Job 36:17

Job 36:17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice take hold [on thee].

Ver. 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked] But thou contrariwise blusterest against God, and blurtest out such words, that thou seemest to be as bad as the worst, and to have little or no goodness in thee. See Job 34:8. It is a shame to God’s holy people to symbolize with the wicked, to be carnal in their speeches or carriages, and to walk as men, 2Co 3:3. They should so speak and so do as those that shall be judged by the law of liberty, Jas 2:12.

Judgment and justice take hold of thee] Thou art worthily attached by the Divine justice, which thou hast quarrelled.

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.

Job 36:17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked — Or, the cause, or sentence, as the word דיןdin, most properly signifies. Thou hast fully pleaded their cause, and justified the hard speeches which wicked men utter against God. Therefore the just judgment of God takes hold on thee. Thou hast maintained their cause against God, and God passes against thee the sentence of condemnation due to wicked men.

Joseph Benson's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou art altogether after the manner of the wicked: for thou dost murmur against the justice of God.

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

Rather, "But if thou art fulfilled (that is, entirely filled) with the judgment of the wicked (that is, the guilt incurring judgment" [MAURER]; or rather, as UMBREIT, referring to Job 34:5-7, Job 34:36, the judgment pronounced on God by the guilty in misfortunes), judgment (God's judgment on the wicked, Jer 51:9, playing on the double meaning of "judgment") and justice shall closely follow each other [UMBREIT].

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 17. But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked] As thou art acting like the wicked, so God deals with thee as he deals with them.

Elihu is not a whit behind Job's other friends. None of them seems to have known any thing of the permission given by God to Satan to afflict and torment an innocent man.

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

17. The A. V. takes this verse positively; it is more suitable to the connexion and purpose of the speaker to understand it conditionally—if thou art filled with, or as A. V. fulfillest. To be full of, or to fulfil, the judgment of the wicked, is to join the wicked in their judgment of God when He afflicts, to lay up wrath against God (Job_36:13), an idea immediately taken up in Job_36:18. If Job acts in this way, as he is too much inclined (Job_36:21), then judgment and justice shall keep hold on him. God’s condemnation of him will reveal itself in the continuance and increase of his chastisement (cf. Job_36:13-14, ch. Job_5:1 seq.). The word “judgment” is used in the one clause of man’s, and in the other of God’s judgment, making a forcible antithesis.

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.

But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked,.... Some (w) take this to be a continuation of the happiness Job would have enjoyed, had he behaved in his affliction as he ought to have done; then he would have been filled to satisfaction, by seeing the judgments of God exercised on wicked men, as on the Chaldeans and Sabeans, who had injured him: "and judgment and justice would have upheld thee"; when they should be cast down. But these words rather seem to be expressive of his present state, and the reason of it, he not being sufficiently humbled: and the sense is, not that he had lived a vicious course of life, as the wicked do, and filled up the measure of his wickedness as they; and so deserved to be filled with the like judgments as inflicted on them. Mr. Broughton reads the words,

"as thou hast fulfilled the sentence of the wicked, sentence and judgment have laid hold:''

but rather the meaning is, that he had "fulfilled the contention of the wicked" (x); pleaded as they did, argued with God after their manner: and therefore is said to go in company and walk with them, and make answers for them, Job 34:8. Wherefore

justice and judgment take hold on thee; afflictions in righteousness, or the chastening hand of God, in righteous judgment, had taken hold upon him, and would hold him until he was sufficiently humbled under them.

(w) Schmidt, Michaelis. (x) "et litem improbi implevisti", Schultens.

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

But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked - Rosenmuller explains this as meaning, “If under divine inflictions and chastisements you wish to imitate the obduracy of the wicked, then the cause and the punishment will mutually sustain them selves; that is, the one will be commensurate with the other.” But it is not necessary to regard this as a “supposition.” It has rather the aspect of; an affirmation, meaning to express the fact that Job “had,” as Elihu feared, envinced the same spirit in his trials which the wicked do. He had not seen in him evidence of penitence and of a desire to return to God, but had heard complaints and murmurings, such as the wicked indulge in. He had “filled up,” or “fulfilled,” the judgment of the wicked; that is, he had in no way come short of the opinion which “they” expressed of the divine dealings. Still it is possible that the word “if” may be here understood, and that Elihu means merely to state that if Job should manifest the same spirit with the wicked, instead of a spirit of penitence, he would have reason to apprehend the same doom which they experience.

