Job 13:1-22. Job knows the Divine Wisdom and Might as well as the Friends; their application of these to him is false. He desires to plead his Cause before God Having finished his delineation of God's might and wisdom as they act in the world, Job looks back upon his picture, saying that he knows a... [ Continue Reading ]
Looking back to his delineation of the Divine wisdom and might as they dominate among men and in the world (ch. Job 12:7-25), Job says that his knowledge of them is not inferior to that of the friends a final answer to Zophar, ch. Job 11:6; cf. as to Job 13 _: 2 Chronicles 12:3_.... [ Continue Reading ]
But this knowledge neither helps nor hinders him. In spite of this knowledge, if not because of it, he desires to reason with God. _surely I would speak_ Rather, BUT I WOULD (same word in Job 13:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
_but ye are forgers of lies_ The _but_in Job 13:3 had for its background the knowledge of the Divine wisdom (Job 13:1); Job knows this well, _but_for all his knowledge of it he desires to plead his cause before God, he will speak unto the Almighty. This desire and purpose, however, are crossed by th... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse is suggested by the last clause of the preceding their impotence to help was such that their silence would be the most helpful thing they could offer. There is a final sarcasm at Zophar's speech in the reference to "wisdom"; cf. Proverbs 17:28, Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is cou... [ Continue Reading ]
_hear now my reasoning_ Rather, HEAR NOW MY REBUKE. The reference is not to Job's cause with God, this is not resumed till Job 13:13. He utters a formal indictment against his friends which he commands them to hear. _the pleadings of my lips_ i. e. the _reproofs_of my lips, their pleadings against... [ Continue Reading ]
Severe rebuke of the three friends, in which (1) they are charged with partiality for God, and with acting the advocate for Him (Job 13:6); and (2) they are threatened with the chastisement of God for their insincerity, and for falsely pleading even in God's behalf (Job 13:9).... [ Continue Reading ]
_speak wickedly_ Or, _wrongously_, lit. _speak iniquity_, ch. Job 5:16, cf. Zophar's recommendation to Job, ch. Job 11:14. _For_God means in His behalf, in His defence; and the words _for God_are emphatic.... [ Continue Reading ]
The same charge put more explicitly. To accept the person of one is to be partial on his side, cf. Job 13:10. _contend for God_ i. e. will ye play the advocate for God? The charge made against his friends by Job is that they had no knowledge of his guilt, and merely took part for God against him ou... [ Continue Reading ]
_Is it good_ The words may mean, will it be well (for you) that He should search (or, when He shall search)? or as ch. Job 10:3, do you like that He should search you out? The second clause should read, Or as one deceiveth a man will ye deceive Him? When God searches you out and looks into the sec... [ Continue Reading ]
God's rectitude and impartiality are such that He will punish partiality shewn even for Himself a statement which, when taken along with the imputations which Job has cast on God, shews a singular condition of his mind.... [ Continue Reading ]
_his excellency_ His _majesty_affright you. They shall be paralyzed when they stand before God who searches the heart.... [ Continue Reading ]
This verse reads, Your remembrances shall be proverbs of ashes, Your defences defences of dust. The term "remembrances" means their traditional sayings, remembered from antiquity, their maxims, such as Bildad adduced, ch. 8, and Eliphaz with his _Remember now_! ch. Job 4:7; these shall be found t... [ Continue Reading ]
_that I may speak_ Emphasis on _I, that I now_may speak. The last clause intimates his resolve to speak at all risks.... [ Continue Reading ]
Job now turns from his friends, whom he commands to be silent, to his great plea with God, resuming the intention expressed in Job 13:3. The passage has two parts, one preliminary, Job 13:13, exhibiting a singular picture of the conflict between resolution and fear in Job's mind. He will go before G... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore do I take_ Or, SHOULD I TAKE. This and the following verse are surrounded with difficulties. The meaning of the second clause of Job 13:14 is well ascertained from usage, it is: to expose one's life to jeopardy, Judges 12:3 1 Samuel 19:5; 1 Samuel 28:21; Psalms 119:109. The meaning of the... [ Continue Reading ]
The general meaning of Job 13:14 must be the same however the verse is construed, though it may be expressed in two ways, viz. either, Why should I painfully strive to preserve my life? or, I am ready to risk my life (or in both ways). Job 13:15 reads most naturally, Behold he will slay me: I will... [ Continue Reading ]
_He also shall be_ Rather, THIS ALSO. _for a hypocrite shall not_ Rather, THAT A GODLESS MAN WILL NOT; see on ch. Job 8:13. A godless man will not dare to go before God; but Job dares and desires; and this courage, sweet evidence to himself of his innocence, he says will be his salvation, that is,... [ Continue Reading ]
Assured of victory, he commands his friends to mark his pleading of his cause.... [ Continue Reading ]
_I know that I shall be justified_ i. e. be found in the right, ch. Job 11:2.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is he that will plead with me_ i. e. plead against me, enter to oppose me with good reasons who will bring a valid argument against me? The words are a triumphant expression of the feeling that no one will or can, cf. Isaiah 50:8. _for now if I hold my tongue_, &c. Rather, FOR THEN WOULD I HOL... [ Continue Reading ]
Yet the thought recurs before whom he is to appear and against whom he has to maintain his plea, and he begs God to grant two conditions, cf. ch. Job 9:34-35.... [ Continue Reading ]
With these conditions he is ready to appear either as respondent or as appellant.... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 13:22 to Job 14:22. Job pleads his cause before God Having ordered his cause and challenged his friends to observe how he will plead, Job now enters, with the boldness and proud bearing of one assured of victory, upon his plea itself. There is strictly no break between the passage which follows... [ Continue Reading ]
Job begins his plea with the demand to know the number of his sins how many iniquities and sins have I? and in general to be made aware of them. He means what great sins he is guilty of, sins that account for his present afflictions. He does not deny sinfulness, even _sins_of his youth (Job 13:26);... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wherefore hidest thou thy face_ This does not mean, Wherefore dost thou refuse to answer me _now?_the reference is to God's severity in afflicting him, as is shewn by the words "holdest me for thine enemy," cf. ch. Job 19:5; Job 35:2 _seq_.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou break_ Or, WILT THOU AFFRIGHT, that is, chase. The "driven leaf" and the "dry stubble" are figures for that which is so light and unsubstantial that it is the sport of every wind of circumstance. So Job describes himself, in contrast with God, and asks, Is thy determination to assail this... [ Continue Reading ]
_for thou writest_ Or, THAT THOU WRITEST. To "write" is to prescribe, or ordain, Isaiah 10:1; Hosea 8:12. _makest me to possess_ Or, _inherit_. Job acknowledges sins of his youth, not of his riper manhood, and he conceives that his present afflictions may be for his former sins, which in his past f... [ Continue Reading ]
_Thou puttest_ Rather, AND PUTTEST MY FEET IN &c. The verse describes his afflictions under three figures, all denoting arrest, impossibility of movement or escape, and chastisement. The first words are brought up by Elihu, ch. Job 33:11, cf. Jeremiah 20:2; Acts 16:24. _settest a print upon the hee... [ Continue Reading ]
_And he as a rotten thing_ Or, ONE WHO AS A rotten thing. Job no more speaks of himself in the first person, but in the third, because he thinks of himself as one of the human race in general, which is feeble and short-lived.... [ Continue Reading ]