Job 33_15-30 | American Pastor

I Repent in Dust and Ashes

Chapter 13: Elihu Readies Job to Hear God’s Correction

Job 33:15-30

Job 33:15 In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

When men are at physical rest, the Lord will often use this time to reveal His will through dreams and visions in the night—that silent time when daily clutter is at its least and individuals are the most open to be taught spiritual truth. If men lack the spiritual perception to recognize the Lord’s voice in the day, then the Lord will often approach them at night, when deep sleep falls upon them and they cannot suppress the Lord’s Spirit from revealing His divine will.

Dreams and visions, especially in the Old Testament, were a common means of imparting heavenly instruction. These divine methods of revealing the will of God were often able to make an even more indelible imprint on the soul than the prophet’s words. In fact, even prophets themselves were instructed through dreams and visions in the night. And he said, Hear now my words: If there be a prophet among you, I the Lord will make myself known unto him in a vision, and will speak unto him in a dream (Num. 12:6). Dreams and visions are very intimate ways that the Lord speaks to men. They originate seemingly inside a man’s mind and as such, they appear to originate from the man himself. A dream also can be as impactful on the soul as an actual physical experience, able to build either anticipation or dread of future events.

Unbelievers also, like Abimelech, were warned by God in dreams.^[1] Pharaoh likewise experienced a vision from God in Joseph’s day (though he was himself unable to interpret it) that warned him of seven plentiful years of crops followed by seven years of famine.^[2] By bringing up dreams and visions of the night, Elihu is ready to instruct Job in three ways that the Lord speaks to men.

(Keil and Delitzsch Biblical Commentary on the Old Testament, Job 33:15) Elihu now describes the first mode in which God speaks to man: He Himself comes forward as a witness in man’s sleep, He makes use of dreams or dream-like visions, which come upon one suddenly within the realm of nocturnal thought (vid., Psychol. S. 282f.), as a medium of revelation—a usual form of divine revelation, especially in the heathen world, to which positive revelation is wanting. . . . In this condition of deep or half sleep, revelat aurem hominum, a phrase used of the preparation of the ear for the purpose of hearing by the removal of hindrances, and, in general, of confidential communication, therefore: He opens the ear of men, and seals their admonition, i.e., the admonition that is wholesome and necessary for them.

Through dreams, visions, and revelations that originate from above, the most restless and sometimes troubling nights can prove to be the most life-changing ones.^[3]

Job 33:16–17 Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

¹⁷That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

The wise men who came to worship Jesus after His birth refused to return to Herod and chose another route home because a dream had warned them of impending danger.^[4] Joseph also was given revelation through a dream and was divinely instructed not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife.^[5] Later Joseph was warned by an angel in a dream to flee into Egypt in order to save Jesus.^[6] Hence, by dreams and visions believers are both warned and instructed in the Lord’s will, just as clearly as if He had spoken to them while they were awake. By this process divine will is revealed, and there remains no doubt that it is the Lord, Who has opened men’s ears.

By interceding in men’s lives and revealing His will to them, the Lord seeks to prevent the great and dangerous consequences of their pursuing their own will. It is because of pride that men pursue their own designs and in the process depart from God’s will and eventually even the Lord Himself.^[7] Ultimately man is his own worst enemy as the pride, lust, and self-will within him can easily lead him to depart from God in an attempt to satisfy his carnal desires.^[8] It is also common that if men get a taste for pride, thus developing an increasing appetite for it, then there is little that God can do to save them. It is for this reason that the Lord seeks to hide pride from man, lest man’s continuing hunger for it is certain to produce his own death.

(Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Job 33:17) That he may withdraw man from his purpose—Margin, “work.” The sense is plain. God designs to warn him of the consequences of executing a plan of iniquity. He alarms him by showing him that his course will lead to punishment, and by representing to him in the night visions, the dreadful woes of the future world into which he is about to plunge. The object is to deter him from committing the deed of guilt which he had contemplated, and to turn him to the paths of righteousness. Is it unreasonable to suppose that the same thing may occur now, and that God may have a purpose in the dreams which often visit the man who has formed a plan of iniquity, or who is living a life of sin? It cannot be doubted that such people often have alarming dreams; that these dreams are such as are fitted to deter them from the commission of their contemplated wickedness; and that in fact they not unfrequently do it.

