Job 15:1
_THEN ANSWERED ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, AND SAID,_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEN ANSWERED ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE, AND SAID,_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHOULD A WISE MAN UTTER VAIN KNOWLEDGE, AND FILL HIS BELLY WITH THE EAST WIND?_ A wise man - which Job claims to be. VAIN KNOWLEDGE - Hebrew, windy knowledge-literally, 'of wind' (Job 8:2), In Ecclesiastes 1:14 х_ Rª`UWT_ (H7469) _ RUWACH_ (H7307)], Hebrew, to catch wind, expresses to strive for w... [ Continue Reading ]
_SHOULD HE REASON WITH UNPROFITABLE TALK? OR WITH SPEECHES WHEREWITH HE CAN DO NO GOOD?_ No JFB commentary on this verse.... [ Continue Reading ]
_YEA, THOU CASTEST OFF FEAR, AND RESTRAINEST PRAYER BEFORE GOD._ Castest off fear - Hebrew, 'breakest'-reverence for God (Job 4:6; Psalms 2:11, "Serve the Lord with fear"). PRAYER - meditation, in Psalms 104:34; Psalms 119:97; Psalms 119:99, devotion х_ SIYCHAAH_ (H7881)]. If thy views were right,... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THY MOUTH UTTERETH THINE INIQUITY, AND THOU CHOOSEST THE TONGUE OF THE CRAFTY._ The sophistry of thine own speeches proves thy guilt. The sophistry of thine own speeches proves thy guilt. UTTERETH - margin, rightly 'teacheth.' The craft of Job consisted, according to Eliphaz, in his transfer... [ Continue Reading ]
_THINE OWN MOUTH CONDEMNETH THEE, AND NOT I: YEA, THINE OWN LIPS TESTIFY AGAINST THEE._ No pious man would utter such sentiments.... [ Continue Reading ]
_ART THOU THE FIRST MAN THAT WAS BORN? OR WAST THOU MADE BEFORE THE HILLS?_ i.e., Art thou wisdom personified? Wisdom existed before the hills - i:e., the eternal of God (Proverbs 8:25; Psalms 90:2). Want thou in existence before Adam? The further back one existed, the nearer he was to the Eternal... [ Continue Reading ]
_HAST THOU HEARD THE SECRET OF GOD? AND DOST THOU RESTRAIN WISDOM TO THYSELF?_ Secret - rather, 'Wast thou a listener in the secret council х_ BªCOWD_ (H5475)] of God?' The Hebrew means properly the cushions on which a divan of councilors in the East usually sit. God's servants are admitted to God'... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHAT KNOWEST THOU, THAT WE KNOW NOT? WHAT UNDERSTANDEST THOU, WHICH IS NOT IN US?_ In us - or 'with us;' Hebraism for we are, aware of.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WITH US ARE BOTH THE GRAYHEADED AND VERY AGED MEN, MUCH ELDER THAN THY FATHER._ On our side, thinking with us, are the aged. Job had admitted that wisdom is with them (Job 12:12). Eliphaz seems to have been himself older than Job; perhaps the other two also were so (Job 32:6). Job, in Job 30:1, do... [ Continue Reading ]
_ARE THE CONSOLATIONS OF GOD SMALL WITH THEE? IS THERE ANY SECRET THING WITH THEE?_ Consolations - namely, the revelation which Eliphaz had stated (Job 4:12; Job 4:17; Job 5:7) as a consolatory reproof to Job, and which he partly repeat in Job 15:14. SECRET. Hast thou some secret wisdom and reveal... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHY DOTH THINE HEART CARRY THEE AWAY? AND WHAT DO THY EYES WINK AT,_ Wink - i:e., why do thy eyes evince passion and pride? (Proverbs 13:1; Psalms 35:19.)... [ Continue Reading ]
