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 wastes away to nothing, and his unseen bones stick out. 22He draws near to the Pit, and his life to the executioners. If there is an angel on his side, one mediator out of a thousand, to tell a person what is right for him 24and to be gracious to him and say, “Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom,” 25then his flesh will be healthier than in his youth, and he will return to the days of his youthful vigor.

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 2:1The angel of the Lord went up from Gilgal to Bochim and said, “I brought you out of Egypt and led you into the land I had promised to your ancestors. I also said: I will never break my covenant with you.
• 2 Chronicles 36:15But the Lord, the God of their ancestors sent word against them by the hand of his messengers, sending them time and time again, for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place.
• Haggai 1:13Then Haggai, the Lord’s messenger, delivered the Lord’s message to the people: “I am with you — this is the Lord’s declaration.”
• Malachi 2:7For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should desire instruction from his mouth, because he is the messenger of the Lord of Armies.
• Malachi 3:1“See, I am going to send my messenger, and he will clear the way before me. Then the Lord you seek will suddenly come to his temple, the Messenger of the covenant you delight in — see, he is coming,” says the Lord of Armies.
• 2 Corinthians 5:20Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, “Be reconciled to God.”
• Job 34:32Teach me what I cannot see; if I have done wrong, I won’t do it again.”
• Psalms 94:12Lord, how happy is anyone you discipline and teach from your law
• Isaiah 61:1The Spirit of the Lord God is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and freedom to the prisoners;
• Acts 8:30When Philip ran up to it, he heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, “Do you understand what you’re reading?”
• 1 Corinthians 11:30This is why many are sick and ill among you, and many have fallen asleep.
• Hebrews 12:5And you have forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons: My son, do not take the Lord’s discipline lightly or lose heart when you are reproved by him,
• Job 9:3If one wanted to take him to court, he could not answer God once in a thousand times.
• Ecclesiastes 7:28which my soul continually searches for but does not find: I found one person in a thousand, but none of those was a woman.
• Romans 11:13Now I am speaking to you Gentiles. Insofar as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry,
• Job 11:6He would show you the secrets of wisdom, for true wisdom has two sides. Know then that God has chosen to overlook some of your iniquity.

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