1 And now, O Job, give ear to my words, and take note of all I say.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Wherefore, Job, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words. Behold, I have opened my mouth; let my tongue speak in my throat. But in the midst of these sentences which he utters, based on solid truth, he again bursts out into words of pride, saying, Wherefore, Job, hear my speeches, and hearken to all my words.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 The text has said already that Eliud was angry against Job and his friends (32:2-3). After he has denounced the laziness of the friends of Job, now he begins to speak against Job himself, and therefore, he first gets his attention saying, "Hear, then, Job, my words," because I now intend to answer you.
2 See, now my mouth is open, my tongue gives out words.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 So that Job does not ask the reason why he did not speak before he says, "Behold, I have opened my mouth," as if to say: Before when I was silent, I had kept my mouth closed out of reverence for my elders, since now they are deficient, necessity compels me to speak.
3 My heart is overflowing with knowledge, my lips say what is true.
John Chrysostom · AD 407 These words mean, I do not speak so out of envy or jealousy. Even though the three friends said the same things as him, they did not do so in the same spirit or in order to defend God. Indeed also Judas and the eleven disciples expressed the same opinion about the vase of perfume, but not in the same spirit.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 My words are from my simple heart, and my lips shall speak a pure sentence. To say that speech is simple, is a praise of great weight. But because the haughty possess it not, they assert the more anxiously that they possess it, in order that they may be heard with less apprehension.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since Job in what has gone before has accused his friends of afflicting him and confounding him with words, (19:2) Eliud shows this is not true with him saying, "My words are in a simple heart," as if to say: I do not speak to falsely condemn or to ridicule, but to show the truth with a simple heart.
4 The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Ruler of all gives me life.
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 [Elihu] believes that with the aid of a comparison he can make some effective assertions against Job. "If you," he says, "cannot reply to me, a creation of God, be certain that you will be much less able to reply to God, the Maker of everything."
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 The Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life. Intending to subjoin truth, he first uttered boastful words, and being about to state the sound opinions he held, he first made known how huge was his swelling.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He shows the source of such confidence in clearly explaining the truth saying, "The Spirit of God made me," and therefore, it is no wonder that he moves his creature and perfects his product, and he explains this continuing, "and the breath of the Most High gave me life," for he moved and perfected me for the works of life, and the principal one of these is the understanding of…
5 If you are able, give me an answer; put your cause in order, and come forward.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 If thou canst, answer me, and stand before my face. Behold how in relating the true order of his creation, he suddenly bursts forth into the pride of haughty arrogance, and, in other words, repeats the same statement.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Lest he seem to have said this as a prejudice to discourage Job from answering one speaking from divine inspiration he says, "If you can, answer me," what I will say against you, "and hold your ground before my face," so that you also can raise objection against me if I say anything which displeases you.
6 See, I am the same as you are in the eyes of God; I was cut off from the same bit of wet earth.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 For it is peculiar to the arrogant that they always believe, even before they speak, that they are going to say some wonderful thing. And they anticipate their own words by their own admiration, because, with all their acuteness, they are not sensible to how great a folly is their very pride.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Lest Job scorn to dispute with him because of his own reputation for wisdom and his youth, he excludes this saying, "Behold, God made both you and me," so from the Creator's point of view both of us have the same hope of inquiring into truth.
7 Fear of me will not overcome you, and my hand will not be hard on you.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 But Eliud saw one could anger him and that it was because of a miracle that such great wisdom and eloquence was given to a young man and this is sufficient reason to dispute against a very wise old man.
8 But you said in my hearing, and your voice came to my ears:
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 This is what holy Job had said above, "Do you want me to reap the iniquities of my youth?" Therefore, [Elihu] refutes this as a blasphemy, that is, the fact that holy Job had believed that no fault could be found in him; he was blameless in his mature age but was punished severely for the errors committed in his youth.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Thou hast spoken then in mine ears, and I have heard the voice of thy words. And subjoining the very words, he says what he heard.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 After he has said these things as an introduction, he strengthens the arguments which he intends to use against Job, and so he says, "Therefore you have spoken in my hearing," as if to say: You cannot excuse yourself by saying that you did not say this, "and I heard the sound of your words," for I listened attentively.
