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Job Chapter
Thirty-five
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 35
Is
this chapter Elihu goes on to charge Job with other unbecoming speeches
which
he undertakes to refute; as that he had represented his cause more just than
God's
and religion and righteousness as things unprofitable to men
only to
God; to which Elihu takes upon him to make answer
Job 35:1; and that
the cries of the oppressed were not heard by the Lord
so as to give occasion
to songs of praise and thankfulness
to which he replies
Job 35:9; and that
Job had expressed diffidence and despair of ever seeing and enjoying the favour
of God
which he endeavours to remove
Job 35:14.
Job 35:1 Moreover
Elihu answered and said:
YLT
1And Elihu answereth and
saith: --
Elihu spake moreover
and said. Elihu very probably
paused awhile
and waited to observe whether any of the company would rise up
and either contradict and refute what he had said
or declare their assent unto
it and approbation of it; or rather to see whether Job would make any reply or
not; but perceiving no inclination in him to it
he proceeded to take notice of
some other undue expressions of Job
and refute them; one of which is observed
in Job 35:2
and the
proof of it given in Job 35:3.
Job 35:2 2 “Do you think this is
right? Do you say
‘My righteousness is more than God’s’?
YLT
2This hast thou reckoned for
judgment: Thou hast said -- `My righteousness [is] more than God's?'
Thinkest thou this to be right
.... Elihu appeals to Job
himself
to his conscience and reason; who as a natural man
guided by the
light of nature and reason only
and judging according to the dictates of a
natural conscience
and especially as a good man
one that feared God
and had
so much knowledge of him and his perfections
as his speeches showed
could
never upon reflection think it right what he had said concerning God and his
justice
as follows:
that thou saidst
my righteousness is more than God's? A strange expression
this indeed! but what is to be understood not of his personal righteousness;
Job in his senses could never say that this was more or greater than God's
or
to be above it and preferred to it in any sense; nor even of righteousness
imputed. Old Testament saints had the righteousness of Christ imputed to them
and were justified by it; and so Job
who had knowledge of and faith in Christ
as his living Redeemer
and the Lord his righteousness: but then though this is
the righteousness of God
wrought out by one that is God as well as man
and
approved and accepted of by God
and imputed by him to his people
which is
revealed in the Gospel
and is unto all
and upon all them that believe
and
they are made the righteousness of God in Christ; yet this cannot be more than
the righteousness of God: besides it is not the essential righteousness of
Christ as God
as Osiander dreamed
by which men are justified
but his
obedience
active and passive
as Mediator
otherwise they would be deified who
are justified by it; and if even so absurd a notion as this could obtain
it
would not be more of man than the righteousness of God: much less can this be
interpreted of Job's inherent righteousness
or the new man which is created in
righteousness and true holiness; since all the holiness and righteousness that
is in man is from God
and at present imperfect
and therefore cannot be more
or greater than his; and still less can this be meant of Job's external
righteousness
which
how great soever
was not perfect and without sin;
whereas God is just and without iniquity. But there is not a just man that does
good and sins not. This therefore must be understood of the righteousness of
his cause; and to say that this was more than God's was what he ought not to
have said
and more than became him to say: for though a good man may defend
himself against the calumnies of his enemies
by asserting his own
righteousness
innocence
and integrity
and may desire the Lord to plead his
cause against them
and judge him according to his righteousness and the
integrity of his heart; but to attempt to make it out
that his cause is more
righteous than the Lord's
is doing an ill thing. Now though Job had not
expressed this in so many words
yet he had said that from whence this might by
consequence be deduced; he had given great occasion for such an inference to be
drawn from his speeches; for since he had spoken so largely of his innocence
and integrity
and holy life
and of the hard usage nevertheless he had met
with from God; and had represented his own case
as if he had behaved so well
as to deserve better treatment at the hand of God than to be afflicted in the
manner he was; that he had wrong done him
and complained of it
and could not
be heard; his judgment was taken from him by the Lord; which was in effect to
say
that his cause was better than the Lord's
and would bear a stricter
examination than his; which to say was
exceeding bad and unbecoming; see Job 16:17.
Job 35:3 3 For you say
‘What
advantage will it be to You? What profit shall I have
more than if I
had sinned?’
YLT
3For thou sayest
`What doth
it profit Thee! What do I profit from my sin?'