Judgment and justice take hold on thee - Margin, “or, should uphold thee.” The Hebrew word here rendered “take” - יתמכוּ yitmokû, is from תמך tâmak - “to take hold of, to obtain, to hold fast, to support.” Rosenmuller and Gesenius suppose that the word here has a “reciprocal” sense, and means they take hold of each other, or sustain each other. Prof. Lee renders it, “Both judgment and justice will uphold this;” that is, the sentiment which he had just advanced, that Job had filled up the judgment of the wicked. Urnbrett renders it, “If thou art full of the opinion of the wicked, then the opinion and justice will rapidly follow each other.”

Doch worm du yell bist yon des Frevlers Urtheil,

So werden Urthoil und Gericht schnell auf einander folgen.

According to this the meaning is, that if Job held the opinions of wicked people, he must expect that these opinions would be rapidly followed by judgment, or that they would go together, and support each other. This seems to me to be in accordance with the connection, and to express the thought which Elihu meant to convey. It is a sentiment which is undoubtedly true - that if a man holds the sentiments, and manifests the spirit of the wicked, he must expect to be treated as they are.

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

Recover. Thou shalt be treated as thou hast treated others. Hebrew is not well understood. It may be, "Thou hast spoken like the impious; but judgment and justice rule. (18) Beware lest wrath overtake thee, so that thy prayers may not avert it. (19) Will He regard thy cries, thy riches, gold or strength?" (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

The judgment; or, the cause, or sentence, as the word most properly signifieth. Thou hast fully pleaded their cause, and justified the hard and reproachful speeches which wicked men in their rage utter against God, condemning God and justifying themselves.

Judgment and justice take hold on thee; or, therefore (which is oft understood) the sentence and judgment (or, the judicial sentence, to wit, of the wicked now mentioned) shall take hold on thee. Thou hast maintained their cause against God, and God shall pass against thee their sentence, or the sentence of condemnation due to such wicked men.

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

17. But thou hast fulfilled — But if thou art filled with the judgment of the wicked, then will judgment and justice take hold, (on thee,) or, as others read, “hold fast together,” that is, being closely joined, they will prove inseparable. For him whose mind is filled with the judgment, דין, of the wicked, who makes “answers for wicked men,” (Job_34:36,) judgment, דין, and justice wait; an element of retributive justice, like for like. “He whom thou presumest to judge with words will judge thee indeed.” — Schlottmann.

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

But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked; i.e. but, as thou hast not so acted, the result has been different. Thy hardness and impenitence have brought upon thee the judgments reserved by God for the wicked judgment and justice take hold on thee thou art suffering the just penalty of thy obstinacy.

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

The judgment - Or, the sentence, thou hast justified the hard speeches which wicked men utter against God. Therefore - Therefore the just judgment of God takes hold on thee. Thou hast maintained their cause against God, and God passes against thee the sentence of condemnation due to wicked men.

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

you are full of judgment on wicked people

Possible meanings are 1) "God is punishing you as he would punish the wicked" or 2) "you are obsessed with the judgment that the wicked deserve."

judgment and justice have laid hold of you

Elihu speaks of God judging Job and giving him justice as if judgment and justice were people that have laid hold of Job. AT: "God has brought you to judgment and given you justice" (See: Personification)

Do not let your anger entice you to mockery

Some versions of the Bible translate this as "Beware that you are not enticed by wealth."

translationWords

judge

evil

just

bribe

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

And if you have had your fill of the sentence of the wicked And if you have had your fill of the sufferings of the wicked, the judgment and the sentence—which are [represented by] the sufferings—will support you in the future from Gehinnom, and you must accept them lovingly.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.