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Commentary on Job 36 verses 15–23
Elihu here comes more closely to Job; and,
I. He tells him what God would have done for him before this if he had been duly humbled under his affliction. "We all know how ready God is to deliver the poor in his affliction (Job 36:15); he always was so. The poor in spirit, those that are of a broken and contrite heart, he looks upon with tenderness, and, when they are in affliction, is ready to help them. He opens their ears, and makes them to hear joy and gladness, even in their oppressions; while he does not yet deliver them he speaks to them good words and comfortable words, for the encouragement of their faith and patience, the silencing of their fears, and the balancing of their griefs; and even so (Job 36:16) would he have done to thee if thou hadst submitted to his providence and conducted thyself well; he would have delivered and comforted thee, and we should have had none of these complaints. If thou hadst accommodated thyself to the will of God, thy liberty and plenty would have been restored to thee with advantage." 1. "Thou wouldst have been enlarged, and not confined thus by thy sickness and disgrace: He would have removed thee into a broad place where is no straitness, and thou wouldst no longer have been cramped thus and have had all thy measures broken." 2. "Thou wouldst have been enriched, and wouldst not have been left in this poor condition; thou wouldst have had thy table richly spread, not only with food convenient, but with the finest of the wheat" (see Deu 32:14) "and the fattest of the flesh." Note, It ought to silence us under our afflictions to consider that, if we were better, it would be every way better with us: if we had answered the ends of an affliction, the affliction would be removed; and deliverance would come if we were ready for it. God would have done well for us if we had conducted ourselves well; Psa 81:13, Psa 81:14; Isa 48:18.
II. He charges him with standing in his own light, and makes him the cause of the continuance of his own trouble (Job 36:17): "But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked," that is, "Whatever thou art really, in this thing thou hast conducted thyself like a wicked man, hast spoken and done like the wicked, hast gratified them and served their cause; and therefore judgment and justice take hold on thee as a wicked man, because thou goest in company with them, actest as if thou wert in their interest, aiding and abetting. Thou hast maintained the cause of the wicked; and such as a man's cause is such will the judgment of God be upon him;" so bishop Patrick. It is dangerous being on the wrong side: accessaries to treason will be dealt with as principals.
III. He cautions him not to persist in his frowardness. Several good cautions he gives him to this purport.
1.Let him not make light of divine vengeance, nor be secure, as if he were in no danger of it (Job 36:18): "Because there is wrath" (that is, "because God is a righteous governor, who resents all the affronts given to his government, because he has revealed his wrath from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, and because thou hast reason to fear that thou art under God's displeasure) therefore beware lest he take thee away suddenly with his stroke, and be so wise as to make thy peace with him quickly and get his anger turned away from thee." A warning to this purport Job had given his friends (Job 19:29): Be you afraid of the sword, for wrath brings the punishment of the sword. Thus contenders are apt, with too much boldness, to bind one another over to the judgment of God and threaten one another with his wrath; but he that keeps a good conscience needs not fear the impotent menaces of proud men. But his was a friendly caution to Job, and necessary. Even good men have need to be kept to their duty by the fear of God's wrath. "Thou art a wise and good man, but beware lest he take thee away, for the wisest and best have enough in them to deserve his stroke."