9 I am clean, without sin; I am washed, and there is no evil in me:
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 I am clean, and without spot of sin, and there is no iniquity in me, because He hath found complaints in me, therefore He hath counted me as His enemy, He hath placed my feet in the stocks, He hath guarded all my ways. And in answer to these words which he said blessed Job had spoken, he immediately states his own opinion.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 First, he had noted in the words of Job that he had said that he was immune from sin (13:6 and 16:18) and so he says, "I am clean," from the impurity of the flesh, "and without fault," caused by the sin of omission; "without stain," from grave sins which are against God like idolatry and other sins of this sort; "and there is no evil in me," which would cause me to wound my nei…
10 See, he is looking for something against me; in his eyes I am as one of his haters;
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, he notes in his words that he accused God of unfair judgment. Unfair judgment usually proceeds from the hatred of the one judging, and as to this he recalls that Job had said, "Since he has found grievances in me, therefore he thought that I am his enemy." In Chapter Thirteen, Job asked in question form, "Why do you hide your face and think of me as your enemy?" (v.24)…
11 He puts chains on my feet; he is watching all my ways.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Second, a judge is unfair if he takes away from someone the ability to mount a just defense. Expressing this he says, "he put my feet in the stocks," for he bound me as if to impede me from my works.
12 Truly, in saying this you are wrong; for God is greater than man.
Julian of Eclanum · AD 455 If you believe that you must also show this to those who are ungrateful, you will nonetheless consent that God is undoubtedly superior to all. Therefore, since he is also the first in justice and wisdom, he cannot appear to have done something that may incur your note of reproof.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 This is the thing then in which thou art not justified. I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Blessed Job had indeed truly said, that he had been scourged without any fault. For he said of himself exactly what the Lord had said of him to the devil, Thou hast moved Me against him to afflict him without cause.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Because this second point excludes the first, he then says, "It is in this then in which you are not justified," as if to say: You cannot say you are just because the very fact that you impute injustice to God shows your injustice. Eliud has already proposed those things which he intended to dispute with Job.
13 Why do you put forward your cause against him, saying, He gives no answer to any of my words?
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Thou contendest against Him, because He hath not replied to thee to all thy words. God will speak once, and will not repeat the same thing a second time.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 And so he then says, "You contend against him because he will not answer all your arguments." He wanted to take this from these preceding works of Job, and from what he said in Chapter Nineteen, "Behold, I will shout out violently in my suffering and no one will hear.
14 For God gives his word in one way, even in two, and man is not conscious of it:
Bonaventure · AD 1257 The second mode of generation is by means of expression: as in the case of the species coming out of the object, the imprint out of the seal, the speech out of the speaker, or the concept or thought out of the mind. And in these, there is deficiency. In the first, the reality of the object is lacking, for the species in the eye or in the soul is not the reality of the thing.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 To refute the preceding words of Job which Eliud interpreted as having been spoken contentiously, Eliud shows that God does not necessarily have to answer every single word posed to him by man, but he speaks sufficiently to each one for his instruction, and so he then says, "God speaks once," sufficiently for the instruction of man.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep comes on men, while they take their rest on their beds;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when sleep falleth upon men, and they sleep on their bed. What is meant by the word of God being made known to us in a dream, except that we do not learn the secret things of God, if we are kept awake by worldly desires? For in a dream the outward senses are at rest, and inward objects are discerned.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Then he shows another way by which God speaks to man, which is the imaginary vision in the apparitions of dreams, and so he says, "in a dream, in the visions of the night." This can be referred to prophetic revelation, according to Numbers, "If anyone will be a prophet of the Lord among you, I will speak to him either in dream or in vision," (12:6) or this can be referred to or…
16 Then he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Then He openeth the ears of men, and teaching, instructeth them with discipline. For when they are dead to outward objects, they hear with open ears the causes which come before their inward judgment. And when they consider minutely with themselves either their open punishments, or their secret judgments, they cease not to afflict themselves with tears.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, he places the divine action in the one sleeping, which is characterized first by the fact that, when the exterior senses have been immobilized in deep sleep and a man is resting quietly in bed, a certain ability is divinely given to a man to perceive divine instruction because his spirit is not preoccupied with exterior things, and so he says, "then he opens the ears of…
17 In order that man may be turned from his evil works, and that pride may be taken away from him;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 That He may withdraw man from the things that he has done, and may deliver him from pride. For what has man done of himself but sin? And it is written, Pride is the beginning of all sin. It is rightly said, then, that when man is withdrawn from what he has done, he is freed from pride.
