Job 33 · Verse 16

Job 33:16

Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,
Job 33:16, King James Version

Job 33:16 in other translations

BSBHe opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings
WEBthen he opens the ears of men, and seals their instruction,
ASVThen he openeth the ears of men, And sealeth their instruction,
YLTThen He uncovereth the ear of men, And for their instruction sealeth:
DARBYThen he openeth men's ears, and sealeth their instruction,
BBEThen he makes his secrets clear to men, so that they are full of fear at what they see;
WebsterThen he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

What does Job 33:16 mean?

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
16. Literally, "sealeth (their ears) to Himself by warnings," that is, with the sureness and secrecy of a seal He reveals His warnings [Umbreit]. To seal up securely (Job 37:7).

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain

Adam Clarke's Commentary
Verse 16 III. By secret Inspirations Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth, etc. - A dream or a vision simply considered is likely to do no good; it is the opening of the understanding, and the pouring in of the light, that make men wise to salvation. Serious alarms, holy purposes, penitential pangs for past sins, apprehension of death and judgment, discoveries of God's justice, of Christ's love, of the world's vanity, of heaven's excellence, etc., etc., etc., are often used by the Divine Spirit to withdraw men from their evil purpose, and to hide pride from man, Job 33:17; and of all these openings of the ear of the heart, and sealing instructions upon the conscience, we have numerous examples in the history of the Church, in the experience of good men, and even in the civil and providential history of all nations.

Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Job 33:14-18

God speaks to us by conscience, by providences, and by ministers; of all these Elihu discourses. There was not then, that we know of, any Divine revelation in writing, though now it is our principal guide. When God designs men's good, by the convictions and dictates of their own consciences, he opens the heart, as Lydia's, and opens the ears, so that conviction finds or forces its way in. The end and design of these…

Read the full comment on Job 33:14-18 →

Job 33:16 in the original Hebrew

Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.

אָ֣ז'azthenH227
יִ֭גְלֶהYig.lehhe will uncoverH1540
אֹ֣זֶן'O.zen[the] ear ofH241
אֲנָשִׁ֑ים'a.na.ShimpeopleH582
וּבְמֹ֖סָרָ֣םu.ve.Mo.sa.Ramand with discipline theirH4561
יַחְתֹּֽם\׃yach.Tomhe will sealH2856

Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).

Cross references for Job 33:16

  • Job 36:10

    He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

  • Job 36:15

    He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

  • Psalms 40:6

    Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required.

  • Isaiah 50:5

    The Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither turned away back.

  • Luke 24:45

    Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

  • Isaiah 6:10

    Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

  • Acts 16:14

    And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul.

  • Romans 15:28

    When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this fruit, I will come by you into Spain.

  • Nehemiah 9:38

    And because of all this we make a sure covenant, and write it; and our princes, Levites, and priests, seal unto it.

  • Isaiah 48:8

    Yea, thou heardest not; yea, thou knewest not; yea, from that time that thine ear was not opened: for I knew that thou wouldest deal very treacherously, and wast called a transgressor from the womb.

  • 2 Samuel 7:27

    For thou, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel, hast revealed to thy servant, saying, I will build thee an house: therefore hath thy servant found in his heart to pray this prayer unto thee.

Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
openeth. Heb. revealeth. or, uncovereth.
36:10,15; 2Sa 7:27; Ps 40:6; Isa 6:10; 48:8; 50:5; Lu 24:45
Ac 16:14
sealeth.
Ne 9:38; Ro 15:28

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain

Context

  • Job 33:15

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

  • Job 33:16

    Then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction,

  • Job 33:17

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

Read all of Job 33

Job 33:16 in other languages

Spanish
Reina-Valera 1909		Entonces revela al oído de los hombres, y les señala su consejo;
French
Bible J.N. Darby 1885		Alors il ouvre l’oreille aux hommes et scelle l’instruction qu’il leur donne,
German
Elberfelder 1871		dann öffnet er das Ohr der Menschen und besiegelt die Unterweisung, die er ihnen gibt,
Latin
Clementine Vulgate		tunc aperit aures virorum, et erudiens eos instruit disciplina,