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Job 33:14

New American Standard Bible (NASB ©1995) [2]
— “Indeed God speaks once, Or twice, [yet] no one notices it.
King James Version (KJV 1769) [2]
— For God speaketh once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.
English Revised Version (ERV 1885)
— For God speaketh once, yea twice, [though man] regardeth it not.
American Standard Version (ASV 1901) [2]
— For God speaketh once, Yea twice, [though man] regardeth it not.
Webster's Revision of the KJB (WEB 1833)
— For God speaketh once, yes twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.
Darby's Translation (DBY 1890)
— For *God speaketh once, and twice,—[and man] perceiveth it not—
Rotherham's Emphasized Bible (EBR 1902)
— For, in one way, GOD may speak,—and, in a second way, one may not heed it:—
Young's Literal Translation (YLT 1898)
— For once doth God speak, and twice, (He doth not behold it.)
Douay-Rheims Challoner Revision (DR 1750)
— God speaketh once, and repeateth not the selfsame thing the second time.
Geneva Bible (GNV 1560)
— For God speaketh once or twise, and one seeth it not.
Original King James Bible (AV 1611) [2]
— For God speaketh once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiueth it not.
Lamsa Bible (1957)
— For God speaks once; he does not speak a second time;
Brenton Greek Septuagint (LXX, Restored Names)
— For when the Lord speaks once, or a second time,
Full Hebrew Names / Holy Name KJV (2008) [2] [3]
— For El speaketh once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.

Strong's Numbers & Hebrew NamesHebrew Old TestamentColor-Code/Key Word Studies
For x3588
(3588) Complement
כִּי
kiy
{kee}
A primitive particle (the full form of the prepositional prefix) indicating causal relations of all kinds, antecedent or consequent; (by implication) very widely used as a relative conjugation or adverb; often largely modified by other particles annexed.
´Ël אֵל 410
{0410} Prime
אֵל
'el
{ale}
Shortened from H0352; strength; as adjective mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity).
speaketh 1696
{1696} Prime
דִּבֵּר
dabar
{daw-bar'}
A primitive root; perhaps properly to arrange; but used figuratively (of words) to speak; rarely (in a destructive sense) to subdue.
z8762
<8762> Grammar
Stem - Piel (See H8840)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 2447
once, 259
{0259} Prime
אֶחָד
'echad
{ekh-awd'}
A numeral from H0258; properly united, that is, one; or (as an ordinal) first.
yea twice, 8147
{8147} Prime
שְׁתַּיִם
sh@nayim
{shen-ah'-yim}
(The first form being dual of H8145; the second form being feminine); two; also (as ordinal) twofold.
[yet man] perceiveth 7789
{7789} Prime
שׁוּר
shuwr
{shoor}
A primitive root (rather identical with H7788 through the idea of going round for inspection); to spy out, that is, (generally) survey, (for evil) lurk for, (for good) care for.
z8799
<8799> Grammar
Stem - Qal (See H8851)
Mood - Imperfect (See H8811)
Count - 19885
it not. x3808
(3808) Complement
לֹא
lo'
{lo}
lo; a primitive particle; not (the simple or abstract negation); by implication no; often used with other particles.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary

Job 33:14

_ _ Translate, “Yet, man regardeth it not”; or rather, as Umbreit, “Yea, twice (He repeats the warning) — if man gives no heed” to the first warning. Elihu implies that God’s reason for sending affliction is because, when God has communicated His will in various ways, man in prosperity has not heeded it; God therefore must try what affliction will effect (John 15:2; Psalms 62:11; Isaiah 28:10, Isaiah 28:13).

Matthew Henry's Commentary

Job 33:14-18

_ _ Job had complained that God kept him wholly in the dark concerning the meaning of his dealings with him, and therefore concluded he dealt with him as his enemy. “No,” says Elihu, “he speaks to you, but you do not perceive him; so that the fault is yours, not his; and he is designing your real good even in those dispensations which you put this harsh construction upon.” Observe in general, 1. What a friend God is to our welfare: He speaketh to us once, yea, twice, Job 33:14. It is a token of his favour that, notwithstanding the distance and quarrel between us and him, yet he is pleased to speak to us. It is an evidence of his gracious design that he is pleased to speak to us of our own concerns, to show us what is our duty and what our interest, what he requires of us and what we may expect from him, to tell us of our faults and warn us of our danger, to show us the way and to lead us in it. This he does once, yea, twice, that is, again and again; when one warning is neglected he gives another, not willing that any should perish. Precept must be upon precept, and line upon line; it is so, that sinners may be left inexcusable. 2. What enemies we are to our own welfare: Man perceives it not, that is, he does not heed it or regard it, does not discern or understand it, is not aware that it is the voice of God, nor does he receive the things revealed, for they are foolishness to him; he stops his ear, stands in his own light, rejects the counsel of God against himself, and so is never the wiser, no not for the dictates of wisdom itself. God speaks to us by conscience, by providences, and by ministers, of all which Elihu here discourses at large, to show Job that God was both telling him his mind and doing him a kindness, even now that he seemed to keep him in the dark and so treat him as a stranger, and to keep him in distress and so treat him as an enemy. There was not then, that we know of, any divine revelation in writing, and therefore that is not here mentioned among the ways by which God speaks to men, though now it is the principal way.