Ishodad of Merv · AD 850 The words "that he may turn them aside from their deeds" means this: by way of those [dreams and visions] God keeps people from shameful actions. The words "he covers the body of man" [mean] sometimes he brings on righteous diseases and pains as well, in order to preserve him in this manner from the punishment of perdition.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 So he says, "to turn a man aside from what he has done." For man is frequently corrected in dreams for sins he has committed. Since the pride is the root of sin because by it one holds the commandments of God in contempt, he then says, "and to free him from pride."
18 To keep back his soul from the underworld, and his life from destruction.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Rescuing his soul from corruption, and his life from passing to the sword. For every sinner, in consequence of his corruption by sin here, is compelled to pass thither to the sword of punishment; that he may be justly punished in that world, by the very sins in which he delighted in this.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Once man is free from fault, he fittingly escapes punishments. He shows he escapes two kinds of punishments. First, with respect to the spiritual punishment of the soul, "He rescues his soul from corruption," caused by the disorders of the powers of the soul.
19 Pain is sent on him as a punishment, while he is on his bed; there is no end to the trouble in his bones;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He chastens him also with pain upon his bed, and makes all his bones to waste away. By bed, or pallet, or couch in holy Scripture, is understood, sometimes carnal pleasure, sometimes a resting in good works, sometimes temporal rest; for what is meant by what our Lord said in the Gospel to a certain one who was healed, Arise, take up thy bed, and go unto thine house, except that…
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Then he discusses the fact that God can also speak and correct man through the sickness of the body. He first notes sensible pain here, and so he says, "He also chides," a man for past sins, "by pain," which is the corporeal pain which comes from sickness. So he says, "on his bed," according to the Psalm, "Upon his bed of pain." (Ps.
20 He has no desire for food, and his soul is turned away from delicate meat;
Ephrem the Syrian · AD 373 These words mean that the soul of the wicked will never rejoice in the sins that it has committed or in the justice that it has never reached.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 His bread becomes abominable to him in his lips, and to his soul the food which before it desired. As if he were to say in so many words; A mind under affliction believes that every thing which used easily to satisfy, and give it pleasure, is turned into bitterness.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Third, he places the loss of appetite when he says, "Bread," which is common food, "becomes abominable to him during his life," while he still lived, because of sickness, "and the food of his soul, which he desired before, becomes abominable," which refers to other foods which are desired in different ways by different people.
21 His flesh is so wasted away, that it may not be seen, and his bones....
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 His flesh shall waste away, and his bones which were covered shall be laid bare. For when every outward pleasure is worn away by the pressure of the rod, the bones of inward firmness are laid bare. For what is meant in this place by the word flesh, but fleshly pleasure itself? Or what by bones, but the virtues of the soul?
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Fourth, he places leanness when he says, "His flesh will waste away," that is, will fail, "and," consequently, "the bones which were hidden," by flesh, "will be laid bare," because they will appear to be covered only by skin.
22 And his soul comes near to the underworld, and his life to the angels of death.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 His soul shall draw near to corruption, and his life to the destroyers. For the soul of every just man when tempted is said to draw near to corruption, when, for fear his virtue should elate him, he is compelled by the rod to feel what he is in his own natural infirmity.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Fifth, he places the danger and fear of death saying, "His soul will approach corruption," which refers to his life, which is lived because of his soul. So he adds, "and the life of that man will approach to the dangers of death," to causes bringing death. Note he has proposed these things to answer the lament of Job that God does not answer each of his questions in detail.
23 If now there may be an angel sent to him, one of the thousands which there are to be between him and God, and to make clear to man what is right for him;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 If there shall be an Angel, speaking for him one of like things to shew the righteousness of man, he will pity him. For who is this Angel, but He who is called by the Prophet, The Angel of mighty counsel? [Is. 9, 6. lxx.] For because to declare is called 'evangelize' in Greek, the Lord in announcing Himself to us is called 'Angel.' [as Is.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since Job seemed to lament not only that God had not spoken to him, but also that he could not approach to have a discussion with God and to plead his case before him, (cf. 23:3) Eliud therefore wants to make a satisfactory answer to this question.
24 And if he has mercy on him, and says, Let him not go down to the underworld, I have given the price for his life:
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 "He (God) will have mercy on him," on the man afflicted, "and he will say," that is, he will order the angel, "Deliver him," for just as he is the one who brings forward the justice of man in the presence of God, so also he is the executor of the divine mercy in the presence of men.
