Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2. God. Eliu being greatly mortified at Job’s silence, uses still more provoking expressions, and pretends to refute one of the holy man’s assertions, which never escaped his lips, though he had complained that God treated him as an enemy, and with more severity than his sins deserved; (Calmet. 6:2. Calmet.) or, that his affliction was greater than his sin. Calmet. 23:7. and so forth Eliu therefore calumniates him. Worthington.
Verse 3. Please thee, since thou punishest the guiltless. Menochius.—If I sin. Job had not said so, but it seemed to follow from his expressions. Calmet. 21:7. See Calmet. 22:3. Whether sin be committed and punished, or not, what does it profit God? Calmet.—His sovereign perfections require that he should not let sin pass unnoticed, and Job never entertained an idea to the contrary.
Verse 4. Thee. I will shew that you are all wrong. Bible.—I will supply what the three have left imperfect. Calmet.
Verse 5. Thee. Thy sin cannot hurt, nor thy virtue add any thing to God. He is not therefore actuated by resentment, or jealousy, but by justice. Calmet.—He revenges the injury done by the sinner to himself, verse 8. Saint Augustine Conf. iii. 8.—The inference is therefore wrong, ( Calmet.) that God will not regard the sins or punishment of men, because he thence derives no profit, verse 3. Bible.—The strong sentences of Eliu agree not (or are ill-applied) to the blessed Job. Saint Gregory xxvi. 7. Worthington.
Verse 9. Out. The wicked shall cry out, through vexation, but still they will not address themselves to God, verse 10. Why are the abandoned, but because He takes cognizance of all?
Verse 10. Songs. Arab. “thoughts,” by means of visions. Chal. “where is the Lord, in whose presence the angels sing canticles of praise in the night?” Calmet.—Septuagint “who has ordered the night watches;” ( Bible.) the stars, which display the power of God? His servants also are filled with interior joy, even in the midst of afflictions. Calmet.
Verse 11. Air: and yet the wicked make not use of their understanding, to have recourse to God under distress. Calmet.
Verse 13. Vain. Hebrew “falsehood.” He will not relieve the hypocrite, who does not cry to him with sincerity. This conduct shews that God acts with discretion, and hears people according to their deserts. Calmet.
Verse 14. Before him. Try whether the assertion be true. Bible.—Only change thy life, and hope in him, and thou wilt see the good effects. Calmet.
Verse 15. For. Prot. “But now because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he (marg. Job) knoweth it not, in great extremity.” Bible.—In this world, God punishes not with rigour. Calmet.
Verse 16. Knowledge. I have shewn that God punishes or rewards according to our deserts, and is not indifferent about our sins. If Job have not experienced the divine bounty, it is because he has not deserved it. Calmet.