Job 4

Job 4:2

TO commune] Heb. a word.

who can withhold himself from speaking?] Heb. who can refrain from words? Seeing this thine impatience.

Job 4:3

thou hast strengthened the weak hands] Isaiah 35:3. Hebrews 12:12. Thou hast comforted others by holy exhortations, and strengthned them in faith, constancy, and patience in their afflictions, and canst not now comfort thy self.

Job 4:4

upholden] Heb. the bowing knees.

the feeble knees] Heb. the bowing knees.

Job 4:6

Is not this thy fear] This he concludeth that Job was but an hypocrite, and had no true fear, nor trust in God, chap. 2. 9. Or, is not thy hope, as thy fear of God, or religion, both pain?

thy] Or, as thy.

Job 4:7

who ever perished, being innocent?] He concludeth that Job was a wicked man, seeing that God handled him so extremely; which is the argument that the carnall men make against the children of God.

Job 4:8

they that plow iniquity] Proverbs 22:8. Hosea 10:13. Psa. 7. 14, 15. Galatians 6:7. They that do evill, cannot but receive evill.

Job 4:9

By the blast of God they perish] He sheweth that God needeth no great preparation to destroy his enemies, for he can do it with the blast of his mouth, Isaiah 59:19.

by the breath of his nostrils] That is, by his anger, as Isaiah 30:33. and Isaiah 11:4. Job 15:30.

Job 4:10

The roaring of the lion] Though men according to their office do not punish Tyrants (whom for their cruelty, he compareth to lions, and their children to their whelps) yet God both is able, and in his justice will punish them. He will represse the anger of wicked and violent men, and take from them means of hurting, Psalms 58:6.

the teeth of the young lions are broken] Psalms 58:6.

Job 4:11

lion perisheth for lack of prey] Psalms 34:10.

Job 4:12

secretly] Heb. by stealth.

secretly brought to me] A thing I knew not before, was declared unto me by vision; whether now upon occasion of Jobs afflictions, or before, it is uncertain. See Psalms 62:11. The thing revealed was, That whosoever thinketh himself just, shall be found a sinner, when he cometh before God.

Job 4:14

came upon me] Heb. met me.

which made all my bones to shake] In these visions which God sheweth to men, there is ever a certain fear joyned, that the authoritie thereof might be had in greater reverence, Habakkuk 3:16.

all my bones] Heb. the multitude of my bones.

Job 4:16

there was silence] Or, I heard a still voice. When all things were quiet, or when the fear was somewhat asswaged, as God appeared to Elijah, 1 Kings 19:12.

Job 4:17

Shall mortall man be more just then God?] His argument is, That if God did punish the innocent, the creature should be more just, then the creatour, which were blasphemy.

Job 4:18

put no trust in his servants] Chap. 15. 15. 2 Peter 2. 4.

and his angels he charged with folly] Or, nor in his angels in whom he put light. If God finde imperfection in his angels, some of whom fell, how much more shall he lay folly to mans charge, when he would justifie himself against God.

Job 4:19

that dwell in houses of clay] That is, in this mortall body subject to corruption.

houses of clay] a Cor. 5. 1. Genesis 2:7.

which are crushed before the moth?] Sooner, and with lesse labour then a moth is crushed, which is killed onely with a touch, and a very light one also: or, insensibly, as a garment is consumed with a moth, Psalms 39:11. Isaiah 50:9. and Isaiah 51:8. Hosea 5:12.

Job 4:20

destroyed] Heb. beaten in pieces.

from morning to evening] That is, suddenly. See Isaiah 38:12. Psal. 90. 5, 6.

without any regarding it] No man looking after to see what is become of them.

Job 4:21

excellency which is in them] Psalms 39:11. and Psalms 49:14.

they die, even without wisdom] That is, they shall not carry so much as their wisdom with them, Job 36:12.