_ _ In these verses he shows how God teaches and admonishes the children of men by their own consciences. Observe,

_ _ I. The proper season and opportunity for these admonitions (Job 33:15): In a dream, in slumberings upon the bed, when men are retired from the world and the business and conversation of it. It is a good time for them to retire into their own hearts, and commune with them, when they are upon their beds, solitary and still, Psalms 4:4. It is the time God takes for dealing personally with men. 1. When he sent angels, extraordinary messengers, on his errands, he commonly chose that time for the delivery of their messages, when by deep sleep falling on men the bodily senses were all locked up and the mind more free to receive the immediate communications of divine light. Thus he made his mind known to the prophets by visions and dreams (Numbers 12:6); thus he warned Abimelech (Genesis 20:3), Laban (Genesis 31:24), Joseph (Matthew 1:20); thus he made known to Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar things that should come to pass hereafter. 2. When he stirred up conscience, that ordinary deputy of his, in the soul, to do its office, he took that opportunity, either when deep sleep fell on men (for, though dreams mostly come from fancy, some may come from conscience) or in slumberings, when men are between sleeping and waking, reflecting at night upon the business of the foregoing day or projecting in the morning the business of the ensuing day; then is a proper time for their hearts to reproach them for what they have done ill and to admonish them what they should do. See Isaiah 30:21.

_ _ II. The power and force with which those admonitions come, Job 33:16. When God designs men's good by the convictions and dictates of their own consciences, 1. He gives them admission, and makes them to be heeded: Then he opens the ears of men, which were before shut against the voice of this charmer, Psalms 58:5. He opens the heart, as he opened Lydia's, and so opens the ears. He takes away that which stopped the ear, so that the conviction finds or forces its way; nay, he works in the soul a submission to the regimen of conscience and a compliance with its rules, for that follows upon God's opening the ear, Isaiah 50:5. God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious. 2. He gives them a lodgment in the heart and makes them to abide: He sealeth their instruction, that is, the instruction that is designed for them and is suited to them; this he makes their souls to receive the deep and lasting impression of, as the wax of the seal. When the heart is delivered into divine instructions, as into a mould, then the work is done.

_ _ III. The end and design of these admonitions that are sent. 1. To keep men from sin, and particularly the sin of pride (Job 33:17). That he may withdraw man from his purpose, that is, from his evil purposes, may change the temper of his mind and the course of his life, his disposition and inclination, or prevent some particular sin he is in danger of falling into, that he may withdraw man from his work, may make him leave off man's work, which is working for the world and the flesh, and may set him to work the work of God. Many a man has been stopped in the full career of a sinful pursuit by the seasonable checks of his own conscience, saying, Do not this abominable thing which the Lord hates. Particularly, God does, by this means, hide pride from man, that is, hide those things from him which are the matter of his pride, and take his mind off from dwelling upon them, by setting before him what reason he has to be humble. That he may take away pride from man (so some read it), that he may pluck up that root of bitterness which is the cause of so much sin. All those whom God has mercy in store for he will humble and hide pride from. Pride makes people eager and resolute in the prosecution of their purposes; they will have their way, therefore God withdraws them from their purposes, by mortifying their pride. 2. To keep men from ruin, Job 33:18. While sinners are pursuing their evil purposes, and indulging their pride, their souls are hastening apace to the pit, to the sword, to destruction, both in this world and that to come; but when God, by the admonitions of conscience, withdraws them from sin, he thereby keeps back their souls from the pit, from the bottomless pit, and saves them from perishing by the sword of divine vengeance, so iniquity shall not be their ruin. That which turns men from sin saves them from hell, saves a soul from death, James 5:20. See what a mercy it is to be under the restraints of an awakened conscience. Faithful are the wounds, and kind are the bonds, of that friend, for by them the soul is kept from perishing eternally.

John Wesley's Explanatory Notes

Job 33:14

Yet — Although he doth not give men an account of his matters, yet he doth that which is sufficient for them. Twice — When once speaking doth not awaken men, God is graciously pleased to give them another admonition: though he will not gratify men's curiosity in enquiring into his hidden judgments, yet he will acquaint them with their duty. God speaks to us by conscience, by providence, and by ministers, of all which Elihu here treats at large, to shew Job, that God was now telling him his mind, and endeavouring to do him good. He shews first, how God admonishes men by their own consciences.

Geneva Bible Translation Notes

Job 33:14

For God speaketh (f) once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.

(f) Though God by various examples of his judgments speak to man, yet the reason for it is not known, yea and though God should speak yet is he not understood.

Cross-Reference Topical ResearchStrong's Concordance
God:

Job 40:5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.
Psalms 62:11 God hath spoken once; twice have I heard this; that power [belongeth] unto God.

perceiveth:

2 Chronicles 33:10 And the LORD spake to Manasseh, and to his people: but they would not hearken.
Proverbs 1:24 Because I have called, and ye refused; I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded;
Proverbs 1:29 For that they hated knowledge, and did not choose the fear of the LORD:
Isaiah 6:9 And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.
Matthew 13:14 And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:
Mark 8:17-18 And when Jesus knew [it], he saith unto them, Why reason ye, because ye have no bread? perceive ye not yet, neither understand? have ye your heart yet hardened? ... Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?
Luke 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
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Chain-Reference Bible SearchCross References with Concordance

2Ch 33:10. Jb 40:5. Ps 62:11. Pv 1:24, 29. Is 6:9. Mt 13:14. Mk 8:17. Lk 24:25. Jn 3:19.

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