Literal Commentary on Job (Expositio super Iob ad litteram)

"Hear, therefore, Job, my speeches," etc. It has been said above that Elihu was indignant against Job and against his friends; after he had spoken against the cowardice of Job's friends, he now begins to speak against Job himself, and therefore first he rouses him to attention, saying "hear, therefore, Job, my speeches," namely, because I now intend to answer; and in order to signify that he will say each word with weight, he adds "and hearken to all my words," as though he were about to say nothing in vain. And lest Job should ask why he had not spoken earlier, he adds "behold, I have opened my mouth," as if to say: previously, while I kept silent, I had closed my mouth out of reverence for my elders; now, since they fail, necessity compels me to speak; whence he adds "let my tongue speak in my jaws," as if to say: I will not follow the words of others, but I will utter my own conceptions. And because Job had said above against his friends that they afflicted and confounded him with words, he therefore excludes this from himself, adding "my words are from my simple heart," that is, they are, as if to say: I do not speak to calumniate or to mock, but with a simple mind to manifest the truth. And because Job had charged those three men with being fabricators of a lie and cultivators of perverse doctrines, he excludes this from himself, saying "and my lips shall speak a pure sentence," that is, without any admixture of falsehood or error. Whence, moreover, he received the confidence to manifest the truth, he shows, adding "the spirit of God made me," and therefore it is no wonder if it moves and perfects its own handiwork, and this is what he adds, "and the breath of the Almighty gave me life," namely, it moved and perfected me for the works of life, among which the chief is the understanding of truth. And lest this seem to have been introduced as though bringing prejudice, intending that Job should not answer one speaking from God, he adds "if you can, answer me," namely as to those things which I shall say against you, "and stand against my face," that is, so that you too may object against me if I say anything that does not please you. And lest Job should disdain to dispute with him on account of his own famous wisdom and Elihu's youth, to exclude this he adds "behold, God made me as well as you," and thus, on the part of the maker, each of us can have the same hope of seeking the truth; but on the part of the matter, the same impediment is present to each, whence he adds "and I too was formed of the same clay," from whose coarseness, namely, the light of the understanding is darkened. Now Elihu saw that it could be objected to him that this pertained to a miracle, if such great wisdom and eloquence were granted to a young man that he should suffice to dispute against a most wise old man; and therefore, as if hinting that he had attained this miraculously, he adds "yet let not my miracle terrify you," namely, so that you should not fear to answer one who has obtained knowledge miraculously, "and let not my eloquence be burdensome to you," namely, so that you should not be stupefied by it. These things having thus been premised, as it were by way of a preface, he subjoins the points in which he intends to rebuke Job, whence he adds "you have said, therefore, in my ears," as if to say: you cannot excuse yourself from having said it, "and I heard the voice of your words," namely, through the diligence of my attention. Now first he had noted in Job's words that he had said he was free from sin, whence he says "I am clean," namely from the uncleannesses of the flesh, "and without fault," namely the sin of omission, "spotless," namely of the grave sins that are against God, such as idolatry or something of this kind, "and there is no iniquity in me," so that, namely, I have not unjustly harmed my neighbors. Secondly, he notes in Job's words that he had imputed iniquity of judgment to God. Now iniquity of judgment is wont to proceed from the hatred of the one judging, and as to this he recalls Job to have said "because he found complaints in me, therefore he has judged me his enemy." Now above, in chapter 13:24, Job had said interrogatively, "Why do you hide your face and consider me your enemy?" But this that is said, "he found complaints in me," is not found to have been said; whence this is an addition of Elihu, wrongly interpreting Job's words. For a judge's hatred seems to be just if, having become certain of someone's malice, he holds him in hatred in order to punish him; but if a judge is provoked to hatred of someone by trivial complaints, the hatred will be unjust; and in this way he interpreted what Job had said, that he was reputed an enemy by God. Secondly, it seems to pertain to the iniquity of a judge if he takes away from someone the faculty of a just defense, and as to this he adds "he has put my feet in the stocks," that is, he has fettered me, as though impeding me from my works. Thirdly, it pertains to the iniquity of judgment that a judge should gather up any trivial things whatsoever for someone's condemnation, and as to this he adds "he has watched all my paths," as though observing him in each of his works. But Job had not said these things to show the iniquity of the divine judgment, but speaking as it were figuratively, as was expounded above in chapter 16, whence there too it is prefaced, "perceive riddles with your ears." And because this second point excludes the first, he adds "this, then, is that in which you are not justified," as if to say: you cannot call yourself just, because this very thing pertains to your injustice, that you impute injustice to God.

