Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 35
CHAP. XXXV.
Verſ. 1. ELihu ſpake moreover, and ſaid.] See the Note chap. 34.1.
Verſ. 2. Thinkeſt thou this to be right, that thou ſaideſt, My righteouſneſse is more then Gods?] We no where find that Job ſaid this in ſo many words, nor can it be imagined that Elihu could entertain ſuch a thought of ſo righteous a man as he took Job to be, that he ſhould be ſo mad as to think that he was more righteous then God: his meaning therefore was only this, that whilſt he did ſo confidently plead his own righteouſneſſe, and ſo bitterly complain of Gods hard dealing with him, as chap. 19.6, 7. and chap. 23.3. and in many other places, it was as much in effect as if he had ſaid, that he was more juſt then God; which he urgeth, that he might be the more aſhamed of his impatience.
Verſ. 3. For thou ſaideſt, what advantage will it be unto thee? &c.] That is, Thou ſaideſt that it would be no advantage to thee, if thou wert clear from ſin; as it follows in the next clauſe, where this is expreſſed, as it were, in Jobs own words, and what profit shall I have if I be cleanſed from my ſin? According to the uſuall form of interrogations, the firſt clauſe ſhould alſo have been expreſſed thus, what advantage will it be unto me? as is the ſecond, and what profit shall I have? &c. but in the Hebrew the perſons are thus uſually changed. However the meaning is, that becauſe he had ſaid that it would be no benefit to him, though he were never ſo righteous, God laying his hand as ſorely upon the righteous as upon the wicked, herein he made himſelf more righteous then God. The very ſame Elihu had charged Job with chap. 34.9. concerning which ſee the Note there.
Verſ. 4. I will anſwer thee, and thy companions with thee.] That is, thy three friends, who by their ſilence ſeem now at length to be convinced, and to conſent to that which thou haſt ſpoken; or rather, all thoſe that are thy companions in theſe courſes, wherein thou art ſo faulty, all that ſhall ſtand upon ſuch high tearms of juſtifying themſelves, and quarrelling againſt God, as thou haſt done, though they be never ſo many. This laſt I conceive Elihu intended, becauſe it is clear, that Eliphaz had alledged the very ſame thing againſt Job chap. 22.2, 3, which Elihu doth here in the following words verſ. 6, 7.
Verſ. 5. Look unto the heavens, and ſee, and behold the clouds that are higher then thou.] The drift of theſe words is to imply, firſt, that by beholding the heavens, and conſidering the exceeding height thereof, yea even of the clouds, though nothing ſo high as the heavens, he might ſee, firſt, that God was infinite in all his excellencies, and therefore muſt needs be more righteous then he was; ſecondly, that in regard God was of ſuch infinite Majeſty and glory, it was fit that he ſhould conſider the infinite diſtance and diſproportion that was betwixt God and him, and ſo ſpeak more modeſtly and reverently of God▪ and thirdly, that if the heavens be ſo farre above mans reach, ſo high above him, that he can ſcarce ſee ſo farre, then muſt God be above his reach too, who hath the heaven for his throne, Pſal. 11.4. his dwelling-place, 1 Kings 8.30. yea much rather muſt God be above his reach, who is infinitely higher then the higheſt heavens: and ſo this makes way to that which follows, that man therefore can neither hurt God by his wickedneſſe, nor benefit God by his righteouſneſſe, verſ. 6, 7. If thou ſinneſt, what doeſt thou againſt him? &c. whereby he intimates to Job, that he had no cauſe to complain, that his piety towards God and man was not regarded by God, ſince God received no advantage thereby. The very ſame argument Eliphaz had uſed before, chap. 22.2, 3. concerning which ſee the Notes there.
Verſ. 8. Thy wickedneſſe may hurt a man as thou art, and thy righteouſneſſe may profit the ſon of man.] That is, thy wickedneſſe may hurt thy ſelf, or ſuch ſinfull poor wretches as thou art, both in regard of their outward condition and ſpirituall eſtate; and ſo alſo thy righteouſneſſe may benefit thy ſelf or others; but they cannot hurt or benefit God. And hereby he intimates, that Job had no cauſe to complain that his righteouſneſſe was not regarded of God, ſeeing it could be no advantage to him; nor to complain of his puniſhing him, ſince God never puniſhed man, becauſe of any harm he had received by him, but becauſe he did not doe what be enjoyned him.
Verſ. 9. By reaſon of the multitude of oppreſsions, they make the oppreſſed cry, &c.] Some conceive that this is here added, to ſhew the reaſon why God often puniſheth men, though their wickedneſſe is no way hurtfull to him; to wit, becauſe it is hurtfull to others, (as he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe;) and ſo for this, as a juſt judge, he takes vengeance on them. But the better connection of the words to that which went before I conceive to be this, that having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that mans wickedneſſe may be hurtfull to men, though not to God, he here gives an inſtance of the hurt that man by his wickedneſſe doth to others, namely, that tyrants do ſorely oppreſſe thoſe that are under their power: and ſo withall he takes occaſion to ſhew, that however the oppreſſour be unjuſt, yet God is juſt, in ſuffering the oppreſſed thus to cry under the hand of the oppreſſours, and not ſending them help; and that becauſe though the oppreſſed howl and take on becauſe of their preſſures, they cry out (ſaith he) by reaſon of the arm of the mighty, yet they do not ſeek to God, as they ought to doe, as is expreſſed in the following verſes. And thus alſo there is an anſwer given to that which Job ſeemed often to complain of, to wit, that God regards not the cries of the oppreſſed, as we ſee chap. 24.12. and in divers other places.
