1And Elihu went on to say, 2Give me a little more time, and I will make it clear to you; for I have still something to say for God. 3I will get my knowledge from far, and I will give righteousness to my Maker. 4For truly my words are not false; one who has all knowledge is talking with you. 5Truly, God gives up the hard-hearted, and will not give life to the sinner. 6His eyes are ever on the upright, and he gives to the crushed their right; 7Lifting them up to the seat of kings, and making them safe for ever. 8And if they have been prisoned in chains, and taken in cords of trouble, 9Then he makes clear to them what they have done, even their evil works in which they have taken pride. 10Their ear is open to his teaching, and he gives them orders so that their hearts may be turned from evil. 11If they give ear to his voice, and do his word, then he gives them long life, and years full of pleasure. 12But if not, they come to their end, and give up their breath without knowledge. 13Those who have no fear of God keep wrath stored up in their hearts; they give no cry for help when they are made prisoners. 14They come to their end while they are still young, their life is short like that of those who are used for sex purposes in the worship of their gods. 15He makes the wrong done to the poor the way of their salvation, opening their ears by their trouble. 16... 17... 18... 19... 20... 21Take care not to be turned to sin, for you have taken evil for your part in place of sorrow. 22Truly God is lifted up in strength; who is a ruler like him? 23Who ever gave orders to him, or said to him, You have done wrong? 24See that you give praise to his work, about which men make songs. 25All people are looking on it; man sees it from far. 26Truly, God is great, greater than all our knowledge; the number of his years may not be searched out. 27For he takes up the drops from the sea; he sends them through his mist as rain, 28Flowing down from the sky, and dropping on the peoples. 29And who has knowledge of how the clouds are stretched out, or of the thunders of his tent? 30See, he is stretching out his mist, covering the tops of the mountains with it. 31For by these he gives food to the peoples, and bread in full measure. 32He takes the light in his hands, sending it against the mark. 33The thunder makes clear his passion, and the storm gives news of his wrath.
Matthew Henry's Commentary
Elihu desires Job's attention. (1-4) The methods in which God deals with men. (5-14) Elihu counsels Job. (15-23) The wonders in the works of creation. (24-33) 1-4 Elihu only maintained that the affliction was sent for his trial; and lengthened because Job was not yet thoroughly humbled under it. He sought to ascribe righteousness to his Maker; to clear this truth, that God is righteous in all his ways. Such knowledge must be learned from the word and Spirit of God, for naturally we are estranged from it. The fitness of Elihu's discourse to the dispute between Job and his friends is plain. It pointed out to Job the true reason of those trials with which he had been pointed out to Job the true reason of those trials with which he had been visited. It taught that God had acted in mercy towards him, and the spiritual benefit he was to derive from them. It corrected the mistake of his friends, and showed that Job's calamities were for good. 5-14 Elihu here shows that God acts as righteous Governor. He is always ready to defend those that are injured. If our eye is ever toward God in duty, his eye will be ever upon us in mercy, and, when we are at the lowest, will not overlook us. God intends, when he afflicts us, to discover past sins to us, and to bring them to our remembrance. Also, to dispose our hearts to be taught: affliction makes people willing to learn, through the grace of God working with and by it. And further, to deter us from sinning for the future. It is a command, to have no more to do with sin. If we faithfully serve God, we have the promise of the life that now is, and the comforts of it, as far as is for God's glory and our good: and who would desire them any further? We have the possession of inward pleasures, the great peace which those have that love God's law. If the affliction fail in its work, let men expect the furnace to be heated till they are consumed. Those that die without knowledge, die without grace, and are undone for ever. See the nature of hypocrisy; it lies in the heart: that is for the world and the flesh, while perhaps the outside seems to be for God and religion. Whether sinners die in youth, or live long to heap up wrath, their case is dreadful. The souls of the wicked live after death, but it is in everlasting misery. 15-23 Elihu shows that Job caused the continuance of his own trouble. He cautions him not to persist in frowardness. Even good men need to be kept to their duty by the fear of God's wrath; the wisest and best have enough in them to deserve his stroke. Let not Job continue his unjust quarrel with God and his providence. And let us never dare to think favourably of sin, never indulge it, nor allow ourselves in it. Elihu thinks Job needed this caution, he having chosen rather to gratify his pride and humour by contending with God, than to mortify them by submitting, and accepting the punishment. It is absurd for us to think to teach Him who is himself the Fountain of light, truth, knowledge, and instruction. He teaches by the Bible, and that is the best book; teaches by his Son, and he is the best Master. He is just in all proceedings. 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, which the beasts are not, therefore they ought to give him the glory. But while the worker of iniquity ought to tremble, the true believer should rejoice. Children should hear with pleasure their Father's voice, even when he speaks in terror to his enemies. There is no light but there may be a cloud to intercept it. The light of the favour of God, the light of his countenance, the most blessed light of all, even that light has many a cloud. The clouds of our sins cause the Lord to his face, and hinder the light of his loving-kindness from shining on our souls.