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3,811 commentary entries
Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) Usually young men are the disputants and old men the moderators; but here, when old men were the disputants, as a rebuke to them for their unbecoming heat, a young man is raised up to…
Matthew Henry on Job 32:6-14
Elihu here appears to have been, I. A man of great modesty and humility. Though a young man, and a man of abilities, yet not pert, and confident, and assuming: his face shone, and, like Moses, he did not know it, which…
Matthew Henry on Job 32:15-22
Three things here apologize for Elihu's interposing as he does in this controversy which had already been canvassed by such acute and learned disputants:— 1. That the stage was clear, and he did not break in upon any of…
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) Several arguments Elihu here uses to persuade Job not only to give him a patient hearing, but to believe that he designed him a good office, and to take it kindly, and be willing to r…
Matthew Henry on Job 33:8-13
In these verses, I. Elihu particularly charges Job with some indecent expressions that had dropped from him, reflecting upon the justice and goodness of God in his dealings with him. He does not ground the charge upon r…
Matthew Henry on Job 33:14-18
Job had complained that God kept him wholly in the dark concerning the meaning of his dealings with him, and therefore concluded he dealt with him as his enemy. "No," says Elihu, "he speaks to you, but you do not percei…
Matthew Henry on Job 33:19-28
God has spoken once to sinners by their own consciences, to keep them from the paths of the destroyer, but they perceive it not; they are not aware that the checks their own hearts give them in a sinful way are from God…
Matthew Henry on Job 33:29-33
We have here the conclusion of this first part of Elihu's discourse, in which, 1. He briefly sums up what he had said, showing that God's great and gracious design, in all the dispensations of his providence towards the…
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) Here, I. Elihu humbly addresses himself to the auditors, and endeavours, like an orator, to gain their good-will and their favourable attention. 1. He calls them wise men, and men tha…
Matthew Henry on Job 34:10-15
The scope of Elihu's discourse to reconcile Job to his afflictions and to pacify his spirit under them. In order to this he had shown, in the foregoing chapter, that God meant him no hurt in afflicting him, but intended…
Matthew Henry on Job 34:16-30
Elihu here addresses himself more directly to Job. He had spoken to the rest (Job 34:10) as men of understanding; now, speaking to Job; he puts an if upon his understanding: If thou hast understanding, hear this and obs…
Matthew Henry on Job 34:31-37
In these verses, I. Elihu instructs Job what he should say under his affliction, Job 34:31-32. Having reproved him for his peevish passionate words, he here puts better words into his mouth. When we reprove for what is…
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) We have here, I. The bad words which Elihu charges upon Job, Job 35:2-3. To evince the badness of them he appeals to Job himself, and his own sober thoughts, in the reflection: Thinke…
Matthew Henry on Job 35:9-13
Elihu here returns an answer to another word that Job had said, which, he thought, reflected much upon the justice and goodness of God, and therefore ought not to pass without a remark. Observe, I. What it was that Job…
Matthew Henry on Job 35:14-16
Here is, I. Another improper word for which Elihu reproves Job (Job 35:14): Thou sayest thou shalt not see him; that is, 1. "Thou complainest that thou dost not understand the meaning of his severe dealings with thee, n…
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) Once more Elihu begs the patience of the auditory, and Job's particularly, for he has not said all that he has to say, but he will not detain them long. Stand about me a little (so so…
Matthew Henry on Job 36:5-14
Elihu, being to speak on God's behalf, and particularly to ascribe righteousness to his Maker, here shows that the disposals of divine Providence are all, not only according to the eternal counsels of his will, but acco…
Matthew Henry on Job 36:15-23
Elihu here comes more closely to Job; and, I. He tells him what God would have done for him before this if he had been duly humbled under his affliction. "We all know how ready God is to deliver the poor in his afflicti…
Matthew Henry on Job 36:24-33
Elihu is here endeavouring to possess Job with great and high thoughts of God, and so to persuade him into a cheerful submission to his providence. I. He represents the work of God, in general, as illustrious and conspi…
The Address of Elihu. (b. c. 1520.)
THE ADDRESS OF ELIHU. (B. C. 1520.) Thunder and lightning, which usually go together, are sensible indications of the glory and majesty, the power and terror, of Almighty God, one to the ear and the other to the eye; in…
Matthew Henry on Job 37:6-13
The changes and extremities of the weather, wet or dry, hot or cold, are the subject of a great deal of our common talk and observation; but how seldom do we think and speak of these things, as Elihu does here, with an…
Matthew Henry on Job 37:14-20
Elihu here addresses himself closely to Job, desiring him to apply what he had hitherto said to himself. He begs that he would hearken to this discourse (Job 37:14), that he would pause awhile: Stand still, and consider…
Matthew Henry on Job 37:21-24
Elihu here concludes his discourse with some short but great sayings concerning the glory of God, as that which he was himself impressed, and desired to impress others, with a holy awe of. He speaks concisely, and in ha…
God Answers Out of the Whirlwind. (b. c. 1520.)
GOD ANSWERS OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND. (B. C. 1520.) Let us observe here, 1. Who speaks—The Lord, Jehovah, not a created angel, but the eternal Word himself, the second person in the blessed Trinity, for it is he by whom the…