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Job Chapter
Nine
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 9
This
and the following chapter contain Job's answer to Bildad
and in this he
asserts the strict justice at God; which is such
that no man can be just in
his sight
not being able to answer to one charge
or for one sin
of a
thousand he is guilty of
Job 9:1; and that
such are his wisdom and power
that the most daring man cannot expect to
succeed in an opposition to him
Job 9:4; instances
are given of his power in the works of nature and providence
Job 9:5; notice is
taken of the imperceptibleness of his actions and motions
and of his
sovereignty in all his ways
Job 9:11; and of
his fierce wrath and anger
which is such as obliges the proudest of men to
stoop under him; and therefore Job chose not to contend in a judicial way with
him
but in a suppliant manner would entreat him
since his hand was so heavy
upon him
Job 9:13; he
affirms
in direct opposition to Bildad and his friends
and insists upon it
that God afflicts both the righteous and the wicked; yea
gives the earth to
the latter when he slays the former
Job 9:22; he then
observes the shortness of his days
and complains of his heavy afflictions
Job 9:25; and
concludes
that it was in vain for him to expect his cause to be heard before
God
there being no daysman between them; and wishes that the dread of the
Divine Majesty might be taken from him
and then he would freely and without
fear speak unto him
Job 9:29.
Job 9:1 Then
Job answered and said:
YLT
1And Job answereth and
saith: --
Then Job answered and said. Without taking notice of
Bildad's harsh expressions and severe censures
or his unfriendliness to him;
he enters directly into the argument
grants some things
confutes others
and
defends himself and his conduct.
Job 9:2 2 “Truly I know it is
so
But how can a man be righteous before God?
YLT
2Truly I have known that [it
is] so
And what -- is man righteous with God?
I know it is so of a truth
.... That is
that God is
just
and does not pervert justice and judgment
as Bildad had observed
Job 8:3; Job was a
man of great natural parts and capacity; he had a large share of knowledge of
things
natural
civil
and moral; and he was a good man
in whom the true
light of grace shined; and being
enlightened by the spirit of wisdom and
revelation
in the knowledge of divine things
he knew much of God
of his
being and perfections
and of the methods of his grace
especially in the
justification of men
as appears by various passages in this chapter; he knew
that God was just and holy in all his ways and works
whether of providence or
grace; and this he kept in sight amidst all his afflictions
and was ready to
acknowledge it: he knew this "of a truth"; that is
most certainly;
for there are some truths that are so plain and evident that a man may be
assured of
and this was such an one with Job; he had no need to be instructed
in this article; he was as knowing in this point
as well as in others
as
Bildad or any of his friends; nor did he need to be sent to the ancients to
inquire of them
or to prepare himself for the search of the fathers
in order
to acquire the knowledge of this
to which Bildad had advised; yet
though this
was so clear a point
about which there was no room for further contest; but
then the matter is:
how should man be just with God? if not angels
if not
man in his best estate
in which he was vanity when compared with God; then
much less frail
feeble
mortal
sinful men
even the best of men
considered
in themselves
and with respect to their own righteousness: for
to "be
just" is not to be so through an infusion of righteousness and holiness
into men
which in the best of men is their sanctification and not their
justification; but this is a legal term
and stands opposed to condemnation
and signifies a man's being condemned and pronounced righteous in a judiciary
way; so a man cannot be adjudged
reckoned
or accounted by God upon the foot
of works of righteousness done by him; since his best works are imperfect
not
answerable to the law
but very defective
and so not justifying; are opposite
to the grace of God
by which
in an evangelic sense
men are justified; these
would encourage boasting
which is excluded in God's way of justifying sinners;
and could justification be by them
the death of Christ would be in vain
and
there would have been no need of him and his justifying righteousness:
especially
it is a certain thing
that a man can never be "just"
or
"justified with God"
in such a way
or through any righteousness
wrought out by him; that is
either he is not and cannot be just in comparison
of God; for
if the inhabitants of the heavens are not pure in his sight
the
holy angels; and if man
at his best estate
was altogether vanity when
compared with him
what must sinful mortals be? or not be just at his bar;
should he mark their iniquities
enter into judgment with them
or an action
against them
summon them before him to answer to charges he has to exhibit;
they could not stand before him
or go off acquitted or discharged: or in his
account; for his judgment is according to truth; he can never reckon that a
perfect righteousness which is an imperfect one: or in his sight; for
though
men may be just in comparison of others
or at an human bar
in an human court
of judicature
and in the account of men
and in their sight
to whom they may
appear outwardly righteous
as well as in their own sight; yet not in the sight
of God
who sees all things
the heart and all in it
every action
and the
spring of it; see Psalm 143:2 Romans 3:20; in
this sense
a man can only be just with God through the imputation of the righteousness
of Christ
accounting that to him
putting it upon him
and clothing him with
it
and so reckoning and pronouncing him righteous through it; and which is
entirely consistent with the justice of God
since by it the law is fulfilled
magnified
and made honourable
and justice satisfied; so that God is just
while he is the justifier of him that believes in Jesus
Romans 3:26.
Job 9:3 3 If one wished to contend
with Him
He could not answer Him one time out of a thousand.
YLT
3If he delight to strive
with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
If he will contend with him
.... If God will contend
with man
so Sephorno; enter into a controversy with him
litigate and dispute
the point in law
whether he is just or not
man cannot answer to the
allegations he will produce; or if man should contend with God
a potsherd
strive with its maker
to what purpose would it be? he could never avail himself
by such a procedure; the match is unequal
there is no striving or contending
with God in a judicial
way:
he cannot answer him one of a thousand; which some
understand
that God will not answer men; he will not vouchsafe to give an
answer to such that plead with him
or talk with him of his judgments in
providence
or pretend to vindicate themselves
their ways
and their works
before him; but this sense seems contrary to Jeremiah 12:1; but
the meaning is
that man cannot answer God; either not one man out of a
thousand
that is
none at all; unless
by one of a thousand
is meant the
interpreter
one among a thousand
even the Messiah
the chiefest among ten
thousand; the one man of a thousand Solomon found upon search; see Job 33:23; he
indeed has made himself responsible for his people
as their surety
and was
able to answer for them; and he has answered for them
and made satisfaction
for their sins; it was exacted
or required
that is
a full payment of their
debts
or a plenary satisfaction for their sins
"and he answered"
according to Isaiah 53:7; but
rather the sense is
that a man cannot answer
either one time of a thousandF21אחת מני אלף
"una vice ex millibus"
Schmidt.
or one argument to one article
exhibited
or to one objection or charge of a thousand brought against him by
the law or justice of God; that is
for one sin of a thousand he has committed;
so Mr. Broughton renders it
"to one thing of a thousand"F23"Ad
rem unam ex mille"
Beza; "ad unum argumentum ex mille
argumentis"
Vatablus; so Castalio
Bar Tzemach. ; this suggests that the
sins of men are numerous; their debts are many
they are more than ten thousand
talents
which they are not able to answer to
or pay off
no
not one of them;
their iniquities are more than the hairs of their head
they cannot be
understood or reckoned: and now a man cannot answer for one of a thousand
or
the millions of sins he is guilty of; he cannot deny them
he cannot excuse
them
he cannot make satisfaction for anyone of them; they are committed
against an infinite Being
and require an infinite satisfaction
which man
cannot give; they are violations of a law
and injuries to divine justice
that
no man is able to atone for; whatever obedience he is capable of
or does
perform
God has a prior right unto it
and therefore can never answer for
former transgressions; this being the case
sinful man cannot be just with God
upon the foot of his works
which is the thing this observation is made to
illustrate: man's obedience is so short
and God's commandment or law so very
broad
that these two can never be brought to meet
agree together
or answer
to one another; and therefore it may be strongly concluded that a man is
justified
if ever he is justified at all
in the sight of God
by faith in
Christ and his righteousness
without the deeds of the law
Romans 3:28.
Job 9:4 4 God is
wise in heart and mighty in strength. Who has hardened himself against
Him and prospered?
YLT
4Wise in heart and strong in
power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
He is wise in heart
....
Originally
essentially
truly
really
and perfectly so; he is the only
and
the all wise God; his understanding is infinite; he is able to traverse all the
schemes of men
in things civil or religious
and disappoint all their devices;
for though there be ever so many of them
or be ever so deeply laid
the
counsel of the Lord
that shall stand; for there is no wisdom
understanding
or counsel against him; and therefore it is in vain to contend with him: he is
so wise and knowing
that he sees and knows all that is in man
or is done by
him
whether in public or in private; there is not a thought in his heart
nor
a word on his tongue
nor an action in his life and conversation
but what he
is thoroughly acquainted with; and everyone of these he will bring into
judgment: how therefore is it possible that sinful men should be just in the
sight of such a wise and holy Being
upon the score of his own righteousness?
and mighty in strength; he is the most mighty;
he is the Almighty; he has a mighty arm and strong hand; and unless a man had a
strong arm like him
his own right hand can never save him
or his own
righteousness justify him; wherefore
to what purpose is it for a feeble man to
contend and strive with him? and since he is not a man
as he is
how should
they come together in judgment? and what a vain thing must it he to set a time
for it
since
if we speak of strength
lo
he is strong? see Job 9:19
who hath hardened himself against him
and hath prospered? either by
behaving proudly and insolently to him
as Pharaoh
Sennacherib
and others
by
speaking hard words against him
as the Jews in the times of Malachi; and such
hard speeches ungodly sinners utter against God
Christ
his Gospel
ordinances
people
ways
and worship
of which they will be convinced
and for
which they will be condemned at the last judgment; and by bold and daring acts
of sin
running upon the thick bosses of his buckler
giving themselves up to
commit all uncleanness with greediness
and making a covenant with hell and an
agreement with death
and so think themselves safe and secure at all events;
but such never prospered and succeeded as they promised themselves
but came to
ruin and destruction: or "had peace"F24וישלם
"et pacem habuit"
V. L. Pagninus
Montanus
Bolducius; "et pace
frueretur"
Cocceius.
or "found quietness"
as Mr. Broughton:
there is no peace to wicked men
true
solid peace
either here or hereafter;
when they cry "Peace"
or promise themselves much of it
destruction
comes; and if God sets home the guilt of sin upon their consciences
the lead
of it is intolerable; it sinks them into despair
and what then will be the
worm that dieth not?
