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Job Chapter
Twenty-nine
New King James Version (NKJV)
INTRODUCTION TO JOB 29
In
this chapter Job gives an account of his former and wishes it was with him now
as then; and which he describes with respect to his own person
and the favours
he personally enjoyed
whether temporal or spiritual
Job 29:1; with
respect to his family and domestic affairs
Job 29:5; with
regard to the esteem he had from men of every age and station
Job 29:7; the
reasons of which were the mercy and compassion he showed to the poor
the
fatherless
and the widow
and the justice he administered in the execution of
his office as a magistrate
Job 29:12; in which
honour and prosperity he expected to have lived and died
Job 29:18; and
which he further describes by the respect he had among men
and the power and
authority he exercised over them
Job 29:21.
Job 29:1 Job
further continued his discourse
and said:
YLT
1And Job addeth to lift up
his simile
and saith: --
Moreover
Job continued
his parable
.... Or "added to take it up"F17ויוסף שאת "addidit
assumere"
Montanus
Bolducius
Mercerus; "addidit tollere"
Drusius.
that is
he took it up again
and went on with his discourse; he
made a pause for awhile
waiting to observe whether any of his three friends
would return an answer to what he had said; but perceiving they were not
inclined to make any reply
he began again
and gave an account of his former
life
in order to show that he was far from being the wicked man
or being so
accounted by others
as his friends had represented him:
and said; as follows.
Job 29:2 2 “Oh
that I were as in
months past
As in the days when God watched over me;
YLT
2Who doth make me as [in]
months past
As [in] the days of God's preserving me?
Oh that I were as in
months past
.... Which is either an earnest wish for restoration to his former
state of outward prosperity; which he might desire
not through impatience and
discontent under his present circumstances
or from a carnal and worldly
spirit; but either that the present reproach he lay under from his friends
might be taken off
he observing that they accounted him a wicked man and an
hypocrite
because of his afflictions; wherefore he judged
if these were
removed
and he was in as prosperous a condition and in as good circumstances
as before
they would entertain a different opinion of him; or
that his words
might be better attended to
as they were by men
both young and old
and even
princes and nobles before
it being a common case
that what a poor and
distressed man says is not regarded; or that he might be in a capacity of doing
good to the poor and fatherless
the widow and the oppressed
as he had
formerly; or
this wish is only made to introduce the account of his former
life
by which it would appear
that he was not the man his friends had
represented him to be
from the favour he was in with God
and from the respect
shown him by men
and the many good things done by him: but since
by various
expressions
which before had dropped from his lips
it appears
that he had no
hope nor expectation of ever being restored to his former outward happiness;
this may be considered as a wish for the return of spiritual prosperity
wishing he was in as good frames of soul
and as much in the exercise of grace
and was as holy
as humble
as spiritual
and heavenly minded
as he was when
he had so much of the world about him; and that he had but the like communion
with God
and his gracious presence with him
as he had then. The state of the
Lord's people
God-ward
is always the same; his election of them stands sure;
the covenant of grace with them is unalterable; their interest in a living
Redeemer always continues; grace in them is a principle
permanent and
perpetual; but there may be
and often is
an alteration in their frames
and
in the exercise of their graces
and in the open regard of God unto them; their
graces may be low in exercise; there may be a decay of the life and power of
godliness; their frames may change
and the presence of God may be withdrawn
from them
and they may have no view of interest in salvation
at least not
have the joys of it; wherefore
when sensible of all this
may be desirous it
might be with them as it was before; that God would turn them again
and cause
his face to shine upon them
that they might be comfortable; the particulars of
Job's former case follow
which he desires a renewal of:
as in the days when God preserved me; either in a
temporal sense; God having set an hedge of special providence about him
whereby he and his
his family and substance
were remarkably preserved; but
now this was plucked up
and all were exposed to ravage and ruin; or in a
spiritual sense
as he was both secretly and openly preserved
and as all the
Lord's people are
in Christ
and in his hands
and by his power
spirit
and
grace: the Lord preserves their souls from the evil of their own hearts
sin
that dwells in them
that it shall not have the dominion over them; from the
evil that is in the world
that they shall not be overcome by it
and carried
away with if; and from the temptations of Satan
so as not to be devoured and
destroyed by him
and from a final and total falling away; he preserves them in
his own ways
safe to his kingdom and glory; but sometimes all this does not
appear so evident unto them
as it might not to Job at this time; who observed
the workings of his corruption
and the breaking out of them
in passionate
words
wishes
and curses
and the temptations of Satan
who was busy with him
to go further lengths
even to blaspheme and curse God; so that he might fear
that God his defence was departed from him
the return of which he was desirous
of; see Isaiah 49:14.
Job 29:3 3 When His lamp shone upon
my head
And when by His light I walked through darkness;
YLT
3In His causing His lamp to
shine on my head
By His light I walk [through] darkness.
When his candle shined
upon my head
.... Which may be understood either of outward prosperity
sometimes signified by a candle
Job 18:5; and may
be called the candle of the Lord
because it is from him
it is of his lighting
and setting up; and its shining on his head may denote the large measure and
degree of it possessed by him
in allusion to torches carried on high to light
with; or lamps
or candles
set up in the higher part of the house to give the
more light; or to the sun in the firmament
and especially when in its
meridian
and shines clearest right over our heads
and casts no shadow: or
else it may be understood of light in a figurative sense
not of the light of
nature in men
which
though called the candle of the Lord
Proverbs 20:27;
yet
in man's fallen state
shines not clearly; and with respect to this there
was no difference in Job than heretofore; but rather it is the light of grace
the true light
which had shone upon him and in him
but now not so clearly as
formerly
and as he could wish for; or else the word of God
which is a light
unto the feet
and a lamp to the path; or it may be
best of all
the favour of
God
the light of his countenance he had before enjoyed
having had a
comfortable display of his love
a clear view of interest in it
and had the
blessings of it bestowed upon him
and enjoyed by him; and nothing was more
desirable by him
as is by every good man
than the return of the light of
God's countenance; and that he might be remembered with his special favour
as
his people are
and as he had been in times past:
and when by his light I
walked through darkness; that is
either by the light of outward
prosperity he had escaped those calamities
distresses
and dangers
and got
over those difficulties which attended others
though now surrounded with them;
or by the light of divine grace
or of the word of God
and especially by and
in the light of God's countenance
he walked cheerfully and comfortably
without any fear of the darkness of affliction and calamities
or of the dark
valley of the shadow of death
or of the prince of darkness
or of the darkness
of hell and damnation; but now clouds of darkness being about him
and he
without the light of God's countenance
could not see the way in which he
walked and therefore wished that that again might be lifted up upon him.
