Job's Reply to Zophar The distinctive point in Zophar's discourse was his prominently adducing the omniscient wisdom of God against Job, before the judgments of which, as seen in the providences that befall men, anything called individual conscience ought to be silent. This led Zophar into an eulog... [ Continue Reading ]
_ye are the people_ Sarcastic admiration of the wisdom of his three friends, cf. ch. Job 11:6. "The people" does not seem to mean the _right_people, persons worthy of the name of "people;" rather "the people" is used as three other persons, well known to history, employed it, when they said, "We, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_But I have understanding_ Rather, I ALSO HAVE UNDERSTANDING, lit. _heart_; cf. on ch. Job 11:12, to the depreciating words of which Job refers. _who knoweth not such things as these_ lit. _with whom are not such things as these_? i. e. such knowledge as this. The reference is to Zophar's exhibitio... [ Continue Reading ]
I am to be one that is a laughing-stock to his friends, I, who called on God and he answered me: A laughing-stock the just and perfect man!... [ Continue Reading ]
Job laments how low he had fallen when men thought to instruct him, a man of God, with such primary truths regarding God's operation in the world. Yet it was but an illustration of the general truth righteousness when unfortunate was held in contempt. The verses read,... [ Continue Reading ]
There is contempt for misfortune in the thought of him that is at ease, It awaiteth them who are slipping with their foot. Zophar's references for Job's advantage to the Divine wisdom and might implied that Job was ignorant of all this, and took no account of Job's past life spent in the fellowshi... [ Continue Reading ]
The other side of the picture, the peace of the wicked. _into whose hand God bringeth abundantly_ The words might also mean: _they who carry_(_their) god in their hand_, the idea being that their god is their own strong hand or the weapon in it; cf. what the prophet says of the Chaldeans, This their... [ Continue Reading ]
Such knowledge as the friends possessed of God's wisdom and power and their action in the world could be learned by any one who had eyes to observe the life and fate of the lower creatures. In all may be seen God's absolute might and sway prevailing (Job 12:10).... [ Continue Reading ]
_speak to the earth_ The "earth" here includes all the forms of lower life with which it teems.... [ Continue Reading ]
_in all these_ Or, _by_all these, Genesis 15:8. _hath wrought this_ Rather, DOETH THIS, viz. as Zophar had taught and as Job 12:10 explains, rules with an absolute sway in all the world of life upon the earth, men and creatures. We should say in English here, _acts thus_(as Zophar had said), cf. Is... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse rounds off the statement in Job 12:7 _seq_. that God moves among the living creatures upon the earth, dispensing life and death, in a way absolute and uncontrolled.... [ Continue Reading ]
_and the mouth taste his meat_ Rather, AS THE MOUTH (lit. palate) TASTETH HIS MEAT. Does not the understanding ear discern and appropriate sound knowledge, as the palate discerns and relishes wholesome food? The ear (as well as the eye, Job 12:7) is a channel of sound information.... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 12:7-10 referred to what one could _see_of God's power and wisdom in the world, these verses refer to what one might learn of them by _hearing_ancient men discourse regarding them. In ch. Job 13:1, where Job looks back upon this chapter, he refers to both channels of knowledge, his eye and his e... [ Continue Reading ]
As Job 12:11 indicated the instrument, the ear, through which one learned, this verse refers to the source from which the information was to be obtained, viz. the ancients, that is, the aged men.... [ Continue Reading ]
_With him is wisdom and strength_ i. e. with God, _him_being emphatic. There is no antithesis however between His wisdom and that of the aged referred to Job 12:12. The passage that follows to the end of the chapter describes God's power and wisdom as their operations had been observed by men, thoug... [ Continue Reading ]
_breaketh down_ e.g. fenced cities, devoting them to ruin, cf. ch. Job 15:28. _shutteth up a man_ In prison, as captive kings and the like, cf. Jeremiah 22:24 _seq_., 2 Kings 25:27 _seq_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_withholdeth the waters_ In droughts. The second half of the verse refers to floods and cataclysms.... [ Continue Reading ]
The word "wisdom" in this verse is that in ch. Job 5:12; Job 11:6. _the deceived and the deceiver_ lit. _he that errs and he that leads into error_, he that is ruled and he that rules oppressively. These are distinctions among men; to God both are the same, or both are equally in his hand, cf. Prov... [ Continue Reading ]
_away spoiled_ The word is rendered "stripped" Micah 1:8, the meaning being, deprived of their outer garments, and clothed as slaves and captives. The word might perhaps mean "barefooted" (so Sept. Micah 1:8), also a condition of those in destitution and mourning, 2 Samuel 15:30. On second clause ... [ Continue Reading ]
_he looseth the bond of kings_ The verse probably means, he relaxes, removes the authority of kings, destroys their bond or power over men; and as a consequence their own loins are girt with a girdle, i. e. either the common girdle of the labourer, or the cord of the captive.... [ Continue Reading ]
_leadeth princes away spoiled_ Rather, PRIESTS. In antiquity priests occupied influential places; cf. what is said of Melchizedek, Genesis 14, of Jethro, priest of Midian, Exodus 2:16 _seq_., and of the influence of the priests in several crises of the history of Israel. On "spoiled" see Job 12:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_the speech of the trusty_ Eloquent men, able to recommend and carry their plans. The word "understanding" means _sense_or discretion (Proverbs 11:22).... [ Continue Reading ]
_contempt upon princes_ Or, _nobles_, ch. Job 34:18; cf. Psalms 107:40. _weakeneth the strength of the mighty_ lit. _looseth the girdle of the strong_. As the garments were girt up for active labour or battle, to loose the girdle means to incapacitate; Isaiah 5:27.... [ Continue Reading ]
_he discovereth deep things_ In the A. V. to "discover" is to reveal, to bring to sight. The verse means that God through His wisdom sees into the profoundest and darkest deeps, and brings what is hidden to light. "Shadow of death" means the deepest darkness, ch. Job 3:3. The reference is not to be... [ Continue Reading ]
God's rule among the nations and direction of their fate. _and straiteneth them_again] Perhaps, _and leadeth them away_, cf. 2 Kings 18:17. The clause is obscure, it may not be a direct, but an inverse parallel to the first clause, and mean: _he spreadeth abroad_(or, scattereth, cf. Jeremiah 8:2; N... [ Continue Reading ]
_he taketh away the heart_ i. e. the understanding; cf. on ch. Job 11:12. _in a wilderness_ Same word as in ch. Job 6:18. The word is that rendered "without form," Genesis 1:2; Jeremiah 4:23, i. e. chaos. The reference is to the confusion and perplexity into which the chiefs are thrown. The word is... [ Continue Reading ]
Further description of their perplexity. Cf. ch. Job 5:14. _maketh them to stagger_ Or, _to wander_. Cf. Isaiah 19:14; Psalms 107:27; Psalms 107:40.... [ Continue Reading ]