Tafsiran Ayub 34:21: Malbim

Elihu now turns to the second argument Job had drawn from the prosperity of the wicked, namely, that if individual governance is indeed in God’s hands, why does He not punish the wicked at once, in public and for all to see. In reply, Elihu argues that human justice eschews delays in punishment because of a lack of knowledge and a lack of ability.

1. The lack of knowledge is that most crime goes undetected and so when a criminal is caught he is punished at once and before he can commit any more crimes;

2. the lack of ability is that the criminal may escape or hide and so avoid punishment. However, unlike human justice which misses out at times, Divine justice does not. God, who is omniscient and omnipotent, has no imperfections and can therefore react how and when He chooses. Consequently, Divine justice does not necessarily require instant punishment. Furthermore, if reward or punishment was manifestly a Divine reaction to a specific human act, there would be no basis for the free-will, doubt or faith without which it has no purpose.