Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 35:9
By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make [the oppressed] to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
9. they make the Oppressed to cry ] Rather, men cry out because of the multitude of oppressions which powerful and cruel men lay upon them ( Job 35:12). This is the anomaly.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
9 15. Having laid down his principle Elihu now proceeds to clear away some anomalies which seem to support Job’s contention. There are instances where godliness does not seem to advantage men, where oppressed innocence cries in vain for redress. The reason is that the cry is merely the natural voice of suffering; it is no true devout appeal to heaven none saith, Where is God my maker?
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry – It is not quite easy to see the connection which this verse has with what goes before, or its bearing on the argument of Elihu. It seems however, to refer to the oppressed in general, and to the fact, to which Job had himself adverted Job 24:12, that people are borne down by oppression and that God does not interpose to save them. They are suffered to remain in that state of oppression – trodden down by people, crushed by the armor of a despot, and overwhelmed with poverty, sorrow, and want, and God does not interpose to rescue them. He looks on and sees all this evil, and does not come forth to deliver those who thus suffer. This is a common case, according to the view of Job; this was his own case, and he could not explain it, and in view of it he had indulged in language which Elihu regarded as a severe reflection on the government of the Almighty. He undertakes, therefore, to explain the reason why people are permitted thus to suffer, and why they are not relieved.
In the verse before us, he states the fact, that multitudes do thus suffer under the arm of oppression – for that fact could not be denied; in the following verses, he states the reason why it is so, and that reason is, that they do not apply in any proper manner to God, who could give songs in the night, or joy in the midst of calamities, and who could make them acquainted with the nature of his government as intelligent beings, so that they would be able to understand it and acquiesce in it. The phrase the multitude of oppressions refers to the numerous and repeated calamities which tyrants bring upon the poor, the down-trodden, and the slave. The phrases to cry and they cry out, refer to the lamentations and sighs of those under the arm of the oppressor. Elihu did not dispute the truth of the fact as it was alleged by Job. That fact could not then be doubted any more than it can now, that there were many who were bowed down under burdens imposed by hard-hearted masters, and groaning under the government of tyrants, and that all this was seen and permitted by a holy God. This fact troubled Job – for he was one of this general class of sufferers; and this fact Elihu proposes to account for. Whether his solution is satisfactory, however, may still admit of a doubt.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 9. By reason of the multitude] Or rather, “From among the multitude” the oppressed clamour, yaziku: they shout, yeshavveu, because of the mighty.
The wicked rich oppress the wicked poor; these cry aloud because of their oppressors; but they have no relief, because they call not upon God.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The multitude, or greatness. This verse is supposed to contain an argument to prove what he said Job 35:8, that one mans wickedness may hurt another. But he rather seems to begin a new matter, and having answered one of Jobs objections, to proceed to another, which may be either,
1. That which Job had oft complained of, that he cried to God, and God did not hear his cry; which Elihu answers by a parallel case of men crying out for oppression; whom yet God doth not hear nor help, and that for just reasons, which he leaves to Job to apply to himself. Or,
2. That which Job had alleged, Job 24:12, and which might seem to reflect upon Gods providence. This therefore Elihu repeats in this verse, and answereth in the following.
