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Public-domain commentary
Matthew Henry
From his Commentary on the Whole Bible. Henry comments on passages, not single verses — this entry covers Job 36:5–14. His three-level outline is real structure in the source text, so it is rendered as structure.
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,
I.He does not think it below him to take notice of the meanest of his subjects, nor does poverty or obscurity set any at a distance from his favour. If men are mighty, they are apt to look with a haughty disdain upon those that are not of distinction and make no figure; but God is mighty, infinitely so, and yet he despises not any, Job 36:5. He humbles himself to take cognizance of the affairs of the meanest, to do them justice and to show them kindness. Job thought himself and his cause slighted because God did not immediately appear for him. "No," says Elihu, God despises not any, which is a good reason why we should honour all men. He is mighty in strength and wisdom, and yet does not look with contempt upon those that have but a little strength and wisdom, if they but mean honestly. Nay, for this reason he despises not any, because his wisdom and strength are incontestably infinite and therefore the condescensions of his grace can be no diminution to him. Those that are wise and good will not look upon any with scorn and disdain.
II.He gives no countenance to the greatest, if they be bad (Job 36:6):
He preserves not the life of the wicked. Though their life may be prolonged, yet not under any special care of the divine Providence, but only its common protection. Job had said that the wicked live, become old, and are mighty in power, Job 21:7. "No," says Elihu: "he seldom suffers wicked men to become old. He preserves not their life so long as they expected, nor with that comfort and satisfaction which are indeed our life; and their preservation is but a reservation for the day of wrath," Rom 2:5.
III.He is always ready to right those that are any way injured, and to plead their cause (Job 36:6):
He gives right to the poor, avenges their quarrel upon their persecutors and forces them to make restitution of what they have robbed them of. If men will not right the injured poor, God will.
IV.He takes a particular care for the protection of his good subjects, Job 36:7.
He not only looks on them, but he never looks off them: He withdraws not his eyes from the righteous. Though they may seem sometimes neglected and forgotten, and that befals them which looks like an oversight of Providence, yet tender careful eye of their heavenly Father never withdraws from them. If our eye be ever towards God in duty, his eye will be ever upon us in mercy, and, when we are at the lowest, will not overlook us.
1.Sometimes he prefers good people to places of trust and honour (Job 36:7): With kings are they on the throne, and every sheaf is made to bow to theirs. When righteous persons are advanced to places of honour and power, it is in mercy to them; for God's grace in them will both arm them against the temptations that attend preferment and enable them to improve the opportunity it gives them of doing good. It is also in mercy to those over whom they are set: When the righteous bear rule the city rejoices. If the righteous be advanced, they are established. Those that in honour keep a good conscience stand upon sure ground, and high places are not such slippery ground to them as they are to others. But, because it is not often that we see good men made great men in this world, this may be supposed to refer to the honour to which the righteous shall rise when their Redeemer shall stand at the latter day upon the earth; for then only they shall be exalted for ever, and established for ever; then shall they all shine forth as the sun, and be made kings and priests to our God.
2.If at any time he bring them into affliction, it is for the good of their souls, Job 36:8-10. Some good people are preferred to honour and power, but others are in trouble. Now observe,
(1.)The distress supposed (Job 36:8): If they be bound in fetters, laid in prison as Joseph was, or holden in the cords of any other affliction, confined by pain and sickness, hampered by poverty, bound in their counsels, and, notwithstanding all their struggles, held long in this distress. This was Job's case; he was caught, and kept fast, in the cords of anguish (as some read it); but observe,
(2.)The design God has, in bringing his people into such distresses as these; it is for the benefit of their souls, the consideration of which should reconcile us to affliction and make us think well of it. Three things God intends when he afflicts us: - [1.] To discover past sins to us, and to bring them to our remembrance. Then he shows them that amiss in them which before they did not see. He discovers to them the fact of sin: He shows them their work. Sin is our own work. If there be any good in us, it is God's work; and we are concerned to see what work we have made by sin. He discovers the fault of sin, shows them their transgressions of the law of God, and withal the sinfulness of sin, that they have exceeded, and have been beyond measure sinful. True penitents lay a load upon themselves, do not extenuate, but aggravate, their sins, and own that they have exceeded in them. Affliction sometimes answers to the sin; it serves, however, to awaken the conscience and puts men upon considering. [2.] To dispose our hearts to receive present instructions: Then he opens their ear to discipline, Job 36:10. Whom God chastens he teaches (Psa 94:12), and the affliction makes people willing to learn, softens the wax, that it may receive the impression of the seal; yet it does not do this of itself, but the grace of God working with and by it; it is he that opens the ear, that opens the heart, who has the key of David. [3.] To deter and draw us off from iniquity for the future. This is the errand on which the affliction is sent; it is a command to return from iniquity, to have no more to do with sin, to turn from it with an aversion to it and a resolution never to return to it any more, Hos 14:8.
