Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said, Ver. 1. _Then answered Zophar the Naamathite_] With a most bitter invective, savouring more of passion than charity. Zophar rejoineth, or rather revileth innocent Job, misinterpreting his meaning, Job 11:4, and laying to his charge, 1. Loquacity, or ta... [ Continue Reading ]
Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? Ver. 2. _Should not the multitude of words be answered?_] Should not he who speaketh what he will, hear what he would not? _Nunquid qui multa loquitur, non et audiet?_ (Vulg.) Yes, Job shall now, or you will... [ Continue Reading ]
Should thy lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? Ver. 3. _Should thy lies make men hold their peace?_] Or, thy toys, toilsome toys, hammered in thine own head, hatched in thine own heart, which is deceitful above all things, and so a fit shop to fram... [ Continue Reading ]
_For thou hast said, My doctrine [is] pure, and I am clean in thine eyes._ Ver. 4. _For thou hast said_] Thou hast confidently affirmed; and this he makes to be a loud lie, and not an idle word only. But where and when had Job said it? Did not Zophar openly play the sophister, so interpreting what... [ Continue Reading ]
But oh that God would speak, and open his lips against thee; Ver. 5. _But oh that God would speak, &c._] For we do but lose our sweet words upon thee, since thou art set, and so wedded and wedged to thine own will and way, that thou canst not be removed and rectified, but by an extraordinary touch... [ Continue Reading ]
And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisdom, that [they are] double to that which is! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee [less] than thine iniquity [deserveth]. Ver. 6. _And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom_] This may be understood as God's law (saith Diodati), or as the hi... [ Continue Reading ]
Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? Ver. 7. _Canst thou by searching find out God?_] _i.e._ The nature of God, or the course of his providence, and the reason of his proceedings? thou canst never do it. Neither did Job ever take upon him to do it,... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 11:8 [It is] as high as heaven; what canst thou do? deeper than hell; what canst thou know? Ver. 8. _It is as high as heaven; what canst thou do?_] And much higher; it is as the highnesses of heaven (so the Hebrew hath it), which is so high that one would wonder we should be able to behold the... [ Continue Reading ]
The measure thereof [is] longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. Ver. 9. _The measure thereof is longer than the earth_] Wherein some kingdoms are of a very great length, as those of the Turks and of the Tartars at this day. How long, then, is the earth itself? Some have undertaken to tell... [ Continue Reading ]
If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him? Ver. 10. _If he cut off, and shut up_] Heb. If he change, viz. his course or way of proceedings toward men, either to shut them up close prisoners, or otherwise to put them to such straits that (Job-like) they know not what to... [ Continue Reading ]
For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider [it]? Ver. 11. _He knoweth vain man, he seeth wickedness also_] Doubtless he beholdeth faithless men, mortals of vanity, headlong and headstrong wights; _homines falsitatis_ (so Cajetan renderetb it), men of falsehood; _ho... [ Continue Reading ]
For vain man would be wise, though man be born [like] a wild ass's colt. Ver. 12. _For vain man would be wise_] Heb. Hollow man, that is, as void of grace as a hollow tree is of heart of oak. _ Would be wise_] Heb. Would be hearty, _egregie cordatus homo,_ there is an elegance in the original that... [ Continue Reading ]
If thou prepare thine heart, and stretch out thine hands toward him; Ver. 13. _If thou prepare thine heart_] viz. To meet God, Amos 4:12, humbly submitting to his justice, and heartily imploring his mercy. The sum of what Zophar saith in the following verses is this: If thou truly repent, thou shal... [ Continue Reading ]
If iniquity [be] in thine hand, put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. Ver. 14. _If iniquity be in thine hand, put it far away_] Cast away all thy transgressions, and throw thy lusts out of service, hands lifted up in prayer must be pure, 1 Timothy 2:8, for the fountain o... [ Continue Reading ]
For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear: Ver. 15. _For then shall thou lift up thy face without spot, &c._] Repentance must be performed in faith, or else it will prove to be _poenitentia Iscariotica,_ a Judas like repentance. Lord (said th... [ Continue Reading ]
Because thou shalt forget [thy] misery, [and] remember [it] as waters [that] pass away: Ver. 16. _Because thou shalt forget thy misery_] There being no fear left, or footstep thereof remaining to renew thy grief, Genesis 41:30. Remember thy former trouble thou shall, with thankfulness for a better... [ Continue Reading ]
And [thine] age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. Ver. 17. _And thine age shall be clearer than the noonday_] The rest of thy life which thou givest for lost, shall be the very prime part of thy time for glory. Solid glory springeth out of inno... [ Continue Reading ]
And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig [about thee, and] thou shalt take thy rest in safety. Ver. 18. _And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope_] It is a spiritual security that is here promised, which is a fruit of faith, quelling and killing distracting and di... [ Continue Reading ]
Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make [thee] afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. Ver. 19. _Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid_] Thou shalt walk about the world like a conqueror, being ever under a double guard, the peace of God within thee, Philippians 4:7, and th... [ Continue Reading ]
But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope [shall be as] the giving up of the ghost. Ver. 20. _But the eyes of the wicked shall fail_] Contraries illustrate one another; and Zophar, willing his words should stick and work, thinks to leave a sting in Job's mind... [ Continue Reading ]