Job 36:3

Job 36:3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Ver. 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar] Even from heaven, as one taught of God; I will discourse of ancient things (for τα καινα κενα), and fetch my reasons from the wonderful and sublime works of God, De arduis atque admirandis Dei operibus, those real demonstrations of his Deity. Est autem plane hic Elihu mirus et egregius, saith Mercer. And he is not a little wronged by that French Paraphrast, who saith of him, That he knew well how to begin a discourse, but knew not how to end it; and that seeing well that his tediousness might make him troublesome, he awakened his languishing auditors by this artificial preface.

And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker] This is both the main proposition of the ensuing oration and the main end of man’s creation, viz. to glorify his Maker, Rom 11:36 Rev 4:11.

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.

He showeth that when we speak of God, we must lift up our spirits more high, than our natural sense is able to reach.

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

from afar--not trite commonplaces, but drawn from God's mighty works.

ascribe righteousness--whereas Job ascribed unrighteousness (Job 34:10, Job 34:12). A man, in enquiring into God's ways, should at the outset presume they are all just, be willing to find them so, and expect that the result of investigation will prove them to be so; such a one will never be disappointed [BARNES].

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 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afar] למרחוק lemerachok, "from the distant place," meaning probably both remote antiquity and heaven; see below. I will show thee that all antiquity and experience are on my side. I can bring proofs from the remotest ages and from the most distant countries to demonstrate that God is infinitely WISE, and can do nothing foolish or erroneous; that he is infinitely POWERFUL, and can bring all the purposes of his wisdom to effect; that he is infinitely GOOD, and can will nothing, and can do nothing that is not good in itself, and well calculated to do good to his creatures. And I shall show that his operations in the heavens and on the earth prove and demonstrate the whole.

And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.] By proving the above points, the righteous conduct of God, and his gracious government of the world, will be fully established.

That Elihu brings his knowledge from afar - from every part of the creation, as well as from the Divine nature - is evident from the end of the chapter. Job 36:32

1. The omnipotence of God; - God is great.

2. The eternity of God - We know him not, the number of his years cannot be found out, Job 36:26.

3. From the economy of God in the atmosphere, in dews, rain, vapour, and the irrigation of the earth; - He maketh small the drops, c., Job 36:27-28.

4. In the thunder and lightning, by which he performs such wonders in the atmosphere, and executes such judgments in the world-Also who can understand the noise of his tabernacle? He spreadeth his light upon it. He judgeth the people, &c., Job 36:29-33.

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

(3) I will fetch my knowledge from afar.—But is not this what Bildad had said before him? (Job_8:8, &c.); and yet the teaching of Job_36:6 is not very different from his.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

3. from afar] He will speak comprehensively, embracing the distant parts of the subject in his survey, or throwing light upon it from far-off regions.

righteousness to my Maker] Elihu gives here in a word the ruling idea of his discourses: they are all meant to ascribe righteousness or right to God; they are a defence of God against the charges of Job. The expression rendered my Maker does not occur elsewhere in the Old Testament.

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.

I will fetch my knowledge from afar,.... Not from himself; for it is but a small share of knowledge that a man gets of himself, or attains to by the light of nature, and especially concerning God and divine things; but from others, either from persons that lived in former ages, and in foreign countries; it being usual for men desirous of acquiring knowledge to travel into distant parts for it; and such were generally much esteemed of, and the knowledge they professed to have got and published; as the queen of Sheba came from the further parts of the earth to hear and learn the wisdom of Solomon, Kg1 10:1, or rather the sense is, he would fetch the knowledge he should now communicate concerning God from God himself, from the nature and perfections of God, who, and his knowledge, are high as heaven; and from the works of God, which are far above men; or should treat of things deep and sublime, and not common; though perhaps it is best of all to read the words, "I will bring forth knowledge concerning", or "with respect to him that is afar off" (i); that is, God, who is in the highest heavens, and inhabits the high and holy place; a God both at hand and afar off; with which agrees what follows; though some interpret it of lifting it up, and causing it to be heard afar off so some, as Aben Ezra;

and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker: God is the Maker of all men; Elihu considered him as his Maker with gratitude, while many have no regard of him, Job 35:10; and therefore thought himself obliged to speak for him, and on his behalf; and particularly in vindication of his righteousness; assert this to be an essential attribute and perfection of his nature; own, acknowledge, publish, and declare it; give him the glory of it, and demonstrate that he is righteous in all his ways and works; and clear him from all imputation of unrighteousness.

(i) "ei, vel de eo qui est longinquus"; so Aben Ezra, Bar Tzemach.

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

I will fetch my knowledge from afar - What I say shall not be mere commonplace. It shall be the result of reflection on subjects that lie out of the ordinary range of thought. The idea is, that he did not mean to go over the ground that had been already trodden, or to suggest such reflections as would occur to anyone, but that he meant to bring his illustrations from abstruser matters, and from things that had escaped their attention. He in fact appeals to the various operations of nature - the rain, the dew, the light, the instincts of the animal creation, the vicissitudes of the seasons, the laws of heat and cold, and shows that all these prove that God is inscrutably wise and gloriously great.

