Job 42:6

_WHEREFORE I ABHOR MYSELF, AND REPENT IN DUST AND ASHES._ Myself - rather, 'I abhor,' and retract the rash speeches I made against thee (Job 42:3). (Umbreit.)...

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 42:6. _I ABHOR_ MYSELF] Compared with thine, my strength is weakness; my wisdom, folly; and my righteousness, impurity. "I loathe myself when thee I see; And into nothing fall." _REPENT_] I am deeply distressed on account of the _imaginations_ of my heart, the _words_ of my tongue, and the _acts_ of my life. I roll myself in the _dust_, and sprinkle _ashes_ upon my head. Job is now sufficiently humbled at the feet of Jehovah; and having earnestly and piously prayed for instruction, the Lord, in a finishing speech, which appears to be contained in Job 40:1, perfects his teaching on the subject of the late controversy, whi

WHEREFORE I ABHOR MYSELF - I see that I am a sinner to be loathed and abhorred. Job, though he did not claim to be perfect, had yet unquestionably been unduly exalted with the conception of his own righteousness, and in the zeal of his argument, and under the excitement of his feelings when reproached by his friends, had indulged in indefensible language respecting his own integrity. He now saw the error and folly of this, and desired to take the lowest place of humiliation. Compared with a pure and holy God, he saw that he was utterly vile and loathsome, and was not unwilling now to confess it. “And repent.” Of the spirit which I have evinced; of the language used in self-vindication; of the manner in which I have spoken of God. Of the general sentiments which he had maintained in regard to the divine administration as contrasted with those of his friends he had no occasion to repent, f...

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

WHEREFORE I ABHOR [MYSELF],.... Or all my words, as Aben Ezra; all the indecent expressions he had uttered concerning God; he could not bear to think of them; he loathed them, and himself on account of them: sin is abominable in its own nature, and makes men so; it is loathsome to God, and so it is to all good men when they see it in its proper light; am especially when they have a view of the purity and holiness of God, to which that is so very contrary, and also of his grace and goodness in the forgiveness of it; see Isaiah 6:3 Ezekiel 16:63; AND REPENT IN DUST AND ASHES; which was an external ceremony used by mournful and penitent persons; see Job 2:8; and is expressive of the truth and sincerity of rep

WHEREFORE I ABHOR MYSELF The problem, of which the book of Job is the profound discussion, finds here its solution. Brought into the presence of God, Job is revealed to himself. In no sense a hypocrite, but godly and possessing a faith which all his afflictions could not shake, Job was yet self-righteous and lacking in humility. Chapter 29 fully discloses this. But in the presence of God he anticipates, as it were, the experience of Paul. (Philippians 3:4) and the problem is solved. The godly are afflicted that they may be brought to self-knowledge and self-judgment. Such afflictions are not penal for their sins, but remedial and purifying. The book of Job affords a sublime illustration of the truth announced in; (1 Corinthians 11:31); ...

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

I ABHOR MYSELF, AND REPENT. "The end of the Lord" (i.e. what Jehovah designed as the great lesson of this book) is at length reached. Compare James 5:11....