Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

My words shall be of the uprightness - As God has given me his Spirit, from that Spirit alone will I speak; therefore all my words shall be of uprightness, knowledge, and truth.

Knowledge clearly - ברור דעת daath barur, pure science. I shall lay down no false positions, and I shall have no false consequences.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart - I will speak in sincerity. I will utter nothing that shall be hollow and hypocritical. What I speak shall be the real suggestion of my heart - what I feel and know to be true. Perhaps Elihu was the more anxious to make this point entirely clear, because the three friends of Job might be supposed to have laid themselves open to the suspicion that they were influenced by passion or prejudice; that they had maintained their opinions from mere obstinacy and not from conviction; and that they had been sometimes disposed to cavil. Elihu claims that all that he was about to say would be entirely sincere.

Shall utter knowledge clearly - Shall state things just as they are, and give the true solution of the difficulties which have been felt in regard to the divine dealings. His object is to guard himself wholly from the suspicion of partiality.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart,.... Not that the uprightness of his heart, or his own personal integrity, should be the subject of his discourse; but what he should say would be in or out of the uprightness of his heart, with all sincerity and faithfulness; what would be the real sentiments of his mind, and not proceed from a double or insincere heart:

and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly; what knowledge he had of God, and of the perfections of his nature, and of his works in nature and grace, and of his dealings in a providential way with the sons of men; and what knowledge he had of Christ, his person, office, and grace somewhat of which speaks in this chapter; and such sort of knowledge is to be uttered, to be published, and made known to the good of others; and not to be concealed, and hid, or held, as in a prison, in unrighteousness; and to be uttered clearly, plainly, and distinctly, in words intelligible, and easy to be understood; and not in ambiguous terms, or in words of a double meaning; or which are abstruse and intricate, and serve rather to make the mysteries of Providence and grace more dark and obscure than to explain them; integrity of heart, and perspicuity of language, serve much to recommend a speaker, and both are expressed in this verse.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

I will speak according to my inward conviction.

clearly — rather, “purely”; sincerely, not distorting the truth through passion, as the friends did.

Wesley's Explanatory Notes

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

My words — I will not speak passionately or partially, but from a sincere desire to do thee good.

Clearly — What I speak will be plain, not hard to be understood.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 33:3 My words [shall be of] the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

Ver. 3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart] i.e. Out of the uprightness of my heart I will deal fairly and faithfully with thee; I will carve thee a piece of my heart, without doubling or dissembling; and why should not downright truth please thee better than a smooth supparasitation {flattery}? Bees pass by roses and violets, and sit upon thyme; so should men rather heed sound rebukes, though hot and biting, than flattering discourses, which Solomon fitly calleth, "The song of fools," Ecclesiastes 7:5, a syren’s song. And another calleth a flatterer a courteous murderer, Eυνους σφακτης, that killeth in kindness, kisseth and killeth. Cavete vobis ab osculo hoc Iscariotico, Beware of this sweet poison, and covet rather those faithful wounds of a friend, Proverbs 27:6, as David did, Psalms 141:5. And as Vespasian, who carrieth this commendation, that he was Patientissimus veri; verp patient of truth, and as Alphonsus, king of Arragon, who complained of this, that whereas of everything else he had enough, of truth he was very much scanted, there being few about him that would deal candidly and faithfully without flattery or partiality.

And my lips shall utter knowledge clearly] i.e. Simply and sincerely, plainly and perspicaciously, I will show my meaning, without either gall or guile. My discourse shall be clear and pure from all dross of deceit, as the original word signifieth. This is a praise proper to God’s Holy Word, Psalms 9:9-11, Proverbs 30:5. And they that handle it (Tophshe Torah, Jeremiah 2:8) may here learn not to obtrude their own conceits or conjectures for doctrinal truths; but to utter demonstrative things: not to huckster the Word of God, or corrupt it with their own mixtures, as vintners do their wines; "but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God," &c., 2 Corinthians 2:17. Let them not preach one thing and practise another, sed animentur moribus praecepta; lest some Hilary complain as once, That there were many heavenly doctrines in the people’s ears that never yet had been in the preacher’s heart.

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Job 33:3. My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart— My heart is integrity; my words are knowledge; my lips speak that which is pure. Houb. who renders the second verse in the future: I will open my mouth; my tongue shall speak eloquently.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

I shall not speak passionately or partially, as one resolved to defend what I have once said, whether true or false; but from an honest mind, or what I verily believe to be true, and from a sincere desire to do thee good. I shall not speak my own fancies or devices, but only that which by diligent study and Divine inspiration I know to be true, and this I shall do plainly and clearly.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

3.That “in the proposition of Job, that he suffers and yet is innocent before God, lies the consequence that man without sin is no better than the man with sin, and that the pious have no advantage.” (See Stickel, 234.) If such be the case, Job virtually denies the providence of God. For answer see page 214.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Sentence. Some editions have scientiam, "knowledge," with the Hebrew. (Calmet)

Mark Dunagan Commentary on the Bible

The words that he was about to speak were on the tip of his tongue and they were honest, upright, and sincere words. Elihu is redundant, but when one is trying to help someone, one is often redundant.

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

My words. In this chapter are to he found most of the fundamental doctrines of the N.T.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly.

I will speak according to my inward conviction.

Clearly - rather, purely; [ baaruwr (Hebrew #1305)] sincerely; not distorting the truth through passion, as the friends.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the

27:4; Proverbs 8:7,8; 1 Thessalonians 2:3,4

my lips

15:2; 36:3,4; 38:2; Psalms 37:30,31; Proverbs 15:2,7; 20:15