For thou saidst
what advantage will it be unto thee?.... Meaning
that his righteousness
his holy life and conversation
were of no avail to
him: he received no more benefit by being righteous than if he was wicked
since
God destroyed one as well as another; and since his righteousness did not
secure him from afflictions and calamities
it was of no advantage to him; he
had not said so in so many words
but it is inferred from what he had said
Job 9:22. Man's own
righteousness is of no advantage to him as to justification before God
and
acceptance with him
nor in the business of salvation
or with respect to
heaven and happiness
so as to give a right and title to it; bat is of great
advantage in other respects; is for self-defence against the imputations and
calumnies of wicked men; it makes a man honourable and respectable among men
when to live a vicious course of life is scandalous and reproachful; it gives
pleasure and satisfaction to the mind
the testimony of a good conscience is
matter of rejoicing; and such a man is free from the racks and tortures of an
evil conscience others are distressed with; besides
good works are an evidence
of the truth and genuineness of faith to others
and ornament the doctrines of
the Gospel and a profession of them: and though a righteous man may be
afflicted as others
yet in a different manner
in love and not in wrath
and
always for his good;
and
what profit shall one
have
if I be cleansed from my sin? The words
"if I be
cleansed"
are a supplement
and seem necessary; so Mr. Broughton
supplies. Sin is of a defiling nature
yet man may be cleansed from it
not by
anything he can do
but only by the grace of. God and blood of Christ; and from
such a cleansing profit arises. This fits a man for the service and worship of
God
and for communion with him; gives him peace of mind
and makes him meet
for heaven. This Job had not expressly said
and not at all in this sense
but
it seems to be inferred from Job 9:29; where he
is speaking of outward purity of life
and yet was plunged into the ditch of
afflictions. Some render the words to this sense
as if there was no profit
"by expiation of atonement for sin"F21מחטאתי
"de expiatione mea"
Mercerus
&c. "in expiando
peccatum"
Grotius; חטאה "pro piaculo
venit"
Cocceius; so Simeon Bar Tzemach in loc. ; the same word signifying
both sin and atonement for it: there is none but by the blood and sacrifice of
Christ
and much profit arises from that; pardon of sin proceeds upon it
and
this furnishes out much solid peace
joy
and comfort
Romans 5:10.
Others
what profit by punishment for sinF23"Supplicio
meo"
Junius & Tremellius; "mucta pro illo aut poena"
Cocceius; "ex poena peccati mei"
Drusius; so Ben Gersom.
unless to
God? so sin is sometimes put for punishment; or through leaving sin and
repenting of itF24"Subaudi relicto"
so Mercerus
Drusius;
"remisso et per poenitentiam diluto"
Munster. . Now though these are
not the causes of the pardon of sin
yet it is given and applied to such who do
repent of it
confess and forsake it
Proverbs 28:13. Or
by being "without sin"F25"Absque peccato"
i.e.
"ita vivendo ut non perccom"; so some in Michaelis. : no man is
without sin; but a man may be without any gross and enormous crime he is
chargeable with
or without living a vicious course of life; and this is
profitable
as has been before observed. Jarchi's paraphrase is
"what
shall I profit more by my righteousness than by my sin?'
which
sense is followed by others: I may as well be wicked as righteous; I am not the
better for it
since I am afflicted in the manner I am: my righteousness is of
no profit to me; if to any
it is to God. To this Elihu returns an answer in
the following verses.
Job 35:4 4 “I will answer you
And
your companions with you.
YLT
4I return thee words
and
thy friends with thee
I will answer thee
and thy companions with thee. Meaning not
his three friends
as the Septuagint version expresses it; for they were not on
the side of Job
and of the same sentiment with him
but rather on the side of
Elihu; especially Eliphaz
who expresses much the same sentiment he does
Job 22:2; but all
that were of the same mind with Job
whether present or absent
or in
whatsoever part of the world; the answer he should return to him would serve
for them all
and sufficiently confute such a bad notion of God
let it be
embraced by whomsoever.
Job 35:5 5 Look to the heavens and
see; And behold the clouds—They are higher than you.
YLT
5Behold attentively the
heavens -- and see
And behold the clouds
They have been higher than thou.
