36:3 I will fetch a my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe
righteousness to my Maker.
(a) He shows that when we speak of God, we must lift our
spirits higher than our natural sense is able to reach.
36:4 For truly my words [shall] not [be] false: he that is b
perfect in knowledge [is] with thee.
(b) You will perceive that I am a faithful instructor, and
that I speak to you in the name of God.
36:5 Behold, God [is] mighty, and despiseth not [any: he is] c
mighty in strength [and] wisdom.
(c) Strong and constant, and of understanding: for these
are the gifts of God, and he loves them in man: but as
much as God punished Job now, it is a sign that these
are not in him.
36:6 He d preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth
right to the poor.
(d) Therefore he will not preserve the wicked, but to the
humble and afflicted heart he will show grace.
36:7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous: but with
e kings [are they] on the throne; yea, he doth establish
them for ever, and they are exalted.
(e) He prefers the godly to honour.
36:9 Then he sheweth them their f work, and their
transgressions that they have exceeded.
(f) He will move their hearts to feel their sins that they
may come to him by repentance as he did Manasseh.
36:12 But if they obey not, they shall perish by the sword, and
they shall die g without knowledge.
(g) That is, in their folly or obstinacy, and so shall
cause their own destruction.
36:13 But the hypocrites h in heart heap up wrath: they i
cry not when he bindeth them.
(h) Which are maliciously bent against God, and flatter
themselves in their vices.
(i) When they are in affliction they do not seek God for
help, as Asa in (2Ch 16:12).
36:14 They die in k youth, and their life [is] among the
unclean.
(k) They die of some vile death, and that before they come
to age.
36:16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait
[into] a broad place, where [there is] no straitness; and
l that which should be set on thy table [should be] full
of fatness.
(l) If you had been obedient to God, he would have brought
you to freedom and wealth.
36:17 But thou hast fulfilled the m judgment of the wicked:
judgment and justice take hold [on thee].
(m) You are altogether after the manner of the wicked: for
you murmur against the justice of God.
36:18n Because [there is] wrath, [beware] lest he take thee
away with [his] stroke: then a great ransom cannot deliver
thee.
(n) God punishes you, lest you forget God in your wealth
and so perish.
36:20o Desire not the night, when people are cut off in their
place.
(o) Do not be curious in seeking the cause of God's
judgments, when he destroys any.
36:21 Take heed, regard not p iniquity: for this hast thou
chosen rather than affliction.
(p) And so murmur against God through impatiency.
36:25 Every man may see it; man may behold [it] q afar off.
(q) The works of God are revealed, that a man may see them
afar off, and know God by the same.
36:26 Behold, God [is] great, r and we know [him] not, neither
can the number of his years be searched out.
(r) Our infirmity hinders us so that we cannot attain the
perfect knowledge of God.
36:27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they s pour down
rain according to the vapour thereof:
(s) That is, the rain comes from those drops of water
which he keeps in the clouds.
36:29 Also can [any] understand the spreadings of the clouds,
[or] the noise of his t tabernacle?
(t) Meaning, of the clouds, which he calls the tabernacle
of God.
36:30 Behold, he spreadeth his light upon u it, and covereth
the x bottom of the sea.
(u) Upon the cloud.
(x) That men cannot come to the knowledge of the springs
of it.
36:31 For by them judgeth he y the people; he giveth meat in
abundance.
(y) He shows that the rain has a double use: the one that
it declares God's judgments, when it overflows any
places, and the other that it makes the land fruitful.
36:32 With clouds he covereth the light; and commandeth it [not
to shine] by [the cloud] that cometh z betwixt.
(z) That is, one cloud to dash against another.
36:33a The noise thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattle
also concerning the vapour.
(a) The cold vapour shows him: that is, the cloud of the
hot exhalation, which being taken in the cold cloud
mounts up toward the place where the fire is, and so
anger is engendered; that is, noise and thunderclaps.
