Job 36:10

Job 36:10 He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

Ver. 10. He openeth also their ear to discipline] See on Job 33:16.

And commandeth that they return from iniquity] Unless they will have it to be their ruin; whereof obstinate sinners, who refuse to return, seem to be ambitious. Affliction sanctified is Lex practica, a practical law, saith one; it is Verus Scripturae commentarius, an excellent comment upon the Scripture, saith another. David could not learn God’s statutes till taught by this free schoolmaster; cursed enough and crabbed, but such as whereby God openeth men’s ears to discipline, and speaketh to them to return from iniquity, which is a piece of learning that people cannot pay too dearly for.

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_36:10

He openeth their ear to discipline.

Discipline

1. Notice the discipline which God uses in His family. Many of us are froward children and need discipline. Job needed it, and had it; we are not told why, except that God meant to try his graces, and bring them into exercise. Paul was disciplined, and if he had not been well-disciplined, he would never have been such a scholar. The first feature in Gods discipline for His family is what Paul calls, apprehending them. A laying fast hold of conscience. Has Jesus apprehended you? This apprehending is sometimes very severe discipline. The next feature of discipline is translation. He translates the poor sinner out of darkness into the kingdom of His dear Son. There shall be transformation as well as translation. The discipline which our God exercises in His Church is for the express purpose of exercising all the graces that He imparts to the soul. By discipline Jehovah nourishes His own life in the souls of His children. By this discipline, decision of character is effected.

2. The obedience to be effected. He openeth their ears to discipline. Jehovah opens the ears of His people to discipline in such wise as that they shall oven wait and listen for more discipline--more of the exercise of Divine wisdom and power, to carry out His wise purposes and designs. The teaching of Jehovah goes on thus blessedly in the experience of His people: for it is written, All thy children shall be taught of the Lord, and great shall be their peace. (Joseph Irons.)

The advantages of affliction

It is assumed in the text that the righteous may experience painful changes, severe afflictions--great calamities may overtake them. Some of the advantages of these afflictions we consider.

1. Afflictions tend to promote self-knowledge by leading to serious and faithful self-examination.

2. Afflictions tend to soften and humble the mind, and dispose us to confess, to bewail, and to forsake our transgressions.

3. Afflictions tend to promote our instruction in righteousness.

4. Afflictions tend to promote our entire sanctification, and, if patiently endured, will issue in everlasting glory. But afflictions are not necessarily salutary. Sometimes they are not improved; and when they are not improved, instead of being a blessing they are indeed a curse. (Robert Alder.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(Job 33:16-18, Job 33:23).

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 10. He openeth also their ear] He gives them to understand the reason why they are thus corrected, and commands them to return from those iniquities which have induced him to visit them with afflictions and distresses.

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

He openeth also their ear to discipline,.... Or "to correction" (o); to the rod of correction; to hear the voice of it and him that has appointed it; its reproving voice for sin, its directing voice to duty, and its commanding voice to return from iniquity, as in the next clause. Or "to instruction" (p); God's corrections of his people being instructions to them, whereby they learn more of their duty, and of the rich experiences of grace; their faith, hope, love, and patience, are tried and increased hereby; and more of the love of God, of his care and faithfulness, of his covenant, of his gracious presence, and communion with God, what it is; and even of the doctrines of the everlasting Gospel: sometimes more is learned by an affliction than by a sermon. Now in order to hearken hereunto, to the voice of God in an affliction, the ear must be opened; which is first done in conversion by the mighty power of God: but sometimes good men fall asleep, and are inattentive to divine things; and this is one way God takes to awaken them, to arouse their attention; he speaks to them out of a whirlwind; he sends some terrible startling affliction, which fetches them out of their slumber, and so their ears are opened to hear what he says in it: at the noise of his waterspouts, and his billows one after another rolling over them, they are awakened to a sense of their sin and duty, Psa 42:7;

and commandeth that they return from iniquity; repent of their sin, turn from it and forsake it: such a strong voice has an affliction in it, when sanctified and attended with the spirit and power of God; then it effectually teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, as the word of God, the Gospel of the grace of God does, when accompanied with the same; as there is a commanding voice in the one, so there is in the other; and happy it is when such ends as these are answered by afflictions.

(o) "ad correptionem", Montanus; "ad correctionem", Beza, Michaelis, Schultens. (p) "Ad eruditionem", Cocceius.

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

He openeth also their ear to discipline - To teaching; or he makes them willing to learn the lessons which their afflictions are designed to teach; coral). See the notes at Job 33:16.

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

Ear, by secret inspirations, or by the admonition of pastors. (Calmet) --- Afflictions will also speak louder to them than any orator. (Haydock)

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. He enableth and inclineth them to hearken to what God speaks by the rod, who would not hear in the time of their prosperity; like them Jer 22:21.

