_ELIHU ALSO PROCEEDED, AND SAID,_ Elihu maintains that afflictions are to the godly disciplinary, in order to lead them to attain a higher moral worth, and that the reason for their continuance is not, as the friends asserted, on account of the sufferer's extraordinary guilt, but because the discipl... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL FETCH MY KNOWLEDGE FROM AFAR, AND WILL ASCRIBE RIGHTEOUSNESS TO MY MAKER._ From afar - not trite commonplaces, but drawn from God's mighty works. ASCRIBE RIGHTEOUSNESS - whereas Job had ascribed unrighteousness (Job 34:10). A man. in inquiring into God's ways, should at the outset presume... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR TRULY MY WORDS SHALL NOT BE FALSE: HE THAT IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE IS WITH THEE._ _ FOR TRULY MY WORDS SHALL NOT BE FALSE: HE THAT IS PERFECT IN KNOWLEDGE IS WITH THEE._ I will not "speak wickedly for God," as the friends (Job 13:4; Job 13:7) - i:e., vindicate God by unsound arguments. HE TH... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, GOD IS MIGHTY, AND DESPISETH NOT ANY: HE IS MIGHTY IN STRENGTH AND WISDOM._ Strength and wisdom - rather, strength of understanding (heart): the force of the repetition of "mighty" is, "mighty" as God is, none is too low to be "despised" by Him; because His 'might' lies especially in 'His... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE PRESERVETH NOT THE LIFE OF THE WICKED: BUT GIVETH RIGHT TO THE POOR._ Right ... poor - he espouses the cause of the afflicted.... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE WITHDRAWETH NOT HIS EYES FROM THE RIGHTEOUS: BUT WITH KINGS ARE THEY ON THE THRONE; YEA, HE DOTH ESTABLISH THEM FOR EVER, AND THEY ARE EXALTED._ (1 Peter 3:12.) God does not forsake the godly, as Job implied, but 'establishes,' or makes them sit on the throne as kings (1 Samuel 2:8; Psalms 113:7... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IF THEY BE BOUND IN FETTERS, AND BE HOLDEN IN CORDS OF AFFLICTION;_ If they be afflicted, it is no proof that they are hypocrites, as the friends maintain; or that God disregards them, and is indifferent whether men are good or bad, as Job asserts: God is thereby, 'disciplining them,' and 'sho... [ Continue Reading ]
_IF THEY OBEY AND SERVE HIM, THEY SHALL SPEND THEIR DAYS IN PROSPERITY, AND THEIR YEARS IN PLEASURES._ Serve - i:e. worship; as in Isaiah 19:23 God is to be supplied (cf. Isaiah 19:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT IF THEY OBEY NOT, THEY SHALL PERISH BY THE SWORD, AND THEY SHALL DIE WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE._ Perish by the sword - (Job 33:18). WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE - in, i:e., on account of, their foolishness (Job 4:20).... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THE HYPOCRITES IN HEART HEAP UP WRATH: THEY CRY NOT WHEN HE BINDETH THEM._ Same sentiment as Job 36:11 expanded. Verse 13. HYPOCRITES - or, the ungodly (Maurer); but "hypocrites" is perhaps a distinct class from the openly wicked. (Job 36:12). HEAP UP WRATH - of God against themselves (Roman... [ Continue Reading ]
_EVEN SO WOULD HE HAVE REMOVED THEE OUT OF THE STRAIT INTO A BROAD PLACE, WHERE THERE IS NO STRAITNESS; AND THAT WHICH SHOULD BE SET ON THY TABLE SHOULD BE FULL OF FATNESS._ Literally, He would have led forth thee also out of the jaws of a strait" - namely, if thou hadst humbled thyself as the pious... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT THOU HAST FULFILLED THE JUDGMENT OF THE WICKED: JUDGMENT AND JUSTICE TAKE HOLD ON THEE._ 'But if thou art fulfilled (i:e., entirely filled) with the judgment of the wicked' (i:e., the guilt incurring judgment, 'But if thou art fulfilled (i:e., entirely filled) with the judgment of the wicked' ... [ Continue Reading ]
