O THAT MY GRIEF WERE THOROUGHLY WEIGHED - The word rendered “grief” here (כעשׂ _ka‛aś_) may mean either vexation, trouble, grief; Ecclesiastes 1:18; Ecclesiastes 2:23; or it may mean anger; Deuteronomy 32:19; Ezekiel 20:28. It is rendered by the Septuagint here, ὀργή _orgē_ - anger; by Jerome, p... [ Continue Reading ]
HEAVIER THAN THE SAND OF THE SEA - That is, they would be found to be insupportable. Who could bear up the sands of the sea? So Job says of his sorrows. A comparison somewhat similar is found in Proverbs 27:3. Heavy is a stone, and weighty the sand of the Sea, But a fool’s wrath is heavier than th... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THE ARROWS OF THE ALMIGHTY ARE WITHIN ME - That is, it is not a light affliction that I endure. I am wounded in a manner which could not be caused by man - called to endure a severity of suffering which shows that it proceeds from the Almighty. Thus called to suffer what man could not cause, he... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH THE WILD ASS BRAY WHEN HE HATH GRASS? - On the habits of the wild ass, see the notes at Job 11:12. The meaning of Job here is, that he did not complain without reason; and this he illustrates by the fact that the wild animal that had a plentiful supply of food would be gentle and calm, and that... [ Continue Reading ]
CAN THAT WHICH IS UNSAVOURY - Which is insipid, or without taste. BE EATEN WITHOUT SALT - It is necessary to add salt in order to make it either palatable or wholesome. The literal truth of this no one can doubt, Insipid food cannot be relished, nor would it long sustain life. “The Orientals eat the... [ Continue Reading ]
THE THINGS THAT MY SOUL REFUSED TO TOUCH - That I refused to touch - the word “soul” here being used to denote himself. The idea here is, that those things which formerly were objects of loathing to him, had become his painful and distressing food. The idea may be either that he was reduced to the g... [ Continue Reading ]
OH THAT I MIGHT HAVE MY REQUEST - To wit, death. This he desired as the end of his sorrows, either that he might be freed from them, or that he might be admitted to a happy world - or both. WOULD GRANT ME THE THING THAT I LONG FOR - Margin, “My expectation.” That is, death. He expected it; he looked... [ Continue Reading ]
EVEN THAT IT WOULD PLEASE GOD TO DESTROY ME - To put me to death, and to release me from my sorrows; compare Job 3:20. The word rendered “destroy” here (דכא _dâkâ'_) means properly to break in pieces, to crush, to trample under foot, to make small by bruising. Here the sense is, that Job wished th... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHOULD I YET HAVE COMFORT - Dr. Good renders this, “then would I already take comfort.” Noyes, “yet it should still be my consolation.” The literal sense is, “and there would be to me yet consolation;” or “my consolation would yet be.” That is, he would find comfort in the grave (compare Job 3:... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT IS MY STRENGTH, THAT I SHOULD HOPE? - Job had hitherto borne his trials without apprehension that he would lose his constancy of hope, or his confidence in God. He here seems to apprehend that his constancy might fail, and he therefore wishes to die before he should be left to dishonor God. He... [ Continue Reading ]
IS MY STRENGTH THE STRENGTH OF STONES? - That is, like a rampart or fortification made of stones, or like a craggy rock that can endure assaults made upon it. A rock will bear the beatings of the tempest, and resist the floods, but how can frail man do it? The idea of Job is, that he had no strength... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT MY HELP IN ME? - This would be better rendered in an affirmative manner, or as an exclamation. The interrogative form of the previous verses need not be continued in this. The sense is, “alas! there is no help in me!” That is, “I have no strength; I must give up under these sorrows in despair... [ Continue Reading ]
TO HIM THAT IS AFFLICTED - Margin, “melteth.” The word here used (מס _mâs_) is from מסס _mâsas_, to melt, flow down, waste away, and here means one who pines away, or is consumed under calamities. The design of this verse is, to reprove his friends for the little sympathy which they had shown for... [ Continue Reading ]
