Job 35:5

Old Testament Wisdom/Poetry ASV (1901)

What does Job 35:5 say?

The American Standard Version records this verse as: “Look unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.” Read the surrounding verses and the named sources below before drawing broader conclusions.

The verse

Look unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.
Job 35:5 — American Standard Version

Context — Job 35

American Standard Version (1901) — public domain. Click any verse for its study page.
5Look unto the heavens, and see; And behold the skies, which are higher than thou.

What do historical commentaries say?

John Gill's Exposition
John Gill (1697–1771) · Exposition of the Old and New Testament · 18th-century historical commentary
“Look unto the heavens, and see, etc.] The firmament of heaven, in which are the sun and moon and stars: and behold the clouds [which] are higher than thou; the clouds of the air or sky, which are lower than the starry heavens, yet these were higher than Job, and much more the starry heavens: but because the word has the signification of “thinness”, which does not so well agree with the clouds, which are thick substances, condensed air; some take it to be meant of the supreme region of the heavens, which is pure and thin; so Sephorno: and Job is directed to look to these, not as stargazers do, such as are given to judicial astrology, to judge of the fates of men and kingdoms; but rather…”
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Jamieson, Fausset & Brown
Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown · Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Elihu like Eliphaz (Job 22:2-3, Job 22:12) shows that God is too exalted in nature to be susceptible of benefit or hurt from the righteousness or sin of men respectively; it is themselves that they benefit by righteousness, or hurt by sin. behold the clouds, which are higher than thou--spoken with irony. Not only are they higher than thou, but thou canst not even reach them clearly with the eye. Yet these are not as high as God's seat. God is therefore too exalted to be dependent on man. Therefore He has no inducement to injustice in His dealings with man. When He afflicts, it must be from a different motive; namely, the good of the sufferer.”
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Barnes' Notes
Albert Barnes (1798–1870) · Notes on the Whole Bible · 19th-century historical commentary
“Look unto the heavens, and see - This is the commencement of the reply which Elihu makes to the sentiment which he had understood Job to advance, and which Eliphaz had proposed formerly to examine. The general object of the reply is, to show that God is so great that he cannot be affected with human conduct, and that he has no interest in treating people otherwise than according to character. He is so exalted that their conduct cannot reach and affect his happiness. It ought to be “presumed,” therefore, since there is no motive to the contrary, that the dealings of God with people would be impartial, and that there “would” be an advantage in serving him - not because people could lay him…”
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Wesley's Explanatory Notes
John Wesley (1703–1791) · Explanatory Notes upon the New Testament and Old Testament notes · 18th-century historical commentary
“Clouds, &c. - They are far above us, and God is far above them. How much then is he out of the reach either of our sins or our services? Job 35:9”
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Treasury of Scriptural Knowledge
R. A. Torrey and contributors · The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge · Cross-reference reference work
“Look: Job 22:12, Job 25:5, Job 25:6, Job 36:26-33, Job 37:1-5, Job 37:22, Job 37:23; Kg1 8:27; Psa 8:3, Psa 8:4; Isa 40:22, Isa 40:23, Isa 55:9 the clouds: Job 36:29, Job 37:16; Nah 1:3 Job 35:6”
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Keil & Delitzsch
C. F. Keil & F. Delitzsch · Commentary on the Old Testament · 19th-century historical commentary
“5 Look towards heaven and see, And behold the ethereal heights: they are high above thee. 6 If thou sinnest, what dost thou effect with Him? And if thy transgressions are many, what doest thou to Him? 7 If thou art righteous, what dost thou give Him, Or what doth He take from thy hand? 8 To man like thee thy godlessness availeth, And to thee, a son of man, thy righteousness. Towards heaven he is to direct his gaze, to obtain from the height of heaven a notion of the exaltation of God who dwells above the heavens. The combination הבּיט וראה is like Psa 80:15 and freq. שׁחקים (שׁחק, Arab. sḥq, to rub in pieces, make thin, therefore the opposite of עבים) are the thin transparent strata of the…”
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Related study paths

Sources and verification