To cry; not only to murmur and complain, but to cry out by reason of sore oppression, and to cry to the oppressors or others for pity and help. By reason of the arm of the mighty; because their oppressors are too strong for them.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
9. (Ec4:1.) Elihu states in Job’s words (Job 24:12;Job 30:20) the difficulty; the”cries” of “the oppressed” not being heard mightlead man to think that wrongs are not punished by Him.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
By reason of the multitude of oppressions, they make [the oppressed] to cry,…. Which is either an illustration by an instance of what is before said, that wickedness hurts men, as particularly oppression does, which makes then cry; or this refers to something new, to another complaint of Job, or an undue expression of his. Elihu undertakes to answer; that men cry unto God, as he himself had, but are not heard and answered; the place or places referred to may be
Job 24:12. To which Elihu replies, by granting that men oppressed cry because of their oppression, and are not heard; for which reasons may be given, as in the following verses. The poor are often oppressed by the rich, whose wealth gives them power, and that they abuse; and the weak and feeble by the mighty; and their oppressions are many, there is a multitude of them: men in power and authority have various ways of oppressing others, who like the Israelites cry by reason of them, and are made to cry by their oppressors;
they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty; which falls with weight, and lies heavy upon them, and crushes them; meaning the power they have, and which they abuse to the injury of them; nor are they able to help themselves or deliver themselves out of their hands, they being mighty, if not in body, yet through wealth; and by means of that authority over them which gives it them: now on account of the pressure upon them, they cry, not to God, but to men: and if they cry to God, it is in a murmuring and complaining way, through impatience under their burden, through envy at the riches and power of others, in a passionate manner, in a revengeful spirit, calling and seeking for vengeance on their oppressors; not in an humble penitent manner, acknowledging their sins, and owning their unworthiness to be heard and regarded, and submitting all to the will of God: for which reasons they are not heard, their cries and, prayers being reckoned no other than howlings, Ho 7:14.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they raise a cry,
They call for help by reason of the arm of the great,
10 But none saith: Where is Eloah my Creator,
Who giveth songs of praise in the night,
11 Who teacheth us by the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wise by the fowls of heaven?
12 Then they cry, yet He answereth not,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Vanity alone God heareth not,
And the Almighty observeth it not.
In Job 35:9 the accentuation of with Dech, according to which Dachselt interprets: prae multitudine (oppressionum) oppressi clamabunt , is erroneous; it is to be written , as everywhere else, and this (according to Codd. and the editions of Jablonski, Majus, Michaelis, and others) is to be accented with Munach, which is followed by with a vicarious Munach: prae multitudine oppressionum ( like Ecc 4:1, and probably also Amo 3:9) edunt clamorem ( Hiph. in the intensive Kal signification, as e.g., , to commit fornication, Hos 4:10). On , Job 35:9; are the great or lords (Arab. arbab ). The plur. with a general subj. is followed by the sing. in Job 35:10: and no one says (exactly as in , Job 34:31). Elihu weakens the doubt expressed by Job in Job 24:12, that God allows injustice to prevail, and oppressed innocence remains without vindication. The failure of the latter arises from the fact of the sufferers complaining, but not seeking earnestly the only true helper, God their maker ( , intensive plur., as Isa 22:11; Isa 54:5; Psa 149:2), who gives (to which may be compared a passage of the Edda: “Wuodan gives songs to the Scalds”) songs ( , from the onomatopoetic ) in the night, i.e., who in the night of sorrow puts songs of praise concerning the dawning light of help into the mouth of the sufferers. The singing of the glory of the nightly heavens (Stick., Hahn) is to be as little thought of as the music of the spheres; the night is, as Job 34:20, Job 34:25, the time of unexpectedly sudden change.
In Job 35:11 most expositors (last of all Schlottm.) take the two as comparative. Elihu would then, since he feels the absence of the asking after this God on the part of the sufferers, mean the conscious relation in which He has placed us to Himself, and in accordance with which the sufferer should not merely instinctively complain, but humbly bow himself and earnestly offer up prayer. But according to Job 12:7 (comp. Pro 6:6, ), it is to be translated: who teaches ( = , comp. 2Sa 22:40, Psalter i. 160) us from the beasts of the earth (so that from them as a means of instruction teaching comes to us), and makes us wise from the birds of heaven. The fut. interchanging with the part. better accords with this translation, according to which Job 35:11 is a continuation of the assertion of a divine instruction, by means of the animal creation; the thought also suits the connection better, for of the many things that may be learned from the animal creation, prayer here comes under consideration, – the lions roar, Psa 104:21; the thirsty cattle cry to God, Joe 1:20; the ravens call upon God, Psa 147:9. It we now determine the collective thought of Job 35:10, that affliction does not drive most men to God the almighty Helper, who will be humbly entreated for help: it is more natural to take (vid., on Job 23:7) in the sense of then ( ), than, with reference to the scene of oppression, in the sense of there (lxx, Jer.: ibi). The division of the verse is correct, and H. B. Starcke has correctly interpreted : Tunc clamabunt (sed non respondebit) propter superbiam (insolentiam) malorum . is not to be connected with in the sense of non exaudiet et servabit , by which constr. praegnans one would expect , Psa 22:22, instead of , nor in the sense of non exaudiet propter (Hirz., Schlottm.), for the arrogant are not those who complain unheard: but, as the connection shows, those from whom the occasion of complaint proceeds. Therefore: not allowing themselves to be driven to God by oppression, they cry then, without, however, being heard of God, by reason of the arrogance of evil men which they have to endure. Job 35:13 gives the reason of their obtaining no answer: Only emptiness (i.e., mere motion of the lips without the true spirit of prayer) God heareth not, and the Almighty observeth it not. Hahn wrongly denies the significations certo and verumtamen ; but we prefer the restrictive signification (sheer emptiness or hollowness) which proceeds from the affirmative primary signification
(Note: Vid., Hupfeld in the Zeitschr. fr Kunde des Morgenl. ii. 441f.)