3.If the affliction do its work, and accomplish that for which it is sent, he will comfort them again, according to the time that he has afflicted them (Job 36:11): If they obey and serve him, - if they comply with his design and serve his purpose in these dispensations, - if, when the affliction is removed, they continue in the same good mind that they were in when they were under the smart of it and perform the vows they made then, - if they live in obedience to God's commands, particularly those which relate to his service and worship, and in all instances make conscience of their duty to him, - then they shall spend their days in prosperity again and their years in true pleasures. Piety is the only sure way to prosperity and pleasure; this is a certain truth, and yet few will believe it. If we faithfully serve God,
(1.)We have the promise of outward prosperity, the promise of the life that now is, and the comforts of it, as far as is for God's glory and our good; and who would desire them any further?
(2.)We have the possession of inward pleasures, the comfort of communion with God and a good conscience, and that great peace which those have that love God's law. If we rejoice not in the Lord always, and in hope of eternal life, it is our own fault; and what better pleasures can we spend our years in?
4.If the affliction do not do its work, let them expect the furnace to be heated seven times hotter till they are consumed (Job 36:12): If they obey not, if they are not bettered by their afflictions, are not reclaimed and reformed, they shall perish by the sword of God's wrath. Those whom his rod does not cure his sword will kill; and the consuming fire will prevail if the refining fire do not; for when God judges he will overcome. If Ahaz, in his distress, trespass yet more against the Lord, this is that king Ahaz that is marked for ruin, Ch2 28:22; Jer 6:29, Jer 6:30. God would have instructed them by their afflictions, but they received not instruction, would not take the hints that were given them; and therefore they shall die without knowledge, ere they are aware, without any further previous notices given them; or they shall die because they were without knowledge notwithstanding the means of knowledge which they were blessed with. Those that die without knowledge die without grace and are undone for ever.
V.He brings ruin upon hypocrites, the secret enemies of his kingdom (such as Elihu described, Job 36:12), who, though they were numbered among the righteous whom Elihu had spoken of before, yet did not obey God, but, being children of disobedience and darkness, become children of wrath and perdition; these are the hypocrites in heart, who heap up wrath, Job 36:13. See the nature of hypocrisy: it lies in the heart, which is for the world and the flesh when the outside seems to be for God and religion. Many that are saints in show and saints in word are hypocrites in heart. That spring is corrupt, and there is an evil treasure there. See the mischievousness of hypocrisy: hypocrites heap up wrath. They are doing that every day which is provoking to God, and will be reckoned with for it all together in the great day. They treasure up wrath against the day of wrath, Rom 2:5. Their sins are laid up in store with God among his treasures, Deu 32:34. Compare Jam 5:3. As what goes up a vapour comes down a shower, so what goes up sin, if not repented of, will come down wrath. They think they are heaping up wealth, heaping up merits, but, when the treasures are opened, it will prove they were heaping up wrath. Observe,
1.What they do to heap up wrath. What is it that is so provoking? It is this, They cry not when he binds them, that is, when they are in affliction, bound with the cords of trouble, their hearts are hardened, they are stubborn and unhumbled, and will not cry to God nor make their application to him. They are stupid and senseless as stocks and stones, despising the chastening of the Lord.
2.What are the effects of that wrath? They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean, Job 36:14. This is the portion of hypocrites, whom Christ denounced many woes against. If they continue impenitent,
(1.)They shall die a sudden death, die in youth, when death is most a surprise, and death (that is, the consequence of it) is always such to hypocrites; as those that die in youth die when they hoped to live, so hypocrites, at death, go to hell, when they hoped to go to heaven. When a wicked man dies his expectations shall perish.
(2.)They shall die the second death. Their life, after death (for so it comes in here), is among the unclean, among the fornicators (so some), among the worst and vilest of sinners, notwithstanding their specious and plausible profession. It is among the Sodomites (so the margin), those filthy wretches, who going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire, Jde 1:7. The souls of the wicked live after death, but they live among the unclean, the unclean spirits, the devil and his angels, forever separated from the new Jerusalem, into which no unclean thing shall enter.
Historical interpretation
Historical Reception
One surviving comment on this verse from the historical church.
