Charles Ellicott Commentary Job 23

Then Job answered. —Job replies to the insinuations of Eliphaz with the earnest longing after God and the assertion of his own innocence; while in the twenty-fourth chapter he laments that his own case is but one of many, and that multitudes suffer from the oppression of man unavenged, as he suffers from the stroke of God.

Even today. —Or, Still is my complaint bitter or accounted rebellion; yet is my stroke heavier than my groaning: my complaint is no just measure of my suffering.

1. Oh that I knew where I might find him. — The piteous complaint of a man who feels that God is with him for chastisement, but not for healing.

Plead against me. —Rather, Would he plead with me, or contend with me in the greatness of his power? No; but he would have regard to me; he would consider my case. Eliphaz had told Job to acquaint himself with God, and return to Him (Job 22:23); Job says there is nothing he longs for more than to come into His presence.

There the righteous might dispute. —He has learned this marvelous truth, which the Gospel has so effectually brought to light: that it is God the Savior who is Himself the refuge from God the Judge (John 12:47).

Then, in the solemn conviction of His presence, he makes use of the most sublime language expressive of it, assured that though He may hide Himself with the express purpose of not interfering in his cause, yet all things work together for good to them that love Him (Romans 8:28), and that when his time of trial is over, he himself will come forth like gold.

Job’s case teaches us that if an innocent man is falsely accused, God's honor is vindicated and maintained by his holding fast his conviction of innocence rather than by his yielding to the pressure of adversity and confessing sins he has not committed, or relaxing his hold on innocence by yielding to irritability.