Job 9:5 5 He removes the mountains
and they do not know When He overturns them in His anger;
YLT
5Who is removing mountains
And they have not known
Who hath overturned them in His anger.
Which removeth the mountains
.... This and what follow
are instances of the power of God
and are full proofs of his being mighty in
strength; and may be understood
either literally
not only of what God is able
to do if he will
but of what he has done; and historyF25Plin. Nat.
Hist. l. 2. c. 83. Wernerus
Palmerius
Theophanes "a aurus"
in
Bolduc. in loc. furnishes us with instances of mountains being removed from one
place to another; and ScheuchzerF26Physic. Sacr. vol. 4. p. 673.
makes mention of a village in Helvetia
called Plurium
which
in 1618
was
covered with the sudden fall of a mountain
and swallowed up in the earth
with
1800 inhabitants
and not the least trace of it to be seen any more; and in the
sacred Scriptures is a prediction of the mount of Olives being removed from its
place
one half to the north and the other to the south
Zechariah 14:4; and
JosephusF1Antiqu. l. 9. c. 10. sect. 4. gives a relation much like
it
as in fact; besides
Job may have respect to what had been done in his
times
or before them
and particularly at the universal deluge
which covered
the tops of the highest mountains and hills
and very probably washed away some
from their places: or else it may be understood proverbially
of the Lord's
doing things marvellous and surprising
and which are impossible and
impracticable with men; see Matthew 17:20; or
rather figuratively
of kingdoms and mighty kings
as the Targum
comparable to
mountains for their height and strength
who yet are removed by God at his
pleasure; see Zechariah 4:7
and they know not; when they are removed
and how it is done;
it is imperceptible; either the mountains are not sensible of it
or the
inhabitants of the mountains
as Bar Tzemach; or men
the common sort of men
the multitude
as Gersom: R. Saadiah Gaon interprets it of removing the men of
the mountains
and they know it not:
which overturneth them in his anger; for the sins or men
which was the case of the old world: Mr. Broughton renders it
"that men
cannot mark how he hath removed them out of their place in his anger".
Job 9:6 6 He shakes the earth out of
its place
And its pillars tremble;
YLT
6Who is shaking earth from
its place
And its pillars move themselves.
Which shaketh the earth out of her place
.... Can do
it
and will do it at the last day
when it shall be utterly broken down
clean
dissolved
and reel to and fro like a drunkard
and be removed as a cottage
and which John in a vision saw flee away from the presence of him that sat upon
the throne
Isaiah 24:19; for
this cannot be understood of earthquakes in common
which are only partial
and
do not remove the earth out of its place
only shake some parts of it; and this
may also refer to the time of the flood
when the earth received some change
and alteration in its situation
as Mr. Burnet in his Theory of the Earth
observes; and the Apostle Peter suggests something of this kind
when he
distinguishes the present earth from the former
which he says stood out of the
water and in it
but the present earth not so
but is reserved for fire
2 Peter 3:5
and the pillars thereof tremble; the centre or lower
parts of it
see Psalm 75:3.
Job 9:7 7 He commands the sun
and
it does not rise; He seals off the stars;
YLT
7Who is speaking to the sun
and it riseth not
And the stars He sealeth up.
Which commandeth the sun
and it riseth not
.... Either he
could do it if he would
by a word speaking
as he ordered it to stand still in
the times of Joshua
Joshua 10:13
and
caused the shadow to return ten degrees it had gone back in the dial of Ahaz
in the times of Hezekiah
2 Kings 20:11; or
else the sense is
it rises not at any other time and place but when and where
he commands it; or he commands it not to rise in the same place at one time of
the year as at another
and it rises not; or this may be understood of
eclipses
or of its being covered with clouds in tempestuous weather for a
considerable time together
when it seems as if it was not risen: some think
this respects the three days' darkness in Egypt
when the Israelites were
there
Exodus 10:22
which
was a little before
or about the time of Job; or rather it refers to the
general flood
in the times of Noah
when it rained forty days and forty
nights
Genesis 7:12
during which time the sun appeared not
and so seemed as if it was not risen;
see Amos 8:9; HerodotusF2Euterpe
sive
l. 2. c. 149. relates
from the memoirs of the Egyptians
that the sun
rose four times out of its usual course; twice it rose where it now sets
and
twice it set where it now rises:
and sealeth up the stars: either by the light of
the sun in the daytime
which hides them that they are not visible
or by dark
clouds and tempestuous weather in the night; such a season as that was in which
the Apostle Paul and the mariners with him were
when neither sun nor stars
appeared for many days
Acts 27:20
and so
the Targum paraphrases it
and"sealeth up the stars with clouds;'this may
also refer to the time of the flood
during the rain of forty days and nights
Genesis 7:4; or to
the annual motion of the sun through the ecliptic
which makes the point of the
sun's rising and setting vary
and is the reason why some stars appear in
summer and are sealed up in winter
and others that are seen in winter are not
visible in summer; and so Cocceius interprets it.
Job 9:8 8 He alone spreads out the
heavens
And treads on the waves of the sea;
YLT
8Stretching out the heavens
by Himself
And treading on the heights of the sea
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens
.... The
expanse
or what we commonly translate "firmament"; but has its name
in the Hebrew language from its being expanded
spread
and stretched out
over
the earth and all around it; and seems chiefly to design the ether or
atmosphere
which is a fine thin matter and substance spread around us
and
which is sometimes spread with clouds; this is said to be stretched out like a
curtain and a tent to dwell in
tents being made of curtains spread out
Isaiah 40:21; and
the allusion may be to a military tent
the pavilion of a general of an army
as Pineda observes
from whence Jehovah plays his artillery upon his enemies
thunder
lightning
hailstones
and coals of fire; see Psalm 18:11; this
respects not so much the first creation
or spreading of the air or the
heavens
as the continuance thereof; God continues to spread them
or to keep
them spread
that they may not be rolled up as a scroll; or folded up as a
garment
as they will be
Hebrews 1:12; and
this he does alone
without the help of any creature
angels or men; any piece
of tapestry or carpet
that is large
is not easily spread alone; but what
power must the vast expanse of the heavens require
to be spread alone and
continued so? nothing less than infinite; see Isaiah 44:24; some
render it
"which boweth the heavens"F3נטה
שמים "inclinat coelum"
Piscator.
as the
same word is rendered in Psalm 18:9; which
he does when he fills them with clouds
so that they seem to hang low
and to
be inclined towards the earth:
and treadeth upon the waves of the seaF4על במתי ים
"super excelsa maris"
Pagninus
Montanus
&c. "summitates
maris"
Tigurine version; "celsos vertices maris"
Schultens. ;
which he did at the first creation
when the waters that covered the face of
the earth were
by his order
collected into one place
and there shut up
and
restrained from overflowing the earth; and which restraint
as it is an act of
power over them
is designed by treading upon them
and a continued act may be
the rather meant here; see Genesis 1:8; and
when the waves of it are lifted up as high as they sometimes are
by strong and
stormy winds
the Lord on high is mightier than they
he treads upon them and
represses them; he rules their raging
stills their noise
and makes them
smooth
calm
and quiet
Psalm 65:7; this
none but God can do: the Egyptian hieroglyphic of doing a thing impossible was
a man's walking upon waterF5Orus Apollo
apud Bolduc. ; the Heathens
chose not to describe even their god of the sea
Neptune
by walking on it
as
being too great for him
but by swimmingF6Cicero de Natura Deorum
l. 2. ; of Christ's walking upon the sea
see Matthew 14:25; it
may be rendered
"the high places of the sea": the waves of it
when
mounted to a great height by the wind; so Mr. Broughton
"the high waves
of the sea"
see Psalm 107:25; there
is a copy
as the lesser Massorah observes
which reads
"upon the high
places of the cloud"F7"Legitur et" עב "pro" ים i.e.
"super excelsas nubes"
Vatablus.
see Isaiah 14:14; and
Gersom interprets these high places
of the heavens
and of God's giving rain
from thence.
Job 9:9 9 He made the Bear
Orion
and the Pleiades
And the chambers of the south;
YLT
9Making Osh
Kesil
and
Kimah
And the inner chambers of the south.
