Chapter 36

1 Elihu sheweth how God is just in his ways. 16 How Job’s sins hinder God’s blessings. 24 God’s works are to be magnified.

1. Elihu also proceeded. Chapters 36 and 37 form a single discourse. They constitute a final appeal to Job to be resigned and patient before God.

2. On God’s behalf. His alleged reason for continuing his speech is that there is more that he feels constrained to say in vindication of God. Elihu feels that he is God’s defender in the case of God versus Job.

3. From afar. Elihu does not mean to repeat outworn arguments. He wants to bring his knowledge from the realm of things that have escaped their attention. Out of the wide realm of history and nature, Elihu plans to draw arguments to vindicate God’s righteousness (see ch. 8:8).

4. Is with thee. These words sound arrogant, but perhaps Elihu does not mean them in that way. Job had charged his friends with using unsound arguments in their defense of God (see ch. 13:7, 8). Elihu here promises that his words will be true. He will base his statements on what he regards as perfect knowledge rather than on prejudice.

5. Is mighty. This verse introduces the theme of Elihu’s speech, the might and the understanding of God.

6. He preserveth not. Elihu maintains substantially the same philosophy as Job’s three friends. He believes that God’s dealings with man in this life are determined by man’s character. Job had observed that wicked men seem to be protected against misfortune (ch. 21:7).

7. Withdraweth not. Elihu takes the position that, although the righteous are afflicted, they are not forsaken. God keeps His eye upon them, whether they be on thrones or in dungeons (v. 8). Job had intimated that God had forsaken him (ch. 29:2). This, Elihu denies (see Ps. 34:15). He believes firmly in the exaltation of the righteous.

8. Bound in fetters. See Gen. 39:20; Jer. 40:1; Dan. 3:21; Matt. 14:3; Acts 12:1–6; 16:24; 24:27.

9. He sheweth. Elihu asserts that affliction overtakes the righteous for the purpose of revealing to them the weaknesses in their character, and the nature of their transgressions.

10. Openeth. Elihu claims that God makes men willing to learn and listen by permitting afflictions to overtake them. Thus, he says, it has been with Job.

Commandeth. God’s afflictions are commands to go and sin no more. Elihu is here developing his theory of suffering as disciplinary rather than penal. Instead of looking upon Job, as his other friends had—as a sinner upon whom God was taking vengeance—he regards him as a person who is being chastened in love for his faults.

11. If they obey. Elihu holds out the promise that prosperity and pleasure will follow in this life if those who are chastened respond in the right way (see Job 33:23–28; Jer. 7:23; 26:13). The return of Job’s prosperity, he asserts, will be dependent on his repentance of his sins and his obedience to God. Job is under discipline. But the righteous are to expect tribulation and persecution (see John 16:33; Acts 14:22; 2 Tim. 3:12; Heb. 12:1–11; 1 Peter 4:12, 13).

12. Obey not. This verse presents the alternative to v. 11. Disobey and die, is the idea. There are elements of truth in Elihu’s viewpoint.

14. They die in youth. Elihu sees an early end for the wicked. Old age was highly respected among the ancients, and to die in youth was considered a great tragedy.

Unclean. Heb. qedeshim, “temple-prostitutes.” The same Hebrew word occurs in Deut. 23:18; 1 Kings 14:24; 15:12; 22:46; 2 Kings 23:7. The idea seems to be that the godless would share the fate of the most abandoned and vile of the race. Their profession of religion would be no protection to them against their punishment.

15. In his affliction. Or, “by his affliction.” The thought seems to be that God uses affliction as a means of deliverance for the righteous (see Ps. 119:67, 71).

Openeth their ears. Ears that were deaf to the sound of God’s voice become sensitive as a result of adversity.

16. Removed. Elihu is saying to Job that he too would have been delivered and restored to his prosperity if he had accepted his afflictions in a proper spirit and learned the lessons they were intended to teach him.

17. Take hold on thee. According to Elihu, Job has not responded as he should to God’s discipline; therefore the judgments of God, reserved for the wicked, have come upon him.

18. There is wrath. Elihu seems to be saying, “Job, because you are angry, beware lest you suffer God’s judgment for your anger. In such case, there would be no way of deliverance for you.”

19. Riches. The Hebrew word shuaФ is taken by some to refer to riches, as here; by others, to a cry for help. Both ideas are possible.

20. Desire not. An allusion to Job’s repeated desire to be cut off at once and laid in the grave (see chs. 6:9; 7:15; 14:13). Elihu holds that this desire is wrong.

21. Regard not iniquity. Elihu accuses Job of choosing to give vent to complaint rather than bearing his trials with resignation.

22. God exalteth. This has been called the keynote of Elihu’s whole discourse. He is endeavoring to build up the idea of God as a great teacher (see chs. 33:14, 16; 35:11; 36:10). His providences are supposed to be considered as lessons that, if taken to heart, will result in prosperity, but if rejected will result in adversity.

23. Who hath enjoined? While God is the all-perfect teacher, there are some who would seek to instruct Him, to dictate the course He ought to pursue, and to improve and amend His universe. Elihu infers that something of this spirit has appeared in Job’s remonstrances (see chs. 9:22–24; 10:3; 12:20–25; 16:11–17). Job came perilously near to accusing God of injustice. He had given excuse for Elihu to make such accusations.

24. Magnify his work. Rather than accuse God, Job should praise Him, even as others who sing His praises.

26. God is great. The greatness of God and the frailty of man are contrasted in this verse.

27. Pour down rain. Elihu appeals to nature in vindication of the greatness of God. He describes the phenomena of evaporation and distillation that make rain possible.

29. Noise. Elihu is evidently introducing a description of a thunderstorm.

30. Light. Here probably a reference to lightning.

31. By them. Probably the antecedent is “clouds.” By His clouds God is said to work two opposite effects. On the one hand, He executes judgments upon the peoples, destroying their crops, causing widespread ruin, smiting and slaying with lightning. On the other hand, He gives food in abundance, making vegetation possible by the showers of rain that the clouds supply.

32. Commandeth it. The figure of speech seems to be that God takes the lightning in His hands and directs it as He pleases. The expression, “not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt,” is the translation of the Hebrew preposition be, “by” or “with,” and a single word maphgiaФ, “an assailant.” Some change the Masoretic pointing to read miphgaФ, “a mark.”

33. The noise. The crash of thunder.

The cattle also. A literal translation of the Masoretic text is, “the cattle also concerning that which goeth up [or him that goeth up].” The KJV is a faithful rendering of the Hebrew as here found, interpreting “that which goeth up” to be vapor, evidently from the context. But the meaning is obscure. Some have, by a change of the Masoretic pointings, obtained very different readings, for example, “who is jealous with anger against iniquity” (RSV). Such variant readings are, of course, purely conjectural.

Ellen G. White comments

18  3T 549