INTRODUCTION TO JOB 1 In this chapter, Job, the subject of the whole book, is described by his native country, by his name, by his religious character, and by his family and his substance, Job 1:1 a particular relation is given of his children feasting together, and of Job's conduct during that tim... [ Continue Reading ]
THERE WAS A MAN IN THE LAND OF UZ, WHOSE NAME WAS JOB,.... Of the signification of his name, see the introduction to the book. The place where he dwelt had its name not from Uz, a descendant of Shem, Genesis 10:23 but from Uz, a son of Nahor, brother to Abraham, Genesis 22:21 unless it can be though... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WERE BORN UNTO HIM,.... By his wife, in lawful wedlock, who was now living, and after mentioned: SEVEN SONS AND THREE DAUGHTERS; next to his religious character, his graces, and spiritual blessings, and as the chief of his outward mercies and enjoyments, his children are mentioned; and wh... [ Continue Reading ]
HIS SUBSTANCE ALSO WAS SEVEN THOUSAND SHEEP,.... For which he must have a large pasturage to feed them on, as well as these would produce much wool for clothing, and flesh for food; this part of his substance or possessions is mentioned first, as being the largest, and most useful and profitable: A... [ Continue Reading ]
AND HIS SONS WENT AND FEASTED IN THEIR HOUSES, EVERYONE HIS DAY,.... It appears by this that Job's sons were grown up to men's estate, that they were from him, and were for themselves, and carried on a separate business on their own accounts, and had houses of their own, and, perhaps, were married;... [ Continue Reading ]
AND IT WAS SO, WHEN THE DAYS OF THEIR FEASTING WERE GONE ABOUT,.... When they had been at each other's houses in turn; when the rotation was ended: something like this is practised by the Chinese, who have their co-fraternities, which they call "the brotherhood of the month"; this consists of thirty... [ Continue Reading ]
NOW THERE WAS A DAY WHEN THE SONS OF GOD CAME TO PRESENT THEMSELVES BEFORE THE LORD,.... This is generally understood of the angels, as in Job 38:7 who may be thought to be so called, because of their creation by the father of spirits, and their likeness to God in holiness, knowledge, and wisdom, an... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, WHENCE COMEST THOU?.... This question is put, not as ignorant of the place from whence he came; for the omniscient God knows all persons and things, men and angels, and these good and bad, where they are, from whence they come, and what they do, see Genesis 3:9 but it i... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, HAST THOU CONSIDERED MY SERVANT JOB,.... Or, "hast thou put thine heart on my servant" p; not in a way of love and affection to him, to do him any good or service, there being an original and implacable enmity in this old serpent to the seed of the woman; but rather his... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SATAN ANSWERED THE LORD, AND SAID, DOTH JOB FEAR GOD FOR NOUGHT. Satan does not deny any part of Job's character, nor directly charge him with anyone sin; which shows what a holy man Job was, how exact in his life and conversation, that the devil could not allege any one thing against him; nor... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST NOT THOU MADE AN HEDGE ABOUT HIM,.... A fence, a wall of protection all around him? he had; he encompassed him about with his love as with a shield, a hedge which could not be broken down by men or devils; he surrounded him with his almighty power, that none could hurt him; he guarded him by hi... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT PUT FORTH THINE HAND NOW,.... With draw thine hand of providence, power, and protection, with which thou hast covered and screened him; and, instead of that, "send" u forth thine afflicting hand, not barely in a way of chastisement and correction, but in wrath and vengeance, consuming and destro... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE LORD SAID UNTO SATAN, BEHOLD, ALL THAT HE HATH IS IN THY POWER,.... This he said not as angry and displeased with Job, or as entertaining any ill opinion of him through the suggestions of Satan, nor as gratifying that evil spirit; but in order to convince and confound him, and to try the gra... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE WAS A DAY,.... Which according to the Targum was the first day of the week, but this is not certain, nor material; nor can it be said whether it was the day following that, Satan had leave to do what he would with Job's substance, nor how long this was after that; for though Satan was no d... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THERE CAME A MESSENGER UNTO JOB,.... Not a messenger of Satan, as Jarchi, or one of his angels, or evil spirits; though this is a sense which is embraced not only by some Jewish Rabbins, but by several of the ancient Christian writers, as Sanctius on the place observes; and such they suppose the... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THE SABEANS FELL UPON THEM,.... Or, "Sheba fell" e; that is, as Aben Ezra and Simeon Bar Tzemach supply it, an host of the Sabeans, or a company of them; these were not the descendants of that Sheba that sprung from Ham, Genesis 10:7 nor of him that came from Shem, Genesis 10:28, but from Sheba... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER,.... Another messenger, one of Job's servants, from another part of his fields where his sheep were grazing, and was one of those that kept them; he came with another piece of bad news, even before the other had finished his whole account; and the s... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ALSO ANOTHER,.... Another messenger from another part of Job's possessions, where his camels were, and this before the last messenger had told his story out: AND SAID, THE CHALDEANS MADE OUT THREE BANDS, AND FELL UPON THE CAMELS, AND HAVE CARRIED THEM AWAY; the... [ Continue Reading ]
WHILE HE WAS YET SPEAKING, THERE CAME ANOTHER,.... A servant of one of Job's sons, who was in waiting at the feast before mentioned, and here again repeated: AND SAID, THY SONS AND THY DAUGHTERS WERE EATING, AND DRINKING WINE IN THEIR ELDEST BROTHER'S HOUSE; Job 1:13.... [ Continue Reading ]
AND, BEHOLD, THERE CAME A GREAT WIND FROM THE WILDERNESS,.... Most probably from the wilderness of Arabia, winds from such places being generally very strong, Jeremiah 4:11 as this was, and is called a "great one", a very strong and blustering one; and being so, and because of the effects of it, and... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN JOB AROSE,.... Either from table, being at dinner, as some think, in his own house; it being the time that his children were feasting in their eldest brother's house; or from the business in which he was employed, which he stopped on hearing this news; or from his seat, or chair of state in whi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND SAID, NAKED CAME I OUT OF MY MOTHER'S WOMB,.... Either literally, where he was conceived and lay, and from whence he came into the world, though he afterwards wishes he never had, or had died as soon as he did, Job 3:10, and so it is expressive of his birth, and the circumstance of it; or figura... [ Continue Reading ]
IN ALL THIS JOB SINNED NOT,.... Not that he was without sin, he was conscious to himself of it, and owns it, Job 9:20; but in all the above things he did or said he sinned not; not in his rending his garments, in shaving his head, and laying himself prostrate on the ground, which were done as common... [ Continue Reading ]