Which maketh Arcturus
.... By which is meant
not a single star
but a collection of stars
as Bar Tzemach and Ben Melech
a
constellation; hence we read of Arcturus and his sons
Job 38:32. Aben
Ezra understands it of the seven stars
but these are thought to be meant by
the Pleiades
later mentioned; this constellation is about the Arctic or
northern pole
in the tail of the Bear
appears in the beginning of September
and brings stormy weather
when winter is at handF8Sophoclis
Oedipus
Tyran. ver. 1147. :
Orion and Pleiades; the former of these also is not a single
star
but a constellation; by the help of a telescope no less than two thousand
are numbered
and in Hebrew it is called "Cesil"; hence the month
"Cisleu" has its name
which answers to part of November and part of
December
at which time this constellation is seen
and is attended with stormy
weather; hence Virgil calls it Nimbosus OrionF9Aeneid. l. 1. Vid.
Horat. Carmin. l. 3. Ode 27. Epod. 15. : and the latter are what we call the
Seven Stars
sometimes by writers called Vergiliae
because they appear in the
spring; and have their name of Pleiades from sailing
because at this time of
year mariners go out with their ships; though some say this constellation is
not favourable to them
causing rains and tempestsF11"----pleiadum
choro Scindente nubes". Horat. Carmin. l. 4. Ode 14. ; these three divide
the whole year:
and the chambers of the south: the stars in the southern
hemisphere
about the Antarctic
or southern pole; and called
"chambers"
as Aben Ezra observes
because hidden
and are not seen
by those in the other hemisphere
as if they were in a chamber: now the making
of these is rightly ascribed to God
who made all the stars
Genesis 1:16;
though this may rather regard the continuance of them in their being
who calls
them by name
brings out their host by number
directs their course
keeps them
in their orbs
and preserves their influence.
Job 9:10 10 He does great things past
finding out
Yes
wonders without number.
YLT
10Doing great things till
there is no searching
And wonderful
till there is no numbering.
Which doth great things past finding out
.... In heaven
and earth; great as to quantity and quality
not to be thoroughly searched out
so as to tell their numbers
nor explain and express the nature of them to the
full; even what he has done
and does in creation
providence
and grace:
yea
and wonders without number; such as are amazing to
men
who cannot account for them
and so many that they cannot number them. The
same things are said by Eliphaz; see Gill on Job 5:9; and which
Job here repeats
to show that he agreed with him
and was ready to own what
was truth
whenever expressed by him or his friends
and especially such as
made for the glory of the Divine Being.
Job 9:11 11 If He goes by me
I do not
see Him; If He moves past
I do not perceive Him;
YLT
11Lo
He goeth over by me
and I see not
And He passeth on
and I attend not to it.
Lo
he goeth by me
and I see him not
.... This is
expressive of the invisibility of God; for though the angels in heaven always
behold his face
and men
in the works of creation
may see his eternal power
and Godhead
and other perfections of it displayed therein; and saints by faith
have a comfortable and delightful view of him
of his countenance
his love
grace and mercy in his word and ordinances
and especially in the face and
person of Christ
the image of the invisible God
and will in heaven most
clearly see him as he is
in the greater display of his glory and his grace;
yet his essence is invisible
not only not to be seen with corporeal eyes
but
not to be comprehended in the mind:
he passeth on also
but I perceive him not; this
"going and passing on"
as
ascribed to God
must be
understood in consistence with his omnipresence; he cannot be thought to move
from place to place who is everywhere
who fills heaven and earth with his
presence
and there is no going from it: local motion cannot be said of him;
but this respects the operations of his providence; he is continually working
all around us
by supporting us in being
and supplying us with what we want
and so is near us
and yet we see him not: Job experienced the bounties of his
providence
as well as the blessings of his grace
in the time of his prosperity
and now he felt the weight of his afflicting hand upon him; but yet
as to his
essence
he could not see him; he was sensible that he was nigh him
and find a
concern in all that befell him
but he could neither see nor comprehend him
nor account for his dealings with him: he had "passed by" him in his
state of nature
and had looked graciously on him
and had said unto him
Live;
he had "passed on" from him
and hid his face so that he could not
see him
nor find him backward nor forward
on the right hand
nor on the left
where he used to work
see Job 23:3.
Job 9:12 12 If He takes away
who can
hinder Him? Who can say to Him
‘What are You doing?’
YLT
12Lo
He snatches away
who
bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him
`What dost Thou?'
Behold
he taketh away
.... There are some
things God never takes away from his people; he never takes away his love from
them
he always rests in that towards them
let them be in what condition they
will; he never takes away his grace from them
when once bestowed on them
or
wrought in them; he never takes away his special gifts of grace
particularly
the unspeakable gift of his son Christ Jesus
which is that good part
when
chosen
which shall not be taken away; nor any of the spiritual blessings
wherewith they are blessed in Christ; these are irreversible and irrevocable:
but temporal blessings he takes away at pleasure; so he had taken away the
children
the servants of Job
his substance
wealth
and riches
and also his
bodily health
to which he may have a particular respect; yea
when it pleases
him
he takes a man out of the world
as the Targum and Gersom interpret it:
who can hinder him? he does what he pleases in heaven and
earth; his will is irresistible
his power is uncontrollable; there is no
turning his mind
nor staying his hand
nor turning it back; when he works
none can let or hinder. Mr. Broughton translates it
"who shall make him
restore?"F12So Beza
Pagninus
Montanus
Bolducius
Junius
& Tremellius
Cocceius. if a man takes away what he has no right to
he may
be obliged by law to restore it; but whatever God takes away he has a right
unto
be it relations and friends
health or wealth; if he pleases he can
restore
and does; and as he did to Job
to whom he after gave twice as much as
he had before; but then he is not obliged to do it
none can force him to it:
who will say unto him
what doest thou? not one that
knows what God is
or that knows himself a creature of his; no person will
choose or dare to ask what God does
or why he does this and not another thing
or why this in the manner he does it; for he gives no account of his matters to
the sons of men
nor is he obliged to it
and it would be insolent in them to
require it
see Job 33:13; this
expresses his sovereignty.
Job 9:13 13 God will not withdraw His
anger
The allies of the proud[a] lie
prostrate beneath Him.
YLT
13God doth not turn back His
anger
Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
If God will not withdraw his
anger
.... Or "God will not withdraw his anger"F13אלוה לא ישיב
אפו "Deus non revocabit furorem suum"
Pagninus
Beza. ; he is angry
or at least seems to be angry with his own
people
in their apprehension
when he afflicts them and hides his face from
them
or does not immediately appear to their relief and assistance; but this
does not always last
he does not retain or keep anger for ever; but shows
great mercies to them
and with everlasting kindness has mercy on them
by
discovering his love to them
applying his pardoning grace and mercy
and
comforting them with the consolations of his spirit; but then he is angry with
the wicked every day
for their continual transgressions; and he never
withdraws his anger from them
neither here nor hereafter
but punishes them
with everlasting destruction
and casts them into everlasting fire
to which
his wrath and anger are compared: the consequence of which is:
the proud helpers do stoop under him; or "the
helpers of pride"F14עזרי רהב "adjutores superbiae"
Montanus
Vatablus
Drusius
Junius & Tremellius
Schmidt
Michaelis.
or helpers of proud
men; proud
wicked
and ungodly men
who combine together and help one another
against God
his people
cause and interest; men of power
rule and government
as Aben Ezra explains it; civil magistrates
men in authority
who
instead of
being terrors to evil doers
encourage them
and help them forward in their
wickedness; but though both those that help
and those that are helped
may
continue for a while
and be supported
yet they shall sooner or later fall
under the mighty hand of God
his power and wrath
and be crushed by it. Some
regard may be had either to the giants
the men of the old world
who filled
the earth with violence
and were swept away with the flood
Genesis 6:13; or
rather to the builders of Babel
who helped one another to build a tower to
make them a name
and secure themselves
and in opposition to God; but he being
angry with them
made them desist
and they bowed under him
Genesis 11:4. Some
render it
"the helpers of Rahab"; that is
of EgyptF15So
Jarchi.
Rahab being a name of Egypt
Psalm 87:4. The
devils are meant
whose sin was pride
and by which they fell
and which they
have endeavoured to promote and cherish among men; but these proud spirits are
cast out of heaven and into hell
where they are reserved in chains of darkness
to the great judgment
Judges 1:6; and are
obliged
whether they will or not
to stoop to the Lord
and even to the son of
God in human nature
which their proud stomachs cannot well bear; but are
forced to it
the anger of God lying upon them
and his wrath
which will never
be withdrawn from them.
Job 9:14 14 “How then can I answer
Him
And choose my words to reason with Him?