here, to the adversative (nevertheless emptiness), since the adversative thought, verumtamen non exaudit , has found its expression already in .
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. 10 But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; 11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? 12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. 13 Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
Elihu here returns an answer to another word that Job had said, which, he thought, reflected much upon the justice and goodness of God, and therefore ought not to pass without a remark. Observe,
I. What it was that Job complained of; it was this, That God did not regard the cries of the oppressed against their oppressors (v. 9): “By reason of the multitude of oppressions, the many hardships which proud tyrants put upon poor people and the barbarous usage they give them, they make the oppressed to cry; but it is to no purpose: God does not appear to right them. They cry out, they cry on still, by reason of the arm of the mighty, which lies heavily upon them.” This seems to refer to those words of Job (ch. xxiv. 12), Men groan from out of the city, and the soul of the wounded cries out against the oppressors, yet God lays not folly to them, does not reckon with them for it. This is a thing that Job knows not what to make of, nor how to reconcile to the justice of God and his government. Is there a righteous God, and can it be that he should so slowly hear, so slowly see?
II. How Elihu solves the difficulty. If the cries of the oppressed be not heard, the fault is not in God; he is ready to hear and help them. But the fault is in themselves; they ask and have not, but it is because they ask amiss, James iv. 3. They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty, but it is a complaining cry, a wailing cry, not a penitent praying cry, the cry of nature and passion, not of grace. See Hos. vii. 14,, They have not cried unto me with their heart when they howled upon their beds. How then can we expect that they should be answered and relieved?
1. They do not enquire after God, nor seek to acquaint themselves with him, under their affliction (v. 10): But none saith, Where is God my Maker? Afflictions are sent to direct and quicken us to enquire early after God, Ps. lxxxviii. 34. But many that groan under great oppressions never mind God, nor take notice of his hand in their troubles; if they did, they would bear their troubles more patiently and be more benefited by them. Of the many that are afflicted and oppressed, few get the good they might get by their affliction. It should drive them to God, but how seldom is this the case! It is lamentable to see so little religion among the poor and miserable part of mankind. Every one complains of his troubles; but none saith, Where is God my Maker? that is, none repent of their sins, none return to him that smites them, none seek the face and favour of God, and that comfort in him which would balance their outward afflictions. They are wholly taken up with the wretchedness of their condition, as if that would excuse them in living without God in the world which should engage them to cleave the more closely to him. Observe, (1.) God is our Maker, the author of our being, and, under that notion, it concerns us to regard and remember him, Eccl. xii. 1. God my makers, in the plural number, which some think is, if not an indication, yet an intimation, of the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead. Let us make man. (2.) It is our duty therefore to enquire after him. Where is he, that we may pay our homage to him, may own our dependence upon him and obligations to him? Where is he, that we may apply to him for maintenance and protection, may receive law from him, and may seek our happiness in his favour, from whose power we received our being? (3.) It is to be lamented that he is so little enquired after by the children of men. All are asking, Where is mirth? Where is wealth? Where is a good bargain? But none ask, Where is God my Maker?
