Job 34:2
in Job 34“Hear my words, O wise men; give ear to me, O men of learning.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Hear my words, ye wise men; And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
KJV
Hear my words, O ye wise men; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.
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This verse in Job 34
Commentary
8 notes on this verseA commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
Hear my words, O ye wise men - Addressing particularly the three friends of Job. The previous chapter had been addressed to Job himself. He had stated to him his views of the design of affliction, and he had nothing to reply. He now addresses himself to his friends, with a particular view of examining some of the sentiments which Job had advanced, and of showing where he was in error.
This site's exposition
Then Elihu continued
on Job 34:1-4
“Then Elihu continued” opens his second speech, addressed to a wider audience. His maxim, “the ear tests words as the mouth tastes food”, weighs speech by discernment whatever the speaker's age, as he claimed at 32:9. His appeal, “let us learn together what is good”, asks for a shared verdict.
This site's exposition
O men of learning
Albert Barnes takes the wise men here as the three friends, since chapter 33 was spoken to Job and he gave no reply. Elihu still calls them wise. Matthew Henry counts that courtesy a fair act from a man who disagreed with them.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
Because of the former accusations that he had brought against his hearers, Elihu soothes them now with softer words by calling them wise men who know righteousness and honesty.
The Medieval Church2 voices
After Eliud accused Job of the fact that he wanted to dispute with God, he enters into the dispute against two things which he had referred to already. (33:9-12b; 35:1) First, he argues against the fact that he interpreted Job to have said that divine …
A commentator
Gregory the DialogistMorals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV · Written before 604.
proposed
Hear my words, O ye wise men, and listen to me, ye learned. For the ear trieth words, and the throat discerneth meats by the taste. As if he were to say, as the ear does not discern meats, nor the throat words, so a fool does not understand the sentence of the wise. Hear therefore what I say, ye wise and learned, who can understand the meaning of what has been said. Let us see then how great is his pride, who imagines that his words can be fitly heard only by the wise.
The Puritans and the Awakening2 voices
Elihu differed in opinion from them, and yet he calls them wise and knowing men. Peevish disputants think all fools that are not of their mind; but it is a piece of justice which we owe to those who are wise to acknowledge it, though our sentiments do not agree with theirs. He appeals to their judgment, and therefore submits to their trial,
Hear my words, O ye wise men,....
The words behind it
6 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| שִׁמְע֣וּ | shimu | hear | H8085 → | 1159 times |
| חֲכָמִ֣ים | chakhamim | O wise [men] | H2450 → | 138 times |
| מִלָּ֑י | milai | words my | H4405 → | 38 times |
| וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗ים | veyodeim | and O [those who] know | H3045 → | 945 times |
| הַאֲזִ֥ינוּ | haazinu | give ear | H238 → | 41 times |
| לִֽי׃ | li | to me |
שִׁמְע֣וּhear
shimuH8085 →1159 times
חֲכָמִ֣יםO wise [men]
chakhamimH2450 →138 times
מִלָּ֑יwords my
milaiH4405 →38 times
וְ֝יֹדְעִ֗יםand O [those who] know
veyodeimH3045 →945 times
הַאֲזִ֥ינוּgive ear
haazinuH238 →41 times
לִֽי׃to me
li
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
Proverbs 1:5let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel
it leads to
- Proverbs 12:1
Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, but he who hates correction is stupid.
- Proverbs 9:9
Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning.
- 1 Corinthians 10:15
I speak to reasonable people; judge for yourselves what I say.
- Proverbs 12:1
Through
1 Corinthians 14:20Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature.
it leads to
- 1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,
- 1 Corinthians 13:11
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside childish ways.
- Romans 16:19
Everyone has heard about your obedience, so I rejoice over you. But I want you to be wise about what is good and innocent about what is evil.
- Matthew 18:3
“Truly I tell you,” He said, “unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
- 1 Corinthians 2:6
Among the mature, however, we speak a message of wisdom—but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing.
- 1 Peter 2:2
About Job
This page draws on Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Gregory the Dialogist, Morals on the Book of Job, Book XXIV; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible; Olympiodorus of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON JOB 34:1-6 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.