Job 34:29 — meaning, Hebrew and Greek word study, commentary
Job 34:29
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? and when he hideth his face, who then can behold him? whether it be done against a nation, or against a man only:
to repose (usually figurative) · verb, hiphil imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
trouble
יַרְשִׁ֗עַyar.Shi.a'
H7561
to be (causatively · verb, hiphil imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular
hideth
וְיַסְתֵּ֣רve.yas.Ter
H5641
to hide (by covering) · conjunction + verb, hiphil jussive, 3rd person masculine singular
face
פָּ֭נִיםPa.nim
H6440
the face (as the part that turns) · noun, common masculine plural absolute
behold
יְשׁוּרֶ֑נּוּye.shu.Re.nu
H7789
to spy out · verb, qal imperfect, 3rd person masculine singular + pronominal suffix, 3rd person masculine singular
nation
גּ֖וֹיGoy
H1471
a foreign nation · noun, common masculine singular absolute
man
אָדָ֣ם'a.Dam
H120
ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species · noun, common masculine singular absolute
only
יָֽחַדYa.chad
H3162
properly · noun, common masculine singular absolute
Strong's Exhaustive Concordance (James Strong, 1890/1894), public domain; digitized by Open Scriptures (CC BY-SA). KJV word tagging: eBible.org (public domain). Original-language text, parsing and brief lexicon: STEPBible.org data from Tyndale House, Cambridge (CC BY 4.0).
Cross-references
Job 23:13 But he is in one mind, and who can turn him? and what his soul desireth, even that he doeth.
Psalms 27:9 Hide not thy face far from me; put not thy servant away in anger: thou hast been my help; leave me not, neither forsake me, O God of my salv…
Isaiah 26:3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee.
John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it b…
Romans 8:31-34 What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
Psalms 30:7 LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled.
Isaiah 32:17 And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.
Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Cross-references from OpenBible.info (CC BY), in the lineage of the Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (public domain).
Commentary
Matthew Henry on Job 34:16-30
Elihu here addresses himself more directly to Job. He had spoken to the rest (Job 34:10) as men of understanding; now, speaking to Job; he puts an if upon his understanding: If thou hast understanding, hear this and observe it, Job 34:16.
I. Hear this, That God is not to be quarrelled with for any thing that he does. It is daring presumption to arraign and condemn God's proceedings, as Job had done by his discontents. It was, 1. As absurd as it would be to advance one to power that is a professed enemy to justice: Shall even he that hates right govern? Job 34:17. The righteous Lord so loves righteousness that, in comparison with him, even Job himself, though a perfect and upright man, might…
(Pro 16:7; Isa 26:3).
make trouble--rather, "condemn" (Rom 8:33-34). MAURER, from the reference being only to the godless, in the next clause, and Job 34:20 translates, "When God keeps quiet" (leaves men to perish) Psa 83:1; [UMBREIT] from the Arabic (strikes to the earth), "who shall condemn Him as unjust?" Job 34:17.
hideth . . . face-- (Job 23:8-9; Psa 13:1).
it be done--Whether it be against a guilty nation (Kg2 18:9-12) or an individual, that God acts so.
Adam Clarke on Job 34:29
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble? - How beautiful is this sentiment, and how true! He ever acts as a sovereign, but his actions are all wise and just. If he give quietness, who dares to give trouble? And if he give to every human being the right to worship himself according to their conscience, for the director of which he gives both his word and his Spirit, who shall dare to say to another, "Thou shalt worship God in my way, or not at all;" or, through a pretended liberality, say, "Thou shalt be tolerated to worship him so and so;" and even that toleration be shackled and limited? Reader, thou hast as much right to tolerate another's mode of worship as he has to tolerate…
"He will give rest; who will be able to disturb him? This rest is not like that which men seek, and which troubles affliction. "If God justifies, who can condemn (3). And at the same time against man against Jews and Gentiles.