Verſ. 10. But none ſaith, Where is God my maker, that giveth ſongs in the night?] This is alledged as a reaſon, why though men under oppreſſion do cry out and take on grievouſly, as was ſaid in the foregoing verſe, yet God doth not regard it; (as Elihu ſaith afterward verſ. 12.) to wit, becauſe for the moſt part they do not ſay, Where is God my maker? &c. the meaning whereof is, either that they are not thankfull to God for the mercies and comforts they enjoy, yea even in the midſt of their greateſt afflictions; or elſe, that though they cry and howl becauſe of their miſery, yet they do not pray to God for help, (for theſe words, Where is God my maker? ſeem rather an expreſſion of prayer, then of praiſe, according to that of Elijah, 2 Kings 2.14. where is the Lord God of Elijah? at leaſt they do not pray unto him in the right manner, according to that expreſſion, Hoſ. 7.14. they have not cryed unto me with their heart, when they howled upon their beds; they do not pray as thoſe that ſeriouſly conſider that God is their maker, and therefore do believe that God will take care of them, and are willing to ſubmit themſelves to his diſpoſing: and that God giveth ſongs in the night; that is, either firſt, that he only can give joy, even unto ſinging, in the darkeſt night of tribulation, ſtirring them up by his ſpirit to praiſe him, when nothing is to be ſeen to quicken them in this ſervice; or ſecondly, that in the night ſeaſon he gives them occaſions of rejoycing and praiſing God, in that he gives them reſt, and watcheth over them for their ſafety, when they are as dead men, not minding God; or thirdly, that he comforteth and cheareth up their ſpirits, even in the night, when men are moſt expoſed to dangers, and ſorrow is wont to lye heavieſt upon the heart, and ſo they take the opportunity of the night ſeaſon, when they are freeſt from worldly cares and imployments, with hymns and Pſalms to praiſe God; whence is that of David, Pſal. 119.62. At midnight I will riſe to give thanks unto thee, and Pſal. 42.8. the Lord will command his loving-kindneſſe in the day time, and in the night his ſong shall be with me. I know ſome Expoſitours have other thoughts concerning this phraſe of Gods giving ſongs in the night; as that it is meant of Gods cauſing the cocks to crow, and nightingales to ſing in the night; or of his placing the ſtars to ſhine in the night, which in their kind do praiſe God, or ſtirre up men to praiſe him; or of Gods giving prophecies and revelations by night, which uſed afterward to be expreſſed in ſongs. But the former Expoſitions are farre the better.
Verſ. 11. Who teacheth us more then the beaſts of the earth, &c.] To wit, in that he hath endued men with reaſonable ſouls, and accordingly makes known his will to them many ſeverall waies. Now this is mentioned, as another argument, whereby thoſe that are under oppreſſion ſhould be ſtirred up to be thankfull to God, or rather with faith to call upon God for help; which if they did not doe, it was no wonder though God did not help them: and that not only becauſe this is a ſingular bleſſing to man, above all that God hath done for the other creatures; but alſo becauſe in this regard man is able to ſearch into the cauſe of his ſufferings, and to uſe means to appeaſe Gods anger, and not only to doe what beaſts may doe, namely, to cry out to no purpoſe in the ſenſe of the miſeries which they lye under.
Verſ. 12. There they cry (but none giveth anſwer) becauſe of the pride of evil men.] That is, Being cruſhed by the arm of their mighty oppreſſours, (as is ſaid before verſ. 9. whereto this hath reference) there or then they cry out, becauſe of the pride or inſolency of wicked men that thus tyrannize over them; but God regards not their cryes.
Verſ. 13. Surely God will not hear vanity, &c.] That is, God will not hear vain ungodly men, men void of all true piety: or, God will not hear vain cries and complaints, or the vain prayers of thoſe that pray not in faith, whoſe prayers are mere lip-labour, and a mere mocking of God, and therefore no way likely to prevail with God. As for the next clauſe, neither will the Almighty regard it, we may referre it either to ſuch cries and prayers, that God will not mind ſuch vanity; or elſe to their ſufferings, which make them cry and pray, that though they be in never ſo much miſery, he will not regard it.
Verſ. 14. Although thou ſayeſt, thou shalt not ſee him, &c.] That is, thou ſhalt not be ſuffered to appear before him to plead thy cauſe, (which may have reſpect to that which Job ſaid chap. 23.8, 9.) or that thou ſhalt periſh, and ſhalt never ſee God come in graciouſly for thy preſervation; (and indeed Job had often complained that God regarded him not, as chap. 30.20, and in many other places) yet judgement is before him, that is, God is exactly juſt, aſſure thy ſelf of that; though we may not haply diſcern it in all he doth, yet he doth nothing unjuſtly: and therefore truſt thou in him, that is, pray to him in a right manner, and then wait upon him with aſſured expectation of a gracious anſwer.
Verſ. 15. But now, becauſe it is not ſo, he hath viſited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity.] That is, Becauſe Job prayeth not to God, and truſteth not in God, as he ought to doe, therefore God hath afflicted him in great anger; and yet Iob, though he be in ſo great extremity, underſtands not Gods meaning herein.
Verſ. 16. Therefore doth Iob open his mouth in vain; he multiplyeth words without knowledge.] That is, whilſt he prayes not, but only complains of his miſeries, and all the while juſtifieth himſelf, all this is ſpoken ignorantly, and to no purpoſe.