Chapter Overview
Summary
Job 34 is Elihu's second speech — defending divine-justice against Job's-charges of-divine-injustice. Verse 11 — 'he repays a man according to his work' — joins the Romans 2:6 / Revelation 22:12 retribution-by-works tradition. Verse 14–15 — 'if he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath, all flesh would perish together' — is one of the OT's strongest creation-by-spirit-sustenance texts.
Notable Variants
34:11 'he repays a man according to his work' → Rom 2:6 / Rev 22:12; 34:14–15 'gather to himself his spirit, all flesh would perish' — Spirit-sustains-creation; 34:19 'God shows no partiality' → Rom 2:11 / Acts 10:34.
Structural Notes
MT Job 34 = LXX Job 34. 37 verses. Elihu's second speech.
Then Elihu answered and said:
'Then Elihu answered and said' tracks MT.
Hear my words, you who are wise; you who have knowledge, listen to me.
'Hear my words, you wise men, and give ear to me, you who know' tracks MT.
For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food.
'For the ear tests words as the palate tastes food' tracks MT. // Job 12:11.
Let us choose what is just; let us determine among ourselves what is good.
'Let us choose what is right; let us know among ourselves what is good' tracks MT.
For Job has said, 'I am righteous, but God has taken away my justice.'
'For Job has said: I am in the right, and God has taken away my right' tracks MT.
'Should I lie about my own case? My wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.'
'In spite of my right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression' tracks MT.
What man is like Job, who drinks scorn like water?
'What man is like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water' tracks MT.
He keeps company with workers of evil and walks alongside wicked men.
'Who travels in company with evildoers and walks with wicked men?' tracks MT.
For he has said, 'It profits a person nothing to take delight in God.'
'For he has said: It profits a man nothing that he should take delight in God' tracks MT.
Therefore, you who have understanding, listen to me: Far be it from God to do wickedness, far from the Almighty to commit injustice.
'Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong' tracks MT. FAR-BE-IT-FROM-GOD divine-righteousness defense. Romans 9:14 ('is there injustice on God's part? By no means!') extends.
For he repays a person according to their deeds and makes everyone find what their path deserves.
'For according to the work of a man he will repay him, and according to his ways he will make it befall him' tracks MT. REPAY-ACCORDING-TO-WORK. Romans 2:6 ('he will render to each one according to his works'), Matthew 16:27, 2 Tim 4:14, Rev 2:23, 22:12 — extending the judgment-by-works tradition.
Truly, God does not act wickedly, and the Almighty does not pervert justice.
'Of a truth, God will not do wickedly, and the Almighty will not pervert justice' tracks MT.
Who entrusted him with the earth? Who appointed him over the whole world?
'Who gave him charge over the earth, and who laid on him the whole world?' tracks MT.
If God set his heart on it, if he gathered his spirit and his breath back to himself —
'If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and his breath' tracks MT.
all flesh would perish together, and humanity would return to dust.
'All flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust' tracks MT. SPIRIT-WITHDRAWN = ALL-FLESH-DIES. Ps 104:29 ('when you take away their breath, they die') parallel. The Spirit-sustains-creation theology.
If you have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words.
'If you have understanding, hear this; listen to the sound of my words' tracks MT.
Can one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn the Righteous and Mighty One?
'Shall one who hates justice govern? Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty?' tracks MT.
Does one say to a king, 'Worthless one!'? Or to nobles, 'Wicked!'?
'Who says to a king: Worthless one, and to nobles: Wicked man' tracks MT.
How much less the One who shows no favoritism to princes and does not prefer the rich over the poor — for they are all the work of his hands.
'Who shows no partiality to princes, nor regards the rich more than the poor, for they are all the work of his hands?' tracks MT. NO-PARTIALITY divine-attribute. Romans 2:11 ('God shows no partiality'), Acts 10:34 ('I now perceive that God shows no partiality'), Eph 6:9, Col 3:25, James 2:1 — major NT-extension of this divine-attribute. Critical for-Christian-anti-favoritism ethics.
In a moment they die. At midnight people are shaken — they pass away. The mighty are removed, not by human hands.
'In a moment they die; at midnight the people are shaken and pass away, and the mighty are taken away by no human hand' tracks MT.
For his eyes are on the ways of every person, and he sees all their steps.
'For his eyes are on the ways of a man, and he sees all his steps' tracks MT.
There is no darkness, no deep shadow, where workers of evil can hide.
'There is no gloom or deep darkness where evildoers may hide themselves' tracks MT. NO-DARKNESS-CAN-HIDE. Hebrews 4:13 ('all are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do') extends.
He does not need to examine a person further for them to come before God in judgment.
'For God has no need to consider a man further, that he should go before God in judgment' tracks MT.
He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place.
'He shatters the mighty without investigation and sets others in their place' tracks MT.
Therefore he knows their deeds; he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed.
'Thus, knowing their works, he overturns them in the night, and they are crushed' tracks MT.
He strikes them down for their wickedness in a place where all can see —
'He strikes them for their wickedness in a place where men can see' tracks MT.
because they turned away from following him and gave no thought to any of his ways,
'Because they turned aside from following him and had no regard for any of his ways' tracks MT.
so that the cry of the poor reached him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted.
'So that they caused the cry of the poor to come to him, and he heard the cry of the afflicted' tracks MT.
When he is silent, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can see him? — whether over a nation or over a single person.
'When he is quiet, who can condemn? When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether it be a nation or a man?' tracks MT.
so that a godless person does not reign, so that the people are not ensnared.
'That a godless man should not reign, that he should not ensnare the people' tracks MT.
For has anyone said to God, 'I have borne my punishment — I will offend no more'?
'For has anyone said to God: I have borne punishment; I will not offend any more' tracks MT.
'What I cannot see, teach me. If I have done wrong, I will do it no more.'
'Teach me what I do not see; if I have done iniquity, I will do it no more' tracks MT.
Should God repay on your terms, since you reject his? You must choose — not I. So speak what you know.
'Will he then make repayment to suit you, because you reject it? For you must choose, and not I; therefore declare what you know' tracks MT.
People of understanding will say to me, and every wise person who hears me will agree:
'Men of understanding will say to me, and the wise man who hears me will say' tracks MT.
'Job speaks without knowledge, and his words lack insight.'
'Job speaks without knowledge; his words are without insight' tracks MT.
Would that Job were tested to the limit for answering like men of wickedness!
'Would that Job were tried to the end, because he answers like wicked men' tracks MT.
For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands in scorn among us and multiplies his words against God.
'For he adds rebellion to his sin; he claps his hands among us and multiplies his words against God' tracks MT.