To discipline; or, to instruction, i.e. to receive instruction; or, to chastening, i.e. to hear the rod, and who hath appointed it, as is said, Mic 6:9.

Commandeth, either by his word or Spirit accompanying the affliction, and discovering the mind and will of God in this dispensation.

That they return from iniquity, which is the chief cause of their calamity.

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

10. Openeth… ear — As in Job_33:16. Iniquity — Vanity, און. Its root idea is to be “empty,” “worthless.” See note on Job_5:12, and Job_21:19. Elihu, with profound insight, more like that of the New Testament, (1Jn_2:15-17,) penetrates to the root of Job’s trouble, and finds it to be the incipient love of an “empty” world, (worldliness,) — the first side-steppings of a soul that otherwise retains its faith in God.

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

He openeth also their ear to discipline. It is the especial merit of Elihu"s theory of suffering that he views it as far less penal than disciplinary and restorative. Job"s sufferings especially he views in this light. Instead of looking upon Job, like his other friends, as a heinous sinner, upon whom Go, I is taking vengeance, he regards him as a person who is being chastised, in love, for some fault or faults that he has committed, to his ultimate advantage and improvement. This, though not exactly the truth, is far nearer the truth than the view taken by the other three "friends." And commandeth that they return from iniquity. God"s chastisements are to be viewed as commands to men to "go and sin no more.

The ear that is open to discipline.

I SUFFERING IS FOR DISCIPLINE. This is Elihu"s great thought, and he returns to it again and again. It is familiar to us, but it seems to have been a new idea in the days of Job, and a fresh revelation for him and his friends. It is not the less important to us because we are well acquainted with it. Still, we have to enter into the meaning of it, and employ it as the key for unlocking the mysteries of our experience. Discipline is very different from punishment.

1. It is for the good of the sufferer. Punishment may be so; kind parents punish their children to benefit them. But this is not the sole object of punishment, which is also instituted to deter bad men from crime by the fear of its infliction, and to warn others by the wholesome lesson of its example. Discipline, on the other hand, is wholly schooling, entirely for the benefit of those who are subjected to it.

2. It is not necessarily consequent upon sin. Punishment is only for guilt; but discipline is for education. It may be the more needed on account of sin; but it is not confined to its effect on sin. Christ the Sinless was made perfect by the things which he suffered. (Heb_5:8, Heb_5:9)

II DISCIPLINE MUST BE RIGHTLY RECEIVED IF IT IS TO PROFIT. It is quite possible for it to be entirely thrown away upon the sufferer. Gold is purified by the fire because gold is but a dead metal. But souls are living, and the effects of the fires of affliction upon them are dependent on voluntary action. They may harden, they may consume, they may purify, they may strengthen. If they are to benefit as discipline they must be received in the right spirit. Now, this spirit is indicated by the open ear. The discipline brings a message from God. It does not only affect our feelings. It aims at reaching our thoughts. Probably it will do us no good at all if it does not lead us to think. An intelligent appreciation of God"s dealings with us is valuable for discipline to work its right end. Then we need to think about our own way in life. Affliction arrests our attention and helps us to search our heart and see whether we have not been doing wrong; it encourages us to survey our whole life with a view to improving it for the future.

III GOD HELPS HIS PEOPLE TO RECEIVE DISCIPLINE ARIGHT. We need to pray for grace to make the best use of affliction. When our hearts are right with God he will aid us to do this.

1. He will incline the heart to learn. When we are stubborn and self-willed, discipline is of little use. It may tend to break down the obstruction; but as long as that is standing it does little good. The disciple must be docile. Now, the inward influence of the Holy Spirit helps us to become docile under discipline.

2. He will assist the understanding to comprehend. We want to know what God is teaching us by his discipline. Our own wild, prejudiced ideas may lead us quite astray. Therefore it is well to fall upon our knees and pray that God will show us what he means by the special discipline he is putting us through what he is teaching us, and whither he would lead us. W.F.A.

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

Openeth - He inclines them to hearken to what God speaks by the rod.

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

He also opens their ears

Elihu speaks of causing a person to listen as if it were opening that person's ear. AT: "He also causes them to listen" (See: Metaphor)

to his instruction

The noun "instruction" can be translated with a verbal phrase. AT: "to what he is instructing them" (See: Abstract Nouns)

to turn back from iniquity

Elihu speaks of stopping an action as if it were turning back from it. AT: "to stop committing iniquity" (See: Metaphor)

they will spend their days in prosperity, their years in contentment

The words "days" and "years" both refer to the person's lifetime. AT: "they will spend their lives in prosperity and contentment" (See: Synecdoche)

they will perish by the sword

Elihu speaks of a person dying violently as if someone had killed them with a sword. AT: "they will die a violent death" (See: Metaphor)

translationWords

instruct

command

turn

iniquity

worship

prosper

perish

sword

die

know

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

and He says that with sufferings, they will repent of iniquity.

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.