Job 36:4 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

I will not speak any thing against my own conscience, nor against truth, either to flatter God, or to vex thee, as thou supposest thy other friends have done, Job 13:7, and elsewhere. He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee. This is meant either,

1. Of God. Thou hast to do with a God of perfect knowledge, by whom all Shy words and actions. are weighed; and therefore hast need to be more wary and circumspect in thy expressions and behaviour. Or rather,

2. Of himself, as the former part of the verse is. And he speaketh of himself in the third person, for modesty's sake. He speaks not of absolute, but of comparative perfection. And whatsoever perfection of knowledge he had, he doth not ascribe it to himself, but to God's Spirit, Job 32:8. And the meaning may be this, Thou hast not to do with a novice, but with one who hath accurately considered, and through God's grace doth fully understand, these matters; therefore hearken to me. But the word rendered perfect signifieth also sincere, or upright, or right. And this may seem best to agree with the former clause, wherein he saith that he would not speak what he knew to be false; and now he adds, that he was and would be upright in the use of his knowledge, or in the delivery of his opinion in this matter, and not be biassed by any passion or prejudice, either to speak otherwise than he thought, or to judge otherwise than he should.

Job 36:4

4 For truly my words shall not be false: he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.