INTRODUCTION TO JOB 22 This chapter contains the third and last reply of Eliphaz to Job, in which he charges him with having too high an opinion of himself, of his holiness and righteousness, as if God was profited by it, and laid thereby under obligation to him, whereas he was not, Job 22:1; and a... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN ELIPHAZ THE TEMANITE ANSWERED AND SAID. As Eliphaz was the first that entered the discussion with Job, being perhaps the oldest man, and might be reckoned the wisest, so he gives the lead in every course of disputation; and here, instead of replying to Job's arguments and instances, at which he... [ Continue Reading ]
CAN A MAN BE PROFITABLE UNTO GOD?.... Eliphaz imagined that Job thought so, by his insisting so much on his integrity, and complaining of his afflictions; and that God was beholden to him for his holiness and righteousness, and that instead of afflicting him, should have heaped honours and happiness... [ Continue Reading ]
[IS IT] ANY PLEASURE TO THE ALMIGHTY THAT THOU ART RIGHTEOUS?.... It is not; the Lord indeed takes pleasure in his people, not as sinners, but as righteous; and as they are considered such in Christ, he is well pleased for his righteousness' sake, and with it, being agreeable to his nature, will, an... [ Continue Reading ]
WILL HE REPROVE THEE FOR FEAR OF THEE?.... That is, chastise, correct, and afflict, for fear that hurt should be done unto him; no, he will not; for as the goodness of men does not profit him, the sinfulness of men does not hurt him, see Job 35:6. Kings and civil magistrates sometimes chastise offen... [ Continue Reading ]
IS NOT THY WICKEDNESS GREAT?.... It must be owned it is, it cannot be denied. Indeed, the wickedness of every man's heart is great, it being desperately wicked, full of sin, abounding with it; out of it comes forth everything that is bad, and the wickedness of actions is very great: some sins are in... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THOU HAST TAKEN A PLEDGE FROM THY BROTHER FOR NOUGHT,.... It can hardly be thought that it was for nothing at all, on no consideration whatever, or that nothing was lent, for which the pledge was taken; but that it was a small trifling sum, and comparatively nothing, not to be spoken of; or it w... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST NOT GIVEN WATER TO THE WEARY TO DRINK,.... To a weary thirsty traveller, to whom in those hot countries cold water was very refreshing, and which in desert places was not to be had in common, or any where; rich men were possessed of their wells and fountains, and were kept for their own us... [ Continue Reading ]
BUT [AS FOR] THE MIGHTY MAN, HE HAD THE EARTH,.... A large share and portion of it, which Job could not hinder him from the enjoyment of, because mightier than he, or otherwise he would have done it; or Job was content he should have what he had, and gave him more than what of right belonged to him;... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU HAST SENT WIDOWS AWAY EMPTY,.... Either out of their own houses, which he spoiled, and devoured, and stripped, and cleared of all that were in them, as did the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ's time, Matthew 23:14; or out of his own house, when they came to him, as a rich man, for charity; as t... [ Continue Reading ]
THEREFORE SNARES [ARE] ROUND ABOUT THEE,.... Not what occasion sin, draw into it, and issue in it, as inward corruptions, the temptations of Satan, and the things of this world, but punishments; because of the above sins charged upon Job, therefore evils, calamities, and distresses of various kinds,... [ Continue Reading ]
OR DARKNESS, [THAT] THOU CANST NOT SEE,.... Or darkness is round about thee, thou art enveloped in it; meaning either judicial blindness, and darkness, and stupidity of mind, which must be his case, if he could not see the hand of God upon him, or the snares that were about him, or was not troubled... [ Continue Reading ]
[IS] NOT GOD IN THE HEIGHT OF HEAVEN?.... The heaven is high, it has its name from its height, and is noted for it; some of the heavens are higher than others, as the heaven of heavens, the third heaven, the habitation of angels and glorified saints; and here God dwells, this is the habitation of hi... [ Continue Reading ]
AND THOU SAYEST, HOW DOTH GOD KNOW?.... What is done on earth, the works of the children of men, their sinful actions, when he dwells at such a distance, and so remote from the earth, as the height of the stars, and highest heavens, be; not that Job said this expressly with his lips, but in his hear... [ Continue Reading ]
THICK CLOUDS [ARE] A COVERING TO HIM, THAT HE SEETH NOT,.... Thus Job is made to speak, or to reason as atheistical persons, or such who are inclined to atheism would, who take God to be altogether such an one as themselves; as that because thick clouds hide objects, as the sun, and moon, and stars,... [ Continue Reading ]