2.Let him not promise himself that, if God's wrath should kindle against him, he could find out ways to escape the strokes of it. (1.) There is no escaping by money, no purchasing a pardon with silver, or gold, and such corruptible things: "Even a great ransom cannot deliver thee when God enters into judgment with thee. His justice cannot be bribed, nor any of the ministers of his justice. Will he esteem thy riches, and take from them a commutation of the punishment? No, not gold, Job 36:19. If thou hadst as much wealth as ever thou hadst, that would not ease thee, would not secure thee from the strokes of God's wrath, in the day of the revelation of which riches profit not," Pro 11:4. See Psa 49:7, Psa 49:8. (2.) There is no escaping by rescue: "If all the forces of strength were at thy command, if thou couldst muster ever so many servants and vassals to appear for thee to force thee out of the hands of divine vengeance, it were all in vain; God would not regard it. There is none that can deliver out of his hand." (3.) There is no escaping by absconding (Job 36:20): "Desire not the night, which often favours the retreat of a conquered army and covers it; think not that thou canst so escape the righteous judgment of God, for the darkness hideth not from him," Psa 139:11, Psa 139:12. See Job 34:22. "Think not, because in the night people retire to their place, go up to their beds, and it is then easy to escape being discovered by them, that God also ascends to his place, and cannot see thee. No; he neither slumbers nor sleeps. His eyes are open upon the children of men, not only in all places, but at all times. No rocks nor mountains can shelter us from his eye." Some understand it of the night of death; that is the night by which men are cut off from their place, and Job had earnestly breathed for that night, as the hireling desires the evening, Job 7:2. "But do not do so," says Elihu; "for thou knowest not what the night of death is." Those that passionately wish for death, in hopes to make that their shelter from God's wrath, may perhaps be mistaken. There are those whom wrath pursues into that night.
3.Let him not continue his unjust quarrel with God and his providence, which hitherto he had persisted in when he should have submitted to the affliction (Job 36:21): "Take heed, look well to thy own spirit, and regard not iniquity, return not to it (so some), for it is at thy peril if thou do." Let us never dare to think a favourable thought of sin, never indulge it, nor allow ourselves in it. Elihu thinks Job had need of this caution, he having chosen iniquity rather than affliction, that is, having chosen rather to gratify his own pride and humour in contending with God than to mortify it by a submission to him and accepting the punishment. We may take it more generally, and observe that those who choose iniquity rather than affliction make a very foolish choice. Those that ease their cares by sinful pleasures, increase their wealth by sinful pursuits, escape their troubles by sinful projects, and evade sufferings for righteousness' sake by sinful compliances against their consciences, make a choice they will repent of; for there is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest affliction. It is an evil, and only evil.
4.Let him not dare to prescribe to God, nor give him his measures (Job 36:22, Job 36:23): "Behold, God exalteth by his power," that is, "He does, may, and can set up and pull down whom he pleases, and therefore it is not for thee nor me to contend with him." The more we magnify God the more do we humble and abase ourselves. Now consider, (1.) That God is an absolute sovereign: He exalts by his own power, and not by strength derived from any other. He exalts whom he pleases, exalts those that were afflicted and cast down, by the strength and power which he gives his people; and therefore who has enjoined him his way? Who presides above him in his way? Is there any superior from whom he has his commission and to whom he is accountable? No; he himself is supreme and independent. Who puts him in mind of his way? so some. Does the eternal Mind need a remembrancer? No; his own way, as well as ours, is ever before him. He has not received orders or instructions from any (Isa 60:13, Isa 60:14), nor is he accountable to any. He enjoins to all the creatures their way; let not us then enjoin him his, but leave it to him to govern the world, who is fit to do it. (2.) That he is an incomparable teacher: Who teaches like him? It is absurd for us to teach him who is himself the fountain of light, truth, knowledge, and instruction. He that teaches man knowledge, and so as none else can, shall not he know? Psa 94:9, Psa 94:10. Shall we light a candle to the sun? Observe, When Elihu would give glory to God as a ruler he praises him as a teacher, for rulers must teach. God does so. He binds with the cords of a man. In this, as in other things, he is unequalled. None so fit to direct his own actions as he himself is. He knows what he has to do, and how to do it for the best, and needs no information nor advice. Solomon himself had a privy-council to advise him, but the King of kings has none. Nor is any so fit to direct our actions as he is. None teaches with such authority and convincing evidence, with such condescension and compassion, nor with such power and efficacy, as God does. He teaches by the Bible, and that is the best book, teaches by his Son, and he is the best Master. (3.) That he is unexceptionably just in all his proceedings: Who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity? Not, Who dares say it? (many do iniquity, and those who tell them of it do so at their peril), but Who can say it? Who has any cause to say it? Who can say it and prove it? It is a maxim undoubtedly true, without limitation, that the King of kings can do no wrong.
