrhuješ? Lebo ty budeš voliť a nie ja. Alebo čo vieš, hovor! 34Mužovia rozumného srdca mi povedia, i každý múdry človek, ktorý ma čuje: 35Job nehovorí v pravej známosti, a jeho slová nie sú povedané v rozumnosti. 36Oj, aby bol Job zkúšaný do nekonečna pre odpovedania podľa spôsobu ľudí neprávosti! 37Lebo pridáva k svojmu hriechu spúru; medzi nami tlieska rukami a množí svoje reči proti silnému Bohu.
Jamieson Fausset Brown Bible Commentary 1 (Job 34:1-37)
answered--proceeded.
2 This chapter is addressed also to the "friends" as the thirty-third chapter to Job alone.
3 palate--(See on
Job 12:11;
Job 33:2).
4 judgment--Let us select among the conflicting sentiments advanced, what will stand the test of examination.
5 judgment--my right. Job's own words (
Job 13:18;
Job 27:2).
6 Were I to renounce my right (that is, confess myself guilty), I should die. Job virtually had said so (
Job 27:4-
Job 27:5;
Job 6:28). MAURER, not so well, "Notwithstanding my right (innocence) I am treated as a liar," by God, by His afflicting me.
my wound--literally, "mine arrow," namely, by which I am pierced. So "my stroke" ("hand,"
Job 23:2, Margin). My sickness (
Job 6:4;
Job 16:13).
without transgression--without fault of mine to deserve it (
Job 16:17).
7 (
Job 15:16). Image from the camel.
scorning--against God (
Job 15:4).
8 Job virtually goes in company (makes common cause) with the wicked, by taking up their sentiments (
Job 9:22-
Job 9:23,
Job 9:30;
Job 21:7-
Job 21:15), or at least by saying, that those who act on such sentiments are unpunished (
Mal 3:14). To deny God's righteous government because we do not see the reasons of His acts, is virtually to take part with the ungodly.
9 with God--in intimacy (
Ps 50:18, Margin).
10 The true answer to Job, which God follows up (Job 38:1-41). Man is to believe God's ways are right, because they are His, not because we fully see they are so (
Rom 9:14;
Deut 32:4;
Gen 18:25).
11 Partly here; fully, hereafter (
Jer 32:19;
Rom 2:6;
1Pet 1:17;
Rev 22:12).
12 (
Job 8:3). In opposition to Job,
Job 34:5, will not--cannot.
13 If the world were not God's property, as having been made by Him, but committed to His charge by some superior, it might be possible for Him to act unjustly, as He would not thereby be injuring Himself; but as it is, for God to act unjustly would undermine the whole order of the world, and so would injure God's own property (
Job 36:23).
disposed--hath founded (
Isa 44:7), established the circle of the globe.
14 "If He were to set His heart on man," either to injure him, or to take strict account of his sins. The connection supports rather [UMBREIT], "If He had regard to himself (only), and were to gather unto Himself (
Ps 104:29) man's spirit, &c. (which he sends forth,
Ps 104:30;
Eccl 12:7), all flesh must perish together," &c. (
Gen 3:19). God's loving preservation of His creatures proves He cannot be selfish, and therefore cannot be unjust.
16 In
Job 34:2, Elihu had spoken to all in general, now he calls Job's special attention.
17 "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 (
2Sam 23:3).
govern--literally, "bind," namely, by authority (so "reign,"
1Sam 9:17, Margin). 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).
18 Literally, (Is it fit) to be said to a king? It would be a gross outrage to reproach thus an earthly monarch, much more the King of kings (
Exod 22:28). But MAURER with the Septuagint and Vulgate reads, (It is not fit to accuse of injustice Him) who says to a king, Thou art wicked; to princes, Ye are ungodly; that is, who punishes impartially the great, as the small. This accords with
Job 34:19.
19 (
Acts 10:34;
2Chr 19:7;
Pro 22:2;
Job 31:15).
20 they--"the rich" and "princes" who offend God.
the people--namely, of the guilty princes: guilty also themselves.
at midnight--image from a night attack of an enemy on a camp, which becomes an easy prey (
Exod 12:29-
Exod 12:30).
without hand--without visible agency, by the mere word of God (so
Job 20:26;
Zech 4:6;
Dan 2:34).
