I KNOW IT IS SO OF A TRUTH - Job here refers, undoubtedly, to something that had been said before; but whether it is to the general strain of remark, or to some particular expression, may be doubted. Rosenmuller supposes that he refers to what was said by Eliphaz in Job 4:17; but it seems more proba... [ Continue Reading ]
IF HE WILL CONTEND WITH HIM - That is, if God enters into a controversy with man. If he chooses to charge crime on him, and to hold him responsible for his deeds. The language here is taken from courts of justice, and means that if a trial were instituted, where God should submit charges, and the ma... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS WISE IN HEART - Herder renders this, Even the wise and the powerful, Who hath withstood him and prospered? But the more common interpretation is to refer it to God. The meaning of Job appears to be, that God was a sagacious adversary; that he was able to manage his cause; that he could meet... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH REMOVETH THE MOUNTAINS - In order to show how vain it was to contend with God, Job refers to some exhibitions of his power and greatness. The “removal of the mountains” here denotes the changes which occur in earthquakes and other violent convulsions of nature. This illustration of the power o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH SHAKETH THE EARTH OUT OF HER PLACE - This evidently refers to violent convulsions of nature, as if the earth were to be taken away. Objects on the earth’s surface become displaced, and convulsion seems to seize the world. The Septuagint renders this, “who shaketh that which is under the heaven... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH COMMANDETH THE SUN, AND IT RISETH NOT - Schultens supposes that all this is a description of the deluge - when the mountains were removed, when the fountains of the deep were broken up, and when the sun was obscured and seemed not to rise. Others have supposed that it refers to the fact that t... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH ALONE SPREADETH OUT THE HEAVENS - As an expanse, or a curtain; see the notes at Isaiah 40:22. AND TREADETH UPON THE WAVES OF THE SEA - Margin, “Heights.” So it is in the Hebrew. It means the “high waves;” that is, he walks upon the waves of the ocean when lifted up by a storm. This is spoken o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH MAKETH ARCTURUS - This verse, with others of the same description in the book of Job, is of special importance, as they furnish an illustration of the views which prevailed among the patriarchs on the subject of astronomy. There are frequent references to the sciences in this book (see the Int... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH DOETH GREAT THINGS - This is almost the sentiment which had been expressed by Eliphaz; see the notes, Job 5:9. It was evidently a proverb, and as such was used by both Eliphaz and Job.... [ Continue Reading ]
LO, HE GOETH BY ME - That is, he passes along - as in the silent movements of the heavenly bodies. “I see the evidence of his existence. I can see that God must be there - moving along by me in the orbs of night and in the march of the constellations, but I cannot see God himself. He passes by, or r... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HE TAKETH AWAY - Property, friends, or life. WHO CAN HINDER HIM? - Margin, turn him away. Or, rather, “who shall cause him to restore?” that is, who can bring back what he takes away? He is so mighty, that what he removes, it is impossible for us to recover. WHO WILL SAY UNTO HIM, WHAT DOES... [ Continue Reading ]
IF GOD WILL NOT WITHDRAW HIS ANGER - That is, if he perseveres in inflicting punishment. He will not turn aside his displeasure by any opposition or resistance made to him. THE PROUD HELPERS - Margin, Helpers of pride, or, strength. Jerome renders this, “under whom they who bear up the world bow dow... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW MUCH LESS SHALL I ANSWER HIM? - I, who am so feeble, how can I contend with him? If the most mighty objects in the universe are under his control; if the constellations are directed by him; if the earth is shaken, and mountains moved from their places, by his power, and if the men of most exalte... [ Continue Reading ]
WHOM, THOUGH I WERE RIGHTEOUS - That is, if I felt the utmost confidence that I was righteous, yet, if God judged otherwise, and regarded me as a sinner, I would not reply to him, but would make supplication to him as a sinner. I would have so much confidence in him, and would feel that he was so mu... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAD CALLED, AND HE HAD ANSWERED ME - It is remarked by Schultens, that the expressions in these verses are all taken from courts of justice. If so, the meaning is, that even if Job should call the Almighty to a judicial action, and he should respond to him, and consent to submit the great quest... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE BREAKETH ME - He is overwhelming me with a tempest; that is, with the storms of wrath. He shows me no mercy. The idea seems to be, that God acted toward him not as a judge determining matters by rule of law, but as a sovereign - determining them by his own will. If it were a matter of law; if... [ Continue Reading ]
