_A.M. 2484. B.C. 1520._ God begins with an awakening challenge, Job 38:1. Proceeds to several proofs of Job's inability to contend with him, because of his ignorance and weakness: for he knew nothing of the founding of the earth, Job 38:4; the limiting of the sea, Job 38:8; of the morning light, Jo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then the Lord answered Job_ No sooner had Elihu uttered the words last mentioned, but there was a sensible token of the presence of that dreadful majesty of God among them, spoken of Job 38:22, and Jehovah began to debate the matter with Job, as he had desired; _out of the whirlwind_ Out of a dark... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who is this_, &c. What and where is he that presumes to talk at this rate? _That darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?_ Words proceeding from ignorance, mistake, and want of consideration. Who is this that disparages my counsels, and darkens the wisdom of my dispensations with his ignorant... [ Continue Reading ]
_Gird up now thy loins_ If thou hast the courage to argue the case with me, as thou hast often desired, make thyself ready for the debate. _For I will demand of thee_ Hebrew, אשׁאלךְ, _eshelecha, I will ask thee questions;_ which he does in the following verses; _and answer thou me_ הודיעני, _hodign... [ Continue Reading ]
_Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth?_ When I settled it as firm upon its own centre as if it had been built upon the surest foundations? Then thou wast nowhere; thou hadst no being: thou art but of yesterday; and dost thou presume to judge of my eternal counsels? I made the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?_ This strong and durable building hath no foundations but God's power, which hath marvellously established it upon itself. _Who laid the corner-stone?_ By which the several walls are joined and fastened together, and in which, next to the foundations,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who shut up the sea with doors?_ Who was it that set bounds to the vast and raging ocean, and shut it up, as it were, with doors within its proper place, that it might not overflow the earth? _When it brake forth_, &c. From the womb or bowels of the earth, within which the waters were for the most... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou commanded the morning?_ That is, the morning light, or the sun, which is the cause of it. Didst thou create the sun, and appoint the order and succession of day and night. _Since thy days _ Since thou wast born: this work was done long before thou wast born. _And caused the day-spring to... [ Continue Reading ]
_It is turned as clay to the seal_ As the seal makes a beautiful impression upon the clay, which, in itself, hath no form or comeliness; so the earth, which in the darkness of the night lies like a confused heap, without either form or beauty, has quite a new face put upon it by the return of the mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_And_, or, rather, _but, from the wicked their light is withholden_ The earth, and the men and the things in it, have the comfort and benefit of the light, but so have not the wicked; they enjoy not its beautiful approach; either, because they shun it, and choose darkness rather than light, their de... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou entered into the springs of the sea_ Hebrew, נבכי ים, _nibchee jam, Fletus, qui, ex maris profunditatibus currunt, ut lacrymæ ex occulis._ Schindler: _the springs which flow from the depths of the sea, as tears from men's eyes:_ the several sources from which the waters of the sea proceed... [ Continue Reading ]
_Have the gates of death been opened unto thee?_ Hath the earth opened all her dark caverns to thee? Or, hast thou ever gone down to the centre, or into the depths and bowels of that earth in which the generality of men are buried? Hast thou looked into שׁאול, _sheol_, or _hades_, the intermediate s... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou perceived the breadth of the earth?_ Nay, dost thou so much as understand the extent and all the parts of the earth, and the state and quality of all countries, and of the men and things in them? _Declare, if thou knowest it all_ Give me an answer to these questions, which it is far more... [ Continue Reading ]
_Where is the way_ Or, rather, the _place_, as the next clause explains it; and, as the Hebrew דרךְ, _derech_, will bear, _where light dwelleth_ That is, hath its constant and settled abode. Whither goes the sun when he departs from this hemisphere? Where are the tabernacle and the chamber in which... [ Continue Reading ]
_That thou shouldest take it_ That is, _bring_, or _lead_ it, namely, principally the light, and secondarily the darkness, as the consequent of it, _to the bound thereof?_ That is, through its whole course, from the place of its abode, whence it is supposed to come, to the end of the journey which i... [ Continue Reading ]
_Knowest thou it, because thou wast then born?_ An ironical question. If thou pretendest that thou knowest these things, how camest thou by this knowledge? Was it because thou didst then exist in the full and perfect use of thy faculties, and thereby hadst the opportunity of inspecting my works, and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou entered into the treasures of snow?_ Dost thou know where I have laid up those vast quantities of snow and hail which I draw forth when I see fit? Dost thou know the causes of them, and the way to produce them? But if thou art unacquainted with these treasures, it is intolerable presumpti... [ Continue Reading ]
_By what way is the light parted_ Or _dispersed_, or _distributed_, namely, in the air, or upon the face of the earth. This is variously distributed in the world, shining in one place and time, when it doth not shine in another, or for a longer time, or with greater brightness and power than it doth... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who hath divided a water-course_, &c. For the showers of rain, which come down orderly and gradually, as if they were conveyed in pipes or channels; which, without the care of God's providence, would fall confusedly, and overwhelm the earth. _Or a way for the lightning For lightning_ and _thunder?_... [ Continue Reading ]
_To cause it to rain_, &c. That the clouds, being broken by lightning and thunder, might pour down rain. _On the wilderness wherein there is no man?_ Namely, no one to water those parts by art and industry, as is usual in cultivated and inhabited places. Which makes this work of Divine Providence mo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hath the rain a father?_ Is there any man that can beget or produce rain at his pleasure? No; this is my peculiar work. _The hoary frost, who hath gendered it?_ What man can either produce, or doth fully understand where or how it is generated? _The waters are hid as with a stone_ That is, with ice... [ Continue Reading ]
_Canst thou bind the sweet influences of Pleiades?_ Generally understood of the seven stars, which, rising about the time of the vernal equinox, bring in the spring. Canst thou restrain or hinder their influences? _Or loose the bands of Orion?_ By which it binds up the air and earth, rising in Novem... [ Continue Reading ]
_Canst thou bring forth Mazzaroth?_ Namely, into view? Canst thou make the stars in the southern signs arise and appear? _Or canst thou guide Arcturus?_ A northern constellation; _with his sons?_ The lesser stars which belong to it, which are placed round about it, and attend upon it as children upo... [ Continue Reading ]
_Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds?_ Either thundering in them, or calling to them with a loud voice, and commanding them to rain. _That abundance of waters may cover thee?_ That is, may cover thy land, when it needs and requires rain. _Canst thou send lightnings that they may go?_ At thy p... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts?_ Namely, of a man; who gave thee that understanding which thou hast, and which thou now usest so arrogantly as to contend with me, and censure my dispensations? _Or who hath given understanding to the heart?_ Considered by the Hebrews as the seat of understa... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who can number the clouds in wisdom?_ Who can wisely search, and exactly find out, the number of the clouds? which are indeed numberless, and filled with water as the next clause implies. _Or who can stay the bottles of heaven?_ Can prevent the rain from being poured upon the earth out of the cloud... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion?_ Is it by thy care and providence that the lions, who live in desert places, are furnished with necessary provisions? This is justly mentioned as another wonderful work of God. _When they couch in their dens_ When, through age and infirmity, they cannot range a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Who provideth for the raven his food?_ Having mentioned the noblest of brute creatures, he now mentions one of the most contemptible; to show the care of God's providence over all creatures, both great and small. Their young ones are so soon forsaken by their dams, that if God did not provide for t... [ Continue Reading ]