Verse (Click for Chapter) New International Version But if not, then listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” New Living Translation But if not, then listen to me. Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!” English Standard Version If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Berean Standard Bible But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” King James Bible If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. New King James Version If not, listen to me; Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.” New American Standard Bible “If not, listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” NASB 1995 “If not, listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” NASB 1977 “If not, listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Legacy Standard Bible If not, listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Amplified Bible “If not [and you have nothing to say], listen to me; Keep silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Christian Standard Bible If not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom. Holman Christian Standard Bible If not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom. American Standard Version If not, hearken thou unto me: Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom. Contemporary English Version Otherwise, listen in silence to my wisdom. English Revised Version If not, hearken thou unto me: hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom. GOD'S WORD® Translation If not, you listen to me. Keep quiet, and I'll teach you wisdom." Good News Translation But if not, be quiet and listen to me, and I will teach you how to be wise. International Standard Version But if you have nothing to say, then at least listen to me! Be quiet and learn some wisdom from me." NET Bible If not, you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom." New Heart English Bible If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom." Webster's Bible Translation If not, hearken to me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. Majority Text Translations Majority Standard BibleBut if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” World English Bible If not, listen to me. Hold your peace, and I will teach you wisdom.” Literal Translations Literal Standard VersionIf there are not—listen to me, "" Keep silent, and I teach you wisdom.” Young's Literal Translation If there are not -- hearken thou to me, Keep silent, and I teach thee wisdom. Smith's Literal Translation If not, hear thou to me: be silent, and I shall teach thee wisdom. Catholic Translations Douay-Rheims BibleAnd if thou have not, hear me : hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom. Catholic Public Domain Version But if you do not have anything to say, then listen to me. Be quiet and I will teach you wisdom. New American Bible If not, then you listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom. New Revised Standard Version If not, listen to me; be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.” Translations from Aramaic Lamsa BibleBut if you will not listen, then be silent, and I shall teach you wisdom. Peshitta Holy Bible Translated And if not, hear me, be still, and I shall teach you wisdom” OT Translations JPS Tanakh 1917If not, hearken thou unto me; Hold thy peace, and I will teach thee wisdom. Brenton Septuagint Translation If not, do thou hear me: be silent, and I will teach thee. Additional Translations ... Audio Bible Context Elihu Rebukes Job…32But if you have something to say, answer me; speak up, for I would like to vindicate you. 33But if not, then listen to me; be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” Cross References Proverbs 1:5 let the wise listen and gain instruction, and the discerning acquire wise counsel Proverbs 8:33 Listen to instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Psalm 25:4-5 Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. / Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; all day long I wait for You. Isaiah 55:3 Incline your ear and come to Me; listen, so that your soul may live. I will make with you an everlasting covenant—My loving devotion promised to David. Psalm 32:8 I will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will give you counsel and watch over you. Psalm 119:27 Make clear to me the way of Your precepts; then I will meditate on Your wonders. Proverbs 4:1 Listen, my sons, to a father’s instruction; pay attention and gain understanding. Psalm 143:10 Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. May Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. Isaiah 50:4 The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of discipleship, to sustain the weary with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning; He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple. Proverbs 9:9 Instruct a wise man, and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man, and he will increase his learning. Matthew 11:29 Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. John 14:26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have told you. James 1:5 Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him. 1 Corinthians 2:13 And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words. 2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for instruction, for conviction, for correction, and for training in righteousness, Treasury of Scripture If not, listen to me: hold your peace, and I shall teach you wisdom. hearken Psalm 34:11 Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD. Proverbs 4:1,2 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding… Proverbs 5:1,2 My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding: … I Job 33:3 My words shall be of the uprightness of my heart: and my lips shall utter knowledge clearly. Psalm 49:3 My mouth shall speak of wisdom; and the meditation of my heart shall be of understanding. Proverbs 8:5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. Jump to Previous Attention Hearken Hold Peace Quiet Silent Teach WisdomJump to Next Attention Hearken Hold Peace Quiet Silent Teach WisdomJob 33 1. Elihu offers himself instead of God to reason with Job8. He excuses God from giving man an account of his ways, by his greatness 14. God calls man to repentance by visions, by afflictions, and by his ministry 31. He incites Job to attention But if not, then listen to me; This phrase suggests a conditional statement, indicating a choice or decision point. In the context of the Book of Job, Elihu is speaking to Job and his friends, offering his perspective on Job's suffering. Elihu's role is often seen as a mediator who prepares the way for God's direct response. The phrase "listen to me" emphasizes the importance of paying attention to wisdom and instruction, a common theme in wisdom literature such as Proverbs (Proverbs 1:5). It reflects the cultural value placed on listening to wise counsel in ancient Near Eastern societies. be quiet, and I will teach you wisdom.” Persons / Places / Events 1. ElihuA young man who speaks to Job and his friends, offering a different perspective on Job's suffering. He is not one of the three friends who initially came to comfort Job. 2. Job A righteous man who undergoes severe trials and suffering, questioning the reasons behind his afflictions. 