19. Drought and heat cause water to evaporate silently and quietly; so the wicked go to their graves in peace, without any violent deaths. 24. They are gathered into the grave, as corn, fully ripe, is reaped in time of harvest. XXV. 1. In this reply of Bildad, he expresses great contempt for Job's protestation of his innocence before such a Being as God. 2. He reigns uncontrouled, even in heaven. XXVI. Job, in contempt of what Bildad had said concerning the power of God, enlarges on the same subject, to shew them that his ideas of the majesty and power of God were at least as high as theirs. 4. From whom had you this information? 5. Here Job begins to speak of the power of God, instancing in the larger animals, especially those in the sea, for the word [dead] may be rendered giants, and therefore probably huge creatures of any kind. Mr. Scott thinks that this is an account of the power of God in Sheol, and renders it, The giants are in anguish under the waters, together with their families. Sheol is naked before him, and destruction has no covering. The Rephaim are synonymous with Nephelim, and Emim, men who, on account of their huge bulk, were "a terror to all others." Hence tyrannical princes are so called, Ezra xxxii. 21, 23; and Isaiah [xiv. 9], speaking of the king of Babylon, says, Hell (Sheol) from beneath is moved for thee, it stirreth up the dead (Rephaim) for thee.* 12. This, Mr. Scott says, should be, He quieteth the sea by his power, When by his understanding he hath dashed the proud 13. By his wind the heavens become serene. By the slaying of the bar-serpent,§ seems to be meant his dashing the sea monsters against the rocks, and destroying them in a storm. a very different translation; and says there is an elegant allegory in the words. I think it had been better to say, he did not understand them. 'Tis probable that the words, in all the copies, are mutilated. And so I think they are, to the end of the chapter." Wall, I. p. 294. See Com. and Ess. I. pp. 351, 352; Michaelis in Lowth (Lect. ix.) I. p. 10, Note; Good, pp. 281-284. * Job, p. 221. See Wall, I. pp. 295, £96; Good, p. 288. ↑ Job, p. 226. See Good, pp. 292, 295. ↑ Scott, p. 227; Good, p. 293. "His hand slayeth the bar-serpent." Scott, p. 228. See Good, pp. 293–296. This is thought to refer to the constellation called the Serpent, in the heavens. XXVII. The friends of Job making no farther reply to him, he proceeds in a strain of triumph, renewing his complaints, asserting his innocence, and withal expressing his high idea of the power of God, and the unsearchableness of his ways. 13. The last part of this chapter, from ver. 13, contains sentiments so much the reverse of those which were before expressed by Job, and so much the same with those of his opponents, that it is very probable, as Dr. Kennicott* supposes, it was originally a speech of Zophar, who otherwise. replies only twice; whereas his two companions reply three times. It also begins with a sentiment which he had expressed at the close of the last speech, (Chap. xx. 29,) This is the portion of a wicked man from God, and the heritage appointed unto him by God. Here he begins with the repetition of this, and then proceeds in continuation. 22. The agent in this place is the East wind; It shall cast itself upon him, and not spare. † 23. The agent is still the East wind: It shall clap its hands at him, And it shall hiss, &c.‡ XXVIII. I see no reason why this whole chapter may not be considered as a continuation of the speech of Zophar, especially as Chap. xxix. begins with the mention of Job's resuming his discourse. 3. "He searcheth to every extremity the stones of darkness, &c. He follows the vein of metallic ore as far as it goes."§ 4. He breaketh up the valley near the bottom of the mountain : They are forgotten of the foot; They sink down; they wander from men.|| 5. "Its caverns abound with inflammable minerals, for instance, sulphur."¶ 9. "Breaking in pieces and dislodging, in order to come at the ore, the hardest flint or marble." 10. " They carry aqueducts over the valleys, and sometimes through the rocks."†† * Remarks, pp. 169–171. ↑ Ibid. p. 239. ↑ Scott, p. 238. § Ibid. p. 242. See Wall, 1. p. 297; Good, p. 307. Scott, pp. 242, 243. See Com. and Ess. I. p. 352; Good, pp. 307, 308.. Scott, p. 244. "Which are the roots, that is, the foundation of the mountain." Scott, p. 245. ++ Ibid. (Plin. H. N. xxxiii. 4,) p. 246. 12. After observing that there is a certain place for every natural production, he says, that men have not yet found out the place for wisdom, as they have for gold, and other things of value. By wisdom in this place, may perhaps be understood a knowledge of the general plan of Providence. And the inference from the whole is, that, instead of prying into mysteries which we cannot understand, it is the duty of man to adore his Maker, and practise his commands. 13. From this it is evident, that by this wisdom, in this place, is not meant religion.* 28. This account of the source of wisdom, and of the great value of it, is truly poetical, and the conclusion is admirable. But it suits the purpose of Zophar better than that of Job, as he might mean to insinuate that Job had not the fear of God before his eyes, having given himself up to wicked courses. With this, all the speeches of Job's friends terminate. But though there are three of them, there is no considerable difference in their arguments or characters; and for each of them speaking just three times, and Job answering them all separately, there does not seem to have been any good reason. They might have began where they ended, or have ended where they began. The same may be said very nearly of Job's replies. They all speak to the same purpose, and Job replies in the same manner. They all, and Job as well as they, introduce noble descriptions of the power and wisdom of God, and constantly ascribe the creation of all things, and the disposal of all events, to him. XXIX. 1. Job's three friends having advanced all that they thought proper, he resumes his discourse, without referring to them; complaining as at the first, comparing his present abject state with his former prosperous one, and asserting his innocence as before. 