Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.
The verse belongs to Job's answer after Jehovah rebuked and questioned him, in which Job confesses his vileness and submits to God's greater knowledge of what is right in his case. It comes after bitter discussion in which he had learned from his three friends the littleness of human wisdom and that affliction is not punishment for sin, and had heard from Elihu that affliction is disciplinary, yet remained unsatisfied until he heard God himself, who answered not with a direct reply to the arguments but by showing from all nature His goodness, love, and tender care for all His works. In the verse Job beseeches God to hear him while he speaks and invites God to demand of him, to question him, and to declare truth to him and teach him. It is still continued pleading with God after Job acknowledges His reproof, within the confession that leads to his restoration.
Job acknowledges that he had spoken about matters beyond his understanding, things too wonderful for him; the verse does not mean he was right in his complaints, for he was right when he humbled himself and acknowledged that God was good in all things. He speaks when given another chance to speak after God has exposed his self-righteousness, and the verse belongs to the change from merely hearing of God with the ear to seeing Him with the eye, for that real view of the Son of God takes away trust in own goodness and self-filling righteousness and turns human comeliness into corruption, bringing self-abhorrence and repentance in dust and ashes. The chapter shows Job recognizing God's infinite wisdom and goodness, seeing his own smallness and unworthiness, and repenting and humbling himself in sweet submission to the divine will, humbled and brought to a new conversion and becoming a better man than he had been while honestly pleading his own righteousness before God, which warns against claiming perfect holiness too soon. God's lessons in the conclusion show Job how little he knows and how great God's power is, teaching that he should trust God whatever may come, though he cannot understand. Job then prays for his friends after they repent of accusing him, and God restores his fortunes and makes his latter end more prosperous than his beginning, because of his faithfulness, devotion to right principles, and faith in God.
The verse belongs to Job's answer after Jehovah rebuked and questioned him, in which Job confesses his vileness and submits to God's greater knowledge of what is right in his case. It comes after bitter discussion in which he had learned from his three friends the littleness of human wisdom and that affliction is not punishment for sin, and had heard from Elihu that affliction is disciplinary, yet remained unsatisfied until he heard God himself, who answered not with a direct reply to the arguments but by showing from all nature His goodness, love, and tender care for all His works. In the verse Job beseeches God to hear him while he speaks and invites God to demand of him, to question him, and to declare truth to him and teach him. It is still continued pleading with God after Job acknowledges His reproof, within the confession that leads to his restoration.
Job acknowledges that he had spoken about matters beyond his understanding, things too wonderful for him; the verse does not mean he was right in his complaints, for he was right when he humbled himself and acknowledged that God was good in all things. He speaks when given another chance to speak after God has exposed his self-righteousness, and the verse belongs to the change from merely hearing of God with the ear to seeing Him with the eye, for that real view of the Son of God takes away trust in own goodness and self-filling righteousness and turns human comeliness into corruption, bringing self-abhorrence and repentance in dust and ashes. The chapter shows Job recognizing God's infinite wisdom and goodness, seeing his own smallness and unworthiness, and repenting and humbling himself in sweet submission to the divine will, humbled and brought to a new conversion and becoming a better man than he had been while honestly pleading his own righteousness before God, which warns against claiming perfect holiness too soon. God's lessons in the conclusion show Job how little he knows and how great God's power is, teaching that he should trust God whatever may come, though he cannot understand. Job then prays for his friends after they repent of accusing him, and God restores his fortunes and makes his latter end more prosperous than his beginning, because of his faithfulness, devotion to right principles, and faith in God.