2. They do not take notice of the mercies they enjoy in and under their afflictions, nor are thankful for them, and therefore cannot expect that God should deliver them out of their afflictions. (1.) He provides for our inward comfort and joy under our outward troubles, and we ought to make use of that, and wait his time for the removal of our troubles: He gives songs in the night, that is, when our condition is ever so dark, and sad, and melancholy, there is that in God, in his providence and promise, which is sufficient, not only to support us, but to fill us with joy and consolation, and enable us in every thing to give thanks, and even to rejoice in tribulation. When we only pore upon the afflictions we are under, and neglect the consolations of God which are treasured up for us, it is just with God to reject our prayers. (2.) He preserves to us the use of our reason and understanding (v. 11): Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, that is, who has endued us with more noble powers and faculties than they are endued with and has made us capable of more excellent pleasures and employments here and for ever. Now this comes in here, [1.] As that which furnishes us with matter for thanksgiving, even under the heaviest burden of affliction. Whatever we are deprived of, we have our immortal souls, those jewels of more worth than all the world, continued to us; even those that kill the body cannot hurt them. And if our affliction prevail not to disturb the exercise of their faculties, but we enjoy the use of our reason and the peace of our consciences, we have much reason to be thankful, how pressing soever our calamities otherwise are. [2.] As a reason why we should, under our afflictions, enquire after God our Maker, and seek unto him. This is the greatest excellency of reason, that it makes us capable of religion, and it is in that especially that we are taught more than the beasts and the fowls. They have wonderful instincts and sagacities in seeking out their food, their physic, their shelter; but none of them are capable of enquiring, Where is God my Maker? Something like logic, and philosophy, and politics, has been observed among the brute-creatures, but never any thing of divinity or religion; these are peculiar to man. If therefore the oppressed only cry by reason of the arm of the mighty, and do not look up to God, they do no more than the brutes (who complain when they are hurt), and they forget that instruction and wisdom by which they are advanced so far above them. God relieves the brute-creatures because they cry to him according to the best of their capacity, Job 38:41; Psa 104:21. But what reason have men to expect relief, who are capable of enquiring after God as their Maker and yet cry to him no otherwise than as brutes do?
3. They are proud and unhumbled under their afflictions, which were sent to mortify them and to hide pride from them (v. 12): There they cry–there they lie exclaiming against their oppressors, and filling the ears of all about them with their complaints, not sparing to reflect upon God himself and his providence–but none gives answer. God does not work deliverance for them, and perhaps men do not much regard them; and why so? It is because of the pride of evil men; they are evil men; they regard iniquity in their hearts, and therefore God will not hear their prayers, Psa 66:18; Isa 1:15. God hears not such sinners. They have, it may be, brought themselves into trouble by their own wickedness; they are the devil’s poor; and then who can pity them? Yet this is not all: they are proud still, and therefore they do not seek unto God (Ps. x. 4), or, if they do cry unto him, therefore he does not give answer, for he hears only the desire of the humble (Ps. x. 17) and delivers those by his providence whom he has first by his grace prepared and made fit for deliverance, which we are not if, under humbling afflictions, our hearts remain unhumbled and our pride unmortified. The case is plain then, If we cry to God for the removal of the oppression and affliction we are under, and it is not removed, the reason is not because the Lord’s hand is shortened or his ear heavy, but because the affliction has not done its work; we are not sufficiently humbled, and therefore must thank ourselves that it is continued.
4. They are not sincere, and upright, and inward with God, in their supplications to him, and therefore he does not hear and answer them (v. 13): God will not hear vanity, that is, the hypocritical prayer, which is a vain prayer, coming out of feigned lips. It is a vanity to think that God should hear it, who searches the heart and requires truth in the inward part.
Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary
3. Pride will keep men from God. (Job. 35:9-13)
TEXT 35:913
9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, Where is God my Maker,
Who giveth songs in the night,
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
12 There they cry, but none giveth answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
Neither will the Almighty regard it.