“If they hear and observe him, they shall fulfill their days in good and their years in glory; but if they do not hear, they shall pass away by the sword and shall be consumed with folly.” By “good” is designated right conduct, but by “glory” heavenly recompense. They, then, who study to obey the divine commands fulfill their days in good and their years in glory. Because they pass the course of this life in right deeds, they perfect their consummation by a blessed retribution. “But if they do not hear, they shall pass away by the sword and shall be consumed with folly.” Vengeance smites them in tribulation, and the end shuts them up in folly. For there are some whom not even torments keep back from their loose habits. Of them it is said by the prophet, “You have stricken them, but they have not grieved; you have scourged them, and they have refused to receive correction.” And of them it is said under the figure of Babylon, “We have cured Babylon, and she is not healed.” Of them it is said again, “I have slain and destroyed my people, and yet they have not returned from their ways.” These sometimes become worse by the scourge, because, when attacked by pain, they are either more hardened in their contumacious obstinacy or, what is worse, launch out into even the exasperation of blasphemy. It is well said then that they pass away by the sword and are consumed with folly; for through their scourges, they increase those sins that they ought, in consequence of them, to correct. And they both feel even here the punishment of the blow and do not escape there the sufferings of righteous retribution. It is the infatuation of folly that iniquity so fetters them and that not even punishment keeps them from offending.
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Summary
Job 36:12, delivered by Elihu, presents a severe warning regarding the inescapable and dire consequences for those who willfully refuse to heed God's instruction and correction. It starkly declares that such persistent disobedience will inevitably lead to destruction through divine judgment and a tragic end characterized by a profound lack of saving knowledge, standing in sharp contrast to the blessings promised to the obedient in the preceding verse. Elihu's argument underscores God's unwavering justice and His use of affliction not merely as punishment but as a means of discipline and instruction, emphasizing the catastrophic outcome for those who reject divine wisdom and guidance.
Context
Literary Context
Elihu's speeches, spanning Job 32 through Job 37, introduce a distinct theological perspective into the dialogue. As the youngest and previously silent counselor, Elihu positions himself as a more enlightened interpreter of God's ways, seeking to correct the perceived theological errors of both Job and his three friends. While he agrees with the friends that God is just and suffering can be a consequence of sin, Elihu's unique contribution is his emphasis on suffering as a pedagogical tool—a divine discipline designed to instruct, purify, and turn individuals from pride and sin, rather than solely as retribution. This verse, Job 36:12, directly follows Job 36:11, which promises prosperity and pleasant years for those who "obey and serve him." The stark antithetical parallelism between these two verses powerfully highlights the binary outcome Elihu presents: obedience leads to life and flourishing, while stubborn disobedience leads to destruction and spiritual ignorance.
Historical & Cultural Context
The Book of Job is set in the patriarchal period, reflecting the societal structures and worldview of an ancient Near Eastern tribal, agricultural society. In this context, divine blessing and curse were often understood in immediate, tangible terms, directly impacting one's prosperity, health, and lineage. The prevailing wisdom tradition of the era, which forms the intellectual backdrop for the entire dialogue, generally posited a direct correlation between righteousness and well-being, and wickedness and suffering. Elihu, like Job's other friends, operates within this established framework, yet he attempts to refine it by emphasizing the redemptive purpose of suffering. The imagery of "the sword" as an instrument of divine judgment or calamity was a common motif in ancient Israelite thought, symbolizing swift destruction and the consequences of violating covenant or divine law, a theme frequently found in prophetic warnings throughout the Old Testament. The emphasis on "knowledge" (or its absence) further resonates with the pervasive theme in wisdom literature of discerning God's ways and living accordingly.
Key Themes
This verse powerfully articulates several core themes central to Elihu's argument and the broader theological message of the Book of Job. Firstly, it underscores the Consequences of Disobedience, presenting a direct and severe outcome for those who stubbornly resist divine correction. This echoes a foundational biblical principle found throughout the Law and Prophets, where human choices regarding God's commands lead to either blessing or curse, as extensively detailed in Deuteronomy 28. Secondly, it speaks to Divine Justice, portraying God as a righteous judge who ensures that persistent rebellion against His wisdom will not go unpunished. This is not arbitrary wrath but the natural and just outworking of rejecting the source of life and truth. Thirdly, the phrase "die without knowledge" highlights the tragic reality of Spiritual Ignorance and Willful Blindness. It points to a profound lack of discerning wisdom and a failure to truly know God and His ways, a theme recurrent in wisdom literature like Proverbs 1:7 and prophetic laments such as Hosea 4:6.
