Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition) (continued)
JoVt Answer (o EUphaz. JOB XVIII. Beply of BilJad.
erbs 6.11. 4. their heart — The inte Ucct of his friends. Shalt. . . exalt— Ratlier impenitive, exalt them not. Allow tliem not to conquer. [U.mbkeit.] (Isaiah 6.9, 10.)
root, to stop up. "Stubborn," answering to the stupidity implied in tlie pai'allel first clause. [Umbkeit.] Why should we give occasion by your empty speeches for our being mutually reputed, in the siglit of Job and one another, unintelligent? (eh. 17.4,10). 4. Rather, turning to Job, thou tljat tearest thyself in anger (ch. 5.2). be forsaken—Become desolate. He alludes here to Job's words as to the "rock," <fcc., crumbling away (ch. 11.18,
5. Tlie Hebrew for Jlaltery Is smoothness: then it came to mean a pre^/ divided by lot, because a smooth stone was used in casting the lots (Deuteronomy 18.8), "a portion" (Genesis 14. 24). Therefore tran Male " He that deli vers up his friend as a prey (which the conduct of my friends implies that they would do), even the eyes," <fcc. [Noyes.] (Ch.ll. 20.) Job says this as to the sinner's cliildren, retorting upon their reproach as to the cutting off of his
19); but in a different application. He says bitterly "for thee." Wert thou not punished as thou art, and as thou art unwilling to bear, the eternal order of the universe would bedisturbed and the earth become desolate through unavenged wickedness. [UjrBUEiT.] Bildad takes it for granted Job is a great sinner (cli. 8.3-6; iKaiali 24.5,6). ".Shall that which stands fast as a rock be removed for your special accommodation?" 5. That (v. 4) cannot be. The decree of God is unalterable, the light (prosperity) of the wicked shall at length be put out. Ills tire—Alluding to Arabian hospitality, which prided itself on welcoming the stranger to the fire in the tent, and even lit
(ch. 5. 4; 15. 30). This accords witli the Old Testament dispensation of legal retribution (Exodu.s 20. .5). 6. He—God. The poet reverentially suppresses the name of God when speaking of calamities inflicted, by-word—(Deuteronomy 28. ST; Psalm 69.11.) My awful punishment makes my name execrated everywhere, as if I must have been superlatively bad to have earned it. aforetime . . . tal>ret—As David was honoured (1 Samuel 18.6). Rather from a different Hebrew root, "lam treated to m>/ /ace as an object of disgust" lit., an object to be spit upon in the face (Numbers 12. 14). So Raca means (Alatthew .5. 22). [U.m:- BREIT.] 7. (Psalm 6. 7; 31. 9; Deuteronomy 31. 7.) members lit.,flijures; all the individual members being peculiar /or)/i.? of the body; opposed to "shadow," which looks like a figure witliout solidity. 8. astonied—at my unmerited sufferings, against tlie hypocrite—The upright shall feel their sense of ju.stice wounded (" will be indignant") because of the prosperity of the wicked. By "hypocrite" or "ungodly," he perhaps glances at his false friends. 9. The strength of religious principle is heightened by misfortune. The pious shall take fresh courage to persevere from the example of suffering Job. The image is from a warinor acquiring new courage in action (Isaiah 40.30, 31; Philippians 1. 14). 10. "Return."
