Job 34:7

Job 34:7 What man [is] like Job, [who] drinketh up scorning like water?

Ver. 7. What man is like Job?] This Elihu speaketh by way of angry admiration, as if he would make Job a very nonsuch, a matchless offender; and that he much wondered with what face he could speak in that sort, Exclamatio admirativa (Pisc.). What, such a man as Job do thus? Oh, shameful! what? upbraid and reproach Almighty God? who would ever have expected such words from such a mouth? Is the man in his right mind, wot you, that he thus maketh himself a common laughing stock and by word, and yet maketh nothing of anything, but doth with as great facility and readiness swallow up men’s scoffs and taunts, as if he were drinking cold water, and no more is he troubled at them? Why, but is this Job? and is it possible that he should have so far lost all fear of God, and shame of the world, that he should set his mouth against heaven, as if he would spit in God’s face, and not care though he drink up scorning and affronts like water, quasi maledictis aleretur, ut venenis capreae, as if he were much taken and tickled with them? True it is, that Nemo pluris aestimavit virtutem, as Seneca saith, No man setteth a better price upon virtue than he who will rather part with his good name than part with his honesty. But it is also as true, that to neglect altogether what others think and say of us, non solum arrogantis est, sed et dissoluti, is the part not of a proud only, but of a forlorn person, saith the orator.

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.

Job 34:7-9. Who drinketh up scorning like water — That is, abundantly and greedily: who doth so break forth into scornful expressions, not only against his friends, but, in some sort, even against God himself. The Hebrew may be interpreted, What man, being like Job, would drink up scorning? &c. That a wicked or foolish man should act thus, is not strange; but that a man of such piety, gravity, wisdom, and authority, as Job, should be guilty of such a sin, this is wonderful. Which walketh with wicked men — Although I dare not say he is a wicked man, yet in this matter he speaks and acts like one of the wicked. For he hath said — Not absolutely, and in express terms, but by consequence, It profiteth a man nothing. &c. —

That though a man study to please God, he shall not be profited by it. For he said that good men were no less, nay, sometimes more miserable here than the wicked, Job 9:22; Job 30:26. And that, for his part, he was no gainer, as to this life, by his piety, but a loser, and that God showed him no more kindness and compassion than he usually did to the vilest of men.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Which is compelled to receive thy reproach and scorns of many for his foolish words.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

(Job 15:16). Image from the camel.

scorning--against God (Job 15:4).

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 7. Drinketh up scorning like water?] This is a repetition of the charge made against Job by Eliphaz, Job 15:16. It is a proverbial expression, and seems to be formed, as a metaphor, from a camel drinking, who takes in a large draught of water, even the most turbid, on its setting out on a journey in a caravan, that it may serve it for a long time. Job deals largely in scorning; he fills his heart with it.

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

(7) Who drinketh up scorning?—The same word had been applied to Job by Zophar (Job_11:3), “And when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed?” and the same reproach by Eliphaz (Job_15:16).

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

7. Elihu cannot restrain his abhorrence of Job’s sentiments. By scorning is meant impiety and scepticism. On the figure comp. ch. Job_15:16.

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.

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity,.... The worst of men, who make it their constant business and employment to commit sin:

and walketh with wicked men; the most abandoned of mankind. Not that Job kept company with such, and walked with them in all excess of not; nor did Elihu think so; Job was "a man that feared God, and eschewed evil", and evil men; he was "a companion of them that feared the Lord"; his delight was "with the excellent of the earth": nor should a good man keep company and walk with the wicked, nor can he with any pleasure. But the sense is, that by his words, the expressions that dropped from his lips, he seemed to agree with them, and to be of the same sentiments with them; and what he delivered tended to encourage and harden them in their sinful ways; and what those words were follow.

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

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? - A similar image occurs in Job 15:16. The idea is, that he was full of reproachful speeches respecting God; of the language of irreverence and rebellion. He indulged in it as freely as a man drinks water; gathers up and imbibes all the language of reproach that he can find, and indulges in it as if it were perfectly harmless.

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

What. This may be a continuation of Job’s speech, who seemed to assert that none had ever been insulted like himself, nor borne it with greater patience; (chap. xvi. 4.) or Eliu reproaches him with talking scornfully to his friends and to God. (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).

i.e. Abundantly and greedily; who doth so oft and so easily break forth into scornful and contemptuous expressions, not only against his friends, but in some sort even against God himself, whom he foolishly and insolently chargeth with dealing rigorously with him. The words may be thus read,

What man, being like Job, would drink up?..? That a wicked or foolish man should do thus is not strange; but that a man of such piety, gravity, wisdom, and authority as Job should be guilty of such a sin, this is wonderful.

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

7. Drinketh up scorning like water — He uses against Job one of the figures of Eliphaz, (see note on Job_15:16,) in which “iniquity” is the subject instead of “scorning,” as here.

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

What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? This comment is not only unnecessary, but unfair. It was not for Elihu, who professed a desire to "justify" (or completely exonerate) Job, to aggravate his guilt by means of rhetorical comment; and the comment itself was unfair, for Job had not indulged in scorn to any extent, much less "drunk it up like water". (comp. Job_15:16) He had in no respect scorned God; and if he had occasionally poured some scorn upon his "comforters", (Job_6:21 Job_12:2 Job_13:4-13 Job_16:2 Job_21:2-5 Job_26:2-4) must it not be admitted that they had deserved it? It was the duty of Elihu to act as moderator between Job and the "comforters," whereas he here seeks to exasperate them, and lash them up to fury against their afflicted friend. Perhaps Job"s impassive attitude has embittered him.

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

Like water - Abundantly and greedily: who doth so break forth into scornful expressions, not only against his friends, but in some sort against God himself.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

General Information:

Elihu continues speaking.

What man is like Job

Elihu uses this rhetorical question to scold Job. This question can be written as a statement. AT: "There is no one else like Job" (See: Rhetorical Question)

who drinks up mockery like water

Elihu is accusing Job of mocking others as often as a person drinks water. AT: "who mocks other people as frequently as he drinks water" (See: Simile)

who walks with wicked men

Here "walk" is an idiom for how a person acts. AT: "who behaves like wicked men" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

mock

water

evil

walk

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.