25 Then his flesh becomes young again, and he comes back to the days of his early strength;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 His flesh is consumed by punishments, let him return to the days of his youth. For when that first man fell from God, we were driven from the joys of Paradise, and were involved in the miseries of this mortal life; [Gen. 3, 23. 24.] and we feel, by the pain of our punishment, what a grievous fault we committed by the persuasion of the serpent.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since Job had said, "My flesh is clothed with corruption," (7:5) as if he could not be restored, he excludes this saying, "His flesh has been consumed by punishments," as if to say: This is not injurious to my power, and so "let him return to the days of his youth," i.e. let him recover the strength like a young man.
26 He makes his prayer to God, and he has mercy on him; he sees God's face with cries of joy; he gives news of his righteousness to men;
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He shall pray unto God, and He will be favourable unto him. He says that the Messenger implores first, and man afterwards; for did not the Lord first intercede with the Father through His Incarnation, and pray for our life, our insensibility would never rouse itself to ask for those things which are eternal.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Therefore, after he has suggested the words of God which free him, Eliud uses his own words to describe the manner of human liberation saying, "He will invoke God in prayer," for it is not enough for an angel to speak for him, but to be freed he must also pray for it himself. Or this argument can be connected in another way.
27 He makes a song, saying, I did wrong, turning from the straight way, but he did not give me the reward of my sin.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 He will look on men, and will say, I have sinned. He would not know himself to be a sinner, if he had not righteousness. For no one detects his own deformity, except when he has begun to be upright. For he who is altogether deformed, cannot perceive what he really is.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 But this is not possible unless man humbly recognizes and confesses his sin, and so he says, "He will consider man," as if spontaneously offering himself for the confession of sin, and so he continues, "and he will say, 'I have sinned.'" So one does not think that he has said this from humility he adds, "and I have truly perverted what is right." He says this against Job becaus…
28 He kept my soul from the underworld, and my life sees the light in full measure.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 For he hath delivered his soul from going onwards to destruction. Because when Divine Grace goes before us in good works, our free will follows it, we, who yield our consent to God Who delivers us, are said to deliver ourselves; and hence Paul when saying, I laboured more abundantly than they all, [1 Cor.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He shows the fruit of humility saying, "For he freed my soul," in confessing his sin, "from going to destruction," which refers to death, corporeal or spiritual. He also wants to attain further goods and so he says, "but in living my soul will see the light," which is either the corporeal light or the spiritual light of wisdom.
29 Truly, God does all these things to man, twice and three times,
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 All these things God worketh three times with every man. Of this man tempted and beaten by the scourge it had been said before, His bread becomes abominable to him in his life, and his soul hath drawn nigh to corruption, and his life to the destroyers. [ver.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Because God does not immediately and finally damn man, but warns him many times, Eliud adds, "Behold, all these things," the instruction through dreams and rebuke through pains and healing, "God works in three ways," i.e. many times for as long as he thinks them useful.
30 Keeping back his soul from the underworld, so that he may see the light of life.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 That he may recal their souls from corruption, and enlighten them with the light of the living. For that is the light of the dying which we behold with our bodily eyes. But they who still live for this world, are in darkness in the light of the dying.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 He assigns the usefulness of this saying, "to call their souls back from corruption," which expresses freedom from evil, "and to enlighten them with the light of the living," which expresses the attainment of good things. Each of these can be applied to corporeal or spiritual goods. When he says here "three ways," this should refer to the two second modes of God speaking.
31 Take note O Job, give ear to me; keep quiet, while I say what is in my mind.
Gregory the Dialogist · AD 604 Eliu has uttered great and very powerful words. But it is a characteristic of every boastful person, that, while giving utterance to truths and mysteries, he suddenly blends with them, through pride of heart, some foolish and proud expressions.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since it seemed to him that he had spoken effectively, he invites Job to listen quietly to the things which remain. He says, "Listen, Job," in your heart, "and hear me," with your ears, "be silent while I speak," and do not interrupt me.
32 If you have anything to say, give me an answer; for it is my desire that you may be judged free from sin.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Lest he seem to inhibit his ability to answer he says, "If however you have something to say, answer me," and as though he desires his answer he adds, "speak." Then, he shows the cause of his desire saying, "I want you to be known as just." He says this to show that he does not intend to humiliate him.
33 If not, give attention to me, and keep quiet, and I will give you wisdom.
Thomas Aquinas · AD 1274 Since he did not believe that he was just he then says, "But if you do not have," something to say on behalf of your justice, "hear me, be silent, and I will teach you wisdom," of which you are ignorant.