HAST THOU MARKED THE OLD WAY WHICH WICKED MEN HAVE TRODDEN?] The evil way that wicked men have walked in ever since man apostatized from God, the way of Cain and his descendants, who were of the wicked one, and lived wicked lives and conversations; "the way of the old world", as Mr. Broughton render... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH WERE CUT DOWN OUT OF TIME,.... Sent out of time into eternity, time being no more with men, and they no longer in time, when death seizes upon them; or "before time" a, before the common term of life, which, according to the course of nature, and human probability, they might have arrived unto... [ Continue Reading ]
WHICH SAID UNTO GOD, DEPART FROM US,.... Choosing not to be admonished of their sins, nor be exhorted to repentance for them, nor be instructed by him in the way of their duty, nor to attend the worship and ordinances of God, nor be under his rule and government; the same is observed by Job of wicke... [ Continue Reading ]
YET HE FILLED THEIR HOUSES WITH GOOD [THINGS],.... With temporal good things, with this world's good, with plenty of providential goodness; earthly enjoyments are good things in themselves, and in their effects, when rightly used, and these wicked men have their share of; this is their portion, they... [ Continue Reading ]
THE RIGHTEOUS SEE IT, AND ARE GLAD,.... Not the counsel of the wicked, nor their outward prosperity, but their ruin and destruction, which is sure and certain; though it may sometimes seem to linger, it is often public and visible to the view of every man, being made public examples, see Psalms 91:8... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEREAS OUR SUBSTANCE IS NOT CUT DOWN,.... As yours is; Noah and his family were preserved in the ark, and the creatures with him, and sufficient sustenance was laid up for them all, when everything relating to the wicked was destroyed: but this may be thought too restrictive, as well as what follow... [ Continue Reading ]
ACQUAINT NOW THYSELF WITH HIM, AND BE AT PEACE,.... Not with the righteous and innocent, but with God, as Job 22:22 show: from severe charges and censures, Eliphaz proceeds to advice and exhortations, and seems to be in a better temper, and to talk in a more kind and gentle manner, only he goes upon... [ Continue Reading ]
RECEIVE, I PRAY THEE, THE LAW FROM HIS MOUTH,.... Not the law of Moses; for it is a question whether that was as yet, or could come to the knowledge of Job; rather any doctrine, as the word signifies, any revelation of the mind and will of God, made unto the patriarchs in former times, and which was... [ Continue Reading ]
IF THOU RETURN TO THE ALMIGHTY,.... Which supposes a departure from him; and that is by sinning against him, which should be repented of, confessed, and pardoning grace and mercy be implored, by all those that have backslidden, and return to God; to which they are encouraged by his being the "Almigh... [ Continue Reading ]
THEN SHALT THOU LAY UP GOLD AS DUST,.... Have such plenty of it, as not to be counted: AND THE [GOLD] OF OPHIR AS THE STONES OF THE BROOKS; which was reckoned the best, probably in Arabia; not in the East and West Indies, which were not known to Job; though some take this to be an exhortation to de... [ Continue Reading ]
YEA, THE ALMIGHTY SHALL BE THY DEFENCE,.... In temporal things, secure the plenty of gold and silver possessed of; surround and protect by his providence, that there shall be no danger of the Sabeans and Chaldeans, or others, breaking in and stealing it away; and, in spirituals, preserve from all en... [ Continue Reading ]
FOR THEN SHALL THOU HAVE THY DELIGHT IN THE ALMIGHTY,.... In the perfections of his nature, in the works of his hands, in his word and worship, in communion with him, and in the relation he stands in to his people as their covenant God and Father; this would be the case when Job should be more and b... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT MAKE THY PRAYER UNTO HIM,.... To God, and him only; for not a creature, angels, or men, are to be prayed to; and this is to be done in a supplicating, entreating way, as the word signifies; not pleading merit, but mercy, not presenting prayers and supplications for a man's own righteousne... [ Continue Reading ]
THOU SHALT ALSO DECREE A THING, AND IT SHALL BE ESTABLISHED UNTO THEE,.... Strictly speaking, this is only true of God, whose decrees are unfrustrable, whose counsel shall stand, and the thoughts of his heart be established to all generations; and frequently so it is, according to an usual saying, m... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEN [MEN] ARE CAST DOWN,.... Wicked men are brought down from a state of prosperity to a state of adversity, are in low circumstances, great straits and difficulties: THEN THOU SHALL SAY, [THERE IS] LIFTING UP; that is, for himself and his; when others are in adversity, he should be in prosperity;... [ Continue Reading ]
HE SHALL DELIVER THE ISLAND OF THE INNOCENT,.... But where is there such an island, an island of innocent persons? it seems to be better rendered by others, "the innocent shall deliver the island" s: good men are sometimes, by their counsel and advice, and especially by their prayers, the means of d... [ Continue Reading ]