COMMENT 35:913
Job. 35:9Job has expressed his attitude toward the magnitude of human misery and injustice in Job. 24:2-17 and there noted that God does not respond to the social injustices caused by unrighteous men in Job. 24:12. Job had already raised the question, If Gods rule is righteous, why the cry of the oppressed? in Job. 24:12. The phrase multitude of oppressions means the excess of oppression and comes from the root for youth or virginityAmo. 3:9; Ecc. 4:1. The arm is an image or instrument of oppression.
Job. 35:10A righteous God gives songs in the night even to the oppressedPsa. 42:8; Act. 16:25. The scriptures bear witness that God grants songs in the night to the oppressedPsalms 137; Psa. 150:1; Psa. 150:5. The Jews, in Fiddler on the Roof, sang Psalms 137 asking, How does one sing songs in a strange land? In the birth record of Jobs redeemer we are given Marys song, Luk. 1:46-56; Zechariahs song, Luk. 1:68-79; the angels song, Luk. 2:14; and Simeons song, Luk. 2:29-35. Each of these were songs from a weary world, as were those of Moses and Hannah in the Old Testament. The word zemirot is usually rendered songs but can mean strength.[348]
[348] See Pope, Job, pp. 263264; and The Qumran Targum rendering of pour notre Plantation dans la nuit, and IQS VIII, 5, 10; Isa. 61:3.
Job. 35:11God teaches us (mallepenu) continually because man has a higher intelligence and wisdom than animals. He communicates to man with continuous instruction. The preposition -min is usually interpreted as the comparative, i.e., more than, implying that man derives wisdom from the observation of the natural world. This is a common theme in Wisdom Literature1Ki. 4:33; Pro. 6:6; Pro. 26:2; Pro. 26:11; Pro. 30:24-31; Job. 38:41. What the content of the instruction is is not clear. The Qumran Targum preserves the verb he makes us wise, as in A. V. as wiser than. Elihu instructs Job to learn from the animal world how to respond to GodPsa. 104:21; Psa. 147:9; and Joe. 1:20.
Job. 35:12The verse harks back to verse nine but also connects with what follows, so the verse should not be transferred to follow verse nine. Elihu often goes back to something already said. It is not clear whether the verse is discussing the reason for their cry or the reason for not being heard. But in Elihus view, if one is not heard, one is in fact evil. Suffering is for discipline, but evil men do not recognize it.
Job. 35:13That God requires pious petitions before His righteousness will prevail on earth but reveals the theological perspective of loquacious ElihuHab. 1:13. It is possible that the verse says that the petition is not even addressed to God, but to empty space or void.
Fuente: College Press Bible Study Textbook Series
(9) By reason of the multitude of oppressions.The argument seems to be that among men there may be oppression, but not with an almighty and just Judge. The right course, therefore, is to wait. Men may, indeed, complain because of the oppression of an earthly tyrant; but how canst thou say thou beholdest Him not? (See Job. 9:9.)
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Second half PIETY (SO CALLED) THAT CALLS FORTH NO RESPONSIVE BENEFIT, IS UNREAL AND WORTHLESS, IN THAT IT IS EXTORTED FROM THE SOUL OF MAN BY SUFFERING, Job 35:9-16.
a. The objection of Job, stated in Elihu’s own language, (Job 35:9,) that the prayers of human sufferers are unanswered of God, Elihu refutes by the suggestion that they have in them no more moral element than the cries of the brute, and that, too, notwithstanding God has so richly endowed the wicked with faculties for love, trust, and worship; and, consequently, God is under no moral obligations to hear. The reason why they are not heard lies in the oppressed themselves, Job 35:9-14.