21 God's omniscience and omnipotence enable Him to execute immediate justice. He needs not to be long on the "watch," as Job thought (
Job 7:12;
2Chr 16:9;
Jer 32:19).
22 shadow of death--thick darkness (
Amos 9:2-
Amos 9:3;
Ps 139:12).
23 (
1Cor 10:13;
Lam 3:32;
Isa 27:8). Better, as UMBREIT, "He does not (needs not to) regard (as in
Job 34:14;
Isa 41:20) man long (so Hebrew,
Gen 46:29) in order that he may go (be brought by God) into judgment." Literally, "lest his (attention) upon men" (
Job 11:10-
Job 11:11). So
Job 34:24, "without number" ought to be translated, "without [needing any] searching out," such as has to be made in human judgments.
24 break in pieces-- (
Ps 2:9;
Job 12:18;
Dan 2:21).
25 Therefore--because He knows all things (
Job 34:21). He knows their works, without a formal investigation (
Job 34:24).
in the night--suddenly, unexpectedly (
Job 34:20). Fitly in the night, as it was in it that the godless hid themselves (
Job 34:22). UMBREIT, less simply, for "overturneth," translates, "walketh"; that is, God is ever on the alert, discovering all wickedness.
26 He striketh them--chasteneth.
as--that is, because they are wicked.
sight of others--Sinners hid themselves in darkness; therefore they are punished before all, in open day. Image from the place of public execution (
Job 40:12;
Exod 14:30;
2Sam 12:12).
27 The grounds of their punishment in
Job 34:26.
Job 34:28 states in what respect they "considered not God's ways," namely, by oppression, whereby "they caused the cry," &c.
29 (
Pro 16:7;
Isa 26:3).
make trouble--rather, "condemn" (
Rom 8:33-
Rom 8:34). MAURER, from the reference being only to the godless, in the next clause, and
Job 34:20 translates, "When God keeps quiet" (leaves men to perish)
Ps 83:1; [UMBREIT] from the Arabic (strikes to the earth), "who shall condemn Him as unjust?"
Job 34:17.
hideth . . . face-- (
Job 23:8-
Job 23:9;
Ps 13:1).
it be done--Whether it be against a guilty nation (
2Kgs 18:9-12) or an individual, that God acts so.
30 Ensnared--into sin (
1Kgs 12:28,
1Kgs 12:30). Or rather, "enthralled by further oppression,"
Job 34:26-
Job 34:28.
31 Job accordingly says so (
Job 40:3-
Job 40:5;
Mic 7:9;
Lev 26:41). It was to lead him to this that Elihu was sent. Though no hypocrite, Job, like all, had sin; therefore through affliction he was to be brought to humble himself under God. All sorrow is a proof of the common heritage of sin, in which the godly shares; and therefore he ought to regard it as a merciful correction. UMBREIT and MAURER lose this by translating, as the Hebrew will bear, "Has any a right to say to God, I have borne chastisement and yet have not sinned?" (so
Job 34:6).
borne--namely, the penalty of sin, as in
Lev 5:1,
Lev 5:17.
offend--literally, "to deal destructively or corruptly" (
Neh 1:7).
32 (
Job 10:2;
Ps 32:8;
Ps 19:12;
Ps 139:23-
Ps 139:24).
no more-- (
Pro 28:13;
Eph 4:22).
33 Rather, "should God recompense (sinners) according to thy mind? Then it is for thee to reject and to choose, and not me" [UMBREIT]; or as MAURER, "For thou hast rejected God's way of recompensing; state therefore thy way, for thou must choose, not I," that is, it is thy part, not mine, to show a better way than God's.
34 Rather, "men . . . will say to me, and the wise man (
Job 34:2,
Job 34:10) who hearkens to me (will say), 'Job hath spoken,'" &c.
36 Margin, not so well, "My father," Elihu addressing God. This title does not elsewhere occur in Job.
tried--by calamities.
answers for wicked men--(See on
Job 34:8). Trials of the godly are not removed until they produce the effect designed.
37 clappeth . . . hands--in scorn (
Job 27:23;
Ezek 21:17).
multiplieth . . . words-- (
Job 11:2;
Job 35:16). To his original "sin" to correct which trials have been sent, "he adds rebellion," that is, words arraigning God's justice.