Job 15

Eliphaz chargeth Job of vanity, 1, etc. Of impiety, 4.9. yea, against God himself, 11. Because he stood upon his own righteousness, 14. He proveth against Job, out of experience, and the testimony of the wise Forefathers, 17. That God doth punish the wicked, 20. For their wicked doings, 25. Wherein they perish 29.

1. Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,

2. Shall a wiseman [viz. Such as thou pretendest thy self to be] give windy knowledge for answer; [Heb. Knowledge of wind, i.e. which is not solid, nor sure, but flashing and passing away. Compare above 7.7. and the annotation.] and shall be fill his belly [i.e. his inmost, or most hidden part, to wit, his apprehending faculty, his heart and mind. So below verse 35. And ch.20.20. and 30.19. Proverbs 20:27. and 22.18. for as in the belly, the guts and other entrails are shut up and hidden; so are the thoughts, the will and affections in the soul.] with Eastwind? [i.e. with words and discourses, that are not onely as vain and light as the wind, but as hurtful also, as in those parts the East-wind. See Gen.41.6. Exod.10.13. and the annot.]

3. Reproving by words, (which) avail not, and by sayings wherewith he doth no profit?

4. Yea thou nullifies the fear [viz. Of God, driving the same out of mens hearts, by thy discourses, and weakening their disposition and headiness of calling upon him in distress. He seemeth to look back upon that which Job had said above chap.9.22.] and takest away [or, doest lessen, abate, or hinder] the prayer [or speech before the face of God. [understand such a speech or prayer, as is uttered with an humble heart be fore God in time of distress, powering out its complaints in his presence, and sueing earnestly for his assistance.

5. For thy mouth; [the word mouth, as also tongue, in this verse, and lips in the next, do signify, the words, speechs and discourses, which are uttered by the mouth, tongue and lips. So below 16.5. Psalms 5:10. Pro.2.10. and 14.3. & 15.2. and 18.7. and 21.6. &c.] teacheth [i.e. giveth testimony of the perverseness of thy heart, from whence thou brightest forth these strange discourses. Oth. Thine iniquity teacheth thy mouth, i.e. the wickedness of thy heart doth make thee utter such speechs.] thine iniquity: [viz. Which hath made thee to assume in speaking the practise of notorious dissemblers, who are able to equivocate, obscure and pervert any thing, by a fair shew of words and arguments.] and thou hast chosen the tongue of the crafty.

6. Thy mouth condemneth thee, and not I, and thy lips testify against thee.

7. Art thou the first born man? [i.e. the eldest of all men, so that thou shouldst know more than any other, and that every one should be forced to yield unto thee, as to the antientest, wisest and gravest of all the rest?] or art thou brought forth, [the Hebrew word is used of the ordinary birth of man. Psalms 51:7. and of the wonderful birth of the onely begotten of the Father, who is the wisdom of God. Proverbs 8:24,25.] before the little hills? [i.e. hast thou been from eternity or before the world was created? Compare Psal.90.2. Prov.8.25.]

8. Hast thou heard the hidden counsel of God, [namely, that thou shouldst know all heavenly and divine mysteries, more than any other. To hear the counsel of God, Jeremiah calleth, to stand in the counsel of God, chap.23.22.] and haste thou drawn the wisdom after thee? [viz. So that thou shouldst have the same alone, and none besides thee?]

9. What knowest thou, that we know not? (what) understandest thou that is not with us?

10. Among us there is also a gray-head; yea a very old one, more of days than thy father. [i.e. more antient or more stricken in years, he reflecteth upon that which Job had said abov.12.12.]

11. Are the consolations of God, [viz. Which we propounded unto thee, but were slighted by thee, below chap.16.2.] to little for thee? [i.e. too slender and too unworthy for to be propounded unto thee.] and is there any thing hidden with thee? [i.e. is there any more knowledge with thee, which we perhaps comprehend not; or, any advantage that we may reject the exhortation of the antients; or likewise any business, which we are not able to discern, for which thou doest so unworthily slight our reasoning; or, is there ought with thee which covereth (the same) consolations namely.]

12. Why doth thy heart hale thee away? [viz. To provoke God in this manner, to justify thy self, and to despise us.] and why wink thine eyes? [in sign of contempt and overweening. Oth. What do thine eyes wink at? i.e. what do they look or pore upon, what dost thou mean, that thou entertainest us with such an odd look and aspect? And seemest to contemn our discourses altogether?]

13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God, [i.e. distemperest thy mind, through impatience, and out of indignation breakest out into evil speaking against God. Oth. That thy spirit muttereth against God, and bringeth forth (such) speechs against God.] and lettest (such) speeches go forth out of thy mouth?

14. What is man that he should be clean? [the sense is, that he is not clean at all: and hath nothing to make him boast of his cleanness and righteousness. The question here inferreth a strong denial, see Gen.18.on verse 17.] and he that is born of a woman, that he should be righteous.

15. Behold, he should not confide in his Saints: [i.e. the good Angels, which above chap.1. verse 6 are called the sons of God, item, chap.4.18. his servants and 1Tim.5.21. the elect Angels, they are called holy, because they do perfectly execute the will of God. Psa.103.20. Matthew 6:10. and consequently perfectly love him. See above chap.4.on verse 18.] and the heavens [i.e. the aforesaid good angels, which have their dwelling-place in heaven: for which cause they are likewise called the angels of heaven Matt.24.36. and are said there to behold the face of the heavenly father, Matt.18.10.] are not pure in his eyes.

