I KNOW THAT THOU CANST DO EVERYTHING - This is said by Job in view of what had been declared by the Almighty in the previous chapters. It is an acknowledgment that God was omnipotent, and that man ought to be submissive, under the putting forth of his infinite power. One great object of the address... [ Continue Reading ]
WHO IS HE THAT HIDETH COUNSEL WITHOUT KNOWLEDGE? - This is repeated from Job 38:2. As used there these are the words of the Almighty, uttered as a reproof of Job for the manner in which he had undertaken to explain the dealings of God; see the notes at that verse. As repeated here by Job, they are a... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAR, I BESEECH THEE, AND I WILL SPEAK - This is the language of humble, docile submission. On former occasions he had spoken confidently and boldly of God; he had called in question the equity of his dealings with him; he had demanded that he might be permitted to carry his cause before him, and ar... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE HEARD OF THEE BY THE HEARING OF THE EAR - Referring to the indistinct views which we have of anything by merely hearing of it, compared with the clear apprehension which is furnished by sight. Job had had such views of God as one may obtain by being told of him; he now had such views as are f... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREFORE I ABHOR MYSELF - I see that I am a sinner to be loathed and abhorred. Job, though he did not claim to be perfect, had yet unquestionably been unduly exalted with the conception of his own righteousness, and in the zeal of his argument, and under the excitement of his feelings when reproach... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS SO, THAT AFTER THE LORD HAD SPOKEN THESE WORDS UNTO JOB - Had the matter been left according to the record in Job 42:6, a wholly erroneous impression would have been made. Job was overwhelmed with the conviction of his guilt, and had nothing been said to his friends, the impression would... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE TAKE UNTO YOU - Or, FOR yourselves. SEVEN BULLOCKS AND SEVEN RAMS - The number “seven” was a common number in offering animals for sacrifice; see Leviticus 23:18; Numbers 29:32. It was not a number, however, confined at all to Jewish sacrifices, for we find that Balaam gave the direction t... [ Continue Reading ]
THE LORD ALSO ACCEPTED JOB - Margin, as in Job 42:8, “the face of.” The meaning is, that he accepted his prayers and offerings in behalf of his friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LOAD TURNED THE CAPTIVITY OF JOB - Restored him to his former prosperity. The language is taken from restoration to country and home after having been a captive in a foreign land. This language is often applied in the Scriptures to the return of the Jews from their captivity in Babylon, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN CAME THERE UNTO HIM ALL HIS BRETHREN ... - It seems remarkable that none of these friends came near to him during his afflictions, and especially that his “sisters” should not have been with him to sympathize with him. But it was one of the bitter sources of his affliction, and one of the groun... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THE LORD BLESSED THE LATTER END OF JOB - To wit, by giving him double what he had possessed before his calamities came upon him; see Job 42:10. FOR HE HAD FOURTEEN THOUSAND SHEEP ... - The possessions which are here enumerated are in each instance just twice as much as he possessed in the early p... [ Continue Reading ]
HE HAD ALSO SEVEN SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS - The same number which he had before his trials. Nothing is said of his wife, or whether these children were, or were not, by a second marriage. The last mention that is made of his wife is in Job 19:17, where he says that “his breath was strange to his wi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE CALLED THE NAME OF THE FIRST, JEMIMA - It is remarkable that in the former account of the family of Job, the names of none of his children are mentioned, and in this account the names of the daughters only are designated. “Why” the names of the daughters are here specified, is not intimated.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THEIR FATHER GAVE THEM INHERITANCE AMONG THEIR BRETHREN - This is mentioned as a proof of his special regard, and is also recorded because it was not common. Among the Hebrews the daughter inherited only in the case where there was no son, Numbers 27:8. The property was divided equally among the... [ Continue Reading ]
AFTER THIS JOB LIVED AN HUNDRED AND FORTY YEARS - As his age at the time his calamities commenced is not mentioned, it is of course impossible to determine how old he was when he died. The Septuagint, however, has undertaken to determine this, but on what authority is unknown. They render this verse... [ Continue Reading ]
SO JOB DIED, BEING OLD AND FULL OF DAYS - Having filled up the ordinary term of human life at that period of the world. He reached an honored old age, and when he died was not prematurely cut down. He was “regarded” as an old man. The translators of the Septuagint, at the close of their version, mak... [ Continue Reading ]