Job36chapter 36

Job 36:1-4

Elihu asks a last hearing, suffer me a little, and promises to speak on God's behalf, I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. Gill reads the phrase as Elihu reaching beyond the friends' worn arguments for a wider view of providence, which the chapters that follow bear out in the weather imagery. Henry notes the claim of verse 4, he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee, as bold self-assurance that the coming whirlwind speeches will answer on their own terms rather than confirm.

Job 36:5-12

Elihu states his governing theme, God is mighty, and despiseth not any, then traces two roads a sufferer may walk: the afflicted who are shown their transgression and open their ear to discipline prosper, while those who obey not perish by the sword and die without knowledge. Barnes reads this as Elihu's chastening theory of suffering, correction meant to be heard rather than punishment merely endured, offered as his own answer to what the friends called retribution. Delitzsch notes that Elihu applies the same pattern to kings on thrones (verse 7) and to the fettered and afflicted (verse 8) alike, providence disciplining every rank the same way.

Job 36:13-21

Elihu warns Job directly that he has fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, and urges him from the strait into a broad place he might yet reach if he lays down complaint. Clarke reads verse 18 as a caution against letting wrath at God's dealings become itself the sin that forfeits deliverance, a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Wesley takes desire not the night at verse 20 as a warning against wishing for death or for calamity on others, the very desire Job voiced in chapter 3.

Job 36:22-26

The argument turns from correction to doxology, God exalteth by his power, who teacheth like him, a question no answer in the book will ever supply but God's own. Henry reads who hath enjoined him his way at verse 23 as Elihu anticipating the whirlwind's own method, an appeal to God's unaccountable greatness rather than a further reckoning of Job's case. Verse 26 is the hinge into the storm that follows, behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out, and Delitzsch notes that Elihu's language of clouds and light in the verses just after moves the speech itself toward the weather the whirlwind will soon speak from.

Job 36:27-33

The rain cycle opens the weather catalogue that runs into the next chapter: he maketh small the drops of water, they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof, which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly. Delitzsch reads by them judgeth he the people at verse 31 as rain doing double duty, both feeding and disciplining nations, the same government Elihu has just been describing over Job himself. Gill notes the thunder named at the chapter's close, the noise thereof sheweth concerning it, as Elihu's speech being overtaken by the very storm he is describing, the whirlwind now audible before it speaks.