Job 23:6

Will he plead against me with [his] great power?.... God will not plead against his people at all, but for them: much less will he plead against them with his great strength, use all his power to run

Will he plead against me with his great power? No; but he would put strength in me. An objection suggests itself while he utters the wish (Job 23:5). Do I hereby wish that He should plead against me with His omnipotence?

Will he oppress me with his sovereign and absolute power, as men do those whom they cannot fairly and justly conquer? He would put strength in me; the word strength, or power, being fitly supplied out of the former branch of the verse, as is very usual in Scripture. He would not use his power against me, but for me; by enabling; me to plead my cause, and giving sentence according to that clemency and benignity, which according to his gracious covenant he useth towards his children. Or, he would put or set his heart (this very verb of putting or setting being elsewhere used in this defective manner for putting or setting the heart, as , as it is fully expressed, 44:5) upon me, to wit, to hear me and all my reasons meekly, and to judge favourably, and to help and deliver me, as that and the like phrases commonly signify in Scripture use.

Job 23:6 Will he plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.Ver. 6. Will he plead against me with his great power?] No; for then you were in a woe-case. For if God’ s breath blow us to destruction, as so many dust heaps, Job 4:9, if he frown us to death, and nod us to destruction, Psalms 80:16, what shall we think of his Almighty power, which none can abide or avoid? Dittleile est contra eum scribere, qui potest proseribere. It is dangerous dealing with him who hath at his command thirty legions, saith the philosopher to the emperor, who would needs crack an argument with him. And should Job dare to do it with the Lord of hosts, as if stronger than he? The thunder of his power, who can bear? The stoutest men quake before him; and as the worms, when it thundereth, wriggle into the corners of the earth, ready to run, as Caligula did, under any bed or any bench hole. No; but he would put strength in me] Sic enim ex fidei πληροφορια persuasus, saith Merlin. Thus was Job persuaded, out of the full assurance of his faith, that God would deal with him as a loving Father, and not as a severe Judge: for who can stand before his wrath, or withstand his will? No man surely can contend with God unless he put strength in him, as he did into Jacob, Genesis 32:24, whom he upheld with the one hand, as he strove against him with the other. This foregoing wish, therefore, of Job hath an excellent commendation in it of his faith and integrity, yet so as that in some things it is blameworthy. For who can come to God’ s seat, since he dwelleth in light unapproachable? neither can any one see God and live, Exodus 34:5-8. For this boldness, therefore, of his he shall be hereafter sharply reproved; first by Elihu, and then also by God himself, stepping forth as it were from behind the hangings, overhearing him, and saying, Who is this that talks thus? how now? Job 38:2-3.

(6) Plead against me.—Rather, Would he plead with me, or contend with me in the greatness of his power? Nay; but he would have regard unto me; he would consider my case. Eliphaz had bidden Job to acquaint himself with God, and return unto Him (Job 22:23); Job says there is nothing he longs for more than to come into His presence.

Verse 6. Will he plead against me] He would not exhibit his majesty and his sovereign authority to strike me dumb, or so overawe me that I could not speak in my own vindication. No; but he would put strength in me.] On the contrary, he would treat me with tenderness, he would rectify my mistakes, he would show me what was in my favour, and would temper the rigid demands of justice by the mild interpretations of equity; and where law could not clear me, mercy would conduct all to the most favourable issue.

6. This verse runs: Would he plead against me in the greatness of his power? Nay, but he would give heed unto me. The words express the thought which the idea of appearing before God’s judgment-seat immediately suggests to Job—“Do I mean that God should exhibit His almighty power against me? far from that, but that He would listen to me.” His wish is that God would hear his arguments and answer him as a human judge who gives heed to the plea of the accused, laying aside His omnipotent power with which He now crushes him; comp. ch. Job 9:32, Job 13:20.

Will he plead against me with his great power? - “Will he make use of his mere power to overwhelm me and confound me? Will he take advantage of omnipotence to triumph over me, instead of argument and justice?

6. Will he plead against me — Rather, Would He in great power contend with me? No! surely He would have regard to me.