At this also my heart trembleth, and is moved out of his place. Ver. 1. _At this also my heart trembleth_] At this? At what? at the thunder, whereof he had spoken before, and more meant to speak; and which he heard at that instant (as it may seem by the next verse), and therefore no wonder that his... [ Continue Reading ]
Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound [that] goeth out of his mouth. Ver. 2. _Hear attentively the noise of his voice_] _Coniunctam commotione vocem eius,_ the great thunder crack that now is; that angry noise, as the word signifieth. Hear in hearing; you cannot but hear it with th... [ Continue Reading ]
He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. Ver. 3. _He directeth it under the whole heaven_] Heb. He maketh it to go right forward, meaning the thunder, the vehement noise or sound whereof (not altogether unlike that of cloth violently torn, or of air thru... [ Continue Reading ]
After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when his voice is heard. Ver. 4. _After it a voice roareth_] After it, that is, after the lightning, it thundereth; indeed, before, or at least together with it; but the lightning is seen before the... [ Continue Reading ]
God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend. Ver. 5. _God thundereth marvellousIy with his voice_] Or, God thundereth out marvellous things with his voice. Marvellous indeed, if we consider the effects of thunder, lightning, and lightnig bolts, whic... [ Continue Reading ]
For he saith to the snow, Be thou [on] the earth; likewise to the small rain, and to the great rain of his strength. Ver. 6. _For he saith to the snow, Be thou on the earth_] He commandeth it, and it is done; for together with his word there goeth forth a power. _Dixisse Dei, est fecisse._ Psalms 1... [ Continue Reading ]
He sealeth up the hand of every man; that all men may know his work. Ver. 7. _He sealeth up the hand of every man_] _i.e._ He, by his great showers, sendeth men home for shelter, glad to intermit their work till better weather. See Exodus 9:19. The Hebrews call rain _Sagrir,_ Proverbs 27:15, from s... [ Continue Reading ]
Then the beasts go into dens, and remain in their places. Ver. 8. _Then the beasts go into dens_] In rainy and snowy weather, the very wild beasts (as lively and lusty as they are, whence also they have their name in the original) are glad to take harbour, and there to hold them till the storm be o... [ Continue Reading ]
Out of the south cometh the whirlwind: and cold out of the north. Ver. 9. _Out of the south cometh the whirlwind_] Which is a wonderful wind indeed; τυφων the Greeks call it (as they do a like wind at sea ευροκλυδων, the mariner's mischief), the Latins, vortex, because it turns up trees by the root... [ Continue Reading ]
By the breath of God frost is given: and the breadth of the waters is straitened. Ver. 10. _By the breath of God frost is given_] Frost is the excess of cold by the blowing of the coldest winds, which are here called, "The breath of God"; these congeal the waters, and turn them into ice, contractin... [ Continue Reading ]
Also by watering he wearieth the thick cloud: he scattereth his bright cloud: Ver. 11. _Also by watering he wearieth the thick clouds_] That is, by showering down of much rain he disburdeneth and dissipateth them, seem they never so thick and large. These seem to be troubled and tired out when, as... [ Continue Reading ]
And it is turned round about by his counsels: that they may do whatsoever he commandeth them upon the face of the world in the earth. Ver. 12. _And it is turned round about by his counsels_] _Vertit Dominus et revertit,_ The Lord turneth and returneth; letteth out, and bringeth back the clouds, as... [ Continue Reading ]
He causeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy. Ver. 13. _He causeth it to come, whether for correction_] Heb. For a rod, εις παιδειαν (Sept.). God hath his rods sticking up in every corner of his house for chastisement of his children, and they shall take it for a fav... [ Continue Reading ]
Hearken unto this, O Job: stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God. Ver. 14. _Hearken unto this, O Job_] Here Elihu by little and little draweth to a most wise conclusion, bringing Job to this point, that as the wisdom of God in these daily and ordinary works of nature doth far exceed th... [ Continue Reading ]
Dost thou know when God disposed them, and caused the light of his cloud to shine? Ver. 15. _Dost thou know when God disposed them_] viz. Those wondrous works of God in the air especially; those varieties of meteors, the generation and motions whereof the greatest philosophers cannot perfectly find... [ Continue Reading ]
Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge? Ver. 16. _Dost thou know the balancings of the clouds?_] _i.e._ How they are hung up even in the air, like Architas' or Archimedes' pigeon, equally poised with their own weight. But how they are up... [ Continue Reading ]
How thy garments [are] warm, when he quieteth the earth by the south [wind]? Ver. 17. _How thy garments are warm, when he, &c._] Canst thou give a reason of the extreme heat that is about the summer solstice, when the warm south winds blow so gently, that they are scarce felt at all, and thy clothe... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou with him spread out the sky, [which is] strong, [and] as a molten looking glass? Ver. 18. _Hast thou with him spread out the sky_] He had convinced Job of his ignorance, and now he will of his impotence and imbecility; and this by an irony; _q.d._ _Tune ille gigas es?_ Art thou indeed tha... [ Continue Reading ]
Teach us what we shall say unto him; [for] we cannot order [our speech] by reason of darkness. Ver. 19. _Teach us what we shall say unto him_] A notable scoff, a sharp sarcasm. _Verba sunt urgentis et insultantis; q.d._ _Velim ut e tot argumentis,_ Job 23:4, _aliqua nunc proferas,_ I would that tho... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall it be told him that I speak? if a man speak, surely he shall be swallowed up. Ver. 20. _Shall it be told him that I speak?_] _An in acta referetur ei, si loquar?_ Shall it be recorded before him? &c. _q.d._ Then woe be to me, for I am sure to rue it; yea, and (without mercy) to be ruined for... [ Continue Reading ]
And now [men] see not the bright light which [is] in the clouds: but the wind passeth, and cleanseth them. Ver. 21. _And now men see not the bright light that is in the clouds_] It seemeth, saith an expositor, that at that very instant the cloudy weather did begin to clear up, and that thereupon El... [ Continue Reading ]
Fair weather cometh out of the north: with God [is] terrible majesty. Ver. 22. _Fair weather cometh out of the north_] Heb. Gold cometh, &c., that is, the golden beams of the sun, as golden oil, Zechariah 4:12, _Serenitas aura similis_ (Tit.). The north wind also cleanseth the clouds, and shows us... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 37:23 [Touching] the Almighty, we cannot find him out: [he is] excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of justice: he will not afflict. Ver. 23. _Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out_] Heb. The Almighty. The nominative case put absolute; _q.d._ in short, as for the Almighty ... [ Continue Reading ]
Men do therefore fear him: he respecteth not any [that are] wise of heart. Ver. 24. _Men do therefore fear him_] They do, or should do, for his excellent greatness and goodness, Psa 130:4 Matthew 10:28. But in case they do not, _ He respecteth not any that are wise of heart_] That out of a conceit... [ Continue Reading ]