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Job Chapter
Twenty-six
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 26
In
this chapter Job
in a very sarcastic manner
rallies Bildad on the weakness
and impertinence of his reply
and sets it in a very ridiculous light; showing
it to be quite foolish and stupid
and not at all to the purpose
and besides
was none of his own
but what he had borrowed from another
Job 26:1; and if it
was of any avail in the controversy to speak of the greatness and majesty of
God
of his perfections and attributes
of his ways and works
he could say
greater and more glorious things of God than he had done
and as he does
Job 26:5; beginning
at the lower parts of the creation
and gradually ascending to the superior and
celestial ones; and concludes with observing
that
after all
it was but
little that was known of God and his ways
by himself
by Bildad
or by any
mortal creature
Job 26:14.
Job 26:1 But
Job answered and said:
YLT
1And Job answereth and
saith: --
But Job answered
.... In a very sharp and biting manner; one
would wonder that a man in such circumstances should have so much keenness of
spirit
and deal in so much irony
and be master of so much satire
and be able
to laugh at his antagonist in the manner he does:
and said; as follows.
Job 26:2 2 “How have you helped him
who is without power? How have you saved the arm that has no
strength?
YLT
2What -- thou hast helped
the powerless
Saved an arm not strong!
How hast thou helped him that is without power?.... This
verse and Job 26:3 either are
to be understood of God
as many do
by reading the words
"who hast thou
helped? God"F18מה עזרת
"cui auxiliatis es"
Pagninus
Montanus; so Tigurine version. ? a
fine advocate for him thou art
representing him as if he was without power
and could not help himself
but stood in need of another; as if he had no arm
and could not save and protect himself
but needed one to rise and stand up in
his behalf
when he is God omnipotent
and has an arm strong and mighty
and
there is none like his; and as if he wanted wisdom
and one to counsel him
when he is the all wise God
and never consults with any of his creatures
or
admits them to be of his council; and as if his "essence"F19תושיה "essentiam"
Montanus.
or "what he
is"
as he is
had been very copiously and plentifully declared in a few
words by him; in supposing which he must be guilty of the greatest arrogance
stupidity
and folly; and therefore he asks him
who it was he uttered such
things unto? and by whose spirit he must be aided in so doing? see Job 13:7; or else
Job refers to the cause undertaken by Bildad; and which he
in a sarcastic way
represents as a very weak and feeble one
that had neither strength nor wisdom
in it
and was as weakly and as foolishly supported
or rather was entirely
neglected and deserted
Bildad having wholly declined the thing in controversy
and said not one word of it; therefore Job ironically asks him
"in
what"
or "wherein hast thou helped?"F20"Qua nam
re adjuvisti?" Vatablus; "quid auxiliatus es?" Drusius. what
good hast thou done to this poor tottering cause of yours? or what light hast
thou thrown upon it? and to what purpose is anything that has been said by
thee? Some are of opinion that Job refers to Bildad's friends
whom he
represents as weak and stupid
as men of no argument
and had no strength of
reasoning
and were as poorly assisted and defended by Bildad: but
why not to
Bildad himself? for the sense of the question
agreeably enough to the original
text
may be put after this manner; a fine patron and defender of a cause thou
art; thou canst help and save a dying cause without power
and with a
strengthless arm
or without any force of argument
or strength of reasoning;
thou canst give counsel without any wisdom
without any show or share of it
and in half a dozen lines set the thing in a true light
just as it is and
should be; a wonderful man indeed thou art! though I choose to join with such
interpreters
who understand the whole of Job himself
who was without might
and power
a weak and feeble creature in booty and mind
being pressed and
broken with the weight of his affliction
but was poorly helped
succoured
strengthened
and comforted
with what Bildad had said: it is the duty of all
good men
and it is what Job himself had done in former times
to strengthen
weak hands and feeble knees
by sympathizing with persons under affliction
by
bearing their burdens and infirmities
by speaking comfortably unto them
and
telling them what comforts they themselves have received under afflictions
see
Job 4:3; but
miserable comforters of Job were Bildad and his friends:
how savest thou the arm that
hath no strength? the sense is the same as before
that he had done nothing to
relieve Job in his bodily or soul distresses
and save him out of them; nor had
contributed in the least towards his support under them; and be it that he was
as weak in his intellectuals as he and his friends thought him to be
and had
undertaken a cause which he had not strength of argument to defend; yet
what
had he done to convince him of his mistake
and save him from the error of his
way?
