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Wisdom & Poetry · Old Testament

Job 36

Job 36: Elihu speaks on God's behalf about discipline and greatness

General context

Elihu proceeds, asking Job to bear with him, since he has more to say on God's behalf; his words will not be false, and one perfect in knowledge is with Job. God is mighty and despises no one; he does not preserve the wicked but gives right to the poor, and sets the righteous with kings on the throne. If they are bound in fetters and cords of affliction, he shows them their transgressions and opens their ear to discipline, commanding them to return from iniquity. If they obey, they spend their days in prosperity; if not, they perish by the sword. Hypocrites in heart heap up wrath and do not cry when bound; they die in youth. God delivers the poor in affliction. So too, Elihu says, God would have moved Job from the strait into a broad place with a full table, but Job has fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, and justice takes hold of him. He warns Job to beware lest God take him away with a stroke, when no ransom, riches or gold could deliver him; not to desire the night when people are cut off; and not to regard iniquity, which Job has chosen over affliction. God exalts by his power; who teaches like him, and who can say he has done wrong? Job should magnify God's work, which all men behold. God is great and unknown, his years beyond search. He makes the drops of water small and the clouds pour rain on man; none can understand the spreading of the clouds or the noise of his tabernacle. He spreads his light and covers the sea; by these he judges the people and gives food. He covers the light with clouds, and the noise and the cattle tell of its coming.

Cited passages: Job 36:1, Job 36:2, Job 36:3, Job 36:4, Job 36:5, Job 36:6, Job 36:7, Job 36:8, Job 36:9, Job 36:10, Job 36:11, Job 36:12, Job 36:13, Job 36:14, Job 36:15, Job 36:16, Job 36:17, Job 36:18, Job 36:19, Job 36:20, Job 36:21, Job 36:22, Job 36:23, Job 36:24, Job 36:26, Job 36:27, Job 36:29, Job 36:30, Job 36:31, Job 36:32, Job 36:33

Job 36 (KJV)

1Elihu also proceeded, and said,

2Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that I have yet to speak on God’s behalf.

3I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

4For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.

5Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he is mighty in strength and wisdom.

6He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the poor.

7He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

8And if they be bound in fetters, and be holden in cords of affliction;

9Then he sheweth them their work, and their transgressions that they have exceeded.

10He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandeth that they return from iniquity.

11If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures.

12But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and they shall die without knowledge.

13But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them.

14They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.

15He delivereth the poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression.

16Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad place, where there is no straitness; and that which should be set on thy table should be full of fatness.

17But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold on thee.

18Because there is wrath, beware lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver thee.

19Will he esteem thy riches? no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

20Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.

21Take heed, regard not iniquity: for this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.

22Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

23Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity?

24Remember that thou magnify his work, which men behold.

25Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

26Behold, God is great, and we know him not, neither can the number of his years be searched out.

27For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain according to the vapour thereof:

28Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle?

30Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottom of the sea.

31For by them judgeth he the people; he giveth meat in abundance.

32With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it not to shine by the cloud that cometh betwixt.

33The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle also concerning the vapour.

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Historical context

The heading marks Elihu's fourth speech, and he says at the outset that he speaks "on God’s behalf." That is Elihu's description of his own role; the chapter contains no narration and no word from God, and the claim that "he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee" is Elihu's. His statement that Job "hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked" and has chosen iniquity "rather than affliction" is his own judgment of Job, which Job's oath in chapter 31 contradicts; the chapter does not adjudicate between them. The teaching that affliction shows the righteous their transgressions and that obedience brings prosperity is Elihu's, stated in general terms about "they" before being applied to Job with "thou." The warning about a ransom that cannot deliver picks up Elihu's own earlier word about a ransom that does. "Kings" and "the throne" are general, with no king named. The description of rain, clouds, light and sea in the last verses is Elihu's and runs on into the next chapter without a break.

Cited passages: Job 36:1, Job 36:2, Job 36:4, Job 36:17, Job 36:21, Job 31:6, Job 36:9, Job 36:18, Job 33:24, Job 36:7, Job 36:27

Literary context

The speech has two movements. The first is a doctrine of discipline: God binds the righteous in fetters, shows them their transgressions, opens their ear, and the outcome divides on obedience, prosperity or the sword. "Even so" then turns the general case onto Job, and the tone sharpens: Job has fulfilled the judgment of the wicked, should beware the stroke, and has chosen iniquity over affliction. The second movement begins at "Behold, God exalteth by his power" and turns to weather: drops of water, rain, clouds, the noise of his tabernacle, light spread and light covered. Several lines pick up Job's own words. Job had said God cast him into the mire; Elihu says God would have brought him "out of the strait into a broad place" with a full table. The opening pledge that "my words shall not be false" and the claim to speak on God's behalf come just before the chapters in which the Lord himself answers.

Cited passages: Job 36:8, Job 36:10, Job 36:11, Job 36:12, Job 36:16, Job 36:17, Job 36:22, Job 36:29, Job 36:32, Job 30:19, Job 36:19, Job 36:4, Job 36:2

Key moments

  1. On God's behalf (Job 36:2). Elihu claims he still has more to say for God and asks Job's patience.
  2. God despises none (Job 36:5). Elihu says God is mighty in strength and wisdom and despises no one.
  3. Fetters that teach (Job 36:9). Elihu says affliction is how God shows the righteous their transgressions.
  4. Obey or perish (Job 36:11). Elihu sets prosperity for the obedient against the sword for the disobedient.
  5. Judgment of the wicked (Job 36:17). Elihu tells Job he has fulfilled the wicked man's judgment and is held by justice.
  6. Who teaches like him? (Job 36:22). Elihu turns to God's power and asks who can accuse him of wrong.
  7. Rain and clouds (Job 36:27). Elihu describes God making the drops of water and pouring rain through the clouds.

For reflection

Elihu says God would have moved Job from the strait into a broad place, but Job chose iniquity over affliction. Job has heard nothing yet from God himself. On what basis does Elihu know what God would have done?

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