9. By reason they make the oppressed to cry The correct reading is, Because of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. A statement Job had made, (Job 24:12,) with the additional remark that God paid no heed to the outrage.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
The Reasons For God’s Delay in Helping Suffering
v. 9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry, v. 10. but none saith, Where is God, my Maker, who giveth songs in the night, v. 11. who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, v. 12. There they cry, but none giveth answer, v. 13. Surely God will not hear vanity, v. 14. Although thou sayest thou shalt not see Him, v. 15. But now, because it is not so, He hath visited in His anger, v. 16. Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain,
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Job 35:9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions See chap. Job 19:7.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
(9) By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty. (10) But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night; (11) Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven? (12) There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men. (13) Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it. (14) Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him. (15) But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
How awfully is this scripture verified in the daily experience of mankind. Men under the various oppressions of life will cry out; some under sickness, some under want; some under one affliction, and some under another. But none of their cries are directed unto the LORD. Go wheresoever you may, in prisons, in sick rooms, in poor houses, or even among the rich under disappointment or trouble, yet, though you may hear one saying, O my child, my brother, my husband, my father, my friend! O my head, my heart, my body; or, O the cruelty of this or that; yet, amidst all these wailings and bitter Lamentations, which are all the cry of nature, not of grace, you never heard among them the voice of an awakened soul, crying out, Where is GOD my maker, who giveth song in the night? What an awful blindness hath the fall induced in the circumstances of all mankind by nature! To behold men thrown into prison, on dying beds, under bereaving providences; and all complaining, yet none crying to GOD, though all disposed to complain of GOD. Reader, do mark the difference. The people of GOD, if in sorrow, affliction, sickness, on a bed of languishing, they have their songs in the night; and, from the sweet visits of JESUS, can and do say, In the multitude of the sorrows that I had in my heart, thy comforts have refreshed my soul. Psa 94:19 .
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 35:9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make [the oppressed] to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
Ver. 9. By reason of the multitude (or magnitude) of oppressions, &c.] Or, of the oppressed, whom they (that is, whom the oppressors, not worthy to be named, as neither is that rich glutton, Luk 16:19-31 ) make to cry. Job had said, Job 24:12 , “Men groan out of the city, and the soul of the wounded crieth out: yet God layeth not folly to them.” He punisheth not the wrong dealers according to their deserts, as Elihu interprets Job; and here refuteth him, as one that accused God of injustice, because he heareth not the cries of the oppressed. But this is merely their own fault, saith Elihu; because they cry not to God with truth and devotion. They ask and miss, because they ask amiss. For God never faileth to be with his afflicted, Psa 91:1-16 , to preserve the simple, as David found by experience, &c., Psa 116:1-19 , to hear those that call upon him in truth, Psa 145:1-21 ; he requireth nothing of them but lawful petitions aud honest hearts, and then they are sure to have out their prayers, either in money or money’s worth; either the same thing they ask or a better.
They cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Job 35:9-16
Job 35:9-16
MORE OF ELIHU’S VAIN REASONING
“By reason of a multitude of oppressions they cry out;
They cry for help by reason of the arm of the Almighty.
But none saith, Where is God my Maker?
Who giveth songs in the night,
Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?
There they cry, but none giveth answer,
Because of the pride of evil men.
Surely God will not hear an empty cry,
Neither will the Almighty regard it.
How much less when thou sayest thou beholdest him not,
The cause is before him, and thou waitest for him!
But now, because he hath not visited in his anger,
Neither doth he greatly regard arrogance;
Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vanity;
He multiplieth words without knowledge.”
“They cry for help by reason of the arm of the Almighty” (Job 35:9). “What Elihu is saying here is that when men do pray (as Job has been doing) it is merely because of their suffering, and not because of any true desire for God.”
“None saith, Where is God my Maker” (Job 35:10)? “This means that they do not pray with that trust in their prayers which is pleasing to God.” The plurals here should not mislead us. Elihu is accusing Job.
“Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth. and maketh us wiser than the birds of the heavens?” (Job 35:11). We appreciate Pope’s rendition of this: “Teaches us BY the beasts of the field … BY the birds of the heavens.” The allegation here is that the type of prayer Job has been praying, due to pain only, “Does not raise man any higher than the animal creation.”
“There they cry, but none giveth answer” (Job 35:12). Here is the problem of unanswered prayer; and Elihu has the glib answer ready, the wrong one, of course.
“It is because of the pride of men” (Job 35:13). The plurals here are misleading; Elihu is accusing Job. When God finally interrupted this devil-originated speech of Elihu. he did not accuse Job of pride, thus revealing Elihu’s cocksure answer here as the wild guess of an ignorant man. But Elihu even had another answer.
