I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES - The first virtue of his private life to which Job refers is chastity. Such was his sense of the importance of this, and of the danger to which man was exposed, that he had solemnly resolved not to think upon a young female. The phrase here, “I made a covenant with... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR WHAT PORTION OF GOD IS THERE FROM ABOVE? - Or, rather, “What portion should I then have from God who reigns above?” Job asks with emphasis, what portion or reward he should expect from God who reigns on high, if he had not made such a covenant with his eyes, and if he had given the reins to loos... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT DESTRUCTION TO THE WICKED? - That is, Job says that he was well aware that destruction would overtake the wicked, and that if he had given indulgence to impure desires he could have looked for nothing else. Well knowing this, he says, he had guarded himself in the most careful manner from sin... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH HE NOT SEE MY WAYS? - This either means that God was a witness of all that he did - his thoughts, words, and deeds, and would punish him if he had given indulgence to improper feelings and thoughts; or that since God saw all his thoughts, he could boldly appeal to him as a witness of his innoce... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE WALKED WITH VANITY - This is the second specification in regard to his private deportment. He says that his life had been sincere, upright, honest. The word vanity here is equivalent to falsehood, for so the parallelism demands, and so the word (שׁוא _shâv'_) is often used; Psalms 12:3; P... [ Continue Reading ]
LET ME BE WEIGHED IN AN EVEN BALANCE - Margin, him weigh me in balances of justice. That is, let him ascertain exactly my character, and treat me accordingly. If on trial it be found that I am guilty in this respect, I consent to be punished accordingly. Scales or balances are often used as emblemat... [ Continue Reading ]
IF MY STEP HATH TURNED OUT OF THE WAY - The path in which I ought to walk - the path of virtue. AND MINE HEART WALKED AFTER MINE EYES - That is, if I have coveted what my eyes have beheld; or if I have been determined by the appearance of things rather than by what is right, I consent to bear the a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET ME SOW, AND LET ANOTHER EAT - This is the imprecation which he invokes, in case he had been guilty in this respect. He consented to sow his fields, and let others enjoy the harvest. The expression used here is common in the Scriptures to denote insecurity of property or calamity in general;... [ Continue Reading ]
IF MINE HEART HAVE BEEN DECEIVED BY A WOMAN - If I have been enticed by her beauty. The word rendered “deceived” פתה _pâthâh_ means to open, to expand. It is then applied to that which is open or ingenuous; to that which is unsuspicious - like a youth; and thence is used in the sense of being dece... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET MY WIFE GRINED UNTO ANOTHER - Let her be subjected to the deepest humiliation and degradation. Probably Job could not have found language which would have more emphatically expressed his sense of the enormity of this crime, or his perfect consciousness of innocence. The last thing which a m... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THIS IS AN HEINOUS CRIME - This expresses Job’s sense of the enormity of such an offence. He felt that there was no palliation for it; he would in no way, and on no pretence, attempt to vindicate it. AN INIQUITY TO BE PUNISHED BY THE JUDGES - A crime for the judges to determine on and decide. T... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR IT IS A FIRE THAT CONSUMETH TO DESTRUCTION - This may mean that such an offence would be a crime that would provoke God to send destruction, like a consuming fire upon the offender (Rosenmuller and Noyes), or more likely it is designed to be descriptive of the nature of the sin itself. According... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I DID DESPISE THE CAUSE OF MY MAN-SERVANT - Job turns to another subject, on which he claimed that his life had been upright. It was in reference to the treatment of his servants. The meaning here is, “I never refused to do strict justice to my servants when they brought their cause before me, or... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT THEN SHALL I DO WHEN GOD RISETH UP? - That is, when he rises up to pronounce sentence upon people, or to execute impartial justice. Job admits that if he had done injustice to a servant, he would have reason to dread the divine indignation, and that he could have no excuse. “I tremble,” said Pr... [ Continue Reading ]
DID NOT HE THAT MADE ME IN THE WOMB MAKE HIM? - Had we not one and the same Creator, and have we not consequently the same nature? We may observe in regard to this sentiment, (1.) That it indicates a very advanced state of view in regard to man. The attempt has been always made by those who wish to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE WITHHELD THE POOR FROM THEIR DESIRE - Job now turns to another class of virtues, regarded also as of great importance in the patriarchal ages, kindness to the poor and the afflicted; to the fatherless and the widow. He appeals to his former life on this subject; affirms that he had a good... [ Continue Reading ]
OR HAVE EATEN MY MORSEL MYSELF ALONE - If I have not imparted what I had though ever so small, to others. This was in accordance with the Oriental laws of hospitality. It is regarded as a fixed law among the Arabians, that the guest shall always be helped first, and to that which is best; and no mat... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR FROM MY YOUTH HE WAS BROUGHT UP WITH ME - This verse is usually regarded as a parenthesis, though very various expositions have been given of it. Some have understood it as denying that he had in any way neglected the widow and the fatherless, and affirming that the orphan had always, even from... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE SEEN ANY PERISH ... - He turns to another virtue of the same general class - that of providing for the poor. The meaning is clear, that he had always assisted the poor and needy.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HIS LOINS HAVE NOT BLESSED ME - This is a personification by which the part of the body that had been clothed by the benevolence of Job, is supposed to speak and render him thanks.