Jamieson, Fausset & Brown

Surely you have spoken in my hearing, and I have heard these very words:

“13:23, Job had acknowledged sin; but the general spirit of his words was to maintain himself to be "clean," and to charge God with injustice. He went too far on the opposite side in opposing the friends' false charge of hypocrisy.”

Why do you complain to Him that He answers nothing a man asks?

“(Isa 45:9). his matters--ways. Our part is, not to "strive" with God, but to submit. To believe it is right because He does it, not because we see all the reasons for His doing it.”

For God speaks in one way and in another, yet no one notices.

“Translate, "Yet, man regardeth it not"; or rather, as UMBREIT, "Yea, twice (He repeats the warning)--if man gives no heed" to the first warning.”

He opens their ears and terrifies them with warnings

“Literally, "sealeth (their ears) to Himself by warnings," that is, with the sureness and secrecy of a seal He reveals His warnings [UMBREIT]. To seal up securely (Job 37:7).”

A man is also chastened on his bed with pain and constant distress in his bones,

“When man does not heed warnings of the night, he is chastened, &c. The new thought suggested by Elihu is that affliction is disciplinary (Job 36:10); for the good of the godly. multitude--so the Margin, Hebrew (Keri).”

His flesh wastes away from sight, and his hidden bones protrude.

“His flesh once prominent "can no more be seen." His bones once not seen now appear prominent. stick out--literally, "are bare." The Margin, Hebrew (Keri) reading. The text (Chetib) reads it a noun "(are become) bareness."”

Yet if there is a messenger on his side, one mediator in a thousand, to tell a man what is right for him,

“"One among a thousand" is a man rarely to be found. So Jesus Christ (So 5:10). Elihu, the God-sent mediator of a temporal deliverance, is a type of the God-man Jesus Christ the Mediator of eternal deliverance: "the messenger of the covenant" (Mal 3:1).”

to be gracious to him and say, ‘Spare him from going down to the Pit; I have found his ransom,’

“Jesus Christ could not but have found it, but still His seeking it was needed [BENGEL], (Lu 15:8). God the Father, is the Finder (Ps 89:19). Jesus Christ the Redeemer, to whom He saith, Redeem (so Hebrew) him from going, &c.”

He prays to God and finds favor; he sees God’s face and shouts for joy, and God restores His righteousness to that man.

“Joh 17:24). his--God's righteousness--God will again make the restored Job no longer ("I perverted . . . right," Job 33:27) doubt God's justice, but to justify Him in His dealings. The penitent justifies God (Ps 51:4).”

He keeps company with evildoers and walks with wicked men.

“Job virtually goes in company (makes common cause) with the wicked, by taking up their sentiments (Job 9:22, 23, 30; 21:7-15), or at least by saying, that those who act on such sentiments are unpunished (Mal 3:14).”

who says to kings, ‘You are worthless!’ and to nobles, ‘You are wicked,’

“Literally, (Is it fit) to be said to a king? It would be a gross outrage to reproach thus an earthly monarch, much more the King of kings (Ex 22:28).”

For God need not examine a man further or have him approach for judgment.

“Better, as UMBREIT, "He does not (needs not to) regard (as in Job 34:14; Isa 41:20) man long (so Hebrew, Ge 46:29) in order that he may go (be brought by God) into judgment." Literally, "lest his (attention) upon men" (Job 11:10, 11).”

Therefore, He recognizes their deeds; He overthrows them in the night and they are crushed.

“He knows their works, without a formal investigation (Job 34:24). in the night--suddenly, unexpectedly (Job 34:20). Fitly in the night, as it was in it that the godless hid themselves (Job 34:22).”

He strikes them for their wickedness in full view,

“He striketh them--chasteneth. as--that is, because they are wicked. sight of others--Sinners hid themselves in darkness; therefore they are punished before all, in open day.”

Suppose someone says to God, ‘I have endured my punishment; I will offend no more.

“UMBREIT and MAURER lose this by translating, as the Hebrew will bear, "Has any a right to say to God, I have borne chastisement and yet have not sinned?" (so Job 34:6). borne--namely, the penalty of sin, as in Le 5:1, 17.”

Should God repay you on your own terms when you have disavowed His? You must choose, not I; so tell me what you know.

“Rather, "should God recompense (sinners) according to thy mind? Then it is for thee to reject and to choose, and not me" [UMBREIT]; or as MAURER, "For thou hast rejected God's way of recompensing; state therefore thy way, for thou must choose, not I," that…”

If only Job were tried to the utmost for answering like a wicked man.

“Margin, not so well, "My father," Elihu addressing God. This title does not elsewhere occur in Job. tried--by calamities. answers for wicked men--(See on Job 34:8). Trials of the godly are not removed until they produce the effect designed.”

“Do you think this is just? You say, ‘I am more righteous than God.’

“25:4: "I am righteous (literally, my righteousness is) before God." The English Version, however, agrees with Job 9:17; Job 4:17 is susceptible of either rendering. Elihu means Job said so, not in so many words, but virtually.”

For you ask, ‘What does it profit me, and what benefit do I gain apart from sin?’

“Rather, explanatory of "this" in Job 35:2, "That thou sayest (to thyself, as if a distinct person) What advantage is it (thy integrity) to thee? What profit have I (by integrity) more than (I should have) by my sin?"”

Look to the heavens and see; gaze at the clouds high above you. If you sin, what do you accomplish against Him?

“Elihu like Eliphaz (Job 22:2, 3, 12) shows that God is too exalted in nature to be susceptible of benefit or hurt from the righteousness or sin of men respectively; it is themselves that they benefit by righteousness, or hurt by sin.”

Men cry out under great oppression; they plead for relief from the arm of the mighty.

“(Ec 4:1.) Elihu states in Job's words (Job 24. 20) the difficulty; the "cries" of "the oppressed" not being heard might lead man to think that wrongs are not punished by Him.”

But no one asks, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives us songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser…

“But the reason is that the innocent sufferers often do not humbly seek God for succor; so to their "pride" is to be laid the blame of their ruin; also because (Job 35:13-16) they, as Job, instead of waiting God's time in pious trust, are…”

who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?’

“Man's spirit, which distinguishes him from the brute, is the strongest proof of God's beneficence; by the use of it we may understand that God is the Almighty helper of all sufferers who humbly seek Him; and that they err who do not so seek…”

How much less, then, when you say that you do not see Him, that your case is before Him and you must wait for Him,

“But the Hebrew favors MAURER, "How much less (will God . . . regard, Job 35:13), since thou sayest, that He does not regard thee." So in Job 4:19. Thus Elihu alludes to Job's words (Job 19:7; 30:20).”

and further, that in His anger He has not punished or taken much notice of folly!

“MAURER translates: "Because His anger hath not visited (hath not immediately punished Job for his impious complaints), nor has He taken strict (great) cognizance of his folly (sinful speeches); therefore," &c. For "folly," UMBREIT translates with the Rabbins, "multitude."”