For when He giveth peace, who is there to condemn? since He hath hidden His face, who is there that can look on Him? Whence also, from his awe at those boundless and unfathomable judgments, he does not care to discuss them with reasoning, but to venerate them with admiration. Let no one then discuss, why the Gentile world lay so long in unbelief, while the Jewish people was yet standing, and why the sin of unbelief overthrew the Jewish people, as the Gentile world rose to belief. [Rom. 11, 20] Let no one discuss, why one is drawn on, as of a free gift, and the other repelled according to its deserts. For if thou art surprised at the adoption of the Gentiles, When He giveth peace, who is there to condemn? If thou art startled at the loss of the Jews, Since He hath hidden His face, who is there that can look on Him? So the counsel of supreme and hidden power becomes the satisfaction of evident reason. Whence also the Lord in the Gospel says, when speaking on the subject of this matter, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father. [Matt. 11, 25] And He immediately adds, as a kind of reason for this concealment and revealing, For so it hath seemed good before Thee. [Matt. 11, 26] In which words, in truth, we learn a pattern of humility, that we may not rashly presume to discuss the Divine counsels concerning the call of the one and the rejection of the others. For after He had mentioned both points, He did not at once give a reason, but said that it was thus well pleasing to God; pointing out, namely, this very point, that that cannot be unjust, which has seemed good to the Just One. Whence also He says, when paying the labourers in the vineyard, on equalling in compensation those who were unequal in work, and when he who had toiled longest asked for greater pay, Didst thou not agree with Me for a penny? I will give unto this last, even as unto thee. Is it not lawful for Me to do what I will with Mine own? [Matt. 20, 13-15] In all things then which are outwardly disposed by Him, the righteousness of His secret will is an evident cause of reason. Let it be said therefore. For when He giveth peace, who is there to condemn? since He hath hidden His face, who is there that can look on Him? And because God judges the least, in the same way as the…
Dictionary and topics
Nation · Peace of — Peace of
Peace · SPIRITUAL — SPIRITUAL
Peace, Spiritual · Of saints: Secure — Of saints: Secure
Dictionary: Easton's (1897) and Smith's (1863), public domain. Topics: Nave's Topical Bible (1896) and Torrey's Topical Textbook (1897), public domain. Both as parsed by NEUU (CC BY 4.0).
on Job 34:29
When he giveth quietness, who then can make trouble?.... Quietness or peace is of God; external peace to bodies of men, to communities, civil and religious, and to particular persons; quietness and contentment in outward enjoyments, peace and safety at home, and from enemies abroad; inward spiritual peace, this is of God, is in Christ, and from him; is the fruit of his righteousness, spoke by his blood, comes through faith in Christ, and is enjoyed in his ordinances, and continues as long as it is the pleasure of God to give it, and cannot be disturbed by men or devils; a national peace, when God gives it, cannot be broke in upon; nor the peace of churches, though there are always some incli…
29 If He, however, maketh peace, who will then condemn?
And if He hideth His countenance - who then can behold Him? -
Both concerning numbers and individuals together:
30 That godless men reign not,
That they be not nets to the people.
31 For one, indeed, saith to God,
"I have been proud, I will not do evil;
32 "What I see not, show Thou me;
"If I have done wrong, I will do it no more"!? -
If God makes peace (ישׁקיט as Psa 94:13, comp. Isa 14:7, הארץ שׁקטה כל־, viz., after the overthrow of the tyrant) in connection with such crying oppression of the poor, who will then condemn Him without the rather recognising therein His comprehensive justice? The conjecture ירעשׁ
(Note: Vid., Grtz in Fr…
When God renders justice openly, it leads to proper fear among the wicked (Deut 21:21; 1 Tim 5:20) and to public rejoicing among the righteous (cp. Exod 14:30-31).
Rashi on Job 34:29
When He quiets He gives the poor [some peace and] quiet from those who oppress [them]. Now who will deal wickedly anymore? And as long as He hid His face, who will see Him?
whether [it be done] to a nation or to a man, alike As for individuals, [or] as for a multitude it is the same to Him to quiet [them] and to hide His face.
