XXXI. (1) I MADE A COVENANT WITH MINE EYES. — Job makes one grand profession of innocence, rehearsing his manner of life from the first; and here he does not content himself with traversing the accusations of his friends, but professes his innocence also of sins less manifest to the observance of o... [ Continue Reading ]
WHAT PORTION OF GOD IS THERE FROM ABOVE? — Comp. the remonstrance of Joseph (Genesis 39:9).... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT — _i.e.,_ Is not this the _portion_ of Job 31:2?... [ Continue Reading ]
DOTH NOT HE. — The “He” is emphatic, obviously meaning God. His appeal is to the All-seeing knowledge of God, whom nothing escapes, and who is judge of the hearts and reins (Psalms 7:9; Psalms 44:21; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 20:12). (Comp. Acts 25:11.)... [ Continue Reading ]
If my STEP HATH TURNED OUT of THE WAY — The form of the expression is very emphatic: the narrow way of strict integrity and righteousness. (Compare the expression applied to the first believers, Acts 9:2 — _men of the way._)... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN LET MY WIFE GRIND — _i.e._, perform all menial offices, like a slave.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I DID DESPISE. — In Job 22:8, Eliphaz had insinuated that Job had favoured the rich and powerful, but had oppressed and ground down the weak. He now meets this accusation, and affirms that he had regarded his own servants even as brethren, because partakers of a common humanity.... [ Continue Reading ]
DID NOT HE THAT MADE ME IN THE WOMB MAKE HIM? — He here meets the charges of Eliphaz (Job 22:6; Job 22:9).... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR FROM MY YOUTH HE. — The pronouns refer to the fatherless of Job 31:17 and to the widow of Job 31:16.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE SEEN ANY PERISH FOR WANT OF. — Or, _any wanderer without. _... [ Continue Reading ]
I COULD NOT ENDURE. — Rather, _I was unable to act thus. _... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I HAVE MADE GOLD MY HOPE. — He here refers to the admonition of Eliphaz (Job 22:23), and declares that such had not been his practice.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I BEHELD THE SUN. — It is remarkable that the kind of idolatry repudiated by Job is that only of sun and moon worship. He seems to have been ignorant of the more material and degraded kinds.... [ Continue Reading ]
BY THE JUDGE. — Rather, perhaps, _by my judge, i.e.,_ God; unless, indeed, there be any reference to the Mosaic law (Deuteronomy 17:2), which does not seem likely.... [ Continue Reading ]
IF I REJOICED AT THE DESTRUCTION. — He now proceeds to the realm of the wishes and thoughts, and is, therefore, far more thorough and searching with his own case than his friends had been.... [ Continue Reading ]
OH THAT WE HAD OF HIS FLESH! — We should never be satisfied therewith. (Comp. the similar expression, Job 19:22.)... [ Continue Reading ]
I OPENED MY DOORS TO THE TRAVELLER. — The manners of Genesis 19:2; Judges 19:20, if not the incidents there recorded, are here implied. “The traveller” is literally _the road_ or _way: i.e.,_ the wayfarer.... [ Continue Reading ]
AS ADAM. — Or, _as man, i.e.,_ commonly does. There may or may not be here some indication of acquaintance with the narrative of Genesis. (See the margin.)... [ Continue Reading ]
OH THAT ONE WOULD HEAR ME! — The rendering noticed in the margin is probably the right one — _Oh that I had one to hear me! Lo, here is my mark! i.e.,_ my signature, my declaration, which I am ready to subscribe; and oh that mine adversary had written a book! More correctly, perhaps, “That I had the... [ Continue Reading ]
I WOULD DECLARE — _i.e._, “I would readily give an account of all my actions, and meet him with alacrity and perfect confidence.” Others suppose the meaning to be, “I would meet him as I would meet a prince, with the utmost deference and respect, not at all as an enemy, but as one worthy of all hono... [ Continue Reading ]
OR THAT THE FURROWS LIKEWISE THEREOF COMPLAIN. — Rather, _Or if the furrows thereof weep together_ — a strong impersonation to express the consequence of oppression and wrong-doing. It is to be observed that throughout this defence Job has far more than traversed the indictment of his friends. He ha... [ Continue Reading ]