Chapter Summary
Core Passages from Job 35
Job 35:7If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand?
Elihu makes it clear that we cannot put God in our debt. Our righteousness is a response to God's goodness, not a gift that enriches Him.Job 35:8Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.
This verse powerfully shifts the focus of morality. Our choices have tangible, horizontal consequences, reminding us that our faith should be lived out in how we treat others.Job 35:10But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
Elihu points out a critical failure in how people handle suffering. They focus on the oppression but forget to turn to God, their Maker, who provides hope ('songs in the night') even in the darkest times.
Historical & Cultural Context
A New Voice Enters the Debate
The stage is set for a new voice. Job has delivered his final, powerful defense, and his three older friends, Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar, have fallen silent, unable to refute him. Into this stalemate steps Elihu, a younger man who has been listening to the entire debate. Burning with conviction, he believes all the older men have missed the point, and he begins a series of speeches to correct both Job and his friends.
Challenging the Profit of Righteousness
In this chapter, Elihu launches his second major argument. He directly confronts what he perceives as Job's core complaint: the idea that there is no advantage to living a righteous life. Elihu frames his entire speech as a response to this question, aiming to correct Job's perspective on God's nature and how human morality relates to the divine. He sets out to prove that Job's view of God is far too small.
Elihu's Discourse on God's Greatness
Elihu continues his address to Job and his friends, turning his attention to the relationship between human behavior and divine reality. He begins by restating what he believes is Job's complaint in verses 1-3, questioning the practical benefit of righteousness. From there, he builds a case for God's transcendence, using the grandeur of creation as his primary evidence to show that God is not swayed or affected by human actions.
The Central Question (Job 35:1-4)
1 And Elihu answered and said:
2 "Do you think this to be just? Do you say, 'It is my right before God,'
3 that you ask, 'What advantage have I? How am I better off than if I had sinned?'
4 I will answer you and your friends with you.
Commentary:
Elihu confronts Job's perceived complaint that living righteously has brought him no benefit.
God's Unaffected Majesty (Job 35:5-8)
5 Look at the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, which are higher than you.
6 If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him? And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7 If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand?
8 Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.
Commentary:
Elihu argues that God is too great to be harmed by our sin or enriched by our goodness. Our actions mainly affect other people.
Cries of Pain vs. Cries for God (Job 35:9-13)
9 “Because of the multitude of oppressions people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
11 who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?'
12 There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men.
13 Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it.
Commentary:
Elihu explains that many cries go unanswered because people complain about their suffering without humbly seeking God their Maker.
A Rebuke to Job (Job 35:14-16)
14 How much less when you say that you do not see him, that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him!
15 And now, because his anger does not punish, and he does not take much note of transgression,
16 He opens their ears to instruction and commands that they return from iniquity.
Commentary:
Elihu directly rebukes Job, accusing him of speaking empty, prideful words because he complains about God's silence.
Understanding God's Nature and Our Place
The Transcendence of God
Elihu emphasizes that God is completely 'other' and self-sufficient. He exists on a plane so far above humanity that our actions cannot add to His glory or diminish His power. This theme challenges any belief that we can bargain with or manipulate God through our behavior.
The Horizontal Impact of Morality
A key insight from this chapter is that our righteousness and wickedness have their most direct impact on fellow human beings. While our relationship with God is central, Elihu reminds us that our faith is proven and lived out in our treatment of others.
The Heart of Prayer
The chapter distinguishes between crying out in pain and genuinely seeking God. True prayer is a turning of the heart toward our 'Maker,' the source of hope and wisdom. It is not merely a list of grievances. An appeal that comes from pride or is empty of sincere seeking will not be heard.
Bringing Elihu's Wisdom into Today
Job 35 paints a picture of God as majestic, sovereign, and completely self-sufficient. Verses 5-7 show that He is not dependent on us for anything. At the same time, verse 10 reveals Him as our 'Maker,' a personal creator who gives 'songs in the night,' offering comfort and wisdom in our darkest moments.
This chapter challenges you to move away from a transactional faith, where you do good things expecting a reward. Elihu's words in verse 8 encourage you to practice righteousness for the good of your community and because it honors God, not as a way to bargain with Him. It fosters a faith based on relationship rather than merit.
The 'songs in the night' mentioned in verse 10 represent a supernatural hope and joy that God provides, which isn't dependent on your circumstances. It means that even in seasons of suffering or confusion, you can find strength and peace by turning to God your Maker, who gives a reason to praise Him when everything around you feels dark.
God is Maker, Not Negotiator
Elihu's speech declares that God's greatness is beyond our influence. He cannot be bargained with or controlled. Our actions have significant consequences, but primarily for ourselves and our neighbors. The message is that in suffering, the right question is not 'What have I done to deserve this?' but 'Where is God my Maker?' True hope is found not in demanding justice, but in humbly seeking the One who gives wisdom and songs in the night.
What This Means for Us Today
Elihu's sharp words serve as an invitation to adjust our perspective. He challenges us to stop viewing God through the lens of our own circumstances and instead seek Him for who He is. This is a call to move from a faith of transaction to one of relationship, trusting our Maker even when we cannot see His hand.
- In your prayers, are you focused more on your problems or on God your Maker?
- How can you practice righteousness this week for the benefit of others, without expecting anything in return from God?
- Where do you need God to give you a 'song in the night' right now?
Further Reading
Immediate Context
Connections Across Scripture
Paul's sermon in Athens echoes Elihu's point, stating that God does not live in temples and 'is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.'
Here, God Himself declares that He has no need for human offerings because 'the world and all that is in it' are His, reinforcing the theme of divine self-sufficiency.
This verse explains that some prayers go unanswered because they are asked with wrong motives, which directly parallels Elihu's argument about empty, prideful cries.
Discussion Questions
- Elihu argues that our good deeds don't 'give' anything to God (Job 35:7). How does this idea challenge or change the way you think about why you do good things?
- According to Elihu, what is the difference between crying out because of oppression (v. 9) and crying out to 'God my Maker' (v. 10)? How might this look different in our own lives during hard times?
- If God is so far above us and unaffected by our actions, as Elihu suggests, how does that impact your motivation to pray and live a righteous life?