Look unto the heavens
and see
.... The firmament of
heaven
in which are the sun and moon and stars:
and behold the clouds which are higher than thou; the clouds of
the air or sky
which are lower than the starry heavens
yet these were higher
than Job
and much more the starry heavens: but because the word has the
signification of "thinness"
which does not so well agree with the
clouds
which are thick substances
condensed air; some take it to be meant of
the supreme region of the heavens
which is pure and thin; so Sephorno: and Job
is directed to look to these
not as stargazers do
such as are given to
judicial astrology
to judge of the fates of men and kingdoms; but rather
thereby to be led to the contemplation of God the author of them
and the
glorious perfections of his being they display; and chiefly to observe the
height of them
that they were out of his reach
and he could neither help them
nor hurt them; that he could neither increase nor diminish the light of the
celestial bodies
which he could only behold; nor either advance or hinder
their course
nor in the least add to or abate their influence and efficacy;
and if he could neither be beneficial nor harmful to them
how was it possible
that he could be of any advantage or detriment to God
by any actions of his
good or bad
who is higher and out of sight? This is the answer Elihu in
general returned
he more particularly replies as follows.
Job 35:6 6 If you sin
what do you
accomplish against Him? Or
if your transgressions are multiplied
what
do you do to Him?
YLT
6If thou hast sinned
what
dost thou against Him? And thy transgressions have been multiplied
What dost
thou to Him?
If thou sinnest
what dost thou against him?.... Sin is
expressly said to be against God
Psalm 51:4; it is
contrary to his nature
as any opposites can be to each other: it is against
his law
a breach and violation of it; and so against his supreme legislative
power and authority
and a contempt of it; it is what he is angry with and is
provoked by
being what he hates and abhors
and is abominable in his sight.
But then he cannot be supposed to be so affected with it to be ruffled and
discomposed
or his peace be disturbed
and his happiness in the least broke in
upon; for affections are only attributed to him after the manner of men; much
less is he so affected hereby as to be hurt or in danger of being destroyed
nor even of being dethroned: men can no more reach him by any hostile action of
theirs
such as sin is
than they can reach the sun and stop its course
lessen
its light or pluck it from its orbit. Or
"what canst thou work for
him?" as Mr. Broughton; by way of atonement or satisfaction for sin?
Nothing at all; see Job 7:20; but the
other sense is best;
or if thy transgressions be multiplied
what dost thou unto
him? As he is not hurt by a slight single sin
a failing or
infirmity
an error or mistake
common to men
as the preceding word may
signify; so not by greater sins
presumptuous ones
gross enormities
rebellions against God
overt acts of treason against the Almighty
and these
multiplied and heaped up even unto heaven; for though by these the name of God
is profaned and blasphemed
and he is dishonoured and despised
and his
manifestative glory is eclipsed
or he has not the honour given him that is due
unto him; yet his essential glory is untarnished
unsullied
and unhurt
no
more than the sun by an eclipse; he is the same without any variableness or
shadow of turning
as well as is over all blessed for ever. And
indeed
his
manifestative glory in many instances receives a lustre
through his power
wisdom
and goodness
overruling the sins of men for the display of it; as the
fall of the first Adam made way for the sending of Christ the Saviour
in which
God has shown forth the exceeding riches of his grace; and as his mercy and
grace are displayed in the pardon of sin
and his power and justice in the
punishment of sin and sinners; and his patience and longsuffering in bearing
with them.
Job 35:7 7 If you are righteous
what
do you give Him? Or what does He receive from your hand?
YLT
7If thou hast been
righteous
What dost thou give to Him? Or what from thy hand doth He receive?
If thou be righteous
what givest thou him?.... All
righteousness is of God that any creatures have. What the angels in heaven
have
or Adam had in a state of innocence; or what believers in Christ have in
and from him; his righteousness imputed to them is of God; the grace of
righteousness
or holiness
imparted to them and implanted in them
is from
him; and it is under the influence of his Spirit
and by his grace and
strength
they do works of righteousness externally; and therefore can give
nothing to him of their own
nor does he need any
being God all sufficient;
even the goodness of his Son does not extend to him
but to the saints
Psalm 16:2; much
less any goodness of theirs: their best works of righteousness are due to him
and not gifts; and though they may contribute to his manifestative glory
both
in them that do them and in others that see them
they can add nothing to the
essential glory of God;
or what receiveth he of thine hand? He can receive nothing
but what he has given
or what he has a prior right to and is his due
and so
cannot be laid under any obligation to man by what he does; nor can man merit
anything at his hand
not even the least temporal mercy
and much less
spiritual ones and everlasting life: and what notice God is pleased to take of
the good works of men
in away of reward
is not of debt
but of grace
and
entirely owing to his goodness; and does not arise from any intrinsic worth in
them
or from any advantage to him by them.
