Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 35:7
If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? – The same sentiment substantially as in the previous verses. It is, that God is supreme and independent. He does not desire such benefits from the services of his friends and is not so dependent on them; as to be induced to interpose in their favor, in any way beyond what is strictly proper. It is to be presumed, therefore, that he will deal with them according to what is right, and as it is right that they should experience proofs of his favor, it followed that there would be advantage in serving him, and in being delivered from sin; that it would be better to be holy than to lead a life of transgression. This reasoning seems to be somewhat abstract, but it is correct, and is as sound now as it was in the time of Elihu. There is no reason why God should not treat people according to their character. He is not so under obligations to his friends, and has not such cause to dread his foes; he does not derive so much benefit from the one, or receive such injury from the other, that he is under any inducement to swerve from strict justice; and it follows, therefore, that where there ought to be reward there will be, where there ought to be punishment there will be, and consequently that there is an advantage in being righteous.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
He gaineth nothing by it, nor can indeed receive any good from thee, because all thy good comes from him. And therefore thou hast no reason to boast of nor to upbraid God with thy piety, which is much to thy advantage, but nothing to his.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
7. (Psa 16:2;Pro 9:12; Luk 17:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
If thou be righteous, what givest thou him?…. 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, Ps 16:2; 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.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Job 35:7 If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
Ver. 7. If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? ] Nothing, since he is self sufficient, and independent. He needeth us not, neither doth our righteousness reach him, Psa 16:2 . The Pharisees dreamed of an over-doing of the law, and making God beholden to them. The Papists also, those modern Pharisees, talk of works of supererogation, and of merit of congruity, and merit of condignity. But these are mere fictions, chimaeras, absurd doctrines, such as Elihu never heard of. “He that doeth righteousness is righteous,” 1Jn 3:7 , but he addeth nothing thereby to God, let him do his utmost. Indeed who so offereth praise glorifieth God, Psa 50:23 , so he is pleased to account it, and call it; but his glory is, as himself is, eternal, infinite, immense. The sun would shine in its own brightness though all the world were blind, and should wilfully wink: so here. God accepts not our presents, but to return them us back with interest, as the rain ascends in thin vapours, but comes down again in thick showers.
Or what receiveth he of thine hand?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 22:2, Job 22:3, 1Ch 29:14, Psa 16:2, Pro 9:12, Rom 11:35
Reciprocal: Deu 6:24 – for our good Job 41:11 – Who Luk 17:10 – General Act 17:25 – is Tit 3:8 – good