YLT
14How much less do I -- I
answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
How much less shall I answer him
.... Who is wise in
heart
and mighty in strength
and has done and does the many things before
related; who is invisible
passes by
and onwards insensibly; so that there is
no knowing where to speak to him
or how to guard against him
since he can
come on on every side
at an unawares
and unseen; and who is a sovereign Being
who can do
and does
whatever he pleases; and therefore there is no such thing
as disputing any point with him
or calling him to an account for anything done
by him: and if the great men of the earth
proud and haughty tyrants
and those
prouder spirits
if possible
the infernal principalities and powers
are
obliged to bend and stoop to him; how should such a poor
weak
feeble creature
as Job was
enter the lists with him
contend with God
and argue with him
about his dispensations
or answer to any argument
objection
charge
or
article exhibited against him? here Job speaks humbly and meanly of himself
as
he in the whole context before speaks highly of God
between whom there was no
comparison:
and choose out my words to
reason with him? suggesting
that should he pick out words the most fit and
proper to be used
and put them together in the most exact order
and which had
the greatest force of persuasion and strength of reasoning in them
yet they
would be of no avail with God; these could have no influence upon him to turn
his mind
or alter either his purposes or his providences; and therefore
concluded it was best for him to be silent and make no reply; but if he said
anything
to do it in a supplicating way
as follows.
Job 9:15 15 For though I were
righteous
I could not answer Him; I would beg mercy of my Judge.
YLT
15Whom
though I were
righteous
I answer not
For my judgment I make supplication.
Whom
though I were righteous
yet would I not answer
.... This is
not to be understood of the righteousness of his cause
that Job made no
supposition of
but strongly asserted and determined to hold it fast as long as
he lived; nor of his evangelic righteousness
the righteousness of faith he was
acquainted with
even the righteousness of his living Redeemer
by which he
knew he was
and should be
justified; and by which righteousness he could and
did answer God
as every believer may
who
making mention of this
righteousness
and of this only
such an one may plead the righteousness of Christ
with God as his justifying one
and hold it up against all charges brought
against him; yea
by presenting this to God by faith
he answers all the
demands of the law of God
both with respect to the precepts and penalty of it
it being magnified and made honourable hereby
and all that the justice of God
can require
and with which it is entirely satisfied; yea
this righteousness
will answer to God for him in a time to come
in the last judgment: but Job
speaks of his own legal and civil righteousness
as a good man
and a good
magistrate; as the latter
he put on righteousness
and it clothed him; as the
former
having grace
the root of the matter
in him
as he calls it
it taught
him to live soberly
righteously
and godly; he was a man that feared God
and
eschewed evil; and his sense is
that though he should so well behave in every
respect
and so order his conversation aright before men that they could have
nothing to lay to his charge
yet he would not bring such a righteousness
before God
and pretend to answer him with it; for he knew that such a
righteousness is no righteousness in the sight of God
in the eye of his law
and in the account of divine justice
being not only imperfect
but impure; not
only rags
but filthy ones
attended with many sins
as well as imperfections;
wherefore no good man will put his cause before God on such an issue
however
he may before men; nay
Job seems to carry this point yet further
that though
he had a sinless righteousness of his own
and were as righteous as Adam before
his fall
or the holy angels in heaven
yet he would not insist upon such a
righteousness before God
or pretend to answer him with it; for he knew that
the inhabitants of the heavens
and so man in his paradise on earth
in his
best estate
were not pure in his sight
but chargeable with folly and
imperfection
in comparison of him: and when he says he could not
"answer" him
his meaning is not that he would not answer to a
question that was asked him
but that he would not answer him in a judicial
way; that
if he should prefer a bill against him
he would not put in at
answer to it
though he knew nothing by himself
and could not charge himself
with anything wrong in thought
word
or deed; yet if God charged him with it
he would not reply against him
he would not contradict him
he would not
answer again
or litigate the point with him
but give it up; because
though
he might not know he had done any thing amiss
or there was imperfection in
him
yet God
who was greater than his heart
and knows all things
is the
heart searching and rein trying God
he knew better than he did
and therefore
was determined to submit to him
and be set down by him what he was:
but I would make supplication
to my Judge: that is
to God
the Judge of the whole earth; and who is
particularly the Judge of his own people
their Patron and Defender
their
Judge and Lawgiver
who will save them; for though he is a just God
and a
righteous Judge
yet a Saviour; and it is one of the privileges of his people
that they can come to him
not only as the God of all grace
and as their God
and Father in Christ
but to him as to God the Judge of all
Hebrews 12:23; and
lay their case before him
and entreat his protection; and this Job chose to do
rather than contend with him; for by "supplication" prayer is meant
as it frequently is in both Testaments; and it signifies such prayer as
consists of petitions for grace and mercy
or for things to be bestowed in a
way of grace and mercy; not according to merit
but mercy; not for works of
righteousness done
but through the favour and good will of God; and which
prayer is put up in an humble supplicant manner
acknowledging a man's
unworthiness
that he is not deserving of the least of mercies
nor expects any
on account of any worth or worthiness in him
or his services; and in such a
way a man prevails more with God
and is most likely to succeed
than by
contending with him in a judicial way. Jacob had power with God and prevailed
but it was by weeping and supplication
see Hosea 12:4; so Mr.
Broughton reads the words
"my would crave pity of my Judge.'Some render
it
"my adversary"F16למשפטי
"in jus me vocanti"
Cocceius; "ei qui mecum judicatur"
i.e. "parti meae adversae"
Gussetius
p. 880.
the opposite party
in a court of judicature
whom he would not contest with
but supplicate
and
in the way make up matters with him. Job seems resolved to take such a method
Christ advises to in civil cases
Matthew 5:24.
Job 9:16 16 If I called and He
answered me
I would not believe that He was listening to my voice.
YLT
16Though I had called and He
answereth me
I do not believe that He giveth ear [to] my voice.
If I had called
and he had answered me
.... Mr.
Broughton reads the words
"if I cry
will he answer me?" as if Job
had some doubt upon his mind whether God would vouchsafe to answer him
though
he should make his supplication to him
as he proposed; seeing he had so sorely
afflicted him
and still continued his hand upon him; or the words may be
rendered
"though I have called
and he has answered"F17אם קראתי ויענני
"etiamsi clamavi et respondit mihi"
Schmidt.
in times past. Job
was a praying person
he had often prayed to God in his closet
and in his
family
for himself
and for his children
and for his friends
and he had
found God to be a God hearing and answering prayer
but seems to question
whether he would answer him now
if he did pray to him:
yet would I not believe that
he had hearkened unto my voice
or "would hearken"F18כי יאזין "quod exauditurus
esset"
Schmidt.
at this time
and under the present circumstances; or
should he
the mercy would be so great
that he could hardly believe it; so
sometimes through joy men cannot believe what they hear and see
as the
apostles
when Christ appeared to them after his resurrection; or as it was
with the Jews returned from Babylon
they were like them that dream
they could
scarcely tell whether their deliverance was a real fact
or whether they only
dreamed of it
see Luke 24:41; so Job
intimates
that should he pray to God
and be heard and delivered
it would be
so astonishing and transporting
that at first he should not be able to give
credit to it; or
however
he should not believe that it was for his prayers
and supplications
for any worth and value
virtue and efficacy
there was in
them
that he was heard; but it must be purely for his mercy's sake
for the
sake of the mediation of Christ
and because these prayers were the breathings
of his own spirit: or else the sense is
that though he had heard and answered
him formerly
when he prayed in a supplicating way
yet if he should contend
with him in a judicial way
and insist upon his own righteousness
and present
his supplication to God on that account
he could never expect to be heard;
and
indeed
he could not believe he should be heard on any account
so long as
his present sufferings lasted; which seems to be the sense of what follows
where he gives his reasons for such belief
or rather unbelief.
Job 9:17 17 For He crushes me with a
tempest
And multiplies my wounds without cause.
YLT
17Because with a tempest He
bruiseth me
And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
For he breaketh me with a tempest
.... Which rises
suddenly
comes powerfully
and carries all before it irresistibly; hereby
signifying the nature of his present sore afflictions
which came upon him at
once
pressed him down
and utterly destroyed him
against which there was no
standing: perhaps he may have some reference to the storm of wind that blew
down the house
by which his children were destroyed. Schultens renders it
"a burning tempest"F19בשערה
"in turbine ardenti"
Schultens.
such as is common in the eastern
countries
which ThevenotF20Travels
par. 2. B. 1. c. 12. p. 54. B.
3. c. 5. p. 135. often makes mention of; which kills a man at once
and his
flesh becomes as black as a coal
and comes off of his bones
and is plucked
off by the hand that would lift him up; with which a man is broken to pieces
indeed
to which Job may allude:
and multiplieth my wounds without cause; referring
it
may be
to the many boils and ulcers upon his body; though it may also respect
the multiplicity of ways in which he had wounded or afflicted him
in his
person
in his family
and in his substance
and which he says was done
"without cause"; not without a cause or reason in God
who does
nothing without one
though it may not be known to men; particularly in
afflicting men
it is not without cause or reason; it he punishes men
it is
for sin; if he rebukes and chastises his people
it is for their
transgressions; to bring them to a sense of them
to humble them for them
to
bring them off from them
or to prevent them
or purge them away
and to try
their graces
wean them from the world
and fit them for himself: but Job's
afflictions were without any such cause intimated by his friends; it was not
hypocrisy
nor any notorious sin or sins he had been guilty of
and secretly
lived and indulged himself in
as they imagined. Job here suggests his
innocence
which he always insisted upon
and refers his afflictions to the
sovereign will of God
and to some hidden cause in his own breast
unknown to
himself and others: however
so long as he dealt with him after this manner
he
could not believe his prayers were heard by him.