Job 33:18 He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword.

This is the purposed result of God’s warnings through dreams and visions; it is to keep men’s souls from the pit and their lives from perishing. It is impossible to place too great an emphasis on this great truth, that men are saved from the pit and future destruction only because the Lord has drawn them away from their pride. Elihu would not have addressed the issue of pride in speaking to Job unless it was applicable to him. Hence, just because men fear the Lord does not mean that all human pride has been eradicated from their hearts. Just because saints possess faith does not mean that they do not also need to address some level of pride in themselves.

Job 33:19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

Sickness and pain that force a man to his bed can easily be a form of chastisement from the Lord.^[9] Those who insist on disregarding divine will often be chastened with internal pain, consuming both their bodies and souls. If the Lord’s commandments are insufficient to draw men’s hearts closer to His will, then bodily pain can be purposed to weaken the flesh, consequently warning of the great dangers of sin and rejection of divine will. Thus, if truth cannot properly grab a man’s attention when he is healthy and cause him to repent of his sin, then the Lord hopes that either physical or mental anguish might. Undoubtedly pain will weaken the pride of self-will, which is at the core of men abandoning divine will. Bodily affliction is the next divine means that Elihu reveals the Lord will employ to open men’s ears, just as dreams and visions are purposed to do. And though most view sickness, sorrow, and even suffering as punishment from the Lord, in truth it is often meant to be a spiritual deterrent, with the divine hope that if men experience a little of the fruit of sin, they will abandon both embracing it and continuing to be governed by it.

(Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible, Job 33:19–28) Job complained much of his diseases and judged by them that God was angry with him; his friends did so too: but Elihu shows that they were all mistaken, for God often afflicts the body in love, and with gracious designs of good to the soul, as appears in the issue. This part of Elihu’s discourse will be of great use to us for the due improvement of sickness, in and by which God speaks to men.

In hindsight we know that the Lord allowed Satan to inflict Job’s body^[10] so that he might learn an even more important lesson, which is the discovery of a broken and contrite spirit,^[11] a spirit also that either through personal affliction or spiritual enlightenment comes to understand what true humility before the Lord consists of. Every true child of God must and will be chastened by Him, though the methods used will vary. Job’s life is a historical biblical example of this. But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons (Heb. 12:8).

(Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Job 33:19) Elihu now says, that affliction is a part of a disciplinary government; that it is one of the means which God adopts, when warnings are ineffectual, to restrain people and to bring them to reflection and repentance. This appears to have been a view which was almost entirely new to them.

And the multitude of his bones with strong pain—The bones, as has before been remarked, it was supposed might be the seat of the acutest pain; see the notes at Job 30:17;^[12] compare Job 20:11; Job 7:15; Job 30:30.^[13] The meaning here is, that the frame was racked with intense suffering in order to admonish men of sin, to save them from plunging into deeper transgression, and to bring them to repentance.

Job 33:20–21 So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

²¹His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out.

The degree to which the body needs to be afflicted before the spirit is broken and consequently open to repentance will be determined by the level of stubbornness in the soul. Consequently, some will need to endure much bodily pain and suffering before they will even remotely consider repenting for their sin.

(Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, Job 33:19–28) 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 be removed.

So stubborn is the pride and self-righteousness of sinners that sometimes they will even be willing to sacrifice their own physical lives in order not to have to abandon the pride and self-will within their hearts. This was evidenced in Pharaoh, who allowed the destruction of an entire nation^[14] and eventually even the loss of his own physical life^[15] in order to remain holding onto the pride in his heart. It is also worth noting that he who will not repent for his pride and remains resistant to divine will is only storing up for himself even greater heavenly wrath and judgment in a day to come. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Rom. 2:5).

Job 33:22 Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

(Matthew Poole’s Commentary, Job 33:22) To the destroyers; to the instruments of death or destruction, whether it be angels, whom God sometimes useth in those cases; or devils, who have the power of death. Hebrews 2:14;^[16] or diseases, which by God’s appointment are ready to give the fatal blow.

