1 Elihu H453 spake H6030 moreover, and said, H559
2 Thinkest H2803 thou this to be right, H4941 that thou saidst, H559 My righteousness H6664 is more than God's? H410
3 For thou saidst, H559 What advantage H5532 will it be unto thee? and, What profit H3276 shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin? H2403
4 I will answer H7725 H4405 thee, and thy companions H7453 with thee.
5 Look H5027 unto the heavens, H8064 and see; H7200 and behold H7789 the clouds H7834 which are higher H1361 than thou.
6 If thou sinnest, H2398 what doest H6466 thou against him? or if thy transgressions H6588 be multiplied, H7231 what doest H6213 thou unto him?
7 If thou be righteous, H6663 what givest H5414 thou him? or what receiveth H3947 he of thine hand? H3027
8 Thy wickedness H7562 may hurt a man H376 as thou art; and thy righteousness H6666 may profit the son H1121 of man. H120
9 By reason of the multitude H7230 of oppressions H6217 they make the oppressed to cry: H2199 they cry out H7768 by reason of the arm H2220 of the mighty. H7227
10 But none saith, H559 Where is God H433 my maker, H6213 who giveth H5414 songs H2158 in the night; H3915
11 Who teacheth H502 us more than the beasts H929 of the earth, H776 and maketh us wiser H2449 than the fowls H5775 of heaven? H8064
12 There they cry, H6817 but none giveth answer, H6030 because H6440 of the pride H1347 of evil men. H7451
13 Surely God H410 will not hear H8085 vanity, H7723 neither will the Almighty H7706 regard H7789 it.
14 Although H637 thou sayest H559 thou shalt not see H7789 him, yet judgment H1779 is before H6440 him; therefore trust H2342 thou in him.
15 But now, because it is not so, he hath visited H6485 in his anger; H639 yet he knoweth H3045 it not in great H3966 extremity: H6580
16 Therefore doth Job H347 open H6475 his mouth H6310 in vain; H1892 he multiplieth H3527 words H4405 without H1097 knowledge. H1847
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 35
Commentary on Job 35 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 35
Job 35:1-16.
2. more than—rather as in Job 9:2; 25:4: "I am righteous (literally, my righteousness is) before God." The English Version, however, agrees with Job 9:17; 16:12-17; 27:2-6. Job 4:17 is susceptible of either rendering. Elihu means Job said so, not in so many words, but virtually.
3. Rather, explanatory of "this" in Job 35:2, "That thou sayest (to thyself, as if a distinct person) What advantage is it (thy integrity) to thee? What profit have I (by integrity) more than (I should have) by my sin?" that is, more than if I had sinned (Job 34:9). Job had said that the wicked, who use these very words, do not suffer for it (Job 21:13-15); whereby he virtually sanctioned their sentiments. The same change of persons from oblique to direct address occurs (Job 19:28; 22:17).
4. companions—those entertaining like sentiments with thee (Job 34:8, 36).
5-8. Elihu like Eliphaz (Job 22:2, 3, 12) shows that God is too exalted in nature to be susceptible of benefit or hurt from the righteousness or sin of men respectively; it is themselves that they benefit by righteousness, or hurt by sin.
behold the clouds, which are higher than thou—spoken with irony. Not only are they higher than thou, but thou canst not even reach them clearly with the eye. Yet these are not as high as God's seat. God is therefore too exalted to be dependent on man. Therefore He has no inducement to injustice in His dealings with man. When He afflicts, it must be from a different motive; namely, the good of the sufferer.
6. what doest—how canst thou affect Him?
unto him—that can hurt Him? (Jer 7:19; Pr 8:36).
7. (Ps 16:2; Pr 9:12; Lu 17:10).
9. (Ec 4:1.) Elihu states in Job's words (Job 24. 12; 30. 20) the difficulty; the "cries" of "the oppressed" not being heard might lead man to think that wrongs are not punished by Him.
10-13. But the reason is that the innocent sufferers often do not humbly seek God for succor; so to their "pride" is to be laid the blame of their ruin; also because (Job 35:13-16) they, as Job, instead of waiting God's time in pious trust, are prone to despair of His justice, when it is not immediately visible (Job 33:19-26). If the sufferer would apply to God with a humbled, penitent spirit, He would hear.
Where, &c.—(Jer 2:6, 8; Isa 51:13).
songs—of joy at deliverance (Ps 42:8; 149:5; Ac 16:25).
in the night—unexpectedly (Job 34:20, 25). Rather, "in calamity."
11. Man's spirit, which distinguishes him from the brute, is the strongest proof of God's beneficence; by the use of it we may understand that God is the Almighty helper of all sufferers who humbly seek Him; and that they err who do not so seek Him.
fowls—(see on Job 28:21).
12. There—rather, "Then" (when none humbly casts himself on God, Job 35:10). They cry proudly against God, rather than humbly to God. So, as the design of affliction is to humble the sufferer, there can be no answer until "pride" gives place to humble, penitent prayer (Ps 10:4; Jer 13:17).
13. vanity—that is, cries uttered in an unhumbled spirit, Job 35:12, which applies in some degree to Job's cries; still more to those of the wicked (Job 27:9; Pr 15:29).
14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him—(as a temporal deliverer; for he did look for a Redeemer after death, Job 19:25-27; which passage cannot consistently with Elihu's assertion here be interpreted of "seeing" a temporal "redeemer"), Job 7:7; 9:11; 23:3, 8, 9; yet, judgment … ; therefore trust … But the Hebrew favors Maurer, "How much less (will God … regard, Job 35:13), since thou sayest, that He does not regard thee." So in Job 4:19. Thus Elihu alludes to Job's words (Job 19:7; 30:20).
judgment—that is, thy cause, thy right; as in Ps 9:16; Pr 31:5, 8.
trust—rather, "wait thou" on Him, patiently, until He take up thy cause (Ps 37:7).
15. As it is, because Job waited not trustingly and patiently (Job 35:14; Nu 20:12; Zep 3:2; Mic 7:9), God hath visited … ; yet still he has not taken (severe) cognizance of the great multitude (English Version wrongly, "extremity") of sins; therefore Job should not complain of being punished with undue severity (Job 7:20; 11:6). Maurer translates: "Because His anger hath not visited (hath not immediately punished Job for his impious complaints), nor has He taken strict (great) cognizance of his folly (sinful speeches); therefore," &c. For "folly," Umbreit translates with the Rabbins, "multitude." Gesenius reads with the Septuagint and Vulgate needlessly, "transgression."
16. Apodosis to Job 35:15.
in vain—rashly.