But Job answered and said, Ver. 1. _But Job answered and said_] Bildad had vexed him with his impertinence and superfluous discourses of God's attributes, as if Job had denied them or doubted of them, which was far from him, witness this chapter. He therefore rippleth up Bildad with a continued sma... [ Continue Reading ]
How hast thou helped [him that is] without power? [how] savest thou the arm [that hath] no strength? Ver. 2. _How hast thou helped him that is without power?_] _q.d._ Full well hast thou done it, surely. (See a like irony Mark 7:9 1Co 4:8; 1Co 4:10) Thou art a very goodly comforter, and with a grea... [ Continue Reading ]
_How hast thou counselled [him that hath] no wisdom? and [how] hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?_ Ver. 3. _How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom?_] _q.d._ Thou lookest upon me as a fool and an atheist; but this thou dost with far greater folly; for I am not the man thou... [ Continue Reading ]
To whom hast thou uttered words? and whose spirit came from thee? Ver. 4. _To whom hast thou uttered words?_] And, as thou thinkest, words weighty, and worthy of all acceptation, when in truth there is no such matters; bubbles of words they are, and big swollen fancies, _sed cui bono?_ What tack is... [ Continue Reading ]
Dead [things] are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof. Ver. 5. _Dead things are formed from under the waters_] Here Job's tongue, like a silver bell, begins to sound out the great things of God far better than Bildad had done, beginning at the bottom, and declaring that nothin... [ Continue Reading ]
Hell [is] naked before him, and destruction hath no covering. Ver. 6. _Hell and destruction are before him_] Here beginneth a magnificent and stately description of the majesty of God; and, 1. From his omniscience; 2. From his omnipotence. For the first, "Hell and destruction are before him." Not t... [ Continue Reading ]
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place, [and] hangeth the earth upon nothing. Ver. 7. _He stretcheth out the north over the empty place_] Heb. Over Tohu. Aristotle saith, that beyond the movable heavens there is neither body, nor time, nor place, nor vacuum. But on this side of the heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds; and the cloud is not rent under them. Ver. 8. _He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds_] Heb. Clouds, which yet have their name from thickness, because they arise from air condensed. In these God bottleth up the rain, and there keepeth it in by mai... [ Continue Reading ]
He holdeth back the face of his throne, [and] spreadeth his cloud upon it. Ver. 9. _He holdeth back the face of his throne_] _i.e._ Of heaven, Isaiah 66:1, which he soon overcloudeth and muffleth up, or masketh, with a veil. Mystically, by the face of his throne, we may understand the knowledge of... [ Continue Reading ]
_He hath compassed the waters with bounds, until the day and night come to an end._ Ver. 10. _He hath compassed the waters with bounds_] _Decreto circinavit superficiem aquarum_ (Tremel.). He hath as it were with a pair of compasses drawn a circle about the sea, that it may not pass to drown the ea... [ Continue Reading ]
The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof. Ver. 11. _The pillars of heaven tremble_] _i.e._ The angels, say some, who tremble out of conscience of their own comparative imperfections. The best of saints on earth, say others (according to Gal 2:9 Rev 3:12 Pro 9:1-2), who trembl... [ Continue Reading ]
He divideth the sea with his power, and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud. Ver. 12. _He divideth the sea with his power_] _i.e._ With his strong winds causing tempests: see the like Isaiah 51:15 : so that it lieth as it were in ridges, the top of one wave far from another, Jeremiah... [ Continue Reading ]
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent. Ver. 13. _By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens_] _Spiritu eius caeli sunt ipsa pulchritudo,_ By his Spirit the heavens are beauty itself, so Vatablus rendereth it, _Adoravit, decoravit, pulchrefecit. Hinc_... [ Continue Reading ]
Lo, these [are] parts of his ways: but how little a portion is heard of him? but the thunder of his power who can understand? Ver. 14. _Lo, these are parts of his ways_] Or rather, particles of his works. _Extrema sunt viarum eius,_ so the Tigurines translate it; these are the ends, extremities, or... [ Continue Reading ]