MY BRETHREN - To wit, the three friends who had come to condole with him. He uses the language of brethren, to intimate what he had a right to expect from them. It is common in all languages to give the name brethren to friends. HAVE DEALT DECEITFULLY - That is, I have been sadly disappointed. I loo... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH ARE BLACKISH - Or, rather, which are turbid. The word used here (קדרים _qoderı̂ym_) means to be turbid, foul, or muddy, spoken of a torrent, and then to be of a dusky color, to be dark-colored, as e. g. the skin scorched by the sun, Job 30:28; or to be dark - as when the sun is obscured; Joel... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT TIME - In the time; or after a time. THEY WAX WARM - Gesenius renders this word (יזרבו _y__e__zor__e__bû_) when they became narrow, and this version has been adopted by Noyes. The word occurs nowhere else. Taylor (Concord.) renders it, “to be dissolved by the heat of the sun.” Jerome, _fuerint... [ Continue Reading ]
THE PATHS OF THEIR WAY ARE TURNED ASIDE - Noyes renders this, “The caravans turn aside to them on their way.” Good, “The outlets of their channel wind about.” Rosenmuller, “The bands of travelers direct their journey to them.” Jerome, “Involved are the paths of their steps.” According to the interpr... [ Continue Reading ]
THE TROOPS OF TEMA LOOKED - That is, looked for the streams of water. On the situation of Tema, see Notes, Job 2:11. This was the country of Eliphaz, and the image would be well understood by him. The figure is one of exquisite beauty. It means that the caravans from Tema, in journeying through the... [ Continue Reading ]
THEY WERE CONFOUNDED BECAUSE THEY HAD HOPED - The caravans of Tema and Sheba. The word “confounded” here means ashamed. It represents the state of feeling which one has who has met with disappointment. He is perplexed, distressed, and ashamed that he had entertained so confident hope; see the notes... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR NOW YE ARE AS NOTHING - Margin, “or, Ye are like to it, or them.” In the margin also the word “nothing” is rendered “not.” This variety arises from a difference of reading in the Hebrew text, many MSS. having instead of (לא _lô'_), not, (לו _lô'_), to him, or to it. Which is correct, it is not... [ Continue Reading ]
DID I SAY, BRING UNTO ME? - Job proceeds to state that their conduct in this had been greatly aggravated by the fact that they had come voluntarily. He had not asked them to come. He had desired no gift; no favor. He had not applied to them in any way or form for help. They had come of their own acc... [ Continue Reading ]
OR, DELIVER ME OUT OF THE ENEMY’S HAND? - At no time have I called on you to rescue me from a foe. OR, REDEEM ME? - That is, rescue me from the hand of robbers. The meaning is, that he was in no way beholden to them; he had never called on them for assistance; and there was therefore no claim which... [ Continue Reading ]
TEACH ME, AND I WILL HOLD MY TONGUE - That is, give me any real instruction, or show me what is my duty, and I will be silent. By this he means that Eliphaz had really imparted no instruction, but had dealt only in the language of reproof. The sense is, “I would willingly sit and listen where truth... [ Continue Reading ]
HOW FORCIBLE ARE RIGHT WORDS! - How weighty and impressive are words of truth! Job means that he was accustomed to feel their power, and to admit it on his soul. If their words were such, he would listen to them with profound attention, and in silence. The expression has a proverbial cast. BUT WHAT... [ Continue Reading ]
DO YE IMAGINE TO REPROVE WORDS? - A considerable variety of interpretation has occurred in regard to this verse. Dr. Good, following Schultens, supposes that the word translated wind here רוּח _rûach_ means sighs, or groans, and renders it, Would ye then take up words for reproof, The mere ventin... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, YE OVERWHELM THE FATHERLESS - Job undoubtedly means that this should be applied to himself. He complains that they took advantage of his words, that they were disposed to pervert his meaning, and unkindly distorted what he said. The word rendered” fatherless” יתום _yâthôm_ properly denotes an... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW, THEREFORE, BE CONTENT - Rosenmuller has better rendered this, “if it please you.” The sense is, “if you are willing, look upon me.” That is, “if you are disposed, you may take a careful view of me. Look me in the countenance. You can see for yourselves whether I am sincere or false. I am willin... [ Continue Reading ]
RETURN, I PRAY YOU - That is, return to the argument. Give your attention to it again. Perhaps he may have discerned a disposition in them to turn away from what he was saying, and to withdraw and leave him. Job expresses his belief that he could convince them; and he proposes more fully to state hi... [ Continue Reading ]
IS THERE INIQUITY IN MY TONGUE? - This is a solemn appeal to their consciences, and their own deep conviction that he was sincere. Iniquity in the tongue means falsehood, deceit, hypocrisy - that which would be expressed by the tongue. CANNOT MY TASTE DISCERN PERVERSE THINGS? - Margin, palate. The w... [ Continue Reading ]