Text -- Job 36:1-6 (NET)

Elihu’s Fourth Speech

36:1 Elihu said further: 36:2 “Be patient with me a little longer and I will instruct you, for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf. 36:3 With my knowledge I will speak comprehensively, and to my Creator I will ascribe righteousness. 36:4 For in truth, my words are not false; it is one complete in knowledge who is with you. 36:5 Indeed, God is mighty; and he does not despise people, he is mighty, and firm in his intent. 36:6 He does not allow the wicked to live, but he gives justice to the poor.

Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 36:1

¹ sn This very lengthy speech can be broken down into the following sections: the discipline of suffering (36:2-25), the work and wisdom of God (36:26–37:24).

² tn The use of וַיֹּסֶף (vayyosef) is with the hendiadys construction: “and he added and said,” meaning “and he said again, further.”

NET Notes: Job 36:2

¹ tn The verb כָּתַּר (kattar) is the Piel imperative; in Hebrew the word means “to surround” and is related to the noun for crown. But in Syriac it means “to wait.” This section of the book of Job will have a few Aramaic words.

² tn The Hebrew text simply has “for yet for God words.”

NET Notes: Job 36:3

¹ tn Heb “I will carry my knowledge to-from afar.” The expression means that he will give a wide range to knowledge, that he will speak comprehensively.

² tn This line gives the essence of all of Elihu’s speech – to give or ascribe righteousness to God against the charges of Job. Dhorme translates this “I will justify my Maker,” and that is workable if it carries the meaning of “declaring to be right.”

NET Notes: Job 36:4

¹ tn The word is תְּמִים (tÿmim), often translated “perfect.” It is the same word used of Job in 2:3. Elihu is either a complete stranger to modesty or is confident regarding the knowledge that he believes God has revealed to him for this situation. See the note on the heading before 32:1.

NET Notes: Job 36:5

¹ tn The object “people” is not in the Hebrew text but is implied.

² tn The text simply repeats “mighty.”

³ tn The last two words are simply כֹּחַ לֵב (koakh lev, “strong in heart”), meaning something like “strong; firm in his decisions.”

⁴ tc There are several problems in this verse: the repetition of “mighty,” the lack of an object for “despise,” and the meaning of “strength of heart.” Many commentators reduce the verse to a single line, reading something like “Lo, God does not reject the pure in heart” (Kissane). Dhorme and Pope follow Nichols with: “Lo, God is mighty in strength, and rejects not the pure in heart.” This reading moved “mighty” to the first line and took the second to be בַּר (bar, “pure”).

NET Notes: Job 36:6

¹ tn Or “he does not keep the wicked alive.”