4 b I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who || lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

a

Chap. xiii. 2.you.

Heb. a heart. Heb. I fall not lower than

3 Heb. With whom are not such as these?

b Chap. xvi. 10; xvii. 2, 6; xxi. 3; xxx. 1.— Psalm xci. 15. d Prov. xiv. 2.

not make good their charge. He again ends with a trust and confidence (he would have us to believe) tender expostulation with the Almighty, begging he are entirely on God; but is he eased of his troubles; might have, before his death, an opportunity of pub-is he delivered from his miseries? Thus the Jews licly vindicating his innocence, since afterward he could have no hope of doing it, verse 20 to the end of chap. xiv.-Heath.

Verse 2. No doubt but ye are the people-You, of all people, are the most eminent for wisdom; the only men living of distinguished knowledge and prudence. You have engrossed all the reason of mankind, and each of you has as much wisdom as a whole people put together. And wisdom shall die with you-All the wisdom which is in the world lives in you, and will be utterly lost when you die. When wise and good men die, it is a comfort to think that wisdom and goodness do not die with them: it is folly to think that there will be a great, irreparable loss of us when we are gone, since God has the residue of the Spirit, and can raise up others more fit to do his work.

Verse 3. But I have an understanding-Hebrew, a heart, which is often put for the understanding: God hath given me also the knowledge and ability to judge of these matters. I am not inferior to you -In these things; which he speaks, not in a way of boasting, but for the just vindication both of himself and of that cause of God, which, for the substance of it, he maintained rightly, as God himself attests, chap. xlii. 6. Who knoweth not such things-The truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things; for the most barbarous nations know that God is infinite in wisdom, and power, and justice. But this is not the question between you and me.

Verse 4. I am as one mocked of his neighbour

myp, sechok leregnehu ehjeh, literally, a jest to his friend, I am. Thus Jeremiah complains, I was a derision to all my people, Lam. iii. 14. Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him-This is applied by Sol. Jarchi, and the commentators in general, to Job's neighbour or friend; intimating that such a one, addressing himself to God, received a favourable answer; when Job himself had no satisfactory return paid to his loud cries and importunate complaints. But the words are capable of a very different construction if we refer them to Job, and not to his friend, and as containing the mocking words thrown out against him: Thus, He calleth (say they) upon God; but doth he answer him?— He is loud and importunate in protesting his innocence; in clearing and vindicating himself; in appealing to the tribunal of Heaven. But to what purpose? Are his importunities and clamours received, his solemn protestations heard or admitted? His

mocked our Lord Jesus: "He trusted in God; (said they ;) let him deliver him now, if he will have him." "This man calleth for Elias; let us see whether Elias will come and save him." The just upright man is laughed to scorn-The words have a peculiar beauty, being spoken with much religious concern and modesty; for Job does not say, I, a just and upright man, am made a laughing-stock; but he delivers himself in general terms; the just and upright man, &c. His meaning however is, that, notwithstanding all their hard censures and reproaches, he must still believe himself to be, through God's grace, a just and upright man; and must say that, as such, he was derided by them.

Verse 5. He that is ready to slip with his feetThe just man, last mentioned, who is ready to fall, or has already fallen into trouble; is as a lamp despised-That is, like a lamp or torch, which, while it shines clearly in a dark night, is very useful and comfortable; but when it is almost extinct, or when the light of the morning approaches, is neglected and despised, as that which is unnecessary, troublesome, and offensive. So the same man, who, while his feet stood fast in a prosperous condition, was magnified and honoured by all, and he shone as a lamp; when he appears to be ready to slip with his feet, and to fall into adversity and trouble, is looked upon as a lamp going out, or as the snuff of a candle, which we throw to the ground and tread upon: Despised in the thought of him that is at ease—That is, in the opinion of a man that lives in great ease and outward happiness; which generally make people forget and despise those who are in affliction. Heath interprets the verse thus: In calamity contempt is ready in the thought of the insolent, for those whose feet are tottering. The words being transposed in the English version, Chappelow thinks, if they be taken in the order in which they occur in the Hebrew, their meaning becomes more manifest. It is thus: A lamp, despised in the opinion of an indolent man, is prepared for the slips of the foot: that is, he who is a lamp or light to enlighten and instruct other people, though despised by those who are indolent, as if they wanted no instruction, is prepared for the several accidents of life, (the trials or troubles,) which are as natural and common to man as it is natural for him sometimes to stumble or slip with his foot. Here also Job's words are general, without a particular application to himself, though doubtless he spoke them with reference to his own distressed circumstances.

Job shows that the

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CHAPTER XII.

