28 Which clouds do drop, They distil on man abundantly.
In the six hundredth year of the life of Noah, in the second month, in the seventeenth day of the month, in this day have been broken up all fountains of the great deep, and the net-work of the heavens hath been opened, and the shower is on the earth forty days and forty nights.
Yea, by filling He doth press out a cloud, Scatter a cloud doth His light. And it is turning itself round by His counsels, For their doing all He commandeth them, On the face of the habitable earth. Whether for a rod, or for His land, Or for kindness -- He doth cause it to come.
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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.