Exposition and Analysis
Key Word Analysis
A primitive root meaning "to hear intelligently (often with implication of attention, obedience, etc.; causatively, to tell, etc.)". In this context, it signifies more than mere auditory perception; it implies a deep, attentive listening that leads to compliance and submission to God's voice, instructions, or warnings. To "obey not" is to willfully disregard or refuse to submit to divine guidance.
A primitive root meaning "to cross over; used very widely of any transition (literal or figurative; transitive, intransitive, intensive, causative); specifically, to cover (in copulation); alienate, alter, [idiom] at all, beyond, bring (over, through), carry over, (over-) come (on, over), conduct (over), convey over, current, deliver, do away, enter, escape, fail, gender, get over, (make) go (away, beyond, by, forth, his way, in, on, over, through), have away (more), lay, meddle, overrun, make partition, (cause to, give, make to, over) pass(-age, along, away, beyond, by, -enger, on, out, over, through), (cause to, make) [phrase] proclaim(-amation), perish, provoke to anger, put away, rage, [phrase] raiser of taxes, remove, send over, set apart, [phrase] shave, cause to (make) sound, [idiom] speedily, [idiom] sweet smelling, take (away), (make to) transgress(-or), translate, turn away, (way-) faring man, be wrath." While ʻâbar primarily means "to pass over" or "to cross," in this specific context and with the accompanying imagery of the "sword," it carries the strong implication of "passing away" or "perishing" through a destructive transition, often associated with divine judgment. It denotes a decisive and calamitous end.
Meaning "knowledge; cunning, (ig-) norantly, know(-ledge), (un-) awares (wittingly)." In Hebrew thought, daʻath is not merely intellectual information but a deep, experiential, and relational understanding. To "die without knowledge" means to die without having truly known God, His character, His redemptive plan, or His pathways to life. It implies a willful ignorance, a spiritual blindness, and a lack of moral discernment that leads to spiritual and ultimate ruin, contrasting sharply with the life-giving "knowledge of God" emphasized elsewhere in Scripture.
Verse Breakdown
"But if they obey not"
This initial clause establishes a clear conditional premise, setting the stage for the dire consequences that follow. It refers to a deliberate, persistent, and stubborn refusal to listen to, heed, or comply with God's instruction, warnings, or discipline. Elihu implies that God provides opportunities for correction, and this clause speaks to an active choice of rebellion against divine guidance, even when it is offered through affliction.
"they shall perish by the sword"
This is the immediate and severe consequence of their disobedience. The verb "perish" (related to ʻâbar in this context) indicates utter destruction or a calamitous end. "By the sword" functions as a powerful symbol, representing violent destruction, divine judgment, or the swift, decisive instrument of God's wrath. It suggests a calamitous downfall that is the direct, divinely ordained result of their rejection of God's ways, rather than a peaceful or natural death.
"and they shall die without knowledge"
This second consequence deepens the tragedy, speaking to a profound spiritual and existential void. Beyond mere physical demise, it signifies dying without the saving, life-giving knowledge of God. It implies a state of spiritual ignorance, a failure to understand God's truth, His grace, or the path to true life. This is a death not only of the body but of the soul, marked by a lack of the wisdom that leads to salvation and a profound, ultimate separation from the source of all life and truth.
Literary Devices
Job 36:12 employs several potent Literary Devices to convey its message with striking force. The most prominent is Antithetical Parallelism, which is highlighted by its direct contrast with the preceding verse. This verse describes the fate of the disobedient, starkly juxtaposed with the blessings promised to the obedient in Job 36:11. This sharp contrast emphasizes the binary nature of choices and their inevitable, opposing outcomes. Within the verse itself, there is a form of Synonymous Parallelism or complementary parallelism, where "perish by the sword" and "die without knowledge" describe two facets of the same tragic end—physical destruction and spiritual ruin—reinforcing the severity of the consequences. The "sword" functions as powerful Symbolism, representing divine judgment, calamity, or a violent, decisive end, rather than merely a literal weapon. The entire verse is structured as a Conditional Statement ("But if... they shall..."), clearly outlining the cause-and-effect relationship between human choice (disobedience) and divine consequence (perishing and spiritual death). This rhetorical structure powerfully emphasizes accountability and the direct link between actions and their ultimate outcomes.
