Charles Spurgeon Commentary Job 33:7-11

"Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, Neither shall my pressure be heavy upon thee. Surely thou hast spoken in my hearing, And I have heard the voice of [thy] words, [saying], I am clean, without transgression; I am innocent, neither is there iniquity in me: Behold, he findeth occasions against me, He counteth me for his enemy: He putteth my feet in the stocks, He marketh all my paths." — Job 33:7-11 (ASV)

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand be heavy upon thee. Surely thou hast spoken in mine hearing and I have heard the voice of thy words, saying, I am clean without transgression, I am innocent; neither is there iniquity in me. Behold, he findeth occasions against me, he counteth me for his enemy, he putteth my feet in the stocks, he marketh all my paths.

Elihu did not make this excuse for Job, that he had been slandered by his friends, and that his statement of innocence was not so much absolute towards God as it was defensive towards men.

Still, there is no doubt that Job had gone too far in this direction.

Perhaps, for this very reason, his troubles had come upon him, because he was to some extent self-righteous. In some small degree, at any rate, he may have prided himself upon his personal excellence.

Elihu does well, therefore, in all faithfulness, to point out the blot in what Job had said.