Chapter XXXI
fl. 17). Here lie turns to his duty towards God, as before he had spoken of his duty towards himself and his neighbour. Covetousness Is covert Idolatry, as it transfers the heart from the Creator to the creature (Colossians 3. 5). In
Ver. J-iO. 1. Job proceeds to prove, that he deserved a better lot. As in ch. 29. he sliowed his uprightness an an emir, or magistrate In public life, .so in this chapter he vindicates his character in private life. 1-4. He asserts his guarding against being allured to sin by his senses.
V. 26, '27 ho passes to overt idolatry. 30. If I looked unto the sun (as an object of worship) because he slilned ; or to the moon because she walked, Ac. .Sabalsm (Irom Isaba, the iK'aveiily hosts) was the earliest form of false worship. God Is hence called In contradistinction "Lord of Sabaoth." The sun, moon, and stars, the brightest objects in nature, and seen everywhere, were supposed to be visible rei)reseiilalives of the Invisible God. They had no
1, tbink— Rather, cast a (lustful) look. He not merely did not so, but put it out of thequestion by covi'nant ing with his eyes against leading him into temptation (Proverbs 6.4); Matthew 5. 28). tl. Had I let my .senses tempt me to Bin, "what portion (would there haye be(Mi to nu', j. e., nuist I liave expected) from {lit. of ) God above, and what Inheritance from (lit., of) the Almighty," Ac. (MAlMtEit]
teni|)les, but were worshiiiped on high phu'es and roots of houses iKzekiel 8. 16; Deuteronomy 4. 19; 2 Kings 2i. 5, 11), Tlu' llelirew hen; for "sun" Is Ugld. Probably liglit was worslilpiied as the emanation from God, before its embodiments, the sun, Ac. This worship prevalU'd In Chaldea ; wherefore Job's exemption from the Idolatry of his neighbours was the more exemplary. Our "Sun-day Mcin-day," or M<)(Ui-day, bear traei s ol .Sabalsm. 37. enticed—awaj' from God to Idolatry, kissed . . . iiaiid — .!(/- oration, lit., means this. In worshipping they used to ki.sa
(ch. 2(1. 2i); 27. 13). 3. Answer to the question In v. 2. mI range —extraordinary. 4. Doth not He see, Ac. ? Knowing Ibis,
I could only have expected "destruction" (v. 3), had I committed this sin (Proverbs 5. 21). 5. Job's al)stlnence from evil deeds, vanity i.e., falsehood (Psalm 12.2). f>. Parenthetical. Tranxlate, "Oh that (Jod would weigh nu', Ac, then would lie know," &c. 7. Connected with r. (i. tbc way—of God (ch. 2:). II ; Jeremiah 5. 5). A godly life, heart
. . . after . . . oyen—If my heart covi^led, what niy eyes beheld (K'cc^leslastes 11.9; Joshu.'i 7.21). hands—(P.salm
tlie hand, and then throw the kiss, as It were, towards tho object of worship (1 Kings 19. 18; lloseii 1 !. 2). 38. The Mo
Job's Proleslation of his Integrity. JOB XXXII. Elihu Eeproveth Job and his Friends.
his means of living [UilBREi'Sj (1 Kings 21. 19). 40. thicta ties—or bramhlf.s, thwns. cocltlc til., 7ioxiou.s weeds. The words.. . . ended i.e., in tlie controversy with the friends. He spoke in the book atterwards, but not to them. At 37 would be tlie regular conclusion in strict art. But 38-40 is natural to be added by one wliose mind in agitation recurs to its sense of innocence, even after it has come to the point usu.'il to stop at; tliis tal-:es away tlie appearance of rhetorical artifice. Hence tlie transposition byEiCHORN of 38-40 to follow 25 is quite unwarranted.
Bale law embodied subsequently the feeling of tlie godly from the earliest times against idolatry, as deserving ju-
dicial penalties: being treason against the Supreme King (Deuteronomy 13.9; 17. 2-7; Ezekiel 8.14-18). Tliis passage therefore does not prove Job to have been sul)sequent to Moses. 29. lifted up liimself—in malieions triumph (Proverbs 17. 5; 2!. 17; Psalm 7. 4). 30. luoiitli—
lit., palate ; eh. 6. 30, note), wishing—^(7., " so as to demand his (my enemy's) soul, t. e., life by a curse." Tliis verse parenthetically confirms v. 30. Job in the patriarchal age of the promise, anterior to the law, realizes the Gospel