Bible Commentary (1871–1879 Edition)
JoFs Reply to Bildad. JOB XIX. His Belief in the Resurreetion, more mention his name. A picture from nomadic life. [Umbreit.] 18. light . . . dai-ltness— Existence— nonexistence. 19. nephew— (So Isaiali 14.22.) But it is translated "grandson" (Genesis 21.23), translate "kinsman." 20. after . . . before— Rather, "those in tlie West—those in the East;" i.e., all people; those behind—those before; for Orientals in geographjturn Willi their face to the east (not to the north as we), and back to the west; so that before—east; behind—north (so Zechariah 14.8). day — Of ruin. (Obadiah 12.) affrighted— Seized with terror (ch. 21.6; Isaiah 13.8). 21. (Ch. 8.22, 2Iarg.) CHAPTEE XIX.
besides were dead. In ch. 3. 10 the same words "my womb" mean, my mother's womb: therefore translate, "and
I must entreat (as a suppliant) the children of my mother's womb;" i.e., my own brothers. A heightening of force, as compared with last clause of v. 16. [Umbreit.] Not only must I entreat suppliantly my servant, but my own brothers (Psalm 69. 8). Here too, he unconsciously foresliadows Jesus Christ (John 7.5). 18. young childrenBo the Hebrew means (ch. 21. 11). Reverence for age is a chief duty in the East. The word means "wicked" (eh.
16. 11). So Umbreit has it here, not so well. 1 arose Rather, supply " if," as Job was no more in .a state to stand up. "If I stood up (arose) they would speak against (abuse) me." [Umbreit.] 19. in-narA— Confidential : lit., "men of my secret"—to whom I entrusted my most intimate confidence. 20. Extreme meagreness. The bone seemed to stick in the skin, being seen through it, owing to the flesh drying up and falling away from the bone. The Margin, "as to my flesh," makes this sense clearer. The English Version, however, expresses the same; "And to my flesh," viz., which has fallen away from the bone, instead of firmly covering it. skin of my teeth—Proverbial. I have escaped with bare life ; I am whole only with the skin of my teeth, i. e., my gums alone are whole, the rest of the skin of my body is broken with sores (ch. 7. 5; Psalm 102. 5). Satan left Job speech, in hope that he might therewith curse God. 21. When God had made him such a piteous spectacle, his friends should spare him the additional persecution of their cruel speeches. 22. As God —has persecuted me. Prefiguring Jesus Christ (Psalm 69.
SECOND SERIES. Ver. 1-29. Job's Reply to Bildad. 3. How long, &c. —Retorting Bildad's words (ch. 18. 2). Admitting the punishment to be deserved, is it kind thus ever to be harping on this to the sufl Terer? And yet even this they have not yet proved. 3. Tliese—Prefixed to uumbersemphatically (Genesis 27.30). ten—i. e., often (Genesis 31.7). maUe yourselves strange—Rather, stun me. [Gesenius.] (See Margin for a dif Tereut meaning.) 4. erred—Tlie Hebrew expresses unconscious error. Job was unconscious of wilful sin. remaineth— passeth the night. An image from harbouring an unpleasant guest for the night. I bear the consequences. 5. magnify, &c.—Speak proudly (Obadiah
12; Ezekiel 35. 13). against me—Emphatically repeated (Psalm 38. 16). plead . . . reproach English Version makes this part of the protasis, " if" being understood, and the apodosis beginning at v. 6. Better with Umbkf.it, If ye would become great heroes against me in truth, ye must prove (evince) against me my guilt, or s!iame, which you assert. In the English Version "reproach" will mean Job's cri/rt)/ii7ie«, which they " pleaded" against him as a "reproacli," or proof of guilt. 6. compassed . . . net Alluding to Bildad's words (ch. 18. 8). Know, that it is not that 7 as a wicked man have been caught in my "oivii net:" it is God who has compassed ine in His—why, I know not. 7. wrong—Violence : brought on Jilm by God. no Judgment—God will not remove my calamities, and so vindicate my just cause; and my friends will not do justice to my past character. 8. Image from a beniglited traveller. 9. stripped . . . crown—Image from a dejiosed 'king, deprived of his robes and crown: appropriate to Job,
26). That God afflicts Is no reason that man Is to add to a sufferer's affliction (Zechariah 1. 15). satlslicd wltli my flesh—It is not enough that God afflicts my flesh literally
{v. 20), but you must " eat my flesh" metaphorically (Psalm
2); i.e., utter tlie worst calumnies, as the phrase ol Xeu means In "Arabic. 23. Despairing of justice from his friends in his lifetime, he wishes his words could be preserved imperishably to posterity, attesting his hope of vindication at the resurrection, printed—Not our modern printing, but engraven, pen—Graver, lead—poured into the engraven characters, to make them better seen. [UMiiREiT.] Not on leaden plates ; for it was "in the rock" that they were engraved. Perhaps it was the hammer that was of "lead," as sculptors find more delicate incisions a re made by it, than by a harder hammer. Foster (One Jritnec. iMng.) has shown that the inscriptions on the rocks in Wady-RIokatta, along Israel's route tlirough the desert, record the journeys of that people, as Cosmas Indlcopleustes asserted, 5;>) A. D. 24. fo|- ever—As long as the rock lasts. 25. Iledcemer—Umhreit, &c., understand this and v. 26, of God appearing as Job's avenger before his death, when his body would be wasted to a skeleton. But Job uniformly despairs of restoration and vindication of his cause in this life (ch. 17. 15, 16). One hope alone was left, which the Spirit revealed—a vindication in a future life: once an emir with all but royal dignity (lyamentatious .5.
