Job 34:28

Job 34:28 So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him, and he heareth the cry of the afflicted.

Ver. 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor, &c.] These they compel, by their oppressions, to wash the earth with their tears, and to importune heaven with their complaints, as Senault phraseth it. The wicked do, as it were, bring up to God the cries of the poor oppressed, and so pull upon themselves inevitable destruction, for he is the poor man’s patron, and heareth the cry of the afflicted. The Grand Signior would have the world take notice, that such as lament unto him shall be sure to have redress and succour from him. Wherefore also he calleth himself, Awlem Penawh, The world’s refuge, a title far more fit for the God of heaven than for any earthly monarch, were he far more gracious than the Great Turk, from whose courtesy, freely offered him, Luther blessed himself with a Deus me tueatur a tali benefice Domino, God defend me from such a gracious Lord (Joh. Maul. loc. com.).

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

By their cruelty and extortion.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 28. So that they cause the cry of the poor] They were cruel and oppressive: the poor cried through their distresses, and against their oppressors; and God heard the cry of the poor. Nothing so dreadful appears in the court of heaven against an unfeeling, hardhearted, and cruel man of power, as the prayers, tears, and groans of the poor.

In times of little liberality, when some men thought they did God service by persecuting those who did not exactly receive their creed, nor worship God in their way, a certain great man in Scotland grievously persecuted his tenants, because they had religious meetings in private houses out of the order of the establishment; though he never molested them when they spent their time and their money in the alehouse. A holy, simple woman, one of those people, went one morning to the house of the great persecutor, and desired to speak with him. The servant desired to know her message, and he would deliver it; for she could not be admitted. She told him she could deliver her message to none but his master; said it was a matter of great importance, and concerned himself intimately, and alone. The servant having delivered this message, and stated that the woman appeared to have something particular on her mind, his worship condescended to see her. "What is your business with me?" said he, in a haughty, overbearing tone. To which she answered, "Sir, we are a hantle o' puir folk at ___, who are strivin' to sairve God accordin' to our ain conscience, and to get our sauls sav'd: yee persecute us; and I am come to beg yee to let us alane, and in ye dinna, we'll pray yee dead." This rhetoric was irresistible. His lordship did not know what influence such people might have in heaven; he did not like to put such prayers to the proof; wisely took the old woman's advice, and e'en let them alane. He was safe; they were satisfied; and God had the glory. When the poor refer their cause to God, he is a terrible avenger. Let the potsherds strive with the potsherds of the earth; but wo to the man that contendeth with his Maker.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. so that they cause the cry] Rather, thus he causeth the cry of the poor to come before Him; lit. to cause (or, causing) to come. The words sum up the general purpose (or, effect) of God’s destructive judgments on the oppressors; He thus brings before Him and hears the cry of the afflicted.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That the hypocrite reign not,.... These words seem to be connected with Job 34:24, "he breaketh in pieces mighty men", &c. the whole of Job 34:29 being read in a parenthesis; or with the phrase "he hideth his face"; as God is said to be in the destruction of mighty wicked men, who oppress the poor, and cause their cry to come to God, to prevent the reign of an hypocrite, or however to shorten it. By "an hypocrite" is not meant a common hypocrite in religion, but an hypocrite in politics; who pretends to great humanity and goodness, to a tender care of the people, and a preservation of them in their rights and liberties, and promises to support and establish the constitution, and observe the laws of the nation, with a show of zeal for the religion professed in it. But when he has ascended the throne, and got the power into his hands, he throws off the mask and becomes a tyrant; and men of such a temper, either God does not suffer to ascend the throne, but if they do get on it through artifice and deceit, he suffers them not to continue, but deposes them, and cuts their reign short: and this he does

lest the people be ensnared; be brought into bondage, and lose their rights, privileges, and liberties; or lest they be drawn into sin by their precepts or examples. Some take the sense of the words to be, that God suffers not such to reign, but when he does it is because of the offences or sins of the people; he gives them such kings in his wrath, to punish them for their iniquities.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him - - Their character is that of oppressors. They take away the rights of the poor; strip away their property without any just claims, and cause them to pour out their lamentations before God.

And he heareth the cry of the afflicted - They oppress the poor so that they appeal unto him, but God hears their cry, and brings punishment upon the oppressor. This is “a general remark” thrown in here, meaning that God “always” regards the cry of the oppressed. Its bearing on the case before us is, that God hears the appeal which the oppressed make to him, and as a consequence brings calamity upon those who are guilty of wrong.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

So that they cause, Heb. to bring, &c., which is ambiguous, and may be read, either,

1. That he, i.e. God, might bring, &c. So this is a reason why God smote them, &c., as is said, Job 34:26. Or,

2. That they, i.e. those wicked men, might bring, &c.; and so these words contain either,

1. A reason of what was last mentioned, to wit, why they would not consider nor walk in God’s ways, because they were resolved to oppress the poor, and give them cause to cry unto God; which they neither could nor would have done, if they had thoroughly understood and considered God’s ways. Or,

2. An evidence or instance of it, wherein it did appear that they had turned back from God, &c. Unto him, i.e. unto God, as the following words imply, it being God’s work to hear the cry and plead the cause of the afflicted or oppressed. Others, upon him, or upon them, or upon each of them, to wit, of the oppressors; upon whom the cry of the oppressed is said to come, because the vengeance of God is by that cry brought down upon them.

He heareth the cry of the afflicted; he delivereth the oppressed by taking the oppressor away.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

28. The cry of the poor — Apostasy and neglect of God culminated in the cruel treatment of the poor, which brings down upon the wicked his wrath. Cruelty unconsciously sends up to God for judgment the righteous cause of the maltreated; and, as in the case of the oppressed Israelites, “God heareth their groaning.”

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

So that they cause the cry of the poor to come unto him. Elihu views the wicked man as almost certainly an oppressor, whose misdeeds "cause the cry of the poor to come before God," and provoke God, the Avenger of the poor and needy, to visit him with chastisement. And he heareth the cry of the afflicted (comp. Exo_2:23, 24 22:23, 24 Psa_12:5, etc.) God"s ears are ever open to the cry of the oppressed, and his hand is ever heavy upon those who "afflict" the weak and defenceless. (Isa_1:24 Isa_3:12-15 Amo_5:11, 12 Mic_3:1-4 Hab_1:13)

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Cry of the poor - Their case is bad, who have the prayers and tears of the poor against them: for these will draw down vengeance sooner or later, on the heads of their oppressors.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.