A. M. 2484. 6 @ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Chap. xxi. 7; Psa. xxxvii. 1, 35; lxxiii. 11; xcii. 7; Jer. xii. 1; Mal. iii. 25. Num. xvi. 22; Dan. v. 23; Acts xvii. 28.

wicked often prosper.

9 Who knoweth not in all these that A. M. 2484. B. C. 1520. the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?

10 fIn whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.

11 Doth not the ear try words? and the 6 mouth taste his meat?

12 h With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.

Or, life.- Hebrew, all flesh of man. - Chapter xxxiv. 3.
Heb. palate, Chap. vi. 30.- h Chap. xxxii. 7.

Verse 6. The tabernacles of robbers prosper greater and stronger brute creatures, preying on the Job's friends had all supposed that wicked men can- lesser and weaker, as a fact illustrative of his argunot prosper long in the world. This Job opposes, and ment respecting the power and prosperity of robmaintains that God herein acts as sovereign, and re-bers, oppressors, and tyrants; and to the inferior aniserves that exact distribution of rewards and punish-mals in general, ministering to the pride, luxury, and ments for the other world. As if he had said, Thy indulgence of ungodly men; the earth and its richest opinion, O Zophar, (see chap. xi. 14, &c.,) is confuted produce being their property, and all nature drudgby daily experience; which shows that very wick- ing, as it were, to gratify their lusts. But the foled, injurious, and impudent oppressors, tyrants, and lowing verses seem rather to lead to the interpretarobbers, are so far from always meeting with tion first mentioned, which certainly is the more those disappointments and miseries of which thou instructive use of the words. spakest as being their certain portion, that they frequently succeed in their iniquitous and daring enterprises, flourish in wealth and glory, and fill their houses with the goods of others, which they violently took away; of which the Chaldeans and Sabeans (chap. i. 15, 17) are a present and striking evidence. And they that provoke God are secure-They, whose common practice it is to despise and provoke God, are confident and safe, apparently living without danger or fear. Into whose hands God bringeth abundantly-So far is God from crushing such persons, that he seems to favour them with wonderful success; by his providence, puts into their hands the opportunities which they seek, of enriching themselves by injustice and oppression, and the persons and goods of other more righteous men, for which they lie in wait.

Verse 7. Ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee-If thou observest the beasts, and their properties, actions, and events, from them thou mayest learn this lesson: namely, that which Zophar had uttered with so much pomp and gravity, (chap. xi. 7-9,) concerning God's unsearchable wisdom, almighty power, and absolute sovereignty: thou dost not need, says Job, to go into heaven or hell to know it; but thou mayest learn it even from the brute creatures. The beasts of the earth, the fowls of the air, the fishes of the sea, all animals, and even plants, fruits, and flowers, are daily and hourly evidences to us, of the being and infinite perfections of God. The wonderful contrivance and admirable mechanism manifested in their formation, the preparation made for their wants, the exact adaptation of their organs to the particular mode of life for which they are intended; the wonderful regularity observed in their propagation: these things as plainly tell us, they are the work of God, as if they all had intelligible voices and declared it to us. Some commentators suppose that Job referred here to the

Verse 9. Who knoweth not in all these—Or, by all these brute creatures; that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this-That God, by his power and wisdom, hath created and ordered all that is in them, or that is done by and among them. Job meant in these verses to express his firm opinion that all animate and inanimate nature clearly bore testimony to the creating power and overruling providence of God: see Neh. ix. 6. This is the only time that we meet with the name Jehovah in all the discourses between Job and his friends. For God in that age was more known by the name of Shaddai, the Almighty.

Verse 10. In whose hand is the soul—That is, the life, or the principle of life; of every living thing-That is, of all irrational animals, of which he spake, verse 7, opposed to man in the last words of this verse. He means, in whose absolute power it is to give life or to take it away, when and how it seemeth good to him; and the breath of all mankind—Or, the spirit, as the word П, ruach, here used, commonly means; that is, the immortal soul, which is no less a creature, and in God's power to dispose of it, than the animal soul or life of brutes.

Verse 11. Doth not the ear try words? &c.-Doth not the mind distinguish truth from falsehood, and wisdom from folly, as exactly as the palate distinguishes a sweet from a bitter taste? These words may either be considered as the conclusion of the foregoing discourse, or as a preface to the following. And he thereby demands from his friends the liberty of judging for himself of what they had said, and invites them to use the same liberty with respect to what he had advanced; wishing them to hear and judge of his words candidly and impartially, that they and he might agree in disavowing what should appear to be false or foolish, and in owning what was true and important.