Job 9:18 18 He will not allow me to
catch my breath
But fills me with bitterness.
YLT
18He permitteth me not to
refresh my spirit
But filleth me with bitter things.
He will not suffer me to take my breath
.... Which
some think refers to Job's disease
which was either an asthma
or a quinsy in
his throat
which occasioned great difficulty in breathing: I should rather
think the allusion is to the hot burning winds in those countries before
mentioned
which sometimes blew so strongly as almost to take away a man's
breath; so the above travellerF21Travels. par. 1. B. 2. c. 34. p.
177. reports
that between Suez and Cairo (in Egypt) they had for a day's time
and more so hot a wind
that they were forced to turn their backs to it
to
take a little breath. The design of Job is to show
that his afflictions were
continued
and were without any intervals; they were repeated so fast
and came
so thick upon him
one after another
that he had no breathing time; the import
of the phrase is the same with that in Job 7:19
but filleth me with bitterness; to the full
to satiety
to loathing
as a man may be with a bitter potion
with wormwood drink
and
water of gall
with bitter afflictions comparable to such
whereby Job's life
was embittered to him
see Jeremiah 9:15.
Job 9:19 19 If it is a matter
of strength
indeed He is strong; And if of justice
who will appoint my
day in court?
YLT
19If of power
lo
the Strong
One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?
If I speak of strength
lo
he is strong
.... Or think
of it
or betake myself to that
and propose to carry my point by mere force
as some men do by dint of power and authority they are possessed of; alas!
there is nothing to be done this way; I am a poor
weak
feeble creature in
body
mind
and estate; I am not able to contend with so powerful an antagonist
on any account
in any way: God is strong
he is the "most strong"F23אמיץ "robustissimus est"
V. L.
as some render
it; he is mighty
is the Almighty; the weakness of God is stronger than men;
there is no disputing with God upon the foot of strength:
and if of judgment
who shall set me a time to plead? If I think
and propose to put things upon the foot of justice
to have the cause between
us issued in that way
I cannot expect to succeed by right
any more than by might;
he is so strictly just and holy
that no righteousness and holiness of
mine
can stand before him; he is God
and I a man
and therefore not fit to come
together in judgment; and he a pure and holy Being
just and true
and without
iniquity
and I a sinful polluted creature; and besides
there is none superior
to him
that I can appeal unto
none that can appoint a place
or fix a time
for the hearing of the cause between us
or that can preside in judgment and
determine the matter in controversy; nay
there is not one among the creatures
that can be a daysman
an arbiter or umpire; yea not one that can be so much as
employed as council
that can take the cause in hand
and plead it
and be a
patron for me
and defender of me; so that
let me take what course I will
I
am sure to be nonsuited and worsted
see Jeremiah 49:19.
Job 9:20 20 Though I were righteous
my own mouth would condemn me; Though I were blameless
it would prove
me perverse.
YLT
20If I be righteous
Mine
mouth doth declare me wicked
Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.
If I justify myself
.... Seek for
justification by his own righteousness
trust in himself that he was righteous
say that he was so
and pronounce himself a righteous man
what would it
signify?
mine own mouth shall condemn me; the words of it being
sinful
vain
idle
and frothy; and if a man is to be justified
and condemned
by his words
he may be sure of the latter: indeed
"if any man offend not
in word
the same is a perfect man"
James 3:2; but let
a man be as careful as he can
and keep ever such a guard upon his lips
such
is the imperfection of human nature
that
though a Moses
he will speak
unadvisedly with his lips
at one time or another
and in many things will
offend; which would be his condemnation
if there was no other way to secure
from it; nay
for a sinful man to justify himself
or to say that he is a
righteous man by his own righteousness
and insist upon this before God
if he
is tried upon it he must be condemned; yea
saying he is so is a falsehood
abominable to God
and enough to condemn him; and besides
a man that knows
himself
as Job did
must be conscious of much sin within him
however
externally righteous he may be before men; so that
should he say he was
righteous
his conscience would speak
or cause his mouth to speak and
contradict and condemn him:
if I say
I am
perfect; not in an evangelical sense
as he was; but in a legal sense
so
as to be free from sin
which no man that is perfect in a Gospel sense is; as
Noah
Jacob
David
and others
who were so
yet not without sin; if therefore
a man should assert this
he would not say that which was right
but what was
perverse
as might be proved:
it shall also prove me perverse; to be a wicked man;
either he
God
shall prove
or it
his mouth
as in the preceding clause; for
to say this is to tell a lie
which to do is perverseness
see 1 John 1:8.
Job 9:21 21 “I am blameless
yet I do
not know myself; I despise my life.
YLT
21Perfect I am! -- I know not
my soul
I despise my life.
Though I were
perfect
.... Really and truly so
not conscious of any sin in thought
word
or deed; this is only a case supposed:
yet would I not know my soul; I would not
own myself to be so before God; I would not insist upon such perfection in his
presence
as what would justify me before him; since I am sensible the highest
perfection of a creature is imperfection when compared with him: or the sense
may be
should I say I were "perfect
I should not know my own soul";
I should plainly appear to be ignorant of myself
as all perfectionists are;
they do not know their own souls
the plague of their hearts
the evil of their
thoughts
the vanity of their minds; they do not take notice of these things
or
do not look upon them as sinful; they know not the nature of sin
and the
exceeding sinfulness of it:
I would despise my life; even if ever so
innocent
perfect
and just; his meaning is
that he would not insist upon the
continuance of it on that account; he had no such value for it
such a love of
life as to contend with God upon the foot of justice about it; nor did he think
it worth asking for
so mean an opinion had he entertained of it
see Job 7:16.
Job 9:22 22 It is all one thing;
Therefore I say
‘He destroys the blameless and the wicked.’
YLT
22It is the same thing
therefore I said
`The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
This is one thing
.... Or "one thing there
is"F24אחת היא
"unum est"
Munster
Mercerus
Schmidt. in the world
as Jarchi adds;
or "one measure"
as the Targum
to good and bad men; one event alike
to the righteous
and to the wicked
Ecclesiastes 9:2;
so that
as others render it
"it is all one"F25"Perinde
est"
Cocceius.
whether a man righteous and perfect
or whether he is
not
he is equally liable to be afflicted and distressed: and "this is one
thing
very singular"F26"Singulare enimvero
id!"
Schultens.
amazing and astonishing
and very unaccountable; but so
it is
and which he differed from his three friends about; as to the justice of
God
he agreed with them in that; yea
he believed he was righteous in whatever
he did
and even in this
which was so strange and surprising
though he could
not account for it: and "this is uniform"
as Mr. Broughton
translates it; either God acts uniformly in what he does
treating all men
alike
good and bad men; or Job was uniform in his sentiments
he was all of a
piece
steady and constant
retaining the same sense of things
from which he
had not departed
nor could he depart:
therefore I said it; with the greatest
confidence and assurance
because he believed it
and would say it again
seeing no reason at all to alter his judgment; the thing was quite clear to
him
of which he had
at least as he thought
unquestionable evidence; and the
thing he has respect to is as follows:
he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked; this is
thought by some to be a very bad expression
bordering on blasphemy
and
contrary to the nature and perfections of God
and to the methods of his
providence
Genesis 18:23; and
that Job speaks in the person of one destitute of the grace of God: but nothing
is more certain than that this was the real sentiment of his mind
his firm
belief
nor could he be persuaded to the contrary; indeed it may be understood
in a good sense: by a "perfect" man we are to understand a truly good
man
one that has received the grace of God in truth
and is perfectly
justified and pardoned through the blood and righteousness of Christ; and by a
"wicked" man one that is under the influence of his lusts
is
abandoned to them
and never easy but while he is serving them
which he is
continually doing. Now the destruction of these is not to be interpreted of
everlasting destruction; this indeed will be the case of wicked men
but not of
perfect and good men: God by his grace has made a difference between them in
this world
and so he will in the next; the one will go into everlasting
punishment
the other into everlasting life
and will never come together in
the same place or state; nor will the perfect man be destroyed at all in such
sense; the grace of God within him
and the righteousness of Christ upon him
will eternally secure him from everlasting wrath and ruin: but it is meant of
temporal destruction; sometimes indeed a remarkable distinction is made between
the one and the other in a time of general calamity
as Noah
a perfect man
was saved
when the world of the ungodly were destroyed by water
Genesis 7:23; and
Lot
a righteous man
when Sodom and Gomorrah were consumed by fire
Genesis 19:29; but
frequently they fall together in the same common distress; good and bad men
among the Jews were alike carried captive into Babylon
signified by Jeremiah's
good and bad figs
Jeremiah 24:2; of
good men
Ezekiel
Daniel
Shadrach
Meshech
and Abednego
are instances;
though indeed it is on different accounts
and with different views
that the
one and the other are destroyed with a temporal destruction
in their persons
their health
their families
or in their estates; such calamities upon good
men are not as punishments for their sins
as on the wicked; but as fatherly
chastisements
and for the trial of their graces
for their spiritual and
eternal good
and that they might not be condemned with the world. Job's view
in saying this is to observe
that a man's state God-ward is not to be judged
of by his outward circumstances
whether he is a good man or a bad man
since
they may both be in the same afflictions and distress
and which he opposes to
the sentiments and sayings of Eliphaz and Bildad
Job 4:7.