[“Lay down your greatness without tribulation, and all the mighty in strength. Do not prolong the night, so that people should go up for them. Take heed that you do not decline to iniquity, for you have begun to follow this after misery.”] … What is this that, while he forbids him to decline iniquity, he condemns him for it at once, as if he had already declined it? Does this suggest that arrogant people wish rather to appear as judges rather than consolers? Hence also, they sometimes smite with severe sentences those faults that they suspect have arisen in the heart. And before the fault of the offenders is certain, severe invective of words is brought forward; and a person is struck by their sentence before anything appears to be smitten. Even just people commonly oppose, by reproof, wicked and secret thoughts, but when any preceding doings make plain these thoughts, they frequently root out from the hearts of their hearers, by the hand of reproof, those sins that have not shown themselves. But then they perceive that they are already following from others that proceed. For as physicians of the body discern that some diseases have already appeared but heal others, that they may not appear, so do holy teachers sometimes restore to health the wounds they have discovered, and sometimes so deal with people’s minds that they are not wounded.
71. The cause of the good, is righteousness. And their cause is judged, as the cause of the ungodly, because their righteousness is here smitten with fatherly correction, that they may be taught to exercise greater vigilance, not only by the injunction of commands, but by the infliction of blows. But they receive their cause and justice, because from that righteousness, with which they now live, they hereafter [‘tune’] shine forth in the height of judicial power; so that they are then able to judge all things the more powerfully, the more strictly all their conduct is now judged. But these points, which blessed Job ever maintained with stedfast faith, Eliu mentioned, as if he were making some new promise. For haughty men have these peculiarities: they falsely exaggerate what is wrong, and if ever they state that which is good, they bring it forward as something unknown. Whence it comes to pass that they venture to teach those who are wiser than themselves, because, namely, they believe that they alone are acquainted with such subjects. But when they condescend to any words of consolation, they consider that they have been at once degraded, and by the harshness of proud reproof, they reestablish, as it were, their ability; in order that they who seemed to have condescended in soothing speech [‘blandientes testes’ Ben. ‘testes’ seems a misprint.], may be dreaded when reproof has suddenly sprung up.
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SUMMARY
Job 36:17 captures Elihu's pointed accusation against Job, asserting that Job has fully experienced or brought upon himself the divine judgment typically reserved for the wicked, declaring, "But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee]." This verse is a powerful articulation of Elihu's rigid retribution theology, which posits that Job's profound suffering is a direct, deserved consequence of his unrighteousness or unrepentant pride. Elihu thus frames Job's affliction not as a test or mystery, but as the inevitable and complete manifestation of divine justice, aligning Job squarely with those who justly incur God's punitive wrath.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Elihu's pronouncement in Job 36:17 is rich with literary techniques that amplify its accusatory force. The most evident device is Direct Accusation, as Elihu pointedly charges Job with having brought divine judgment upon himself, thereby equating him with the wicked. This is a stark, unyielding statement, intended to dismantle Job's claims of innocence and perceived defiance. An underlying layer of Dramatic Irony permeates this verse, as the reader, possessing knowledge of the heavenly prologue (Job 1-2), understands that Elihu's confident theological framework is being misapplied. The book ultimately reveals that Job's suffering is not a direct consequence of his sin, rendering Elihu's assertion profoundly ironic in the broader narrative context. Furthermore, the phrase "judgment and justice take hold" employs powerful Personification, attributing the human action of "taking hold" to abstract concepts like divine judgment and justice. This vivid imagery conveys the inescapable and forceful nature of God's retribution as Elihu perceives it, suggesting that these divine attributes are actively seizing and controlling Job's circumstances with an unyielding grip.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Elihu's declaration in Job 36:17, though ultimately revealed as an erroneous application to Job's unique trial, powerfully underscores a fundamental biblical truth: God is unequivocally just, and divine judgment for wickedness is an undeniable reality. Yet, the Book of Job, in its entirety, profoundly challenges the simplistic and rigid application of this truth, revealing that human suffering is a complex phenomenon with multifaceted purposes, extending far beyond mere punitive consequences for individual sin. This verse thus compels a deeper theological reflection on God's inscrutable sovereignty, the profound mystery of His ways, and the various purposes of suffering that transcend a narrow retributional framework. It serves as a crucial counterpoint to the more nuanced understanding of divine justice, mercy, and grace that progressively unfolds across the broader biblical narrative, subtly foreshadowing the need for an ultimate judgment and a righteousness that no human can achieve on their own.