Bible Commentaries

The ^a Spirit of God hath made me, and the breath of the Almighty hath given me life.

(a) I confess the power of God, and am one of his, therefore you should hear me.

Behold, I [am] according to thy wish in ^b God's stead: I also am formed out of the clay.

(b) Because Job had wished to dispute his cause with God, (Job 16:21) so that he might do it without fear, Elihu says, he will reason in God's stead, whom he does not need to fear.

Behold, my terror shall not make thee afraid, neither shall my hand ^c be heavy upon thee.

(c) I will not handle you so roughly as these others have done.

I am ^d clean without transgression, I [am] innocent; neither [is there] iniquity in me.

(d) He repeats Job's words, by which he protested his innocency in various places, but especially in the 13th, 16th and 30th chapters.

Why dost thou strive against him? for he giveth not ^e account of any of his matters.

(e) The cause of his judgments is not always declared to man.

For God speaketh ^f once, yea twice, [yet man] perceiveth it not.

(f) Though God by various examples of his judgments speak to man, yet the reason for it is not known, yea and though God should speak yet is he not understood.

In a dream, in a ^g vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed;

(g) God, he says, speaks commonly, either by visions to teach us the cause of his judgments, of else by affliction or by his messenger.

Then he openeth the ears of men, and ^h sealeth their instruction,

(h) That is, determined to send on them.

That he may withdraw man [from his] purpose, and hide ⁱ pride from man.

(i) He shows for why God sends afflictions: to beat down man's pride, and to turn from evil.

So that his ^k life abhorreth bread, and his soul dainty meat.

(k) That is, his painful and miserable life.

Yea, his soul draweth near unto the grave, and his life ^l to the destroyers.

(l) To them that will bury him.

If there be a ^m messenger with him, an interpreter, one among a thousand, ⁿ to shew unto man his uprightness:

(m) A man sent from God to declare his will.

(n) A singular man, and as one chosen out of a thousand, who is able to declare the great mercies of God to sinners: and in which man's righteousness stands, which is through the justice of Jesus Christ.

Then he is ^o gracious unto him, and saith, ^p Deliver him from going down to the pit: I have found a ransom.

(o) He shows that it is a sure token of God's mercy toward sinners, when he causes his word to be preached to them.

(p) That is, the minister will by the preaching of the word pronounce to him the forgiveness of his sins.

His flesh shall be ^q fresher than a child's: he shall return to the days of his youth:

(q) He will feel God's favour and rejoice; declaring by this in which stands the true joy of the faithful, and that God will restore him to health, which is a token of his blessing.

He shall pray unto God, and he will be favourable unto him: and he shall see his face with joy: for he will render unto man his ^r righteousness.

(r) God will forgive his sins, and accept him as just.

He looketh upon men, and [if any] say, I have sinned, and ^s perverted [that which was] right, and it profited ^t me not;

(s) That is, done wickedly.

(t) But my sins have been the cause of God's wrath toward me.

^u He will deliver his soul from going into the pit, and his life shall see the light.

(u) God will forgive the penitent sinner.

Lo, all these [things] worketh God ^x oftentimes with man,

(x) Meaning, as often as a sinner repents.

If thou hast any ^y thing to say, answer me: speak, for I desire to ^z justify thee.

(y) If you doubt anything, or see opportunity to speak against it.

(z) That is, to show you, in which mans justification consists.