Job 35 Our good or evil extendeth not to God, Job 35:1–7, but to men on earth, who are hereby oppressed, and cry out, but not unto God, nor are delivered, Job 35:8–12. He exhorteth to hope in God, though for the present he be angry, Job 35:13–16.

Canst thou in thy conscience, upon second thoughts, approve of what thou hast said? Not that Job said this in express terms, but he said those things from which this might seem to follow, as that God punished him more than he deserved or expected, all things considered; and that if he might be…

This verse contains the proof of the foregoing charges. Job had oft affirmed that he was, and still continued to be, righteous, though he had no present benefit by it, but much bitterness with it; and God was not kind to Job, notwithstanding all his former and present piety, but dealt with him as…

Thy companions, i.e. those who are of thy opinion, or with whom thou dost associate thyself in those speeches and carriages; which seems to be meant not of Job’s three friends, (as many understand it, for their opinions were contrary to Job’s in this point,) but of wicked men, with whom Job is said…

How much more is God, who is far above all heavens, higher than thou! And therefore God is out of the reach of all profit or loss by thy actions. If thy goodness do not profit thee, it is certain it doth not profit him; and therefore doth not lay any obligation upon him to indulge or recompense…

Thy sins do him no hurt, and therefore thy righteousness brings him no benefit, as it follows.

He gaineth nothing by it, nor can indeed receive any good from thee, because all thy good comes from him. And therefore thou hast no reason to boast of nor to upbraid God with thy piety, which is much to thy advantage, but nothing to his.

If God were such a one as thou art, he might have benefit or hurt by thine actions; but being an infinite, independent, and self-sufficient Being, he is far exalted above all thy good or evil.

The multitude, or greatness. This verse is supposed to contain an argument to prove what he said Job 35:8, that one man’s wickedness may hurt another. But he rather seems to begin a new matter, and having answered one of Job’s objections, to proceed to another, which may be either, 1.

None, i.e. few or none (for few are oft called and accounted as none, both in Scripture and other authors) of the great numbers of oppressed persons. None saith, to wit, seriously or sincerely, and it may be not so much as in word and profession.

This is mentioned as a further aggravation of men’s neglect of God in their misery. God hath given to men those gifts which he hath denied to beasts, reason and religion, wisdom to know God and themselves, and their obligations to God, and their dependence upon him.

There, or then, as this particle is used, Ps. 14:5, Eccles. 3:17, Zeph. 1:14; in that time or condition. The pride of evil men; either 1. Of the oppressors.

Either, 1. Vain and light persons, that have no true wisdom or solid piety in them, but are wholly addicted to vain and worldly things, rejoicing immoderately when they have them, and crying out for want of them, as here they do. Or, 2.

Thou shalt not see him; or, thou canst not see him; the future tense of the indicative mood being oft put potentially; i.e. thou canal not have thy desire in appearing and pleading thy cause before him.

Because it is not so, i.e. because Job doth not acknowledge God’s justice and his own sins, and wait upon God in his way for mercy, according to the last advice given to him, Job 35:14. He, to wit, God, to whom this great work of visiting is ascribed every where in Scripture.

Therefore; hence it is manifest. Open his mouth in vain, i.e. pour forth his complaints without any success, and gets no ease by them. He multiplieth words without knowledge, thereby discovering his ignorance of God and of himself.