Job 35:7

7 Certainly if thou doest justly, what shalt thou give to him; either what shall he take of thine hand? (And if thou doest righteously, what shalt thou give him? or what shall he receive from thy hand?)

Job 35:7 Meaning and Commentary

Job 35:7

If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?
&c.] All righteousness is of God that any creatures have. What the angels in heaven have, or Adam had in a state of innocence; or what believers in Christ have in and from him; his righteousness imputed to them is of God; the grace of righteousness, or holiness, imparted to them and implanted in them, is from him; and it is under the influence of his Spirit, and by his grace and strength, they do works of righteousness externally; and therefore can give nothing to him of their own, nor does he need any, being God all sufficient; even the goodness of his Son does not extend to him, but to the saints, ( Psalms 16:2 Psalms 16:3 ) ; much less any goodness of theirs: their best works of righteousness are due to him, and not gifts; and though they may contribute to his manifestative glory, both in them that do them and in others that see them, they can add nothing to the essential glory of God;

or what receiveth he of thine hand?
He can receive nothing but what he has given, or what he has a prior right to and is his due, and so cannot be laid under any obligation to man by what he does; nor can man merit anything at his hand, not even the least temporal mercy, and much less spiritual ones and everlasting life: and what notice God is pleased to take of the good works of men, in away of reward, is not of debt, but of grace, and entirely owing to his goodness; and does not arise from any intrinsic worth in them, or from any advantage to him by them.

Job 35:7 In-Context

5 See thou, and behold (the) heaven(s) (and look at the sky), and behold thou the air, and know that God is higher than thou. [Behold heaven, and look, and mindfully see the clouds, (all) that is higher than thou.]

6 If thou sinnest, what shalt thou harm him? and if thy wickednesses be multiplied, what shalt thou do against him? (If thou sinnest, what harm shalt thou do to him? and if thy wickednesses be multiplied, what shalt thou do to him?)

7 Certainly if thou doest justly, what shalt thou give to him; either what shall he take of thine hand? (And if thou doest righteously, what shalt thou give him? or what shall he receive from thy hand?)

8 Thy wickedness shall annoy a man, which is like thee (Thy wickedness shall harm a man, who is just like thee); and thy rightwiseness shall help the son of a man.

9 Men shall cry for the multitude of false challengers, and they shall wail for the violence of the power of tyrants.