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
Then will I visit H6485 their transgression H6588 with the rod, H7626 and their iniquity H5771 with stripes. H5061
And the LORD H3068 spake H559 unto Moses H4872 and Aaron, H175 Because ye believed H539 me not, to sanctify H6942 me in the eyes H5869 of the children H1121 of Israel, H3478 therefore ye shall not bring H935 this congregation H6951 into the land H776 which I have given H5414 them.
How much less shall I answer H6030 him, and choose out H977 my words H1697 to reason with him?
Though H2005 he slay H6991 me, yet will I trust H3176 in him: but I will maintain H3198 mine own ways H1870 before H6440 him.
Terrors H1091 are turned H2015 upon me: they pursue H7291 my soul H5082 as the wind: H7307 and my welfare H3444 passeth away H5674 as a cloud. H5645 And now my soul H5315 is poured out H8210 upon me; the days H3117 of affliction H6040 have taken hold H270 upon me. My bones H6106 are pierced H5365 in me in the night season: H3915 and my sinews H6207 take no rest. H7901 By the great H7230 force H3581 of my disease is my garment H3830 changed: H2664 it bindeth me about H247 as the collar H6310 of my coat. H3801 He hath cast H3384 me into the mire, H2563 and I am become like H4911 dust H6083 and ashes. H665 I cry H7768 unto thee, and thou dost not hear H6030 me: I stand up, H5975 and thou regardest H995 me not. Thou art become H2015 cruel H393 to me: with thy strong H6108 hand H3027 thou opposest H7852 thyself against me. Thou liftest me up H5375 to the wind; H7307 thou causest me to ride H7392 upon it, and dissolvest H4127 my substance. H8454 H7738 For I know H3045 that thou wilt bring H7725 me to death, H4194 and to the house H1004 appointed H4150 for all living. H2416 Howbeit he will not stretch out H7971 his hand H3027 to the grave, H1164 though they cry H7769 in his destruction. H6365 Did not I weep H1058 for him that was in trouble? H7186 H3117 was not my soul H5315 grieved H5701 for the poor? H34 When I looked H6960 for good, H2896 then evil H7451 came H935 unto me: and when I waited H3176 for light, H216 there came H935 darkness. H652 My bowels H4578 boiled, H7570 and rested H1826 not: the days H3117 of affliction H6040 prevented H6923 me. I went H1980 mourning H6937 without the sun: H2535 I stood up, H6965 and I cried H7768 in the congregation. H6951 I am a brother H251 to dragons, H8577 and a companion H7453 to owls. H1323 H3284 My skin H5785 is black H7835 upon me, and my bones H6106 are burned H2787 with heat. H2721 My harp H3658 also is turned to mourning, H60 and my organ H5748 into the voice H6963 of them that weep. H1058
Shall thy lovingkindness H2617 be declared H5608 in the grave? H6913 or thy faithfulness H530 in destruction? H11 Shall thy wonders H6382 be known H3045 in the dark? H2822 and thy righteousness H6666 in the land H776 of forgetfulness? H5388 But unto thee have I cried, H7768 O LORD; H3068 and in the morning H1242 shall my prayer H8605 prevent H6923 thee. LORD, H3068 why castest thou off H2186 my soul? H5315 why hidest H5641 thou thy face H6440 from me? I am afflicted H6041 and ready to die H1478 from my youth H5290 up: while I suffer H5375 thy terrors H367 I am distracted. H6323 Thy fierce wrath H2740 goeth over H5674 me; thy terrors H1161 have cut me off. H6789
How shall I give thee up, H5414 Ephraim? H669 how shall I deliver H4042 thee, Israel? H3478 how shall I make H5414 thee as Admah? H126 how shall I set H7760 thee as Zeboim? H6636 mine heart H3820 is turned H2015 within me, my repentings H5150 are kindled H3648 together. H3162 I will not execute H6213 the fierceness H2740 of mine anger, H639 I will not return H7725 to destroy H7843 Ephraim: H669 for I am God, H410 and not man; H376 the Holy One H6918 in the midst H7130 of thee: and I will not enter H935 into the city. H5892
And, G2532 behold, G2400 thou G2071 shalt be dumb, G4623 and G2532 not G3361 able G1410 to speak, G2980 until G891 the day G2250 that G3739 these things G5023 shall be performed, G1096 because G473 G3739 thou believest G4100 not G3756 my G3450 words, G3056 which G3748 shall be fulfilled G4137 in G1519 their G846 season. G2540
Now G1161 no G3956 G3756 chastening G3809 for G4314 G3303 the present G3918 seemeth G1380 to be G1511 joyous, G5479 but G235 grievous: G3077 nevertheless G1161 afterward G5305 it yieldeth G591 the peaceable G1516 fruit G2590 of righteousness G1343 unto them which are exercised G1128 thereby. G1223 G846 Wherefore G1352 lift up G461 the hands G5495 which hang down, G3935 and G2532 the feeble G3886 knees; G1119
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.