Ayub 33:11-15

33:11 ¹ He puts my feet in shackles;

he watches closely all my paths.’

33:12 Now in this, you are not right – I answer you, ² 

for God is greater than a human being. ³ 

33:13 Why do you contend against him,

that he does not answer all a person’s ⁴  words?

Elihu Disagrees With Job’s View of God

33:14 “For God speaks, the first time in one way,

the second time in another,

though a person does not perceive ⁵  it.

33:15 In a dream, a night vision,

when deep sleep falls on people

as they sleep in their beds.

[33:11]  ¹ sn See Job 13:27.

[33:12]  ² tn The meaning of this verb is “this is my answer to you.”

[33:12]  ³ tc The LXX has “he that is above men is eternal.” Elihu is saying that God is far above Job’s petty problems.

[33:13]  ⁴ tc The MT has “all his words.” This must refer to “man” in the previous verse. But many wish to change it to “my words,” since it would be summarizing Job’s complaint to God.

[33:14]  ⁵ tn The Syriac and the Vulgate have “and he does not repeat it,” a reading of the text as it is, according to E. Dhorme (Job, 403). But his argument is based on another root with this meaning – a root which does not exist (see L. Dennefeld, RB 48 [1939]: 175). The verse is saying that God does speak to man.