22 For “I know not to give | Maker would soon take me flattering titles; in sc doing my a Gal. 1. 10. away. The con tive of flattery than this. b Ps. 12. 3, 3. partiality or flattery in what he said. ¶ Accept any man's person. Treat any with partiality. That is, 'I will not be influenced by rank, age, wealth, or personal friendship, in what I say. I will state the truth impartially, and will deliver my sentiments with entire freedom.' See the phrase explained in the Notes on ch. xiii. 8. ↑ Neither let me give flattering titles The word here used (truth from their minds. Titles which pertain to office, religion does not forproperly belong to men, and which bid us to confer-for the welfare of the community is promoted by a offices of those who rule. But no proper respect for the good end is answered in ascribing to unti man. —not used in Kal, but found only in Piel), means to address in a friendly and soothing manner; to speak kindly to any one, Isa. xliv. 5, xlv. 4; and then to flatter. That is, undoubtedly, That is, undoubtedly, its meaning here. Elihu says he did not know how to flatter any one. He meant to state the exact truth; to treat each one impartially; and not to be influenced by the rank or wealth of those whom he addressed. He meant to deal in plain and simple truth. 22. For I know not to give flattering titles. I do not know how to flatter. It is not in my character; it has not been my habit. In so doing. These words are not in the Hebrew, and they greatly mar the sense, and give a different idea from that which was intended by the speaker. T My Maker would soon take me away. Or, rather, My Maker will soon take me away.' That is, I know that I must soon be removed, and must stand before my Maker. I must give an account for all that I say. Knowing that I am to go to the realities of another state of being, I cannot flatter men. I must tell them the exact and simple truth.' There could be no better preven names and men titles as mere matters of distinction, which serve to keep before them the idea of their own talents or importance; or which lead them to forget that they like others are soon to be "taken away," and called to give up their account in another world. The deep conviction that we are all soon to try the realities of a bed of death and of the grave, and that we are to go to a world where there is no delusion, and where the ascription of qualities to us here which do not belong to us will be of no avail, would prompt to a wish to state always the simple truth. Under that conviction, we should never so ascribe to another any quality of beauty, strength, or talent, any name or title, as to leave him for one moment under a deception about himself. If this rule were followed, what a change would it produce in the social, the political, the literary, and even the religious world! ure. CHAPTER XXXIII. ANALYSIS OF THE CHAPTER. THE discourse in this chapter is directed entirely to Job. In the following chapter Eliha addresses particularly the friends of Job. In this chapter, the main design is to convince Job that he had erred in the views which he had expressed of God, and to state the true design of affliction-which he supposes had not been understood either by him or his friends. The three friends of Job regarded it as a mere punishment-as always expressive of the divine displeas Job had resisted this opinion, but was not able to state why good men are afflicted Sometimes he seemed to suppose that it must be resolved into mere sovereignty; sometimes he had indulged in language of severity in regard to God; and sometimes he held that God would yet come forth and vindicate the afflicted, and appear as the friend of his people. Elihu interposes, and says that neither understood the true object of affliction. It was to accomplish what nothing else would do; to produce effects on the mind and life which could not be reached in any other way; and if the afflicted would turn from their sins, God would be still merciful to them. In stating these views, Elihu dwells on the following points: I. He addresses himself to Job, and urges reasons why he should listen to what he had to say, vs. 1-7. He says that he would speak in uprightness and truth; that the Spirit of God had taught him, and that he was in God's stead; and that as Job had often wished that he might be permitted to bring his cause before God, he now had the opportunity, and in such a way that he would not be overawed by the divine majesty, as if he had visibly appeared. If he desired to vindicate himself, he had now the opportunity. II. He refers, briefly, to the sentiments which Job had advanced, and particularly to his severe reflections on the divine dealings, as if God had been unjust and severe, vs. 8-11. Job, he says, had maintained his own perfect purity; he had denied that he deserved what had come upon him; he had charged God with finding occasions' against him, and with having pleasure in bringing trials on him without any sufficient cause; and had said that God regarded him as an enemy, and narrowly watched all his paths. III. Elihu proposes, therefore, to meet all this, and show Job that his opinion was unjust, and to state to him the real design of his affliction, to suggest some principle which would explain it all without these injurious reflections on the character of God. This occupies the remainder of the chapter, vs. 12-33. In doing this, he adverts to the following points : (1.) He says that Job could not be vindicated in what he had said; that God was greater than man; and that even if man could not see the reason of his doings, he ought to acquiesce in them, since God did not give account of any of his matters, vs. 12, 13. (2.) He observes that God speaks in various ways to men; that he often addresses them by direct revelation in the visions of the night; and that his object is to benefit man-to withdraw him from an evil purpose, and to make him humble, vs. 14-17. (3.) In the prosecution of the same object, and with a view to the same result, he often visits men with affliction. His