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE LIFTED UP MY HAND AGAINST THE FATHERLESS - That is, if I have taken advantage of my rank, influence, and power, to oppress and injure him. WHEN I SAW MY HELP IN THE GATE - The gate of a city was a place of concourse; a place where debates were held, and where justice was administered. Job... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET MINE ARM - The strong language which Job uses here, shows his consciousness of innocence, and his detestation of the offences to which he here refers, Job 31:16. The word rendered “arm” here (כתף _kâthêph_) means properly the shoulder. Isaiah 46:7; Isaiah 49:22; Numbers 7:9; compare the n... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR DESTRUCTION FROM GOD WAS A TERROR TO ME - The destruction which God would bring upon one who was guilty of the crime here specified, awed and restrained me. He was deterred from this crime of oppressing the fatherless by the fear of God. He could have escaped the judgment of people. He had power... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE MADE GOLD MY HOPE - That is, if I have put my trust in gold rather than in God; if I have fixed my affections with idolatrous attachment on riches rather than on my Maker. Job here introduces another class of sins, and says that his conscience did not charge him with guilt in respect to th... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE REJOICED BECAUSE MY WEALTH WAS GREAT - That is, if I have rejoiced as if I might now confide in it, or put my trust in it. He had not found his principal joy in his property, nor had he attempted to find in that the happiness which he ought to seek in God. AND BECAUSE MINE HAND HAD GOTTEN... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I BEHELD THE SUN WHEN IT SHINED - Margin, light. The Hebrew word (אור _'ôr_) properly means light, but that it here means the sun is manifest from the connection, since the moon occurs in the parallel member of the sentence. Why the word light is used here rather than sun, can be only a matter o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND MY HEART HATH BEEN SECRETLY ENTICED - That is, away from God, or led into sin. OR MY MOUTH HATH KISSED MY HAND - Margin, my hand hath kissed my mouth. The margin accords with the Hebrew. It was customary in ancient worship to kiss the idol that was worshipped; compare 1 Kings 19:18, “I have left... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS ALSO WERE AN INIQUITY TO BE PUNISHED BY THE JUDQE - Note Job 31:11. Among the Hebrews idolatry was an offence punishable by death by stoning; Deuteronomy 17:2. It is possible, also, that this might have been elsewhere in the patriarchal times a crime punishable in this manner. At all events, Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I REJOICED AT THE DESTRUCTION OF HIM THAT HATED ME - Job here introduces another class of offences, of which he says he was innocent. The subject referred to is the proper treatment of those who injure us. In respect to this, he says that he was entirely conscious of freedom from exultation when... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER HAVE I SUFFERED MY MOUTH - Margin, as in Hebrew, palate. The word is often used for the mouth in general, and especially as the organ of the voice from the use and importance of the palate in speaking. Proverbs 8:7. “For my palate (חכי _chikiy_) speaketh truth.” It is used as the organ of ta... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE MEN OF MY TABERNACLE - The men of my tent; or those who dwell with me. The reference is doubtless to those who were in his employ, and who, being constantly with him, had an opportunity to observe his manner of life. On this verse there has been a great variety of exposition, and interpreters... [ Continue Reading ]
THE STRANGER DID NOT LODGE IN THE STREET - This is designed to illustrate the sentiment in the previous verse, and to express his consciousness that he had showed the most generous hospitality. BUT I OPENED MY DOORS TO THE TRAVELER - Margin, or way. The word used here ארח _'ôrach_ means properly wa... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I COVERED MY TRANSGRESSIONS AS ADAM - That is, if I have attempted to hide or conceal them; if, conscious of guilt, I have endeavored to cloak my sins, and to appear righteous. There has been great variety of opinion about the meaning of this expression. The margin reads it, “After the manner of... [ Continue Reading ]
DID I FEAR A GREAT MULTITUDE - Our translators have rendered this as if Job meant to say that he had not been deterred from doing what he supposed was right by the fear of others; as if he had been independent, and had done what he knew to be right, undeterred by the fear of popular fury, or the los... [ Continue Reading ]
O THAT ONE WOULD HEAR ME! - This refers undoubtedly to God. It is, literally, “Who will give to me one hearing me;” and the wish is that which he has so often expressed, that he might get his cause fairly before God. He feels assured that there would be a favorable verdict, if there could be a fair... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY, I WOULD TAKE IT UPON MY SHOULDER - That is, the book or bill which the Almighty would write in the case. Job says that he has such confidence that what God would record in his case would be in his favor, such confidence that he had no charge of hypocrisy against him, and that he who knew him... [ Continue Reading ]
I WOULD DECLARE UNTO HIM THE NUMBER OF MY STEPS - That is, I would disclose to him the whole course of my life. This is language also appropriate to a judicial trial, and the meaning is, that Job was so confident of his integrity that he would approach God and make his whole course of life known to... [ Continue Reading ]
IF MY LAND CRY AGAINST ME - This is a new specification of an offence, and an imprecation of an appropriate punishment if he had been guilty of it. Many have supposed that these closing verses have been transferred from their appropriate place by an error of transcribers, and that they should have b... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE EATEN THE FRUITS THEREOF - Margin, strength. The strength of the earth is that which the earth produces or which is the result of its strength. We speak now of a “strong soil “ - meaning that it is capable of bearing much. WITHOUT MONEY - Hebrew “without silver “ - silver being the princip... [ Continue Reading ]
LET THISTLES GROW; - Genesis 3:18. Thistles are valueless; and Job is so confident of entire innocence in regard to this, that he says he would be willing, if he were guilty, to have his whole land overrun with noxious weeds. AND COCKLE - Cockle is a well known herb that gets into wheat or other gra... [ Continue Reading ]