Job 9:23 23 If the scourge slays
suddenly
He laughs at the plight of the innocent.
YLT
23If a scourge doth put to
death suddenly
At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
If the scourge slay suddenly
.... Not Satan
as Jarchi
and Bar Tzemach; but any sore calamity which surrounds a man
lashes
cuts
and
distresses him
as a whip or scourge; such as any of God's sore judgments
the
sword
famine
pestilence
or evil beasts
which sometimes come suddenly
unawares
unthought of
and unexpected; and are sometimes only chastisements in
love
the scourgings of a father
though generally in wrath and hot
displeasure
and are an overflowing scourge
which carry all before them; and
therefore some restrain it to wicked men
as the Septuagint version; and some
understand it as if they were more mildly and gently dealt with
by being
suddenly and at once slain with such a scourge
in their persons
families
and
substance
while others have their afflictions protracted
and linger long
under them
as in the next clause:
he will laugh at the trial of the innocent; not that are
free from sin entirely; for there are none such
no
not newborn infants;
though they may be comparatively so
yet they are not in an absolute sense
being conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity: besides
here it means adult
persons
good men
that are truly gracious
sincere
upright
harmless in their
lives and conversations
whose afflictions are "trials" of their
faith and patience
and other graces; and when God is said to "laugh"
at them
who seems to be designed here
this must be understood consistent with
his pity to his people
his sympathy with them under all their afflictions
he
not willingly afflicting or grieving the children of men; nor can it be thought
that he has them in derision and contempt
or laughs at their calamities
or in
reality
as he does at wicked men; but that he carries it so oftentimes
in the
dispensations of his providence
as if he made no difference between them
but
mocked at the one as well as the other; seemingly giving no heed to their
cries; not hastening to their help and deliverance
but lengthening out their
troubles for the trial of their graces; and so indeed is greatly delighted with
the exercise of them under them
and with seeing them bear them with so much
patience
courage
and greatness of mind and submission to his will. Some
interpret this of a wicked man laughing at the calamities of the righteous
as
the Ammonites and Edomites rejoiced at the destruction of the Jews; the
church's enemy at her fall
and as the Papists will at the witnesses being
slain; but the former sense seems best; rather the scourge itself laughs at the
trial of the innocent; so Schultens.
Job 9:24 24 The earth is given into
the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of its judges. If it is not He
who else could it be?
YLT
24Earth hath been given Into
the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth
If not --
where
who [is] he?
The earth is given into the hands of the wicked
.... Either
the wicked one
Satan
as Jarchi and Bar Tzemach
who is the god of this world;
or some wicked tyrant
as Nimrod
or some other known by Job in his time
to
whom he may have respect; or wicked men in general
who for the most part have
the greatest share of the earth
and earthly things
and of power
dominion
and authority in it; and this they have of God
the powers that be are ordained
by him
and therefore to be obeyed; and what any have of the earth
and the
fulness of it
they have it from him
whose it is
and who has a right to
dispose of it
and therefore being given by him
they have a proper right unto
it; but then it is only the things of this world which are given them; they
have their portion here
and that is their all; wherefore
as the giving of
these is no proof of a man's goodness
so the taking of them away is no evidence
of his wickedness; love or hatred are not to be known by these things; this is
Job's scope and drift in this and Job 9:23
he covereth the face of the judges thereof; not Satan
who blinds the minds of such
that they should not understand justice
and do
it
as the above Jewish writers interpret it; nor the wicked man that is
possessed of riches and wealth
power and authority
who by his substance
bribes the judges
and blinds their eyes
or by his power and authority awes
them
keeps them from executing true judgment
or discourages persons fit for
such an office
and will not advance them
but lets them lie in
and covers
them with
obscurity; or such who are honest and faithful
and are not to be
bribed and browbeaten
these he either removes from their post
and covers
their faces with shame
or takes them away by death
condemns and executes them
as malefactors; it being usual in former times
as well as in ours
to cover
the faces of such as are executed: but rather this is to be understood of God
who delivers the earth into the hands of the wicked
suffers them to have the
rule over it
and permits such things to be done
as already observed; and
besides
gives up the judges of the earth to judicial blindness
so that they
cannot discern what is right and just
and do it
see Isaiah 29:10
if not
where and who is he? if it is not
so as I say
where is the man
and who is he
that can disprove me
and make me
a liar? as Aben Ezra; let him come forth and appear
and confute me
and teach
me otherwise if he can; or name the place of his abode
and say who he is; or if
God does not do this
give the earth into the hands of wicked men
and cover
the faces of the judges of it
and suffer wicked men to prevail
and the causes
of good men to be subverted
the one to flourish
and the other to be crushed;
who does do it? where is the man that has done or can do it? certain it is
that it is done; and who but that God that superintends all things
sits in the
heavens
and does whatsoever he pleases
can do such things as these? or could
they be done without his will and permission? by such mediums Job proves his
assertion
that God destroys the perfect and the wicked; and therefore
by the
face of things in providence
no judgment is to be had of a man's character
good or bad
and then instances in himself in the following verses.
Job 9:25 25 “Now my days are swifter
than a runner; They flee away
they see no good.
YLT
25My days have been swifter
than a runner
They have fled
they have not seen good
Now my days are swifter than a post
.... Or "than a
runner"F1מני־רץ "cursore"
Pagninus
Montanus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
&c. in a race
in
order to obtain the prize; or than one that rides post
or runs on foot to
carry a message
such as were Cushi and Ahimaaz; and such are generally swift
of foot
or ride on swift horses
who are so employed; and yet Job says his
days are swifter
or passed away more swiftly thorn such; meaning either his
days in general; or rather particularly his prosperous days
as Mr. Broughton
interprets it; these no sooner came but they were gone:
they flee away; like a shadow
or a dream
or a tale that
is told:
they see no good; or he saw
perceived
or enjoyed no good in
them; not but that he did see and enjoy much good
even much temporal good
which is what is intended; but this was no sooner had than it was taken away
that it was as if it had never been; the evil days of trouble and sorrow
in
which he had no pleasure
came so quick upon him.
Job 9:26 26 They pass by like swift
ships
Like an eagle swooping on its prey.
YLT
26They have passed on with
ships of reed
As an eagle darteth on food.
They are passed away as the swift ships
.... Those
that are lightest built
and run swiftest. Bar Tzemach thinks such vessels as
are rowed with oars are meant
which may be called "ships of will or
desire"F2אניות אבה
"navibus desiderii"
Mercerus
Drusius
Schmidt; so Ben Gersom.
as
the words may be rendered
because they may be rowed at pleasure
and be
carried to any place where and when a man thinks fit; whereas those that are not
depend upon the wind
and that must be waited for; or they design such ships
that are so swift in their motion
that they arrive to the haven as soon as men
can well wish for and desire. Some render it "pirate ships"
or
"ships of enmity"F3"Naves inimicitiarum
i.e.
"piraticae
vel hostiles"; as some in Drusius; so Broughton. ; such
as are designed for spoil and plunder
and which are light ones
not loaded
with goods
and therefore move swiftly: the Targum is
"ships
burdened with precious fruits;'and the Vulgate Latin version is
"ships
carrying apples:'now ships loaded with such sort of goods
with perishing
commodities
are obliged to make their port as soon as possible. Some leave the
word untranslated
and call them "ships of Ebeh"F4"Navibus
Ebeh"
Pagninus
Montanus
Vatablus
Bolducius
Codurcus. ; which
according to Jarchi
Aben Ezra
and others
is either the name of a place
or
of a river in Arabia
which ran with a rapid stream
and in which ships were
carried with great celerity. Bolducius relates from a traveller of his
acquaintance
who finished his travels in 1584
that he saw such a river about
Damascus
not far from the sepulchre of Job; but that must be the river
Chrysorrhoas
now called Barrady; but there were two rivers of this name Ebeh;
one near Cufa
and another in Wasith
a country of Babylon
as Golius observesF5Lexic.
Arab. p. 2. . Others take the word to have the signification of reed or
papyrus
which grew on the banks of the Nile
and of which ships were made; see
Gill on Isaiah 18:1; and
render the words "ships of reeds" or "of papyrus"F6"Naves
arundinis"
Michaelis
"navibus papyraceis"
Schultens
Ikenius
in ib.
and which
being light
were very swift:
as the eagle that hasteth to the prey; the eagle is
the swiftest of birds
and therefore persons and things exceeding swift are
compared unto them
see Habakkuk 1:8; and
it flies the most swiftly when being hungry
and in sight of its prey
and is
nearest to it
and flaps upon it
which is the thing referred to
and so may be
rendered
"that flies upon the prey"F7יטוש
על אכל "involans in
escam"
Junius & Tremellius; "involat in escam"
Piscator
Schultens. . Job uses these metaphors
which are the most appropriate
to show
how fleeting his days of prosperity were
and how soon gone: and a climax may
be observed in the words; a runner
though he runs swiftly
a ship moves faster
than he
and an eagle
just about to seize its prey
flies swifter than that.