"I will answer you that God is greater than man." Elihu had proposed above the matters concerning which he intended to dispute against Job. But because Job, before saying the aforesaid words, had premised above, in chapter 13:3, "I desire to dispute with God," and it seems unfitting to call back to disputing with an inferior one who longs to dispute with a superior, before Elihu begins the disputation with Job on the aforesaid points, he reproaches him for this very thing, that he desired to dispute with God. And first indeed because this very thing seems to be of great presumption, that someone should provoke one greater than himself to dispute; whence he says "I will answer you," that is, to your desire by which you long to dispute with God, "that God is greater than man"; whence it is presumptuous that a man should long to dispute with God. And in this indeed Elihu would justly accuse Job if Job had wished to dispute with God in order to contradict him as an equal; but Job wished to dispute with God as if to learn, like a disciple with a master, whence above, in chapter 23:4, he said "I will fill my mouth with rebukes, that I may know the words which he will answer me"; which nevertheless Elihu interpreted as though Job had said this contentiously against God, complaining that God did not answer him, whence he adds "you contend against him that he has not answered you to all your words"; which indeed he wished to gather from Job's aforesaid words, and from this too, that above, in chapter 19:7, he had said "behold, I will cry out suffering violence, and no one will hear; I will cry aloud, and there is no one to judge"; which words indeed, and any similar ones said above, were not spoken by way of contention, but because he desired to know the reasons of divine wisdom. Now to repel the aforesaid words of Job, which Elihu interpreted as though spoken contentiously, Elihu consequently shows that it is not necessary for God to answer man word for word, but he speaks sufficiently to each one for his instruction, whence he adds "God speaks once," namely to man, sufficiently for his instruction; whence it is not necessary thereafter that he answer each of man's questions, whence he adds "and he does not repeat the same thing a second time," because it would be superfluous to repeat what has been done sufficiently; how, moreover, God speaks to man he shows, adding "through a dream, in a vision of the night." But there can also be another sense, namely that by his saying "God speaks once," namely to man, it be referred to the instruction of the mind which comes through the light of natural reason, according to that word of the Psalm, "Many say: who shows us good things?" And as though answering, he adds "the light of your countenance is signed upon us, O Lord," through which, namely, we can discern good from evil; and because natural reason remains immovably in man, so that it is not necessary to repeat it, therefore he adds "and he does not repeat the same thing a second time"; and then he shows another mode by which God speaks to man, through an imaginary vision in the appearances of dreams, whence he adds "through a dream, in a vision of the night": which indeed can be referred to prophetic revelation, according to that word of Numbers 12:6, "if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will speak to him through a dream or in a vision," or it can also be referred to common dreams which Elihu believed to be procured by divine agency. He then consequently expounds the manner and order of dreams, touching first the natural cause when he says "when sleep falls upon men," which indeed comes about through the immobilization of the exterior senses by vapors ascending to the seat of sensation. Secondly he sets down the disposition on the part of the human will when he adds "and they sleep in their bed," because, namely, men see the most ordered and meaningful dreams when they sleep peacefully; whence to the sick, on account of their restlessness, distorted dreams appear, whence it is significantly said in Daniel 2:28, "your dream and the visions of your head upon your bed are of this sort: you, O king, began to think upon your bed," etc. Thirdly he sets down the divine operation concerning the one sleeping, which indeed is regarded, first, as to this: that, the exterior senses being immobilized through sleep and the man resting in his bed, there is given to man by divine agency a certain faculty of perceiving divine instruction, because his soul is not occupied with exterior things, whence he adds "then he opens the ears of men"; and quite fittingly he calls the perceptive power of divine instruction in dreams "ears," because he speaks of this kind of instruction as of a certain speech, since it does not come about through the inspection of the things themselves but through certain signs, as does speech too. Now, the