_THAT THOU TURNEST THY SPIRIT AGAINST GOD, AND LETTEST SUCH WORDS GO OUT OF THY MOUTH?_ i.e., frettest against God, and lettest fall rash words. THY SPIRIT - `thy breath:' implying the airy emptiness of Job's passionate speeches.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHAT IS MAN, THAT HE SHOULD BE CLEAN? AND HE WHICH IS BORN OF A WOMAN, THAT HE SHOULD BE RIGHTEOUS?_ Eliphaz repeats the revelation (Job 4:17) in substances but using Job's own words (Job 14:1, note on "born of a wonan") to strike him with his own weapons.... [ Continue Reading ]
_BEHOLD, HE PUTTETH NO TRUST IN HIS SAINTS; YEA, THE HEAVENS ARE NOT CLEAN IN HIS SIGHT._ Repeated from Job 4:18; "servants" there are "saints" here-namely, holy angels. HEAVENS - literally, or else answering to "angels" (Job 4:18; see note there, and Job 25:5).... [ Continue Reading ]
_HOW MUCH MORE ABOMINABLE AND FILTHY IS MAN, WHICH DRINKETH INIQUITY LIKE WATER?_ Filthy - in Arabic, sour (Psalms 14:3; Psalms 53:3); corrupted from his original purity. DRINKETH - (Proverbs 19:28, "The mouth of the wicked devoureth iniquity;" cf. Job 34:7; Psalms 73:10).... [ Continue Reading ]
_I WILL SHEW THEE, HEAR ME; AND THAT WHICH I HAVE SEEN I WILL DECLARE;_ In direct contradiction of Job's position (Job 12:6, etc.), that the lot of the wicked was the most prosperous here, Eiphaz appeals (1) To his own experience; (2) To the wisdom of the ancients.... [ Continue Reading ]
_WHICH WISE MEN HAVE TOLD FROM THEIR FATHERS, AND HAVE NOT HID IT:_ 'Which, as handed down from their fathers, wise men have told, and have not concealed.... [ Continue Reading ]
_UNTO WHOM ALONE THE EARTH WAS GIVEN, AND NO STRANGER PASSED AMONG THEM._ Eliphaz speaks like a genuine Arab when he boasts that his ancestors had ever possessed the land unmixed with foreigners (Umbreit). His words are intended to oppose Job's (Job 9:24); "the earth" in their case was not "given i... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE WICKED MAN TRAVAILETH WITH PAIN ALL HIS DAYS, AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS IS HIDDEN TO THE OPPRESSOR._ _ THE WICKED MAN TRAVAILETH WITH PAIN ALL HIS DAYS, AND THE NUMBER OF YEARS IS HIDDEN TO THE OPPRESSOR._ Travaileth - rather, 'trembleth of himself' х_ MITCHOWLEEL_ (H2349)], though there is no r... [ Continue Reading ]
_A DREADFUL SOUND IS IN HIS EARS: IN PROSPERITY THE DESTROYER SHALL COME UPON HIM._ An evil conscience conceives alarm at every sudden sound, though it be in a time of peace ("prosperity"), when there is no real danger (Leviticus 26:36; Proverbs 28:1; 2 Kings 7:6). A DREADFUL SOUND - Hebrew, 'a v... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE BELIEVETH NOT THAT HE SHALL RETURN OUT OF DARKNESS, AND HE IS WAITED FOR OF THE SWORD._ Darkness - namely, danger or calamity. Glancing at Job, who despaired of restoration: in contrast to good men when in darkness (Micah 7:8). WAITED FOR OF - i:e., He is destined for the sword (Gesenius), or... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE WANDERETH ABROAD FOR BREAD, SAYING, WHERE IS IT? HE KNOWETH THAT THE DAY OF DARKNESS IS READY AT HIS HAND._ Wandereth in anxious search for bread. Famine in the Old Testament depicts sore need (Isaiah 5:13, "their honourable men are famished." Contrast the pious man's lot (Job 5:20). As in peac... [ Continue Reading ]
