Verse 2

Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?

Thou saidst — Not that Job said this in express terms, but he said those things from which this might seem to follow, as that God had punished him more than he deserved.

Verse 3

For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?

Thou saidst — Another imputation upon God.

Unto thee — Unto me; such changes of persons being frequent in the Hebrew language.

What profit, … — God does not reward so much as I deserve. But it was not fair to charge this upon Job, which he had neither directly nor indirectly affirmed.

Verse 5

Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.

Clouds, … — They are far above us, and God is far above them. How much then is he out of the reach either of our sins or our services?

Verse 9

By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.

Cry — Thus one man's wickedness may hurt another.

Verse 10

But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

None — Few or none of the great numbers of oppressed persons.

God — They cry out to men, but they seek not God, and therefore if God do not hear their cries it is not unjust.

Maker — Who alone made me, and who only can deliver me. Who when our condition is ever so dark and sad, can turn our darkness into light, can quickly put a new song in our mouth, a thanksgiving unto our God.

Verse 11

Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

Who — This is an aggravation of mens neglect of God in their misery. God hath given men, what he hath denied to beasts, wisdom to know God and themselves. Therefore they are inexcusable, for not using that wisdom, by calling on God in the time of trouble.

Verse 12

There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

Because — God doth not answer their cries, because they are both evil, wicked and impenitent, and proud, unhumbled for those sins for which God brought these miseries upon them.

Verse 13

Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

Vanity — Vain persons, that have no wisdom or piety in them.

Verse 14

Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.

See him|-Thou canst not understand his dealings with thee. Here Elihu answers another objection of Job's: and tells him that though God may for a season delay to answer, yet he will certainly do him right.

Judgment — Justice is at his tribunal, and in all his ways and administrations.

Trust — Instead of murmuring, repent of what is past, humble thyself under God's hand, wait patiently in his way, 'till deliverance come; for it will certainly come if thou dost not hinder it.

Verse 15

But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:

Because — Because Job doth not acknowledge God's justice and his own sins.

He — God.

Anger — Hath laid grievous afflictions upon him.

He — Job is not sensible of it, so as to be humbled under God's hand.