John Gill Commentary Job 36:10

"He openeth also their ear to instruction, And commandeth that they return from iniquity." — Job 36:10 (ASV)

He openeth also their ear to discipline
Or "to correction" ^F15; to the rod of correction; to hear the voice of it and him that has appointed it; its reproving voice for sin, its directing voice to duty, and its commanding voice to return from iniquity, as in the next clause. Or "to instruction" ^F16; God's corrections of his people being instructions to them, by which they learn more of their duty, and of the rich experiences of grace; their faith, hope, love, and patience, are tried and increased hereby; and more of the love of God, of his care and faithfulness, of his covenant, of his gracious presence, and communion with God, what it is; and even of the doctrines of the everlasting Gospel: sometimes more is learned by an affliction than by a sermon.

Now in order to listen to this, to the voice of God in an affliction, the ear must be opened; which is first done in conversion by the mighty power of God: but sometimes good men fall asleep, and are inattentive to divine things; and this is one way God takes to awaken them, to arouse their attention; he speaks to them out of a whirlwind; he sends some terrible startling affliction, which fetches them out of their slumber, and so their ears are opened to hear what he says in it: at the noise of his waterspouts, and his billows one after another rolling over them, they are awakened to a sense of their sin and duty, (Psalms 42:7);

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and commands that they return from iniquity;
repent of their sin, turn from it and forsake it: an affliction has such a strong voice in it, when sanctified and attended with the spirit and power of God; then it effectually teaches men to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, as the word of God, the Gospel of the grace of God does, when accompanied with the same; as there is a commanding voice in the one, so there is in the other; and it is happy when such ends as these are answered by afflictions.

FOOTNOTES:

• F15: (rowml) "ad correptionem", Montanus; "ad correctionem", Beza, Michaelis, Schultens.
  
• F16: "Ad eruditionem", Cocceius.