Job 26:3 3 How have you counseled one
who has no wisdom? And how have you declared sound advice to many?
YLT
3What -- thou hast given
counsel to the unwise
And wise plans in abundance made known.
How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom?.... A man
deprived of wisdom has need of counsel
and it should be given him; and he does
well both to ask and take it; and be it so
as if Job should say
that I am the
foolish and unwise creature you take me to be
what counsel and advice have you
given me? what a wise counsellor have you shown yourself to be? or rather
what
a miserable part have you acted under this character?
and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? the thing in
controversy
set it forth in a clear light
and in a copious manner
when he
had not said one word about it
namely
concerning the afflictions of the
godly
and the prosperity of the wicked; thus jeering at him
and laughing at
the short reply he had made
and which was nothing to the purpose.
Job 26:4 4 To whom have you uttered
words? And whose spirit came from you?
YLT
4With whom hast thou
declared words? And whose breath came forth from thee?
To whom hast thou uttered words?.... That others know
not; dost thou think thou art talking to an ignorant man? be it known to thee
that he knows as much
and can say as much of the Divine Being
of his glories
and of his wondrous ways and works
as thyself
or more: or dost thou consider
the circumstances he is in thou art speaking to? one under great affliction and
distress
to whom it must be unsuitable to talk of the greatness and majesty of
God
of his power and strength
of his purity
holiness
and strict justice; it
would have been more proper and pertinent to have discoursed concerning his
loving kindness
grace
and mercy
his pity and compassion towards his
afflicted people
his readiness to forgive their sins
and overlook their
failings; and concerning the promised Redeemer
his righteousness and
sacrifice
and of the many instances of divine goodness to the sons of men
and
in such like circumstances
by raising them up again
and restoring them to
their former happiness. Some things of this nature would have been more
pertinent and suitable
and would have been doing both a wise and friendly
part:
and whose spirit came from thee? Not the spirit of God;
dost thou think thyself inspired by God? or that what thou hast said is by the
inspiration of his Spirit? or that thou speakest like such who are moved by the
Holy Ghost? nor indeed was it his own spirit
or the words and things uttered
were not of himself
or flowed not from his own knowledge and understanding: of
things
but what he had borrowed from Eliphaz; for he had delivered very little
more than what Eliphaz had said
Job 4:17; or else
the sense is
whose spirit has been restored
revived
refreshed
and comforted
by what thou hast said? The word of God has such efficacy as to restore the
soul
to revive it when drooping
and as it were swooning away and dying
see Psalm 19:7; and the
words of some good men are spirit and life
the savour of life unto life
and
are as life from the dead
very refreshing and comforting; but no such effect
followed on what Bildad had said. Mr. Broughton renders the words
"whose
soul admired thee?" thou mayest admire thyself
and thy friends may admire
thee
at least thou mayest think they do
having said in thine own opinion
admirable things; but who else does? for my own part I do not; and
if saying
great and glorious things of God are to any purpose in the controversy between
us
I am capable of speaking greater and better things than what have been
delivered; and
for instance
let the following be attended to.
Job 26:5 5 “The dead tremble
Those
under the waters and those inhabiting them.
YLT
5The Rephaim are formed
Beneath the waters
also their inhabitants.
