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Suddenly they come to an end, even in the middle of the night: the blow comes on the men of wealth, and they are gone, and the strong are taken away without the hand of man.
For he has knowledge of their works, overturning them in the night, so that they are crushed.
And that night the angel of the Lord went out and put to death in the army of the Assyrians a hundred and eighty-five thousand men; and when the people got up early in the morning, there was nothing to be seen but dead bodies.
Why does he give light to him who is in trouble, and life to the bitter in soul; To those whose desire is for death, but it comes not; who are searching for it more than for secret wealth;
So that a hard death seems better to my soul than my pains.
If only you would keep me safe in the underworld, putting me in a secret place till your wrath is past, giving me a fixed time when I might come to your memory again!
The sinner is overturned in his evil-doing, but the upright man has hope in his righteousness.
If the clouds are full of rain, they send it down on the earth; and if a tree comes down to the south, or the north, in whatever place it comes down, there it will be.
But God said to him, You foolish one, tonight I will take your soul from you, and who then will be the owner of all the things which you have got together?
To take that position as a servant and Apostle, from which Judas by his sin was shut out, so that he might go to his place.
For you yourselves have the knowledge that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. When they say, There is peace and no danger, then sudden destruction will come on them, as birth-pains on a woman with child; and they will not be able to get away from it.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 36
Commentary on Job 36 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 36
Elihu, having largely reproved Job for some of his unadvised speeches, which Job had nothing to say in the vindication of, here comes more generally to set him to rights in his notions of God's dealings with him. His other friends had stood to it that, because he was a wicked man, therefore his afflictions were so great and so long. But Elihu only maintained that the affliction was sent for his trial, and that therefore it was lengthened out because Job was not, as yet, thoroughly humbled under it, nor had duly accommodated himself to it. He urges many reasons, taken from the wisdom and righteousness of God, his care of his people, and especially his greatness and almighty power, with which, in this and the following chapter, he persuades him to submit to the hand of God. Here we have,
This he prosecutes and enlarges upon in the following chapter.
Job 36:1-4
Once more Elihu begs the patience of the auditory, and Job's particularly, for he has not said all that he has to say, but he will not detain them long. Stand about me a little (so some read it), v. 2. "Let me have your attendance, your attention, awhile longer, and I will speak but this once, as plainly and as much to the purpose as I can.' To gain this he pleads,
Job 36:5-14
Elihu, being to speak on God's behalf, and particularly to ascribe righteousness to his Maker, here shows that the disposals of divine Providence are all, not only according to the eternal counsels of his will, but according to the eternal rules of equity. God acts as a righteous governor, for,
Job 36:15-23
Elihu here comes more closely to Job; and,
Job 36:24-33
Elihu is here endeavouring to possess Job with great and high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him into a cheerful submission to his providence.