Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
Sitond Speech of Eliphaz. JOB XV. State of Wicked Men.
by me ? (v. 8). Rather, from a dil Terent Hebrew root. Is the word of kindness or gentleness addressed by me treated by thee as valueless? [Umbkeit.] 12. wink i. e., why do thy eyes evince pride f (Proverbs 6. 13; Psalm 33. 19). 13—
God will gxiard him against every sin. "Number . . .
steps," i. e., minutely attend to tliein, that they may not wander." [Umbreit.] (1 Samuel 2. 9; Psalm 37. 23.) 17. sealed up—(Ch. 9. 7.) Is shut up In eternal oblivion, i.e., God thenceforth will think no more of my former sins.
i. e., Frettest against God, and lettest fall rash words. 14. Eliphaz repeats tlie revelation (cii. 4. 17) in substance, but using Job's own words (cli. 14. 1, Note on "born of a woman") tostrilce him witli his own weapons. 15. Repealed from ch. 4. 18; "servants" tliere are "saints" here, viz., holy angels, heavens—lit., or else answering to " angels"
2'o cover sins is to completely forgive them (Psalm 32. 1;
85.2). Purses of money in the East are usually sealed, ctret up— Ilatlier, "coverest:" akin to an Arabic word
to colour over," to forget wholly. 18. cometft to uaugitt
—lit., fadeth: a poetical image from a leaf (Isaiah 34. 4). Here Job falls back into liis gloomy bodings as to the grave. Instead of "and surely," translate "yet;" marking the transition from his brighter hopes. Even the
(ch. 4. 18; see Note tliere, and ch. 25. 5). IG. mthy—In Arabic sour (Psalm 14. 3; 53. 3), corrupted from liis original purity. »lrinkefli—(Proverbs 19. 28). 17. In direct contradiction of Job's position (ch. 12. 6, &c.), tliat the lot of the wicked was the most prosperous here, Eiipiiaz appeals solid mountain falls and crumbles away, man therefore cannoV " hope" to escape decay or to live again in the
(1) to his own experience, (2) to the wisdom of the ancients. 18. Rather, "and wliicli as lianded down from their fathers, they have not concealed." 19. Eliphaz speaks like a genuine Arab when he boasts tliat his aucestois had ever possessed the land unmixed with foreigners. [Umbreit.] His words are intended to oppose Job's (oh.
presenrworld {v. 19). out of his place—So man (Psalm 103.
10). 19. The Hebrciv order is more forcible: "Stones themselves are worn away by water." things which grow out of—Rather, "floods wash away the dust of the earth." There is a gradation from" mountains" to " rocks"
(f. IS), t hen " stones," then last " dust of the earth ;" thus the solid mountain at last disappears utterly. 20. prevailest—Dost overpower by superior strengtli. passefh Dieth. changest countenance—The change in the visage at death. Differently (Daniel 5. 9). 21. One striking trait
9.24); "the earth" in their case was no< "given into the hand of the wicked." He refers to the division of the earth by Divine appointment (Genesis 10.5; 25.32). Also he may insinuate that Job's senti nents liad been corrupted from original purity by his vicinity to the Sabeans and Chaldeans. [Rosenmullek.] 20. travailetli—Ratlier,
Is selected from the sad picture of the severance of tlie dead from all that passes in the world (Ecclesiastes 9. o),
"trembleth of himself," though there is no real danger. [Umbkeit.] and the. number of (his) years, &c.—This gives tlie reason why the wicked man trembles continuviz., the utter separation of parents and cliildren. 22r "Flesh" and "soul" describe the whole man. Scripture rests tlie hojje of a future life, not on the inherent immorally, viz., because he knows not the moment wlien his life must end. 21. An evil conscience conceives alarm at every sudden sound, though it be in a time of peace ("prosperity "), when tliere is no real daniier(Leviticus 2!i.
tality of the soul, but on the restoration of tlie body with tlie soul. In tlie unseen world, Job in a gloomy frame anticipates, man shall be limited to the thought of his own niiser5% "Pain is by personification, from our feelings whilst alive, attributed to the flesh and soul, as if the man could feel in liis body when dead. It is the dead in general, not the wicked, who are meant here."
