Job 12:11

11 The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.

Job 12:11 Meaning and Commentary

Job 12:11

Doth not the ear try words?
&c.] Articulate sounds; and the mind by them judges whether what is expressed and designed by them is right or wrong, true or false, to be received or rejected; so such that have spiritual ears to hear, try the words of God and men, the wholesome words of Christ, and those of false teachers, which eat as a canker; and by their spiritual judgment can distinguish between the one and the other, discern those that differ, and approve those that are excellent, by bringing them to the standard of the word, the balance of the sanctuary, the Scriptures of truth:

and the mouth taste his meat?
and judge of it, whether good or bad, or savoury or unsavoury, and so receive or reject it: thus such who have their taste changed, and relish spiritual things, can distinguish between the meat that perishes, and that which endures to everlasting life, even Christ, whose flesh is meat indeed; and those that have tasted that the Lord is gracious, and to whose taste the fruits of Christ and the doctrines of grace are sweet; these will desire the sincere milk of the word, and that strong meat in it, which belongs to discerning and experienced souls; and will feed by faith upon the pure word of the Gospel, and mix it with it, and reject all others. Job by this would signify, that the things his friends had been discoursing of, and which they thought were such deep and wonderful things, were as easy to be searched and found out, tried and judged of, as sounds by the ear, or food by the taste; and it may be also that hereby he suggests, that his doctrine, if it was impartially examined and tried by proper judges, it would appear as plain as anything tried by the ear, or tasted by the mouth. Some think that Job intends by this, that from the senses of hearing and tasting in men might be inferred the omniscience of God, his knowledge of all things, and his quick discernment of men, and their actions, since "he that planted the ear, shall he not hear? he that formed the eye, shall not he see?" ( Psalms 94:9 ) . Some versions read the whole, "doth not the ear try words, as the mouth tastes his meat" ^F17? as in ( Job 34:3 ) . Saadiah Gaon connects these words "as the ear tries words" with ( Job 12:12 ) , "so with the ancient is wisdom".

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FOOTNOTES:

F17 Vatablus, Drusius, Junius et Tremellius, Piscator, Mercerus, Cocceius, Schultens; so Broughton.

Job 12:11 In-Context

9 Every one of these knows that the hand of the Lord has done this.

10 The life of every creature and the breath of all people are in God's hand.

11 The ear tests words as the tongue tastes food.

12 Older people are wise, and long life brings understanding.

13 "But only God has wisdom and power, good advice and understanding.