Dead things are formed from under the waters
.... It is
difficult to say what things are here meant; it may be understood of
"lifeless" things
as Mr. Broughton renders it; things that never had
any life
things inanimate
that never had at least an animal life
though they
may have a vegetable one; and so may be interpreted of grains of corn
and
which indeed die before they are quickened; to which both Christ and the
apostle allude
John 12:24; and
which
as they cannot grow without water
and their fructification and increase
are owing to the earth being plentifully watered with rain
may be said to be
formed under the waters; and of these Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom interpret the
words; and the latter also makes mention of herbs
plants
and trees in the
sea
particularly almug trees
as being probably intended; to which may be
added
corals
and other sea plants
formed from under the waters; yea
some
make mention of woods and forests there: but the last mentioned writer
seems
inclined to think that metals and minerals may be intended; and it is well
known that much of gold is taken out of rivers
as also pearls and precious
stones; and that iron is taken out of the earth
and brass molten out of stone;
and that the several metals and minerals are dug out of mountains and hills
from whence fountains and rivers flow; but as the word used has the
signification of something gigantic
it has inclined others to think of sea
monsters
as of the great whales which God made in the seas
and the leviathan
he has made to play therein:
and or "with"
the inhabitants thereof; the innumerable company
of fishes
both of the larger and lesser sort
which are all formed in and
under the waters: but why may not giants themselves be designed
since the word
is sometimes used of them
Deuteronomy 2:11;
and so the Vulgate Latin and the Septuagint version here render the word
and
may refer to the giants that were before the flood
and who were the causes of
filling the world with rapine and violence
and so of bringing the flood of
waters upon it; in which they perished "with the inhabitants
thereof"; or their neighbours; of whom see Genesis 6:4; and
the spirits of these being in prison
in hell
as the Apostle Peter says
1 Peter 3:19; which
is commonly supposed to be under the earth
and so under the waters
in which
they perished; they may be represented as in pain and torment
and groaning and
trembling under the same
as the word here used is by some thought to signify
and is so renderedF20יחוללו
"gemunt"
V. L. "cruciabuntur"
Bolducius;
"cruciantur
dolore contremiscunt"
Michaelis;
"intremiscunt"
Schultens. Vid. Windet. de Vita Funct. Stat. p. 90. ;
though as the word "Rephaim" is often used of dead men
Psalm 88:10; it may
be understood of them here
and have respect to the formation of them anew
or
their resurrection from the dead
when the earth shall cast them forth; and
especially of those whose graves are in the sea
and who have been buried in
the waters of it
when that shall deliver up the dead that are therein
Revelation 20:13;
which will be a wonderful instance of the mighty power of God. The Targumist
seems to have a notion of this
or at least refers unto it
paraphrasing the
words thus
"is
it possible that the mighty men (or giants) should be created (that is
recreated or regenerated; that is
raised from the dead); seeing they are under
the waters
and their armies?'
Job 26:6 6 Sheol is naked
before Him
And Destruction has no covering.
YLT
6Naked [is] Sheol
over-against Him
And there is no covering to destruction.
Hell is naked before him
.... Which may be taken
either for the place of the damned
as it sometimes is; and then the sense is
that though it is hidden from men
and they know not where it is
or who are in
it
and what is done and suffered there; yet it is all known to God: he knows
the place thereof
for it is made
ordained
and prepared by him; he knows who
are there
even all the wicked dead
and all the nations that forget God
being
cast there by him; he knows the torments they endure
for the smoke of them
continually ascends before him; and he knows all their malice and envy
their
enmity to him
and blasphemy of him; for thither are they gone down with their
weapons of war
and have laid their swords under their heads
Ezekiel 32:27; or
for Hades
the invisible world of spirits
or state of the dead
as the
Septuagint version renders the word; though that is unseen to men
it is naked
and open to the eye of God; or for the grave
in which the bodies of men are
laid; which is the frequent sense of the word used
Psalm 88:11; and
though this is a land of darkness
and where the light is as darkness
yet God
can look into it; and the dust of men therein is carefully observed and preserved
by him
and will be raised again at the last day; who has the keys of death and
hell
or the grave
and can open it at his pleasure
and cause it to give up
the dead that are therein:
and destruction hath no covering; and may design the same
as before
either hell
the place of the damned
where men are destroyed soul
and body with an everlasting destruction; or the grave
which the Targum calls
the house of destruction
as it sometimes is
the pit of destruction and
corruption; because bodies cast into it corrupt and putrefy
and are destroyed
in it; and there is nothing to cover either the one or the other from the all
seeing eye of God; see Psalm 139:7; as hell
is supposed to be under the earth
and the grave is in it
Job is as yet on
things below
and from hence rises to those above
in the following words.
Job 26:7 7 He stretches out the north
over empty space; He hangs the earth on nothing.
