Job 42:5

_I HAVE HEARD OF THEE BY THE HEARING OF THE EAR: BUT NOW MINE EYE SEETH THEE._ Hearing of ear - (Psalms 18:44, margin.) Hearing and seeing are often in antithesis (Job 29:11; Psalms 48:8). SEETH - not God's face (Exodus 33:20, "Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me and live"), but His presence in the veil of a dark cloud (Job 38:1). Job implies also that, besides this literal seeing, he now saw spiritually what he had indistinctly taken on hearsay before-God's infinite wisdom. He "now" proves this; he had seen in a liter

1-6 Job was now sensible of his guilt; he would no longer speak in his own excuse; he abhorred himself as a sinner in heart and life, especially for murmuring against God, and took shame to himself. When the understanding is enlightened by the Spirit of grace, our knowledge of Divine things as far exceeds what we had before, as the sight of the eyes excels report and common fame. By the teachings of men, God reveals his Son to us; but by the teachings of his Spirit he reveals his Son in us, Galatians 1:16, and changes us into the same image, 2 Corinthians 3:18. It concerns us to be deeply humbled for the sins of which we are convinced. Self-loathing is ever the companion of true repentance. The Lord will bring those whom he loveth, to adore him in self-abasement; while true grace will always lead th...

Verse Job 42:5. _I HAVE HEARD OF THEE_] I have now such a discovery of thee as I have never had before. I have only heard of thee by tradition, or from imperfect information; now the eye of my mind clearly perceives thee, and in seeing _thee_, I see _myself_; for the light that discovers thy glory and excellence, discovers my meanness and vileness....

I HAVE HEARD OF THEE BY THE HEARING OF THE EAR - Referring to the indistinct views which we have of anything by merely hearing of it, compared with the clear apprehension which is furnished by sight. Job had had such views of God as one may obtain by being told of him; he now had such views as are furnished by the sight. The meaning is, that his views of God before were dark and obscure. BUT NOW MINE EYE SEETH THEE - We are not to suppose that Job means to say that he actually “saw” God, but that his apprehensions of him were clear and bright “as if” he did. There is no evidence that God appeared to Job in any visible form. He is said, indeed, to have spoken from the whirlwind, but no visible manifestation of Yahweh is mentioned....

SECTION VII.—HISTORICAL SEQUEL TO THE DIALOG EXPOSITION JOB 42:1 This concluding chapter divides into two parts. In the first part (Job 42:1) Job makes his final submission, humbling himself in the dust before God. In the second (verses 7-17) the historical framework, in which the general dialogue is set, is resumed and brought to a close. God's approval of Job is declared, and his anger denounced against the three friends, who are required to expiate their guilt by a sacrifice, and only promised forgiveness if Job will intercede on their behalf (verse 8). The sacrifice takes place (verse 9); and then a brief account is appended of Job's after life—his prosp

I HAVE HEARD OF THEE BY THE HEARING OF THE EAR,.... From his ancestors, who in a traditionary way had handed down from one to another what they knew of God, his will and worship, his works and ways; and from those who had the care of his education, parents and tutors, who had instilled the principles of religion, and the knowledge of divine things, into him very early; and from such as might instruct in matters of religion in a public manner; and both by ordinary and extraordinary revelation made unto him, as was sometimes granted to men in that age in which Job lived; see Job 4:16. Though he had heard more of God through his speaking to him out of the whirlwind than ever he did before, to which he had attentively listened; and the phrase, hearing by or with the hearing of the ear, denotes close attention; see Ezekiel 44

VI. THE CONFESSION OF JOB CHAPTER 42:1-6 Critics claim that Job's answer is misplaced and that it really ought to be put in connection with chapter 41:3-5. This is another evidence of the lack of spiritual discernment of these “great” scholars. They treat the Word of God as literature only and criticise it as such. We have seen that the additional words of Jehovah were needed to bring Job completely into the dust and bring from his lips the confession which alone could satisfy Jehovah and be the great blessing for himself. This confession we have now before us. _ Then Job answered the Lord and said:_ I know that Thou canst do all things, And that no purpose of Thine can be withstood. Who is this that hideth counsel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that which I understood not. Hear I beseech Thee and I will speak, I will demand of Thee, and I will speak and declare Tho...

Job's final speech (continuation of Job 40:3). Job 42:1 is to be removed as a gloss: as are also Job 42:3 a, Job 42:4 b, which are quoted from Job 38:2 f., and probably came in from the margin. Job abases himself before the Almightiness of God as displayed in the creation, and acknowledges that he has spoken ignorantly. Job 42:5 contains the supreme lesson of the book (Peake). No new theoretical knowledge concerning God and His ways has been given to Job, but in direct intuition he has seen God face to

Job 42:1-6. Job's reply to the Lord's Second Address from the Storm The Lord's words make Job feel more deeply than before that greatness which belongs to God alone, and with deep compunction he retracts his past words and repents in dust and ashes....

I HAVE HEARD OF THEE, &C.— It is plain that here is same privilege intended, which Job had never enjoyed before, and which he calls a sight of God. He had heard of him by the _hearing of the ear,_ or the tradition delivered down from his forefathers: but he had now a clear and sensible perception of his being and divine perfections: some light thrown in upon the mind, which carried its own evidence with it, and of which, perhaps, we can form no notion; but which to him had all the certainty and clearness even of sight itself: In short, some manifestation of the Deity made to him in vision, such as the prophets had, and from whence they derived their very name of Seers. There is a pleasure in observing the accomplishment of that wish of Job's, chap. Job 19:23 when we peruse this book; an accomplishment in a higher and better sense than he himself could possibly have hoped for when he made