_THEN ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE ANSWERED AND SAID,_ Eliphaz shows that man's goodness does not add to, or man's badness take from, the happiness of God: therefore it cannot be that God sends prosperity to some and calamities on others for His own advantage: the cause of the goods and ills sent must lie... [ Continue Reading ]
_CAN A MAN BE PROFITABLE UNTO GOD, AS HE THAT IS WISE MAY BE PROFITABLE UNTO HIMSELF?_ As he that is wise - rather, yea, the (truly) wise (pious) man profiteth himself. So "understanding" or "wise" - pious (Daniel 12:3; Daniel 12:10; Psalms 14:2). (Michaelis.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_IS IT ANY PLEASURE TO THE ALMIGHTY, THAT THOU ART RIGHTEOUS? OR IS IT GAIN TO HIM, THAT THOU MAKEST THY WAYS PERFECT?_ Pleasure - accession of happiness: God has pleasure in man's righteousness (Psalms 45:7), but He is not dependent on man's character for His happiness.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WILL HE REPROVE THEE FOR FEAR OF THEE? WILL HE ENTER WITH THEE INTO JUDGMENT?_ Is the punishment inflicted on thee from fear of thee, in order to disarm thee? as Job had implied (notes, Job 7:12; Job 7:20; Job 10:17). WILL HE ENTER ... INTO JUDGMENT? Job had desired this (Job 13:3; Job 13:21). H... [ Continue Reading ]
_IS NOT THY WICKEDNESS GREAT? AND THINE INIQUITIES INFINITE?_ Heretofore Eliphaz had only insinuated, now he plainly asserts Job's guilt, merely on the ground of his sufferings.... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE FROM THY BROTHER FOR NOUGHT, AND STRIPPED THE NAKED OF THEIR CLOTHING._ The crimes alleged, on a harsh inference, by Eliphaz against Job, are such as he would think likely to be committed by a rich man. The Mosaic law (Exodus 22:26; Deuteronomy 24:10) subsequently embod... [ Continue Reading ]
_THOU HAST NOT GIVEN WATER TO THE WEARY TO DRINK, AND THOU HAST WITHHOLDEN BREAD FROM THE HUNGRY._ Hospitality to the weary traveler is regarded in the East as a primary duty (Isaiah 21:14).... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT AS FOR THE MIGHTY MAN, HE HAD THE EARTH; AND THE HONOURABLE MAN DWELT IN IT._ Mighty - Hebrew, 'man of arm' (Psalms 10:15); namely, Job. HONOURABLE - Hebrew, accepted of countenance (Isaiah 3:3, margin; 2 Kings 5:1, margin); i:e., possessing authority. Eliphaz repeats his charge (Job 15:28; s... [ Continue Reading ]
_THOU HAST SENT WIDOWS AWAY EMPTY, AND THE ARMS OF THE FATHERLESS HAVE BEEN BROKEN._ Empty - without their wants being relieved (Genesis 31:42). The Mosaic law especially protected the widow and fatherless (Exodus 22:22); the violation of it in their case by the great is a complaint of the prophets... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEREFORE SNARES ARE ROUND ABOUT THEE, AND SUDDEN FEAR TROUBLETH THEE;_ Snares - alluding to Job's admission (Job 19:6; cf. Job 18:10; Proverbs 22:5, "Snares are in the way of the froward").... [ Continue Reading ]
_OR DARKNESS, THAT THOU CANST NOT SEE; AND ABUNDANCE OF WATERS COVER THEE._ That - so that thou canst not see. ABUNDANCE - floods. Dauger by floods is a less frequent image in this book than in the rest of the Old Testament (Job 11:16; Job 27:20). Overwhelming calamities are meant (Psalms 18:16;... [ Continue Reading ]
_IS NOT GOD IN THE HEIGHT OF HEAVEN? AND BEHOLD THE HEIGHT OF THE STARS, HOW HIGH THEY ARE!_ Eliphaz says this to prove that God can from His height behold all things; gratuitously inferring that Job denied it, because he denied that the wicked are punished here. HEIGHT - Hebrew, head; i:e., elev... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THOU SAYEST, HOW DOTH GOD KNOW? CAN HE JUDGE THROUGH THE DARK CLOUD?_ Rather, And yet thou sayest, God does not concern himself with ("know") human affairs, (Psalms 73:11, "How doth God know? Is there knowledge in the Most High?") JUDGE THROUGH ... CLOUD? - Can His judgment penetrate "throug... [ Continue Reading ]
_THICK CLOUDS ARE A COVERING TO HIM, THAT HE SEETH NOT; AND HE WALKETH IN THE CIRCUIT OF HEAVEN._ Covering - a veil. "In the circuit of heaven" only, not taking any part in earthly affairs. Job is alleged as holding this Epicurean sentiment (Lamentations 3:44; Isaiah 29:15; Isaiah 40:27; Jeremiah 2... [ Continue Reading ]