36; Proverbs 28. 1 ; 2 Kings 7. 6). 22. disrkness— viz., danger or calamity. Glancing at Job, viflio despaired of restoration: in contrast to good men when in darkness (Micah
7. 8, 9). waited for of—i. e.. He is destined for the sword. [GESENitJS.] Rather (in the night of danger), "he looks anxiously toivards tlie sword," as if every sword was drawn against him. [Umbp.eit.] 23. Wandereth in anxious search for bread. Famine in Old Testament depicts sore need (Isaiah 5. 13). Contrast the pious man's lot (ch. 5. 20-22). knoweth—Has the firm conviction. Contrast the same word applied to the pious (ch. 5. 24, 25). ready at his hand —An Arabic phrase to denote a thing's complete reauliness and full presence, as if in tlie hand. 24. prevail—IJreak upon him suddenly and terribly, as a king, &c. (Proverbs
CHAPTER XV.
SECOND SERIES.
Ver. 1-35. Second Speech of Eliphaz. 2. a wise man —which Job claims to be. vain knowledge Hebrew, windy knowledge, lit., "of wind " (ch. 8. 2). In Ecclesiastes
1. 14, Hebrew, to catch wind, expresses to strive for what is vain, east wind—Stronger than the previous " wind." For in that region the east wind is the most destructive of winds (Isaiah 27. 8). Thus here, empty violence, belly —The inward parts, the breast (Proverbs 18.8). *. fear Reverence for God (ch, 4, 6; Psalm 2. 11). prayer—Meditation, in Psalm 104. 34; so devotion. If thy views were right, reasons Eliphaz, tliat God disregards the afflictions of the righteous and makes the wicked to prosper, all devotion would be at an end. 5. The sophistry of thine own speeches proves thy guilt. 6. No pi'oit.s man would utter such sentiments. 7—i. e.. Art thou wisdom personified? Wisdom existed before the hills, i. e., the eternal Son of God (Proverbs 8. 25: Psalm 90. 2). Wast thou in existence before Adam? The farther back one existed, the nearer he was to the Eternal Wisdom. 8. sacred—Rather, " Wast thou a listener in the secret council of God ?" The Hebrew means properly the cushions on which a divan of counsellors In the East usually sit. God's servants are admitted to God's secrets (Psalm 25. 14; Genesis 18. 17; John 15.15). restrain-Rather, didst thou take away, or borrow, thence (viz., from the Divine secret council) thy wisdom? Eliphaz In this (v. 8,9) retorts Job's words upon himself (ch.
G. 11). 25. stretclieth . . . hand-Wielding the spear, as a bold rebel against God (cli. 9. 4; Isaiali 27. 4). 26. on his . neck—Rather, " witli outstretclied neck," viz., that of therebel. [Umbkeit.] (Psalm 75. 5.) ui>on . . . bucklers— Rather, "with—his (tlie rebel's, not God's) bucklers." The rebel and his fellows are depicted as joining shields together, to form a compact covering over thei r heads agai nst the weapons hurled on them from a fortress. [Ujibkeit and Gesenius.] 27. The well-nourished body of the rebel is the sign of his prosperity, collops Classes of fat. He pampers and fattens himself with sensual indulgences. Hence his rebellion against God (Deuteronomy 32. 15; 1 Samuel 2. 29). 28. The class of wicked here described is that of robbers who plunder "cities," and seize on the houses of the banislied citizens (Isaiah 13. 20). Eliphaz. chooses this class, because Job had chosen the same (ch.
12. 6). heaps—of ruins. 29. Rather, he shall not inereasei his riches; he has reached his highest point; his prosperity shall not continue, perfection—Rather, " His ue-- quired wealth—yi\iaX lie possesses—shall not be exlende<i,"
12. 2, 3; 13. 2). 9. in us—Or, " with us," Hebraism tor we are aware of. 10. On our side, thinking with us are the aged. Job had admitted that wisdom is with themch. 12. 12). Eliphaz seems to have been himself older than Job ; perhaps the other two also were so (ch. .32. 6). Job, in ch. 30. 1, does not refer to his three friends; It therefore forms no objection. The Arabs are proud of fulness of years. 11. conolations—viz., the revelation which Eliphaz had stated as a consolatory reproof to Job, and which he repeats in v.
&c,. 30. depart i. e., escape (u, 22, 23). branches—viz., liiS' offspring (ch. 1. 18, 19; Psalm 35). dry up—The "flauie" is the sultry wind in the Enst by which plants .most full of sap are suddenly shrivelled. His mouth—i. Ci, God's wrath (Isaiah 11. 4). 31. Rather, let him not trust ia vanity or he will be deceived, &c. vanity—Tliat which is • unsubstantial. Sin is its own punisiimeni.(Proverbs 1. 31; Jeremiah 2. 19). 32. lit., "it (the tree to which he ia compared V. 30, or else his life) shall not be filled up' In its timo;" i. «., " he shall be ended before liis-time " sltall
14. secret—Hast thou some secret wisdom and source of consolation, which makes thee disregard those suggested