Job 36

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:21

(21) Regard not iniquity.—Or, perhaps, the special sin of longing for death, for thou hast desired to die rather than bear thine affliction. Alas! Job’s case is not a solitary one, for who that has been tried as he was has not longed for the end? read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:22

(22) Behold, God exalteth by his power.—The rest of Elihu’s speech is splendidly eloquent. He dilates on the power and majesty of God, and appears to be speaking in contemplation of some magnificent natural phenomenon—as the tempest, or hurricane, or whirlwind—out of which the Lord ultimately spake (Job 38:1). It is probable that this storm was beginning to gather, and that it suggested the glorious imagery of Elihu’s speech. The points are that (1) God is the source of greatness; (2) that... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:24

(24) Which men behold.—Some render it, “Whereof men sing,” but the other seems to suit the context best. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:27

(27) The drops of water.—The origin and first beginnings of the tempest are described. “He maketh small,” or draweth up by exhalation. “They pour down rain,” or “they distil in rain from His vapour,” or “belonging to the vapour thereof.” The rain is first absorbed, and then distilled and poured down. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:29

(29) The spreading of the clouds—i.e., how the clouds are spread over the heavens, and heaped up one upon the other like mountains in the skies when the storm gathers.Or the noise of His tabernacle?—Or the thunderings of His pavilion (Psalms 18:12). read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:30

(30) His light appears to mean here the lightning which flashes forth from the cloud.And covereth the bottom of the sea.—Literally, it hath covered the roots of the sea: i.e., it, the lightning, or He, God, hath covered those clouds which are composed of the roots of the sea, that is, the drops of water which are exhaled from the sea. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:31

(31) For by them—i.e., these roots of the sea, these drops of water, these rain-clouds. “He judgeth peoples” by withholding them, or “giveth meat in abundance” by sending rain on the earth; or He may use them in excess, to chastise nations by inundations and the like. The change from roots of the sea to bottom of the sea in the Authorised Version has obscured the meaning of “them” in the next verse, unless, indeed, we understand it generally, by these things. read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:32

(32) With clouds.—The word here rendered “clouds” really means hands, and there seems to be no good reason why it should be otherwise understood. The verse will then read, “He covereth the lightning with His hands, and giveth it a charge that it strike the mark;” or, according to some, “giveth it a charge against the assailant.” The figure is that of a man hurling a stone or bolt, and taking aim; and a very fine one the image is. The Authorised Version cannot be right with its five inserted... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Job 36:33

(33) The noise thereof sheweth concerning it.—This verse is extremely difficult, and the sense very uncertain. We may translate the first clause, “The noise thereof (i.e., the crash of the thunder) declareth concerning Him:” it is His voice, and speaks of Him; but the last clause is almost unintelligible. The words as they stand mean, or may mean, cattle even concerning a goer up; but what this means who shall say? Possibly, the thunder-crash telleth the cattle even concerning Him who goeth up:... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Job 36:1-33

Job 36:3 To gain a true view we must take into account all varied forms of contemporary experience, and all the experiences of different ages. He will best see the whole, and each part in relation to the whole most truly, who has the widest and best proportioned knowledge founded on the experience of others, and at the same time controls all by his own experience. Dr. Hort, Hulsean Lectures, pp. 172,173. Job 36:5 'It struck me,' says Carlyle, 'that Sterling's was not intrinsically, nor had... read more

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