Job 33 24

Job 33:24 kjv

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

Job 33:24 nkjv

Then He is gracious to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down to the Pit; I have found a ransom';

Job 33:24 niv

and he is gracious to that person and says to God, 'Spare them from going down to the pit; I have found a ransom for them?

Job 33:24 esv

and he is merciful to him, and says, 'Deliver him from going down into the pit; I have found a ransom;

Job 33:24 nlt

he will be gracious and say,
'Rescue him from the grave,
for I have found a ransom for his life.'

Job 33 verses

Job 33 24 Meaning

Job 33:24 speaks of God's merciful intervention on behalf of a suffering individual, specifically one who has come to repentance or gained spiritual insight. Through a divine messenger, God offers deliverance from the brink of death or destruction, declaring that He has discovered a means of ransom or atonement. This verse highlights God's compassionate initiative in salvation, where He provides the solution for humanity's plight, preserving life through a substitutionary or propitiatory means.

Job 33 24 Context

Job 33:24 is part of Elihu’s lengthy discourse to Job and his friends, found in Job chapters 32-37. Elihu, a younger observer, steps forward after Job and his three friends have exhausted their arguments. He claims to speak with the Spirit of God and seeks to correct the misinterpretations of divine justice presented by all parties. In chapter 33, Elihu asserts that God communicates with humanity not only through suffering but also through dreams and visions (vv. 14-18) and, significantly, through angelic messengers (v. 23). This verse builds upon the scenario described in verses 19-22, where a person is afflicted by severe illness, brought near death's door. The "angelic messenger" (often interpreted as a "mediating angel" or a wise human interpreter of divine will, or even a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ by some) acts as an advocate, pointing to the righteousness of the sufferer (or interpreting God's corrective purpose in suffering). Elihu argues that suffering is not solely punitive but often redemptive, serving as discipline or a warning to draw individuals closer to God. This particular verse describes God's compassionate response upon seeing the individual's repentance or realization of the purpose of their affliction, with the divine pronouncement of rescue. Historically, the concept of divine ransom (Kopher) was known in ancient Near Eastern legal and social contexts, but Elihu's unique application emphasizes God's initiative in providing the means of salvation.

Job 33 24 Word analysis

• Then: (וְחָנַן֙, vĕ·ḥā·nan) Implies a sequence or consequence. It marks a shift from the description of suffering and the intercessor's plea to God's gracious response. It suggests God's mercy is contingent on the prior interaction, whether repentance from the sufferer or the intervention of the messenger.
• he is gracious: (וְחָנַן֙, vĕ·ḥā·nan) From the root chanan (חָנַן). This verb denotes to be favorable, to show pity, to grant favor, or to be compassionate. It highlights an act of divine mercy that is freely given, not earned. God's character is fundamentally gracious, reaching out to the afflicted. This is central to the Abrahamic faiths, where God’s mercy often precedes and enables human response.
• to him: Refers to the afflicted individual described in previous verses (vv. 19-22) who is near death, suffering greatly.
• and says: Implies a direct divine decree or utterance. God's spoken word brings about the reality it describes. It underscores the authority and power of God's declaration.
• ‘Deliver him: (פְּדָעֵ֙הוּ֙, pə·ḏā·‘ê·hū) From the root padah (פָּדָה). To redeem, ransom, rescue, deliver. It conveys the idea of liberation, often from danger or bondage, usually by paying a price or exercising power. Here, it is God who does the delivering.
• from going down: Implies a progression towards an inescapable fate. The verb yarad (יָרַד) signifies descent. The direction "down" is metaphorical for decline, deterioration, and eventual death.
• to the pit: (שַׁ֙חַת֙, sha·chat) From the root shachat (שַׁחַת), meaning a pit, a trench, destruction, decay, corruption. It often refers to the grave, Sheol (the realm of the dead), or utter ruin. In this context, it signifies literal death, but also profound destruction of the individual's life and being. The ancient Israelite understanding of "the pit" contrasted with Egyptian or Mesopotamian developed underworld concepts, generally portraying it as a place of shadowy existence without relationship to God.
• I have found: (מָצָ֤אתִי, mā·ṣā·ṯî) From the root matza (מָצָא), meaning to find, acquire, or encounter. This phrase emphasizes God's proactive initiative. The ransom is not something humanly offered or conceived but divinely discovered or provided. It signifies that the solution to human sin and its consequences originates solely with God.
• a ransom : (כֹּֽפֶר, kō·p̄er) From the root kaphar (כָּפַר), meaning to cover, to atone, to purge. Kopher (כֹּפֶר) can mean a bribe, a price for redemption, a propitiation, or an atonement. It's something that "covers" or expiates. In biblical law, a kopher could be a payment made to avert the penalty of death (e.g., Ex 21:30) or a price of redemption (e.g., Num 3:49-51). Here, its precise nature is unstated, making it profoundly mysterious and prefiguring the ultimate divine "ransom" that would be fully revealed in the Person of Jesus Christ. It’s God's way of securing the release without violating His justice, as it implies a substitute or payment of value. This concept implicitly challenges any idea that a human could pay this ultimate price for themselves.