YLT
7Stretching out the north
over desolation
Hanging the earth upon nothing
He stretcheth out the north over the empty place
.... The
northern hemisphere
which is the chief and best known
at least it was in the
time of Job
when the southern hemisphere might not be known at all; though
if
our version of Job 9:9 is right
Job seems to have had knowledge of it. ScheuchzerF21Physic. Sacr.
vol. 4. p. 724. thinks the thick air farthest north is meant
which expands
itself everywhere
and is of great use to the whole earth. But if the northern
hemisphere is meant
as a learned manF23Gregory's Notes and
Observations
&c. c. 12. p. 55. expresses it
it
"was
not only principal as to Job's respect
and the position of Arabia
but because
this hemisphere is absolutely so indeed
it is principal to the whole; for as
the heavens and the earth are divided by the middle line
the northern half
hath a strange share of excellency; we have more earth
more men
more stars
more day (the same also Sephorno
a Jewish commentator on the place
observes);
and
which is more than all this
the north pole is more magnetic than the
south:'
though
the whole celestial sphere may be intended
the principal being put for the
whole; even that whole expansion
or firmament of heaven
which has its name
from being stretched out like a curtain
or canopy
over the earth; which was
done when the earth was "tohu"
empty of inhabitants
both men and
beasts
and was without form and void
and had no beauty in it
or anything
growing on it; see Genesis 1:2;
and hangeth the earth upon
nothing; as a ball in the airF24"Terra pilae similis
nullo fulcimine nixa"
Ovid. Fast. 6.
poised with its own weightF25"Circumfuso
pendebat in aere tellus
ponderibus librata suis----"
Ovid. Metamorph. l.
1. Fab. 1.
or kept in this form and manner by the centre of gravity
and so
some Jewish writersF26Ben Gersom & Bar Tzemach in loc. interpret
"nothing" of the centre of the earth
and which is nothing but
"ens rationis"
a figment and imagination of the mind; or rather the
earth is held together
and in the position it is
by its own magnetic virtue
it being a loadstone itself; and as the above learned writer observes
"the
globe consisteth by a magnetic dependency
from which the parts cannot possibly
start aside; but which
howsoever thus strongly seated on its centre and poles
is yet said to hang upon nothing; because the Creator in the beginning thus
placed it within the "tohu"
as it now also hangeth in the air; which
itself also is nothing as to any regard of base or sustentation.'
In
short
what the foundations are on which it is laid
or the pillars by which it
is sustained
cannot be said
except the mighty power and providence of God.
The word used seems to come from a root
which in the Syriac and Chaldee
languages signifies to "bind and restrain"; and may design the
expanse or atmosphere
so called from its binding and compressing nature
על
"in" or "within" which the earth is
hung; see Psalm 32:9.
Job 26:8 8 He binds up the water in
His thick clouds
Yet the clouds are not broken under it.
YLT
8Binding up the waters in
His thick clouds
And the cloud is not rent under them.
He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds
.... The
clouds are of his making; when he utters his voice
or gives the word of
command
there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and the vapours he
exhales from the ends of the earth and forms them into clouds
and they are his
chariots
in which he rides up and down in the heavens
and waters his gardens and
plantations on earth; see Jeremiah 10:13;
which may be said to be thick in comparison of the air
in which they are;
otherwise they are but thin
and the thinner they are
the greater wonder it is
that the waters
and such a heavy body of them
should be bound up in them
as
there often is; and which is bound up
held
and retained therein
as anything
bound up in a sack or bag
or in a garment
or the skirt of a man's coat; see Proverbs 30:4; and
what is still more marvellous:
and the cloud is not rent under them; under the
waters
and through the weight of them; which
if it was
would fall in vast
water spouts
and were such to fall upon the earth
as it may be supposed they
did at the general deluge
they would destroy man and beast
and wash off and
wash away the things of the earth: but God has so ordered it in his infinite
wisdom
and by his almighty power
that clouds should not be thus rent
but
fall in small drops and gentle showers
as if they passed through a sieve or
colander
whereby the earth is refreshed
and made fruitful; see Job 36:26.
Job 26:9 9 He covers the face of His
throne
And spreads His cloud over it.
YLT
9Taking hold of the face of
the throne
Spreading over it His cloud.
