Because of the former accusations that he had brought against his hearers, Elihu soothes them now with softer words by calling them wise men who know righteousness and honesty.

Let us choose what is right; let us determine among ourselves what is good, that is, let us discuss before condemning the man. For Job has said, ‘I am righteous.’ Job never pronounced such words, but while he exposed the virtues of his justice, he demonstrated himself to be undoubtedly righteous, and God had already called him righteous. God has taken away my right; in spite of being right I am counted a liar; my wound is incurable, though I am without transgression.. . . We must believe that Job’s words were mostly spoken incautiously and without really knowing God’s justice. Therefore, God rightly says to him, Anyone who argues with God must respond;^[1] and in these divine words [Job] is reproached.

Who is there like Job, who drinks up scoffing like water? [Job is compared with one] who reproves God’s judgments, despises them and thinks that they must be considered vile. Who goes in company with evildoers; since he has an ill feeling against the judgments of God, he does not differ at all from those who are proven to be impious by the injustice of their actions.

For he has said, ‘A man will not please God even though he runs with him.’ But that he never said so, everyone acknowledges who reads the words of blessed Job. Is it not a wonder that he, who speaks for the sole purpose of proudly setting himself off, invents something to find fault within another person? How can he adhere to truth in his words of reproof, whom pride of mind within removes far away from the same truth?

Therefore, hear me, you who have sense, far be it from God that he should do wickedness. For according to their deeds he will repay them. Since, according to the rules of debating, it is easier, in general, that they both lie rather than saying the truth. Here, as they speak against each other, it is nonetheless proven that the arguments of both are true. In fact, what Elihu says cannot be completely proved by holy Job to be false, and what Job asserts cannot be proven to be untrue. Therefore the fact that God repays according to the deeds of each one, though not in everybody, can be proven in many; on the other hand, Job is convinced by testimonies that God does not repay [many]. So, in a sense, it is evident that what both say is true: according to Elihu, [God] does not repay everybody; according to Job, he did not repay many.

The Lord said to the devil, You have moved me against him to afflict him without cause.^[1] But Elihu says, That the Lord will not condemn without cause. A statement that is believed to be at variance with the words of Truth, unless weighed with careful consideration. To condemn is one thing, to afflict another. He afflicts therefore in some respect without cause but does not condemn without cause. Had he not afflicted Job in some respect without cause; since sin was not blotted out, how could his merit be increased by it? For he cannot condemn without reason, inasmuch as condemnation cannot partly take place for a certain purpose, since it punishes at the end all the ungodliness that anyone has here committed. Nor does almighty God subvert judgment, because, although our sufferings seem to be unjust, yet they are rightly inflicted in his secret judgment. It follows, Whom else has he appointed over the earth, or whom has he placed over the world which he has made? In order, namely, that you may understand, No one. For he governs indeed by himself the world that he created by himself, nor does he need the aid of others in governing, who needed it not for creating. These points are brought together in order that he might plainly point out that if almighty God does not neglect to govern by himself the world which he created, he most certainly governs correctly that which he created correctly. He does not order in heartlessness that which he fashioned in mercy. And he who provided for their being before they were made does not forsake them after their creation. He who was the first cause at their creation is present to rule. He, therefore, does not omit to take care of us.

These places can be interpreted through the spirit of prophecy as figures, because they are now fulfilled in Christ after the dispensation of the assumed flesh. The Father directed his own Son—the one through whom he created everything—as an expression of his heart to this world. He did this so that he might gather to himself its spirit and breath, that is, he did this in order to take away the world’s spirit through the humility of the cross. In other words, he came to take away its arrogant, worldly spirit and the breath of its puffed-up eloquence in which it boasted. And so, once a person becomes weakened by the repressive tumor of pride swelling in his own head and returns to himself, he will recognize himself that he is only dust and ashes.

Did you see? He did not dare come to the conclusion that he is [just]; with great discretion he avoided asserting it plainly. Not only by participating in the universe, or in the creation or in his power, we must realize his justice, but also by participating in his own nature and acts. He hates the wicked and loves human beings. He is not like us, who keep away from sin not because of our aversion to vice but because of the fear of punishment. Where does [this fear] come from? From the fact that he hates injustice and makes the wicked perish. He, who is eternal, he adds. Elihu is right in introducing the concept of eternity because God is not required every day and for every action to give explanations about what happened; it is usual that God manages a matter whose fulfillment must extend over a long period. Therefore, do not anticipate the conclusion of a fact, and do not try to understand the judgment of God before everything has been completed, because you will get no profit from your hurriedness. That is why he says, eternal and just. All past testifies to him. Is it possible that he has changed now?

