Job 36

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:25

Every man may see it; rather, sees it, or has seen it . Man may behold it afar off; rather, beholds it, or has beheld it , from afar. Job's afflictions have drawn all eyes upon them—not only those of his neighbours, but of many who look on "from afar." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:26

Behold, God is great, and we know him not . This is the final lesson which Elihu seeks to impress on his hearers. God is so great their fully to comprehend him transcends the power of the human understanding. However much we know of him, there is more that we do not know. His nature is unsearchable; his depths ( 1 Corinthians 2:10 ) are inscrutable; try as we may, we can never "find him out" ( Job 37:23 ). Neither can the number of his years be searched out . Even his duration, being... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:26

God is great. This is the Mussulman creed, and a truth of great force in Mohammedanism. Christianity also contains it, and simple as may be the conception when set forth in bare words, there are depths and wide reaches of inferences flowing from it that can never be exhausted. I. GOD IS IRRESISTIBLE . This is the Mohammedan inference, and of course a necessary and true one, although it dues not describe all that we know of God. We know that it is simply foolish to run against the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:26-33

Elihu passes now to a description, which must be allowed to be eloquent, of the power and providence of God, and especially of his power in the natural world. It is suggested that the storm, which ultimately broke at the theophania ( Job 38:1 ), was already beginning to gather, and turned the thoughts of Elihu in this direction. He begins with the consideration of how rain is generated, passes rapidly to the gathering of the clouds from all quarters, and thence to the loud crashing of the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:27

For he maketh small the drops of water ; rather, he drawth up the drops of water ; i.e. by the heat of his sun he causes exhalations to arise from the sea and the moist earth, and draws them up into the higher regions of the atmosphere, where they are condensed into clouds, that hang suspended in the air. They pour down rain according to the vapour thereof ; literally, they flow down as rain for his mist. The water collected in the clouds flows down in the shape of rain for the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:28

Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly . All is done for man, for his benefit and advantage. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:29

Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds? The rapid generation of clouds, their gathering together, seemingly, from all quarters, and the way they almost suddenly overspread the heavens ( 1 Kings 18:45 ). are among the most remarkable phenomena of nature, and are very difficult to "understand" and account for. Or the noise of his tabernacle . The awful crash of the thunder, which echoes along the sky—God's "tabernacle," or pavilion ( Psalms 18:11 )—is, if not as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:30

Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it . God flashes the weird brilliance of his lightning over the heaven—not over himself, as some translate (Rosenmuller, Cook). He lights up the whole sky at once with the electric splendour, and even covereth with it the bottom (literally, the roots ) of the sea. This is, of course, hyperbole; but it seems to be Elihu's meaning. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:31

For by them judgeth he the people . By his clouds God works two opposite effects. On the one hand, he executes judgment upon the peoples, destroying their crops, causing widespread ruin by inundations, smiting and slaying numbers with his thunderbolts; on the other, he giveth meat in abundance, restoring to the parched earth its fertility by means of copious and refreshing showers, stimulating vegetation, and so furthering the harvest. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 36:32

With clouds he covereth the light ; rather, he covereth both his hands with light , i.e. with the lightning. So Vul was represented in Assyrian and Zeus in Greek mythology, as filling their hands with thunderbolts, and hurling them upon their foes in their wrath. And commandeth it not to shine, etc. This rendering is wholly indefensible. Translate, And layeth command upon it that it strike the mark (compare the Revised Version). read more

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