Job 29:4 4 Just as I was in the days
of my prime
When the friendly counsel of God was over my tent;
YLT
4As I have been in days of
my maturity
And the counsel of God upon my tent.
As I was in the days of my
youth
.... Either taken literally
he being one like Obadiah
that
feared God from his youth upward
1 Kings 18:3; or
figuratively
for his former state of prosperity
when he was like a tree in
autumn laden with ripe and rich fruit
and in great abundance; and so some
render the words "in the days of my autumn"
or "autumnity"F18בימי חרפי "in autumno dierum
mearum"
Hottinger. Thesaur. Phiolog. p. 507. "in diebus autumnitatis
meae"
Schultens; so the word signifies in Arabic
vid. Golium
col. 1415.
Lud. Capell. in loc. ; though it may respect the time of his first conversion
the infancy and youth of his spiritual state
who
when first regenerated
was
as a newborn babe
and then became a young man
and now a father in Christ
his
living Redeemer: and Job wishes it was with him as in his youth
or in the
early days of his conversion
at which season
generally speaking
there are
great zeal and fervency of spirit
a flow of love and affection to God and the
best things; large discoveries of his love
much sensible communion with him
and enjoyment of his presence; wherefore such returning seasons are desirable;
see Jeremiah 2:2;
when the secret of God was upon my tabernacle; either the
secret power and providence of God
which was upon his house and family
and
all that belonged to him; or the secret of his love
which was manifested to
him
and is from everlasting to everlasting on them that fear the Lord
as Job
did; who had secret communion with God
his fellowship was with him; he dwelt
in the secret place of the Almighty
and was taken into his secret chambers
where he had the greatest familiarity with him
see Psalm 25:14. Some
observe the word for "secret" is used for an "assembly"F19בסוד "in societate Dei"
Pagninus
Beza;
"societas Dei"
i.e. "con gregatio"
Bolducius; so Jarchi.
and take the sense to be
that the assembly of the saints and people of God
was in his tabernacle or house; there they met together for religious worship
and where Job had often a comfortable opportunity
and wishes for the same
again
see Psalm 42:1.
Job 29:5 5 When the Almighty was
yet with me
When my children were around me;
YLT
5When yet the Mighty One
[is] with me. Round about me -- my young ones
When the Almighty was
yet with me
.... Not merely by his powerful and providential presence
as he
is with all men; but in a special manner by his gracious presence
which is a
wonderful and distinguishing favour; but sometimes the people of God are
without it
at least they think so
and which was now Job's case
see Job 23:2; and
therefore he desires he would return to him
and show him his face and favour:
when my children were
about me; as olive plants about his table
in their youth; when he looked
at them with great delight and pleasure
as his growing hopes; and
when grown
up
and were not far from him
but were round about him
and lay near his
heart
and whose welfare
temporal and spiritual
he was solicitous for; but
now they were all taken away from him
and were no more: the word for
"children" signifies also "servants"F20נערי "juvenes mei"
Tigurine version; "vel
famuli vel filii"
Mercerus
Drusius; so Jarchi.
and may take in them
of whom he had many to do his work and business; to attend upon him
to wait
his orders
and execute them
and guard his person; but now many of them were
slain by the Sabeans and Chaldeans
and by fire from heaven; and those he had
were very disrespectful to him
see Job 19:15.
Job 29:6 6 When my steps were bathed
with cream
[a] And the
rock poured out rivers of oil for me!
YLT
6When washing my goings with
butter
And the firm rock [is] with me rivulets of oil.
When I washed my steps
with butter
.... Not the steps of his house or palace; for to have done this
or his servants by his orders
as it would have been a very great impropriety
so a piece of great prodigality
which Job could never have been guilty of; but
either his footsteps
the prints of his feet; and the sense be
that his cattle
produced such a vast quantity of milk
that when his servants brought it from
the fields to the dairy
their milk pails ran over in such abundance
that Job
could not step out of his house
and take a walk in his fields
but he stepped
into puddles of milk
of which butter was made: this is an exaggerated phrase
like that by which the land of Canaan is described as "flowing with milk and
honey"; or rather this is to be understood of the washing of his feet
which are the instruments of stepping or walking. It was usual in those times
in the eastern countries
to wash their feet upon travelling
or at festivals;
but then this was commonly done with water
not with butter
see Genesis 18:4; and
the meaning can only be
that Job had such abundance of milk
or butter made of
it
that he could
if he would
have washed his feet in it; indeed
they had
used to anoint the feet with ointment; but whether cream or butter was any
ingredient in it
and so the part is put for the whole
is not certain
see Luke 7:38
Job 12:3; besides
that would have been more properly expressed by anointing than washing; it
seems to be an hyperbole
an expression like that of Zophar
in Job 20:17;
signifying the vast abundance of the increase and produce of Job's kine; who is
said to wash his feet in milk or butter
as Asher is said to dip his feet in
oil
because of the great plenty of it
Deuteronomy 33:24;
the spiritual meditation upon the words may be this; the feet of the best of
saints need washing
there being many failings and infirmities in their walk
and conversation; in which they gather much pollution and faith daily; the
proper wash for this is the blood of Christ
of which the layer in the tabernacle
and temple was a type
at which the priests washed their hands and feet; but
the word of God
called the sincere milk of the word
is the instrument or
means of washing
or of directing souls to the fountain opened to wash in; so
that with respect to that
the feet of saints
as the eyes of Christ
may be
said to be washed with milk:
and the rock poured me out rivers of oil; another
hyperbolical expression
like that in Deuteronomy 32:13
where honey is said to be sucked out of the rock
and oil out of the flinty
rock; as honey may be got out of a rock
because bees may make their nests and
hives there
where it is laid up by them; so oil
in like manner
may be had
from the flinty rock
olive trees growing on hills
mountains
and rocks
which
yield oil in great abundance; near Jerusalem was a mount called Olivet
from
thence: the land of Edom
or Idumea
where Job lived
abounded with cragged
mountains and rocks; and there might be in Job's estate such on which olive
trees grew in great plenty
as to produce vast quantities of oil: it is a very
fanciful thought of Bolducius
that this rock was no other than a stone vessel
in which was oil
somewhat like the alabaster box in Matthew 26:7; and
which was plentifully poured on Job
when he was anointed high priest; and
another learned manF21Fortunat. Schacch. Elaeochrysm. Myroth. l. 2.