The Lord often uses angels and heavenly ministers to warn men^[17] just as He uses these same celestial beings to carry out His judgments upon the earth.^[18]

Job 33:23 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness:

There is no guarantee that God will send a messenger or an interpreter of divine will to assist the afflicted, but if it is done, it will always be a reflection of divine grace. True messengers sent from the Lord are extremely rare, as Elihu reveals that they amount to only about one among a thousand. This is evidenced throughout biblical history, when as in Elijah’s day for every one true prophet of the Lord there remained four hundred fifty false prophets.^[19] Elihu also reveals to Job that there are a rare few who will both defend and uphold God’s uprightness.

(Benson Commentary, Job 33:23–24) If there be a messenger with him—If there be a prophet or teacher with the afflicted man; an interpreter—One whose office and work it is to declare to him the mind and will of God, and his design in this dispensation of his providence, and what is the sick man’s duty under it. One of a thousand—A person rightly qualified for this great and difficult work, such as there are but very few; to show unto man his uprightness—Not man’s, but God’s uprightness; namely, his justice in inflicting these sufferings, and the sufferer’s desert of condemnation and wrath; God’s way of pardoning and justifying the penitent; his sincerity and faithfulness to his promises, and the necessity of acquiescing in his will without murmuring or repining, and of walking in the way of faith and holiness. Then he is gracious unto him—In that case, or upon the sick man’s turning to God in true repentance and faith, God graciously pardons his sins, and saves him, probably from his dangerous disease and from death, but, if not, at least from going down to the pit of hell, and from everlasting destruction.

Job 33:24 Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

If sinners heed the words of God’s messengers, as Nineveh did with Jonah,^[20] their lives can be spared. Because Job repented of his sin^[21] and prayed for his friends as God commanded, the Lord found both a ransom and a reason for ending his captivity.^[22] Whenever then there is sincere and genuine repentance for sin, the Lord’s grace is allowed to save the sinner from hell and its eternal punishments. Though it cannot be said for certain what the Lord looks for that can be deemed a ransom, it is quite possible that change in countenance, from pride to humility, is what is referred to here, where instead of defending one’s sin a penitent man confesses it.

(Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Job 33:24) I have found—That is, there is a ransom; or, I have seen a reason why he should not die. The idea is, that God was looking for some reason on account of which it would be proper to release the sufferer, and restore him to the accustomed tokens of his favor and that such a ransom had now appeared. There was now no necessity why those sufferings should be prolonged, and he could consistently restore him to health.

A ransom—Margin, or, “an atonement.” Hebrew, כפר kôpher. On the meaning of this word, see the notes at Isaiah 43:3.^[23] The expression here means that there was something which could be regarded as a valuable consideration, or a reason why the sufferer should not be further afflicted, and why he should be preserved from going down to the grave. What that price, or valuable consideration was, is not specified; and what was the actual idea which Elihu attached to it, it is now impossible with certainty to determine. The connection would rather lead us to suppose that it was something seen in the sufferer himself; some change done in his mind by his trials; some evidence of acquiescence in the government of God, and some manifestation of true repentance, which was the reason why the stroke of punishment should be removed, and why the sufferer should be saved from death. This might be called by Elihu “a ransom”—using the word in a very large sense.

When men come to know their sin and consequently confess it,^[24] no longer denying its existence, then the door is opened for divine forgiveness and mercy to be given to them. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy (Prov. 28:13). What this teaches us is that for divine mercy to actually be given, there must first be both a confession and a forsaking of sin—since it is only he who confesses and forsakes his sin who will be a partaker of the mercy of God. For any true mercy to be given by the Lord, confession and acknowledgment of sin must precede it. Where repentance is not present, neither shall divine mercy be found.

