Albert Barnes Commentary Job 33:14

"For God speaketh once, Yea twice, [though man] regardeth it not." — Job 33:14 (ASV)

For God speaks once - The object of what is said here is to show the reason why God brings affliction upon people, or to explain the principles of His government, which Elihu supposed had been sadly misunderstood by Job and his friends.

The reason He brings affliction, Elihu says, is because all other means of reclaiming and restraining people fail. He communicates His will to them; He speaks to them again and again in dreams and visions; He warns them of the error of their course (Job 33:14–17). When this is all ineffectual, He brings affliction upon them.

He lays them on their bed where they must reflect, and where there is hope that they may be reclaimed and reformed (Job 33:18–28).

Indeed, twice - He does not merely admonish him once. He repeats the admonition when man refuses to hear Him the first time, and takes all the methods that He can by admonition and warning to withdraw him from his wicked purpose, and to keep him from ruin.

Yet man perceives it not - Or, rather, “Although he does not perceive it or attend to it.” Though the sinner is regardless of the admonition, yet God still repeats it and endeavors to save him from the commission of the crimes that would lead him to ruin.

This is designed to show the patience and forbearance of God, and how many means He takes to save the sinner from ruin. Of the truth of what Elihu says here, there can be no difference of opinion. It is one of the great principles of the divine administration that the sinner is often warned, though he does not heed it, and that God sends repeated admonitions even when people will not regard them but are bent on their own ruin.