Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
back to:
Job
Book: Job
Chapter: 34
Overview:
Elihu accuses
Job of charging
God with injustice.
(1-9) God
cannot be unjust.
(10-15) God's power and
Providence.
(16-30)
Elihu reproves
Job.
(31-37)
1-9 Elihu calls upon those present to decide with him upon
Job's words. The plainest
Christian, whose mind is enlightened,
whose
Heart is sanctified
By the
Spirit of
God, and who is
versed in the Scriptures, can say how far matters, words, or
actions, agree with true religion, better than any that lean to
their own understandings.
Job had spoken as if he meant wholly
to justify himself. He that says, I have cleansed my hands in
vain, does not only offend against
God's children, Ps
73:13-15, but gratifies his enemies, and says as they say.
10-15 Elihu had showed
Job, that
God meant him
No hurt
By
afflicting him, but intended his spiritual benefit. Here he
shows, that
God did him
No wrong
By afflicting him. If the
former did not satisfy him, this ought to silence him.
God
cannot do wickedness, nor the Almighty commit wrong. If services
now go unrewarded, and sins now go unpunished, yet there is a
Day coming, when
God will fully render to every
Man according to
his
Works. Further, though the believer's final condemnation is
done away through the
Saviour's
Ransom, yet he has merited worse
than any outward
Afflictions;
So that
No wrong is done to him,
however he may be tried.
16-30 Elihu appeals directly to
Job himself. Could he suppose
that
God was like those earthly princes, who hate right, who are
unfit to rule, and prove the scourges of mankind? It is daring
presumption to condemn
God's proceedings, as
Job had done
By his
discontents.
Elihu suggests divers considerations to
Job, to
produce in him high thoughts of
God, and
So to persuade him to
submit.
Job had often wished to plead his cause before
God.
Elihu asks, To what purpose? All is
Well that
God does, and will
be found
So. What can make those uneasy, whose souls
Dwell at
ease in
God? The smiles of all the world cannot quiet those
On
whom
God frowns.
31-37 When we reprove for what is amiss, we must direct to what
is good.
Job's friends would have had him own himself a wicked
Man.
Elihu will only oblige him to own that he spoke unadvisedly
with his lips. Let us, in giving reproof, not make a matter
worse than it is.
Elihu directs
Job to humble himself before
God
for his sins, and to accept the
Punishment. Also to pray to
God
to discover his sins to him. A good
Man is willing to know the
worst of himself; particularly, under affliction, he desires to
be told wherefore
God contends with him. It is not enough to be
sorry for our sins, but we must go and
Sin No more. And if we
are affectionate children, we shall
Love to speak with our
Father, and to tell him all our mind.
Elihu reasons with
Job
concerning his discontent under affliction. We are ready to
think every thing that concerns us should be just as we would
have it; but it is not reasonable to expect this.
Elihu asks
whether there was not
Sin and folly in what
Job said.
God is
righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his
Works, Ps
145:17. The believer saith, Let my
Saviour, my
Wise and loving
Lord, choose every thing for me. I am sure that will be wisest,
and the best for his
Glory and my good.