Job 36:16

"He delivers the afflicted by their affliction, and opens their ear in oppression."

Key Reflection

In Job 36:16, Elihu suggests that God often uses suffering to ultimately deliver those who are afflicted. This might seem paradoxical at first, as affliction brings distress; yet, through this very trial, God can break open the heart of the oppressed and help them understand His ways. The cultural context of ancient Near East literature often portrays divine justice and deliverance intertwined with trials, highlighting that even suffering can lead to a deeper understanding and eventual liberation from oppression.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Even so would he have removed thee -That is, if you had been patient and resigned, and if you had gone to him with a broken heart. Having stated the “principles” in regard to affliction which he held to be indisputable, and having affirmed that God was ever ready to relieve the sufferer if he would apply to him with a proper spirit, it was natural to infer from this that the reason why Job “continued” to suffer was, that he did not manifest a proper spirit in his trials. Had he done this, Elihu says, the hand of God would have been long since withdrawn, and his afflictions would have been removed.

More from Job 36

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