Ayub 34:1-4

Elihu’s Second Speech ¹ 

34:1 Elihu answered:

34:2 “Listen to my words, you wise men;

hear ²  me, you learned men. ³ 

34:3 For the ear assesses ⁴  words

as the mouth ⁵  tastes food.

34:4 Let us evaluate ⁶  for ourselves what is right; ⁷ 

let us come to know among ourselves what is good.

[34:1]  ¹ sn This speech of Elihu focuses on defending God. It can be divided into these sections: Job is irreligious (2-9), God is just (10-15), God is impartial and omniscient (16-30), Job is foolish to rebel (31-37).

[34:2]  ² tn Heb “give ear to me.”

[34:2]  ³ tn The Hebrew word means “the men who know,” and without a complement it means “to possess knowledge.”

[34:3]  ⁴ tn Or “examines; tests; tries; discerns.”

[34:3]  ⁵ tn Or “palate”; the Hebrew term refers to the tongue or to the mouth in general.

[34:4]  ⁶ sn Elihu means “choose after careful examination.”

[34:4]  ⁷ tn The word is מִשְׁפָּט (mishpat) again, with the sense of what is right or just.