Job 5

Job 5:2

2.— wrath killeth the foolish man.] Wrath may be taken here two ways, either for the wrath of God, or for the wrath of man: in the former sense the meaning is, that the wrath of God kills foolish men; which is an undoubted truth. But the latter seems preferable, which gives the meaning thus: that the wrath of a foolish man kills himself; his own wrath is as a knife at his throat, and as a sword in his own bowels. Caryl.

Eliphaz resumes his position, that men reap what they sow: their sufferings are the fruit of their own criminal passions, Prov. i. 31, 32. He produces another example in support of this principle, and traces up the matter to its source in a fixed law of Providence, which hath ordained natural evil to be the punishment of moral. It is to be observed, by what cautious gradations this speaker opens his uncharitable judgment of the case of his friend. Scott.

— the foolish man, — the silly one.] These are terms in Scripture for impious and wicked men, Prov. i. 7, 33; marking them as persons of a stupid understanding, and seduced by their corrupt passions. The first, “foolish,” is applied by Zechariah to an oppressive ruler, chap. xi. 15, 16. The passions of “wrath” and “envy” are specified, because these are two principal sources of injustice and cruelty. Scott.

Job 5:3

3.— I cursed his habitation.] I judged him unhappy; and saw a curse hanging over all that belonged to him. Clark.

This passage appears to be explained by Ps. xxxvii. 25, 36. Rosenmüller.

What Eliphaz says concerning the judgments of God upon the wicked, and the short duration of their happiness, is true: but his application of it to Job is wrong. Ostervald.

Job 5:4

4.— the gate.] The court of justice held at or over the gate. Bp. Stock.

See the note on Gen. xxiii. 10. In the place of judgment, justice took hold of them. Bp. Wilson.

To Dr. Shaw’s remark, quoted in the note on Gen.

and they are crushed in the gate, neither is there any to deliver them.

Job 5:5

5. Whose harvest the hungry eateth] “The hungry,” that is, a starveling, a man almost starved with hunger and thirst, a meagre wretch. There seems in this place a manifest allusion to the half-starved Arabe of the desert, who were always ready for plunder, as their descendants are to this day. Parkhurst.

— taketh it even out of the thorns.] As a man is said to fetch a thing out of the fire, or out of the lion’s mouth, when he gets it with much peril and hazard; so, what a man gets with much difficulty and labour he is said to get out of the thorns: and the reason is this; because men were wont, when they had gathered in their harvest, to secure it with a thorn hedge, or to lay bushes about their stacks, to keep off cattle or any other annoyances. Caryl.

Or, “whose harvest the hungry taketh even out of the thorns:” for, being overrun with brurs, it is not worth reaping. The plunderer took the remainder. Bp. Wilson.

Job 5:6

6, 7. Although affliction &c. &c.] The Hebrew is rather, “For iniquity cometh not forth of the dust, neither doth trouble spring out of the ground;” that is, as the wickedness of men does not proceed from any natural cause, but from their own free wills; so neither are their miseries to be considered as the effects of natural causes, but as the distributions of a free agent likewise, who fits men’s punishment to their crimes: and hence man, being prone to sin, is necessarily born to suffer. Peters.

God, in His unbounded wisdom and power, is the disposer of all events, and especially of those that happen to men, dispensing them with perfect righteousness and goodness, insomuch that, sooner or later, the wicked are confounded, and the righteous delivered. This every day’s experience confirms: and it should be a powerful motive to engage us to forsake sin, and to put our whole trust in God alone. Ostervald.

Job 5:8

8, 9. I would seek unto God, &c.] That is, (for Eliphaz had precluded Job from all attempts to justify himself in the foregoing part of his advice,) I would apply to God by a full and free confession of those sins, which have drawn this sad calamity upon me; to God, who was able to do wonders, (as he presently adds,) and who could and would restore him to his former happy state, if He saw him truly penitent for his past transgressions: for this is the whole purport of the following part of the speech, ver. 17—27; namely, to give Job hopes of a happy turn to his condition, if he would but do, what Eliphaz thought was absolutely necessary

God is to be regarded in affliction. The happy end of God’s correction. Before CHRIST about 1520. there be no number. outplaces. b Ps. 112. 7.

Job 5:10

10. Who giveth rain] We may note, that the common blessings of God are not dispensed without a directing Providence. Nature works not without the God of nature. Caryl. In those hot climates the spring is of short duration. All summer the earth is without rain: every thing is burnt up, and the fields are turned into a desert. But when the autumnal rains fall, a few plentiful showers produce a sudden resurrection of vegetable nature: the pastures are clothed again with grass, the trees are covered with green leaves, and all things assume a fresh and delightful aspect. Dr. Russell. Elphaz appears to allude in this place to such a great and beautiful operation of Providence; as a fitting emblem of its effecting a like wonderful transition from a condition of despairing affliction to a state of prosperity and joy. Scott.

