Read & explore together
Elihu Recalls God’s Justice
In this part of Job, Elihu answers with a challenge about justice, profit, and prayer. He argues that human actions do not put God in debt, yet they do affect other people, and he questions proud or empty cries.
Understanding the passage
Listening in context
These verses are Elihu’s speech within the dialogue of Job. He responds to words about righteousness, profit, oppression, and whether God answers. The passage presents Elihu’s reasoning step by step as wisdom speech, not as a separate story scene, and it ends with his assessment of Job’s words.
Job 35:1–16Main takeaway
Elihu argues that God is above human advantage, while human conduct still matters because it affects others and because empty, proud words are not the same as patient waiting before God.
Look closely at the words
Open a card to explore the full explanation and its Bible references.
01Elihu states the issue he is answeringElihu begins by naming the complaint he is addressing. He says Job’s words sound as if Job’s righteousness were set over against God’s, and as if there were no profit in being righteous rather than sinning.
02God is higher than human gain or lossElihu points upward to the skies to stress how high they are above a person. Then he asks what human sin does to God, or what human righteousness gives him.
03Human conduct still matters among humansElihu does not treat behaviour as meaningless. He says wickedness may hurt a person like oneself, and righteousness may profit a son of man.
Explanation
Elihu does not treat behaviour as meaningless. He says wickedness may hurt a person like oneself, and righteousness may profit a son of man. So, in this speech, the effect of moral action is traced not as gain or loss to God, but as harm or benefit among people.
04Oppression, crying out, and empty criesElihu observes that many cry out because of oppression and the power of the mighty. Yet he says no one asks for God their Maker, who gives songs in the night and teaches humans beyond animals and birds.
Explanation
Elihu observes that many cry out because of oppression and the power of the mighty. Yet he says no one asks for God their Maker, who gives songs in the night and teaches humans beyond animals and birds. He adds that cries linked with pride are not answered, and that God does not regard an empty cry.
05Wait before God instead of multiplying wordsElihu says that even when someone says they do not see God, their cause is before him and they are to wait for him.
Explanation
Elihu says that even when someone says they do not see God, their cause is before him and they are to wait for him. He then adds that God has not visited in anger and does not greatly regard arrogance, before concluding that Job has multiplied empty, unknowing words.
Questions to explore
Pause, look back at the verses and talk together.
01What two questions does Elihu say are being asked about righteousness and profit?
02According to Elihu, who is affected by human wickedness and righteousness?
Read the Bible passage
World English Bible ClassicScripture quotation · Public domain
Job 35:1–16
1Moreover Elihu answered,
2“Do you think this to be your right, or do you say, ‘My righteousness is more than God’s,’
3that you ask, ‘What advantage will it be to you? What profit will I have, more than if I had sinned?’
4I will answer you, and your companions with you.
5Look to the skies, and see. See the skies, which are higher than you.
6If you have sinned, what effect do you have against him? If your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?
7If you are righteous, what do you give him? Or what does he receive from your hand?
8Your wickedness may hurt a man as you are, and your righteousness may profit a son of man.
9“By reason of the multitude of oppressions they cry out. They cry for help by reason of the arm of the mighty.
10But no one says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night,
11who teaches us more than the animals of the earth, and makes us wiser than the birds of the sky?’
12There they cry, but no one answers, because of the pride of evil men.
13Surely God will not hear an empty cry, neither will the Almighty regard it.
14How much less when you say you don’t see him. The cause is before him, and you wait for him!
15But now, because he has not visited in his anger, neither does he greatly regard arrogance,
16therefore Job opens his mouth with empty talk, and he multiplies words without knowledge.”