AGAIN THERE WAS A DAY ... - See the notes at Job 1:6. These seasons are represented as periodical, when the angels came, as it were, to make report to God of what they had observed and done. The Chaldee renders this, “And there was a day of the great judgment (רבא דינא יום _yôm_ _dı̂ynā'_ _rābā'... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN ... - See the notes at Job 1:7.... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU CONSIDERED - Notes, Job 1:8. THAT THERE IS NONE LIKE HIM IN THE EARTH - The same addition is made here by the Septuagint which occurs in Job 1:1; see the notes at that verse. AND STILL HE HOLDETH FAST HIS INTEGRITY - Notwithstanding all the efforts made to show that his piety was the res... [ Continue Reading ]
SKIN FOR SKIN - This is a proverbial expression, whose origin is unknown, nor is its meaning as “a proverb” entirely clear. The general sense of the passage here is plain, for it is immediately explained that a man would give everything which he had to save his life; and the idea here is, that if Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PUT FORTH THINE HAND NOW - Satan felt that he had no power to afflict Job without permission. Malignant as he was, he knew that God only could subject the holy man to this trial - another proof that Satan is under the control of the Almighty, and acts only as he is “permitted” to act in tempting... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, HE IS IN THINE HAND - He is at thy disposal; see Job 1:12, Margin. BUT SAVE HIS LIFE - Margin, “only.” This was to be the only limitation. It would seem that he had the power to make any selection of disease, and to afflict him in any manner, provided it did not terminate fatally. The keen... [ Continue Reading ]
SO WENT SATAN FORTH - Job 1:12. AND SMOTE JOB WITH SORE BOILS - The English word boil denotes the well-known turnout upon the flesh, accompanied with severe inflammation; a sore angry swelling. “Webster.” The Hebrew word, however, is in the singular number שׁחין _sh__e__chı̂yn_, and should have been... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HE TOOK HIM A POTSHERD - The word used here חרשׁ _chârâsh_ means a fragment of a broken vessel; see the notes at Isaiah 45:9. The Septuagint renders it ὄστρακον _ostrakon_ - “a shell.” One object of taking this was to remove from his body the filth accumulated by the universal ulcer, compare... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SAID HIS WIFE UNTO HIM - Some remarkable additions are made by the ancient versions to this passage. The Chaldee renders it, “and “Dinah” (דינה _dı̂ynâh_), his wife, said to him.” The author of that paraphrase seems to have supposed that Job lived in the time of Jacob, and had married his daug... [ Continue Reading ]
AS ONE OF THE FOOLISH WOMEN SPEAKETH - The word here rendered “foolish” נבל _nâbâl_ from נבל _nâbêl_, means properly stupid or foolish, and then wicked, abandoned, impious - the idea of “sin” and “folly” being closely connected in the Scriptures, or sin being regarded as supreme folly; 1 Samuel... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW WHEN JOB’S THREE FRIENDS HEARD - It would seem from this that these men were his particular friends. THEY CAME EVERY ONE FROM HIS OWN PLACE - His residence. This was the result of agreement or appointment thus to meet together. ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE - This was the most prominent of his friends.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND WHEN THEY LIFTED UP THEIR EYES AFAR OFF - “When they saw him at the distance at which they could formerly recognize him without difficulty, disease had so altered his appearance that at first sight they knew him not” - Noyes. THEY LIFTED UP THEIR VOICE - This is a common expression in the Script... [ Continue Reading ]
SO THEY SAT DOWN WITH HIM UPON THE GROUND; - see Job 1:20, note; Job 2:8, note; compare Ezra 9:3, “I rent my garment and my mantle, and plucked off the hair of my head, and my beard, and sat down astonished.” SEVEN DAYS AND SEVEN NIGHTS - Seven days was the usual time of mourning among the Orientals... [ Continue Reading ]