Who [is] this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?
Ver. 2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel] Who is this that talketh thus? saith God, stepping forth, as it were, from behind the hangings; how now? What is to do here? Some ancients think it meant of Elihu; but Job is the man. See Job 42:3, where he takes it to himself; and it may be God here pointed to him with a Quis est iste Iob?
That darkeneth counsel] My counsel, by misconstructions; his own, by rash and unskilful expressions; for which Elihu also rightly blamed him, and his other friends took great offence at him; who should rather have said, as Cruciger did of Luther, Eum commodius sentire quam loquitur, dum effervescit, that he thought not so ill as he spoke in his heat.
By words without knowledge] This is the worst that God chargeth Job with; words of folly and ignorance: not with malice, falsehood, blasphemy, &c. Counsel also he attributeth to him, though not wisely managed. If there be any good in us, he noteth and noticeth it; passing by our defects and failings; as when Sarah called her husband lord, she is much commended for it; though there was never another good word in all that sentence, Genesis 18:12 1Pe 3:6 Job 35:16 .