fires to direct him to it. The ungoilly shall be deprived of the means to show hospitality. His dwelling shall be dark and desolate! 6. caiitUe—The lamp which in the East is usually fastened to the ceiling. Oil abounds in those regions, and the Lamp was kept burning all night, as now in Egypt, where the poorest would rather dispense with food than the night-lamp (P.salm 18. '28). To jjut out the lamp was an image of utter desolation. 7. "Steps of strengtli," Hebrew, for His strong steps. A firm step marks health. To be straitened in steps is to he no longer able to move about at will (Proverbs 4. 12). I»ls owi» counsel Or plans shall be the means of his fall (ch. 5. 13). 8. Ixe walketli upon—Rather, "he lets himself go into the net." [Umbreit.] If the English Version be retained, then understand "snare" to be the pit-fall, covered over with branches and earth, which when walked upon give way (Psalm 9. 15; 35. 8). 9. robber—Rather answering to " gin" in the parallel clause, "the noose shall hold him fast." [Umbreit.] 11. terrors—Often mentioned in this book
If you have any thing to advance really wise, though I doul)t it, recommence your speech. For as yet I cannot find one wise man among you all. 11. Only do not vainly speak of the restoration of health to me; for " my days are past." brolteii otf—As the threads of the web cut off from the loom (Isaiah 38. 12). thoughts lit., possessions,
14; ch. 24. 17; &c.). The terrors excited through an evil conscience are here personified. " Magor-missabib" (Jeremiah 20.3). drive ... to his feet—Rather, shall pursue i.e., all tlie feelings and fair hopes which my heart once nourlslied. These belong to the heart, as "purposes" to the understanding ; the two together here describe the entire inner man. la. They— viz., ni.i/ friends would change the night into day, i. e., would try to persuade me of the change of my misery into joy, which is impassible [Umbreit] (ch.ll. 17); (but) the light of prosperity (could it be enjoyed) would be slort because of the darkness of adversity. Or better for "short," the Hebreiv "near;" "and the light of new prosperity should be near in tlie face of (before) the darkness of death;" i.e., they would persuade me that light is near, even though darkness approaches. 13. Rather, "if I wait for this grave (scheol, or the unseen world) as mj' house, and make my bed in the darkness (v. 14), and say to corruption," rather,
scatter, Habakkuk 3. 14) him close at his heels {lit., immediately after his feet, Habakkuk 3.5; 1 Samuel 25.
42; Hebrew). The image is that of a pursuing conqueror who scatters the enemy. [Umbreit.] 13. The Hebrew is brief and bold, "his strength is liungry." destruction i. e., a great calamity (Proverbs 1. '27). ready at his side Close at hand to destroy him (Proverbs 19.29). 13. Umbreit has "he" for "it," i.e., "in the rage of hunger he shall devour his own body;" or, his own children (Lamentations 4.10). Rather, "destruction" from the last verse is nom. to "devour." strengtli—Rather, "members" {lit., the branches of a tree), the first-born of death—A personification full of poetical horror. The first-born son held the chief place (Genesis 49.3); so here the chiefest (most deadly) disi>a,se that death has ever engendered (Isaiah 14.30; "first-born of the poor"—tlie poorest). The Arabs call fever, "daughter of death." 14. confidence All that the father trusted in for domestic happiness, children, fortune, iSrc, referring to Job's losses.* rooted out—.Suddenly torn away, it shall bring i. e., he shall be brouglit; or, as Umbreit better has, "Th<ni (God) shalt bring him slowly." Tlie Hebreiv expresses, "to stride slowly and .solemnly." The godless has a fearful death to the pit or grace, &c. (v. 15.) Where then is my hope? [Umukeit.J The apodosis is at v. 15. I*. Tlioii art my father, &c.—Expressing most intimate connection (Proverbs 7.4). His diseased state made him closely akin to tlie grave and worm. lii. Who shall see it fulfilled? viz., the " hope" (ch. 11. 18) which they held out to liim of restoration. 16. Tl»ey—viz., my hopes sliall be buried with me. bars—(Isaiah .38. 10.) Rather, the wastes or solitudes of the pit (scheol, the unseen world), rest togetljer—The rest of me and my hope is in, &c. Both expire togetlier. The word " rest" implies that man's ceaseless hopes only rob him of rest.
for long before his eyes, and is at last taken by it. Alluding to Job's case. The King of terrors, not like the heathen Pluto, the fabled ruler of the dead, but Death, witli all its terrors to tlie ungodly, personified. 15. 11
CHAPTER XVIII. SECOND SERIF-S.
Terror shall haunt, Ac, and not .as Umhricit iiiiolher, which the last clause of the vers(> disproves, none of his—It is his no longer, brimstone Probably comparing the calamity of Job by the "fire of Ciod" (ch. 1. 16) to the destruction of guilty .Sodom by fire and brimslone (Genesis 19.21). IG. " Roots," himself. " iiranch," his children (ch. 8.12; 15.30; Malachi 4.1). 17. street—Men
Ver. 1-21. Reply op Bildad. 2. ye — The other two fi ien<ls of Job, vrhom Bildad charges with having spoken mere " words," t. e., empty speeches; opposed to "mark," i.e., come to reason, consider the (|uesllon intelligenlli/ sliall not speiik of him in meeting in the highways. Rather, in tlie field or meadow; the shepherds shall no and (hen let us speak. 3. beasts—.Minding to what Job said (ch. 12.7; so Isaiah 1.3). vile—Rather from a Hebrew