Verse 12. With the ancient is wisdom-These

it here to prepare the way for the following events, which are eminent instances both of his power and wisdom. The deceived and the deceiver are hisWholly subject to his disposal. He governs the deceiver, and sets bounds to his deceits, how far they shall extend: he also overrules all this to his own glory, and the accomplishment of his righteous designs of trying the good and punishing wicked men, by giving them up to believe lies. Yet God is not the author of any error or sin, but only the wise and holy governor of it.

words contain a concession of what Bildad had said, (chap. viii. 8, 9,) and a joining with him in that appeal; but withal, an intimation that this wisdom was but imperfect, and liable to many mistakes; and indeed mere ignorance and folly, if compared with the divine wisdom, of which he speaks in the following verses. And therefore that antiquity ought not to be received against the truths of the most wise God. Verse 13. With him is wisdom-That is, with God. Perfect wisdom is only in him, and all wisdom in the world cometh from him, who giveth to young and old as it pleaseth him. The ancients Verse 17. He leadeth counsellors away spoiled— were not wise without his gift and grace, and with The wise counsellors, or statesmen, by whom the that a younger man may be wiser than the ancients. affairs of kings and kingdoms are ordered, he leadHe hath counsel-Practical wisdom to guide and eth away as captives in triumph, being spoiled either govern all the affairs of the world; and understand-of that wisdom which they had, or seemed to have; ing-A perfect knowledge of all persons and things. "Job shows, in the following verses, that the affairs of the world, and the fortunes of men, are subject to such variety of changes, that all human reason and wisdom must be silent with respect to them; since the same calamities involve the good and the wicked, and seem rather to flow from the supreme dominion and unsearchable will of God, than to be distributed according to the rule of exact justice."Schultens and Dodd.

Verse 14. Behold, he breaketh down-Houses, castles, cities; and it cannot be built again-It is not in the power of any creature to repair what he designs utterly to destroy. He shutteth up a man-In prison, or in straits and troubles; and there can be no opening-Without his permission and providence. Yea, he shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors. He shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf.|| Verse 15. He withholdeth the waters-Which are reserved in the clouds, that they may not fall upon the earth; and they dry up-Namely, the waters upon the earth, springs, brooks, and rivers dry up, as after the general deluge, to which here is a manifest allusion.

Verse 16. With him is strength, &c.-He doth the things mentioned in the foregoing and following verses so powerfully, that no creature can resist him and hinder his operations; and so wisely, that none can prevent him or frustrate his counsels. He had said the same thing before, (verse 13,) but he repeats

or of that power and dignity which they had enjoyed. And maketh the judges fools-By discovering their folly, and by infatuating their minds, and turning their own counsels to their ruin.

Verse 18. He looseth the bond of kings—He takes from them the power and authority wherewith they ruled their subjects; ruled them with rigour, perhaps tyrannised over and enslaved them: and he divests them of that majesty which he had stamped upon them, and by which they kept their people in awe. These God can, and often does, take away from them, and thereby free the people from their bonds, of which we have abundance of instances in the history of different nations; and girdeth their loins with a girdle-He reduces them to a mean and servile condition; which is thus expressed, because servants used to gird up their garments, (which, after the manner of those parts of the world, were loose and long,) that they might be fitter for attendance upon their masters: he not only deposes them from their thrones, but brings them into slavery.

Verse 20. He removeth away the speech of the trusty-Of those wise and experienced counsellors that were trusted by the greatest princes. He either, Ist, Takes away from them the gift of utterance, or restrains them in the use of it; so that they are not able to express their thoughts with such clearness and force as they used to do. Or, 2d, He brings the affairs of their employers into such straits and difficulties, that they know not what to say or advise. Or, 3d, He takes away their understanding, which

A. M. 2484. 21 He poureth contempt upon prin- || them: he enlargeth the nations, and A. M. 2484. ces, and 10 weakeneth the strength of "straiteneth them again.

24 He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and "causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way. 25 They grope in the dark without light, and he

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth maketh them to 12 stagger like a drunken man.

CHAPTER XIII.

Job sharply reproves has friends, 1-13. Professes his faith, 14-16, Desires to be heard, 17-19. Expostulates with

Verses 4, 5. Ye are forgers of lies-That is, authors of false doctrine, namely, that great afflictions are peculiar to hypocrites and wicked men. physicians of no value--Unfaithful and unskilful; Verse 3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty-prescribing bad remedies, and misapplying good O that ye would altogether hold your peace -The best proof of your wisdom would be never to say a word more of these matters; for then your

A. M. 2484. 5 0 that ye would altogether hold your peace; and dit should be your

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wisdom.

for their harsh judgment.