Job 33:25–26 His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth:

²⁶He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

In speaking these words to Job, Elihu hopes to impart unto him seeds of hope—assuring him that through repentance his body could regain its vigor and his soul discover a reason to hope. So great then is the mercy and grace of God that when sin is repented of and is no longer denied as having been committed, then spiritual joy can replace bodily and mental pain. All that Elihu speaks to Job about concerning the effects of true repentance is directly related to him acknowledging the Lord’s uprightness. Not until sin is repented of will the penitent confess that God, His laws, and His will for man are righteous and thereby in the process admit his own naturally born unrighteousness.^[25]

Job 33:27 He looketh upon men, and if any say, I have sinned, and perverted that which was right, and it profited me not;

Before forgiveness and mercy can be granted, sinners must both without hesitation and without denial confess, I have sinned and perverted that which was right. Sin not only damages the one committing it but also perverts the right way of living by influencing and encouraging others to follow the same ungodly behavior. To sin against God is to make crooked the way to God. Thus, confession of sin demands not only personally confessing one’s sin against the Lord but also an admission of perverting the right way that the Lord demands all men should walk in. Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered (Luke 11:52). Whenever there is a true and sincere repentance for sin, the Lord is justified, His ways are esteemed as right, and men agree with Him that they have broken divine will for their lives. It is also the confession of sin that encapsulates the great spiritual lessons taught in the book of Job, as Job proved to be exactly the kind of repentant man whom the Lord looks for in the earth, a penitent who would confess his sin, admit his guilt, and in the same natural breath justify his God.

Job 33:28 He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

When there is confession of sin, the Lord’s promise is that the soul will be saved from death and the confessor will see the light of God. This verse reveals the keynote theme of Elihu’s reproof, that with sincere confession of sin Job would obtain mercy from God and thereby come to perceive the true light of Him. There is also no true path to heaven that does not first begin with confession of sin. This is testified throughout Scripture and evidenced in all whom the Lord has saved.^[26] Thus, there is no true and lasting mercy given to the sinner that does not first require repentance before it is given. It is also the soul of man, and not merely his body, that the Lord is most concerned with saving. Jesus instructed His followers to be fearful not of those able to kill the body (man) but rather of Him Who is able to destroy both the soul and the body (God). And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell (Matt. 10:28).

(Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Matt. 10:28) Them which kill the body—That is, people, who have no power to injure the soul, the immortal part. The body is a small matter in comparison with the soul. Temporal death is a slight thing compared with eternal death. He directs them, therefore, not to be alarmed at the prospect of temporal death, but to fear God, who can destroy both soul and body forever.

Job 33:29 Lo, all these things worketh God oftentimes with man,

This process of saving the soul from death is something that the Lord worketh … oftentimes with man (Job 33:29). Here we witness the divine agency of God in saving man whereby the Lord both looks and searches for in the earth those willing to confess their sin in order that He may deliver them from the pit and certain eternal death. This truth is most vividly manifested in the ministry of the Son of God. For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost (Luke 19:10). From this verse we see the twofold ministry of the Savior, first to seek the lost, then to save them. Before men can be saved they must be found.^[27]

Other translations of verse 29 add more insight into Elihu’s instruction.

(ESV) “Behold, God does all these things,

twice, three times, with a man,

(NKJV) “Behold, God works all these things,

Twice, in fact, three times with a man,

(AMP) [Elihu comments,] “Behold, God does all these things twice, yes, three times, with a man,

(Holman Christian Standard Bible) God certainly does all these things two or three times to a man

The manner in which God warns man and seeks to turn him from the pit has been listed by Elihu as (1) by dreams and visions in the night,^[28] (2) by bodily chastisement and affliction,^[29] (3) by the Lord sending a messenger to instruct the sinner as to the why of his affliction and how through repentance and confession of sin forgiveness can be granted.^[30] “So the Septuagint understands it, which rendered it, ὁδοὺς τρεῖς hodous treis—three ways, referring to the three methods that Elihu had specified.”^[31]

Job 33:30 To bring back his soul from the pit, to be enlightened with the light of the living.

Reiterating the truth of verse 28, Elihu reveals that the Lord’s ultimate purpose for bringing chastisement and allowing affliction in the sinner’s life is to recover his soul from death. Hence, if this requires either pain or sorrow in the body, then the Lord deems it well worth it if the soul can be saved. The physical body of man is already doomed to inhabit the grave and return to dust^[32]—the soul need not be.

(Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, Job 33:29–33) Elihu shows that God’s great and gracious design toward the children of men, is, to save them from being for ever miserable, and to bring them to be for ever happy. By whatever means we are kept back from the [pit,] we shall bless the Lord for them at least, and should bless him for them though they be painful and distressing. Those that perish for ever are without excuse, for they would not be healed.

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^[1] Gen. 20:3 But God came to Abimelech in a dream by night, and said to him, Behold, thou art but a dead man, for the woman which thou hast taken; for she is a man’s wife.

^[2] Gen. 41:1–7 And it came to pass at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh dreamed: and, behold, he stood by the river. ²And, behold, there came up out of the river seven well favoured kine and fatfleshed; and they fed in a meadow. ³And, behold, seven other kine came up after them out of the river, ill favoured and leanfleshed; and stood by the other kine upon the brink of the river. ⁴And the ill favoured and leanfleshed kine did eat up the seven well favoured and fat kine. So Pharaoh awoke. ⁵And he slept and dreamed the second time: and, behold, seven ears of corn came up upon one stalk, rank and good. ⁶And, behold, seven thin ears and blasted with the east wind sprung up after them. ⁷And the seven thin ears devoured the seven rank and full ears. And Pharaoh awoke, and, behold, it was a dream.

^[3] Abimelech was warned in a dream not to touch Sarah, Abraham’s wife. Gen. 20:3, 14

Joseph dreamed he would one day rule over his family, commencing events that would lead him to save them. Gen. 37:5

Jacob went to Egypt after a vision. Gen. 46:1–5

Gideon led Israel into a winning battle after a dream. Jdgs. 7:13–15

Ezekiel had visions of the Almighty on His throne: Ezek. 1:1–28; God’s displeasure with Israel: Ezek. 8:1–16; Israel as a harlot: Ezek. 15–19; the valley of dry bones come to life: Ezek. 37:1–14; the destruction of Gog and Magog, and peace in their own land for Israel: Ezek. 38–39; and a vision of the new temple: Ezek. 40–48

Joseph was told in a dream to take Mary as his wife. Matt. 1:19–24

Joseph was also told in a dream it was safe to return to the land of Israel. Matt. 2:19–20

Pilate’s wife had a dream and warned her husband not to have anything to do with the death of Jesus. Matt. 27:19

Ananias’ vision told him to go to Saul (later renamed Paul), who had been blinded, and to share the Gospel with him, while Saul had a vision of Ananias coming to him. Acts 9:10–12

Cornelius (a Gentile) was told in a vision to find and listen to Simon Peter, which caused Cornelius’ household to be saved. Acts 10:1–7; Acts 10:44–45

Peter had a vision to show him that heaven was opened to anyone who would believe in Jesus Christ, not just Jews. Acts 10:9–15

^[4] Matt. 2:11–12 And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense and myrrh. ¹²And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

^[5] Matt. 1:20 But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.

^[6] Matt. 2:13–15 And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. ¹⁴When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: ¹⁵And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

^[7] Isa. 14:12–15 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! ¹³For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: ¹⁴I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. ¹⁵Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.

^[8] Prov. 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.

^[9] I Cor. 11:29–30 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. ³⁰For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.

^[10] Job 2:4–7 And Satan answered the Lord, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life. ⁵But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face. ⁶And the Lord said unto Satan, Behold, he is in thine hand; but save his life. ⁷So went Satan forth from the presence of the Lord, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.

^[11] Ps. 51:17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Isa. 66:1–2 Thus saith the Lord, The heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool: where is the house that ye build unto me? and where is the place of my rest?²For all those things hath mine hand made, and all those things have been, saith the Lord: but to this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word.

Ps. 34:18 The Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

^[12] Job 30:17 My bones are pierced in me in the night season: and my sinews take no rest.

^[13] Job 20:11 His bones are full of the sin of his youth, which shall lie down with him in the dust.

Job 7:15 So that my soul chooseth strangling, and death rather than my life.

Job 30:30 My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

^[14] Exod. 14:27–28 And Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, and the sea returned to his strength when the morning appeared; and the Egyptians fled against it; and the Lord overthrew the Egyptians in the midst of the sea. ²⁸And the waters returned, and covered the chariots, and the horsemen, and all the host of Pharaoh that came into the sea after them; there remained not so much as one of them.

