_THEN ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE ANSWERED AND SAID,_ Eliphaz - the mildest of Job's three accusers. The greatest of Job's calamities, and his complaints against God, and the opinion that calamities are proofs of guilt, led the three to doubt Job's integrity.... [ Continue Reading ]
_IF WE ASSAY TO COMMUNE WITH THEE, WILT THOU BE GRIEVED? BUT WHO CAN WITHHOLD HIMSELF FROM SPEAKING?_ If we assay to commune. Umbreit makes two questions, 'May we attempt a word with thee? Wilt thou be grieved at it?' But the English version is good sense, and accords with the Hebrew. Even pious fr... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, THOU HAST INSTRUCTED MANY, AND THOU HAST STRENGTHENED THE WEAK HANDS._ Weak hands - (Isaiah 35:3; 2 Samuel 4:1).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THY WORDS HAVE UPHOLDEN HIM THAT WAS FALLING, AND THOU HAST STRENGTHENED THE FEEBLE KNEES._ _ THY WORDS HAVE UPHOLDEN HIM THAT WAS FALLING, AND THOU HAST STRENGTHENED THE FEEBLE KNEES._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT NOW IT IS COME UPON THEE, AND THOU FAINTEST; IT TOUCHETH THEE, AND THOU ART TROUBLED._ Thou art troubled - thou hast lost thy self-command (1 Thessalonians 3:3).... [ Continue Reading ]
_IS NOT THIS THY FEAR, THY CONFIDENCE, THY HOPE, AND THE UPRIGHTNESS OF THY WAYS?_ Is not this thy fear, thy confidence ... - Does thy fear, thy confidence, etc., come to nothing? Does it come only to this, that thou faintest now? Rather (Job 15:4), 'Is not thy fear [of God], thy confidence, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
_REMEMBER, I PRAY THEE, WHO EVER PERISHED, BEING INNOCENT? OR WHERE WERE THE RIGHTEOUS CUT OFF?_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_EVEN AS I HAVE SEEN, THEY THAT PLOW INIQUITY, AND SOW WICKEDNESS, REAP THE SAME._ They that plow iniquity ... reap the same - (Proverbs 22:8; Hosea 8:7; Hosea 10:13; Galatians 6:7). "Plow" - i:e., plow and plant.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BY THE BLAST OF GOD THEY PERISH, AND BY THE BREATH OF HIS NOSTRILS ARE THEY CONSUMED._ Breath of his nostrils - God's anger. A figure from the fiery winds of the East (Job 1:16; Isaiah 5:25; Psalms 18:8; Psalms 18:15).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE ROARING OF THE LION, AND THE VOICE OF THE FIERCE LION, AND THE TEETH OF THE YOUNG LIONS, ARE BROKEN._ Lion - i:e., wicked men, upon whom Eliphaz wished to show that calamities come in spite of their various resources, just as destruction comes on the lion in spite of his strength (Psalms 58:6;... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE OLD LION PERISHETH FOR LACK OF PREY, AND THE STOUT LION'S WHELPS ARE SCATTERED ABROAD._ _ THE OLD LION PERISHETH FOR LACK OF PREY, AND THE STOUT LION'S WHELPS ARE SCATTERED ABROAD._ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW A THING WAS SECRETLY BROUGHT TO ME, AND MINE EAR RECEIVED A LITTLE THEREOF._ A thing - Hebrew, a word. Eliphaz confirms his view by a divine declaration or revelation which was secretly and unexpectedly imparted to him (cf. margin, 'by stealth') х_ YªGUNAAB_ (H1589)]. A LITTLE - literally, a... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN THOUGHTS FROM THE VISIONS OF THE NIGHT, WHEN DEEP SLEEP FALLETH ON MEN,_ In thoughts from the visions. So Winer and English version. Whilst revolving night visions previously made to him (Daniel 2:29; Psalms 4:4). Rather 'In my manifold (Hebrew text, divided) thoughts, before the visions of the... [ Continue Reading ]
_FEAR CAME UPON ME, AND TREMBLING, WHICH MADE ALL MY BONES TO SHAKE._ No JFB commentary on these verses.... [ Continue Reading ]
_IT STOOD STILL, BUT I COULD NOT DISCERN THE FORM THEREOF: AN IMAGE WAS BEFORE MINE EYES, THERE WAS SILENCE, AND I HEARD A VOICE, SAYING,_ It stood still. At first the apparition glides before Eliphaz, then stands still, but with that shadowy indistinctness of form which creates such an impression... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHALL MORTAL MAN BE MORE JUST THAN GOD? SHALL A MAN BE MORE PURE THAN HIS MAKER?_ Mortal man ... a man. Two Hebrew words for man are used: the first implying his feebleness х_ 'ªNOWSH _ (H582)], the second his strength х_ GEBER_ (H1397)]. Whether feeble or strong, man is not righteous before God.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, HE PUT NO TRUST IN HIS SERVANTS; AND HIS ANGELS HE CHARGED WITH FOLLY:_ Folly. Imperfection (Job 2:10) is to be attributed to the angels, in comparison with Him. The holiness of some of them had given way (2 Peter 2:4), and at best is but the holiness of a creature. Folly is the want of mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOW MUCH LESS IN THEM THAT DWELL IN HOUSES OF CLAY, WHOSE FOUNDATION IS IN THE DUST, WHICH ARE CRUSHED BEFORE THE MOTH?_ Houses of clay - "earthly house of this tabernacle" (2 Corinthians 5:1). Houses made of sun-dried clay bricks are common in the East; they are easily washed away (Matthew 7:27).... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY ARE DESTROYED FROM MORNING TO EVENING: THEY PERISH FOR EVER WITHOUT ANY REGARDING IT._ From morning to evening - unceasingly; or, better, between the morning and evening of one short day (so Exodus 18:14; Isaiah 38:12). 'From day even to night wilt thou make an end of me' (Umbreit). "In the m... [ Continue Reading ]
_DOTH NOT THEIR EXCELLENCY WHICH IS IN THEM GO AWAY? THEY DIE, EVEN WITHOUT WISDOM._ Their excellency - (Psalms 39:11; Psalms 146:4; 1 Corinthians 13:8). But Umbreit by an Oriental image from a bow useless, because unstrung. 'Their nerve or string would be torn away.' Michaelis, better in accordanc... [ Continue Reading ]