object is to keep back man from the pit, and he therefore chastens him so that his life abhors bread, so that his flesh pines away, and so that he draws near to the grave, vs. 18-22. (4.) If this is effectual-if man receives it in a proper manner, and is disposed to come back to God, he is willing to receive and forgive him. Here is the real clew to the design of affliction. It is to bring the offender to repentance, and to save his soul. If the afflicted man has some one to explain the design of trial, then God will be gracious; his flesh will be restored fresher than an infant's, and if he confesses his sin, God will be merciful to him, and save him, vs. 23–28. All these things, he says, are done by God to accomplish a single purpose-to bring back man from his wanderings, and to restore him to the favor of Heaven, vs. 29, 30. (5.) In the conclusion of his address to Job, Elihu calls on him to reply to this, if he had any answer to make. He professes a desire to vindicate Job if he could, but says that if he had nothing to say in reply, he would teach him what true wisdom was, vs. 31–33. WHEREFORE, Job, I pray thee, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. guages to express a saying or discourse, though in Hebrew it is only a poetic form. The meaning is, not that he would address separate speeches, or distinct discourses, to Job, but that he called on him to attend to what he had to say. 2. My tongue hath spoken in my mouth. Marg. palate. The meaning is, that since he had ventured to speak, and had actually commenced, he would utter only that which was worthy to be heard. This is properly the commencement of his argument, for all that he had before said was merely an introduction. The word palate "in my paiate" (") is here used because of the importance of that organ in the act of speaking. Perhaps, also, there may be reference to the fact that the Hebrews made much more use of the lower organs of enunciation-the palate, and the throat, than we do, and much less use of the teeth and lips. Hence their language was strongly guttural. 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart. I will speak in sincerity. I will utter nothing that shall be hollow and hypocritical. What I speak shall be the real suggestion of my heart-what I feel and know to be true. Perhaps Elihu was the more anxious to make this point entirely clear, because the three friends of Job might be supposed to have laid themselves open to the suspicion that they were influenced by passion or prejudice; that they had maintained their opinions from mere obstinacy and not from conviction; and that they had been sometimes disposed to cavil. Elihu claims that all that he was about to say would be entirely sincere. ¶ Shall utter knowledge clearly. Shall state things just as they are, and give the true solution of the difficulties which have been felt in regard to the divine dealings. His object is to guard himself wholly from the suspicion of partiality. 4. The Spirit of God hath made me. See Notes, ch. xxxii. 8. There is an 4 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. 5 If thou canst answer me, set thy words in order before me; stand up; 1 palate. a Pr. 8. 6-9. b Ti. 2. 7. 8. evident allusion in this verse to the mode in which man was created, when God breathed into him the breath of life and he became a living being. Gen. ii. 7. But it is not quite clear why Elihu adverts here to the fact that God had made him, or what is the bearing of this fact on what he proposed to say. The most probable supposition is, that he means to state that he is, like Job, a man; that both were formed in the same way-from the same breathing of the Almighty, and from the same clay (ver. 6); and that although he had undertaken to speak to Job in God's stead (ver. 6), yet Job had no occasion to fear that he would be overawed and confounded by the Divine Majesty. He had dreaded that, if he should be permitted to bring his case before him (Notes ver. 7), but Elihu says that now he would have no such thing to apprehend. Though it would be in fact the same thing as carrying the matter before God-since he came in his name, and meant to state the true principles of his government, yet Job would be also really conducting the cause with a man like himself, and might, unawed, enter with the utmost freedom into the statement of his views. 5. If thou canst answer me. The meaning of this verse is this: The controversy between you and me, if you choose to reply, shall be conducted in the most equitable manner, and on the most equal terms. I will have done, to overwhelm you with renot attempt, as your three friends proaches; nor will I attempt to overawe you as God would do, so that you could not reply. I am a man like yourself, and desire that if any thing can be said against what I have to advance, it should be offered with the utmost fairness and freedom.' Stand up. That is, maintain your position, unless you are convinced by my arguments. I wish to carry nothing by mere authority or power.' 6. Behold, I am according to thy wish in God's stead. Marg. as in Heb. mouth. The mouth is that by which we express our desires, and the word here is equivalent to wish. Some have, however, rendered this differently. Umbreit translates it, ich bin, wie du, von Gott-I am, as thou art, from God. So Noyes, "I, like thee, am a creature of God." Wemyss, "I am thine equal in the sight of God.” Coverdale," Behold, before God am I even as thou, for I am fashioned and made even of the same mould." The Vulgate renders it, "Behold God made me as he made thee; and of the same clay am I formed. So the LXX, "From clay am I formed as well as thou, and we are formed from the same. This interpretation seems to be demanded also by the parallelism, where he says that he was made of the same clay with Job; that is, that he was a man like him. Still, it seems to me, that the fair and obvious meaning of the Hebrew is that which is expressed in our common version. The Hebrew is, “lo, I am, according to lo, I am, according to thy mouth [word, or wish] for God ;" that is, I am in his place; I speak in his name; I am so commissioned by him that you may regard yourself as in fact speaking to him when you address his ambassador. This will also accord with what is said in ver. 7, and with what Job had so earnestly desired, that he might be allowed to bring his cause directly before God. See Notes ch. xiii. 3. ¶ I also am formed out of the clay. Marg. cut. The figure is taken from the act of the potter who cuts off a portion of clay which he moulds into a vessel, and not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. 