Job 33:23

Job 33:23 in other versions

• King James Version (KJV)If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:
• New International Version (NIV)Yet if there is an angel at their side, a messenger, one out of a thousand, sent to tell them how to be upright,
• English Standard Version (ESV)If there be for him an angel, a mediator, one of the thousand, to declare to man what is right for him,
• New King James Version (NKJV)“If there is a messenger for him, A mediator, one among a thousand, To show man His uprightness,

Context of Job 33:23

21His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen, And his bones which were not seen now stick out. 22Then his soul draws near to the pit [of destruction], And his life to those who bring death (the destroyers). “If there is an angel as a mediator for him, One out of a thousand, To explain to a man what is right for him [that is, how to be in right standing with God], 24Then the angel is gracious to him, and says, ‘Spare him from going down to the pit [of destruction]; I have found a ransom [a consideration, or reason for redemption, an atonement]!’ 25Let his flesh be restored and become fresher than in youth; Let him return to the days of his youthful strength.

Job 33:23 word by word

אִם־יֵ֤שׁ עָלָ֨יו׀ מַלְאָ֗ךְ מֵלִ֗יץ אֶחָ֥ד מִנִּי־אָ֑לֶף לְהַגִּ֖יד לְאָדָ֣ם יָשְׁרֽוֹ׃Read the interlinear

Words taken from the KJV.

• If thereיֵשׁyêsh · thereH3426
• be a messengerמַלְאָךְmal'âk · messenger: angelH4397
• with him, an interpreterלִיץlûts · to mockH3887
• oneאֶחָד'echâd · oneH259
• among a thousandאֶ֫לֶף'eleph · thousandH505
• to shewנָגַדnâgad · to tellH5046
• unto manאָדָם'âdâm · manH120
• his uprightnessיֹ֫שֶׁרyôsher · uprightnessH3476

Cross-references for Job 33:23

• Judges 2:1Now the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim. And he said, “I brought you up from Egypt and led you to the land which I swore [to give] to your fathers; and I said, ‘I will never break My covenant with you,
• 2 Chronicles 36:15The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent word to them again and again by His messengers, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place.
• Haggai 1:13Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, spoke the Lord’s message to the people saying, “ ‘I am with you,’ declares the Lord.”
• Malachi 2:7For the lips of the priest should guard and preserve knowledge [of My law], and the people should seek instruction from his mouth; for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts.
• Malachi 3:1“Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will prepare and clear the way before Me. And the Lord [the Messiah], whom you seek, will suddenly come to His temple; the Messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of hosts.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we [as Christ’s representatives] plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God.
• Job 34:32Teach me what I do not see [in regard to how I have sinned]; If I have done wrong (injustice, unrighteousness), I will not do it again’?
• Psalms 94:12Blessed [with wisdom and prosperity] is the man whom You discipline and instruct, O Lord, And whom You teach from Your law,
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, Because the Lord has anointed and commissioned me To bring good news to the humble and afflicted; He has sent me to bind up [the wounds of] the brokenhearted, To proclaim release [from confinement and condemnation] to the [physical and spiritual] captives And freedom to prisoners,
• Acts 8:30Philip ran up and heard the man reading the prophet Isaiah, and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
• 1 Corinthians 11:30That [careless and unworthy participation] is the reason why many among you are weak and sick, and a number sleep [in death].
• Hebrews 12:5and you have forgotten the divine word of encouragement which is addressed to you as sons, “My son, do not make light of the discipline of the Lord, And do not lose heart and give up when you are corrected by Him;
• Job 9:3If one should want to contend or dispute with Him, He could not answer Him once in a thousand times.
• Ecclesiastes 7:28which I am still seeking but have not found. I have found one man among a thousand [who pleases God], but I have not found [such] a woman among all these [a thousand in my harem].
• Romans 11:13But now I am speaking to you who are Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
• Job 11:6And [that He would] show you the secrets of wisdom! For sound wisdom has two sides. Know therefore that God forgets a part of your wickedness and guilt.

Commentaries on Job 33:23

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary · v. 23V. The Messengers If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, etc. - The Messengers of righteousness; this is a Fifth method, מליץ מלאך עליו יש אם im yesh alaiv malach melits, "If there be over him an interpreting or mediatorial angel or messenger." One among a thousand, אלף מני אחד echad minni aleph . "One from the Chief, Head, or Teacher." To show unto man his uprightness - ישרו לאדם להגיד lehaggid leadam yoshro, "to manifest or cause to be…Read the comment
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible · v. 23If there be a messenger with him - This part of the speech of Elihu has given rise to scarcely less diversity of opinion, and to scarcely less discussion, than the celebrated passage in Job 19:25-27. Almost every interpreter has had a special view of its meaning, and of course it is very difficult, if not impossible, to determine its true sense. Before the opinions which have been entertained are specified, and an attempt made to determine the true sense…Read the comment
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary · v. 19-28Verses 19-28 Job complained of his diseases, and judged by them that God was angry with him; his friends did so too: but Elihu shows that God often afflicts the body for good to the soul. This thought will be of great use for our getting good from sickness, in and by which God speaks to men. Pain is the fruit of sin; yet, by the grace of God, the pain of the body is often made a means of good to the soul. When afflictions have done their work, they shall…Read the comment
• Tyndale Open Study Notes · v. 23An angel or messenger from heaven would act as the mediator Job desired (see 5:1; 9:33–34; 16:18–21).Read the comment
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary · v. 2323. Elihu refers to himself as the divinely-sent (Job 32:8; 33:6) "messenger," the "interpreter" to explain to Job and vindicate God's righteousness; such a one Eliphaz had denied that Job could look for (Job 5:1), and Job (Job 9:33) had wished for such a "daysman" or umpire between him and God. The "messenger" of good is antithetical to the "destroyers" (Job 33:23). with him--if there be vouchsafed to the sufferer. The office of the interpreter is stated…Read the comment

Topics related to Job 33:23

• Afflictions and Adversities
• Agency
• Ambassadors
• Conviction
• God
• God Continued...
• Interpreter
• Jesus Continued
• Philosophy
• Wicked (People)

In the dictionaries

• Account
• Elihu
• Path
• Ransom
• Soul
• Stick
• Wish
• Affliction
• Angel
• Elihu (2)

Commentaries on Job 33

• Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
• Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
• Matthew Henry Concise Commentary
• Tyndale Open Study Notes
• Jamieson–Fausset–Brown Commentary
• Rashi on Tanakh
• Keil & Delitzsch Commentary
• John Wesley’s Notes
• Darby Translation Notes
• Geneva Bible Translation Notes
• Kingcomments
• Matthew Henry’s Complete Commentary
• Matthew Henry’s Modern English Commentary
• Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary
• EGW Writings