Job 36

18. ( Numbers 16:45 , Psalms 49:6 Psalms 49:7 , Matthew 16:26 ). Even the "ransom" by Jesus Christ ( Job 33:24 ) will be of no avail to wilful despisers ( Hebrews 10:26-29 ).
with his stroke--( Job 34:26 ). UMBREIT translates, "Beware lest the wrath of God (thy severe calamity) lead thee to scorn" ( Job 34:7 , 27:23 ). This accords better with the verb in the parallel clause, which ought to be translated, "Let not the great ransom (of money, which thou canst give) seduce thee (Margin, turn thee aside, as if thou couldst deliver thyself from "wrath" by it). As the "scorn" in the first clause answers to the "judgment of the wicked" ( Job 36:17 ), so "ransom" ("seduce") to "will he esteem riches" ( Job 36:19 ). Thus, Job 36:18 is the transition between Job 36:17 and Job 36:19 .

19. forces of strength--that is, resources of wealth ( Psalms 49:7 , Proverbs 11:4 ).

20. Desire--rant for. Job had wished for death ( Job 3:3-9 , &c.).
night--( John 9:4 ).
when--rather, "whereby."
cut off--literally, "ascend," as the corn cut and lifted upon the wagon or stack ( Job 36:26 ); so "cut off," "disappear."
in their place--literally, "under themselves"; so, without moving from their place, on the spot, suddenly ( Job 40:12 ) [MAURER]. UMBREIT'S translation: "To ascend (which is really, as thou wilt find to thy cost, to descend) to the people below" (literally, "under themselves"), answers better to the parallelism and the Hebrew. Thou pantest for death as desirable, but it is a "night" or region of darkness; thy fancied ascent (amelioration) will prove a descent (deterioration) ( Job 10:22 ); therefore desire it not.

21. regard--literally, "turn thyself to."
iniquity--namely, presumptuous speaking against God ( Job 34:5 ,
rather than--to bear "affliction" with pious patience. Men think it an alleviation to complain against God, but this is adding sin to sorrow; it is sin, not sorrow, which can really hurt us (contrast Hebrews 11:25 ).

22-25. God is not to be impiously arraigned, but to be praised for His might, shown in His works.
exalteth--rather, doeth lofty things, shows His exalted power [UMBREIT] ( Psalms 21:13 ).
teacheth--( Psalms 94:12 , &c.). The connection is, returning to Job 36:5 , God's "might" is shown in His "wisdom"; He alone can teach; yet, because He, as a sovereign, explains not all His dealings, forsooth Job must presume to teach Him ( Isaiah 40:13 Isaiah 40:14 , Romans 11:34 , 1 Corinthians 2:16 ). So the transition to Job 36:23 is natural. UMBREIT with the Septuagint translates, "Who is Lord," wrongly, as this meaning belongs to later Hebrew.

23. Job dared to prescribe to God what He should do ( Job 34:10 Job 34:13 ).

24. Instead of arraigning, let it be thy fixed principle to magnify God in His works ( Psalms 111:2-8 , Revelation 15:3 ); these, which all may "see," may convince us that what we do not see is altogether wise and good ( Romans 1:20 ).
behold--As "see" ( Job 36:25 ), shows; not, as MAURER, "sing,"

25. See--namely, with wondering admiration [MAURER].
man may behold--rather, "(yet) mortals (a different Hebrew word from 'man') behold it (only) from afar off," see but a small "part" ( Job 26:14 ).

26. ( Job 37:13 ). God's greatness in heaven and earth: a reason why Job should bow under His afflicting hand.
know him not--only in part ( Job 36:25 , 1 Corinthians 13:12 ).
his years--( Psalms 90:2 , Psalms 102:24 Psalms 102:27 ); applied to Jesus Christ ( Hebrews 1:12 ).

27, 28. The marvellous formation of rain (so Job 5:9 Job 5:10 ).
maketh small--Rather, "He draweth (up) to Him, He attracts (from the earth below) the drops of water; they (the drops of water) pour down rain, (which is) His vapor." "Vapor" is in apposition with "rain," marking the way in which rain is formed; namely, from the vapor drawn up by God into the air and then condensed into drops, which fall ( Psalms 147:8 ). The suspension of such a mass of water, and its descent not in a deluge, but in drops of vapory rain, are the marvel. The selection of this particular illustration of God's greatness forms a fit prelude to the storm in which God appears ( Job 40:1 ).

28. abundantly--literally, "upon many men."

29. ( Job 37:5 ). God's marvels in thunder and lightnings.
spreadings, &c.--the canopy of thick clouds, which covers the heavens in a storm ( Psalms 105:39 ).
the noise--"crashing"; namely, thunder.
of his tabernacle--God being poetically said to have His pavilion amid dark clouds ( Psalms 18:11 , Isaiah 40:22 ).

30. light--lightning.
it--His tabernacle ( Job 36:29 ). The light, in an instant spread over the vast mass of dark clouds, forms a striking picture.
spread--is repeated from Job 36:29 to form an antithesis. "He spreads not only clouds, but light."
covereth the bottom--roots.
of the sea--namely, with the light. In the storm the depths of ocean are laid bare; and the light "covers" them, at the same moment that it "spreads" across the dark sky. So in Psalms 18:14 Psalms 18:15 , the discovering of "the channels of waters" follows the "lightnings." UMBREIT translates: "He spreadeth His light upon Himself, and covereth Himself with the roots of the sea" ( Psalms 104:2 ). God's garment is woven of celestial light and of the watery depths, raised to the sky to form His cloudy canopy. The phrase, "cover Himself with the roots of the sea," is harsh; but the image is grand.

31. These (rain and lightnings) are marvellous and not to be understood ( Job 36:29 ), yet necessary. "For by them He judgeth (chastiseth on the one hand), &c. (and on the other, by them) He giveth meat" (food), &c. ( Job 37:13 , Job 38:23 Job 38:27 , Acts 14:17 ).

32. Rather, "He covereth (both) His hands with light (lightning, Job 37:3 , Margin), and giveth it a command against his adversary" (literally, the one "assailing" Him, Psalms 8:2 , 139:20 , Job 21:19 ). Thus, as in Job 36:31 , the twofold effects of His waters are set forth, so here, of His light; in the one hand, destructive lightning against the wicked; in the other, the genial light for good to His friends, &c. ( Job 36:33 ) [UMBREIT].

33. noise--rather, He revealeth it (literally, "announceth concerning it") to His friend (antithesis to adversary, Job 36:32 , so the Hebrew is translated, Job 2:11 ); also to cattle and plants (literally, "that which shooteth up"; Genesis 40:10 , 41:22 ). As the genial effect of "water" in the growth of food, is mentioned, Job 36:31 , so here that of "light" in cherishing cattle and plants [UMBREIT]. If English Version, "noise" be retained, translate, "His noise announces concerning Him (His coming in the tempest), the cattle (to announce) concerning Him when He is in the act of rising up" (in the storm). Some animals give various intimations that they are sensible of the approach of a storm [VIRGIL, Georgics, I.373, &c.].