1 mouth. a c. 9. 32, 33. 2 cut. b c 9.34 there is manifest allusion here to the statement in Genesis, that God made man of the dust of the ground. The meaning in this connection is, 'Though I am in the place of God, and speak in his name, yet I am also a man, made of the same frail mateterial as yourself. In me, therefore, there is nothing to overawe or confound you as there would be if God spake himself.' 7. Behold my terror shall not make thee afraid. Job had earnestly desired to carry his cause directly be fore God, but he had expressed the apprehension that he would overawe him by his majesty so that he would not be able to manage his plea with the calmness and self-possession which were desirable. He had, therefore, expressed it as his earnest wish, that if he were so permitted, God would not take advantage of his majesty and power to confound him. See Notes ch. xiii. 21. Elihu now says, that the wish of Job in this could be amply gratified. Though he spake in the name of God, and it might be considered that the case was fairly carried before him, yet he was also a man. He was the fellow, the equal with Job. He was made of the same clay, and he could not overawe him as the Almighty himself might do. There would be, therefore, in his case all the advantage of carrying the cause directly up to God, and yet none of the disadvantage which Job apprehended, and which must ensue when a mere man undertook to man age his own cause with the Almighty ¶ Neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. Alluding, evidently, to what Job had said, ch. xiii. 21, that the hand of God was heavy upon him, so that he could not conduct his cause in such a manner as to do justice to himself. He had asked, therefore (see Notes on that place), as a special favor, if he was permit 1 ears. a c. 10. 7, 16. 17, 23. 11, 12, 27. 5, 6, 29.14. ted to carry his cause before God, that that mode of interpretation which dehis hand would be so far lightened lights to find types and figures every that he could be able to state his arguwhere a mode that could be vindiments with the force which they re- cated, there is no character in the Old quired. Elihu says now that that Testament that would more obviously wish could be gratified. Though he suggest that of the Redeemer than the was in the place of God, yet he was character of Elihu. His comparative a man, and his hand would not be youth, his modesty, his humility, upon him to crush him down so that would suggest it. The fact that he he could not do justice to himself. comes in to utter his sentiments The noun rendered hand (2) does where age and wisdom had failed to suggest the truth, and when pretendnot elsewhere occur. The verbed sages were confounded and sioccurs once in Prov. xvi. 26, where it is rendered "craveth "_" He that laboreth, laboreth for himself; for his mouth craveth it of him "where the margin is, boweth unto. The word in Arabic means to load a beast of burden; to bend, to make to bow under a load; and then to impel, to urge on; and hence it means, his mouth, i. e. hunger, impels, or urges him on to labor. In like manner the meaning of the word here (2) may be a load or burden, meaning my load, i. e. my weight, dignity, authority, shall not be burdensome or oppressive to you.' But the parallel place in ch. xiii. 21, is 'hand,' and that meaning seems to be required here. Kimchi supposes it is the same as 2-hand, and the LXX have so rendered it, ἡ χείρ μου. In the view of the speech of Elihu thus far, we cannot but remark that there is much that is peculiar, and especially that he lays decided claim to inspiration. Though speaking for God, yet he was in human nature, and Job might speak to him as a friend, unawed and unterrified by any dread of overwhelming majesty and power. On what grounds Elihu based these high pretensions does not appear, and his claim to them is the more remarkable from his youth. It does not require the aid of a very lively imagination to fancy a resemblance between him and the Lord Jesus-the great mediator between God and man-and were lenced, would suggest it. The fact that he claims to be in the place of God, and that a cause might be managed before him as if it were before God, and yet that he was a man like others, and that no advantage would be taken to overawe by mere majesty and power, are all circumstances that would constitute a strong and vivid resemblance. But I see no evidence that this was the design of the introduction of the character of Elihu, and interest. ing as the comparison might be, and desirable as it may seem that the book of Job should be found to contain some reference to the great work of mediation, yet the just and stern laws of interpretation exclude such a reference in the absence of proof, and do not allow us to luxuriate in the conceptions of fancy, however pious the reflections might be, or to search for typical characters where the Spirit o. inspiration has not revealed them as such, however interesting or edifying might be the contemplation. 8. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing. Marg. as in Heb. ears. This shows that Elihu had been present during the debate, and had attentively listened to what had been said. He now takes up the main point on which he supposed that Job had erred-the attempt to justify himself. He professes to adduce the fesses to adduce the very words which he had used, and disclaims all design of judging from mere hearsay. 9. I am clean. I am pure and holy |