_TROUBLE AND ANGUISH SHALL MAKE HIM AFRAID; THEY SHALL PREVAIL AGAINST HIM, AS A KING READY TO THE BATTLE._ Prevail - break upon him suddenly and terribly, as a king, etc. (Proverbs 6:11).... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR HE STRETCHETH OUT HIS HAND AGAINST GOD, AND STRENGTHENETH HIMSELF AGAINST THE ALMIGHTY._ Stretcheth ... hand - wielding the spear as a bold rebel against God (Job 9:4; Isaiah 27:4).... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE RUNNETH UPON HIM, EVEN ON HIS NECK, UPON THE THICK BOSSES OF HIS BUCKLERS:_ On his neck - rather, 'with outstretched neck'-namely, that of the rebel uplifted hanghtily (Umbreit). (Psalms 75:5.) UPON ... BUCKLERS - rather, 'with-his (the rebel's, not God's) bucklers.' The rebel and his fellows... [ Continue Reading ]
_BECAUSE HE COVERETH HIS FACE WITH HIS FATNESS, AND MAKETH COLLOPS OF FAT ON HIS FLANKS._ The well-nourished body of the rebel is the sign of his prosperity. COLLOPS - masses of fat. He pampers and fattens himself with sensual indulgences, making a god of his belly (Philippians 3:19). Hence, his... [ Continue Reading ]
_AND HE DWELLETH IN DESOLATE CITIES, AND IN HOUSES WHICH NO MAN INHABITETH, WHICH ARE READY TO BECOME HEAPS._ The class of wicked here described is that of robbers who plunder "cities," and seize on the houses of the banished citizens (Isaiah 13:20), that they may be placed alone in the midst of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SHALL NOT BE RICH, NEITHER SHALL HIS SUBSTANCE CONTINUE, NEITHER SHALL HE PROLONG THE PERFECTION THEREOF UPON THE EARTH._ 'He doth not grow rich:' he has reached his highest point: 'his prosperity shall not continue.' PERFECTION - rather, 'his acquired wealth х_ MINLAAM_ (H4512)] - what he po... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF DARKNESS; THE FLAME SHALL DRY UP HIS BRANCHES, AND BY THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH_ _ HE SHALL NOT DEPART OUT OF DARKNESS; THE FLAME SHALL DRY UP HIS BRANCHES, AND BY THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH SHALL HE GO AWAY._ Depart - i:e., escape calamity (Job 15:22). BRANCHES - namely, h... [ Continue Reading ]
_LET NOT HIM THAT IS DECEIVED TRUST IN VANITY: FOR VANITY SHALL BE HIS RECOMPENCE._ Rather, 'let him not trust in vanity (or) he will be deceived,' etc. VANITY, х_ SHAAW'_ (H7723)] - that which is unsubstantial. Sin is its own punishment (Proverbs 1:31; Jeremiah 2:19).... [ Continue Reading ]
_IT SHALL BE ACCOMPLISHED BEFORE HIS TIME, AND HIS BRANCH SHALL NOT BE GREEN._ Literally, 'it (the tree to which he is compared Job 15:30 or else his life) shall be filled up' i:e., 'he shall be ended before his time.' SHALL NOT BE GREEN - image from a withered tree: the childless extinction of t... [ Continue Reading ]
_HE SHALL SHAKE OFF HIS UNRIPE GRAPE AS THE VINE, AND SHALL CAST OFF HIS FLOWER AS THE OLIVE._ Image of incompleteness. The loss of the unripe grapes is poetically made the vine tree's own act, in order to express more pointedly that the sinner's ruin is the fruit of his own conduct (Isaiah 3:11; Je... [ Continue Reading ]
_FOR THE CONGREGATION OF HYPOCRITES SHALL BE DESOLATE, AND FIRE SHALL CONSUME THE TABERNACLES OF BRIBERY._ Rather, The banding together of the hypocrites (wicked) shall be fruitless (Umbreit). Maurer translates, 'the family of the wicked shall be barren' - i:e., without offspring. I prefer this. Tab... [ Continue Reading ]
_THEY CONCEIVE MISCHIEF, AND BRING FORTH VANITY, AND THEIR BELLY PREPARETH DECEIT._ Bitter irony, illustrating the "unfruitfulness" (Job 15:34) of the wicked. Their conceptions and birth-givings consist solely in mischief etc. BRING FORTH VANITY. Their plans, when on the eve of execution, are bro... [ Continue Reading ]