_HAST THOU MARKED THE OLD WAY WHICH WICKED MEN HAVE TRODDEN?_ Marked - rather, Dost thou keep to? i:e., wish to follow (so Hebrew, 2 Samuel 22:22). If so, beware of sharing their end. THE OLD WAY - the degenerate ways of the world before the flood (Genesis 6:5, "The Wickedness of man was great in... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHICH WERE CUT DOWN OUT OF TIME, WHOSE FOUNDATION WAS OVERFLOWN WITH A FLOOD:_ Cut down - rather, 'fettered,' as in Job 16:8; Job 1:1:e., arrested by death. OUT OF TIME - prematurely, suddenly (Job 15:32; Ecclesiastes 7:17); literally, whose foundation was poured out (so as to become) a stream,... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHICH SAID UNTO GOD, DEPART FROM US: AND WHAT CAN THE ALMIGHTY DO FOR THEM?_ Eliphaz designedly uses Job's own words (Job 21:14), to show that the wicked, who so put away God from them, are not prosperous, as Job had asserted. DO FOR THEM. They think they, can do everything for themselves.... [ Continue Reading ]
_YET HE FILLED THEIR HOUSES WITH GOOD THINGS: BUT THE COUNSEL OF THE WICKED IS FAR FROM ME._ "Yet" you say (Job 21:16, see note) that it is "He who filled their houses with good" - "their" 'good is not in their hand,' but comes from God. BUT THE COUNSEL ... IS ... - rather, may the counsel be, et... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE RIGHTEOUS SEE IT, AND ARE GLAD: AND THE INNOCENT LAUGH THEM TO SCORN._ Triumph of the pious at the fall of the recent followers of the antediluvian sinners. Whilst in the act of denying that God can do them say good or harm, they are cut off by Him. Eliphaz hereby justifies himself and the fri... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEREAS OUR SUBSTANCE IS NOT CUT DOWN, BUT THE REMNANT OF THEM THE FIRE CONSUMETH._ Whereas our substance is not cut down. The triumphant speech of the pious. If "substance" be retained translate, rather, as the Septuagint, 'Has not their substance been taken away, and?' etc. But the Hebrew is rat... [ Continue Reading ]
_ACQUAINT NOW THYSELF WITH HIM, AND BE AT PEACE: THEREBY GOOD SHALL COME UNTO THEE._ Eliphaz takes it for granted, Job is not yet 'acquainted' with God; literally, become a companion of God. Turn with familiar confidence to God. AND BE - so thou shalt be. The second imperative expresses the conse... [ Continue Reading ]
_RECEIVE, I PRAY THEE, THE LAW FROM HIS MOUTH, AND LAY UP HIS WORDS IN THINE HEART._ Lay up - (Psalms 119:11, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee;" cf. Proverbs 2:1; Proverbs 4:10). LAW, х_ TOWRAAH_ (H8451)] - literally, a directory: from the idea of straightness... [ Continue Reading ]
_IF THOU RETURN TO THE ALMIGHTY, THOU SHALT BE BUILT UP, THOU SHALT PUT AWAY INIQUITY FAR FROM THY TABERNACLES._ Built up - anew, as a restored house. THOU SHALT PUT AWAY - rather, if thou put away (Michaelis).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN SHALT THOU LAY UP GOLD AS DUST, AND THE GOLD OF OPHIR AS THE STONES OF THE BROOKS._ Rather, containing the protasis from the last clause of Job 22:23, If thou regard the glittering metal as dust-literally, lay it on the dust-to regard it of as little value as the dust on which it lies. The ap... [ Continue Reading ]
_YEA, THE ALMIGHTY SHALL BE THY DEFENCE, AND THOU SHALT HAVE PLENTY OF SILVER._ Apodosis. YEA - rather, Then shall the Almighty be, etc. DEFENCE - rather, as the same Hebrew х_ BETSER_ (H1220)] means in Job 22:24 (see note), thy precious metals; God will be to thee in the place of riches. PLEN... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THEN SHALT THOU HAVE THY DELIGHT IN THE ALMIGHTY, AND SHALT LIFT UP THY FACE UNTO GOD._ Lift up ... face ... - repeated from Zophar (Job 11:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THOU SHALT MAKE THY PRAYER UNTO HIM, AND HE SHALL HEAR THEE, AND THOU SHALT PAY THY VOWS._ (Isaiah 58:9; Isaiah 58:14.) PAY THY VOWS - which thou hast promised to God in the event of thy prayers being heard: God will give thee occasion to pay the former by hearing the latter.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THOU SHALT ALSO DECREE A THING, AND IT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED UNTO THEE: AND THE LIGHT SHALL SHINE UPON THY WAYS._ Decree - purpose or resolve on a thing, and thy resolution shall be realized. LIGHT - success.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHEN MEN ARE CAST DOWN, THEN THOU SHALT SAY, THERE IS LIFTING UP; AND HE SHALL SAVE THE HUMBLE PERSON._ Rather, When thy ways (from Job 22:28) are cast down (for a time), thou shalt (soon again have joyful cause to) say, There is lifting up (prosperity returns back to me). (Maurer.) HE - God. HUM... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SHALL DELIVER THE ISLAND OF THE INNOCENT: AND IT IS DELIVERED BY THE PURENESS OF THINE HANDS._ Island - i:e., dwelling. But the Hebrew [cut down from _ 'EEYN_ (H369)] expresses the negative (1 Samuel 4:21); translate 'Thus He (God) shall deliver him who was not guiltless'-namely, one who, like... [ Continue Reading ]