Job 35:8 8 Your wickedness affects a
man such as you
And your righteousness a son of man.
YLT
8For a man like thyself [is]
thy wickedness
And for a son of man thy righteousness.
Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art
.... But not
God: a man may hurt himself by his wickedness; his body
by bringing various
diseases upon it
through debauchery and intemperance; his family and estate
by wasting it; his soul
for every sin is a wrong and injury to a man's soul
and exposes it to ruin and destruction: and sin does even a good man harm
since it breaks in upon his peace
and hinders his communion with God; and the
wickedness of men may harm others like themselves
frail
mortal
sinful
creatures
and easily led aside by ill examples; as well as there are many sins
which do injury to the persons
families
and estates of others
as murder
adultery
theft
&c. and since sin is harmful to others
God resents it
and punishes for it
though
strictly speaking
it cannot harm him in the sense
before given;
and thy righteousness may profit the son of man; may profit a
man himself (
Job 35:3)
and
others
but neither for justification before God; but godliness is profitable
to a man's self
both for this life and that to come
and good works are
profitable to other men; for what reasons they are to be performed and
maintained
see 1 Timothy 4:8. Some
are of real and direct profit to men
as acts of beneficence to them
and all as
being examples to them; but then no works of righteousness can be profitable to
God
they adding nothing to him; which is what Elihu undertook to answer to.
Job 35:9 9 “Because of the multitude
of oppressions they cry out; They cry out for help because of the arm of the
mighty.
YLT
9Because of the multitude of
oppressions They cause to cry out
They cry because of the arm of the mighty.
By reason of the multitude of oppressions
they make the
oppressed to cry
.... Which is either an illustration by an instance of what is
before said
that wickedness hurts men
as particularly oppression does
which
makes then cry; or this refers to something new
to another complaint of Job
or an undue expression of his. Elihu undertakes to answer; that men cry unto
God
as he himself had
but are not heard and answered; the place or places
referred to may be Job 24:12. To which
Elihu replies
by granting that men oppressed cry because of their oppression
and are not heard; for which reasons may be given
as in the following verses.
The poor are often oppressed by the rich
whose wealth gives them power
and
that they abuse; and the weak and feeble by the mighty; and their oppressions
are many
there is a multitude of them: men in power and authority have various
ways of oppressing others
who like the Israelites cry by reason of them
and
are made to cry by their oppressors;
they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty; which falls
with weight
and lies heavy upon them
and crushes them; meaning the power they
have
and which they abuse to the injury of them; nor are they able to help
themselves or deliver themselves out of their hands
they being mighty
if not
in body
yet through wealth; and by means of that authority over them which
gives it them: now on account of the pressure upon them
they cry
not to God
but to men: and if they cry to God
it is in a murmuring and complaining way
through impatience under their burden
through envy at the riches and power of
others
in a passionate manner
in a revengeful spirit
calling and seeking for
vengeance on their oppressors; not in an humble penitent manner
acknowledging
their sins
and owning their unworthiness to be heard and regarded
and
submitting all to the will of God: for which reasons they are not heard
their
cries and
prayers being reckoned no other than howlings
Hosea 7:14.
Job 35:10 10 But no one says
‘Where is
God my Maker
Who gives songs in the night
YLT
10And none said
`Where [is]
God my maker? Giving songs in the night
But none saith
where is God my Maker?.... Or
"Makers"F25עשי "factores
mei"; Drusius
Mercerus
Piscator
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens; so
Broughton.
