Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
Rejily of Job to Eliphaz JOB VI. He Eeproveih his Friends Jor Uiikindnesi,
(Psalm 42.3; 80.5; 102.9). No wonder, then, I complain.
CHabnkkuk 3. 17, 18), though not the truth meant by
8. To desire death is no necessary proof of fitness 'or death. The ungodly sometimes desire it, so as to e.scap« troubles, without thought of tlie hereafter. The godly desire it, in order to be with the Lord; but they patiently wait God's will. 9. destroy lit., grind or crusli llsaiah
Eliplia/,, but because those calamities shall not come upon thee. A diflinent Hebrew word from that in u. 20; there, famine in general; here, the languid state of those wanting proper nutriment. [Baunes.] 23. in league -M-itU tlie stones of t5ie licld—They shall not hurt the fertility of thy soil; nor the wild beasts thy fruits. Spoken in Arabia Dcserta, where stones abounded. Arabia, derived from Arabah—a desert plain. The first clause of this verse answers to the first clause of verse 22; and the last of this verse to the last of that verse. The full realization of this
3. 15). let loose Ikis liand—God had put forth His hand only so far as to wound the surface of Job's flesh (ch. 1. 12; 2.6); he wislies that hand to be let toose, so as to wound deeply and vitally, eut me off—Metaphor from a weaver cutting off the web, when finished, from the thrum fastening it to the loom (Isaiah 38. 12). 10. I woitld harden myself—Kather, "I would exult in tlie pain, is yet future (Isaiah a5. 23, 25; Hosea 2. 18). 3*. Know— "Thou slialt rest in the assurance, that thine haljitation
1 knew that that pain would hasten my dealli. [Gesenius.] Umbieit translates the Hebrew oi "Let Him not spare," unsparing; and joins it with pain. The English Version is more vivid, concealed—I have not disowned, in word or deed, the commaiuls of the Holy One (Psalm 119.46; Acts 20.20). He says this in answer to Eliphaz' insinuation that he is a hypocrite. God is here called the Holy One, to imply man's reciprocal obligation to be holy, as He is holy (Levilicus 19.2). 11. What strengtli have I, so as to wan'ant the hope of restoration to health? a hope which Eliphaz had suggested. And what but a miserable end of life is before me, t/iat I should desire to prolong life f [Umbkeit.] UMBKElTand Rosenmuller not so well translate the last words to be patient. 12. Disease had so attacked him, that his strengtli would need to he hard as a stone, and his flesh like brass, not to sink under it. Put he has only llesh, like other men. It must, theret'ore, give way ; so that the hope of restoration suggested by Eliphaz is vain (see Note 5, 11). 13. Is not my helpinme !—The interrogation is better omitted. " There is the abode of peace; and (if) thou numljerest thine herd, thine expectations prove not fallacious." [Umbkhit.] Sin does not agree with the context. The Hebrew word— miss a mark, said of archers (Judges 20. 16). The Hebrew for "habitation" primarily means the fold for cattle; and for "visit," often to take an account of, to number. "Peace" is the common Eastern salutation; including inward and outtvard. prosperity. 25. ass tlie grass—(Psalm 72. IG). Properly, herb bearing seed (Genesis 1. 11, 12). 30. in ftUl age Bo full of dafjs (12. 17; Genesis 35. 29). Not mere length of years, but ripeness for death, one's inward and outward full development not being prematurely cut short, is denoted (Isaiah 65. 22). Thou shall come, not lit., but expressing willingness todie. Eliphaz speaks from the Old Testament point of view, which made full years a reward of the righteous (Psalm 91. 16; Exodus 20. 12), and premature death the lot of the wicked (lalm oo. 23). The righteous are immortal till their work is done. To keep them longer would be to render them less fit to die. God takes them at their best (Isaiah 57. 1). The good are compared to wheat (Matthew 13. 30). cometli in—lit., ascends. The corn is lifted, up off the earth and carried home; so the good man "is raised into tlie lieap of sheaves." [UiMKP.EiT.] 91. Searclied It . . . for tliy good— lit., /or thyself {Vasdm.
is no help in me I " For " wisdom," deliverance is a bettei rendering. "And deliverance is driven quite from me." 1+. pity—A proverb. Charity Is the love whicli judges indulgently of our fellow-men: it is put on a par with truth in Proveri)s 3.3, for they together form the essence of moral perfection. [Umbreit.] It is the spirit of Ohristianity (1 Peter 4.8; 1 Corinthians 13.7; Proverbs 10. 12; 17.
