Job 13:1
LO, MINE EYE HATH SEEN ALL THIS - I have seen illustrations of all that I have said, or that you have said about the methods of divine providence.... [ Continue Reading ]
LO, MINE EYE HATH SEEN ALL THIS - I have seen illustrations of all that I have said, or that you have said about the methods of divine providence.... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT YE KNOW ... - See the note at Job 12:3.... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY I WOULD SPEAK TO THE ALMIGHTY - I would desire to carry my cause directly up to God, and spread out my reasons before him. This Job often professed to desire; see Job 9:34. He felt that God would appreciate the arguments which he would urge, and would do justice to them. His friends he felt w... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT YE ARE FORGERS OF LIES - The word lies here seems to be used in a large sense, to denote sophisms, false accusations, errors. They maintained false positions; they did not see the exact truth in respect to the divine dealings, and to the character of Job. They maintained strenuously that Job was... [ Continue Reading ]
OH THAT YE WOULD ALTOGETHER HOLD YOUR PEACE! - You would show your wisdom by silence. Since you can say nothing that is adapted to give comfort, or to explain the true state of the case, it would be wise to say nothing; compare Proverbs 17:28 : “Even a fool when he holdeth his peace is counted wise.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL YE SPEAK WICKEDLY FOR GOD? - That is, will you maintain unjust principles with a view to honor or to vindicate God? Job refers doubtless to the positions which they had defended in regard to the divine administration - principles which he regarded as unjust, though they had employed them profes... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL YE ACCEPT HIS PERSON? - That is, will you be partial to him? The language is such as is used in relation to courts of justice, where a judge shows favor to one of the parties on account of birth, rank, wealth, or personal friendship. The idea here is, “will you, from partiality to God, maintain... [ Continue Reading ]
IS IT GOOD THAT HE SHOULD SEARCH YOU OUT? - Would it be well for you if he should go into an investigation of your character, and of the arguments which you adduce? The idea is, that if God should make such an investigation, the result would be highly unfavorable to them. Perhaps Job means to intima... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL SURELY REPROVE YOU, IF YE DO SECRETLY ACCEPT PERSONS - If you show partiality, you will incur his disapprobation. This seems to have much era proverbial cast, and to mean that under no possible circumstances was it right to show partiality. No matter for whom it may be done, it will be displ... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL NOT HIS EXCELLENCY - His exaltation שׂאת _ś__e__'êth_ from נשׂא _nâśâ'_ to exalt, to lift up), or his majesty, Genesis 49:3. MAKE YOU AFRAID - Fill you with awe and reverence. Shall it not restrain you from fallacy, from sophisms, and from all presumptuous and unfounded reasoning? The sen... [ Continue Reading ]
YOUR REMEMBRANCES ARE LIKE UNTO ASHES - There has been a considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. The meaning in our common version is certainly not very clear. The Vulgate renders it, _Memoria vestra comparabitur cineri_. The Septuagint, Ἀποβήσεται δὲ ὑμῶν τὸ γαυρίαμα Ἶσα... [ Continue Reading ]
HOLD YOUR PEACE - Margin, Be silent from me; see Job 13:5. It is possible that Job may have perceived in them some disposition to interrupt him in a rude manner in reply to the severe remarks which he had made, and he asked the privilege, therefore, of being permitted to go on, and to say what he in... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE DO I TAKE MY FLESH IN MY TEETH - The meaning of the proverbial expressions in this verse is not very clear. They indicate a state of great danger; but the exact sense of the proverbs it has been difficult to ascertain. Some have supposed that the phrase “to take the flesh in the teeth,” is... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH HE SLAY ME - “God may so multiply my sorrows and pains that I cannot survive them. I see that I may be exposed to increased calamities, yet I am willing to meet them. If in maintaining my own cause, and showing that I am not a hypocrite Job 13:16, it should so happen that my sufferings should... [ Continue Reading ]
HE ALSO SHALT BE MY SALVATION - See the notes at Isaiah 12:2. Literally, “He is unto me for salvation,” that is, “I put my trust in him, and he will save me. The opportunity of appearing before God, and of maintaining my cause in his presence, will result in my deliverance from the charges which are... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR DILIGENTLY MY SPEECH - That which I have made; that is, the declaration which I have made of my innocence. He refers to his solemn declaration, Job 13:15 that he had unwavering confidence in God, and that even should God slay him he would put confidence in him. This solemn appeal he wished them... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE ORDERED MY CAUSE - literally. “judgment?” - משׁפט _mı̂shpâṭ_. The Septuagint renders it, “I am near (ἐγγύς εἰμί _engus_ _eimi_) to my judgment,” or my trial. The meaning may be, that he had gone through the pleading, and had said what he wished in self-vindication, and he was willing to... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS HE THAT WILL PLEAD WITH ME? - That is, “who is there now that will take up the cause, and enter into an argument against me? I have set my cause before God. I appeal now to all to take up the argument against me, and have no fear if they do as to the result. I am confident of a sucessful issu... [ Continue Reading ]
ONLY DO NOT TWO - things “unto me.” The two things which are specified in the following verse. This is an address to God as Job argues his cause before him, and the request is, that he would remove every obstacle to his presenting his cause in the most favorable manner, and so that he may be on equa... [ Continue Reading ]
WITHDRAW THINE HAND FAR FROM ME - Notes Job 9:34. The hand of God here is used to denote the calamity or affliction which Job was suffering. The meaning is, “Remove my affliction; restore me to health, and I will then enter on the argument in vindication of my cause. I am now oppressed, and broken d... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CALL THOU, AND I WILL ANSWER - Call me to trial; summon me to make my defense. This is language taken from courts of justice, and the idea is, that if God would remove his calamity, and not overawe him, and would then call on him to make a defense, he would be ready to respond to his call. The... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW MANY ARE MINE INIQUITIES AND SINS? - Job takes the place of the plaintiff or accuser. He opens the cause. He appeals to God to state the catalogue of his crimes, or to bring forward his charges of guilt against him. The meaning, according to Schultens, is, “That catalogue ought to be great which... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE HIDEST THOU THY FACE - To hide the face, or to turn it away, is expressive of disapprobation. We turn away the face when we are offended with anyone. See the notes at Isaiah 1:15. AND HOLDEST ME FOR THINE ENEMY - Regardest and treatest me as an enemy.... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU BREAK A LEAF DRIVEN TO AND FRO? - Job here means to say that the treatment of God in regard to him was like treading down a leaf that was driven about by the wind - an insigni ficant, unsettled, and worthless thing. “Wouldst thou show thy power against such an object?” - The sense is, that... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU WRITEST BITTER THINGS AGAINST ME - Charges or accusations of severity. We use the word “bitter” now in a somewhat similar sense. We speak of bitter sorrow, bitter cold, etc. The language here is all taken from courts of justice, and Job is carrying cut the train of thought on which he had e... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU PUTTEST MY FEET ALSO IN THE STOCKS - The word rendered “stocks” (סד _sad_), denotes the wooden frame or block in which the feet of a person were confined for punishment. The whole passage here is designed to describe the feet; as so confined in a clog or clogs, as to preclude the power of motio... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE, AS A ROTTEN THING, CONSUMETH - Noyes renders this, “And I, like an abandoned thing, shall waste away.” Dr. Good translates it, “Well may he dissolve as corrupttion.” Rosenmuller supposes that Job refers to himself by the word הוּא _hû'_ - he, and that having spoken of himself in the previou... [ Continue Reading ]