3. Job's Friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, who initially come to comfort Job but end up arguing that his suffering must be due to sin. 4. God's Wisdom The ultimate source of understanding and insight, which Elihu claims to convey to Job. 5. The Dialogue The ongoing conversation between Job, his friends, and Elihu, which explores themes of suffering, justice, and divine wisdom. Teaching Points The Importance of ListeningElihu emphasizes the need for Job to listen. In our lives, we must be willing to listen to God and others who speak truth into our lives. Silence as a Path to Wisdom Being silent before God and others can open our hearts to receive wisdom. In a noisy world, intentional silence can be a spiritual discipline. The Role of Young Voices Elihu, as a younger man, brings a fresh perspective. We should be open to wisdom from unexpected sources, including younger generations. Divine Wisdom vs. Human Understanding Elihu's confidence in teaching wisdom points to the belief that true wisdom is from God, not human reasoning. We should seek divine insight in our decision-making. Humility in Learning Job is called to humility in listening. We too must approach learning with humility, recognizing that we do not have all the answers. Bible Study Questions and Answers 1. What is the meaning of Job 33:33?2. How can we "listen" and "learn" from God's guidance in our daily lives? 3. What does Job 33:33 teach about the importance of being silent before God? 4. How does Job 33:33 connect with James 1:19 on listening and speaking? 5. In what ways can we apply Elihu's call to "teach you wisdom"? 6. How can we ensure we are open to God's teaching like in Job 33:33? 7. What does Job 33:33 reveal about God's communication with humanity? 8. How does Job 33:33 challenge our understanding of divine instruction? 9. Why is listening emphasized in Job 33:33, and what does it imply about human nature? 10. What are the top 10 Lessons from Job 33? 11. In the context of Job 33 as a whole, why should readers trust Elihu's self-proclaimed divine insight when there is no independent confirmation of his authority? 12. In Job 33:15-16, how does the claim that God instructs people through dreams hold up against modern psychological research on dreaming? 13. In Job 13:3, how can Job claim he wants to reason directly with God if Exodus 33:20 states no one can see God and live? 14. In Job 33:4, how does 'the Spirit of God has made me' align with scientific accounts of human origin? What Does Job 33:33 Mean But if notElihu has just invited Job to answer if he has a defense (Job 33:32). The phrase “But if not” signals a gentle ultimatum: • If you choose not to speak, you are choosing to listen. • It respects Job’s free will, much like Joshua’s challenge, “But if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve” (Joshua 24:15). • The condition reminds us that God never forces truth on anyone (Isaiah 1:18). Then listen to me Listening is the first step toward understanding. Scripture often links hearing with obedience: • “Hear, O sons, a father’s instruction” (Proverbs 4:1). • “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Mark 4:9). Elihu believes he is speaking truth on God’s behalf (Job 32:18). By calling Job to attentive listening, he mirrors the prophet Samuel’s reminder that “to listen is better than the fat of rams” (1 Samuel 15:22). Be quiet Silence creates space for God’s wisdom to land. • “Be still, and know that I am God” (Psalm 46:10). • “Let all the earth be silent before Him” (Habakkuk 2:20). Job’s passionate speeches have filled many chapters; Elihu asks him to lay them down temporarily so truth can settle into his heart. And I will teach you wisdom Elihu’s confidence rests not in himself but in the source of true wisdom—God. • “For the LORD gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding” (Proverbs 2:6). • “But the wisdom from above is first pure” (James 3:17). His promise echoes the Lord’s own role as Teacher: “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go” (Psalm 32:8). If Job will listen in silence, Elihu believes God’s insight will replace confusion with clarity. summary Job 33:33 is Elihu’s respectful but firm invitation: If Job will stop arguing and listen, God-given wisdom is ready to be imparted. The verse models a timeless pattern—choose to be still, tune your ears to godly counsel, and receive the wisdom that the Lord faithfully supplies through His Word and His servants. Verse 33. - If not, hearken unto me: hold thy peace, and I shall teach thee wisdom. Elihu is certainly quite sufficiently impressed with the sense of his intellectual capacity. Job's silence may have been meant as a sort of tacit rebuke to him. Considering his youth (Job 32:6), there is something of arrogance in the whole tone of his address, and especially in his notion that he could "teach Job wisdom." It is significant that neither now, when expressly invited to reply, nor at any subsequent point of the discourse, nor even at its close, does Job condescend to make any answer at all to Elihu's speech.
Hebrew But ifאִם־ (’im-) Conjunction Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not not, אַ֭יִן (’a·yin) Adverb Strong's 369: A non-entity, a negative particle then listen שְֽׁמַֽע־ (šə·ma‘-) Verb - Qal - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 8085: To hear intelligently to me; לִ֑י (lî) Preposition | first person common singular Strong's Hebrew be quiet, הַ֝חֲרֵ֗שׁ (ha·ḥă·rêš) Verb - Hifil - Imperative - masculine singular Strong's 2790: To cut in, engrave, plow, devise and I will teach וַאֲאַלֶּפְךָ֥ (wa·’ă·’al·lep̄·ḵā) Conjunctive waw | Verb - Piel - Conjunctive imperfect Cohortative if contextual - first person common singular | second person masculine singular Strong's 502: To learn you wisdom.” חָכְמָֽה׃ (ḥāḵ·māh) Noun - feminine singular Strong's 2451: Wisdom Links Job 33:33 NIVJob 33:33 NLT Job 33:33 ESV Job 33:33 NASB Job 33:33 KJV Job 33:33 BibleApps.com Job 33:33 Biblia Paralela Job 33:33 Chinese Bible Job 33:33 French Bible Job 33:33 Catholic Bible OT Poetry: Job 33:33 If not listen to me (Jb) |
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