_BECAUSE THERE IS WRATH, BEWARE LEST HE TAKE THEE AWAY WITH HIS STROKE: THEN A GREAT RANSOM CANNOT DELIVER THEE._ (Numbers 16:45; Psalms 49:6; Matthew 16:26.) Even the "ransom" by Jesus Christ (Job 33:24) will be of no avail to willful despisers (Hebrews 10:26). WITH HIS STROKE - [saapaq is the sa... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILL HE ESTEEM THY RICHES? NO, NOT GOLD, NOR ALL THE FORCES OF STRENGTH._ Forces of strength - i:e., resources of wealth (Psalms 49:6; Proverbs 11:4, "Riches profit not in the day of wrath").... [ Continue Reading ]
_DESIRE NOT THE NIGHT, WHEN PEOPLE ARE CUT OFF IN THEIR PLACE._ Desire - pant for х_ TISH'AP_ (H7602)]. Job had wished for death, (Job 3:3, etc.) NIGHT - (John 9:4). WHEN, _ Lª-_ - whereby, or wherein; literally, for the purpose. CUT OFF - literally, ascend, as the grain cut and lifted upon t... [ Continue Reading ]
_TAKE HEED, REGARD NOT INIQUITY: FOR THIS HAST THOU CHOSEN RATHER THAN AFFLICTION._ Regard - literally, turn thyself to. INIQUITY - namely, presumptuous speaking against God (Job 34:5, and above Job 36:17, note). RATHER THAN - to bear "affliction" with pious patience. Men think it an alleviatio... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, GOD EXALTETH BY HIS POWER: WHO TEACHETH LIKE HIM?_ God is not to be impiously arraigned, but to be praised for His might, shown in His works. EXALTETH - rather х_ YASGIYB_ (H7682)], doeth lofty things; shows His exalted power (Umbreit). (Psalms 21:13.) TEACHETH - (Psalms 94:12, etc.) Th... [ Continue Reading ]
_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; Psal... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR HE MAKETH SMALL THE DROPS OF WATER: THEY POUR DOWN RAIN ACCORDING TO THE VAPOUR THEREOF:_ The marvelous formation of rain (so Job 5:9; Job 37:13). MAKETH SMALL - rather, 'He draweth (up) to Him; He attracts х_ YªGAARA`_ (H1639) - literally, draws off] (from the earth below) the drops of water... [ Continue Reading ]
_ALSO CAN ANY UNDERSTAND THE SPREADINGS OF THE CLOUDS, OR THE NOISE OF HIS TABERNACLE?_ Spreadings ... - the canopy of thick clouds which covers the heavens in a storm (Psalms 105:39). THE NOISE (CRASHING) OF HIS TABERNACLE - namely, thunder; God being poetically said to have His pavilion amidst... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, HE SPREADETH HIS LIGHT UPON IT, AND COVERETH THE BOTTOM OF THE SEA._ Light - lightning. IT - His tabernacle. The light, in an instant spread over the vast mass of dark clouds, forms a striking picture. "Spread" is repeated from Job 36:29, to form an antithesis, 'He spreads not only cloud... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR BY THEM JUDGETH HE THE PEOPLE; HE GIVETH MEAT IN ABUNDANCE._ These (rain and lightnings) are marvelous, and not to be understood (Job 36:29), yet necessary: "For by them He judgeth (chastiseth on the one hand), etc., (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat" (food), etc. (Job 37:13; Job 38:2... [ Continue Reading ]
_WITH CLOUDS HE COVERETH THE LIGHT; AND COMMANDETH IT NOT TO SHINE BY THE CLOUD THAT COMETH BETWIXT._ Rather, 'He covereth (both) His hands with light (lightning, Job 37:3, margin: literally, 'upon both hands He spreads light as a covering' х_ `AL_ (H5921) _ KANPOWT_ (H3671], and giveth it a command... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE NOISE THEREOF SHEWETH CONCERNING IT, THE CATTLE ALSO CONCERNING THE VAPOUR._ Noise - `He revealeth it (literally, announceth concerning it) to His friend (antithesis to adversary, Job 36:32: so the Hebrew х_ REE`OW_ (H7452), from _ REEA`_ (H7453), a friend] is translated, Job 2:11): also to ca... [ Continue Reading ]