faculty of hearing having been given, it follows that he teaches, whence he adds "and instructing them, he teaches them discipline"; and here "discipline" is taken for the instruction of those things which occur to man to be done or avoided, not for the knowledge of the speculative sciences, which are not wont to be revealed in a dream, whence he adds "that he may turn man away from the things he has done": for often a man is corrected in dreams concerning sins committed; and because the beginning of sins is pride, by which the precepts of God are held in contempt, he adds "and free him from pride." Now through this, that man is freed from guilt, it follows that he escapes punishment, which indeed he consequently shows as to a twofold punishment: first indeed as to the spiritual punishment of the soul, whence he adds "delivering his soul from corruption," which, namely, comes about through the disordering of the powers of the soul; secondly as to bodily punishment, whence he adds "and his life," namely bodily, "that it may not pass into the sword," namely, to be punished for its sin; or both can be referred to bodily death, which sometimes happens through interior corruption, as when someone dies from a sickness which God sends for sin, and sometimes happens from the violence of the sword.

Then he subjoins another mode of divine speech, namely that he corrects man through bodily sickness, in which he first notes sensible pain, whence he says "he also rebukes," namely man, for past sins, "through pain," namely bodily pain arising from sickness, whence he adds "in his bed," according to that word of the Psalm, "upon the bed of his sorrow." Secondly he touches upon the debility of the sick when he says "and he makes all his bones wither away," that is, he annihilates his strength, which consists in the bones. Thirdly he sets down the loss of appetite when he adds "bread becomes abominable to him in his life," that is, while he still lives, namely on account of infirmity, "bread," which is, namely, the common food, "and to his soul, food formerly desirable," which is referred to the other foods which are desired variously by various people. Fourthly he sets down wasting when he adds "his flesh will waste away," that is, will fail, and thus in consequence "the bones which had been covered," namely by the flesh, "will be laid bare," that is, will be manifested, covered only by skin. Fifthly he sets down the danger and fear of death, whence he adds "his soul will draw near to corruption," that is, his life which comes through the soul, whence he adds "and his life to death-bringing things," that is, to causes inducing death. Now it is to be noted that he proposed these things to answer Job's complaint that God did not answer him point by point; for he wished through the aforesaid to prove that God had spoken to him in three ways: first indeed through natural reason, as to all men; secondly by arguing through dreams, for he had said above, "you will terrify me through dreams, and through visions you will shake me with horror"; thirdly through sickness, for he had said above, in chapter 30:16, "now my soul withers away in myself," etc. Likewise it is to be considered that Elihu, like the three others, believed that sicknesses come upon man for sin, yet not principally in order to punish, as the words of those three sounded, but rather in order to correct. And because Job seemed to have complained not only that God did not speak to him, but also that he himself could not approach to speak with God and to lay his case before him, as is clear above in chapter 23:3, therefore he satisfies this question: because although access to God does not lie open manifestly to man, yet there are angels intermediate between God and men, who set forth man's righteousness to God, not as though instructing him, but as helping men in their desires; and thus nothing is lost to man in that he cannot himself approach even to the throne of God to set forth to him the justice of his cause. Whence, to show this, he adds "if there be for him," that is, for the afflicted man, "an angel speaking," that is, interceding; and lest it be feared that one angel would not suffice to intercede for all, he adds "one of a thousand," according to what was said above in chapter 25:3, "is there any number to his soldiers?" — "that he may declare man's uprightness," that is, set forth before God whatever is just on man's part; "he will have mercy," namely God, "on him," namely the afflicted man, "and will say," that is, will command the angel: "deliver him," so that, just as he is the advocate of man's justice before God, so too he may himself be the executor of divine mercy toward men. And from what he is to be delivered he adds, "that he may not descend into corruption," that is, into death; and to show that this deliverance is pleasing to God, he adds, in the person