as in Psalm 149:2; for
there are more concerned in the formation of man
Genesis 1:26; even
the Father
Son
and Spirit
who are the one God that has made all men
Malachi 2:10. Now
not one of the oppressed ones that cry by reason of their oppression
or very
few of them
inquire after God
seek unto him for help and deliverance from
their oppressions
or desire to enjoy him and his gracious presence under their
afflictions and distresses; and that is one reason why they are not heard: they
do not so much as consider him as the author of their beings
and be thankful
to him for them; nor as the preserver of them in their beings; nor as their
kind benefactor
who gives them all that they enjoy
and who is the disposer of
all their affairs in providence: and if they are new creatures
or are remade
they are his workmanship; and therefore should upon all accounts seek him and
submit to his will
and patiently bear all their afflictions
waiting his time
to deliver them out of them: but there are few or none that regard him in this
light
or make an inquiry after him
even though he has not only made them
but
is he
who giveth songs in the night; which respects not the
praises of the angels in the night
as the Targum; nor the shining of the moon
and stars in the night
which cause praise and thankfulness; nor the singing of
birds in the night
as of the nightingale; senses some give into: but matter
and cause of rejoicing in the night
either taken literally
as the mercies of
the day
which
when reflected upon when men come to lie down on their beds at
night
and commune with their hearts there
afford them songs of praise
see Psalm 42:8. Or the
mercies of the night
as sweet refreshing sleep
and preservation in safety
from all dangers by fire
thieves
&c. all which are of God; and
when duly
considered
will direct to encompass him with songs of deliverance
see Psalm 137:2. Or
figuratively
the night sometimes signifying a time of calamity
affliction
and distress
either on temporal or spiritual accounts; and when men seek to
him in such a night with their whole hearts
and he is pleased to visit them in
a gracious manner
and favour them with his presence and the discoveries of his
love
this occasions songs of praise to him
Isaiah 26:9. But
when men are unconcerned about and not thankful for the mercies of the day and
of the night
though these administer songs unto them
it is no wonder that
when they cry through oppression
they are not heard.
Job 35:11 11 Who teaches us more than
the beasts of the earth
And makes us wiser than the birds of heaven?’
YLT
11Teaching us more than the
beasts of the earth
Yea
than the fowl of the heavens He maketh us wiser.'
Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth?.... Who are
taught and know much
especially some of them; but not so much as man
see Isaiah 1:3;
and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? who are wise
to provide food and nests for themselves and their young; and such as are birds
of passage
as the turtledove
the crane
the stork
and the swallow
to know
the time of their coming and returning
see Jeremiah 8:7. But
then neither the beasts not; the fowls
though they are endowed with much
knowledge and sagacity
according to their natures
yet not with reason and
understanding
as men are
so as to make reflections on things they see and
hear
and reason and discourse about them; nor are they capable of being taught
and attaining to knowledge and wisdom as men are
by the works of God
of
creation
and providence; and by the word of God
the Scriptures of truth
which are able to make men wise unto salvation; and by the Spirit of God
who
teaches all things of a spiritual nature. God not only endows men with reason
but with sentiments of religion
which brutes are incapable of: he gives to men
wisdom in the hidden part; he puts in them his fear
which is the beginning of
wisdom; he makes them wise to know God in Christ
and to know his Son Jesus
Christ
whom to know is life eternal; and he gives them knowledge of a future
state
and hope of immortality and eternal life. Wherefore it becomes them to
bear afflictions and oppressions with a fortitude of mind
and patiently submit
to the will of God
and wait his time for deliverance
having called upon him
in faith
and left their case with him; but if they only cry
as the brutes do
under their burdens
it need not seem strange they are not heard and answered;
since God has given them more wisdom and knowledge than they
and therefore
should behave after another manner; though sometimes they act a part inferior
to them
Judges 1:10.
Job 35:12 12 There they cry out
but He
does not answer
Because of the pride of evil men.
YLT
12There they cry
and He doth
not answer
Because of the pride of evil doers.
There they cry
.... As brutes do
and as in
Job 35:9; by reason
of their oppressions
but not under a due sense of the hand of God upon them
nor of his being their only helper
and saviour
and deliverer;
but none giveth answer; to them
either God or
men
and they lie groaning and howling under their oppression;
because of the pride of evil men; this is either to be
connected with "they cry"
and then the sense is
that they cry by
reason of the oppressions of wicked men
who
through the pride of their
hearts
and to show their superior power and authority
persecute and distress
them
Psalm 10:2. And it
is because of this they cry out
being distressed by them
and not through any
sense of sin they have committed
as the reason of God's suffering them to be
thus oppressed: or "with none give answer"; God gives them no answer
to their cry
because pride is not withdrawn from them
which is one end he has
in afflicting men; because they are not humbled under the mighty hand of God
and are not brought to a sense of sin and humiliation for it
and
acknowledgment of it. And another reason follows:
Job 35:13 13 Surely God will not listen
to empty talk
Nor will the Almighty regard it.
