Job 34:35 | KingComments | STEP | In this section it turns out that some verses are not easy to translate, including . The translation that satisfies us most is to take these verses as an advice from Elihu to Job. Elihu says: ‘For say to God …’ So in this case it is not about what Job said, but about what Elihu says. Elihu tells Job how he should behave toward God under his affliction. For this he gives him the words of in the mouth. He does not command Job to pronounce them, but suggests it. It suits Job to tell God that he is bowing down under His chastisement and that he will not accuse Him anymore. Such words have not yet come out of his mouth, for he still persists in his innocence and blames God for his suffering. These are the words of someone who wants to learn things he does not understand. Job had not done sinful deeds for which God wants to force him to confess through the calamities He brought upon him. This is how the friends have always declared the suffering of Job. However, God has said that Job did not sin ( ). But that does not mean that he is not a sinner. He is not a hypocrite, but by accusing God, he is sinning. That he is a sinner is apparent from his words in response to suffering. Even though he does not know of any concrete sin in his life, he must be aware that he is not perfect in knowledge about himself. He may have done something that is sin in God’s eye without being aware of it, for “whatever is not from faith is sin” ( ). He can show that he is aware of his lack of self-knowledge by asking God: “Teach me what I do not see.” If he says this sincerely to God, he is making it clear that he is not doubting God, but himself. It will bring him to the prayer that David also prayed: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” ( ). This is the attitude that also suits us. Maybe we are not aware of something evil, but that should not lead us to the thought that we are ‘okay’. God is so much bigger than we are. Paul was well aware of that. We hear this when he says: “For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” ( ). We must also remain aware of this. If we continue to realize that we are imperfect people and that only the Lord will ultimately make the right judgment of all our actions and words, it will save us from the feeling of self-righteousness. Then Elihu goes on to tell Job how his attitude has been so far ( ). He is still someone who wants to tell God how to recompense someone. In fact, Job tells God how he thinks God should rule. God’s government has been despised by Job by rejecting His way of acting. Now what should God do with Job’s guilt? Should God just act according to Job’s standards and absolve him of his debt? But it is not for him to judge God, for he refuses to accept God’s government over his own life. God does not ask anyone for advice or permission for His actions, but does what He judges to be right. Job, and not Elihu, must choose what he thinks. Let him say what he knows of God’s actions, whether he submits to them or not. God acts with Job, not with Elihu. Elihu points out to Job what wise men will say to him about Job ( ). He also points to the wise man who will listen to him. Elihu is not alone in his judgment of Job. He knows that understanding and wise people agree with him. They all agree with him when he says that Job did not speak with knowledge, and that his words were not with wisdom ( ). Job has spoken about God in a way that makes it clear that he has no knowledge of God regarding His chastisement. He has uttered words about the situation in which he has ended up, that came from his feelings and not from his mind. They betray his lack of knowledge of God and his lack of understanding of his present situation. It arouses a sigh from Elihu that the work of trial will at last lead to the purpose purposed by God, so that it may end ( ). That goal is for Job to trust God that He is in control of his circumstances and that His ultimate purpose is to bless him. Now it is still the case that with his answers he denounces God and attributes incongruous things to Him, with the result that he gives a wrong impression of God among the wicked men. As a result, he also connects with these people. If Job persists in ascribing injustice to God, he will add “rebellion” to his sinful words ( ). Rebellion here is the act against a commandment or a rule. Clapping hands means that this action comes from a rebellious heart. Job is not yet a rebel. In his many words he said to God in his great need, he said wrong things. In doing so, he has clapped his hands as an expression of his anger about God’s lack of understanding (cf. ). But now Elihu has pointed out the wrong thing in Job’s words about God. If he continues in spite of this, he adds rebellion to his sin.