of God, "I have found that in which I may be propitious to him," that is, there appears in the man something of fairness on account of which I can have mercy on him, which I was seeking. And because Job had said above, in chapter 7:5, as though he could not be restored, "my flesh is clothed with rottenness," to exclude this he adds "his flesh is consumed by punishments," as if to say: this does not prejudice my power, whence he adds "let him return to the days of his youth," that is, let him recover vigor as in youth. Thus, then, the words of God delivering having been set down, Elihu, using his own words, describes the manner of man's deliverance, saying "he will entreat God," as if to say: it does not suffice that the angel speak for him, but in order that he be delivered it is fitting that he himself also pray for himself; or it can otherwise be connected: because he had shown above that man cannot complain that he cannot lay his case before God, since the angel effectively sets it forth for him, now he shows that he himself too can set it forth for himself by praying. To show that this too is effective as the first, he adds "and he will be appeased toward him," namely God toward man, according to that word of Joel 2:13, "he is gracious and merciful, and appeased toward evil." And from this there follows in man a confidence in thinking of God with a certain spiritual joy, whence he adds "and he," namely man, "will see his face," that is, will consider his goodness, in the present life indeed imperfectly, but in the future perfectly, "in jubilation," that is, in a certain inexplicable joy; and thus "he," namely God, "will render to man his justice," that is, will reward him for his merits, the impediment of sin being removed. But this cannot be unless man humbly recognizes and confesses his sin, whence he adds "he will look upon men," as it were of his own accord offering himself to the confession of sin, whence he adds "and he will say: I have sinned." And lest it be believed that he says this out of humility, he adds "and truly I have transgressed," which he brings in against Job, because he had said above, in chapter 17:2, "I have not sinned, and my eye dwells in bitterness." And in his confession he will not murmur about the severity of the punishment, whence he adds "and I have not received what I deserved," as if to say: I deserved a heavier punishment; and this he seems to say against what Job had said above, in chapter 6:2, "would that my sins, by which I have deserved wrath, were weighed," etc. And he shows the fruit of humility, adding "for he has delivered his soul," namely by confessing his sin, "that it should not go into destruction," that is, into death, whether bodily or spiritual, and that further it should attain good things, whence he adds "but living, it should see the light," namely either bodily light or the light of wisdom. And because God does not immediately condemn man finally, but admonishes him many times, therefore he adds "behold, all these things," namely those which pertain to instruction through dreams and rebuke through pains and healing, "God works three times," that is, many times, as long as he shall see it expedient; but he uses the number three so that it may accord with human custom, by which men are wont to be admonished or summoned three times. And he does this not for one only but for all who are in need, whence he adds "for each one," namely whom he shall see to need instruction and rebuke. And he assigns the usefulness, adding "that he may recall their souls from corruption," which pertains to deliverance from evil, "and enlighten them in the light of the living," which pertains to the attainment of good things: and each of these can be expounded either bodily or spiritually. Now what is said here about the three times is to be referred to the two later modes of speech: for concerning the first it was said that "he does not repeat the same thing a second time"; and he brings this in as though to show the reason why sinners are sometimes sustained in prosperity and are not immediately condemned. And because it seemed to him that he had spoken effectively, he induces Job to listen in silence to what remains, whence he adds "attend, Job," namely with your heart, "and hear me," namely with your ears, "and be silent while I speak," namely so that you do not impede me. And lest he seem to take away from him the faculty of answering, he adds "but if you have anything to say, answer me"; and as though desiring his response, he adds "speak"; and stating the reason for his desire, he says "for I wish you to appear just," which he says to show that he did not intend his confusion. And because he did not believe him to be just, he adds "but if you have not," namely anything to say for your justification, "hear me, be silent, and I will teach you wisdom," which, namely, you do not know.