Your Sin Does Not Hurt God
Study note
Elihu challenges Job's claim that being righteous provides no benefit. He tells Job to look up at the sky and the clouds. If Job sins, what does that do to God? If Job is righteous, what does God receive? A person's wickedness affects only other humans, and a person's righteousness benefits only fellow human beings.
1 Elihu went on and said, Elihu spake moreover, and said,
2 'Do you honestly think you are right when you claim, "I am more righteous than God"?' Thinkest thou this to be right, that thou saidst, My righteousness is more than God's?
3 'You keep asking, "What is in it for me? What do I get out of not sinning?"' For thou saidst, What advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall I have, if I be cleansed from my sin?
4 'I have an answer for you and your friends right here.' I will answer thee, and thy companions with thee.
5 'Lift your eyes to the sky and take a good look. Stare at the clouds way up above you.' Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds which are higher than thou.
6 'If you sin, how does that hurt God? Even if your sins pile up, what does that do to him?' If thou sinnest, what doest thou against him? or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou unto him?
7 'And if you live a righteous life, what do you hand to God? What does he receive from you?' If thou be righteous, what givest thou him? or what receiveth he of thine hand?
8 'Your wickedness only hurts people around you who are just like you. And your righteousness only helps people around you who are just like you.' Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art; and thy righteousness may profit the son of man.
Why God Does Not Answer
Study note
Elihu explains why God does not answer the cries of the oppressed: it is because of their pride. They cry out under heavy oppression, but no one asks, 'Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night?' God does not listen to empty cries. Elihu concludes that Job opens his mouth with empty talk and piles up words without knowledge.
9 'When people are weighed down by heavy oppression, they scream for help. They beg for someone to free them from the crushing grip of the powerful.' By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry: they cry out by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10 'But not one of them thinks to ask, "Where is God, the one who made me? Where is the one who gives songs to sing even in the darkest night?"' But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;
11 '"Where is the one who teaches us more than he teaches the animals and gives us more understanding than the birds?"' Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
12 'They cry out, but God stays silent, because the pride of those evil people gets in the way.' There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 'God will definitely not listen to empty, meaningless cries. The Almighty does not pay any attention to them.' Surely God will not hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14 'So how much less will he listen when you say you cannot see him? You say your case is just sitting there, and you are stuck waiting for him.' Although thou sayest thou shalt not see him, yet judgment is before him; therefore trust thou in him.
15 'And right now, since God has not punished with anger or seemed to care much about wrongdoing,' But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
16 'Job keeps opening his mouth and filling it with empty talk. He stacks up words that show no real knowledge.' Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain; he multiplieth words without knowledge.