Job 36 3

Job 36:3 kjv

I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Job 36:3 nkjv

I will fetch my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Job 36:3 niv

I get my knowledge from afar; I will ascribe justice to my Maker.

Job 36:3 esv

I will get my knowledge from afar and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

Job 36:3 nlt

I will present profound arguments
for the righteousness of my Creator.

Job 36 verses

Job 36 3 Meaning

Job 36:3 conveys Elihu's firm declaration to offer profound and expansive knowledge, stating his intent to source it from a comprehensive, potentially divine, understanding. His ultimate purpose in presenting this wisdom is to affirm and declare the perfect justice and moral integrity of God, his Creator and Doer. He seeks to vindicate God's character against any questioning.

Job 36 3 Context

Job 36:3 is part of Elihu's third speech, immediately following his introduction where he justifies his intention to speak (Job 36:1-2). Elihu positions himself as a voice of divine insight, distinct from the other friends whose arguments he found flawed. He explicitly states his goal to offer knowledge (de'ah) drawn from a deep or distant source, to correctly articulate and defend the righteousness of God (Tzedek). This declaration sets the stage for his subsequent arguments, where he seeks to clarify God's actions and character, contending that God is greater than Job's criticisms and wiser than the friends' limited explanations for suffering. His discourse represents a turning point in the theological debate within the book, leading towards God's direct address from the whirlwind.

Job 36 3 Word analysis

• I will fetch (אֶשָּׂא, 'essa):
  • Significance: The root nasa often means "to lift," "to carry," or "to bear." In this context, it implies bringing forth or presenting knowledge from a source. It suggests a weighty disclosure, an authoritative utterance.
  • This is not merely recounting but purposefully drawing and bringing forth valuable insights, suggesting a deliberate and significant effort in acquiring and delivering the knowledge.
• my knowledge (דֵעִי, de'i):
  • Significance: From the root yada (to know), signifying deep understanding, insight, and discernment, not merely factual information. It is Elihu's own perceived profound wisdom.
  • While it's "my" knowledge, Elihu hints at its extraordinary origin, implying it transcends common human understanding.
• from afar (לְמֵרָחוק, lemérāḥoq):
  • Significance: Connotes a great distance or a profound depth. This can imply an ancient, timeless wisdom, knowledge from a vast scope of observation, or even more profoundly, knowledge derived from a transcendent, divine source.
  • It differentiates his wisdom from the immediate, surface-level arguments previously put forth, hinting at a higher perspective.
• and will ascribe (וְאֶתֵּן, we'etēn - root natan):
  • Significance: "I will give," "I will attribute," "I will assign." It means to credit or assign responsibility or characteristic. Elihu isn't creating righteousness but affirming and demonstrating what is inherently true of God.
• righteousness (צֶדֶק, tzedek):
  • Significance: A foundational Old Testament theological concept meaning justice, righteousness, integrity, and conformity to a moral standard. It refers to God's inherent uprightness, fairness, and fidelity to His own character.
  • It’s Elihu's central concern: to affirm God's justice amidst Job's suffering. This is the very attribute Job questioned and the friends misapplied.
• to my Maker (לְפֹעֲלִי, l'fo'ăliy):
  • Significance: po'el (Maker, Doer, Worker). This term emphasizes God's active role as Creator and sovereign agent in the world. It highlights God's power and ownership.
  • Referring to God as "my Maker" places the discussion in the context of divine sovereignty and creative prerogative, reinforcing God's authority over creation and creatures, including Job.
• Words-group Analysis:
  • "I will fetch my knowledge from afar": This phrase underlines Elihu's confidence in the unique depth and scope of his understanding. He claims his insight is not superficial but derived from a comprehensive and possibly divinely influenced reservoir of truth, setting him apart from Job's friends. It positions his subsequent discourse as authoritative and profoundly insightful.
  • "and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker": This declarative statement clarifies the ultimate goal of Elihu's speech. His profound knowledge serves a theological purpose: to vindicate God's character. He seeks to firmly establish God's absolute justice, fairness, and moral uprightness in the face of human doubt and misunderstanding, particularly concerning suffering and divine judgment.

Job 36 3 Bonus section

Elihu's reference to his "Maker" (po'el) is significant, linking God's righteousness to His creative power and ongoing sovereign work in the world. It reminds us that the God who orders creation also orders the lives of individuals with just and good purposes, even if those purposes are sometimes veiled from human understanding. This focus on God's omnipotence and wisdom, demonstrated through creation, becomes a key theme in the divine speeches that follow. Elihu implicitly challenges any view of God that separates His creative power from His moral rectitude or His intimate involvement in human affairs.

Job 36 3 Commentary

Elihu's bold assertion in Job 36:3 is a pivotal declaration in the narrative. It marks his commitment to deliver a profound, divinely informed perspective that transcends the limited understanding of Job and his three friends. By pledging to "fetch my knowledge from afar," Elihu claims access to a source of wisdom that is either exceptionally deep, ancient, or directly inspired by God. This elevates his forthcoming discourse above mere human philosophy or flawed theological systems. His declared objective, "to ascribe righteousness to my Maker," underscores the entire book's central theological struggle: reconciling God's perfect justice with the reality of suffering. Elihu does not aim to condemn Job but to uphold God's character, explaining that even in trials, God operates with unwavering righteousness, often with purposes beyond human comprehension, such as discipline, instruction, or a display of divine power. This verse establishes Elihu's speech as an exposition on God's just governance of the world, serving as a significant theological bridge to the climactic appearance of God Himself.