Job 4

Guar. IV. Ver. 1—21. Eliphaz reproves Job’s impatience, and questions his integrity.—He begins by intimating that he could no longer refrain from speaking, though he was well aware that the remarks he was about to offer would be far from palatable. First, he remonstrates with him on his inconsistency; he that had been accustomed to animate and encourage others, himself faints in the day of trial. He then admonishes him not to be too confident in his own integrity, and broadly intimates, that as God was not wont to punish the innocent, it became him to inquire whether these extraordinary afflictions were not intended to correct him for sins, secret and unrepented of. And here is introduced, unquestionably, one of the finest passages that was ever penned, whether we consider the doctrine, or its poetic imagery, which is so singularly beautiful, that we are induced to give it in its poetic form.

12 Now to me was an oracle delivered privily, And mine ear caught a whisper thereof; 13 Amid (my) agitation from visions of the night, When deep sleep falleth upon men; 14 Fear and horror alarmed me, And the multitude of my bones trembled. 15 Then a spirit passed before my face, And the hair of my flesh became erect. 16 It stood still; but I could not distinguish its form: A figure (stood) before mine eyes; There was silence, and I heard a voice:— 17 “Shall a mortal man be righteous before God? Shall a man be pure before his maker! ” 18 Behold, he placeth no reliance on his servants, And to his angels he ascribeth no praise. 19 How much less (to) those who dwell in houses of clay, Which have their foundation in the dust.

They are crushed before the moth; 20 From morn till even are they beaten down; They are ever perishing unnoticed. 21 Their (gay) fluttering is soon over with them; They die—and are without wisdom.” The concluding verses, which so beautifully describe the “* Crush’d like a moth, these beings of a day, With unregarded waste are swept away: Their honours perish, and themselves descend Fools to the grave, and thoughtless of their end.” The above translation is not offered as original, nor is it copied from any one author, but formed by comparing several, as may be seen in the notes. The beauty of the passage has tempted us to be thus particular; and we shall offer two or three farther remarks. 1.

It details one of those visions with which mankind were frequently favoured, before divine revelation was fixed by written records; and the description is eminently sublime. An aerial undefined form passes before Eliphaz; then it stops—a pause ensues, and in a hollow sepulchral tone, delivers the following oracle. 2. Whether the vision be considered as divine or not, the doctrine of the spectre, (if it may be so called,) is equally sublime and just: no creature can boast absolute purity or perfection in the sight of God. Creatures are, in their very nature, mutable; the Infinite Being, therefore, confides not in their services, nor admits in the highest of them a claim of merit. (See (Luke 17:9-10).) 3. However elevated man may consider himself above the lower creation, creatures are all on a level before the Creator. As a thousand years are in his sight but as a day; so a man, or an angel, are in his sight but as an insect or a worm. 4. That His world is no more the scene of perfect knowledge than of complete happiness. We are ever seeking both, but attain very little of either. We die in ignorance, though in different degrees.

Notes on the verses

Chap. IV. Ver. 6. Is not this thy fear, &c. This verse is generally read in the interrogative, but would, we conceive, be much clearer in the indicative. Eliphaz, referring to Job’s former professions and confidence in God, says, “This is not thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways:” i. e. this is no proof of that fear of God, &c. which thou didst recommend to others. Ver. 12. A thing was secretly brought.—A little (a murmur or whisper) thereof.—“A hollow, sepulchral murmur.”—Good. Ver. 13. In thoughts from the visions, &c.—The word rendered thoughts, implies “tumultuous thoughts; mental agitations.”—Good. Ver. 14. Fear came upon me,—Or rather, “called to me,”

as the partridge (which has its name from this root) calls to alarm her young, when in danger. Ver. 15. Then a spirit.—Ambiguities necessarily arise from the same word (both in Hebrew and Greek) signifying spirit and mind. In this place, Scott (the poet) thinks a strong, rushing wind intended, to prepare for the vision, (see (Job 30:15).) but we prefer the popular version. Ver. 16. An image.—“A spectre,” says Dr. Good; but this is not a Scriptural word; we therefore prefer Dr. Boothroyd’s rendering, “a figure.” Ver. 17. More just…. more pure.—This is neither correct nor elegant: there can be no supposition of man being purer than his Maker. The Hebrew (Mem) usually and primarily signifies from; but this is an idiomatical expression, and both Gesenius and Parkhurst consider it, in some cases, equivalent to (lipene) “before,” or in the sight of God.

So it is frequently rendered by our translators, and twice, particularly in (Numbers 32:22). “guiltless before the Lord, and before Israel;” i. e. “he shall have an acquittal (mem) from the Lord, and (mem) from Israel.” Good, Boothroyd, and many others, therefore here render it before. Ver. 18. His angels he charged with folly.—This is too weak a term, when applied to the fallen angels, and too strong to apply to those unfallen. The margin says, (“In whom) he put light;” but the word commonly, and most strictly, signifies praise; which, therefore, we have preferred. Ver. 19. How much less in them.—The in is supplementary; “If God neither confideth in, nor bestoweth thanks on his most exalted servants, how much less doth he thus regard poor mortal man!”—(Which) are crushed.—There is no relative in the original; it should say alas as by Good and others, “They are crushed before the moth,” or moth-worm, as some read it.—“Before”

must here mean “sooner,” or with more ease. Ver. 20. They are destroyed—Rather, “rent,” or beaten down” like moths and butterflies. Parkhurst applies this to the moth-worm, and refers to (Isaiah 51:8). But in that text, not only our common version, but Bp. Lowth also applies this word (Ash, or Os) to the moth itself, and the following word, (sas,) to the worm, or grub. Ver. 21. Doth not their excellency, &c.—This verse is very obscure and difficult. Dr. Good thus elegantly renders it, alluding to the papilio; “Their fluttering round is over with them; They die—a nothing in wisdom.” The word rendered by Good “their fluttering round,” is used in reference to the flight of pigeons, and to the ploughing of oxen: to a circle of jewels, or of rank and succession, &c.