Wesley Corpus

Chapter XXXIII Elihu offers himself to Job as the person he had so often wished for, ver. 1 - 7. He charges him with reflecting upon God, ver. 8 - 11. He aggravates this by shewing him God's sovereign power over man, and the various means he uses to do him good, ver. 12 - 14. Particularly dreams, ver. 15 - 18. And sickness, ver. 19 - 30. He requests Job to answer him, or let him go on, ver. 31 - 33. My words - I will not speak passionately or partially, but from a sincere desire to do thee good. Clearly - What I speak will be plain, not hard to be understood. Life - I am thy fellow creature, and am ready to discourse with thee upon even terms, according to thy desire. Behold - I will plead with thee in God's name and stead, which thou hast often wished, and I am God's creature like thyself. Clean - Not absolutely, for he often confesses himself to be a sinner, but no such transgression, as might give God just occasion to punish him so severely, as is implied, where he blames God for finding occasions against him, implying that he had given him none by his sins. And thus far Elihu's charge was just, and herein it differs from the charge of Job's three friends, who often accuse him, for asserting his own innocency; although they did it, because they thought him an hypocrite, whereas Elihu does it upon other grounds, even because Job's justification of himself was accompanied with reflections upon God. Marketh - He narrowly prys into all my actions, that he may find matter against me. Not just - Thou art in the wrong. Greater - Not only in power and majesty, but also in justice, and wisdom, and goodness, and therefore thou dost foolishly, in censuring his judgments, thou castest off that awe and reverence which thou shouldest constantly maintain towards thy sovereign Lord. He - Useth not to give an account to his creatures of the grounds and reasons of his judgments or dispensations as being the supreme governor of all persons and things, in whose will it becometh all men to acquiesce. Yet - Although he doth not give men an account of his matters, yet he doth that which is sufficient for them.