Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Ver. 1. _Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said_] _Hic verisimile est aliquantisper Deum tacuisse,_ saith Mercer. Here it is likely that God held his peace awhile, and seeing that Job replied not, he added the following words, the more fully to convince a... [ Continue Reading ]
Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct [him]? he that reproveth God, let him answer it. Ver. 2. _Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?_] Or, Is it wisdom to contend with the Almighty? _An disputare cum Omnipotente est eruditio?_ No, but the greatest folly and sottish... [ Continue Reading ]
Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Ver. 3. _Then Job answered the Lord, and said_] It was time for him, if ever, to stoop to the Most High, so far condescending to his meanness, and to answer his expectation by acknowledging a fault, and promising amendment. Lo, this is the guise of a godly pers... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth. Ver. 4. _Behold, I am vile_] Light and little worth; and therefore deserve to be slighted and laid by, as a broken vessel. The humble man vilifies, yea, nullifies, himself before God, as Abraham, Genesis 18:27; as Agur... [ Continue Reading ]
Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further. Ver. 5. _Once have I spoken, but I will not answer_] It is enough of that once: the saints, running out, and meeting with a bargain of sin, come back by weeping cross, and cry, What have I to do any more with wick... [ Continue Reading ]
Then answered the LORD unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said, Ver. 6. _Then answered the Lord unto Job out of a whirlwind_] As before, Job 38:1, notwithstanding Job's submission. See the reason on Job 40:4. God took his outbursts against him so very ill, that he is not easily pacified; but the be... [ Continue Reading ]
Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me. Ver. 7. _Gird up thy loins now like a man_] Resume new strength, and prepare yourself for a second encounter; for I have not yet done with you. If, therefore, you think yourself able to stand in contention with me, s... [ Continue Reading ]
Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous? Ver. 8. _Wilt thou also disannul my judgment?_] Dost thou think to ruin my justice to establish thine own innocence? and wilt thou needs be a superior judge over me? Wilt thou not revoke thy former expostulati... [ Continue Reading ]
Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him? Ver. 9. _Hast thou an arm like God?_] That thou shouldest wrestle a fall with him, and hope to overmatch him? "Thou hast a mighty arm," saith David: "strong is thy hand, and high is thy right hand," Psalms 89:13. It spans the h... [ Continue Reading ]
Deck thyself now [with] majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty. Ver. 10. _Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency_] Or, with magnificence and sublimity, &c., _i.e._ _Deum age,_ show thyself as God; for he thus decks himself, Psalms 93:1; Psalms 96:6; Psalms 104:1,2; Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one [that is] proud, and abase him. Ver. 11. _Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath_] In this glorious equipage; make thy just indignation felt by all the rebels of the world, _Nemo te impune lacesset._ And behold every one that is proud] Look upon h... [ Continue Reading ]
Look on every one [that is] proud, [and] bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place. Ver. 12. _Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low_] This God doeth, Isaiah 2:11,12; Isaiah 2:17; Isaiah 5:15. The builders of Babel, Pharaoh, Sennacherib, Nebuchadnezzar, Herod, Dioclesian,... [ Continue Reading ]
Hide them in the dust together; [and] bind their faces in secret. Ver. 13. _Hide them in the dust together_] Make a hand of them all at once, as God can do his enemies, by raking them all into the grave; yea, turning into hell whole nations that forget God, a whole rabble of rebels that fight again... [ Continue Reading ]
Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee. Ver. 14. _Then will I also confess unto thee, &c._] Or, I will give praise unto thee, as thou by right shouldest do to me; not for my goodness only, but for my greatness and majesty also, in destroying the wicked. See David... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox. Ver. 15. _Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee_] _i.e._ The elephant, called behemoth, that is, beasts, in the plural, for his size; as if he were made up of many beasts, _Vocatur Bellua per antonomasiam, et_ θηρ Graec. S... [ Continue Reading ]
Lo now, his strength [is] in his loins, and his force [is] in the navel of his belly. Ver. 16. _Lo, now, his strength is in his loins_] Wherein he is so strong that he can bear a wooden tower upon his back, and upon that thirty two men standing to fight therefrom. In India, where the largest elepha... [ Continue Reading ]
He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together. Ver. 17. _He moveth his tail like a cedar_] The elephant hath but a small and short tail for his bulk; Beza, therefore, rendereth it his prominent part, which is as the cedar, and interpreteth it to be his _proboscis,_... [ Continue Reading ]
His bones [are as] strong pieces of brass; his bones [are] like bars of iron. Ver. 18. _His bones are as strony pieces of brass_] Or, as conduit pipes of brass, whereby may be understood his hollow bones, as by bars of iron the solid ones, and by both (together with his trunk, composed of gristles,... [ Continue Reading ]
He [is] the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach [unto him]. Ver. 19. _He is the chief of the ways of God_] _i.e._ The masterpiece among all the beasts (and perhaps first made), as man is among all earthly creatures, being _divini ingenii cura,_ as one calls him... [ Continue Reading ]
Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play. Ver. 20. _Surely the mountains briny him forth food_] And food enough, though he be of a huge body. Learn we to trust unto God's providence for our necessary provision: the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereo... [ Continue Reading ]
He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens. Ver. 21. _He lieth under the shady trees_] Vatablus readeth the words questioning thus, Lieth he under the shady trees, in the covert of the reeds and fens? No such matter, he is too big to be shaded by trees; neither can reeds an... [ Continue Reading ]
The shady trees cover him [with] their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about. Ver. 22. _The shady trees cover him with their shadow, &c._] He leaneth against those trees and sleepeth, for lie down and rise again he cannot, for want of joints in his limbs. And why may not we conceive th... [ Continue Reading ]
Behold, he drinketh up a river, [and] hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth. Ver. 23. _Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not_] viz. Through fear, _tanquam canis ad Nilum,_ as the dogs that drink at Nile fear the crocodile; or as they of this land anciently dra... [ Continue Reading ]
He taketh it with his eyes: [his] nose pierceth through snares. Ver. 24. _He taketh it with his eyes_] It, that is, Jordan, which he thinks, when he seeth it, to drink up at a draught; but it is better filling his belly than his eye, as we say. Others, He thrusteth his head in up to the eyes throug... [ Continue Reading ]