Teks -- Job 34:1-4 (NET)

Elihu’s Second Speech

34:1 Elihu answered: 34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men; hear me, you learned men. 34:3 For the ear assesses words as the mouth tastes food. 34:4 Let us evaluate for ourselves what is right; let us come to know among ourselves what is good.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Job 34:2 - Ear

The ear, is put for the mind to which things are conveyed by it.

Wesley: Job 34:4 - Let us

Not contend for victory, but for truth and equity.

Wesley: Job 34:4 - Know

Let us shew one another who hath the best cause.

JFB: Job 34:1

(Job 34:1-37)

JFB: Job 34:1 - answered

Proceeded.

JFB: Job 34:2

This chapter is addressed also to the "friends" as the thirty-third chapter to Job alone.

JFB: Job 34:3 - palate

(See on Job 12:11; Job 33:2).

JFB: Job 34:4 - judgment

Let us select among the conflicting sentiments advanced, what will stand the test of examination.

Clarke: Job 34:3 - The ear trieth words

The ear trieth words - I do not think, with Calmet, that the inward ear, or judgment, is meant simply. The Asiatics valued themselves on the nice and harmonious collection of words, both in speaking and in writing; and perhaps it will be found here that Elihu labors as much for harmonious versification as for pious and weighty sentiments. To connect sense with sound was an object of general pursuit among the Hebrew, Arabic, and Persian poets; and so fond are the latter of euphony, that they often sacrifice both sense and sentiment to it; and some of the Greek poets are not exempt from this fault.

Clarke: Job 34:4 - Let us choose to us judgment

Let us choose to us judgment - Let us not seek the applause of men, nor contend for victory. Let our aim be to obtain correct views and notions of all things; and let us labor to find out what is good.

TSK: Job 34:2

Pro 1:5; 1Co 10:15, 1Co 14:20

TSK: Job 34:3 - the ear // mouth

the ear : Job 6:30, Job 12:11; 1Co 2:15; Heb 5:14

mouth : Heb. palate, Job 31:30, Job 33:2 *marg.

TSK: Job 34:4 - choose // know

choose : Job 34:36; Jdg 19:30, Jdg 20:7; 1Co 6:2-5; Gal 2:11-14; 1Th 5:21

know : Isa 11:2-5; Joh 7:24; Rom 12:2

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Job 34:2 - O ye wise men

O ye wise men who are here present, do you judge of the truth and reason of what I have said, and am further to say; for I am willing to submit all to the judgment of the truly wise.

Poole: Job 34:3 - The ear

i.e. Man’ s mind judgeth Of things spoken and heard.

The ear the sense of discipline, is put for the mind, to which things are conveyed by it. See Poole "Job 12:11" .

Poole: Job 34:4 - Judgment

Judgment i.e. justice and equity; judgment being oft synecdochically used for just judgment, as Job 8:3 19:7 32:9 Psa 37:28 . Let us not contend for victory, but only for truth and justice. This shall be my only care and business

Haydock: Job 34:3 - Taste // Intellectus saporum cæteris est in prima lingua, homini et in palato

Taste. The most accurate philosophers attribute this faculty to the tongue, (Calmet) rather than to the throat, guttur. Hebrew, "mouth or palate." (Haydock) ---

But Eliu speaks agreeably to the notions of the vulgar. (Calmet) ---

Intellectus saporum cæteris est in prima lingua, homini et in palato. (Pliny, [Natural History?] xi. 37.)

Gill: Job 34:1 - Furthermore Elihu answered and said.

Furthermore Elihu answered and said. It is reasonable to suppose that Elihu made a considerable pause, to see whether Job would make any reply to what he had delivered, or object to what he had said; which he gave him free liberty to do, if he had anything upon his mind: but perceiving he was not inclined to return any answer to him, he went on with his discourse; and which is called a further answer to him: for though Joh had made no reply to which this could be called an answer, yet as there were several things remaining for Elihu to answer to, and which he proposed to answer and did, it may with great propriety here be said that he answered him.

Gill: Job 34:2 - Hear my words, O ye wise men // and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge

Hear my words, O ye wise men,.... This is not an address to Job's three friends, as some think; for Elihu had expressed his displeasure at them, in condemning Job without convicting him, and returning solid answers to him; and therefore he should not take their method of dealing with him, but take another; and plainly suggests that wisdom was not with them, nor taught by them; and therefore, as he could not give flattering titles to men, it could not well be thought that he should address them as wise and understanding men, unless indeed in an ironic way, as some choose to interpret it; see Job 32:3. Rather therefore some bystanders are here spoken to, whom Elihu knew to be men of wisdom and knowledge, &c. as it follows,

and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge; and as they were endued not only with natural and political wisdom and knowledge, but with that which is divine and spiritual, they were proper judges of the affair in controversy, and could best discern whether what Elihu delivered was right or wrong, and to the purpose or not. And besides, though they had a large share of wisdom and knowledge, yet it was but imperfect; and the most wise and knowing may become more so, and that sometimes by means of their inferiors and juniors: and therefore Elihu craves their attention to what he had said or should say, though he was but a young man, and they aged, and men of great geniuses and abilities; and the rather he might be pressing on them to be his hearers and judges, because, generally speaking, such, as they are the most judicious, so the most candid hearers.

Gill: Job 34:3 - For the ear trieth words // as the mouth tasteth meat

For the ear trieth words,.... Not only the musical sound of them, the goodness of the language and diction, and the grammatical construction of them, but the sense of them, and whether the matter of them is good or not; that they are sound speech, which cannot be condemned, or unsound; whether they are right or wrong, agreeably to right reason, sound doctrine, and the word of God; for there are words and words, some the words of men, others the words of God. A sanctified ear tries these; but then men must have such ears to hear, and be attentive to what they hear, and retain it; hear internally as well as externally; and which a man does when his ears are opened by the Lord, from whom are the hearing ear and seeing eye; and such try what they hear, distinguish between good and bad, approve truth and receive it, and retain and hold it fast:

as the mouth tasteth meat; words and doctrines are like meat, some good and some bad; and such that have a good taste try them, either a rational or rather a spiritual discernment: some have no spiritual taste, their taste is not changed, and therefore cannot distinguish, nor make any good judgment of things; but others have, and these discern the difference, relish truth, savour the things that be of God, taste the good word of God, and esteem it more than their necessary food; and it is sweeter to them than the honey or the honeycomb. Such Elihu judged these men to be he addressed, and therefore desired their attention to what he had to say.

Gill: Job 34:4 - Let us choose to us judgments // let us know among ourselves what is good

Let us choose to us judgments,.... Take the part of the question or controversy in which truth and justice lie, and he doubtless has respect to the present controversy with Job;

let us know among ourselves what is good; agree upon that which is best to be done in the present case, what judgment to be made of the dealings of God with Job, and his behaviour under them, and what the best advice to give to him.