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10 He will surely reprove you, if ye A. M. 2484. do secretly accept persons.

11 Shall not his excellency make you afraid?

6 Hear now my reasoning, and hearken to the and his dread fall upon you? pleadings of my lips.

12 Your remembrances are like unto ashes,

7. Will ye speak wickedly for God? and talk your bodies to bodies of clay. deceitfully for him?

13 1Hold your peace, let me alone, that

8 Will ye accept his person? will ye contend I may speak, and let come on me what for God?

9 Is it good that he should search you out? or asone man mocketh another, do ye so mock him?

d Prov. xvii. 28.

Chapter xvii. 5; xxxii. 21; xxxvi. 4. 1 Heb. Be silent from me.

ignorance and folly would be concealed, which are now made manifest by your speaking concerning what you do not understand. Thus Solomon, Prov. xvii. 28, "Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”

Verses 6-8. Hear now my reasoning-Attend to it, and consider it more seriously than you have done; and hearken to the pleadings of my lipsThat is, to the arguments which I shall produce. Will ye speak wickedly for God? Will you utter falsehoods upon pretence of pleasing God, or of maintaining God's honour or righteousness? Doth he need such defences? Will ye accept his person? -Not judging according to the right of the cause, but the quality of the person, as corrupt judges do. Will ye contend with God?-Or, will ye plead, as the word, n, teribun, is rendered, Judges vi. 31. He means, is his cause so bad as to call for your assistance to defend it? Will you plead for him, as one person pleads for another, making use of little arts and subtle contrivances in his defence? He wants no such crafty, unprincipled advocates. "Job here convicts his friends of wickedness, in taking upon them to defend God in an improper manner, as if he needed their rash censures to vindicate the ways of his providence. This was such a fault, as they had but too much reason to fear might one time or other draw down his severe chastisements on their own heads." See Peters.

will.

14 Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, f and put my life in my hand?

! Chapter xviii. 4.- - 1 Samuel xxviii. 21; Psalm cxix.

109.

will surely confute, or punish you, as the word often means. "He will severely chastise you, for designing to gratify him by condemning me."-Bishop Patrick. If ye do secretly accept persons-Though it be concealed in your own breasts, and no eye see it; yea, though your own minds and consciences, through ignorance or inadvertency, do not perceive it; yet he, who is greater than your consciences, sees and knows it.

Verses 11, 12. Shall not his excellency-His infinite wisdom, which sees your secret falsehood, and his justice and power, which can and will punish you for it; make you afraid?—Of speaking rashly or falsely of his ways and counsels. Your remembrances-Hebrew, ', zichronechem, your memorials; or, as Chappelow translates it, memorabilia vestra, your remarkable things, your discourses, and arguments, and memorable actions; are like unto ashes-Contemptible and unprofitable, Hebrew, D, mishle epher, are parables or speeches of dust or ashes, mouldering, as it were, and coming to nothing. All that is most excellent and memorable in you; your wealth, and dignity, and wit, and reputation, or whatsoever it is for which you expect to be remembered, it is all but poor despicable dust and ashes; for, your bodies are like to bodies of clay-Though they be not full of sores and biles as mine is, yet they are but dust, and to dust they shall return, as well as mine. The consideration of our mortality should make us afraid of offending God.

Verses 9, 10. Is it good that he should search you out? Will it be to your credit and comfort, that he Verse 13. Hold your peace-Do not now interrupt should narrowly examine your hearts and discourses, me in my discourse; which,peradventure, he observed whether you have uttered truth or falsehood, and by their gestures, some of them were now attemptwhether your speeches have proceeded from true ing; let me alone, that I may speak-That I may zeal for the glory of God, or from your own preju- freely utter my whole mind; let come on me what dices and passions? Do ye so mock him?-By cov-will-Whatever the event may be, I am determined ering your uncharitableness and corrupt affections with pretences of piety, as if God could not discern your artifices; or, by pleading his cause with weak and foolish arguments, which is a kind of mockery of him, and an injury to his cause; or, by seeking to flatter him with false praises, as if he distributed the things of this world with exact justice, prospering only the good, and severely afflicting none but wicked men. He will surely reprove you-Hebrew, noon, hocheach, jocheach, redarguendo redarguet, in confuting, he will confute you; that is, he

to speak in my own defence. My friends may put an unfavourable construction upon it, and think the worse of me for it; but I hope God will not make my necessary defence to be my offence, as they do: he will justify me, (verse 18,) and then nothing can come amiss to me. Those that are upright, and have the assurance of their uprightness, may cheerfully welcome every event. Come what will, they are ready for it.

Verse 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, &c.—The sense, according to some comment