Commentaries Dictionaries Concordances

Commentary Critical and Explanatory

Job 36:26

Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

God's greatness in heaven and earth: a reason why Job should bow under His afflicting hand.

Know him not - only in part, and afar off (Job 36:25; 1 Corinthians 13:12).

His years - (Psalms 90:2; Psalms 102:24; Psalms 102:27); applied to Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:12). His infinitude as to duration is the first characteristic of God's greatness noticed.

Continues after advertising

See also Job 36:26 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Job 36:26. _GOD_ IS _GREAT_] He is _omnipotent_. _WE KNOW_ HIM _NOT_] He is _unsearchable_. _NEITHER CAN THE NUMBER OF HIS YEARS BE SEARCHED OUT._] He is _eternal_. These three propositions...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    BEHOLD, GOD IS GREAT, AND WE KNOW HIM NOT - That is, we cannot fully comprehend him; see the notes at Job 11:7. NEITHER CAN THE NUMBER OF HIS YEARS BE SEARCHED OUT - That is, he is eternal. The object...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    CHAPTER S 36:22--37:24 _ 1. God's power and presence in nature (Job 36:22)_ 2. The thunderstorm (Job 37:1) 3. The snow and the rain (Job 37:6) 4. Elihu's concluding remarks ...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    God is great who can teach like Him? Can man command or criticise Him? Man's part is to magnify his work in psalms, though only beholding it from afar, and unable to comprehend it....

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    IS GREAT. See note on Job 36:5. HIS YEARS. Figure of speech _Anthropopatheia._ App-6....

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Job 36:26-33. The greatness and unsearchableness of God, seen in His marvellous operations in the skies; and exhortation to Job to allow these wonders duly to impress him, and to bow beneath the great...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _we know him not_ He is so great as to transcend all knowledge of man. The Eternity of God is referred to in the second clause in order to fill the mind more completely with the sense of His greatness...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    3. God knows what he is doing and his work should be magnified. (Job 36:22-33) TEXT 36:22-33 22 BEHOLD, GOD DOETH LOFTILY IN HIS POWER: Who is a teacher like onto him? 23 Who hath enjoined him his...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE SPEECHES OF ELIHU (CONTINUED) 1-15. Elihu maintains the wisdom and impartial justice of the rule of God. His purpose is to discipline and improve men, even by their afflictions....

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    THE WORK BEGUN. THE LIBERALITY OF THE PEOPLE Cp. 1 Chronicles 29:6; Ezra 2:68; Nehemiah 7:70. 8-38. The construction of the Tabernacle: see...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    JOB, A SERVANT OF GOD Job _KEITH SIMONS_ Words in boxes (except for words in brackets) are from the Bible. This commentary has been through Advanced Checking. CHAPTER 36 ELIHU TEACHES ABOUT GOD...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    Soon, the men would have an experience of God’s greatness. They would watch a powerful storm. Afterwards, God would speak. A STORM APPROACHES V27 God gathers the water to make the rain. V28 He cause...

  • ETCBC data on Hebrew bible

    הֶן ־אֵ֣ל שַׂ֭גִּיא וְ לֹ֣א נֵדָ֑ע מִסְפַּ֖ר

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    XXVI. THE DIVINE PREROGATIVE Job 35:1; Job 36:1; Job 37:1 AFTER a long digression Elihu returns to consider the statement ascribed to Job, "It profiteth a man nothing that he should delight himself...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    HE DESPISETH NOT ANY Job 36:1 God is mighty, but He does not despise thee, though thou be the least of saints. His eyes are upon thee for good, and He will set thee before His throne forever. He will...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    After answering the arguments of Job, as expressed in the quotations, there would seem to have been a pause. Then Elihu commenced his last address. He first appealed to Job to hear him, as he was abou...

  • Geneva Study Bible Commentary

    Behold, God [is] great, (r) and we know [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. (r) Our infirmity hinders us so that we cannot attain the perfect knowledge of God....

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    (22) Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him? (23) Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? (24) В¶ Remember that thou magnify his work, which men be...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    THE FOLLOWING COMMENTARY COVERS CHAPTER S 32 THROUGH 37. But these spiritual affections of Job did not prevent his turning this consciousness of integrity into a robe of self-righteousness which hid G...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    BEHOLD, GOD [IS] GREAT,.... In his power and might, in his wisdom and knowledge, in his truth and faithfulness, in his love, grace, and mercy, and that to admiration; and it is worthy of notice and at...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    Behold, God [is] great, and we know [him] not, neither can the number of his years be searched out. Ver. 26. _Behold, God is great_] Yea, he is _maximus in minimis,_ greatest and most of all seen in...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _Behold, God is great_ Infinite in majesty, and power, and wisdom, and all perfections, and therefore just in all his ways; _and we know him not_ Namely, perfectly. Though we see something of him in h...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    Behold, God is great, exalted far above all human contemplation, AND WE KNOW HIM NOT, cannot grasp His majesty, even in the works of His creation, NEITHER CAN THE NUMBER OF HIS YEARS BE SEARCHED OUT,...

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

    THE DIVINE JUSTICE AS SUPREME POWER AND WISDOM...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    SPEAKING ON GOD'S BEHALF (vv.1-4) Elihu continues in the same strain, for as he says, there is much more to be said on God's behalf. Where did Elihu find his knowledge? He fetched it "from afar" (v....

  • Mark Dunagan Commentaries

    "THE NUMBER OF HIS YEARS IS UNSEARCHABLE": How you ever tried to mentally comprehend the fact that God never had. beginning?...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    24-33 Elihu endeavours to fill Job with high thought of God, and so to persuade him into cheerful submission to his providence. Man may see God's works, and is capable of discerning his hand in them,...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    GOD IS GREAT; infinite in majesty, and power, and wisdom, and all perfections, and therefore just in all his ways. We KNOW HIM NOT, to wit, perfectly. Though we see something of him in his works, as w...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Job 36:26 God H410 great H7689 know H3045 (H8799) number H4557 years H8141 discovered H2714 God -...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Elihu's discourse continued. God's justice defended. CHARACTERS: God, Elihu, Job. CONCLUSION: God does all things well. Though it may seem sometimes that we are neglected and forgotten and...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Job 36:3. _I will fetch my knowledge from afar;_ from the expanse of heaven, and from the remotest traditions of the sires. Natural theology is very instructive to man, to acquaint us with the perfect...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _God is great, and we know Him not._ THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD These words recall the supreme questions which divide hostile philosophies. Even Christian apologists have maintained that God is inaccessibl...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _ELIHU’S FOURTH SPEECH_ No reply being made to Elihu’s preceding address, he resumes. Job 36:1.—“Elihu also proceded and said”. His object to bring Job to a more becoming state of mind in reference t...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION JOB 36:1 The two chapters, Job 36:1; Job 37:1, form a single discourse, and ought not to have been separated; or, at any rate, not so unskilfully as they are, in the middle of a descriptio...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Elihu continued (Job 36:1), He's really taking him on. Just allow me a little more, and I'm going to show you what I have to speak on God's behalf. I'm going to fetch my knowledge from far off, I'm g...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Kings 8:27; 2 Peter 3:8; Hebrews 1:12; Job 11:7; Job 26:14;...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    HIGH ALTITUDES IN ELIHU'S ANSWER TO JOB Job 32:1, Job 33:1; Job 34:1; Job 35:1; Job 3

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    Neither — He is eternal, as in his being, so in all his counsels; which therefore must be infinitely above the comprehension of short — lived men....

Continues after advertising