_A.M. 2484. B.C. 1520._ Job humbles himself before God, Job 40:1. God challenges him to vie with him, in justice, power, majesty, and dominion over the proud, Job 40:6. And gives an instance of his power in the behemoth, Job 40:15.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Moreover the Lord answered Job_ Having first made a little pause to try what Job had to allege in his own defence, or could answer to his questions; and he continuing silent, as being, it seems, astonished at God's rebukes, or expecting what he would further say, the Lord proceeded with his questio... [ Continue Reading ]
_Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him?_ Shall Job, who presumeth to contend with me in judgment, and to dispute the reasonableness and equity of my proceedings, give me instructions or directions how to govern my creatures? The Hebrew, however, may be rendered, _Is it instruction,... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then Job answered_ Job, whose confusion had made him silent, at length answered with great humility, and said, _Behold I am vile_ I am a mean, sinful, and wretched creature, and not worthy to speak unto thy majesty; nor do I know what to answer. _I will lay my hand upon my mouth_ I will, for the fu... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then answered the Lord out of the whirlwind_ Which was renewed when God renewed his charge upon Job, whom he intended to humble more thoroughly than he had yet done. This and the next verse are repeated out of Job 38:1; Job 38:3, where the reader will find them explained.... [ Continue Reading ]
_Wilt thou also disannul my judgment?_ Wilt thou take exceptions to what I say and do, and not only call in question and dispute, but even censure, condemn, and endeavour to make void, _my judgment?_ My sentence against thee, and my government and administration of human affairs. God's judgment cann... [ Continue Reading ]
_Hast thou an arm like God?_ Hast thou, a poor, weak worm of the earth, an arm comparable to his, who upholdeth all things? The power of creatures, even of angels themselves, is derived from God, limited by him, dependant on him; but the power of God is original, independent, and unlimited: he can d... [ Continue Reading ]
_Deck thyself with majesty_, &c. Seeing thou makest thyself equal, yea, superior to me, take to thyself thy great power, come and sit in my throne, and display thy divine perfections in the sight of the world. These and the following are ironical expressions, to make Job more sensible of his distanc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold now behemoth_ The word properly means _beasts_, and is so understood by the LXX., whose interpretation of the verse is, ιδου θηρια παρα σοι, χορτυν ισα βουσιν εσθιουσιν, _Behold the beasts with thee, they eat grass, like oxen._ According to Ab. Ezra, and the Targum, it is _the name of any gr... [ Continue Reading ]
_His strength is in his loins_ He hath strength answerable to his bulk, but he is of a mild disposition, and his strength, by God's wise and merciful providence, is not an offensive strength, consisting in, or put forth by, horns or claws, as it is in ravenous creatures, but only defensive, and seat... [ Continue Reading ]
_He moveth his tail like a cedar_ Though the tail be but short, both in the elephant, and in the hippopotamus; yet, when it is erected, it is exceeding stiff and strong. _The sinews of his stones_, &c. Rather, _of his thighs_, as the Hebrew may be rendered. The thighs and feet of the river- horse ar... [ Continue Reading ]
_His bones_ Under which title are comprehended his ribs, (as the LXX. here render it,) and his teeth; _are as strong pieces of brass_ Exceeding hard and strong. Such they are both in the elephant and river- horse. _He is the chief of the ways of God_ That is, of God's works, namely, of that sort, or... [ Continue Reading ]
_The mountains bring him forth food_ Though this creature be so vastly large, and require much food, and no man careth for it, yet God provides for it out of his own stores, and makes the desert mountains to afford it sufficient sustenance. This particular of the description seems more applicable to... [ Continue Reading ]
_He lieth under the shady trees_, &c. Or, _He lieth down secretly between the shady trees, under the covert of the reed, and in the fens_, Houbigant and Heath. _The shady trees cover him_ The Hebrew, literally translated, is, _The shady trees_, (צללו, _tzillo,_) _his shadow, cover him_, or, _are his... [ Continue Reading ]
_Behold, he drinketh up a river_ A great quantity of water, hyperbolically called a river. He _swalloweth_ the waters to such a degree, says Aben Ezra, as to diminish their fulness. This may be fitly applied to the elephant, says Poole, ‘which, because of its great bulk and vehement thirst, drinks a... [ Continue Reading ]
_He taketh it with his eyes_ He imagines, when he sees it, that he can take the whole river and drink it up. _His nose pierceth through snares_ The elephant will not be kept from the water by any snares or impediments, but removes them all by his trunk; and both he and the river- horse securely thru... [ Continue Reading ]