‏ Job 34:35

Job Did Not Speak With Knowledge

In this section it turns out that some verses are not easy to translate, including Job 34:31-32. The translation that satisfies us most is to take these verses as an advice from Elihu to Job. Elihu says: ‘For say to God …’ So in this case it is not about what Job said, but about what Elihu says. Elihu tells Job how he should behave toward God under his affliction. For this he gives him the words of Job 34:31-32 in the mouth. He does not command Job to pronounce them, but suggests it. It suits Job to tell God that he is bowing down under His chastisement and that he will not accuse Him anymore.

Such words have not yet come out of his mouth, for he still persists in his innocence and blames God for his suffering. These are the words of someone who wants to learn things he does not understand. Job had not done sinful deeds for which God wants to force him to confess through the calamities He brought upon him. This is how the friends have always declared the suffering of Job. However, God has said that Job did not sin (Job 1:22 ; Job 2:10). But that does not mean that he is not a sinner. He is not a hypocrite, but by accusing God, he is sinning. That he is a sinner is apparent from his words in response to suffering.

Even though he does not know of any concrete sin in his life, he must be aware that he is not perfect in knowledge about himself. He may have done something that is sin in God’s eye without being aware of it, for “whatever is not from faith is sin” (Rom 14:23b).

He can show that he is aware of his lack of self-knowledge by asking God: “Teach me what I do not see.” If he says this sincerely to God, he is making it clear that he is not doubting God, but himself. It will bring him to the prayer that David also prayed: “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psa 139:23-24).

This is the attitude that also suits us. Maybe we are not aware of something evil, but that should not lead us to the thought that we are ‘okay’. God is so much bigger than we are. Paul was well aware of that. We hear this when he says: “For I am conscious of nothing against myself, yet I am not by this acquitted; but the one who examines me is the Lord” (1Cor 4:4). We must also remain aware of this. If we continue to realize that we are imperfect people and that only the Lord will ultimately make the right judgment of all our actions and words, it will save us from the feeling of self-righteousness.

Then Elihu goes on to tell Job how his attitude has been so far (Job 34:33). He is still someone who wants to tell God how to recompense someone. In fact, Job tells God how he thinks God should rule. God’s government has been despised by Job by rejecting His way of acting. Now what should God do with Job’s guilt? Should God just act according to Job’s standards and absolve him of his debt? But it is not for him to judge God, for he refuses to accept God’s government over his own life. God does not ask anyone for advice or permission for His actions, but does what He judges to be right.

Job, and not Elihu, must choose what he thinks. Let him say what he knows of God’s actions, whether he submits to them or not. God acts with Job, not with Elihu.

Elihu points out to Job what wise men will say to him about Job (Job 34:34). He also points to the wise man who will listen to him. Elihu is not alone in his judgment of Job. He knows that understanding and wise people agree with him. They all agree with him when he says that Job did not speak with knowledge, and that his words were not with wisdom (Job 34:35).

Job has spoken about God in a way that makes it clear that he has no knowledge of God regarding His chastisement. He has uttered words about the situation in which he has ended up, that came from his feelings and not from his mind. They betray his lack of knowledge of God and his lack of understanding of his present situation.

It arouses a sigh from Elihu that the work of trial will at last lead to the purpose purposed by God, so that it may end (Job 34:36). That goal is for Job to trust God that He is in control of his circumstances and that His ultimate purpose is to bless him. Now it is still the case that with his answers he denounces God and attributes incongruous things to Him, with the result that he gives a wrong impression of God among the wicked men. As a result, he also connects with these people.

If Job persists in ascribing injustice to God, he will add “rebellion” to his sinful words (Job 34:37). Rebellion here is the act against a commandment or a rule. Clapping hands means that this action comes from a rebellious heart. Job is not yet a rebel. In his many words he said to God in his great need, he said wrong things. In doing so, he has clapped his hands as an expression of his anger about God’s lack of understanding (cf. Num 24:10). But now Elihu has pointed out the wrong thing in Job’s words about God. If he continues in spite of this, he adds rebellion to his sin.