Exod. 7:17–18 Thus saith the Lord, In this thou shalt know that I am the Lord: behold, I will smite with the rod that is in mine hand upon the waters which are in the river, and they shall be turned to blood. ¹⁸And the fish that is in the river shall die, and the river shall stink; and the Egyptians shall lothe to drink of the water of the river.

Exod. 9:23–24 And Moses stretched forth his rod toward heaven: and the Lord sent thunder and hail, and the fire ran along upon the ground; and the Lord rained hail upon the land of Egypt. ²⁴So there was hail, and fire mingled with the hail, very grievous, such as there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Exod. 10:14–15 And the locust went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the coasts of Egypt: very grievous were they; before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such. ¹⁵For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they did eat every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left: and there remained not any green thing in the trees, or in the herbs of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

Exod. 12:29–30 And it came to pass, that at midnight the Lord smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. ³⁰And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead.

^[15] Exod. 15:19 For the horse of Pharaoh went in with his chariots and with his horsemen into the sea, and the Lord brought again the waters of the sea upon them; but the children of Israel went on dry land in the midst of the sea.

Ps. 136:13–15 To him which divided the Red sea into parts: for his mercy endureth for ever: ¹⁴And made Israel to pass through the midst of it: for his mercy endureth for ever: ¹⁵But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea: for his mercy endureth for ever.

^[16] Heb. 2:14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

^[17] Gen. 19:15 And when the morning arose, then the angels hastened Lot, saying, Arise, take thy wife, and thy two daughters, which are here; lest thou be consumed in the iniquity of the city.

^[18] II Sam. 24:16 And when the angel stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it, the Lord repented him of the evil, and said to the angel that destroyed the people, It is enough: stay now thine hand. And the angel of the Lord was by the threshingplace of Araunah the Jebusite.

Ps. 78:49 He cast upon them the fierceness of his anger, wrath, and indignation, and trouble, by sending evil angels among them.

II Kgs. 19:35 And it came to pass that night, that the angel of the Lord went out, and smote in the camp of the Assyrians an hundred fourscore and five thousand: and when they arose early in the morning, behold, they were all dead corpses.

^[19] I Kgs. 18:22 Then said Elijah unto the people, I, even I only, remain a prophet of the Lord; but Baal’s prophets are four hundred and fifty men.

^[20] Jnh. 1:1–2 Now the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying, ²Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before me.

Jnh. 3:1–3 And the word of the Lord came unto Jonah the second time, saying, ²Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. ³So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey.

Jnh. 3:5 So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them.

Jnh. 3:10 And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.

^[21] Job 42:6 Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.

^[22] Job 42:10 And the Lord turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before.

^[23] Isa. 43:3 For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour: I gave Egypt for thy ransom, Ethiopia and Seba for thee.

^[24] I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

^[25] Ps. 51:5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Rom. 3:10–12 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: ¹¹There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. ¹²They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

Gen. 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour; and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.

^[26] Luke 13:3–5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. ⁴Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem? ⁵I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

Acts 3:19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.

Acts 8:22 Repent therefore of this thy wickedness, and pray God, if perhaps the thought of thine heart may be forgiven thee.

Acts 11:18 When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.

^[27] Mark 16:15 And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.

John 20:21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.

Matt. 9:37–38 Then saith he unto his disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few; ³⁸Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest.

Rom. 10:15 And how shall they preach, except they be sent? as it is written, How beautiful are the feet of them that preach the gospel of peace, and bring glad tidings of good things!

^[28] Job 33:14–17 For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. ¹⁵In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; ¹⁶Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, ¹⁷That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man.

^[29] Job 33:19–22 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: ²⁰So that his life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat. ²¹His flesh is consumed away, that it cannot be seen; and his bones that were not seen stick out. ²²Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life to the destroyers.

^[30] Job 33:23–26 If there be a messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, to shew unto man his uprightness: ²⁴Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom. ²⁵His flesh shall be fresher than a child’s: he shall return to the days of his youth: ²⁶He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his righteousness.

^[31] Barnes’ Notes on the Bible, Job 33:29

^[32] Eccl. 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

Gen. 3:19 In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.