Job 36

1 Y AñADIO Eliú, y dijo:

2 Espérame un poco, y enseñarte he; Porque todavía tengo razones en orden á Dios.

3 Tomaré mi noticia de lejos, Y atribuiré justicia á mi Hacedor.

4 Porque de cierto no son mentira mis palabras; Contigo está el que es íntegro en sus conceptos.

5 He aquí que Dios es grande, mas no desestima á nadie; Es poderoso en fuerza de sabiduría.

6 No otorgará vida al impío, Y á los afligidos dará su derecho.

7 No quitará sus ojos del justo; Antes bien con los reyes los pondrá en solio para siempre, Y serán ensalzados.

8 Y si estuvieren prendidos en grillos, Y aprisionados en las cuerdas de aflicción,

9 El les dará á conocer la obra de ellos, Y que prevalecieron sus rebeliones.

10 Despierta además el oído de ellos para la corrección, Y díce les que se conviertan de la iniquidad.

11 Si oyeren, y le sirvieren, Acabarán sus días en bien, y sus años en deleites.

12 Mas si no oyeren, serán pasados á cuchillo, Y perecerán sin sabiduría.

13 Empero los hipócritas de corazón lo irritarán más, Y no clamarán cuando él los atare.

14 Fallecerá el alma de ellos en su mocedad, Y su vida entre los sodomitas.

15 Al pobre librará de su pobreza, Y en la aflicción despertará su oído.

16 Asimismo te apartaría de la boca de la angustia A lugar espacioso, libre de todo apuro; Y te asentará mesa llena de grosura.

17 Mas tú has llenado el juicio del impío, En vez de sustentar el juicio y la justicia.

18 Por lo cual teme que en su ira no te quite con golpe, El cual no puedas apartar de ti con gran rescate.

19 ¿Hará él estima de tus riquezas, ni del oro, Ni de todas las fuerzas del poder?

20 No anheles la noche, En que desaparecen los pueblos de su lugar.

21 Guárdate, no tornes á la iniquidad; Pues ésta escogiste más bien que la aflicción.

22 He aquí que Dios es excelso con su potencia; ¿Qué enseñador semejante á él?

23 ¿Quién le ha prescrito su camino? ¿Y quién le dirá: Iniquidad has hecho?

24 Acuérdate de engrandecer su obra, La cual contemplan los hombres.

25 Los hombres todos la ven; Mírala el hombre de lejos.

26 He aquí, Dios es grande, y nosotros no le conocemos; Ni se puede rastrear el número de sus años.

27 El reduce las gotas de las aguas, Al derramarse la lluvia según el vapor;

28 Las cuales destilan las nubes, Goteando en abundancia sobre los hombres.

29 ¿Quién podrá tampoco comprender la extensión de las nubes, Y el sonido estrepitoso de su pabellón?

30 He aquí que sobre él extiende su luz, Y cobija con ella las raíces de la mar.

31 Bien que por esos medios castiga á los pueblos, A la multitud da comida.

32 Con las nubes encubre la luz, Y mándale no brillar, interponiendo aquéllas.

33 Tocante á ella anunciará el trueno, su compañero, Que hay acumulación de ira sobre el que se eleva.

Job 36 Commentary

Chapter 36

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)

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Verses 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.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 36

This chapter, with the following, contains Elihu's fourth and last discourse, the principal view of which is to vindicate the righteousness of God; which is done by observing the dealings of God with men in his providence, according to their different characters, and from the wonderful works wrought by him in a sovereign manner, and for the benefit of his creatures. This chapter is introduced with a preface, the design of which is to gain attention, Job 36:1-4; the different dealings of God with men are observed, and the different issue of them, and the different ends answered thereby, Job 36:5-15; and it is suggested to Job, that had he attended to the design of the providence he was under, and had submitted to it patiently, things would have been otherwise with him; and therefore Elihu proceeds to give him some advice, which, if taken, would be for his own good, and the glory of God, Job 36:16-25; and closes the chapter by observing the unsearchable greatness of God, as appears by the works of nature wrought by him, Job 36:26-33.