But now, because it is not so, he hath visited in his anger; yet he knoweth it not in great extremity:
But now, because God doesn't seem to be punishing the wicked as expected, Job thinks God has struck him in anger; yet Job doesn't understand this overwhelming suffering.
The writer is expressing Job's confusion about why God seems angry with him when he expected God to punish the wicked instead.
📚 Historical Context
In the Book of Job, which is set in the ancient Near East during a time when people grappled with questions of suffering and divine justice, Elihu is speaking as a younger man who interjects his views after Job's three friends have finished. He addresses Job's complaints by emphasizing that God does not respond to human actions in ways that are immediately understandable, as seen in Job 35:15 where Elihu suggests God visits in anger but Job fails to recognize it fully. This reflects the broader biblical wisdom literature tradition, where debates about God's sovereignty and human perception were common.
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