JOB CHAPTER 21 Job's reply: he complaineth not to man, in whose judgment he hath most reason to grieve; but exciteth their attention to convincing and amazing truths, JOB 21:1. The wicked prosper till in their pride they fear not God, JOB 21:7. Yet he purgeth himself from their counsel, and acknowle... [ Continue Reading ]
Or, _this shall be your consolations_, i.e. I shall accept of your patient and diligent attention to me, instead of all those consolations which you owed to me in this condition, and which I expected from you.... [ Continue Reading ]
SUFFER ME THAT I MAY SPEAK without such interruption as you have given me, JOB 20:2; and if I do not defend my cause with solid and convincing arguments, go on in your scoffs if you please.... [ Continue Reading ]
TO MAN; or, _of man_; for the prefix _lamed_ commonly signifieth both _to_ and _of_. And this question implies a denial, or that his complaint is not to or of man, to wit, only, but to or of God; as is here sufficiently implied, and oft elsewhere expressed by Job in this book. So the sense seems to... [ Continue Reading ]
Consider what I am about to say concerning the wonderful prosperity of the worst of men, and the intolerable pressures of some good men, such as I have manifested and shall prove that I am, and it is able to fill you that are but spectators with astonishment and horror at the strange and mysterious... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN I REMEMBER what I have partly observed and partly felt of these things. The very remembrance of what is past fills me with dread and horror.... [ Continue Reading ]
He expostulates this matter partly with his friends, If things be as you say, how comes this to pass, &c? partly with God himself, Wherefore doth the righteous God distribute things so unequally? THE WICKED LIVE, to wit, long and happily; as _living_ is oft taken, as LEVITICUS 18:5 1 SAMUEL 10:24 1... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR SEED; either, 1. The fruits of their ground; or rather, 2. Their children; as it is explained in the next branch of the verse, the words both here and there used being commonly so understood. THEIR SEED IS ESTABLISHED, i.e. they multiply and prosper greatly. In their sight; which is a great... [ Continue Reading ]
They neither fear nor feel any disturbance.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIKE A FLOCK of sheep or goats, as the word signifies; in great numbers, and with sweet concord; which is a singular delight to them and to their parents.... [ Continue Reading ]
No text from Poole on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
IN WEALTH; in good, i.e. in the enjoyment of all the good things of this life, without any mixture of evil. They do not die of a lingering and tormenting disease, as I now and many other good men die, but suddenly and sweetly, like lambs; as is usually said in such cases.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE; because of their constant prosperity. Heb. _and_, or _yet_. Though God be so gracious to them, yet they say and do thus to him. THEY SAY; sometimes in words, but commonly in their thoughts and affections, and the language of their lives: see PSALMS 14:1, PSALMS 36:1,2 MAL 3:14,15 TIT 1:16... [ Continue Reading ]
What excellency is there in him? and what advantage have we or can we expect from him?... [ Continue Reading ]
THEIR GOOD IS NOT IN THEIR HAND: this seems to be an answer to the foregoing question, and a confutation of that ungodly opinion and practice, JOB 21:14,15. Wicked men (saith he) have no reason to neglect and reject God because of their prosperity, for THEIR GOOD, i.e. all their wealth and felicity,... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW OFT! this phrase notes either, 1. The rarity and seldomness of it. This. I confess, sometimes happens, but not oft. Or rather, 2. The frequency of it. I grant that this happens oft, though not constantly, as you affirm. And this seems best to agree both with the use of this phrase in Scripture,... [ Continue Reading ]
i.e. Their destruction shall be speedy, and certain, and irrecoverable.... [ Continue Reading ]
GOD LAYETH UP, to wit, in his treasures, ROMANS 2:5. HIS INIQUITY, or rather, _the punishment of his iniquity_, i.e. he will punish him both in his person and in his posterity. HE SHALL KNOW IT, i.e. he shall live to see the destruction of his children.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS EYES SHALL SEE HIS DESTRUCTION, i.e. he shall be destroyed; AS TO SEE DEATH, is to die, PSALMS 89:48 HEBREWS 11:5; and _to see affliction_, or _any kind of evil_, is to feel it PSALMS 90:15 LAMENTATIONS 3:1; and _to see good_, is to enjoy it, JOB 7:7, JOB 9:25 PSALMS 34:12. Or this phrase may be... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PLEASURE HATH HE IN HIS HOUSE AFTER HIM? or, _for what desire, or care, or study hath he for or concerning_ (as _beth_ is oft used) HIS HOUSE, i.e. his children? When he is dead and gone, he cares not what becomes of his children, as irreligion commonly makes men unnatural; he is not concerned... [ Continue Reading ]
