_THERE WAS A MAN IN THE LAND OF UZ, WHOSE NAME WAS JOB; AND THAT MAN WAS PERFECT AND UPRIGHT, AND ONE THAT FEARED GOD, AND ESCHEWED EVIL._ Uz - north of Arabia Deserta, lying toward the Euphrates; it was in this neighbourhood, and not in that of Idumea, that the Chaldeans and Sabeans who plundered... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THERE WERE BORN UNTO HIM SEVEN SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS._ Seven sons-three daughters - (Proverbs 17:6). In the East, and in primitive times especially, it was thought to be a greater blessing to have many sons than many daughters (cf. Psalms 127:3; Psalms 128:3; Psalms 128:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
_HIS SUBSTANCE ALSO WAS SEVEN THOUSAND SHEEP, AND THREE THOUSAND CAMELS, AND FIVE HUNDRED YOKE OF OXEN, AND FIVE HUNDRED SHE ASSES, AND A VERY GREAT HOUSEHOLD; SO THAT THIS MAN WAS THE GREATEST OF ALL THE MEN OF THE EAST._ She-asses - prized on account of their milk, and for riding (Judges 5:10). H... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HIS SONS WENT AND FEASTED IN THEIR HOUSES, EVERY ONE HIS DAY; AND SENT AND CALLED FOR THEIR THREE SISTERS TO EAT AND TO DRINK WITH THEM._ Every one his day - namely, the birthday, (Job 3:1). (Umbreit.) Implying the love and harmony of the members of the family, as contrasted with the ruin whic... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND IT WAS SO, WHEN THE DAYS OF THEIR FEASTING WERE GONE ABOUT, THAT JOB SENT AND SANCTIFIED THEM, AND ROSE UP EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND OFFERED BURNT OFFERINGS ACCORDING TO THE NUMBER OF THEM ALL: FOR JOB SAID, IT MAY BE THAT MY SONS HAVE SINNED, AND CURSED GOD IN THEIR HEARTS. THUS DID JOB CONTIN... [ Continue Reading ]
_NOW THERE WAS A DAY WHEN THE SONS OF GOD CAME TO PRESENT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD, AND SATAN CAME ALSO AMONG THEM._ Sons of God - angels (Job 37:7; 1 Kings 22:19). Psalms 29:1, margin, "Sons of the mighty." Called also "saints" (Job 5:1): and "angels" or messengers (Job 4:18). "Sons of God" impl... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, WHENCE COMEST THOU? THEN SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD, AND SAID, FROM GOING TO AND FRO IN THE EARTH, AND FROM WALKING UP AND DOWN IN IT._ Going to and fro - rather, hurrying rapidly to and fro. The original idea in Arabic is the heat of haste (1 Peter 5:8; Matthew 12:43).... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, HAST THOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB, THAT THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM IN THE EARTH, A PERFECT AND AN UPRIGHT MAN, ONE THAT FEARETH GOD, AND ESCHEWETH EVIL?_ Considered - margin, set thine heart on - i:e., considered attentively. No true servant of God escapes the eye of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD, AND SAID, DOTH JOB FEAR GOD FOR NOUGHT?_ Fear God for nought? It is a mark of the children of Satan to sneer and not give credit to any for disinterested piety. Selfishness, say they, is at the bottom of even the best men's religion. But not so much God's gifts, as Go... [ Continue Reading ]
_HAST NOT THOU MADE AN HEDGE ABOUT HIM, AND ABOUT HIS HOUSE, AND ABOUT ALL THAT HE HATH ON EVERY SIDE? THOU HAST BLESSED THE WORK OF HIS HANDS, AND HIS SUBSTANCE IS INCREASED IN THE LAND._ His substance is increased - literally, his cattle break forth and spread out like a flood: Job's herds covere... [ Continue Reading ]
_BUT PUT FORTH THINE HAND NOW, AND TOUCH ALL THAT HE HATH, AND HE WILL CURSE THEE TO THY FACE._ Curse thee to thy face - in antithesis to God's praise of him (Job 1:8), "one that feareth God." Satan's words are too true of many. Take away their prosperity and you take away their religion (Malachi 3... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HATH IS IN THY POWER; ONLY UPON HIMSELF PUT NOT FORTH THINE HAND. SO SATAN WENT FORTH FROM THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD._ In thy power - Satan has no power against man until God gives it. God would not touch Job with, His own hand, though Satan asks th... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THERE WAS A DAY WHEN HIS SONS AND HIS DAUGHTERS WERE EATING AND DRINKING WINE IN THEIR ELDEST BROTHER'S HOUSE:_ Wine - not specified in Job 1:4. The mirth inspired by the wine here contrasts the more sadly with the alarm which interrupted it.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO JOB, AND SAID, THE OXEN WERE PLOWING, AND THE ASSES FEEDING BESIDE THEM:_ The donkeys feeding beside them - Hebrew, she-asses. A graphic picture of rural repose and peace; the more dreadful, therefore, by contrast is the sudden attack of the plundering Arabs.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND THE SABEANS FELL UPON THEM, AND TOOK THEM AWAY; YEA, THEY HAVE SLAIN THE SERVANTS WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD; AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED ALONE TO TELL THEE._ Sabeans - not those of Arabia Felix, but those of Arabia Deserta, descending from Sheba, grandson of Abraham and Keturah (Genesis 25:3). The... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THE FIRE OF GOD IS FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, AND_ _ WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THE FIRE OF GOD IS FALLEN FROM HEAVEN, AND HATH BURNED UP THE SHEEP, AND THE SERVANTS, AND CONSUMED THEM; AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED A... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THE CHALDEANS MADE OUT THREE BANDS, AND FELL UPON THE CAMELS, AND HAVE CARRIED THEM AWAY, YEA, AND SLAIN THE SERVANTS WITH THE EDGE OF THE SWORD; AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED ALONE TO TELL THEE._ Chaldeans - not merely robbers, as the Sabeans;... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER, AND SAID, THY SONS AND THY DAUGHTERS WERE EATING AND DRINKING WINE IN THEIR ELDEST BROTHER'S HOUSE:_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME A GREAT WIND FROM THE WILDERNESS, AND SMOTE THE FOUR CORNERS OF THE HOUSE, AND IT FELL UPON THE YOUNG MEN, AND THEY ARE DEAD; AND I ONLY AM ESCAPED ALONE TO TELL THEE._ Wind from the wilderness - literally, 'from across the wilderness,' south of Job's house. The tornado cam... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN JOB AROSE, AND RENT HIS MANTLE, AND SHAVED HIS HEAD, AND FELL DOWN UPON THE GROUND, AND WORSHIPPED,_ Job arose - not necessarily from sitting. Inward excitement is implied, and the beginning to do anything. He had heard the other messages calmly, but on hearing of the death of his children, t... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND SAID, NAKED CAME I OUT OF MY MOTHER'S WOMB, AND NAKED SHALL I RETURN THITHER: THE LORD GAVE, AND THE LORD HATH TAKEN AWAY; BLESSED BE THE NAME OF THE LORD._ Naked - destitute of all earthly resources (1 Timothy 6:7). "Mother's womb" is poetically the earth, the universal mother (Ecclesiastes 5... [ Continue Reading ]
_IN ALL THIS JOB SINNED NOT, NOR CHARGED GOD FOOLISHLY._ Nor charged God foolishly - rather, allowed himself to commit no folly against God (Umbreit). Job 2:10 proves that this is the meaning. Not as margin, nor attributed folly to God. Hasty words against God, though natural in the bitterness of g... [ Continue Reading ]