Who says to a king, ‘You scoundrel!’ These words are referred to God, who is the King of kings and rulers, and exercises his power on everyone, so that no rich or poor is privileged.

But it shall turn out vanity for them to cry and beseech a man; for they dealt unlawfully, the poor being turned aside from their right. Those who approach a king with rudeness and speak more freely than required, after having a proof of his strength, kneel down as suppliants and suffer also those things of which they believed to be superior. Without needing anything, they will have a benefit through their rudeness. In fact, even though they used their license to afflict those wronged by them, they had a proof of their faults by approaching the king.^{[1] [2]} DIVINE JUSTICE OF GOD. ISHO‘DAD OF MERV: For he has not appointed a time for anyone to go before God in judgment, that is, recognize the power of God and do not consider him as a man, and do not desire to be with him in judgment, as he brings afflictions to many criminals as their punishment but makes the righteous prosper and increase instead of them. ^[1]

All sinners and impious act against the goodness of nature conceded to them, as also the apostle confirms, But in spite of their knowledge of God, they did not pay the homage due to him as God.^[1] How did they know God but through the inspiration and the judgment of the mind? And they nonetheless showed contempt for his glory, and withdrew from it against their own conscience, and they refused to know and understand all the ways of the precepts of God that were engraved in their hearts, while they acted so unjustly and impiously against people that the cries of the oppressed poor reached God.

When he is quiet, who can condemn?. . . He grants peace to the church and quiet, when the fights of persecution do not rise against it and when the arguments and the scandals of the heretics stand still. When he hides his face, who can behold him, whether a nation or an individual? This means, who but he deigned to reveal himself to humans? Who was ever able to look at him with his own strength or to reach his majesty through his contemplation?

For, as I said, it is a craft peculiar to the boastful to be eager to enquire about their erring when they know that they have not erred. And again, they disdain to make this enquiry and to be convicted of error whenever they plainly foresee that they have done wrong. They do not seek to be but to appear humble. They assume an appearance of humility by making the inquiry when they are praised the more from the very inquiry itself. But because it is very difficult for pride, which reigns in the heart, not to break in the voice, if the hearers of these haughty people wait for a while and consider their sayings in silence, the words that follow too soon manifest in their hearts. They cannot continue long in that guise of humility that they assume in appearance only. . . . Does God require it of you, because it has displeased you? As though he were saying, I am about to give reasons, in the sight of God, why my iniquity is now blamed by you, though it is plain that it is not required of you in judgment. When good people are unjustly assailed by the world, they appeal to the judgment of heaven. Hence also it is said by the same blessed Job, Behold, my witness is in heaven, and he who knows me is on high.^[1] And because they especially desire to please him, they seek for the witness of him only. Wicked people also, who forsake the life of the just, sometimes imitate their words when reproved for their misdeeds and adopt that as a ground of defense which the righteous urge as an evidence of their purity. Hence it has become already a custom with them, when anyone blames them for their doings, to seek the judgment of God rather than of people even when they are not afraid of being judged by him and are ashamed of being judged by people. . . . But since those who speak first in a dispute are usually more to blame than those who reply, he subjoins, For you did begin to speak, not I. He believed himself to be so innocent, inasmuch as he burst forth only on being struck, being doubtless ignorant that innocence is not defended on the score of time but on that of reason. What support does it give to his defense that, though he did not revile him when silent, when he began properly, he replied to him insultingly? But after he displays himself in words of pride, behold, he again conceals himself under the pretext of a demand and proceeds to say, But if you know anything better, say on. Yet he does not say, because you know better, but if you know anything better, say on. It was itself too arrogant that he had doubted the knowledge of his superior. But he showed that he had exhibited his humility in having given blessed Job an opportunity for speaking. As was before stated, everything in the doings of the proud that is concealed by a covering of words is brought to light. When the boastful purpose again breaks forth, Elihu speedily made it known with what purpose he required blessed Job to speak.

Those who have sense will say to me. It seems that, as his friends, with the silence that they have observed, approve and ascribe to their praise the fact that they have endured those arguments that were said by him, so holy Job praises himself for what he has demonstrated with his words.

He did not say, in an iniquitous and impious manner, but for a long time, showing that we must not argue with God for a long time. If, when we are in the presence of a king, we do not dare argue with him for a long time, even more so we must behave before God.