16 ; Psalm 89. 39). 10. destroyed ... on every side— "Shaken all round, so that I fall in the dust:" image from a tree uprooted by violent shaking from every side. (Umbreit.] The last clause accords with this (Jeremiah 1. 10). mine hope—As to this life (in opposition to Zoi)har, ch.
11. 18); not as to the world to come (v. 25; ch. 14. 15). removed-Uprooted. 11. enemies—(Ch. 13. 24; Lamentations 2. 5.) 12. troops—Calamities advance together lilve liostile troops (ch. 10. 17). raise up . . . way—.\n army must cast up a way of access l)efore it, in marching against a city (Isaiah 40. 3). 13. brethren— iYcfn c.*^ kinsmen, as distinguished fi om "acqu.aintance." So " kinsfolk" and " familiar friends" (i'. 14) correspond in parallelism. The Arabic proverb is, "The brother, i.e., the true friend Is only knftwn in time of need.", estranged— turn awny with disgust. Jol) again unconsciously uses language prefiguring the desertion of Jesus Christ (cli. l(i. II); Luke 23.49; Psalm 38. 11). 15. Tliey that dwell, Ac.— Rather, sojovn-n : male servatits, sojourning in his house. Mark the contrast. The stranger admitted to sojourn as a dependant treats the master as a strang(!r In Ills own house. 10. servient Born In my house (as distingulsiied fi-om tiiose .«o;o?«-/t7'n,7 In It), and so altogether belonging to the family. Yet even he disobeys my call, moutli— i. e., calling aloud; formerly a nod was enough. Now 1 no longer look for obedience, I try entreaty, 17. »trni»ge— Ills breath by elephantiasis had l)ecome so stronr/ly <tltei-e<l and ot Fenslve, tliat his wile turned away as estratigrd troni him {v. 13; ch. 17. 1). clilldren ... of mine own body— it would be no lull vindication if his soul alone were to be hai)py without the body ; as some explain (v. 26) "out of the Hesh." It was his body that had chiefly suH'ered: the resurrection of his body, therefore, alone could vindicate li Is cause : to see God with his own eyes, anil In a renovated body (v. 27), would disprove the imputation of guilt cast on lilm because of thi! sull'erings of his present body. That this truth is iu)t further dwelt on by Job, or noticed by his friends, only shows that it was toith him » bright passing glimpse of Old Te.stament hope, rather thtiu the steady liglit of Go.tj>el assurance; with its this passage has a definite clearness, which It had not lu his mind (see Note 21. 30). The Idea In " Redeemer" with Job is Vindicator (ch. 16. 19; Numbers ;i5. 27), HKlresslng his wrongs; also including at least with ««, and probably with him, the Idea of the predicted Bruiser of the Beri)ent's head. Tradition would Inform him of the prediction. Foster shows that the laP, by the serpent Is represented perfectly on the temple of Osiris at I'hIUe; and the resurrection on the tonU) of the Egypt laii Myierlnus, dating 40OO years back. Job's sacrllit., belly. But "loins" Is what we should expect, not "belly" (womb), which applies to the woman. The " mine" forbids It being taken of his wife. Their children flees Imply sense of sin and need of atonement. Satan was the Injurer of Job's body; Jesus Christ Ills Vlndleiitor, tlie Living one who givcth life (John 6 2J, '26). n(