Job 27:13

_I WILL TEACH YOU BY THE HAND OF GOD: THAT WHICH IS WITH THE ALMIGHTY WILL I NOT CONCEAL._ These words are contrary to Job's previous sentiments (notes, Job 21:22; Job 24:22). They therefore seem to be Job's statement, not so much of his own sentiments, as of what Zophar would have said, had he spoken when his turn came, (end of Job 26:1.) So Job stated the friends' opinion (Job 21:17; Job 24:18). The objection is, Why, if so, does not Job answer Zophar's opinion, as stated by himself? The fact is, it is probable that Job tacitly, by giving, in...

11-23 Job's friends, on the same subject, spoke of the misery of wicked men before death as proportioned to their crimes; Job considered that if it were not so, still the consequences of their death would be dreadful. Job undertook to set this matter in a true light. Death to a godly man, is like a fair gale of wind to convey him to the heavenly country; but, to a wicked man, it is like a storm, that hurries him away to destruction. While he lived, he had the benefit of sparing mercy; but now the day of God's patience is over, and he will pour out upon him his wrath. When God casts down a man, there is no flying from, nor bearing up under his anger. Those who will not now flee to the arms of Divine grace, which are stretched out to receive them, will not be able to flee from the arms of Divine wrath, which will shortly be stretched out to destroy them. And what is a man profited if he ga...

Verse Job 27:13. _THIS_ IS _THE PORTION OF A WICKED MAN_] Job now commences his promised teaching; and what follows is a description of the _lot_ or _portion_ of the _wicked man_ and of _tyrants_. And this remuneration shall they have _with God_ in general, though the hand of man be not laid upon them. Though he does not at all times show his displeasure against the wicked, by reducing them to a state of poverty and affliction, yet he often does it so that men may see it; and at other times he seems to pass them by, reserving their judgment for _another world_, that men may not forget that there is a day of judgment and perdition for ungodly men, and a future recompense for the righteous....

THIS IS THE PORTION OF A WICKED MAN WITH GOD - There has been much diversity of view in regard to the remainder of this chapter. The difficulty is, that Job seems here to state the same things which had been maintained by his friends, and against which he had all along contended. This difficulty has been felt to be very great, and is very great. It cannot be denied, that there is a great resemblance between the sentiments here expressed and those which had been maintained by his friends, and that this speech, if offered by them, would have accorded entirely with their main position. Job seems to abandon all which he had defended, and to concede all which he had so warmly condemned. One mode of explaining the difficulty has been suggested in the “Analysis” of the chapter. It was proposed by Noyes, and is plausible, but, perhaps, will not be regarded as satisfactory to all. Dr. Kennicott s...

EXPOSITION JOB 27:1 This chapter divides itself into three distinct portions. In the first, which extends to the end of Job 27:6, Job is engaged in maintaining, with the utmost possible solemnity (verse 2), both his actual integrity (verse 6) and his determination to hold fast his integrity as long as he lives (verses 4-6). In the second (verses 7-10) he implicates a curse upon his enemies. In the third (verses 11-23) he returns to the consideration of God's treatment of the wicked, and retracts the view which he had maintained controversially in Job 24:2, with respect to their prosperity, impunity, and equalization with the righteous in death. The retractation is so complete, the concessions are so large

THIS [IS] THE PORTION OF A WICKED MAN WITH GOD,.... Not to be punished in this life, but after death. This is what Job undertook to teach his friends, and is the purport of what follows in this chapter. A wicked man is not only one that has been so from the womb, and is openly and notoriously a wicked man, but one also that is so secretly, under a mask of sobriety, religion, and godliness, and is an hypocrite, for of such Job speaks in the context; and the portion of such a man is not what he has in this life, which is oftentimes a very affluent one as to the things of this world, but what he has after death, which is banishment from the presence of God, the everlasting portion of his people, a part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, the wrath of God to the uttermost, the second death, and a dwelling with devils and wicked men, such as himself, even a portion with hypocrite...

Remember that Job's friends had accused him of having committed some great sin; which would account for his great sorrows. The good man is naturally very indignant, and he uses the strongest possible language to cast away front himself with horror the charges which they brought against him in the day of his grief. Job 27:1. _Moreover Job continued his parable, and said, As God liveth, who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath vexed my soul; all the while my breath is in me, and the spirit of God is in my nostrils, my tips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue utter deceit._ He felt that; it would be wicked for him to confess to what he had never done; it would be deceit for him to acknowledge crimes which he had never committed. Therefore he most solemnly asseverates, by the living God, that he never will permit the falsehood to pass his lips. He had no

CHAPTER 27 JOB'S CLOSING WORDS IN SELF-VINDICATION _ 1. My righteousness I hold fast (Job 27:1)_ 2. The contrast between himself and the wicked (Job 27:7) Job 27:1. Zophar, the third friend, no longer speaks. Perhaps Job paused after his remarks in answer to Bildad and waited for Zophar's criticism. Perhaps that young hot-head hid his inability of advancing another argument under an assumed disgust. Critics have assigned Job 27:7 and Job 27:13 to Zophar and claim that Job did not speak them at all. But other critics, like Wellhausen, Kuenen and Dillman say th

THIRD SPEECH OF ZOPHAR. He once more reiterates, in spite of all Job has said, that the wicked shall perish. He bursts out Let mine enemy be as God's enemy. I can wish him no worse doom. In Job 27:8 translate as _mg._ Job 27:11 is quite in the vein of Zophar, who feels very much in the secrets of God (Job 11:5). The plurals you and ye have probably been substituted for singulars when Zophar's speech had become attributed to Job. (Peake, however, gives Job 27:11 and Job 27:12 to Job, taking them as the opening and closing verses of a suppressed description of the immoral

THIS IS THE PORTION, &C. Zophar thus takes up the words with which he had concluded his second address (Job 20:29)....