MOREOVER, THE LORD ANSWERED JOB - The word “answered” is used here as it is often in the Scriptures, not to denote a reply to what had been immediately said, but to take up or continue an argument. What God said here was designed as a reply to the spirit which Job had so frequently manifested.... [ Continue Reading ]
SHALL HE THAT CONTENDETH WITH THE A MIGHTY INSTRUCT HIM? - Gesenius renders this, “Contending shall the reprover of God contend with the Almighty?” Prof. Lee, “Shall one by contending with the Almighty correct this?” On the grammatical construction, see Gesenius on the word יסור _yissôr_, and Rosen... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD, I AM VILE: WHAT SHALL I ANSWER THEE? - “Instead of being able to argue my cause, and to vindicate myself as I had expected, I now see that I am guilty, and I have nothing to say.” He had argued boldly with his friends. He had, before them, maintained his innocence of the charges which they b... [ Continue Reading ]
ONCE HAVE I SPOKEN - That is, in vindicating myself. He had once spoken of God in an irreverent and improper manner, and he now saw it. BUT I WILL NOT ANSWER - I will not now answer, as I had expressed the wish to do. Job now saw that he had spoken in an improper manner, and he says that he would n... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ANSWERED THE LORD UNTO JOB OUT OF THE WHIRLWIND - See the notes at Job 38:1. God here resumes the argument which had been interrupted in order to give Job an opportunity to speak and to carry his cause before the Almighty, as he had desired, see Job 40:2. Since Job had nothing to say, the argum... [ Continue Reading ]
GIRD UP THY LOINS NOW LIKE A MAN - An expression taken from the ancient mode of dress. That was a loose, flowing robe, which was secured by a girdle when traveling, or when one entered upon anything requiring energy; see the notes at Matthew 5:38. The meaning here is, “Prepare thyself for the highes... [ Continue Reading ]
WILT THOU DISANNUL MY JUDGMENT? - Wilt thou “reverse” the judgment which I have formed, and show that it should have been different from what it is? This was implied in what Job had undertaken. He had complained of the dealings of God, and this was the same as saying that he could show that those de... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU AN ARM LIKE GOD? - The arm is the symbol of strength. The question here is, whether Job would venture to compare his strength with the omnipotence of God? OR CANST THOU THUNDER WITH A VOICE LIKE HIM? - Thunder is a symbol of the majesty of the Most High, and is often spoken of as the voic... [ Continue Reading ]
DECK THYSELF NOW WITH MAJESTY AND EXCELLENCY - That is, such as God has. Put on everything which you can, which would indicate rank, wealth, power, and see whether it could all be compared with the majesty of God; compare Psalms 104:1, “O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honor... [ Continue Reading ]
CAST ABROAD THE RAGE OF THY WRATH - That is, as God does. Show that the same effects can be produced by “your” indignation which there is in his. God appeals here to the effect of his displeasure in prostrating his foes as one of the evidences of his majesty and glory, and asks Job, if he would comp... [ Continue Reading ]
AND TREAD DOWN THE WICKED IN THEIR PLACE - Even in the very place where they are, crush them to the dust, as God can. It is implied that God was able to do this, and he appeals to it as a proof of his power.... [ Continue Reading ]
HIDE THEM IN THE DUST TOGETHER; - compare Isaiah 2:10. The meaning seems to be, that God had power to prostrate the wicked in the dust of the earth, and he calls upon Job to show his power by doing the same thing. AND BIND THEIR FACES IN SECRET - The word “faces” here is probably used (like the Gre... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN WILL I ALSO CONFESS UNTO THEE ... - If you can do all this, it will be full proof that you can save yourself, and that you do not need the divine interposition. If he could do all this, then it might be admitted that he was qualified to pronounce a judgment on the divine counsels and dealings.... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD NOW BEHEMOTH - Margin, “or, the elephant, as some think.” In the close of the argument, God appeals to two animals as among the chief of his works, and as illustrating more than any others his power and majesty - the behemoth and the leviathan. A great variety of opinions has been entertained... [ Continue Reading ]
LO NOW, HIS STRENGTH IS IN HIS LOINS - The inspection of the figure of the hippopotamus will show the accuracy of this. The strength of the elephant is in the neck; of the lion in the paw; of the horse and ox in the shoulders; but the principal power of the river-horse is in the loins; compare Nahum... [ Continue Reading ]
HE MOVETH HIS TAIL LIKE A CEDAR - Margin, “setteth up.” The Hebrew word (חפץ _châphêts_) means “to bend, to curve;” and hence, it commonly denotes “to be inclined, favorably disposed to desire or please.” The obvious meaning here is, that this animal had some remarkable power of “bending” or “curv... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS BONES ARE AS STRONG PIECES OF BRASS - The circumstance here adverted to was remarkable, because the common residence of the animal was the water, and the bones of aquatic animals are generally hollow, and much less firm than those of land animals. It should be observed here, that the word render... [ Continue Reading ]
HE IS THE CHIEF OF THE WAYS OF GOD - In size and strength. The word rendered “chief” is used in a similar sense in Numbers 24:20, “Amalek was the first of the nations;” that is, one of the most powerful and mighty of the nations. HE THAT MADE HIM CAN MAKE HIS SWORD APPROACH UNTO HIM - According to t... [ Continue Reading ]
SURELY THE MOUNTAINS BRING HIM FORTH FOOD - That is, though he lies commonly among the reeds and fens, and is in the water a considerable portion of his time, yet he also wanders to the mountains, and finds his food there. But the point of the remark here does not seem to be, that the mountains brou... [ Continue Reading ]
HE LIETH UNDER THE SHADY TREES - Referring to his usually inactive and lazy life. He is disposed to lie down in the shade, and especially in the vegetable growth in marshy places on the banks of lakes and rivers, rather than to dwell in the open field or in the upland forest. This account agrees wel... [ Continue Reading ]
THE SHADY TREES - Probably the “lote-trees;” see the note at Job 40:21. The same word is used here. THE WILLOW-TREES OF THE BROOK - Of the “stream,” or “rivulet.” The Hebrew word (נחל _nachal_) means rather “a wady;” a gorge or gulley, which is swollen with torrents in the winter, but which is freq... [ Continue Reading ]
BEHOLD HE DRINKETH UP A RIVER - Margin, “oppresseth.” The margin expresses the proper meaning of the Hebrew word, עשׁק _‛__âshaq_. It usually means to oppress, to treat with violence and injustice; and to defraud, or extort. But a very different sense is given to this verse by Bochart, Gesenius, No... [ Continue Reading ]
HE TAKETH IT WITH HIS EYES - Margin, “Or, will any take him in his sight, or, bore his nose with a gin!” From this marginal reading it is evident that our translators were much perplexed with this passage. Expositors have been also much embarrassed in regard to its meaning, and have differed much in... [ Continue Reading ]