YLT
13Surely vanity God doth not
hear
And the Mighty doth not behold it.
Surely God will not hear vanity
.... Or "a lie"F26שוא "falsitatem"
Beza; "mendacium"
Pagninus
Montanus.
than which nothing is more an abomination to him; if men
come to him with a lie in their mouths
they cannot expect to be heard by him;
he is only nigh to those who call upon him in truth: or that which is
"rash"F1"Quod temerarium est"
Cocceius. ; which
is rashly uttered
and in a passionate wrathful manner
savouring of a
revengeful spirit
too often the case of those that cry under oppression; see Ecclesiastes 5:2;
or vain and empty prayers
a speech of vanity
as Aben Ezra; which as to the
matter of them are about vain and empty things; only for outward mercies
worldly goods; and not for spiritual mercies
or such things as are according
to the will of God; but what are pleasing to the flesh
and sought for to
consume on the lusts of it
and therefore such prayers are not heard
Psalm 4:6; and as
to the manner of them
they are not put up in the name of Christ
nor under the
influence of the spirit of Christ
nor in the exercise of any grace
nor with
reverence of God
nor with sincerity of soul
not in faith
nor with fervency:
or "vanity" is put for vain men
as sin for sinners; such as are
proud men
and are vainly puffed up in their fleshly mind. God hears humble penitent
sinners
who find mercy with him; and humble saints
to whom he gives more
grace; but not proud Pharisees
or men not humbled by afflictions; see Luke 18:11; nor
light and empty persons
who are without God and Christ
destitute of the
spirit
devoid of all grace
and full of all unrighteousness; unstable ones
who are vanity itself
and lighter than vanity
tossed to and fro like a wave
of the sea
and double minded
James 1:6; nor men
of vain conversations
that walk in the vanity of their minds
whose words are
vain
and especially such as take the name of God in vain; and all whose
actions are vain
or such that live a vain and sinful course of life; God hears
not sinners
John 9:31;
neither will the Almighty regard it; vanity
vain prayers and
vain persons; he regards the prayer of the destitute
the lowly
and the
humble
but not the prayer of such as before described; he cannot
"look" at
itF2לא ישורנה "non intuatur illud"
Pagninus
Montanus;
"non videt illud"
Cocceius; so Michaelis and Schultens.
nor at
them: he looks to the poor and contrite
and desires to see their countenance
and hear their voice in prayer; but he is of purer eyes thou to look on vain
persons and their vain prayers; and a greater contempt cannot be shown to
petitioners and their petitions than when those to whom they apply will not so
much as look at them
but turn both a deaf ear to them
and their eyes away
from them.
Job 35:14 14 Although you say you do
not see Him
Yet justice is before Him
and you must wait for
Him.
YLT
14Yea
though thou sayest
thou dost not behold Him
Judgment [is] before Him
and stay for Him.
Although thou sayest thou shall not see him
.... Which is
another expression of Job's taken notice of by Elihu
and to which he makes
answer; he seems to refer to Job 23:3. God is
indeed invisible in his nature and essence
but is to be seen in his works of
creation and providence; which Job was acquainted with
and in which he had
seen somewhat of the glory of God
and of his divine perfections in them. See Job 9:4. And he is
to be seen in Christ by an eye of faith
and Job had trusted in him as his
salvation; and he will be seen with the beatific vision in heaven as he is
in
a more glorious and perfect manner
which Job had a full persuasion of
Job 13:15; and
therefore is not to be understood in either of those senses
but of his not
seeing him on a throne of judgment
hearing and trying his cause
judging and
acquitting him; this he had often desired
but despaired of ever seeing it; see
Job 23:4; to which
Elihu replies;
yet judgment is before
him; all things are naked and open to him
and stand clear before
him; he has perfect knowledge of what is right and wrong; no cause is unknown
to him
and needs not to be searched into by him; nor can he nor will he ever
pass a wrong judgment: he is just and true
righteous in all his ways and
works
the Judge of the whole earth
who will do right
and will plead and
judge the cause of every good man sooner or later; if not now
there is a
judgment to come with him
when all must appear before his judgment seat
and
he will render unto every man according to his works;
therefore trust thou in him
or "wait for
him"F3תחולל לו
"et expectabis eum"
Montanus; "expecta eum"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator
Mercerus; so Michaelis
Schultens. ; wait for his coming
to judgment: wait till that time comes when everything will be brought to
light
and every good man shall have praise of God. Or
as we render it
"trust in him"; God alone is the object of trust and confidence
and
happy is the man that trusts in him; he is to be trusted in for all things
both temporal
spiritual
and eternal; and particularly for this of doing justice
to his people; if not now
yet hereafter
he will render tribulation to them
that trouble them; he will right all their wrongs and avenge their injuries
and remove the rebuke that is upon them
and confess them before men and
angels
and declare them righteous
and receive them into his kingdom and
glory: and be is to be trusted in at all times
in times of adversity as well
as prosperity; and even when he is not to be seen
and the dispensations of his
providence are dark and intricate
see Isaiah 50:10; The
word used signifies such a trust
hope
and waiting
as of a woman in travail
who bears her pains patiently
holding and trusting for a safe deliverance of a
child
to the joy of her and her family.