“Surely God will not hear an empty cry” (Job 35:13). “Elihu thought that when prayer was not answered, it was because the prayer was empty”; but he did not explain what he meant by that. The New Testament reveals two great reasons why prayers are not answered. (1) “Ye have not, because ye ask not” (Jas 4:2). A far greater tragedy than unanswered prayer is the tragedy of unoffered prayer. (2) “Ye ask, and receive not; because ye ask amiss, that ye may spend it in your pleasures” (Jas 4:3).
“Thou sayest thou beholdest him not” (Job 35:14). Job indeed had complained of his inability to find God; and Barnes believed that here, “Elihu says that, although God is invisible, yet this should not be regarded as a reason why Job should not confide in him.”
” Job 35:15 conveys no intelligible idea.”
“Job opens his mouth in vanity … multiplies words without knowledge” (Job 35:16). As our version has it, Elihu here is charging Job with all of his irresponsible talk as being able so to speak because God has overlooked his arrogance (Job 35:15). However, it was not Job, but Elihu who was, “Darkening counsel by words without knowledge,” (Job 38:2), according to the verdict of Almighty God Himself.
E.M. Zerr:
Job 35:9. A specific instance was cited to show the evil effect of sin. The oppressed are made to cry out in their oppression.
Job 35:10-11. Elihu intimated that Job was ignoring God, who is the source of true knowledge. This was such a groundless charge that no further attention was given it; it did not deserve the dignity of a reply.
Job 35:12. There refers to the creatures which God made. They are not the source from which to expect knowledge. If one cries to them instead of to God then will be brought to pass the thought expressed in the words none giveth answer.
Job 35:13-14. This was another false insinuation. Job never denied having to meet God, but rather rejoiced at the thought of seeing him. (Job 19:25-27.)
Job 35:15-16. Because the judgment of God was not realized by Job, he had given himself over to words contrary to knowledge.
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
they make: Job 24:12, Job 34:28, Exo 2:23, Exo 3:7, Exo 3:9, Neh 5:1-5, Psa 12:5, Psa 43:2, Psa 55:2, Psa 55:3, Psa 56:1, Psa 56:2, Luk 18:3-7
the arm: Job 40:9, Psa 10:15
Reciprocal: Exo 22:23 – they cry at all Deu 24:15 – lest he Job 20:19 – Because Job 36:13 – they Psa 119:55 – night Isa 24:15 – glorify Hos 7:14 – they have not
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 35:9-10. By reason of the multitude of oppressions This verse has been supposed by many to contain an argument to prove what he had said Job 35:8, that the wickedness of one man may hurt another: but Elihu rather seems to be here beginning a new subject, and, having answered one of Jobs objections, to proceed to another. Job had often complained that he cried to God, and God did not hear his cry. This Elihu may here be considered as answering by a parallel case of men crying out for oppression; whom yet God did not immediately relieve, for just reasons, which he leaves Job to apply to himself. Or he refers to what Job had alleged, (Job 24:12,) respecting mens groaning out of the city, &c., which might seem to reflect on Gods providence. This Elihu repeats in this verse, and answers in those following. But none saith Few or none of the great numbers of oppressed persons, seriously or sincerely inquire, Where is God? They cry out of men, and to men, but they seek not after God, and therefore if God do not hear their cries, he is neither unjust nor unkind; my Maker Who alone made me, and who only can deliver me. Who, when our condition is ever so dark and sad, can turn our darkness into light, can quickly put a new song into our mouth, a thanksgiving unto our God.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 35:9-16. Men cry out by reason of oppression, but do not inquire after God, who gives songs in the night and makes us wiser than the animals. They cry because of the pride of evil men, but God does not answer, since the cry is vanity, has no real religious character. How much less will He hear Job, who is frankly irreligious (Job 35:14)? In Job 35:15 follow mg., But now, because he hath not visited in his anger, Thou sayest, He does not greatly regard arrogance (Job 35:16). Thus doth Job open his mouth in vanity, etc. This is Elihus condemnation of Jobs criticism of Gods government.
Fuente: Peake’s Commentary on the Bible
35:9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make [the oppressed] {e} to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
(e) The wicked may hurt man and cause him to cry, who if he sought God who lends comfort would be delivered.