Job 9:27 27 If I say
‘I will forget
my complaint
I will put off my sad face and wear a smile
’
YLT
27Though I say
`I forget my
talking
I forsake my corner
and I brighten up!'
If I say
I will forget my complaint
.... The cause
of it
the loss of his children
servants
substance
and health
and endeavour
to think no more of these things
and cease complaining about them
and attempt
to bury them in oblivion
and change his note:
I will leave off my heaviness; his melancholy thoughts
words
airs
and looks; or "forsake my face"F8אעזבה פני "relinquam facies
meas"
Montanus
Bolducius
Schmidt.
put on another countenance
a more
pleasent and cheerful one; the Jewish commentators generally interpret it
"my anger"
either at the dispensations of Providence
or at his friends:
and comfort myself; that things were not
worse with him than they were; or strengthenF9אבליגה
"confirmabo vel roborabo cor meum"
Mercerus; so R. R. himself
as
the word is rendered in Amos 5:9; against
his fears
and troubles
and dejection of mind
determining to take heart
and
be of good courage
and not sink
and succumb
and faint under his burdens:
none but God
Father
Son
and Spirit
can give comfort to distressed ones
whether on temporal or spiritual accounts; but good men may make use of means
for comfort
such as hearing the word
reading the Scriptures
prayer
meditation
and conversation with good men.
Job 9:28 28 I am afraid of all my
sufferings; I know that You will not hold me innocent.
YLT
28I have been afraid of all
my griefs
I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
I am afraid of all my sorrows
.... That they would
return upon him
and surround him
and overwhelm him
so that he should not be able
to stand up against them
or under them; that they would increase and continue
with him
and so he should never be released from them:
I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent: a sudden
apostrophe to God as near him; the meaning is not
that he was confident that
God would not justify him but condemn him in a spiritual sense; Job did not
despair of his everlasting salvation
he knew and believed in his living
Redeemer; he knew he should be acquitted and justified by his righteousness
and not be condemned with the world; but he was certain of this
as he thought
that God would neither "cleanse"F11כי
לא תנקני "quod non
mundabis me"
Montanus
Bolducius
Beza. him
as some render the word
from the worms his flesh was clad with
and from the filthy boils and ulcers he
was covered with; nor clear him so as that he should appear to be innocent in
the sight and judgment of his friends; but go on to treat him as if he was a
guilty person
by continuing his afflictions on him
even unto death; he had no
hope of being freed from them
and so of being cleared from the imputation of
his friends
who judged of him by his outward circumstances.
Job 9:29 29 If
I am condemned
Why then do I labor in vain?
YLT
29I -- I am become wicked;
why [is] this? [In] vain I labour.
If I be wicked
why then
labour I in vain? If he was that wicked person
that hypocrite
Bildad and his
other friends took him to be
it was in vain for him to make his supplications
to God
as they advised him; so Gersom gives the sense of the words; since God
hears not sinners
such as live in sin
regard iniquity in their hearts
and
practise it in their lives
at least secretly
as it was suggested Job did; if
he was such an one
it must be all lost labour to pray to God to show favour to
him
and deliver him out of his troubles
since he might reasonably expect he
would shut his eyes and stop his ears at such a man
and regard not his cries;
seeking to him must be in vain; prayer may be fitly enough expressed by labour
it is a striving and wrestling with God
and especially when it is constant
importunate
and fervent: but rather the sense is
that if he was a wicked man
in the account of God
or was dealt with as one; if God would not hold him
innocent
as he asserts in the latter part of Job 9:28; then it
was a vain thing to labour the point in the vindication of himself; since he
could never think of succeeding against God
so wise and powerful
so holy
just
and pure. The word "if" is not in the original text
and may be
left out
and the words be rendered
"I am wicked"F12אנכי ארשע "impius sum"
V. L. Pagninus; so Schmidt. ; not in any notorious manner
as having lived a
scandalous life
or been guilty of some gross enormities
as his friends
insinuated
but in common with other men; he was born a sinner
had been a transgressor
from the womb
and though he was renewed and sanctified by the spirit of God
yet sin dwelt in him
and through the infirmity of the flesh he was daily
sinning in thought
word
or deed; nor did he expect it would be otherwise with
him while in this world; yea
it was impossible for him to be without sin
as
Bar Tzemach observes to be the sense of the phrase; and therefore if God would
not clear him
or hold him innocent
unless he was entirely free from sin
as
it was labouring in vain to attain to such perfection
so it must be to no
purpose
and is what he chiefly intends
to attempt to vindicate himself before
God: or "I shall be wicked"
or "ungodly"F13"Ego
impius ero"
Montanus
Mercerus
Bolducius; "ego reus ero"
Codurcus; "equidem improbus ero"
Schultens. ; I shall be treated as
such not only by his friends
who would reckon him a very wicked man so long as
those afflictions continued on him
let him say what he would; but by the Lord
himself
who he believed would never release him from them as long as he lived
which in the eye of men would be a tacit condemnation of him; so the
Targum
"I shall be condemned
'and therefore it was labour in vain
striving against the stream
to go about to vindicate himself; nor was it
possible that he could make himself out so clear and pure and perfect
that
such an holy Being as God was could find no fault in him
in whose sight the
heavens
and the inhabitants of them
were not clean; this is further evinced
in the following words.
Job 9:30 30 If I wash myself with snow
water
And cleanse my hands with soap
YLT
30If I have washed myself
with snow-water
And purified with soap my hands
If I wash myself with snow water
.... As it came from
heaven
or flowed from the mountains covered with snow
as Lebanon
see Jeremiah 18:14; or
was kept in vessels for such use
as being judged the best for such a purpose;
so it was used by the ancientsF14"Discubuimus
pueris aquam
nivalem in manus infundentibus"
Petronius in Satyr.
as being what
whitens the skin
and strengthens the parts by contracting the pores
and
hindering perspiration; it signifies
in a figurative sense
that let him take
what methods he would to cleanse himself from sin
they were all in vain
his
iniquity would be seen
and remain marked before God; and indeed there is
nothing that a man can do that will make him pure and clean in the sight of an
holy God; this is not to be done by ceremonial ablutions
such as might be in
use in Job's time
before the law of Moses was given
and to which he may have
some reference; these only sanctified to the purifying of the flesh
or only
externally
but could not purify the heart
so as to have no more conscience of
sin; nor by moral duties
not by repentance
as Sephorno; a fountain
a flood
an ocean of tears of humiliation and repentance
would not wash away sin; if
instead of ten thousand rivers of oil
so many rivers of brinish tears could be
produced
they would be of no avail to cleanse the sinner; nor any works of
righteousness done by man
for these themselves need washing in the blood of
the Lamb; for nothing short of the blood of Christ
and the grace of God
can
do it:
and make my hands never so clean; the hands are what men
work with
Ecclesiastes 9:10;
and so may design good works
which are sometimes called clean hands; see Psalm 24:4;
compared with Psalm 15:1; and may
be said to be so when they are done well
from a pare heart
and faith
unfeigned
without selfish and sordid views
with a single eye to the glory of
God; which is doing them as well
and making the hands as clean
as well can
be; yet these are of no avail with respect to justification before God
and acceptance
with him
or with regard to salvation
which is all of grace
and not of works
be they what they will; some render the words
"and cleanse my hands with
soap"F15בבר Smegmate
Codurcus
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Schmidt; so the Targum
and Mr. Broughton.
which cleanses them best of anything
see Jeremiah 2:22.
Job 9:31 31 Yet You will plunge me
into the pit
And my own clothes will abhor me.
YLT
31Then in corruption Thou
dost dip me
And my garments have abominated me.
Yet shall thou plunge me
in the ditch
.... In the filthy ditch of sin
the pit wherein is no water
the
horrible pit
the mire and clay
in which all unregenerate men are
and to
which hypocrites return
as the swine to its wallowing in the mire; and in
which impurity self-righteous persons are
and are sooner or later made to
appear
notwithstanding all their outward righteousness
holiness
purity
and
perfection they boast of; and though Job was neither of these
not an
unregenerate man
nor an hypocrite
nor a self-righteous person; yet he knew
that
in comparison of the perfect purity and holiness of God
he should appear
exceedingly impure; and that God would treat him as such
and hold him out to
the view of others as the filth of the world
and the offscouring of all
things
by continuing his afflictions
from whence it would be concluded that
he was the most impure person; and indeed by the ditch may be meant the ditch
of afflictions
as Sephorno
either his present ones continued
his filthy
ulcers and scabs
with which his body was covered all over
or new afflictions
he would bring him into
where he would sink in deep mire
there being no
standing
Psalm 69:2; some
understand this of the grave
the ditch or pit of corruption
into which he
should be cast
and there putrefy and rot: but the other senses seem best:
and mine own clothes shall abhor me; not his clothes in a
literal sense; either while living
his filthy ulcers being such
that were his
clothes sensible of them
they would loathe and abhor to touch him
and cover
him; or when dead
his sepulchre garments
his shroud
or winding sheet
would
disdain to cover such a filthy body
overspread with worms and dust; or as
Vatablus paraphrases it
clothes do not become a dead body; or as Mr.
