Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 36:25

Every man may see it; man may behold [it] afar off.

25. The verse is better without the “may” of the A. V.

All men look thereon,

Man beholdeth it afar off.

Men look on God’s work, His operations, with wonder and awe.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Every man may see it – That is, every man may look on the visible creation, and see proofs there of the wisdom and greatness of God. All may look on the sun, the moon, the stars; all may behold the tempest and the storm; all may see the lightning and the rain, and may form some conception of the majesty of the Most High. The idea of Elihu here is, that every man might trace the evidences that God is great in his works.

Man may behold it afar off – His works are so great and glorious that they make an impression even at a vast distance. Though we are separated from them by a space which surpasses the power of computation, yet they are so great that they fill the mind with vast conceptions of the majesty and glory of their Maker. This is true of the heavenly bodies; and the more we learn of their immense distances from us, the more is the mind impressed with the greatness and glory of the visible creation.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 25. Every man may see it] He who says he can examine the earth with a philosophic eye, and the heavens with the eye of an astronomer, and yet says he cannot see in them a system of infinite skill and contrivance, must be ignorant of science, or lie against his conscience, and be utterly unworthy of confidence or respect.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

May see it, to wit, his work, last mentioned. The power, and wisdom, and greatness of God is so manifest in all his works, that all who are not blind or stupid must needs see and acknowledge it.

Man may behold it afar off; the works of God are so great and conspicuous, that they may be seen at a great distance; whereas little things cannot be seen, unless we be near them. This translation and interpretation seems better to agree with the context than that which is more common, man doth behold it (i.e. Gods work or works)

afar off, i.e. they see them darkly and imperfectly, as things at a great distance, but not clearly and plainly, as things near at hand; and therefore they are so apt to mistake them, and misjudge of them.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

25. Seenamely, with wonderingadmiration [MAURER].

man may beholdrather,”(yet) mortals (a different Hebrew word from’man’) behold it (only) from afar off,” see but a small “part”(Job 26:14).

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Every man may see it,…. Not only was to be seen by the wise and learned, the just and good, but by the common people; whether it is to be understood of the works of creation, or of the afflictive providences of God in general, or of Job’s afflictions in particular;

man may behold [it] afar off; as to time, from the creation of the world to the present time, as Jarchi; or as to place, from the heaven, so distant, where are the sun, moon, and stars; and which, though so far off, are easily beheld; or as to the manner of seeing them, not darkly, imperfectly, and in a confused manner, as things at a distance are seen, so some understand it; but rather clearly and plainly, as things easy to be seen are clearly discerned at a distance; and it signifies that the work of God here meant is so visible, that he must be quite blind and stupid that cannot see it; it may be seen, as it were, with half an eye, and a great way off; he that runs may see and read.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

25. Every man may see it The language of Adam in “Paradise Lost” (book xi) embodies the blended wonder and adoration implied in this spiritual word, hhazah: to see.

I now Gladly behold though but his utmost skirts

Of glory, and far off his steps adore.

Consult note on Job 19:27.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 36:25 Every man may see it; man may behold [it] afar off.

Ver. 25. Every man may see it ] sc. In quo est vel mica bonae mentis; for a brutish man knoweth it not, Psa 92:6-7 . But stupidus est, et dignus cui oculi eruantur, saith Plato, He is a very blockhead, and worthy to have his eyes pulled out of his head, who looketh not above him and about him, that he may magnify and admire the wisdom of the creator of all, and preserver of mankind, Id quod et prudentes viri olim veluti gnoma quadam et communi sententia iactarunt, dicentes, Omnis homo aspicit, &c. (Brent.).

Man may behold it afar off ] For heaven is far above earth, and it is a wonder that we can look to so admirable a height, and that the very eye is not tired in the way. And for things that are nearer to us, we see them but as through a glass obscurely; our knowledge of them is very imperfect, 1Co 11:13 , the reason of many things is above our reach. We read of one who had spent over forty years in finding out the nature and property of bees, and yet was not fully satisfied with many things therein.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Every man. Hebrew every ‘adam. App-14.

man may behold = all mankind have gazed.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

36:25 Every man may see it; man may behold [it] {q} afar off.

(q) The works of God are revealed, that a man may see them afar off, and know God by the same.