Theological and Thematic Connections
Job 36:12, while part of Elihu's discourse which has its specific application to Job's suffering, articulates profound and enduring theological truths about God's justice and the critical consequences of human choice. It underscores the pervasive biblical principle that persistent rebellion against divine instruction and wisdom inevitably leads to ruin, impacting both temporal well-being and eternal destiny. God, in His perfect righteousness, does not allow willful ignorance and stubborn disobedience to go unchecked indefinitely. The verse highlights the vital importance of "knowledge" in the biblical sense—not merely intellectual assent to facts, but a transformative, intimate, and relational knowing of God that informs one's life, shapes one's character, and ultimately leads to salvation. To lack this profound knowledge is to be spiritually blind, prone to destruction, and ultimately separated from the source of life. This concept resonates throughout Scripture, emphasizing that true wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord and leads to life, while its rejection leads to spiritual and ultimate death.
Reflection and Application
Job 36:12 stands as a timeless and sobering warning for all generations, urging profound introspection and spiritual vigilance. It powerfully reminds us that our response to God's voice—whether conveyed through His inspired Word, the promptings of His Spirit, or the challenging circumstances of life—carries immense and even eternal weight. To willfully ignore or stubbornly resist divine wisdom and correction is to choose a path that inevitably leads to spiritual barrenness, isolation, and ultimate ruin. This verse challenges us to examine the deepest recesses of our hearts: are we truly listening to God with an obedient and receptive spirit? Are we actively seeking to know Him more deeply, pursuing a transformative relationship, or are we content with a superficial understanding that leaves us vulnerable to spiritual "death without knowledge"? True life, genuine flourishing, and eternal hope are found not in intellectual assent alone, but in active, obedient engagement with God's truth, allowing it to profoundly transform our minds, hearts, and actions. It is a compelling call to forsake spiritual apathy and embrace the diligent pursuit of a profound, life-giving knowledge of our Creator and Redeemer.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Is Elihu's assessment of Job's situation entirely accurate?
While Elihu's theological principles regarding God's justice, sovereignty, and the didactic (teaching) purpose of suffering are generally sound and align with broader biblical teaching, his specific application of these principles to Job's unique case is ultimately shown to be incomplete and, in some respects, inaccurate. The Book of Job's larger narrative reveals that Job's intense suffering was not a direct punishment for specific disobedience, nor was it primarily for his instruction in the way Elihu suggests. Instead, it was part of a cosmic test of faith, a profound demonstration of Job's integrity before God, and a deeper exploration of the nature of suffering itself. However, the general principle Elihu articulates in Job 36:12—that persistent disobedience leads to dire consequences and a lack of true knowledge—remains a valid and crucial biblical truth, even if Elihu misapplied it to Job's particular and exceptional circumstances.
What is the deeper meaning of "die without knowledge" in this verse?
"Die without knowledge" (Hebrew: bĕli-daʻat) is not merely about intellectual ignorance or a simple lack of information. In profound biblical thought, "knowledge" (daʻat) often implies a deep, personal, and experiential relationship, particularly in the context of knowing God. Therefore, to "die without knowledge" signifies a tragic spiritual state: to die without having truly known God in a saving, transformative, and intimate way; to die without discerning His ways, His truth, or His redemptive plan for humanity. It speaks to a willful rejection of the wisdom that leads to life, resulting in spiritual blindness, profound alienation, and ultimate ruin. This concept is powerfully echoed in Hosea 4:6, where God's people are destroyed for a "lack of knowledge," referring to their failure to truly know and obey Him. It contrasts sharply with the life-giving wisdom that begins with the fear of the Lord, as taught in Proverbs 1:7.
Christ-Centered Fulfillment
Job 36:12, with its stark warning of perishing for disobedience and dying "without knowledge," finds its ultimate resolution and profound fulfillment in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Humanity's fundamental disobedience and inherent lack of true, saving knowledge of God led directly to spiritual death and separation, a "perishing by the sword" of divine justice that all humanity justly deserved. However, God, in His boundless and unfathomable love, sent His Son, Jesus, who is uniquely revealed as the very wisdom of God and the power of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Those who willfully reject Christ remain under condemnation, tragically perishing in their sins and truly dying "without knowledge" of the only way to eternal life and reconciliation with God (John 3:18). Conversely, Jesus Himself declared that eternal life is to know God, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent (John 17:3). He is the ultimate Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29), bearing the "sword" of divine judgment upon Himself on the cross, so that all who believe in Him might not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). Thus, Christ offers the only escape from the judgment symbolized by the "sword" and graciously grants the saving, life-giving "knowledge" of God that Job 36:12 so tragically warns against lacking.