Job 36:4-14

4 Trust me, I'm giving you undiluted truth; believe me, I know these things inside and out.

5 "It's true that God is all-powerful, but he doesn't bully innocent people.

6 For the wicked, though, it's a different story - he doesn't give them the time of day, but champions the rights of their victims.

7 He never takes his eyes off the righteous; he honors them lavishly, promotes them endlessly.

8 When things go badly, when affliction and suffering descend,

9 God tells them where they've gone wrong, shows them how their pride has caused their trouble.

10 He forces them to heed his warning, tells them they must repent of their bad life.

11 If they obey and serve him, they'll have a good, long life on easy street.

12 But if they disobey, they'll be cut down in their prime and never know the first thing about life.

13 Angry people without God pile grievance upon grievance, always blaming others for their troubles.

14 Living it up in sexual excesses, virility wasted, they die young.

Job 36:4-14 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 36

This chapter, with the following, contains Elihu's fourth and last discourse, the principal view of which is to vindicate the righteousness of God; which is done by observing the dealings of God with men in his providence, according to their different characters, and from the wonderful works wrought by him in a sovereign manner, and for the benefit of his creatures. This chapter is introduced with a preface, the design of which is to gain attention, Job 36:1-4; the different dealings of God with men are observed, and the different issue of them, and the different ends answered thereby, Job 36:5-15; and it is suggested to Job, that had he attended to the design of the providence he was under, and had submitted to it patiently, things would have been otherwise with him; and therefore Elihu proceeds to give him some advice, which, if taken, would be for his own good, and the glory of God, Job 36:16-25; and closes the chapter by observing the unsearchable greatness of God, as appears by the works of nature wrought by him, Job 36:26-33.