He holdeth back the face of his throne
.... His
throne is the heaven of heavens; the face of it
or what is before it
is the
starry and airy heavens; this face of his throne is sometimes held back
or
covered with clouds
that so his throne is so far from being visible
that even
the face of it
or the outside or external appearance of it
is not to be seen
as follows:
and spreadeth his cloud upon
it; and both he and his throne are invisible; clouds and darkness
are round about him
and his pavilion round about are dark waters
and thick
clouds of the skies
Psalm 18:11; and
even the light in which he dwells
and with which he clothes himself
is
impervious to us
and is so dazzling
that itself covers and keeps back himself
and throne from being seen by mortals. The Targum suggests
that what is here
said to be done is done that the angels may not see it; but these always stand
before the throne of God
and always behold the face of God himself.
Job 26:10 10 He drew a circular horizon
on the face of the waters
At the boundary of light and darkness.
YLT
10A limit He hath placed on
the waters
Unto the boundary of light with darkness.
He hath compassed the waters with bounds
.... Not the
waters above the firmament
compassed by that
as if Job was contemplating on
and discoursing about what is done in the heavens above; though the Targum
seems to incline to this sense
paraphrasing the words
"he
hath decreed that the firmament should be placed upon the face of the waters
unto the end of light
with darkness;'
but
the waters of the sea
Job descending now to consider the waters of the great
deep
and the wonderful restraint that is laid upon them; which is as
astonishing as the binding up of the waters in the clouds without being rent by
them; for this vast and unwieldy body of waters in the ocean Jehovah manages
with as much ease as a mother or nurse does a newborn infant
makes the cloud
its garment
and thick darkness a swaddling band for it
Job 38:8; he has as
it were with a compass drawn a line upon the face of it; he has broke up for it
its decreed place
and set bars
and doors
and bounds to its waves
that they
nay come no further than is his pleasure
as is observed in the same place; the
bounds he hath compassed it with are the shores
rocks
and cliffs
so that the
waters cannot return and cover earth
as they once did; yea
which is very
surprising
he has placed the sand
as weak and fluid as it is
the bound of
the sea by a perpetual decree; so that though its waves toss and roar
they
cannot prevail
nor pass over it; which must be owing to the almighty power and
sovereign will of God
who has given the sea a decree that its waters should
not pass his commandment; and it must be ascribed to his promise and oath that
the waters no more go over the earth to destroy it; see Psalm 104:9
Proverbs 8:27;
until the dark and night come to an end; that is
as long as there will be the
vicissitudes of day and night
till time shall be no more
as long as the world
stands; for the those shall constitute so long are the ordinances of God
which
shall never depart
and the covenant he has made
which shall never become
void; wherefore
as long as they remain
the sea and its waters will be bounded
as not to overflow the earth
Genesis 8:22; or
"until the end of light with darkness"F1עד תכלית אור
עם חשך "usque ad finem
lucis cum tenebris"
Cocceius
Michaelis; so Targum & Sept. ; until
both these have an end in the same form and manner they now have; otherwise
after the end of all things
there will be light in heaven
and darkness in
hell. Aben Ezra interprets it thus
"unto
the place which is the end of light
for all that is above it is light
and
below it the reverse;'
he
seems to have respect to the place that divides the hemispheres
where when one
is light the other is dark; and so others seem to understand it of such places
or parts of the world as are half day and half night
and where one half of the
year is light
and the other dark; but the first sense is best.
Job 26:11 11 The pillars of heaven
tremble
And are astonished at His rebuke.
YLT
11Pillars of the heavens do
tremble
And they wonder because of His rebuke.