c. 79. p. 715.
though he rejects the notion of its being a vessel for sacred
use
yet is willing to allow it was an oil vessel for common use: as to the
spiritual sense
it may be observed
that a rock in Scripture often signifies a
divine Person
1 Corinthians 10:4;
it is an emblem of Christ
as oil also is of the Spirit of God and his grace
Matthew 25:3; and
which flows from Christ
who is full thereof
and that in such great abundance
as to be expressed by rivers; see John 1:14.
Job 29:7 7 “When I went out to the
gate by the city
When I took my seat in the open square
YLT
7When I go out to the gate
by the city
In a broad place I prepare my seat.
When I went out to the
gate through the city
.... Job having described his former state of happiness by the
personal favours he enjoyed
and by the prosperity of his family
and his
abundance of plenty at home
proceeds to give an account of the honour and
respect he had from men of every age and rank abroad: though he had an
affluence of the things of this world
he did not indulge himself at home in
ease and sloth; but went abroad to take care of the public welfare
maintain
public peace
and administer public justice among his neighbours; performing
the office of a civil magistrate
which is often expressed in Scripture by
going in and out before the people: Job went out from his own house to the gate
of the city
where a court of judicature was kept
as it was usual in those
times and countries to hold them in the gates of the city; see Zechariah 8:16; and
to which he passed through the city
very probably
in great pomp and
splendour
suitable to his office and character
which drew the eyes and
attention of the people to him; by which it should seem that his house was on
one side of the city
and the gate where justice was administered was on the
other; though it may be rendered
"over the city"F15עלי קלת "super
civitatem"
Pagninus
Montanus
Schmidt; "super urbe"
Schultens.
and the sense be
that he passed along as he that was over the
city
the chief man in it
and president of the court of justice
see 2 Kings 10:5;
when I prepared my
seat in the street; where he sat
not as a teacher
though he was an instructor
not
only of his family
but of his neighbours
as Eliphaz himself testifies
Job 4:3; and it was
usual for such to have seats to sit upon
as those had who succeeded Moses
and
are said to sit in his chair; and it was usual to call to men and instruct them
in open public places; hence Wisdom is said to utter her voice in the streets
in the opening of the gates
at the entry of the city
at the coming in at the
doors
Proverbs 1:20; but
Job here speaks of himself as a civil magistrate
as a judge upon the bench
who had a seat or throne erected for him to sit upon
while he was hearing and
trying causes; and this was set up in the street under the open air
before the
gate of the city
where the whole city might be convened together
and hear and
see justice done to their neighbours; in such a street
before the gate of the
city
Ezra read the law to Israel; and in such an one Hezekiah got the people
of Israel together
and spoke comfortably to them when invaded by Sennacherib;
see Nehemiah 8:2; and
the Arabs
to this day
hold their courts of justice in an open place under the
heavens
as in a field
or in a market placeF16Norden's Travels in
Egypt and Nubia
vol. 2. p. 140
141
158. See Joseph. Antiqu. l. 18. c. 5.
sect. 6. ; and it is right that courts of justice should be open and accessible
to all.
Job 29:8 8 The young men saw me and
hid
And the aged arose and stood;
YLT
8Seen me have youths
and
they
been hidden
And the aged have risen -- they stood up.
The young men saw me
and
hid themselves
.... Through a veneration of him; which was much
since young
men
through a vain conceit and opinion of themselves
are apt to treat their
superiors in age with slight
neglect
and contempt; or through fear
lest he
should spy them
and call them to him
and examine them closely concerning
their conduct and behaviour
and reprove them for their youthful follies he
might have knowledge of:
and the aged arose and stood up; as he passed
by them
to show their respect unto him; or when he came into court
they rose
up
and continued standing until he had took his seat; and even then kept the
same posture
attending to his counsel and instruction
to his definitive
sentence and decision of matters in debate; though they were venerable persons
themselves
and such as before whom young men were to arise
Leviticus 19:32;
and were also men of wisdom and prudence
Job 12:12; yet
these men rose and stood up
paying a deference to Job's superior sense and
judgment.
Job 29:9 9 The princes refrained from
talking
And put their hand on their mouth;
YLT
9Princes have kept in words
And a hand they place on their mouth.
The princes refrained talking
.... Who were
in court before Job came in
and were either talking with one another about
indifferent matters
or were giving their opinion in a case before them; but no
sooner did Job make his appearance
but they left off talking
and would not
proceed any further; they laid a restraint upon their words
and curbed
themselves from speaking any more till they had heard his opinion:
and laid their hand on their mouth; as a token of
silence
Judges 18:19.
Job 29:10 10 The voice of nobles was
hushed
And their tongue stuck to the roof of their mouth.
YLT
10The voice of leaders hath
been hidden
And their tongue to the palate hath cleaved.
The nobles held their
peace
.... These may be in some respects inferior to the others; not
princes of the blood
or sons of kings
who were properly princes
and yet
great personages
of a noble extraction
and of considerable families: some
think the leaders and generals of armies are meant
commanders and captains
and such like military officers
those sons of Mars
who are generally bold and
daring
boisterous and blustering
and full of talk; and yet even these held
their peace in the presence of Job:
or their "voice was hid"F18נחבאו "occultabatur"
Drusius; "occultabat
se"
Piscator. ; it could not be heard:
and their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth; so that they
had no use of it
and it was as if they had none
see Ezekiel 3:26. Here
are various expressions made use of
signifying the profound silence of great
personages while Job was present; and this silence was owing either to a
consciousness of their own weakness
and lest they should
by speaking before
him
betray it
and he should expose them; or to the desire they had of hearing
Job's opinion first
which was as an oracle to them
and usually determined
matters in debate before them; such high sentiments did they entertain of Job's
good sense and abilities.