] 1 1. 2 ; Proverbs 2, 4 ; 9. 12).
CHAPTER VI. FIRST SERIES CONTINUED.
17). If it ought to be used towards all men, much more towards friends. But he who does not use it forsakelh (renouncethO the fear of the Almighty (James 2. 13). I't. Those whom 1 regarded as my brethren, from whom 1 looked for lailhlulness in my adversity, have disappointed me, as the streams failing from drought; wadys of Arabia, rilled in the winter, but dry in the summer, which disappoint the caravans expecting to lind water there. The fulness and noise of these temporary streams answers to the past
Ver. 1-30 Reply of Job to Eliphaz. 2. thorouglily weiglied— Oil that, instead of censuring my complaiuls when thou oughtest rather to have sympal hi zed with me, thou wouldest accurately compare together my .lorruw, and my misfortunes ; these latter outweigh in the Ixilnnce the former. 3, tSiesnnd—(Proverbs 27. 3). are swallowed lip—See Margin. So Psalm 77. 4. I5ut Job plainl.v is apologizing, not for not having had words enou<//i, luit for having spoken too //if c/i and loo boldly ; and the licl/rew l.iige and loud professions of my frii'iuls ; their dryness
111 summer, to the lailureof the Irieiidsliip when net ded. The Arab proverb says of a treacherous friend, "1 trust not In thy torrent" (Isaiah 58. 11, Margin). 8trM«ms of hrooks— llatlier, "the brook in the ravines which passes away." II has no perpetual spring of water to renew it (unlike "the louulain of living waters,'' Jeremiah 2. 18; Isaiali 33. 16, at the eiidl; and thus passes away as rapidly as It arose. 10. blackish lit.. Go as a mourner in black is, to spea/c rashly. (Umtsueit, Gesenius, IIosenmullkr.] "Therefore were my words so rasJi." 4. arrows . . . within me have pierced me. A poetic image rcpre.sent Ing the avenging Almighty armed with bow and arrovi's (Psalm 3S. 2, 3). Here the arrows arc poisoned. Peculiarly appropriate, in reference to the burning pains which iieneU'ated, like poison, into the inmost /)r(/7.s—("spirit ;" as contrasted witli tri Kre surface flesh ivounds) ot Job\ Ijody. set tliemselvcs in nn'ay—A military image (Judges 20.
clotliing (Psalm 31. 14). A vivid and poetic image to picture the stream turbid and black with melted ice and snow, ih'sceiidiiig from the mountains into the valley. In the ne.vt clause, the snow dissolved is, ill the poet's view, hid. In the Hood. [Umbueit.] 17. wax warm Rather, at (he time when, (^liut they soon) [Umbkeit], " they become narrowei- {How in a narrower hn\),they are
33). All the terrors which the Divine wrath can muster are set in arr.ay against me (Isaiah 42. 13). 5. Neither wild animals, as the wild ass, nor tame, as the ox, are dissallsfled when well supplied with food. The braying of the one, and the lowing of the other, prove distress and want of palatable food. So, Job argues. If he comiilanis. It
Is not without cause; viz., his pains, which are, as It silent (cease to flow noisily); In the heat (of the sun)
Wt'.ve, disgusting food, v/h\ch God feeds him with—end of verse 7. lJut he should have remembered a rational being fihould evince a better spirit than the brute. 0. iin Bnvoury—Tasteless, Insipid. ISidt is a chief necessary of Vie to an lOastern, whose food is mostly vegetable, tlic wMtc— lit., spittle (I Samuel 21. 13), which the wliite of an egg reseml)les. 7. To tnueli is coni raslcd with meat. "My t hey are consumed or vanish out of their place. Kirst the slieain flows more narrowl.v—then becomes silent and still; at length every trace of water disappears b.v evaporation under the hot sun." [Umbkeit. | 18. turned asideliather, Oiravans (Hebrew travellers) turn aside from their way, by circuitous rout(>s, to olitain water. Tluy luul seen iho. brook In spring full of water: and now In the suninier heat, on their weary Journey, they lui ii oti thelr taste refused even to touch It, and .yet am I fed wllli such meat of sickness." Tlie second clause lit., Is, "Such Is like the sickness of my food." The natural taste abhors even to touch Insipid food, and such forms my nourishment. For my sickness Is like such nauseous food. [U/MituKiT.] 314 roail by a devious route to reach the living waters, which tliey remembered with such i)leasui<'. Hut, when " they go," It ls"i/ito a desert." [NoYES and Umbuicit.] NotM Knglish Version, "They go to nothing," which would be a