Job 35:15 15 And now
because He has
not punished in His anger
Nor taken much notice of folly
YLT
15And
now
because there is
not
He hath appointed His anger
And He hath not known in great extremity.
But now
because it is not so
.... Because
there was not such trust
hope
patience
and quiet expectation in Job that God
would appear for him
and do him
justice openly and publicly; for though he
had hope and confidence of an interest in his living Redeemer and Saviour
and
of eternal life and happiness through him; yet not of his bringing his judgment
to the light
and of his beholding his righteousness
as he ought to have had
see Psalm 37:5;
he hath visited in his anger; corrected and chastised
in fatherly anger and displeasure
though not in wrath and vengeance
and in a
way of punishment in strict justice; but consistent with his invariable love
and free favour in Christ; being displeased at his want of faith and patience
failing in the exercise of which is oftentimes resented by the Lord
see Numbers 20:12;
yet he knoweth it not in great extremity: so stupid was
Job
that though he was in the utmost extremity of affliction
in his body
family
and substance
yet was not sensible it was his duty to trust in God
and patiently wait for him; he knew that the hand of God was upon him
and that
he had visited him in anger
and that his arrows stuck fast in him
and his
hand pressed him sore; but was insensible of the cause of the continuance of
it
his unbelief
impatience
and non-submission to the will of God. The word
for "extremity" signifies "abundance"F4בפש "in copia"
Montanus; "ad auctum
valde"
Cocceius; "prosperitatem"
De Dieu; so Patrick.
and
may be applied to an abundance and plenty of good things; and therefore some
understand it of Job's prosperity
and take the sense to be
that God took no
notice of this; it did not hinder him from visiting him
but he destroyed it
all: though Mr. Broughton
on the other hand
interprets it of the great plenty
of sorrows and distresses Job was attended with
the true cause of which he did
not advert to: someF5Tigurine version
Mercerus
Piscator; so Ben
Gersom. think the whole refers to the merciful dealings of God with Job
and
read the first clause
"know
now his anger hath visited but a little or noticing;'
the
affliction is but a light one comparatively speaking
scarce any thing at all
in comparison of what sin deserves
being abundantly less than that:
"neither
hath he made great inquisition
or inquired out the multitude'
of
sins; not strictly and severely marking them
and dealing with and for them according
to their deserts; see Ezra 9:13; with
which compare 2 Corinthians 4:17;
and therefore Job had no reason to complain of God
or of any hard usage from
him.
Job 35:16 16 Therefore Job opens his
mouth in vain; He multiplies words without knowledge.”
YLT
16And Job [with] vanity doth
open his mouth
Without knowledge words he multiplieth.
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain
.... In
uttering such unbecoming expressions
observed
and refuted
in his loud
complaints of God
and of his dealings with him
and in defence of himself;
he multiplieth words without knowledge; both against
God and in answer to others; being in a great measure ignorant of the nature
and number of his sins
and of his afflictions; and of the end of God in them
and of the right he had to lay them upon him; us well as of his duty patiently
to bear them
and trust in God
and wait his own time for deliverance out of
them; and or the truth of this he was afterwards convinced
and acknowledged
it
Job 42:3.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》