Job 29:11 11 When the ear heard
then
it blessed me
And when the eye saw
then it approved me;
YLT
11For the ear heard
and
declareth me happy
And the eye hath seen
and testifieth [to] me.
When the ear heard me
then it blessed me
.... The ear of the common people assembled together to hear
causes tried
and how they would go; when they heard Job give his opinion in
court
or the definitive sentence passed by him as a judge
they all applauded
his wisdom and justice; they highly praised and commended him; in which sense
the word "blessed" is used
Proverbs 31:28; or
they wished a blessing on him; they prayed for his welfare
as it becomes
people to do for those that are in authority
especially wise and faithful
magistrates; or they accounted him a blessed man
and called him so
Luke 1:48; as he
was
both in a temporal sense
being blessed with a great plenty of earthly
things
and also blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ
with an
abundance of grace
and with a title to eternal glory; as well as he was blessed
as a magistrate
with great wisdom
and with great integrity and uprightness in
the discharge of his office:
and when the eye saw me
it gave witness to me: of his
gracefulness and gravity
of his honesty and faithfulness
of his good
behaviour among his neighbours
and of his wise conduct in the courts of
judicature.
Job 29:12 12 Because I delivered the
poor who cried out
The fatherless and the one who had no helper.
YLT
12For I deliver the afflicted
who is crying
And the fatherless who hath no helper.
Because I delivered the
poor that cried
.... This honour and esteem he had not because of his grandeur
and riches
because of his worldly wealth and substance
but because of the
goodness of his disposition
and because of the good he did to men
his acts of
pity and compassion to the poor
and of the justice he did to all men; the poor
and the afflicted
when they cried to him for help
he delivered them out of
the hands of their oppressors:
and the fatherless; the care and defence of which belongs to
judges and civil magistrates
see Psalm 82:1;
and him that had none to
help him; as the poor and fatherless seldom have; there is power on the
side of the oppressors of them
but they have few or none to take their parts
and to be their comforters
Ecclesiastes 4:1;
in these instances Job imitated God
and was a follower of him
as a dear child
of his; who
when this and the other poor man cries unto him
he hears
saves
and delivers out of all their troubles; he is the helper
yea
the father of
the fatherless
and the judge of the widow; and
when there is no help from
men
he is a present help in times of need.
Job 29:13 13 The blessing of a
perishing man came upon me
And I caused the widow’s heart to sing for
joy.
YLT
13The blessing of the
perishing cometh on me
And the heart of the widow I cause to sing.
The blessing of him that
was ready to perish came upon me
.... That were ready to
perish through the oppression of others
or through want of the necessaries of
life
or through false charges brought
and through false witness bore against
them
and so liable to a sentence of condemnation to death
or having it passed
upon them; but Job taking their part
and searching thoroughly into their
cause
not only respited them from destruction
but cleared them from the
charges laid against them
and which brought the blessing of those persons on
him; who blessed God for him
and blessed him
wished a blessing on him in
their prayers to God
who had been such a happy instrument of their deliverance
from ruin and destruction; see Proverbs 24:11;
and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy; by relieving
her wants
defending her cause
and punishing those that oppressed her; which
is the reverse of the character Eliphaz gives of Job
Job 22:9.
Job 29:14 14 I put on righteousness
and it clothed me; My justice was like a robe and a turban.
YLT
14Righteousness I have put on
and it clotheth me
As a robe and a diadem my justice.
I put on righteousness
and it clothed me
.... Not the righteousness of his living Redeemer
the robe of
righteousness and garment of salvation he had from him; though he had put on
that by faith
and it was his clothing in the sight of God
which covered his
person
and covered all his sins from the avenging eye of divine justice; and
in which he was presented before God unblamable and irreprovable in his sight
and with which he was adorned and beautified
being made perfectly comely
through it
and completely justified by it; but legal righteousness in the
administration of his office as a magistrate; he put it on
that is
he
exercised it
and he exercised it constantly from morning tonight
and day
after day; as a man puts on his clothes in a morning
and keeps them on all the
day
and which he is always repeating; and it was as visible in him
and to be
seen and observed by all
as the clothes on his back; and it covered him all
over as a garment does; no blemish was to be seen in him
or blame to be cast
upon him
throughout the whole course of his administration; and this was a
fence unto him against all calumny and reproach
as garments are against the
inclemency of the weather; see 1 Samuel 12:3; so a
godly conversation in the exercise of graces and virtues
and in the
performance of duties both to God and man
is sometimes expressed by a putting them
on
as garments are put on; see Ephesians 4:24; and
these are an outward clothing to appear in before men
and should be shown
forth with meekness and wisdom
so as to be beheld by men; and should be
continually exercised and constantly performed; and then they are a covering
with respect to men
and they appear harmless
blameless
and without rebuke
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation; and thus
by well doing
put
to silence the ignorance of foolish men
and such to the blush
those who
falsely accuse their good conversation: and this in every sense was Job's case:
my judgment was as a robe and diadem; such as the
high priest among the Jews wore in the execution of his office
which made him
look grand and majestic; and it was usual in Job's time
as it is in ours
and
has been the custom in all ages and countries
for judges and civil magistrates
to be clothed in a different manner from others
as it is proper they should
to command an awe and reverence of them among the common people
and make them
respectable to them: but Job did not so much regard his purple robe he was clad
in
or the distinguishing turban he wore on his head
or whatever it was
and
which might bear some resemblance to a mitre or a diadem; as it was his great
concern to administer justice
which he reckoned his greatest honour
and was
more ornamental to him than all the showy ensigns of his office; and it was
this which gave him honour and esteem among all sorts of men
high and low: and
his regard to the poor
before observed
did not arise from a foolish
commiseration of them as poor men
and in order to get himself a name for his
pity to them
but proceeded upon a principle of justice and equity
which he
made the rule of his administration; he did not countenance the poor in his
cause right or wrong; not the quality of the person
but the righteousness of
his cause
was what he attended to; and he took his part not merely because he
was a poor man
but seeing his cause was just.
