Job 36

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:20

Desire not the night - That is, evidently, “the night of death.” The darkness of the night is an emblem of death, and it is not uncommon to speak of death in this manner; see John 9:4, “The night cometh, when no man can work.” Elihu seems to have supposed that Job might have looked forward to death as to a time of release; that so far from “dreading” what he had said would come, that God would cut him off at a stroke, it might be the very thing which he desired, and which he anticipated would... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:21

Take heed, regard not iniquity - That is, be cautious that in the view which you take of the divine government, and the sentiments which you express, you do not become the advocate of iniquity. Elihu apprehended this from the remarks in which he had indulged, and regarded him as having become the advocate of the same sentiments which the wicked held, and as in fact manifesting the same spirit. It is well to put a man who is afflicted on his guard against this, when he attempts to reason about... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:22

Behold, God exalteth by his power - The object of Elihu is now to direct the attention of Job to God, and to show him that he has evinced such power and wisdom in his works, that we ought not to presume to arraign him, but should bow with submission to his will. He remarks, therefore, that God “exalts,” or rather that God is “exalted,” or “exalts himself” (ישׂגיב yaśagiyb) by his power. In the exhibition of his power, he thus shows that he is great, and that people ought to be submissive to... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:23

Who hath enjoined him his way? - Who hath prescribed to him what he ought to do? Who is superior to him, and has marked out for him the plan which he ought to pursue? The idea is, that God is supreme and independent; no one has advised him, and no one has a right to counsel him. Perhaps, also, Elihu designs this as a reproof to Job for having complained so much of the government of God, and for being disposed, as he thought, to “prescribe” to God what he should do.Who can say, Thou hast wrought... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:24

Remember that thou magnify his work - Make this a great and settled principle, to remember that God is “great” in all that he does. He is exalted far above us, and all his works are on a scale of vastness corresponding to his nature, and in all our attempts to judge of him and his doings, we should bear this in remembrance. He is not to be judged by the narrow views which we apply to the actions of people, but by the views which ought to be taken when we remember that he presides over the vast... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:25

Every man may see it - That is, every man may look on the visible creation, and see proofs there of the wisdom and greatness of God. All may look on the sun, the moon, the stars; all may behold the tempest and the storm; all may see the lightning and the rain, and may form some conception of the majesty of the Most High. The idea of Elihu here is, that every man might trace the evidences that God is great in his works.Man may behold it afar off - His works are so great and glorious that they... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:26

Behold, God is great, and we know him not - That is, we cannot fully comprehend him; see the notes at Job 11:7-9.Neither can the number of his years be searched out - That is, he is eternal. The object of what is said here is to impress the mind with a sense of the greatness of God, and with the folly of attempting fully to comprehend the reason of what he does. Man is of a few days, and it is presumption in him to sit in judgment on the doings of one who is from eternity. We may here remark... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:27

For he maketh small the drops of water - Elihu now appeals, as he proposed to do, to the works of God, and begins with what appeared so remarkable and inexplicable, the wisdom of God in the rain and the dew, the tempest and the vapor. That which excited his wonder was, the fact in regard to the suspension of water in the clouds, and the distilling of it on the earth in the form of rain and dew. This very illustration had been used by Eliphaz for a similar purpose (Notes, Job 5:9-10), and... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:28

Upon man abundantly - That is, upon many people. The clouds having received the ascending vapor, retain it, and pour it down copiously for the use of man. The arrangement, to the eye even of one who did not understand the scientific principles by which it is done, is beautiful and wonderful; the beauty and wonder are increased when the laws by which it is accomplished are understood. Elihu does not attempt to explain the mode by which this is done. The fact was probably all that was then... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 36:29

Also, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds? - The out spreading - the manner in which they expand themselves over us. The idea is, that the manner in which the clouds seem to “spread out,” or unfold themselves on the sky, could not be explained, and was a striking proof of the wisdom and power of God. In the early periods of the world, it could not be expected that the causes of these phenomena would be known. Now that the causes “are” better known, however, they do not less indicate... read more

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