33:4 The a Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the
Almighty hath given me life.
(a) I confess the power of God, and am one of his,
therefore you should hear me.
33:6 Behold, I [am] according to thy wish in b God's stead: I
also am formed out of the clay.
(b) Because Job had wished to dispute his cause with God,
(Job 16:21) so that he might do it without fear,
Elihu says, he will reason in God's stead, whom he does
not need to fear.
33:7 Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall
my hand c be heavy upon thee.
(c) I will not handle you so roughly as these others have
done.
33:9 I am d clean without transgression, I [am] innocent;
neither [is there] iniquity in me.
(d) He repeats Job's words, by which he protested his
innocency in various places, but especially in the
13th, 16th and 30th chapters.
33:13 Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not e
account of any of his matters.
(e) The cause of his judgments is not always declared to
man.
33:14 For God speaketh f once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth
it not.
(f) Though God by various examples of his judgments speak
to man, yet the reason for it is not known, yea and
though God should speak yet is he not understood.
33:15 In a dream, in a g vision of the night, when deep sleep
falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;
(g) God, he says, speaks commonly, either by visions to
teach us the cause of his judgments, of else by
affliction or by his messenger.
33:16 Then he openeth the ears of men, and h sealeth their
instruction,
(h) That is, determined to send on them.
33:17 That he may withdraw man [from his] purpose, and hide i
pride from man.
(i) He shows for why God sends afflictions: to beat down
man's pride, and to turn from evil.
33:20 So that his k life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty
meat.
(k) That is, his painful and miserable life.
33:22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life
l to the destroyers.
(l) To them that will bury him.
33:23 If there be a m messenger with him, an interpreter, one
among a thousand, n to shew unto man his uprightness:
(m) A man sent from God to declare his will.
(n) A singular man, and as one chosen out of a thousand,
who is able to declare the great mercies of God to
sinners: and in which man's righteousness stands,
which is through the justice of Jesus Christ.
33:24 Then he is o gracious unto him, and saith, p Deliver
him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.
(o) He shows that it is a sure token of God's mercy toward
sinners, when he causes his word to be preached to
them.
(p) That is, the minister will by the preaching of the
word pronounce to him the forgiveness of his sins.
33:25 His flesh shall be q fresher than a child's: he shall
return to the days of his youth:
(q) He will feel God's favour and rejoice; declaring by
this in which stands the true joy of the faithful, and
that God will restore him to health, which is a token
of his blessing.
33:26 He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto
him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will
render unto man his r righteousness.
(r) God will forgive his sins, and accept him as just.
33:27 He looketh upon men, and [if any] say, I have sinned, and
s perverted [that which was] right, and it profited t
me not;
(s) That is, done wickedly.
(t) But my sins have been the cause of God's wrath toward
me.
33:28u He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and
his life shall see the light.
(u) God will forgive the penitent sinner.
33:29 Lo, all these [things] worketh God x oftentimes with
man,
(x) Meaning, as often as a sinner repents.
33:32 If thou hast any y thing to say, answer me: speak, for I
desire to z justify thee.
(y) If you doubt anything, or see opportunity to speak
against it.
(z) That is, to show you, in which mans justification
consists.