Job 29:15 15 I was eyes to the
blind
And I was feet to the lame.
YLT
15Eyes I have been to the
blind
And feet to the lame [am] I.
I was eyes to the blind
.... Either in
a literal sense: there was a law in Israel against putting a stumbling block
before the blind
and a curse pronounced on those that caused them to wander
out of the way; which implied that they ought to remove all impediments out of
their way
and should lead
guide
and direct them in the right way; and this
Job might do
if not in his own person
yet by his servants
and so was as eyes
unto them
and especially by taking care of and providing for persons in such
circumstances: or rather in a civil sense; such who were in perplexity and
distress
oppressed by their neighbours
but did not know how to get justice
done them
what steps to take
or methods to pursue
to obtain their right or
secure it; these Job instructed with his good advice and counsel
and put them
into a way of proceeding whereby they could be extricated out of their
difficulties
and peaceably enjoy their own
see Numbers 10:31
and
it might be true of him in a spiritual sense; that he was eyes to his blind
Heathen neighbours among whom he dwelt; who were ignorant of God
and of the
living Redeemer
and of the way of life and salvation by him
and of their
miserable and lost estate
and of their need of a Saviour; not being acquainted
with the nature of sin
and the sad consequences of it
and with the way of
atonement for it
nor with the mind and will of God
and the worship of him;
all which he might be a means of enlightening their minds with: Eliphaz owns he
instructed many
Job 4:3; thus
ministers of the Gospel are eyes to the blind; for though they cannot give
eyes
or spiritual sight to men
which is only from the Lord
yet they may be
instruments of opening blind eyes
and of turning men from darkness to light
as the word preached by them is a means of "enlightening the eyes"
Acts 26:18; whereby
men come to see their lost estate
and the way of salvation by Christ:
and feet was I to the lame; either in a literal
sense
as David was to Mephibosheth
when he sent for and maintained him at his
own table
so that he had no occasion to seek for his bread elsewhere
2 Samuel 9:13; and
Job might make a provision in some way or another for such sort of persons: or
rather in a civil sense
such who were engaged in law suits
and had justice on
their side
but for want of friends or money
or both
could not carry them on;
these Job supported and supplied
and carried them through their suits
and got
their cause for them.
Job 29:16 16 I was a father to
the poor
And I searched out the case that I did not know.
YLT
16A father I [am] to the
needy
And the cause I have not known I search out.
I was a father to
the poor
.... Not in a literal sense; for his children were rich as well
as himself
while he had them; but in a civil sense
he was the patron of the
poor; he was an advocate for them
he took their part
he pleaded their cause
defended their persons
and secured the little property they had; he had the
pity and compassion of a father for them
and supplied their wants; he fed them
and clothed them; he did not eat his morsel alone
but gave them part of it
and warmed them with the fleece of his flock:
and the cause which I knew not I searched out; any cause
that was brought before him
he knew thing of before
and which
upon the
opening of it
did not appear plain and easy
but had its difficulties; this he
closely examined
and searched thoroughly into the merits of
till it appeared
plain to him on which side the truth and justice of it lay; he did not hurry it
over
and pass sentence
having only in a superficial manner considered it
as
is too often the case; but after a long examination of the contending parties
and of the witnesses on both sides
to whom he gave an impartial hearing
he
pronounced the decisive sentence; see Proverbs 25:2. Some
think this refers to his diligent search and inquiry after causes that were not
brought before him; he did
not wait for application to be made to him
but
hearing of
or upon inquiry finding
that there were persons oppressed and
distressed by cruel men
he of himself voluntarily offered his assistance
searched into their cause
made himself master of it
and freed them from their
distresses; so different were his behaviour and character from that of the
unjust judge
Luke 18:1; though
others
choose to render the words
"the cause of him that I knew
not"
&c.F20ידעתי "quem non
cognoveram"
Junius & Tremellius
Michaelis; "ignotissimi"
Schultens. ; of a stranger
of one that he had never seen before
of one that
was most unknown to him in the world; the cause of such an one he took as
much
pains with to get the true knowledge of
and do justice to
as of the dearest
relation
the nearest neighbour
and the most intimate friend and acquaintance
that he had.
Job 29:17 17 I broke the fangs of the
wicked
And plucked the victim from his teeth.
YLT
17And I break the jaw-teeth
of the perverse
And from his teeth I cast away prey.
And I brake the jaws of
the wicked
.... Their jaw teeth
or grinders
alluding to beasts of prey
who have such teeth
very large; the meaning may be
that Job confuted the
arguments which wicked men made use of in their own defence
and against the
poor
exposed the weakness of them
and made them ineffectual to answer their
purposes; disabled tyrants and cruel oppressors from doing any further hurt and
damage to the fatherless and helpless; was an instrument in the hand of God of
breaking the power
and weakening the hands of such persons
and hindering them
from doing the mischief they otherwise would; see Proverbs 30:14;
and plucked the spoil out of his teeth; as David took
the lamb out of the mouth of the bear and lion that came into his father's
flock
and carried it off: thus Job delivered the poor out of the hands of such
monsters in nature
comparable to beasts of prey
and saved them from being
utterly ruined by them
and obliged them to restore unto them what they had in
an unrighteous manner taken from them.
Job 29:18 18 “Then I said
‘I shall die
in my nest
And multiply my days as the sand.
YLT
18And I say
`With my nest I
expire
And as the sand I multiply days.'
Then I said
I shall die
in my nest
.... Job
amidst all his prosperity
knew he should die
death
and the grave being appointed for all men; and he often thought of it
and of
the manner of it; but he concluded that death was as yet some distance from
him
as appears from the following clause; and that
when the time was come
he
should not die on the ground
but in the city in which he livedF13So
Rufus Virginius used to call the villa where he dwelt
"Senectutio suae
Nidulum"
Plin. l. 6. Ep. 10.
in his house
and on his bed; that he
should die with all his children about him
like a bird in its nest full of
young; whereas now he was stripped of them all
and likely to die childless;
that he should die amidst all his outward enjoyments
in an affluence of good
things
in honour
credit
and esteem among men; whereas now he was deprived of
all his substance
and had in contempt by friends and foes; and that he should
die in great tranquillity of mind and peace of soul
in the enjoyment of the
divine Presence
and under rich discoveries of his love and grace; whereas now
God had hid himself from him
and the arrows of the Almighty stuck fast in him.
