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Job 34:4

in Job 34

Let us choose for ourselves what is right; let us learn together what is good.

BSB

The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾

ASV

Let us choose for us that which is right: Let us know among ourselves what is good.

KJV

Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what is good.

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This verse in Job 34

Commentary

7 notes on this verse
Let us choose to us judgment, and let us see among ourselves what is the best. But we easily learn, by considering the words which follow, whether he sought for this judgment from humility of heart.

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

let us learn together what is good

Adam Clarke hears a call to give up the contest for applause and victory and to seek what is right. Gregory the Dialogist tests the call by the words that follow. He found little humility in them.

The record, by era

The Medieval Church1 voice

A commentator

Thomas Aquinas

Commentary on Job · Written before 1274.

proposed

He shows what these words pertain to when he says, "Let us choose what is right for us," as if to say: Let us judge from the common consensus what is more true, "and among ourselves let us determine what is better," what Job has …

The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice

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.

The Nineteenth Century2 voices

A commentator

Adam Clarke

1762–1832

Commentary on the Bible · Written before 1832.

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.
Let us choose to us judgment - That is, let us examine and explore what is true and right. Amidst the conflicting opinions, and the sentiments which have been advanced, let us find out what will abide the test of close investigation.

The words behind it

7 Hebrew words

Every 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.

  • מִשְׁפָּ֥טjustice

    mishpatH4941 →422 times

  • נִבְחֲרָה־let us choose

    nivcharah-H977 →171 times

  • לָּ֑נוּfor ourselves

    lanu

  • נֵדְעָ֖הlet us recognize

    nedeahH3045 →945 times

  • בֵינֵ֣ינוּbetween ourselves

    veineinuH996 →407 times

  • מַה־what?

    mah-H4100 →752 times

  • טּֽוֹב׃[is] good

    tovH2896 →538 times

A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.

Related verses

11 in all, six open

The number beside each verse is how many compiled reference works tie it to this one. The strongest six stand open.

1 Thessalonians 5:21but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.6 worksPsalms 45:1My heart is stirred by a noble theme as I recite my verses to the king; my tongue is the pen of a skillful writer.6 worksJudges 19:30And everyone who saw it said, “Nothing like this has been seen or done from the day the Israelites came out of the land of Egypt until this day. Think it over, take counsel, and speak up!”2 worksJudges 20:7Behold, all you Israelites, give your advice and verdict here and now.”2 worksGalatians 2:11–14When Cephas came to Antioch, however, I opposed him to his face, because he stood to be condemned.2 worksJohn 7:24Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”2 works
The other 5 cross-references, with their words ▾
1 Corinthians 6:2–5Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?2 worksIsaiah 11:2–5The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and fear of the LORD.2 worksRomans 12:2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.2 worksJob 34:36If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.2 worksJob 34:34Men of understanding will declare to me, and the wise men who hear me will say:2 works

The walk

8 stops

Each 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

    1 Thessalonians 5:21

    but test all things. Hold fast to what is good.

    it leads to

    • 1 John 4:1

      Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God. For many false prophets have gone out into the world.

    • Romans 12:2

      Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of…

    • Ephesians 5:10

      Test and prove what pleases the Lord.

    • Luke 12:57

      And why don’t you judge for yourselves what is right?

    • Acts 17:11

      Now the Bereans were more noble-minded than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if these teachings were true.

  • Through

    John 7:24

    Stop judging by outward appearances, and start judging justly.”

    it leads to

    • Isaiah 11:3–4

      And He will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what His eyes see, and He will not decide by what His ears hear,

    • James 2:9

      But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.

    • John 8:15

      You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.

About Job

Job Hears of His Misfortunes, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Job Hears of His Misfortunes, Gustave Doré, 1866. Public domain.
Job: the study guide →Read Job 34 →

This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; 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 and Thomas Aquinas, Commentary on Job.

Read on in Job 34 →