1Elihu again reproveth Job of setting up his own righteousness against God's, between whom and man there is no comparison. 6The good or evil actions of men extend not to God. 9If God heareth not the cry of the afflicted, it is because they address him not as they ought. 14The application of this doctrine to the case of Job.
1ELIHU 1spake moreover, and said,
1 See Job 34 on verse 1.
2Thinkest thou this to be 2right, that thou saidst, 3My righteousness is more than God's?
2 That is, for a good and equitable cause, which can be defended in the trial of judgment. See the annotation at Job 34 on verse 4.
3 Job had not said this in these terms, but Elihu wants to infer this from his words, which he therefore rehearses in the next verse.
3For thoua4saidst, What advantage will 5it be unto 6thee? and, What profit shall I have, 7if I be cleansed from my sin?
a Job 34:9.
4 Compare Job 9:20; 10:15.
5 Namely, your righteousness.
6 Namely, your person, O Job.
7 That is, with my righteousness and godliness. Job had made this complaint out of impatience, because, that notwithstanding he was godly, he was so fearfully punished, and so unmercifully condemned.
4I will 8answer thee, and 9thy companions with thee.
8 Namely, with which I shall confute you.
9 Namely, who have opposed you, yet not answered you to the full. Nevertheless, Eliphaz had said almost the very same before, Job 22:2, 3, which Elihu here insists upon, verses 6, 7. Some would point it to those who supported Job. Compare Job 18:2.
5Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the 10clouds which 11are higher than thou.
10 See Deut. 33 on verse 26.
11 The sense is: If the clouds are higher, how much more God? Is God higher, what advantage than can you bring to Him by your goodness or damage by your sins?
6If thou sinnest, 12what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, 13what doest thou unto him?
12 Namely, wherewith you might be able to harm Him, that is, God.
13 Namely, what evil, shame or hurt.
7Ifb thou be righteous, what givest thou 14him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
b Job 22:2; Psalm 16:2; Rom. 11:35.
14 Understand, nothing at all; that is, He has no benefit or advantage from your righteousness. Compare Psalm 16:2; 50:10, 11, 12.
8Thy wickedness may hurt 15a man as thou art; and thy righteousness 16may profit the 17son of man.
15 Namely, to hurt or harm him.
16 Namely, to be profitable to him and to prove some benefit.
17 See 1 Kings 8 on verse 39.
918By reason of the 19multitude of oppressions 20they make the oppressed to cry: 21they cry out by reason of the 22arm of the 23mighty.
18 Here Elihu seems to have an eye to what Job had said in Job 24:12, but wrongfully interpreting the same, as if thereby Job had charged God with unrighteousness. For Job had given God His honor, verse 12, and laid the fault upon the oppressed themselves, verse 13.
19 That is, great power.
20 Namely, the wicked.
21 Namely, the oppressed.
22 That is, the violence, oppression and the tyranny. Compare and see Job 22 on verse 8.
23 That is, of the great and mighty men.
1024But 25none saith, Where is God 26my maker, 27who giveth songs in the night;
24 Elihu gives the reason why it is that the oppressed are not relieved in their distress.
25 Namely, of those who are oppressed. Hebr. But he saith not.
26 Hebr. my makers, in the plural number. Compare Gen. 20 on verse 13; likewise see Job 32 on verse 22.
27 That is, Who in the very night, when men lie down to rest, gives them cause by His benefits to sing and rejoice. Compare Psalm 42:8.
1128Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
28 That is, Who endues us with reason, understanding and wisdom above the irrational animals, in order that we ought to know Him aright, and to call unto Him in our distress.
1229There they 30cry, butc none giveth answer, because of the 31pride of evil men.
29 Namely, in their distress, when they are oppressed.
30 Namely, to God.
c Job 27:9; Prov. 1:28; 15:29; Isa. 1:15; Jer. 11:11; John 9:31.
31 That is, the insolent violence of those by whom they are oppressed. Although their crying was not accompanied with piety, as the next verse shows. See likewise verses 9 and 10.
13Surely God will not hear 32vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
32 That is, vain men, who are void and destitute of true faith, and unfeigned godliness. So vileness for vile men, Psalm 12:8; deceit for deceivers, Prov. 12:24; falsehood for false men, Prov. 17:4; desire for desirous or covetous, Prov. 21:26. See also Job 24:20, and the annotation on the word wickedness.
1433Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, 34yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
33 Elihu turns himself to Job, rehearsing what he had said in Job 23:8, 9. The meaning is: If God does not hear the prayers of vain men, He shall not regard them who pretend that they do not see God and are not able to find Him, when they in their distress flee unto Him in prayer.
34 That is, although you do perceive that you are not dealt with equally, yet there is judgment and justice with God to deal with every one, as it is right. Therefore, put your confidence in the Lord, and wait for a happy issue, Psalm 37:5, 6, 7; 55:22.
15Butd now, because 35it is not so, he hath 36visited in 37his anger; yet he knoweth 38it not in great extremity:
d Job 11:6.
35 That is, but a light and small punishment, in regard what Job had deserved. Elihu speaking this, turns himself to the bystanders.
36 See Gen. 21 on verse 1.
37 That is, God’s anger.
38 Namely, God. Some translate this verse thus: But now that his wrath had not visited Job and he had not acknowledged him in great abundance, etc. Understand this of Job’s former prosperous condition, and that therefore, not being used to adversity, he had spoken thus impatiently.
16Therefore doth Job open his mouth 39in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.
39 That is, unadvisedly. Compare Job 27 on verse 12.