Job now had dropped his former confidence
and yet after all he did die in all
the circumstances he believed he should; see Job 42:10; and this
confidence might rise not from any mercenary spirit in him
as if this would be
the fruit and reward of his integrity and uprightness
justice and
faithfulness
and as due to him on that account; but from the promises of God
which to the patriarchs were usually of temporal blessings
as types of
spiritual ones; though it may be there was in this somewhat of the infirmity of
the flesh
as in David
Psalm 30:7; and an
inattention to the uncertainty of all temporal enjoyments; nor might he then be
so well acquainted with the doctrine of the cross he now had an experience of:
and I shall multiply my days as the sand; which is not
to be numbered; an hyperbolical expression
to denote the long life he expected
to enjoy
and which was promised to good men; and which Job
notwithstanding
his present despair of it
was favoured and satisfied with
Psalm 91:16. Some
versions render it
"as the phoenix"F14כחול
"sicut phoenix"
Pagninus; so Mercerus
Piscator.
a bird of that
name
spoken of by many writers as a very long lived one; some say it lived
five hundred yearsF15Herodot Euterpe
sive l. 2. c. 73. Pompon. Mela
de situ Orbis
l. 6. c. 58. Tacit. Annal. l. 6. c. 28.
others five hundred
fortyF16Solin. Polyhistor. c. 46.
others six hundred sixtyF17Plin.
Nat. Hist. l. 10. c. 2. ; yea
some
and so the Jewish writers
as Jarchi and
othersF18Bereshit Rabba
sect. 19. fol. 15. 2. Yalkut in loc. par.
1. fol. 152. 2.
make it to live a thousand years
and some sayF19Vid.
Texelii Phoenix. l. 2. c. 1. p. 140. more; and it is reported of it
though not
with sufficient evidence
that there is never but one of the kind at a time;
which
perceiving its end drawing near
it makes a nest of cassia
frankincense
and other spices
and sets fire to it
and burns itself in it
and that out of its ashes comes forth an egg
which produces another; and some
of the ancient writers
as TertullianF20De Resurrectione
c. 13.
Vid. Clement. Rom. Ep. 1. ad Corinth. p. 60. & Felli Not. in ib.
particularly
have made use of this as an emblem of the resurrection; and to
which some think Job has here respect; that he should live long like this bird
and then die and rise again; but inasmuch as this seems to be a fabulous bird
and that there is not
nor ever was
any such in being
it cannot well be
thought that Job should allude unto it; though his making mention of his nest
in the former clause
may seem to favour it
and which has induced some to give
into itF21Vid. Tentzelii Dissert. de Phoenice
&c. sect. 5. :
others render it
"as the palm tree"F23
ωσπερ στελεχος φοινικος
Sept. "sicut palma"
V. L. ;
between which and the phoenix there is thought to be some likeness on account
of durationF24Plin. Nat. Hist. l. 13. c. 4.
and both in the Greek
tongue have the same name; the palm tree is an evergreen
and endures a long
time; PlinyF25Ib. l. 16. c. 44. speaks of a palm tree in his time at
Delos
said to have been there from the days of Apollo
which is supposed to be
1400 years; and it is observedF26Vid. Scheuchzer. Physic. Sacr. l.
vol. 4. p. 757. that this tree does continue two or three hundred years; and
this version may seem to be countenanced and confirmed by what follows: but
since the Hebrew word here used is never used but of sand
it is best so to
understand it here
seeing it as fully answers Job's purpose; which was to
express his confidence of a very long life. Sand is frequently used in
Scripture for what is innumerable; so ψαμμοκοσια
in AristophanesF1Acharnes Act. 1. Sc. 1. & Scholia in ib.
for
what cannot be numbered
and are equal to a mountain of sand.
Job 29:19 19 My root is spread
out to the waters
And the dew lies all night on my branch.
YLT
19My root is open unto the
waters
And dew doth lodge on my branch.
My root was spread
out by the waters
.... According to our version and others
Job here
and in the
following verses
gives the reasons of his hope and confidence of his long
life
and quiet and comfortable death amidst all his prosperity and happiness;
which were founded upon his flourishing circumstances
and the great respect
that was shown him among men; and this is the sense
if we read the words in
the past tense
as we and many others do; or in the present tense
"my
root is spread"
&c. as others; but there are some interpreters
both
Jewish and ChristianF2Jarchi
Ben Gerson
Bar Tzemach
Schmidt
Schultens.
that render them in the future tense
here and to the end of the
chapter; and so they are a continuation of Job's hope and trust
in the times
of his prosperity
that things would always continue as they were with him
and
much more abundantly; and indeed all is true of Job
in every sense
and all
may be taken into the account; and that these words
and the following
as they
describe what had been
and at the then present time
when he concluded the
above in his mind
was his case
so they may also declare what he believed
would be always his case to the end of his days. Here he compares himself to a
tree well rooted and happily situated by plenty of water
and which may be
expressive both of his temporal and spiritual prosperity: his outward
prosperity seemed to him to have been well settled and established
being like
a tree that had taken root
and was like to continue
being watered with the
favour and blessing of God
which maketh rich; and as to his spiritual estate
he was like a tree planted by a river of water
to which good men are often
compared in Scripture
Psalm 1:3; they are
in general called trees of righteousness
and are sometimes likened to
particular trees
as to olives
cedars
and palm trees; and some think
as
Pineda
that it is to the latter Job here has respect; the last clause of Job 29:18 being in
the Latin Vulgate version so rendered as to countenance this sense; and it may
be observed that this tree having thick long leaves
and fruit full of juice
and its wood spongy
requires much water; and
as PlinyF3Nat. Hist.
