Bible Commentaries
Job 34

Verse 2

Job 34:2

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Elihu no longer speaks to Job directly; he now appeals to the wise men (2), who could be the friends (in which case Elihu is being ironical) or a larger group of bystanders. - New Bible Commentary

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Verse 7

Job 34:7

The usual position taken by commenaries, it like that expressed in BBC:

"He could not conceive of the possibility that both God and Job might be just or that anyone could suffer without sin as the cause (cf. John 9:2, 3). Therefore, since God is not wicked, Job must be."

Almost all commentaries take this statement (v.7-9) at face value, but Elihu could be sarcastic here, meaning in v. 8 that the evil company Job is keeping is these three friends who are so misjudging him.

J. Vernon McGee also has a very good take on this:

- - - - - - - Thru the Bible - J. Vernon McGee

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? [Job 34:7].

Job despised the chastening of the Lord. He felt that God had no right to treat him so. This attitude removed him far from God. Then he began to faint under the chastening—we are not to faint when we are rebuked of Him. God is doing all this to accomplish a good purpose in our lives.

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men [Job 34:8].

Job has joined the protesters outside of heaven. He is in company with the workers of iniquity and walks with wicked men. It is as if he is marching up and down with a placard that reads: “God is wrong and I am right.” A lot of folk are doing that. Job has joined with those who are in rebellion against God.

For he hath said, It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself with God [Job 34:9].

Job might as well have said, “I have been serving God and being a nice little boy, and I expected to have a Sunday school pin. At Christmas I expected God to put a nice gift in my stocking. Instead, God put ashes in my stocking, and I don’t think that God has been very nice to me in doing that.” That was the attitude of Job, and it is the attitude of a lot of Christians today.

Thru the Bible - J. Vernon McGee

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Verse 8

Job 34:8

See note on Job 34:7

Verse 10

Job 34:10

you -- KJV "ye" plural, therefore Elihu is still addressing Job’s three friends. See note on verse 2 to whom Elihu is currently addressing.

LXX -- "Listen" is 2nd per plural, aorist, active, indictive.

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The same persons he addresses as wise men and men of

knowledge, Job 34:2; - Gill.

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Ye men of understanding - Margin, as in Hebrew men of “heart.” The word heart is used here as it was uniformly among the Hebrews; the Jewish view of physiology being that the heart was the seat of all the mental operations. They never speak of the head as the seat of the intellect, as we do. The meaning here is, that Elihu regarded them as sages, qualified to comprehend and appreciate the truth on the subject under discussion.

- Barnes

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In this chapter Elihu turns from Job to those whom he addresses as “wise men” (ver. 2), or “men of understanding” (ver. 10). Whether these are Job’s three special friends, or others among the company which had perhaps gathered to hear the debate, is uncertain. - Pulpit Commentary.

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