HE WILL NOT SUFFER ME TO TAKE MY BREATH; - see the notes at Job 7:19.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I SPEAK OF STRENGTH, LO, HE IS STRONG - There has been a considerable variety in the interpretation of this passage. The meaning seems to be this. It refers to a judicial contest, and Job is speaking of the effect if he and God were to come to a trial, and the cause were to be settled before judg... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I JUSTIFY MYSELF, MINE OWN MOUTH SHALL CONDEMN ME - That is, referring still to the form of a judicial trial, if I should undertake to manage my own cause, I should lay myself open to condemnation even in my argument on the subject, and should show that I was far from the perfection which I had u... [ Continue Reading ]
THOUGH I WERE PERFECT - The same mode of expression occurs here again. “I perfect! I would not know it, or recognize it. If this were my view, and God judged otherwise, I would seem to be ignorant of it. I would not mention it.” YET WOULD I NOT KNOW MY SOUL - Or, “I could not know my soul. If I shou... [ Continue Reading ]
THIS IS ONE THING, THEREFORE I SAID IT - This may mean, “it is all the same thing. It makes no difference whether a man be righteous or wicked. God treats them substantially alike; he has one and the same rule on the subject. Nothing can be argued certainly about the character of a man from the divi... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THE SCOURGE SLAY SUDDENLY - If calamity comes in a sudden and unexpected manner. Dr. Good, following Reiske, translates this,” if he suddenly slay the oppressor,” understanding the word scourge שׁוט _shôṭ_ as meaning an oppressor, or one whom God employs as a scourge of nations. But this is con... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EARTH IS GIVEN INTO THE HAND OF THE WICKED - This is evidently designed as an illustration of the sentiment that Job was maintaining - that there was not a distribution of rewards and punishments in this life according to character. In illustration of this, he says that the wicked are raised to... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW MY DAYS ARE SWIFTER THAN A POST - Than a courier, runner, or racer, רוּץ _rûts_. Vulgate, _cursore_; Septuagint, δρομέως _dromeōs_, a racer. The word is not unfrequently applied to the runners or couriers, that carried royal commands in ancient times. It is applied to the mounted couriers of... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE PASSED AWAY AS THE SWIFT SHIPS - Margin, Ships of desire; or ships of Ebeh. Hebrew אבה אניה _'onı̂yâh_ _'êbeh_. Vulgate, _Naves poma portantes_. Septuagint, “Is there any track left by ships in their passage?” The Chaldee renders it as the Vulgate, “Ships bearing good fruit;” that is, as... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I SAY, I WILL FORGET MY COMPLAINT - If I resolve that I will leave off complaining, and will be more cheerful, I find it all in vain. My fears and sorrows return, and all my efforts to be cheerful are ineffectual I WILL LEAVE OFF MY HEAVINESS - The word rendered “my heaviness” here (פני _pânam_... [ Continue Reading ]
I AM AFRAID OF ALL MY SORROWS - My fears return. I dread the continuance of my griefs, and cannot close my eye to them. THOU WILT NOT HOLD ME INNOCENT - God will not remove my sorrows so as to furnish the evidence that I am innocent. My sufferings continue, and with them continue all the evidence o... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I BE WICKED, WHY THEN LABOUR I IN VAIN? - The word “if,” here introduced by our translators, greatly obscures the sense. The meaning evidently is, “I am held to be guilty, and cannot answer to that charge. God regards me as such, and if I should attempt to meet him on the charge, it would be a va... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I WASH MYSELF WITH SNOW WATER - If I should make myself as pure as possible, and should become, in my view, perfectly holy. Snow water, it seems, was regarded as especially pure. The whiteness of snow itself perhaps suggested the idea that the water of melted snow was better than other for purifi... [ Continue Reading ]
YET SHALT THOU PLUNGE ME IN THE DITCH - God would treat me as if he should throw me into the gutter, and as if I were wholly defiled and polluted. The meaning is, God would not admit the proofs which I should adduce of my innocence, but would overwhelm me with the demonstrations of my guilt. I doubt... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR HE IS NOT A MAN AS I AM - He is infinitely superior to me in majesty and power. The idea is, that the contest would be unequal, and that he might as well surrender without bringing the matter to an issue. It is evident that the disposition of Job to yield, was rather because he saw that God was... [ Continue Reading ]
NEITHER IS THERE ANY DAYSMAN - Margin, One that should argue, or, umpire. The word daysman in English means ” “an umpire or arbiter, a mediator.” Webster. Why such a man is called a daysman I do not know. The Hebrew word rendered “daysman” מוכיח _môkı̂yach_ is from יכח _yâkach_, not used in the Qa... [ Continue Reading ]
LET HIM TAKE HIS ROD AWAY FROM ME - Let him suspend my sufferings, and let us come together on equal terms. His terror now is upon me, and I can do nothing. I am oppressed, and broken down, and crushed under his hand, and I could not hope to maintain my cause with any degree of success. If my suffer... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WOULD I SPEAK, AND NOT FEAR HIM - I should then be able to maintain my cause on equal terms, and with equal advantages. BUT IT IS NOT SO WITH ME - Margin, I am not so with myself. Noyes, “I am not so at heart.” Good, “but not thus could I in my present state.” Literally, “for not thus I with my... [ Continue Reading ]