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Elihu's pronouncement in Job 36:17 serves as a profound cautionary narrative against the perils of self-assured judgment and a reductionistic understanding of divine justice. While the fundamental truth that God is righteous and sin carries genuine consequences remains steadfast, we are cautioned against the facile temptation to attribute all suffering to direct punitive action for specific wrongdoing. The overarching message of the Book of Job cultivates profound humility in the presence of human suffering, compelling believers to extend empathetic compassion rather than hasty condemnation to those enduring affliction. It calls us to place our unwavering trust in God's ultimate wisdom and inherent goodness, even when His purposes appear inscrutable or His ways defy our limited comprehension. This verse also prompts vital introspection: while refraining from presuming others' suffering is a direct result of sin, we are simultaneously called to diligently examine our own hearts for any vestiges of pride, unrepentance, or defiance, striving to align our lives with God's perfect and righteous standards. Authentic spiritual maturity involves reverently acknowledging God's absolute sovereignty over all circumstances, embracing the multifaceted nature of His perfect justice, and continually seeking His abundant grace, rather than presuming to fully grasp or definitively explain every intricate facet of His dealings with humanity.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
Did Elihu's accusation against Job in Job 36:17 prove to be accurate?
Answer: No, Elihu's accusation against Job was definitively proven inaccurate by God Himself at the conclusion of the book. While Elihu, like Job's other counselors, adhered to a rigid retribution theology that assumed all suffering stemmed directly from sin, the overarching narrative of Job systematically refutes this simplistic perspective. God's direct address to Job from the whirlwind in Job 38 and His subsequent rebuke of Job's friends in Job 42:7 unequivocally demonstrate that Job's suffering was not a consequence of unconfessed wickedness. Instead, it was part of a profound divine test, a demonstration of God's sovereignty, and a revelation of His wisdom, which human beings cannot fully grasp. Elihu's statement, though reflecting a prevalent theological viewpoint of his era, ultimately failed to comprehend the unique and complex nature of Job's trials and God's deeper purposes.
What does it mean that "judgment and justice take hold" of someone?
Answer: In the context of Elihu's speech in Job 36:17, the phrase "judgment and justice take hold [on thee]" signifies that God's righteous verdict and its inevitable consequences have firmly seized and control a person's life. This vivid imagery conveys an inescapable divine grip, implying that the individual is fully experiencing the punitive effects of God's justice. Elihu employs this powerful personification to assert that Job is not merely enduring hardship but is directly and unyieldingly under the hand of divine retribution, having, in Elihu's view, brought this upon himself through his presumed wickedness. It functions as a strong declaration of divine accountability and the inescapable consequences of sin, as Elihu understood them within his theological framework.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
While Elihu's accusation in Job 36:17 misattributes the cause of Job's suffering, it inadvertently points to a profound and essential biblical truth: that the "judgment of the wicked" and the full, inescapable weight of divine justice must indeed "take hold" of sin. This truth finds its ultimate and glorious fulfillment not in human suffering as punishment, but in the person and work of Jesus Christ, transcending Elihu's limited understanding. Jesus, the sinless Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world, voluntarily bore the judgment that was justly due to us, the truly wicked. On the cross, He "became sin for us, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God" (2 Corinthians 5:21), experiencing the full measure of God's righteous wrath against human rebellion. The "judgment and justice" that should have irrevocably taken hold of humanity for its transgressions instead took hold of Christ, who perfectly fulfilled the demands of God's holy law and absorbed its penalty. Through His unparalleled atoning sacrifice, those who place their faith in Him are not "full of the judgment of the wicked" but are instead declared righteous, for Christ Himself has fulfilled that judgment on their behalf, offering a path to reconciliation, redemption, and eternal life (Romans 3:23-26). Thus, the ultimate and true fulfillment of divine judgment—not for the innocent, but for the guilty—is found exclusively in the cross of Christ, where justice and mercy perfectly converge.