5 Lo, ùGod is mighty, but despiseth not [any]; mighty in strength of understanding:
For he hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; neither hath he hid his face from him: but when he cried unto him, he heard.
The Almighty, we cannot find him out: excellent in power, and in judgment, and in abundance of justice, he doth not afflict.
Great is our Lord, and of great power: his understanding is infinite.
He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his understanding.
Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
Doth it please thee to oppress, that thou shouldest despise the work of thy hands, and shine upon the counsel of the wicked?
With him is wisdom and might; he hath counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaketh down, and it is not built again; he shutteth up a man, and there is no opening. Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; and he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth. With him is strength and effectual knowledge; the deceived and the deceiver are his.
He stirreth up the sea by his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through Rahab. By his Spirit the heavens are adorned; his hand hath formed the fleeing serpent. Lo, these are the borders of his ways; but what a whisper of a word do we hear of him! And the thunder of his power, who can understand?
If I have despised the cause of my bondman or of my bondmaid, when they contended with me,
great in counsel and mighty in work, whose eyes are open upon all the ways of the children of men, to give every one according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings:
but to those that [are] called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ God's power and God's wisdom. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that [there are] not many wise according to flesh, not many powerful, not many high-born. But God has chosen the foolish things of the world, that he may put to shame the wise; and God has chosen the weak things of the world, that he may put to shame the strong things; and the ignoble things of the world, and the despised, has God chosen, [and] things that are not, that he may annul the things that are;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 36
Commentary on Job 36 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 36
Elihu, having largely reproved Job for some of his unadvised speeches, which Job had nothing to say in the vindication of, here comes more generally to set him to rights in his notions of God's dealings with him. His other friends had stood to it that, because he was a wicked man, therefore his afflictions were so great and so long. But Elihu only maintained that the affliction was sent for his trial, and that therefore it was lengthened out because Job was not, as yet, thoroughly humbled under it, nor had duly accommodated himself to it. He urges many reasons, taken from the wisdom and righteousness of God, his care of his people, and especially his greatness and almighty power, with which, in this and the following chapter, he persuades him to submit to the hand of God. Here we have,
This he prosecutes and enlarges upon in the following chapter.
Job 36:1-4
Once more Elihu begs the patience of the auditory, and Job's particularly, for he has not said all that he has to say, but he will not detain them long. Stand about me a little (so some read it), v. 2. "Let me have your attendance, your attention, awhile longer, and I will speak but this once, as plainly and as much to the purpose as I can.' To gain this he pleads,
Job 36:5-14
Elihu, being to speak on God's behalf, and particularly to ascribe righteousness to his Maker, here shows that the disposals of divine Providence are all, not only according to the eternal counsels of his will, but according to the eternal rules of equity. God acts as a righteous governor, for,
Job 36:15-23
Elihu here comes more closely to Job; and,
Job 36:24-33
Elihu is here endeavouring to possess Job with great and high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him into a cheerful submission to his providence.