Job 35:7-16

7 "If you are righteous, ¹what 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 ²multitude of oppressions they cry out; They cry for help because of the arm ³of the mighty.

10 "But ⁴no one says, 'Where is God my Maker, Who ⁵gives songs in the night,

11 Who ⁶teaches us more than the beasts of the earth And makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'

12 "There ⁷they cry out, but He does not answer Because * of the pride of evil men.

13 "Surely ⁸God will not listen to an empty cry, Nor will the Almighty regard it.

14 "How much less when ⁹you say you do not behold Him, The ¹⁰case is before Him, and you must wait for Him!

15 "And now, because He has not visited in His anger, Nor has He acknowledged transgression well,

16 So Job opens his mouth emptily; He multiplies words ¹¹without knowledge."

Job 35:7-16 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

• 1. Job 22:2, 3; Proverbs 9:12; Luke 17:10; Romans 11:35
• 2. Exodus 2:23
• 3. Job 12:19
• 4. Job 21:14; Job 27:10; Job 36:13; Isaiah 51:13
• 5. Job 8:21; Psalms 42:8; Psalms 77:6; Psalms 149:5; Acts 16:25
• 6. Job 36:22; Psalms 94:12; Jeremiah 32:33
• 7. Proverbs 1:28
• 8. Job 27:9; Proverbs 15:29; Isaiah 1:15; Jeremiah 11:11; Micah 3:4
• 9. Job 9:11; Job 23:8, 9
• 10. Job 31:35
• 11. Job 34:35; Job 38:2

Footnotes

• [a] Or "falsehood"
• [b] Or "arrogance"
• [c] Lit "vainly"