The pillars of heaven tremble
.... Which may be
understood either of the air
the lower part of the heavens
which may be
thought to be the foundation
prop
and support of them
and is sometimes
called the firmament
and "the firmament of his power"
Psalm 150:1; and
which seems to tremble when there are thunder and lightnings
and coruscations
in it; or else the mountains
which
reaching up to the heavens
look as if
they were the pillars and support of them; and are indeed said to be the
foundations of heaven
which move and shake and tremble at the presence and
power of God
and at any expressions of his wrath and anger
and particularly
through earthquakes and storms
and tempests of thunder and lightning; see 2 Samuel 22:8
which are meant by what follows:
and are astonished at his reproof; his voice of thunder
which is sometimes awful and terrible
astonishing and surprising; and
to set
forth the greatness of it
inanimate creatures are represented as trembling
and astonished at it; see Psalm 104:7; some
interpret this figuratively of angels
who they suppose are employed in the
direction of the heavens
and the motion of the heavenly bodies; and who they
think are the same which in the New Testament are called "the powers of
heaven said to be shaken"
Matthew 24:29; and
to be the seraphim that covered their faces upon a glorious display of the
majesty of God
and when the posts of the door of the temple moved at the voice
of him that cried
Isaiah 6:1; but if
a figurative sense may be admitted of
the principal persons in the church
sometimes signified by heaven in Scripture
may be thought of; as ministers of
the word
who are pillars in the house of God; yea
every true member of the
church of God is made a pillar in it; and these tremble
and are astonished
oftentimes when the Lord rebukes them by afflictions
though it is in love and
kindness to them
Proverbs 9:1.
Job 26:12 12 He stirs up the sea with
His power
And by His understanding He breaks up the storm.
YLT
12By His power He hath
quieted the sea
And by His understanding smitten the proud.
He divideth the sea with his power
.... As at the first
creation
when the waters were caused to go off the face of the earth
and were
separated from it; and the one was called earth
and the other seas
Genesis 1:9; or it
may respect the division of those waters into divers seas and channels in the
several parts of the world
for the better accommodation of the inhabitants of
it
in respect of trade and commerce
and the more convenient supply of them
with the various produce of different countries
and the transmitting of it to
them: some have thought this has respect to the division of the Red sea for the
children of Israel to walk in as on dry land
when pursued by the Egyptians
supposed to be meant by "Rahab" in the next clause; rather it may
design the parting of the waves of the sea by a stormy wind
raised by the
power of God
which lifts up the waves on high
and divides them in the sea
and dashes them one against another; wrinkles and furrows them
as Jarchi
interprets the words
which is such an instance of the power and majesty or
God
that he is sometimes described by it
Isaiah 51:15;
though the word used is sometimes taken in a quite different sense
for the
stilling of the waves of the sea
and so it is by some rendered here
"he
stilleth the sea by his power"F2רגע הים "pacavit mare"
Bolducius; "quiescit
mare ipsum"
Vatablus; so Sept. and Ben Gersom. ; the noise of its waves
and makes them quiet
and the sea a calm
which has been exceeding boisterous
and tempestuous
and is taken notice of as an effect of his sovereign and
uncontrollable power
Psalm 65:7; and may
be observed as a proof of our Lord's divinity
whom the winds and sea obeyed
to the astonishment of the mariners
who were convinced thereby that he must be
some wonderful and extraordinary person
Matthew 8:26;
and by his understanding he smiteth through the proud; the proud
waves of the sea
and humbles them
and makes them still
as before; or the
proud monstrous creatures in it
as whales and others
particularly the
leviathan
the king over all the children of pride
Job 41:34; see Psalm 74:13. The
word used is "Rahab"
one of the names of Egypt
Psalm 87:4; and so
Jarchi interprets it of the Egyptians
who were smitten of God with various
plagues
and particularly in their firstborn; and at last at the Red sea
where
multitudes perished
and Pharaoh their proud king
with his army; who was an
emblem of the devil
whose sin
the cause of his fall and ruin
was pride; and
the picture of proud and haughty sinners
whose destruction sooner or later is
from the Lord; and which is an instance of his wisdom and understanding
who
humbles the proud
and exalts the lowly.
Job 26:13 13 By His Spirit He adorned
the heavens; His hand pierced the fleeing serpent.
YLT
13By His Spirit the heavens
He beautified
Formed hath His hand the fleeing serpent.