And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker - That is, I will show that these things to which I now appeal, “prove” that he is righteous, and is worthy of universal confidence. Perhaps, also, he means to contrast the result of his reflections with those of Job. He regarded him as having charged his Maker with injustice and wrong. Elihu says that it was a fixed principle with him to ascribe righteousness to God, and that he believed it could be fully sustained by an appeal to his works. Man should “presume” that his Maker is good, and wise, and just; he should be “willing” to find that he is so; he should “expect” that the result of the profoundest investigation of his ways and works will prove that he is so - and in such an investigation he will never be disappointed. A man is in no good frame of mind, and is not likely to be led to any good result in his investigations, when he “begins” his inquiries by believing that his Maker is unjust, and who “prosecutes” them with the hope and expectation that he will find him to be so. Yet do people never do this?

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

Beginning. Hebrew, "afar" from that God, who is ancient, and not of human invention; (Jeremias xxiii. 23.) or from the consideration of the heavens. Nothing could be more magnificent than the descriptions which conclude this fourth part of the discourse. (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).

From afar, i.e. from remote times, and places, and things. I will not confine my discourse to thy particular case, but will justify God by declaring his great and glorious works of creation and providence, both in the heaven and earth, and the manner of his dealing with men in other parts and ages of the world; for these are the chief heads of the following discourse, and therefore the best comment upon this general expression.

I will acknowledge that which is true, that God is righteous. He adds the words,

my Maker, either,

1. As an argument or evidence of God’s righteousness; partly, because it is not likely that God should be unjust to his own creatures, since even men are not only just, but kind, to their own works and relations; and partly, because the work of creation gave unto God an absolute right and power to dispose of Job as he saw fit, as the potter hath power over the clay, Rom 9:21, and therefore there was no foundation for unrighteousness, nor any temptation upon God to do it; and partly, because man’s Maker must needs be a being of all possible perfection, and therefore one of perfect righteousness. Or,

2. As a motive or obligation upon him to plead God’s cause. I do not engage myself in this controversy out of a pragmatical or contentious humour, nor out of any prejudice or ill-will to thee, but merely from the sense of my duty to my blessed Creator. Withal he reflects upon Job as guilty of great folly and ingratitude in contending with him, in or by whom he lived, and moved, and had his being.

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

First Division — THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD IN THE MORAL WORLD, CHIEFLY AS MADE KNOWN THROUGH THE ECONOMY OF SUFFERING, Job_36:2-21.

Introduction — Elihu has yet much more to say in vindication of the ways of God, Job_36:2-4.

The three preceding speeches were introduced by ויען, “and he answered,” the present speech, with ויס, “and he added,” showing that Elihu intends it as a resumption and continuation of the main argument of his other speeches.

3. From afar — From out the wide domain of the divine workings, both in providence and in nature. Elihu will take a far-reaching view.

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

I will fetch my knowledge from afar (compare the declaration of Bildad, Job_8:8) In neither case does the performance justify the pretentious character of the preface. Elihu"s arguments are, for the most part, trite and commonplace. And will ascribe righteousness to my Maker. I will show, i.e., that God is righteous and just. (comp. Job_34:10, Job_34:12)

Knowledge fetched from afar.

I KNOWLEDGE MUST BE FETCHED FROM AFAR. True to his character, the brilliant but pretentious young Elihu makes an ostentatious claim to having gone far for the knowledge that he is now about to declare. It might be said that many precious truths lie at our feet ready for us if only we would have the humility to stoop for them. Diamonds sparkle in the dust; we need not be for ever straining after the stars. Still, there is a knowledge that can only be got by far searching.

1. Over a wide realm. Elihu is about to launch forth into the great sea of nature. The infinite variety of facts and the grand harmony of laws there displayed are not perceived at a glance. Truth covers a large area. Many of our notions are erroneous just because our inductions are too narrow. We judge of the world by the parish. We estimate man by our private circle of acquaintances. We value life by our own experience. We must learn to break down the barriers, to master our shortness of sight, to take broad views, and look down long vistas of truth.

2. By persevering thought. A mere glance at truth is not enough. We must search for wisdom as for hidden treasure.

II KNOWLEDGE FETCHED FROM AFAR VINDICATES THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. This is the conclusion to which Elihu has come. The three friends had declared for the same result, but they had started from much narrower premises, and their cramped ideas could not satisfy Job. Elihu professes to take a wider view of the world, and so to establish his conclusion on a broader basis. We have only to know enough of God to be assured that all he does is good. The hard thoughts of God which we are tempted to entertain spring from partial and one-sided views of his works.

III CHRIST HAS BROUGHT US KNOWLEDGE FROM AFAR WHICH REVEALS THE GOODNESS OF GOD. We are not left entirely to our own dim groping after truth in the great wilderness of existence. What we could never have discovered for ourselves has been brought to us by Jesus Christ. He has come from afar, from the distant heavens; and he has brought the knowledge of God and of eternity to earth. Now, if we would have the highest wisdom, our first course is, like Mary, to sit at the feet of Jesus. When we do this we shall learn that all that God does is good. Then we shall see that he is our Father, and that love is the principle that pervades all his government of the world. Some of us may yet be far from a perception of these glorious truths because we are far from Christ. We have to know and trust him in order to reach the truest and best thoughts of God. W.F.A.

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

Afar - From remote times, and places, and things. I will not confine my discourse to thy particular case, but wilt justify God by declaring his great and glorious works of creation and providence both in the heaven and in the earth, and the manner of his dealing with men in other parts and ages of the world. Ascribe - I will clear and maintain this truth, that God is righteous in all his ways.

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