Job 5:11

11. To set up on high those that be low; &c.] From the works of nature, ver. 10, Elphaz passes on to man, and describes as large instances of supreme power which God is wont to display in His dealings with him. This verse is to be connected with ver. 9, in the following manner: God doeth great and marvellous things by setting up on high those that be low. Rosenmüller.

Job 5:13

13. — the counsel of the froward is carried headlong.] That is, they rush to their own ruin. Bp. Wilson.

Job 5:14

14. They meet with darkness &c.] They trip in the plainest way; and see not their danger when it is visible to every body but themselves. Bp. Patrick.

Job 5:15

15. from their mouth.] That is, from the reproaches of those crafty ones. Clark.

Job 5:16

16. So the poor hath hope.] Great cause to hope in God’s mercy for deliverance, by this experience of the divine goodness to him. Clark. — iniquity stoppeth her mouth.] Such examples of the justice and goodness of Providence silence the objections of infidels, and the murmurs of all complainants. Scott.

Job 5:17

17. Behold, happy is the man &c.] As a further mo-

Job 5:19

19. — in six troubles: yea, in seven] This expression “six; yea, seven,” seems to be a fixed number put for an unfixed, a certain number for an uncertain. We find this kind of speaking frequently in Scripture: in the thirty-third chapter of this book, ver. 29, “Lo, all these things worketh God twice and thrice,” we translate, “these things worketh God oftentimes.” Caryl.

Job 5:21

21. — destruction] Rather, ruin, by calumny or false accusation; as appears from its connexion with “the scourge of the tongue.” Scott. — when it cometh.] Upon others. Clark.

Job 5:22

22. — destruction and famine] “Destruction,” deeslation, by the incursions of lawless men and wild beasts: see Lev. xxvi. 22; Jer. v. 6; Ezek. xiv. 15; Ps. lxxx. 13. “Famine,” extreme poverty, the effect of the incursions and depredations above mentioned. Accordingly it follows, “neither shalt thou be afraid of the beasts of the earth.” See Hos. ii. 12, 18. Scott. 23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field:] The stones of the field shall not hurt thee, though thou walkest with naked feet. Grotius. This strong figure of speech may import protection in travelling. The sandals, which the ancients wore, were a very slight guard to the feet in the rough and stony ways of their mountains. Compare Ps. xci. 11, 12. In the former verse he assures security to his vineyards, &c. from the depredations of noxious animals: in the latter part of this, he engages for the security of his person, particularly from the various kinds of serpents, which infested the desert of Arabia, and rendered travelling dangerous, Deut. viii. 15. Scott. 24. — and thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin.] The words signify, Thou shalt superintend thy affairs with good success, and not err or fail in the administration of them. Bp. Hall. “Shalt not sin,” shalt not miscarry. The original word is a metaphor from skilful slingers, who never miss the mark: Judg. xx. 16, “every one could sling stones at an hair breadth, Before CHRIST about 1520. b Deut. 32. 29.

Job 5:26

26. — like as a shock of corn cometh in in his season.] Cometh to the threshingfloor at the season of harvest. Bp. Stock.

The Eastern people used not anciently to stack their corn in the straw, to remain for a considerable time, as we do; but to carry it together in heaps, and then presently thresh it in the field: and they observe the same practice to this day. “As a heap of corn comes up” (on the threshingfloor, namely) “in its season,” that is, when fully ripe. Parkhurst.

An easy death in a good old age, a worthy and respected character, and an honourable interment, are the ideas conveyed in this rural comparison. Scott.

Job 5:27

27. Lo this, we have searched it.] They had, it seems, conferred together on the case of their friend, agreed in their judgment of it, and concerted the plan of their discourse to him. Job accordingly addresses his answer to them all. Scott.

The intent of the speech, however soft and insinuating, is very plain: it was to bring Job to a confession of some secret wickedness, some great enormity, of which his friends supposed him to be guilty. And so, we find, Job understood it; for he complains of the unkindness of the suspicion in the following reply, chap. vi. 14, 15, 25. Peters.

Chap. VI, VII. Job excuses his ebullition of impatience by the greatness of his sufferings, which his friends have not duly appreciated. He rejects in very unfriendly terms the consolation offered by Eliphas, probably because he knows his disaster to be incurable, and feels no right to expect a miraculous interference to effect his recovery. He declares expressly that he does not expect a cure, and that a speedy death is his only desire: he complains that his friends do not sympathize with him; he laments the general lot of human nature, and his own in particular; he confesses at last, that he is not unjustly punished, but complains that God should so strictly observe, and so rigidly punish, offences that cannot injure Him. Michaelis.

Chap. VI. ver. 3. — therefore my words are swallowed up.] By my grief, which drowns them that I cannot speak, and stops my mouth that I am not able to utter what I would say. Clark.