Broughton
"when I go naked to the grave
as though my clothes loathed
me:'but the words are rather to be understood figuratively
either of some of
his friends that were as near and as close to him as his clothes
or had been
but now were estranged from him
and loathed and abhorred him
see Job 19:13; or
better
of his best works of righteousness
which he put on as a robe
Job 29:14; and
which are a covering to the saints before men
and are ornamental to them
though not justifying in the sight of God; and indeed in themselves
and
compared with the holy law
and holy nature of God
are imperfect and impure;
and if God was to enter into judgment with men
they would be so far from
justifying them in his sight
or rendering them acceptable to him
that they
would cause them to be abhorred by him
as all self-righteousness and
self-righteous persons are
see Proverbs 21:27;
yea
even the best works of men are but dung in the judgment of a good man
himself
what then must they be in the account of God? Philemon 3:8; Job
here
and in Job 9:30
has most
exalted ideas of the purity
holiness
and majesty of God
so that no creature
nor creature holiness
be they ever so perfect
can stand before him
or be
pure in his sight.
Job 9:32 32 “For He is not a
man
as I am
That I may answer Him
And that we should go to
court together.
YLT
32But if a man like myself --
I answer him
We come together into judgment.
For he is not a
man
as I am
.... For though the parts and members of an human body are
sometimes ascribed to him
yet these are to be understood by an anthropopathy
speaking after the manner of men
there being something in him
which in a
figurative sense answers to these; otherwise we are not to conceive of any
corporeal shape in him
or that there is any likeness to which he is to be
compared: he is a spirit infinite
immortal
immense
invisible
pure and holy
just and true
and without iniquity; whereas Job was but a man
a finite
feeble
mortal creature
and a sinful one; and therefore there being such a
vast disparity between them
it was in vain to litigate a point with him
to
plead his cause before him
or attempt to vindicate his innocence; the
potsherds may strive and contend with the potsherds of the earth their equals
but not with God their Creator
who is more than a match for them; he sees
impurity where man sees it not
and can bring a charge against him
and support
it
where he thought there was none
and therefore it is a vain thing to enter
the lists with him:
that I should
answer him; not to questions put by him
but in a judicial way to charges
and accusations he should exhibit; no man in this sense can answer him
for one
of a thousand he may bring
and men are chargeable with; wherefore Job once and
again determines he would not pretend to answer him
as he knew he could not
see Job 9:3
and we should come together
in judgment; in any court of judicature
before any judge
to have the cause
between us heard
and tried
and determined; for in what court of judicature
can he be convened into? or what judge is there above him
before whom he can
be summoned? or is capable of judging and determining the cause between us?
there is the high court of heaven
where we must all appear
and the judgment
seat of Christ
before which we must all stand; and God is the judge of all
to
whom we must come
and by whose sentence we must be determined; but there is no
court
no judge
no judgment superior to him and his; there is no annulling his
sentence
or making an appeal from him to another; there is no coming together
at all
and much less "alike"F16יחדו
"pariter"
Junius & Tremellius
Drusius.
as some render it
or
upon equal terms; the difference between him and his creatures being so vastly
great.
Job 9:33 33 Nor is there any mediator
between us
Who may lay his hand on us both.
YLT
33If there were between us an
umpire
He doth place his hand on us both.
Neither is there any
daysman betwixt us
.... Or "one that reproves"F17מוכיח "arguens"
Montanus
Bolducius
Drusius;
"redarguens"
Vatablus
Mercerus. ; who upon hearing a cause reproves
him that is found guilty
or is blameworthy
or has done injury to another; but
there is no such person to be found
among angels or men
capable of this
supposing
as if Job should say
I should appear to be the injured person; or
there is no "umpire" or "arbitrator"F18"Arbiter"
Junius & Tremellius
Piscator
Cocceius
Schultens.
to whom the case
between us can be referred; for
as Bar Tzemach observes
he that stands in
such a character between two parties must be both more wise and more mighty
than they; but there is none among all beings wiser and mightier than God:
that might lay his
hand upon us both; and restrain them from using any violence to one another
as
contending persons are apt to do; and compromise matters
settle and adjust
things in difference between them
so as to do justice to both
and make both
parties easy
and make peace between them. HerodotusF19Thalia
sive
l. 3. c. 8. makes mention of a custom among the Arabians
"when they enter
into covenants and agreements with each other
another man stands in the midst
of them both
and with a sharp stone cuts the inside of the hands of the
covenanters near the larger fingers; and then takes a piece out of each of
their garments
and anoints with the blood seven stones that lie between them;
and while he is doing this calls upon a deity
and when finished the covenant
maker goes with his friends to an host or citizen
if the affair is transacted
with a citizen; and the friends reckon it a righteous thing to keep the
covenant.'To which
or some such custom
Job may be thought to allude. Now
whereas Christ is the daysman
umpire and mediator between God and men
who has
interposed between them
and has undertaken to manage affairs relating to both;
in things pertaining to God
the glory of his justice
and the honour of his
law
and to made reconciliation for the sins of men
and to make peace for them
with God by the blood of his cross; which he has completely done
being every
way qualified for it
inasmuch as he partakes of both natures
and is God and
man in one person
and so could put his hand on both
and make both one; or
bring them who were at variance to an entire agreement with each other
upon
such a bottom
as even the strict justice of God cannot object unto. Now
I
say
Job must not be understood as if he was ignorant of this
for he had
knowledge of Christ as a Redeemer and Saviour
and so as the Mediator and
Peacemaker; the Septuagint version renders it as a wish
"O that there was
a mediator between us!" and so it may be considered as a prayer for
Christ's incarnation
and that he would appear and do the work of a mediator he
was appointed to
which Job plainly saw there was great need of; or
as othersF20So
some in Caryll.
"there is no daysman yet"; there will be one
but
as yet he is not come; in due time he will
which Job had faith in and full
assurance of: but there is no need of such versions and glosses: Job is here
not speaking of the affair of salvation
about which he had no doubt
he knew
his state was safe
and he had an interest in the living Redeemer and blessed
Mediator; but of the present dispensation of Providence
and of the clearing of
that up to the satisfaction of his friends
so that he might appear to be an
innocent person; and since God did not think fit to change the scene
there was
none to interpose on his behalf
and it was in vain for him to contend with
God.
Job 9:34 34 Let Him take His rod away
from me
And do not let dread of Him terrify me.
YLT
34He doth turn aside from off
me his rod
And His terror doth not make me afraid
Let him take his rod away
from me
.... Not his government over him
of which the rod or sceptre is
an ensign
Job did not want to be freed from that; but
his rod of affliction
or stroke
as the Targum
the stroke of his hand
which
though a fatherly
chastisement
lay heavy upon him
and depressed his spirits; so that he could
not
while it was on him
reason so freely about things as he thought he could
if it was removed
and for which he here prays:
and let not his fear terrify me; not the fear of him as a
father
which is not terrifying
but the fear of him as a judge; the terror of
his majesty
the dread of his wrath and vengeance
the fearful apprehensions he
had of him as a God of strict justice; that would by no means clear the guilty
yea
would not hold him innocent
though he was with respect to the charge of
his friends; being now without those views of him as a God gracious and
merciful; to these words Elihu seeks to have respect
Job 33:6.
Job 9:35 35 Then
I would speak and not fear Him
But it is not so with me.
YLT
35I speak
and do not fear
Him
But I am not right with myself.
Then would I speak
and not fear him
.... With a servile fear
though with reverence and godly fear;
meaning either at the throne of grace
having liberty of access
boldness of
spirit
and freedom of speech through Christ the Mediator
and in the view of
his blood
righteousness
and sacrifice; for when the rod of his law and the
terror of his justice are removed
and his grace and favour in Christ shown
a
believer can speak boldly and freely to God
and not be afraid before him: but
rather Job's sense is
that were the rod of his anger taken off and the dread
of his majesty
which so awed him that he could not tell his case as it was
and use the arguments he might to advantage; he should speak without fear
and
so as to defend himself
and make his cause to appear to be just; to this the
Lord seems to refer in Job 38:3; being
bold and daring expressions
which Job blushed when made sensible of it
Job 42:5
but it is not so with me; there was no daysman
between the Lord and him; the rod was not taken off his back
nor the dread and
terror of the Almighty removed from him; and so could not speak in his own
defence
as otherwise he might: or it was not so with him as his friends
thought of him; he was not the wicked hypocritical man they took him to be
or
as the afflictive dispensations of God made him to appear to be
according to
their judgment of them: or the words may be rendered
"I am not so with
myself"F21לא כן
אנכי עמדי "non sic ego
apud me"
Pagninus
Montanus
Beza
Vatablus
Mercerus
Schmidt
Schultens. ; that is
he was not conscious to himself that he was such a person
they judged him; or such were the troubles and afflictions that were upon him
that he was not himself
he was not "compos mentis"
and so not
capable on that account
as well as others
of pleading his own cause: or
"I am not right in" or "with myself"F23"Quia
non probus ego apud me"
Bolducius; "quod non sim rectus apud
me"
Cocceius. ; not in his right mind
being distracted with the terrors
of God
and the arrows of the Almighty that stuck in him; or he was not
righteous in himself; for though he was clear of hypocrisy he was charged with
he did not pretend to be without sin
or to have such a righteousness as would
justify him before God; and therefore desires things might be put upon the foot
of grace
and not of strict justice.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)