_JOB AFFIRMS, THAT WICKEDNESS OFTEN GOES UNPUNISHED; BUT THAT THERE IS A SECRET JUDGMENT REMAINING FOR THE WICKED._ _Before Christ 1645._ _JOB 24:1. WHY, SEEING TIMES,_ &C.— Job, having obviated in the foregoing chapter the charge of Eliphaz, as to a denial or disbelief of God's providence, goes o... [ Continue Reading ]
AND FEED THEREOF— _And him that feedeth them._ So Heath, after the LXX.... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY TURN THE NEEDY OUT OF THE WAY— _They pervert justice in the cause of the poor; the meek of the land hide themselves with one consent._ See Amos 2:7; Amos 5:12. Heath.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, AS WILD ASSES, &C.— _See, like the wild asses in the desart, they go forth to their labour: they are up with the dawn for bare food: the common must find them meat for the children._ This, and the following verses, to the 11th, describe the extreme misery of the poor people under those oppre... [ Continue Reading ]
MEN GROAN FROM OUT OF THE CITY— Now follow the oppressions of the city, where the face of things is still worse; nothing to be heard but the groans of the dying, and the cries of the wounded. _In the city the dying groan, and the soul of the wounded crieth aloud; yet God maketh no distinction._ Heat... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE OF THOSE THAT REBEL, &C.— Heath, supposing this to allude to the people who lived before the flood, whose violence and oppression are recorded in several parts of the sacred scriptures, renders this clause, _They are of those who were thrown headlong from the light._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE MURDERER RISING WITH THE LIGHT— _In broad day-light the murderer would arise, and slay the poor and the defenceless._ See Micah 7:6. The two verbs _arise_ and _slay_ signify, by a common Hebraism, _arise to slay._... [ Continue Reading ]
THE EYE ALSO OF THE ADULTERER— The 16th verse appears to refer to the _thief or house-breaker,_ mentioned Job 24:14, in which case this verse must stand in a parenthesis. See Heath and Schultens. I would just observe, that the Syriac and Arabic render the 16th verse, _In the dark he seeketh out hous... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE MORNING, &C.— _Surely the morning was to him altogether the shadow of death; because he saw before his eyes the terrors of the shadow of death._ In this and the next verse, says Mr. Heath, is a fine description of the terror and perplexity of the inhabitants of the old world, at the approach... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS SWIFT AS THE WATERS— _He curseth the coming day: his portion shall be cursed upon earth: he shall not enjoy the treading of his vineyards._ Houb. But Heath renders it, _He was scared at the sight of the waters. Their portion was destroyed from the earth: he could not see the way that led to th... [ Continue Reading ]
HE DRAWETH ALSO THE MIGHTY WITH HIS POWER— _He oppresseth the poor: he trusteth in his own power; but he shall have no confidence of his own life._ Houb. But Heath renders it, _Though he drew together the mighty for his support, yet should he be in perpetual alarms; he should scarcely think his life... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY ARE EXALTED FOR A LITTLE WHILE, &C.— _His exaltation should be but for a short time, and he should be no more: yea, he shall be brought low; he shall be moved down like the green fodder, or cropped off like the tops of the ears of corn._ The comparison is between a _man_ who is struck dead sudd... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IF IT BE NOT SO NOW— _But since this is by no means the case at present, who,_ &c. See Houb. and Heath. REFLECTIONS.—1st. The argument in dispute is, whether the wicked were not always pursued with marks of the divine displeasure in this world. Job constantly denies the assertion. 1. He begins... [ Continue Reading ]