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens
.... The
visible heavens
with the sun
moon
and stars
with which they are studded and
bespangled
and look exceeding beautiful; and the invisible heavens
with
angels
the morning stars
and glorified saints
who especially in the
resurrection morn will shine not only like stars
but as the sun in the
firmament of heaven; and the church
which is the heaven below
is garnished
with Gospel ministers
adorned with the gifts and graces of the spirit of God:
his hand hath formed the crooked serpent; because Job
in the preceding clause has respect to the heavens and the ornament of them
this has led many to think that some constellation in the heavens is meant by
the crooked serpent
either the galaxy
or milky way
as Ben Gersom and others;
or the dragon star
as some in Aben EzraF3So Dickinson. Physic. Vet.
& Vera
c. 9. sect. 23. p. 137. : but rather Job descends again to the sea
and concludes with taking notice of the wonderful work of God
the leviathan
with which God himself concludes his discourse with him in the close of this
book
which is called as here the crooked or "bar serpent"
Isaiah 27:1; and so
the Targum understands it
"his
hand hath created leviathan
which is like unto a biting serpent.'
Some
understand it of the crocodile
and the epithet agrees with it
whether it be
rendered a "bar serpent"
as someF4נחש
בריח "serpentem vectem"
Pagninus
Cocceius;
"oblongum instar vectis"
Schmidt; "oblongum"
Junius &
Tremellius
Piscator; "longa trabe rectior". Vide Metamorph. l. 3.
Fab. 1. ver. 78. ; that is
straight
stretched out
long
as a bar
the
reverse of our version; or "fleeing"F5"Fugacem"
Montanus
Vatablus; "fugiens"
Codurcus.
as others; the crocodile
being
as PlinyF6Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 25. says
terrible to those
that flee from it
but flees from those that pursue it. Jarchi interprets it of
Pharaoh
or leviathan
both an emblem of Satan
the old serpent
the devil
who
is God's creature
made by him as a creature
though not made a serpent
or a
devil
by him
which was of himself. Some have observed the trinity of persons
in these words
and who doubtless were concerned in the creation of all things;
here is "Jehovah"
of whom the whole context is; and "his
Spirit"
who
as he moved upon the face of the waters at the first
creation
is here said to beautify and adorn the heavens; "and his
hand"; his Son
the power and wisdom of God
by whom he made all things.
Job 26:14 14 Indeed these are
the mere edges of His ways
And how small a whisper we hear of Him! But the
thunder of His power who can understand?”
YLT
14Lo
these [are] the borders
of His way
And how little a matter is heard of Him
And the thunder of His
might Who doth understand?
Lo
these are parts of his ways
.... This is
the conclusion of the discourse concerning the wonderful works of God; and Job
was so far from thinking that he had taken notice of all
or even of the chief
and principal
that what he observed were only the extremities
the edges
the
borders
and outlines of the ways and works of God in creation and providence;
wherefore
if these were so great and marvellous
what must the rest be which
were out of the reach of men to point out and describe?
but how little a portion is heard of him? from the
creatures
from the works of creation
whether in heaven
earth
or sea; for
though they do declare in some measure his glory
and though their voice is
heard everywhere
and shows forth the knowledge of him; even exhibits to view
his invisible things
his eternal power and Godhead; yet it is comparatively so
faint a light
that men grope as it were in the dark
if haply they might find
him
having nothing but the light of nature to guide them. We hear the most of
him in his word
and by his Son Jesus Christ
in whose face the knowledge of
him
and his glorious perfections
is given; and yet we know but in part
and
prophesy in part; it is but little in comparison of what is in him
and indeed
of what will be heard and known of him hereafter in eternity:
but the thunder of his power who can understand? meaning not
literally thunder
which though it is a voice peculiar to God
and is very
strong and powerful
as appears by the effects of it; see Job 40:9; yet is
not so very unintelligible as to be taken notice of so peculiarly
and to be
instanced in as above all things out
of the reach of the understanding of men;
but rather the attribute of his power
of which Job had been discoursing
and
giving so many instances of; and yet there is such an exceeding greatness in
it
as not to be comprehended and thoroughly understood by all that appear to
our view; for his mighty power is such as is able to subdue all things to
himself
and reaches to things we cannot conceive of. Ben Gersom
not amiss
applies this to the greatness and multitude of the decrees of God; and indeed
if those works of his which are in sight cannot be fully understood by us
how
should we be able to understand things that are secret and hidden in his own
breast
until by his mighty power they are carried into execution? see 1 Corinthians 2:9.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》