Job 34
Summary for Job 34:3-4: 34:3-4 a ear tests ... mouth distinguishes: Elihu echoed Job’s earlier complaint about the other counselors’ weak argument that “wisdom belongs to the aged” (12:11-12 b; see 6:30 c; Heb 5:14 d).Summary for Job 34:5-6: 34:5-6 e Job had claimed to be innocent: See 9:20-21 f; 13:18 g; 27:6 h.
34:6 i Eliphaz had accused Job of being a liar (15:5 j), fulfilling Job’s earlier worry (6:28-29 k).
• My suffering (literally My arrow): For the link with the Lord’s arrows, see 6:4 l; 16:13 m; Jer 10:19 n; 15:18 o; 30:12 p, 15 q; Lam 3:12 r; Mic 1:9 s; Nah 3:19 t.
34:9 u Elihu later repeated this accusation (35:3 v; cp. Ps 73:13 w; Zeph 1:12 x; Mal 3:14 y), but he misrepresented Job’s words (Job 9:22-23 z; 21:15 aa). Job had actually condemned those who held this view (21:14-16 ab).
Summary for Job 34:10-15: 34:10-15 ac The passage attaches three ideas to the truth that God can do no wrong (34:10 ad, 12 ae): (1) God pays back all people according to their behavior (34:11 af); (2) as the Creator, God is not answerable to anyone (34:13 ag); and (3) every living being depends upon God for its existence, and God can withdraw that gift without doing anything wrong (34:14-15 ah; cp. Rom 9:19-29 ai).
34:11 aj according to their deeds: Cp. Ps 62:12 ak; Prov 24:12 al; Jer 32:19 am; Ezek 33:20 an; Matt 16:27 ao; Rom 2:6 ap; Gal 6:7-8 aq; 1 Pet 1:17 ar. The ultimate harvest will take place at the end of time (2 Cor 5:10 as; Rev 2:23 at; 22:12 au).
34:17 av The implied answer was that God could not govern if he hated justice (cp. Rom 3:4-7 aw; 7:7 ax, 13 ay; 9:14 az; Gal 2:17 ba; 6:14 bb).
• Later, God also asked if Job was going to condemn the almighty judge (Job 40:8 bc).
34:19 bd doesn’t care how great a person may be: Impartiality flows from God’s justice (Acts 10:34 be; Rom 2:11 bf; Gal 2:6 bg; Eph 6:9 bh; Col 3:25 bi; 1 Pet 1:17 bj).
34:22 bk The wicked might try to hide in darkness (Jer 23:24 bl), but they will fail (Ps 139:11-12 bm; cp. Amos 9:2-3 bn). God brings everything to light (1 Cor 4:5 bo).
34:23 bp We don’t set the time: Elihu rejected Job’s wish for a quick (21:19 bq), published time of judgment (24:1 br).
34:24 bs God knows everything without asking anyone (34:25 bt).
• sets up others in their place: Dan 2:21 bu; 5:28-30 bv.
34:26 bw When God renders justice openly, it leads to proper fear among the wicked (Deut 21:21 bx; 1 Tim 5:20 by) and to public rejoicing among the righteous (cp. Exod 14:30-31 bz).
34:31 ca Why don’t people say? Elihu was indirectly asking, “Job, why won’t you admit it?”
34:36 cb deserve the maximum penalty: Zophar had also said that Job was being punished less than he deserved (11:6 cc).
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