_A.M. 2484. B.C. 1520._
Job humbles himself before God, Job 40:1. God challenges him to vie
with him, in justice, power, majesty, and dominion over the proud, Job
40:6. And gives an instance of his power in the behemoth, Job 40:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover the Lord answered Job_ Having first made a little pause to
try what Job had to allege in his own defence, or could answer to his
questions; and he continuing silent, as being, it seems, astonished at
God's rebukes, or expecting what he would further say, the Lord
proceeded with his questio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?_ Shall Job,
who presumeth to contend with me in judgment, and to dispute the
reasonableness and equity of my proceedings, give me instructions or
directions how to govern my creatures? The Hebrew, however, may be
rendered, _Is it instruction,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Job answered_ Job, whose confusion had made him silent, at
length answered with great humility, and said, _Behold I am vile_ I am
a mean, sinful, and wretched creature, and not worthy to speak unto
thy majesty; nor do I know what to answer. _I will lay my hand upon my
mouth_ I will, for the fu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then answered the Lord out of the whirlwind_ Which was renewed when
God renewed his charge upon Job, whom he intended to humble more
thoroughly than he had yet done. This and the next verse are repeated
out of Job 38:1; Job 38:3, where the reader will find them explained.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou also disannul my judgment?_ Wilt thou take exceptions to
what I say and do, and not only call in question and dispute, but even
censure, condemn, and endeavour to make void, _my judgment?_ My
sentence against thee, and my government and administration of human
affairs. God's judgment cann... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou an arm like God?_ Hast thou, a poor, weak worm of the
earth, an arm comparable to his, who upholdeth all things? The power
of creatures, even of angels themselves, is derived from God, limited
by him, dependant on him; but the power of God is original,
independent, and unlimited: he can d... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deck thyself with majesty_, &c. Seeing thou makest thyself equal,
yea, superior to me, take to thyself thy great power, come and sit in
my throne, and display thy divine perfections in the sight of the
world. These and the following are ironical expressions, to make Job
more sensible of his distanc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold now behemoth_ The word properly means _beasts_, and is so
understood by the LXX., whose interpretation of the verse is, ιδου
θηρια παρα σοι, χορτυν ισα βουσιν
εσθιουσιν, _Behold the beasts with thee, they eat grass, like
oxen._ According to Ab. Ezra, and the Targum, it is _the name of any
gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_His strength is in his loins_ He hath strength answerable to his
bulk, but he is of a mild disposition, and his strength, by God's wise
and merciful providence, is not an offensive strength, consisting in,
or put forth by, horns or claws, as it is in ravenous creatures, but
only defensive, and seat... [ Continue Reading ]
_He moveth his tail like a cedar_ Though the tail be but short, both
in the elephant, and in the hippopotamus; yet, when it is erected, it
is exceeding stiff and strong. _The sinews of his stones_, &c. Rather,
_of his thighs_, as the Hebrew may be rendered. The thighs and feet of
the river- horse ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_His bones_ Under which title are comprehended his ribs, (as the LXX.
here render it,) and his teeth; _are as strong pieces of brass_
Exceeding hard and strong. Such they are both in the elephant and
river- horse. _He is the chief of the ways of God_ That is, of God's
works, namely, of that sort, or... [ Continue Reading ]
_The mountains bring him forth food_ Though this creature be so vastly
large, and require much food, and no man careth for it, yet God
provides for it out of his own stores, and makes the desert mountains
to afford it sufficient sustenance. This particular of the description
seems more applicable to... [ Continue Reading ]
_He lieth under the shady trees_, &c. Or, _He lieth down secretly
between the shady trees, under the covert of the reed, and in the
fens_, Houbigant and Heath. _The shady trees cover him_ The Hebrew,
literally translated, is, _The shady trees_, (צללו, _tzillo,_)
_his shadow, cover him_, or, _are his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, he drinketh up a river_ A great quantity of water,
hyperbolically called a river. He _swalloweth_ the waters to such a
degree, says Aben Ezra, as to diminish their fulness. This may be
fitly applied to the elephant, says Poole, ‘which, because of its
great bulk and vehement thirst, drinks a... [ Continue Reading ]
_He taketh it with his eyes_ He imagines, when he sees it, that he can
take the whole river and drink it up. _His nose pierceth through
snares_ The elephant will not be kept from the water by any snares or
impediments, but removes them all by his trunk; and both he and the
river- horse securely thru... [ Continue Reading ]