Job 34:19

Job 34:19 [How much less to him] that accepteth not the persons of princes, nor regardeth the rich more than the poor? for they all [are] the work of his hands.

Ver. 19. How much less to him that accepteth not the person of princes] How much more both dangerous and indecent must it needs be wrongfully to accuse God of injustice and partiality, which is far below him; since he neither doth nor needeth prefer great ones before meaner men in judgment! See on Job 13:7; Job 32:21.

Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?] The word rendered rich, opulent, or potent, comes either from a root, ישׁע that signifieth to save, because it is in the power of such to save others from hurt and damage; or else from another root, שׁוע that signifieth to cry aloud; because such men use to speak their minds more freely and boldly, as having that which can bear them out. But God acknowledgeth them not as such; only of them to whom much is given much shall be required.

For they are all the work of his hands] Both for their persons, for they are all equally his creatures; and for their conditions, which God also hath cut them out and apportioned. Thus he is said to have made Moses and Aaron, that is, to have advanced them, 1Sa 12:6; and Christ is said to have made the twelve when he ordained them to the apostleship, Mar 3:14.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

19. Omit italics, how much less to, and read:

Him that — אשׁר. God treats all, the rich and the poor, even princes, according to their deserts. In Job_34:19-20 Elihu establishes the impartiality of God. The Wisdom of Solomon (vi, 7) furnishes a good comment on this verse.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

34:19 doesn’t care how great a person may be: Impartiality flows from God’s justice (Acts 10:34; Rom 2:11; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; 1 Pet 1:17).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

(Act 10:34; Ch2 19:7; Pro 22:2; Job 31:15).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 19. That accepteth not] If it be utterly improper to speak against a king or civil governor, how much more so to speak disrespectfully of God, who is not influenced by human caprices or considerations, and who regards the rich and the poor alike, being equally his creatures, and equally dependent on his providence and mercy for their support and salvation.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Partiality or injustice is not to be thought of in God, for all men, rich and poor, are alike the work of His hands. In these words the disputant makes the transition from his principle to the illustration of it in God’s actual rule of men, and this illustration he pursues at length.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

In a moment shall they die,.... Princes as well as the common people, rich men as well as poor; all must and do die, great and small, high and low, kings and peasants, rich and poor men, and sometimes suddenly; are struck dead at once, and without any previous notice, that night, that hour, that moment their souls are required of them. The Targum interprets this of the men of Sodom. And Mr. Broughton, in his margin, refers to the history of them in Gen 19:1;

and the people shall be troubled at midnight; either the common people, when their kings and governors die; or the relations and friends of persons deceased; and this circumstance "at midnight" is added, which makes the scene more melancholy, awful, and shocking, when it happens at such a time. The above Targum understands it of the Egyptians, when their firstborn were slain, which was in the middle of the night; and Mr. Broughton refers in his margin to the same instance: but it is a question whether this affair ever came to the knowledge of Job and his friends, at least not so early as this controversy;

and pass away; not into another country, being taken and carried away captive; but pass away by death into their graves, and into another world. Sephorno interprets it of the destroying angel's passing over the tents of the Israelites, and not entering into them to smite them when they smote the firstborn of Egypt. But the former sense is best, see Psa 37:36;

and the mighty shall be taken away without hand: without the hand of men, but by the immediate hand of God; not falling in battle, or in a common natural way by diseases, but by some judgment of God upon them: and the whole verse seems to be understood not of a natural death, or in the common way, but of sudden death in a way of judgment, from the immediate hand of God, and that upon the mighty and great men of the earth; which shows that he is no respecter of princes, see Dan 8:25.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

How much less to him that accepteth not the person of princes - To accept the person of anyone is to treat him with special favor on account of his rank, his wealth, or from favoritism and partiality. This God often disclaims in respect to himself; (compare Gal 2:6; Act 10:34; 2Ch 19:7; Rom 2:11; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25), and solemnly forbids it in others; see Jam 2:1, Jam 2:3,Jam 2:9; Lev 19:15; Deu 1:17; Deu 16:19. The meaning here is, that God is entirely impartial in his administration, and treats all as they ought to be treated. He shows favor to no one on account of wealth, rank, talent, office, or joyous apparel, and he excludes no one from favor on account of poverty, ignorance, or a humble rank in life. This it seems was an admitted sentiment in the time of Elihu, and on the ground of the fact that it was indisputable, he strongly argues the impropriety of calling in question the equity of his administration in language such as that which Job had used.

For they all are the work of his hands - He regards them all as his creatures. No one has any special claim on him on account of rank, talent, or wealth. Every creature that he has made, high and low, rich and poor, bond and free, may expect that impartial justice will be done him, and that his external circumstances will not control or modify the divine determinations in regard to him, or the divine dealings toward him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Tyrant. This title is not always odious. It formerly was given to all princes, and came to be used in a bad sense, on account of the misconduct of some kings of Sicily. Tyrannus a rege distat factis, non nomine. (Sen.[Seneca?] Clem. xii.) --- Hebrew, "the rich more than the poor." (Haydock) --- God fears not to rebuke even the greatest princes, and dost thou dare to arraign his justice? (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

To him that accepteth not the persons of princes, i.e. to God, who respecteth not the greatest princes, so as to do any unjust thing to gain their favour, or to avoid their anger, to whom princes and peasants are equally subject, and infinitely inferior; who therefore is free from all temptation to injustice, which commonly proceeds from respect of persons, Lev 19:15, and to whom therefore thou didst owe more reverence than thy words have expressed.

They all are the work of his hands; and therefore of equal worth and price with him, and equally subject to his power and pleasure.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

How much less to him that accepteth not the persons of princes! How much less becomingly is such language used of One so far above princes that he regards them as on a level with all other men, and pays them no special respect! Worldly rank is, of course, nothing with God. All mankind are his subjects and servants, whom he differentiates one from another solely by their moral and spiritual qualities. Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor. If earthly rank is of no account with God, much less is abundance of possessions. The parable of the rich man and Lazarus places his complete indifference in a strong light. For they all are the work of his hands. All classes of men, rich and poor, powerful and weak, are equally God"s creatures, brought into the world by him, given by him their several stations, and regarded by him with favour or disfavour, according as they conduct themselves in their various occupations and employments.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Who did not respect princes That is to say, the King of the world, before Whom there is no favoritism.

a prince Heb. שוע, a prince, as in (Isa. 32:5), “nor shall a deceitful person be said to be noble (שוע).”

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.