l. 13. 4. says
delights in watery places; nor is it content with rain
but is
better satisfied with waters flowing about it; hence it is often found
necessary to dig about it
and lay its roots open
that the waters may more
easily come at them
and flow about themF4Palladius apud Scheuchzer
ut supra (Physic. Sacr. l. vol. 4.)
p. 759. and so the words here in the
original text are
"my root" was
is
or shall be "open to the
waters"F5פתוח אלי
מים "aperta ad aquas"
Montanus
Bolducius
Mercerus
Cocceius
Schmidt
Michaelis
Schultens. : good men
as they are
rooted in the love of God
and in the person of Christ
so they have
as Job
had
the root of the matter in them
the truth of grace
or a principle of
grace; which is watered
and kept alive and flourishing
by the love and favour
of God shed abroad in the heart; by fresh supplies of grace out of the fulness
of Christ
who is the fountain of gardens
and well of living waters; and by
the means of grace
the word and ordinances
the still waters to which saints
are led
and by which they are made to lie down
and where they are watered
refreshed
and comforted:
and the dew lay all night upon my branch; so that the
water being at his root below
and the dew on his branch above
he must be in a
fruitful and flourishing condition: the dew is a great blessing to the earth
to trees
herbs
and plants
and the cause of great fertility; and this may
respect Job's temporal happiness
in the health and prosperity of his children
who were to him what branches are to a tree; and in the affluence of worldly
good things
with which through the blessing of God
as dew upon him
he
abounded; and may also have regard to his spiritual affairs: believers in
Christ are branches in him
as Job was one; and the dew of divine grace and
favour lies upon them continually
even in the darkest seasons; which revives
and refreshes their souls
and makes them fruitful in the exercise of grace
and performance of good works; see Proverbs 19:12; the
dew falls in the night
and the sooner it fails the longer it lies
and is most
useful: some render the words "upon my harvest"
or
"mowing"F6בקצירי "in messe
mea"
Montanus
Tigurine version; "in segete mea"
Cocceius; so
the Targum. ; the dew is of great use in harvest time; mowers and reapers
choose the morning to work in
when the stalks are moistened by the dew; and which
is of use to keep the ears of corn from shedding by swelling the fibres
and so
retaining the grains in their proper placesF7Vid. Scheuchzer
ut
supra. (Physic. Sacr. l. vol. 4. p. 759.) ; see Isaiah 18:4.
Job 29:20 20 My glory is fresh
within me
And my bow is renewed in my hand.’
YLT
20My honour [is] fresh with
me
And my bow in my hand is renewed.
My glory was
....
"Is" or "shall be";
fresh in me; or "new"F7חדש
"nova"
Mercerus
Piscator
Michaelis
Schultens. ; renewed day by
day
having fresh additions made unto it; which was true of Job's temporal
honour from among men; as a prince and civil magistrate
he had the honour
given him that was due unto him
and this was continually increasing; and also
of his spiritual glory
which lay
as every good man's glory does
in the grace
of God wrought in him
and in the righteousness of Christ put upon him
Psalm 45:9; which
grace is renewed and increased in them by the Holy Spirit
and is therefore
called the renewing of the Holy Ghost; and which righteousness is revealed
"from faith to faith"
Romans 1:17
from a
lesser degree of it to a greater:
and my bow was renewed in my hand; "is" or
"shall be"; meaning either his authority as a civil magistrate
increasing daily to the terror of evildoers
and to the praise
profit
and
defence of them that did well; or his strength
as Gersom interprets it
his
spiritual strength
as in Isaiah 40:31; where
the same word is used as here; so that he grew stronger and stronger in faith
and other graces
and went from strength to strength; the bow was a warlike
instrument
and required strength to draw it
and is put for it; see Genesis 48:22.
Job 29:21 21 “Men listened to me
and waited
And kept silence for my counsel.
YLT
21To me they have hearkened
Yea
they wait
and are silent for my counsel.
Unto me men gave
ear
.... Or give ear
or shall give ear
being all ear; all attention
to him
listening to what he said with the utmost diligence and earnestness;
even all sorts of men
high and low
rich and poor
princes
nobles
and common
people; this they had done
and Job concluded they still would do the same; see
Job 29:9;
and waited; patiently
without any weariness
with pleasure and delight
without giving any interruption
or wishing his discourse was ended; and though
continuing ever so long
were not impatient until it was finished:
and kept silence at my counsel; which was the thing
waited for
and which when given
it was to the highest satisfaction; they
acquiesced in it
and showed their approbation of it by their silence
not
having anything to object to it
any alteration to be made in it
or any thing
to be added to it; but being so complete and full
they were ready to take it
at once
and act according to it; Job's counsel being like that of Ahithophel
which was as the oracle of God
2 Samuel 16:23.
Job 29:22 22 After my words they did
not speak again
And my speech settled on them as dew.
YLT
22After my word they change
not
And on them doth my speech drop
After my words they spake
not again
.... Did not or would not make any reply to them; they did not
attempt to change and alter them
to add unto them
or take from them
or in
any wise to correct them
and much less to contradict them
and treat them with
contempt; or "differed not"
as Mr. Broughton renders it; differed
not from them
but agreed to them; and differed not among themselves
but
united in what Job said
as being full to the purpose
after which nothing more
could be said; see Ecclesiastes 2:12;
and my speech dropped upon them; his prophecy
as Jarchi
prophesying being expressed by dropping
Amos 7:16; his
doctrine dropped from his lips like the honeycomb
and was sweet
grateful
and
delightful to his hearers
as the church's lips
Song of Solomon 4:11;
or rather like the rain
as in Deuteronomy 32:2
when it falls and drops gently and easily
and so penetrates and soaks into the
earth
and abides and does good: in like manner
when good and sound doctrine
drops upon the hearers
so as to enter into their hearts
and work effectually
in them
it does them good
and they rejoice at it
and are far from having
anything to say against it.
Job 29:23 23 They waited for me as
for the rain
And they opened their mouth wide as for the spring rain.
YLT
23And they wait as [for] rain
for me
And their mouth they have opened wide [As] for the latter rain.