KNOWLEDGE, i.e. discretion, or how to govern the world. For so you do, whilst you tell him that he must not sorely afflict the godly, nor give the wicked much and long prosperity here. HE JUDGETH THOSE THAT ARE HIGH; either, 1. The highest persons, whether in earth, as the greatest kings; or in hea... [ Continue Reading ]
ONE, to wit, either, 1. One of these wicked men, of whose condition he is here speaking. Or, 2. Any one man, whether good or bad. In his full strength; in a state of perfect health, and strength, and prosperity; all which this phrase implies.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BREASTS: the Hebrew word is not elsewhere used, and therefore it is diversely translated; either, 1. _Breasts_. But that seems very improper here, because men's breasts do not use to be filled with milk. Or, 2. _Milk-pails_. But their fulness is common, and no sign of eminent plenty, which is he... [ Continue Reading ]
ANOTHER; either, 1. Another wicked man. Or, 2. Any other man promiscuously considered, either good or bad. So hereby he shows how indifferently and alike God deals the concerns of this life to one and another, to good and bad. So he shows that there is a great variety in God's dispensations; that... [ Continue Reading ]
All these worldly differences are ended by death, and they lie in the grave without any distinction, till the time of general resurrection and judgment comes. So that no man can tell who is good, and who is bad, by any events which befall them in this life.... [ Continue Reading ]
I KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS; I perceive what you think, and will object, and say for your own defence. THE DEVICES, or, _evil thoughts_; for so this word is oft used, as PROVERBS 12:2 PROVERBS 14:17 JOB 24:8 ISAIAH 32:7. WRONGFULLY IMAGINE, or _wrest_, or _violently force_. For they strained both Job's wor... [ Continue Reading ]
YE SAY, to wit, in your minds. _Where is the house of the prince_ ? i.e. it is no where, it is lost and gone. This is spoken either, 1. Of Job, or his eldest son, whose house God had lately overthrown. Or rather, 2. In general of wicked princes or potentates, as the following answer showeth. So th... [ Continue Reading ]
These are the words, either, 1. Of Job's friends, who thus continue their former discourse by a second inquiry; or rather, 2. Of Job himself, who answers one question with another. You may learn this, which is the matter of our debate, to wit, that good men are oft afflicted, and that wicked men do... [ Continue Reading ]
THAT THE WICKED, & c. this is the thing which they might learn of passengers. RESERVED; or, _withheld_, or _kept back_, to wit, from falling into common calamities, though in truth he be not so much kept from evil as kept for evil; he is reserved from a less, that he may be swallowed up in a greater... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS WAY, i.e. his wicked course and actions, and whither they lead him. His power and splendour is so great, that scarce any man dare reprove him for his sin, or show him his danger. TO HIS FACE, i.e. plainly, and whilst he lives, as the same phrase is used, DEUTERONOMY 7:10. WHO SHALL REPAY HIM WHA... [ Continue Reading ]
YET, Heb. _and_. The pomp of his death shall be suitable to the glory of his life. SHALL HE BE BROUGHT, with pomp and state, as the word signifies. TO THE GRAVE, Heb. _to the graves_, i.e. to an honourable and eminent grave; the plural number being oft used emphatically to note eminency, as JOB 40:1... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE VALLEY, i.e. of the grave, which is low and deep like a valley. SHALL BE SWEET UNTO HIM; he shall sweetly rest in his grave, free from all cares, and fears, and troubles, JOB 3:17,18. EVERY MAN SHALL DRAW AFTER HIM, Heb. _he shall draw every man after him_, to wit, into the grave; i.e. all th... [ Continue Reading ]
Why then do you seek to comfort me with vain hopes of recovering my prosperity if I repent, seeing your grounds are manifestly false, and common experience showeth that good men are very oft in great tribulation, while the vilest of men thrive and prosper in the world?... [ Continue Reading ]