3. The tents of princes in the East are frequently illuminated; so the meaning here may be that my tent was illuminated, and I passed the night by the light of it.† 4. That is, when I was in great favour with God, as if he had been my intimate friend, had frequently visited me, and concealed nothing from me. 7. Courts of judicature were held in open spaces near the gates of cities, and there Job had sat and been highly * Scott, p. 247. ↑ See Harmer, II. pp. 138, 134; Good, p. 317,848. respected. Chardin says, that it is customary in the East for persons of distinction to have cushions placed for them on benches in the open street.* "God hath destroyed my authority. The phrase seems equivalent to that in Chap. xii. 18, he looseth the bonds of kings.""t 12. This is a fine description of an intelligent and upright man, a blessing to the country in which he lived, and proportionably respected by all persons. XXX. 1. He makes the contrast between his former and his present condition, in which he was insulted by the meanest wretches. 4. For juniper, the Chaldee has a kind of broom. 11. He has, as it were, loosed the cord, by which my tent was fastened to the ground, and others insult me without restraint. 15. Terrors were turned upon me: They pursued my dignity as wind.‡ 18. His many sores had made it difficult for him to change his dress.§ 24. The sense of this verse is very uncertain. Le Clerc supposes him to mean that he would not have complained of his ill treatment, if he had shewn as little compassion for others as they shewed for him. And what follows is in this strain. Mr. Scott conjectures, that it might have originally been to this purpose, Oh that there might be, in his destroying stroke, an alleviation of these (pains)! praying " for a gentle death."|| 29. In this place it is thought that tannim may signify jackals, "which make a hideous howling in the night."¶ The word rendered owls in the text, and ostriches in the margin, is literally daughters of vociferation; and ostriches make a frightful noise in the night.** XXXI. Job enumerates all the more considerable crimes of which men were guilty, and declares his innocence with respect to them all. See Chardin, MS. Harmer, II. p. 59; Scott, p. 256. ↑ Scott, p. 266. See Good, pp. 347, 348. Scott, p. 268. A conjectural emendation has been proposed, “from which the passage might be more properly translated:" My eminence is dissipated like the wind; And my prosperity is passed away like a cloud. § See Scott, pp. Job, p. 274. ¶ Job, p. 276. ** Scott, p. 276. Com. and Ess. I. pp. 352, 353. See Good, pp. 351, 352. 270, 271; Good, pp. 353, 354. See Good, pp. 357, 358. See Harmer, IV. p. 290, Note. 2. I could not have expected any favour from God if I had indulged impure desires. 3. He does not deny that God, in his providence, punishes the wicked; but thought that he did not always spare the righteous. 8. Job had now no children, but it may be rendered "Let my produce be rooted up; by floods, or other causes of desolation."* 10.† Let my wife be reduced to the most abject servitude; the grinding of corn being the office of female slaves. 14. Probably judges stood up when they pronounced sentence, and this is an allusion to human judicatures.‡ 18. If it was a female that he befriended, it was probably a widow, as mentioned above; but the ancient versions in general do not make the object of his compassion a female.§ 22. He wishes, that if his arm was held up to threaten, or abuse an orphan, it might be broken. 28. It may be rendered, It were an iniquity, my judges appealing to God. This well describes the first state of idolatry, in the worship of the heavenly bodies, as the voluntary causes of good or ill to men; and it seems that, in the country of Job, this was considered as a crime exposing the offender to punishment, at least it was a thing almost universally condemned; for the word in the original does not necessarily imply any more, as Dr. Kennicott has shewn. 33. Here is a plain allusion to the history of Adam,|| such as is related in the first book of Moses; but it does not follow that this book was then written. The history of Adam was probably at that time as well known by tradition, to mankind in general, as it was to Moses himself. 34. Was I ashamed, of my conduct, and durst not go abroad, lest I should incur indignation and contempt?¶ 35. It is evident that the art of writing was supposed not to have been unknown in the time of Job. And there was Scott, p. 281. + "LXX. And let my children be brought low.'" Wall, I. p. 299. See Scott, p. 282; Good, p. 362. Scott, p. 283. See Good, p. 363. § Scott. Good, pp. 364–366. "If Adam_were to be here translated as a proper name. But nobody translates it so, as I can see, but Castalio and English. Vulg. is, humano more: so Tremellius, in Marg. Eng. after the manner of men.' Wall, I. p. 299. See Good, p. 370. ¶ "LXX. seems the true reading. For I did not fear a great multitude, so as not to confess it before them, if I suffered a poor man to go out of my door with an empty lap."" Wall, I. p. 300. See Scott, p. 289. |