Job 35:3-13

3 "For you say, '1What advantage will it be to You? 2What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?'
4 "I will answer * you, And your friends with you.
5 "3Look at the heavens and see; And behold 4the clouds -they are higher than you.
6 "If you have sinned, 5what do you accomplish against Him? And if your transgressions are many, what do you do to Him?
7 "If you are righteous, 6what do you give to Him, Or what does He receive from your hand?
8 "Your wickedness is for a man like yourself, And your righteousness is for a son of man.
9 "Because of the 7multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help because of the arm 8of the mighty.
10 "But 9no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who 10gives songs in the night,
11 Who 11teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'
12 "There 12they cry out, but He does not answer Because * of the pride of evil men.
13 "Surely 13God will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

Job 35:3-13 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 35

Is this chapter Elihu goes on to charge Job with other unbecoming speeches, which he undertakes to refute; as that he had represented his cause more just than God's, and religion and righteousness as things unprofitable to men, only to God; to which Elihu takes upon him to make answer, Job 35:1-8; and that the cries of the oppressed were not heard by the Lord, so as to give occasion to songs of praise and thankfulness, to which he replies, Job 35:9-13; and that Job had expressed diffidence and despair of ever seeing and enjoying the favour of God, which he endeavours to remove, Job 35:14-16.

Cross References 13

  • 1. Job 34:9
  • 2. Job 9:30, 31
  • 3. Genesis 15:5; Psalms 8:3
  • 4. Job 22:12
  • 5. Job 7:20; Proverbs 8:36; Jeremiah 7:19
  • 6. Job 22:2, 3; Proverbs 9:12; Luke 17:10; Romans 11:35
  • 7. Exodus 2:23
  • 8. Job 12:19
  • 9. Job 21:14; Job 27:10; Job 36:13; Isaiah 51:13
  • 10. Job 8:21; Psalms 42:8; Psalms 77:6; Psalms 149:5; Acts 16:25
  • 11. Job 36:22; Psalms 94:12; Jeremiah 32:33
  • 12. Proverbs 1:28
  • 13. Job 27:9; Proverbs 15:29; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Micah 3:4

Footnotes 2

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