And they waited for me as
for the rain
.... The former rain
as appears by the following clause
which
fell in autumn
about October
after seedtime
in order to nourish and cherish
it
and bring it up; now as the husbandman waited for this
was in daily
expectation of it
and greatly desired it
and longed for it; see James 5:7; so the
people waited for Job
for his coming into their public assemblies
whether
civil or religious
and longed to hear him speak
for their counsel and
instruction
for their comfort and direction in all things they stood in need
of:
and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain; which fell in
the spring about March
in the time of harvest
which was of use to fatten the
kernals of grain
and make them fuller
and the flour finer; now Job's hearers
opened their mouths
as the dry and parched earth gapes for rain; or the
husbandman
or the gardener
as the Targum
opens his mouth
and asks and prays
for rain; or as a hungry and thirsty man opens his mouth to take in
refreshment
or expresses thereby his desire of it; or as persons somewhat deaf
open their mouths to hear the better
there being a way through the mouth to
the internal ear
as anatomistsF8Scheuchzer
ut supra. (Physic.
Sacr. l. vol. 4. p. 759.) observe; which lies through the Eustachian tube
out
of the palate
to the internal cavity of the ear
called the
"concha"; wherefore such persons naturally open their mouths when
they would hear attentively; all which expresses the eager desire of Job's
hearers after his doctrine
which
like the rain
would be useful
profitable
and edifying to them; their view was not to indulge their curiosity
to please
their ears
but to affect their hearts
and instruct their minds.
Job 29:24 24 If
I mocked at them
they did not believe it
And the light of my
countenance they did not cast down.
YLT
24I laugh unto them -- they
give no credence
And the light of my face cause not to fall.
If I laughed on them
they believed it not
.... Not that
he at any time laughed at them
by way of derision; but when in a cheerful
frame of mind
or in a merry mood
he used freedom and familiarity
and jested
with them; but they could not believe that he did jest
or was in jest
he
being a man always of such gravity and seriousness
that they concluded the
smile on his countenance
and the pleasant turn of his expression
had a
serious meaning in them; or such familiarity with them was so pleasing to them
that they could scarcely for joy believe that he did condescend to indulge such
an air of pleasantry: or as Mr. Broughton renders it
and so some others to the
same sense
"they would not be bold"F9לא
יאמינו "non tamen sibi sumebant audaciam"
Michaelis; "neque tam audaces fiunt"
Reimar apud Schultens. ;
familiarity with them did not breed contempt
as it sometimes does; they did
not presume upon it
and grow bold and insolent
and make him their equal
and
jest with him again; but still there was an awe upon them
and they behaved
with reverence to him; and to show how great it was is the design of the
expression:
and the light of my countenance they cast not down; they did not
ruffle his mind
or disturb the serenity of it; or cause him to change his
countenance
through any bold and indecent behaviour towards him
encouraged by
the freedom and pleasantry he used with them; they did not put him to shame
or
provoke him to anger and displeasure by any unbecoming deportment; they kept
their distance
they did not detract from his authority and majesty
or in the
least lessen that
but behaved with the same reverence and regard to him they
ever did; see Genesis 4:6.
Job 29:25 25 I chose the way for them
and sat as chief; So I dwelt as a king in the army
As one who comforts
mourners.
YLT
25I choose their way
and sit
head
And I dwell as a king in a troop
When mourners he doth comfort.
I chose out their way
.... When his
friends and neighbours came to him for advice in things civil
he marked out
their way for them
directed what steps to take
what methods to pursue for
their good; they desired him to choose for them
preferring his judgment to
theirs
and were determined to abide by his choice of ways and means
and to
follow his counsel; and in religious matters
he instructed them in their duty
both towards God and men
and proposed unto them what was most eligible
both
with respect to doctrine and practice;
and sat chief; in all their public assemblies; he presided
in their councils and courts of judicature; and when met together for religious
worship
he sat in the chair of the teacher
and instructed them; he was chief
speaker
as the Heathens said of the Apostle Paul
Acts 14:12;
and dwelt as a king in the army
or "troop"F11בגדוד "in agmine"
Montanus
Bolducius; "in
turma"
Mercerus
Drusius
Cocceius
Michaelis
Schultens. . Mr. Broughton
renders it with a garrison; Job was surrounded with multitudes of persons
that
waited upon him on one account or another
who were ready to receive his words
and be obedient to them
as a king or general in the midst of an army
surrounded by his general officers
and the whole army encamped about him
doing him honour
and ready to obey whatever commands or instructions he should
give them; some conclude from hence that Job was really a king
as being not a
note of similitude
but of truth and reality
as in Matthew 14:2; and
so he might be; for in those times and countries every city almost had its
king; though this is not necessarily supposed here; for the phrase seems only
to denote the authority and influence Job had over men by his advice and
instruction
which were as much regarded as from a king; and the majesty he
appeared in
and the reverence in which he was had:
as one that comforteth the mourners: which some
restrain to the king in his army
and connect them therewith thus
"when
he comforteth the mourners"F12כאשר
"quando"
Junius & Tremellius
Drusius; "quum vel
quando"
Schmidt. ; the soldiers mourning for some loss sustained
and
slaughter made among them; whose minds the king or general by a set speech
endeavours to cheer
and comfort
and allay their fears
and animate them to
intrepidity and fortitude
when all eyes are upon him and attentive to him; and
so attentive were Job's hearers to him. Bar Tzemach observes
that the
copulative ו
or "and"
is wanting
and so
is a clause by itself
and expresses something distinct from the forager
and
may be supplied
"and I was as one that comforteth the mourners"; as
a wise man that comforteth them
as Aben Ezra explains it; like one that made
it his business to visit mourners in affliction
on account of the death of a
relation
and the like: see Job 11:19; and
speaks comfortable words to them
to support them under their sorrow; when such
an one used to speak alone
and all stood silent before him
and attentive to
him; and in a like position was Job
when he gave his instructions to those
about him; and he was
no doubt
a comforter of mourners himself
being either
in temporal afflictions
or in spiritual troubles; comforted those that were
cast down in either sense
and was a type of Christ
who was appointed to
comfort all that mourn in Zion.
──《John Gill’s
Exposition of the Bible》
New King James
Version (NKJV)