Job 33 24 Bonus section

The "messenger" in Job 33:23 is referred to as "one among a thousand," which has led to various interpretations:

• A specific angel: A heavenly being sent by God with a particular message, perhaps like the "angel of the LORD" who appears throughout the Old Testament.
• A prophet or wise man: A human intercessor or interpreter, like Elihu himself, who rightly discerns God's ways and counsels the suffering. This interpretation aligns with Elihu’s role as someone who clarifies God's dealings.
• A divine figure/Pre-incarnate Christ: Some Christian theologians interpret this as a hint of the pre-incarnate Christ or a unique divine agent due to the profound nature of their intercessory role and wisdom.The kopher (ransom) found by God, while not explicitly detailed in Job, profoundly foreshadows New Testament theology. It establishes the principle that salvation from the "pit" of death and destruction, especially when deserved, requires a divine initiative and a divinely appointed "covering" or price. This ancient concept resonates deeply with the redemptive work of Christ on the cross, who, in fulfillment, becomes the telios kopher (perfect ransom) for humanity's sin, purchased not by human silver or gold but by His precious blood (1 Pet 1:18-19). This highlights the continuity of God's redemptive plan across both testaments.

Job 33 24 Commentary

Job 33:24 stands as a profound theological statement within the book of Job, asserting God’s sovereign initiative in salvation. Elihu portrays a divine mechanism for deliverance that moves beyond a simplistic reward-and-punishment framework. When a person, chastened by suffering and nearing death, is encountered by a divinely sent "messenger" who articulates God's righteousness and the individual's true state, God responds with immense grace. The core of this response is God's own declaration: "I have found a ransom."

This is not a ransom human beings offer; it is a solution originated by God Himself. The Hebrew word kopher signifies a covering or a price paid to redeem. In the broader biblical narrative, this idea develops into the concept of atonement and ultimately points towards the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, who became the unique and sufficient "ransom for all" (1 Tim 2:6). God, in His wisdom and mercy, identified the perfect means to cover sin and redeem life, a solution rooted in His character rather than in human merit.

The verse showcases that even in suffering, God provides a path to redemption and restoration. It emphasizes that physical healing or rescue from death's brink is deeply intertwined with spiritual restoration and divine grace. It moves from humanity's dire predicament ("going down to the pit") to God's gracious provision of life. This foreshadows the gospel, where divine initiative (God finding the ransom in Christ) rescues humanity from spiritual death.Example: Consider a person who hits rock bottom, feeling utterly lost and hopeless due to their own poor choices. In their darkest moment, they cry out to God and, perhaps through a timely word from a believing friend, realize God's merciful nature. Job 33:24 teaches that even then, God is already looking to "find a ransom"—to provide a way for their redemption, not by their earning it, but by His grace through a means He has prepared.