Albert Barnes Commentary Job 36

Elihu also proceeded - Hebrew added - ויסף vayâsaph. Vulgate “addens;” Septuagint, Ηροσθεὶς Eerostheis - “adding, or proceeding.” The Hebrew commentators remark that this word is used because this speech is “added” to the number that it might be supposed he would give. There had been “three” series of speeches, by Job and his friends, and in each one of them Job had spoken three times. Each one of the three friends had also spoken three times, except Zophar, who failed to reply when it came to his turn. Elihu had also now given three speeches, and here he would naturally have closed, but it is remarked that he “added” this to the usual number.

Bear with me a little - Even beyond the regular order of speaking; or, allow me to go on, though I have fully occupied my place in the allotted “number” of speeches. Jarchi remarks that this verse is “Chaldaic,” and it is worthy of observation that its principal words are not those ordinarily used in Hebrew to express the same thought, but are such as occur in Chaldee. The word translated “suffer” (כתר kâthar) has a meaning here that occurs only in Syriac and Chaldee.

It properly means in Hebrew: to “surround” in a hostile sense (Judges 20:43; Psalms 22:12); then, in the Hiphil, to crown oneself. In Syriac and Chaldee, it means “to wait”—perhaps from the idea of going round and round—and this is the meaning here. He wished them not to lessen their attention, but to have patience with what he still had to say.

And I will show you that - Margin, “there are yet words for God.” The Hebrew is, “And I will show you that there are still words for God;” that is, that there were still many considerations that could be urged in vindication of his government. The idea of Elihu is not so much that “he” had much to say, as that in fact there was much that “could be” said for him. He regarded his character and government as having been attacked, and he believed that there were ample considerations that could be urged in its defense.

The word that is here translated “I will show you” (אחוך 'achâvekā) is also Chaldee in its meaning. It is from חוה châvâh (Chaldee), not used in the Qal, but it occurs in other forms in the Chaldee portion of the Scriptures (see Daniel 2:11, Daniel 2:16, Daniel 2:24, Daniel 2:27). The use of these Chaldee words is somewhat remarkable and perhaps may throw some light on the question about the time and place of the composition of the book.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar - What I say shall not be mere commonplace. It shall be the result of reflection on subjects that lie out of the ordinary range of thought. The idea is that he did not mean to go over the ground that had already been trodden, or to suggest such reflections as would occur to anyone, but that he meant to bring his illustrations from abstruser matters, and from things that had escaped their attention. He in fact appeals to the various operations of nature—the rain, the dew, the light, the instincts of the animal creation, the vicissitudes of the seasons, the laws of heat and cold—and shows that all these prove that God is inscrutably wise and gloriously great.

And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker - That is, I will show that these things to which I now appeal prove that He is righteous and is worthy of universal confidence. Perhaps, also, he means to contrast the result of his reflections with those of Job. He regarded Job as having charged his Maker with injustice and wrong. Elihu says that it was a fixed principle with him to ascribe righteousness to God, and that he believed it could be fully sustained by an appeal to His works. A person should presume that his Maker is good, wise, and just; he should be willing to find that He is so; he should expect that the result of the most profound investigation of His ways and works will prove that He is so—and in such an investigation he will never be disappointed.

A person is in no good frame of mind, and is not likely to be led to any good result in his investigations, when he begins his inquiries by believing that his Maker is unjust and prosecutes them with the hope and expectation that he will find Him to be so. Yet do people never do this?

For truly my words shall not be false - This is designed to gain attention. It is a stated purpose to state nothing but truth. Even in order to vindicate the ways of God, he would state nothing but what would withstand the most rigorous examination. Job had charged his friends with a purpose to speak wickedly for God; to make use of unsound arguments in vindicating His cause (see the notes at Job 13:7-8), and Elihu now says that he will make use of no such reasoning, but that all he says will be founded on strict truth.

He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee - This refers undoubtedly to Elihu himself and is a claim to a clear understanding of the subject. He did not doubt that he was right and that he had some views which were worthy of their attention. The main idea is that he was of sound knowledge; that his views were not sophistical and captious; that they were founded on truth and were worthy, therefore, of their profound attention.

Behold, God is Mighty - This is the first consideration that Elihu urges, and the purpose seems to be to affirm that God is so great that He has no occasion to modify His treatment of any class of people out of consideration for Himself. He is wholly independent of all and can therefore be impartial in His dealings. If it were otherwise—if He were dependent on human beings for any share of His happiness—He might be tempted to show special favor to the great and the rich, to spare the mighty who are wicked, though He cuts off the poor. But He has no such inducement, as He is wholly independent; and it is to be presumed, therefore, that He treats all impartially (see the notes on Job 35:5-8).

And despiseth not any - He despises no one who is poor and humble. He does not pass them by with cold neglect because they are poor and powerless, nor turn His attention to the great and mighty because He is dependent on them.

He is mighty in wisdom - (Margin: “heart.”) The word “heart” in Hebrew is often used to denote the intellectual powers, and the idea here is that God has perfect wisdom in the management of His affairs. He is acquainted with all the circumstances of His creatures and passes by no one from a defect of knowledge or a lack of wisdom to know how to adapt His dealings to their condition.