16. How much more is a man [vir, or homo, See above chap.12.on verse 10. But it seemeth that Eliphaz doth rather make use here of the word man (vir) to give Job a touch thereby] abominable and stinking, which drinketh in iniquity like water? [i.e. committeth evil and iniquity as eargerly and excessively, as men and beasts being dry and thirty, do long to drink and quench their thirst. Compare below 34.7. and Proverbs 26:6.]

17. I shall shew thee [viz. That it is true, what I said, that only the wicked are destroyed of God. See above chap.4.on vers.8.] hearken unto me: and that which I have seen, that will I relate. [Otherwise, For I have seen it, therefore will I relate it.]

18. Which the wise have declared; and was not hidden wise ones, the sense being, that the wise had received it from hand to hand, and heard it of their fore-fathers.]

19. To whom alone the land was given: [viz. By the people of the land, for to govern the same by their wisdom, and great authority, for unto such was the Government of Countries in former times committed passed [i.e. through whose Country there was no hostile passing or thorough-fare of any strange or foreign Nation. The meaning is, that those wise did so well govern, that their Country was not touched, nor annoyed by any foreign fores. Or, no strangers, i.e. such as brought any other, or strange doctrine into the land, besides that which those wise Patriachs, did teach therein.]

20. The wicked puts himself to pain at all days, [i.e. all his life long. Eliphaz beginneth here to relate what doctrine, or instruction those antient and wise men had left behind them, much agreeing with that which he had propounded before chap.5.3, &c. And his meaning is. Although the wicked prosper in this world, nevertheless they are unhappy still, by reason of the inward disquietness, and perpetual vexation of their minds] and (few) years in number [Heb. A number of years, instead of, years of number, i.e. few; such as are soon told, as Gen.34.30. See the annotation] are laid up for the Tyrants. [viz. In Gods eternal decree, which is hid and kept secret from men. The sense of this verse is, that the wicked lies under a two fold plague in this life, the one that he is never at rest or quiet in his temporal prosperity: the other, that doth his life, and prosperity are of no long continuance. Others translate the latter part of the verse in this manner; and the number of years, to wit, of his life, is hid before the Tyrant.]

21. The sound of terrors is in ears: [viz. Which his conscience doth haunt him with, setting his wickedness before him, and threatening him with Gods righteous Judgement. Compare Levit.26.36. and Deuteronomy 28:65.] in peace it self, [i.e. in the midst of his prosperity and rest. See of the word peace, Gen.37.on v.14.] the destroyer cometh upon him.

22. He believeth not that he shall return again out of the darkness, [i.e. out of his sufferings and adversities. See Gen.15.on verse 12. So below in the sequel and verse 30.] but that he is laid in wait for, for the sword [i.e. he is persuaded that some do lay in wait for him, to put him to a violate death.]

23. He rangeth to and fro for bread, where it may be, [i.e. he is in continual disquietness, toiling and moiling for his livelihood, and bodily provision] he knoweth, [i.e. in the intermit he is convinced of it in his own mind] that the day of darkness [i.e. the time of adversity, trouble and destruction. Compare below 30.16. and the annotation thereupon.] is ready at his hand, [i.e. very neer him, so that he must expect and cannot avoid it.]

24. Anguish and distress affright him: it doth overpower him [the distress namely] like a King ready to battle. [it is conceived that the Hebrew word Chidor, which is found no where else but here, is much the same with Caddur, signifying a ball, Isaiah 22:18. and that Chidor should signify nothing else, but an hoste, or army, marshalled in the round figure, circular or oval, as they were wont in those days to order their Battalions.]

25. For he stretched out his hand against God, and he setteth himself violently against the almighty. [i.e. he sets himself with all his might against God, by a daring opposition and presumptuous carriage, provoking him, by all manner of abominations, and oppressing other men, but especially the godly, with all manner of wrong and violence, without any aw or fear of God, whose Judgements he thinks he shall be able well enough to turn away from him by meer force, and the strength of his own power. Compare Lev.26.21. Num,.15.13. and the annot. Of the Almighty. See Genesis 17.on v.1.]

26. He ruinneth on against him [God namely] with the neck, [viz. Lifted up and stretched out, as haughty presumptuous and all-daring persons use to do.] with his thick high elevated shields. [i.e. with his arms of proof, his vast power, and all the outward means, at his command. Heb. With the thickness, (and) heights, or backs of his shields.]

27. Because he covered his face with his fat; [i.e. fed and fattened his body, by all manner of dainties, gluttony and luxury, caring and providing for nothing but his belly. Comp0are Psalms 17:10. and 73.10.] and made wrinkles about the waste-guts. [The Hebrew word doth signify the guts called Ilia by the Latines, and rendered by us waste-guts. Levit.3.v.4. see the annot. There.]

28. And hath inhabited destroyed Cities, [viz. Having rebuilded and raised them up again, by his power, to get himself a name, and to make his power and greatness appear. See above chap.3.verse 14.] (and) houses that were not inhabited, which were ready to become (stone) heaps.

29. He shall not grow rich, [viz. For any long time, for his goods shall not cleave to him, as the following words declare it] and his substance shall not subsist; and their perfection shall not spread it self abroad upon the earth. [i.e. the glory, riches, and great estate of the wicked, whereby they seem very perfect and accomplished shall not thrive long.]

30. He shall not withdraw from the darkness, [viz. Of troubles and perplexities, being once environed with them. See above on verse 22.] the flame shall dry up his sprouting: [the flame namely of plagues and adversities. So Isaiah 29:6. & 43.2. Jer.48.45. Lam.2.3.] he shall give away [i.e. decay, and be reduced to nothing: or he shall be forced to recede and with-draw from him, against whom he had set himself. See above vers.25.] through the blowing of his mouth. [i.e. through the wrath of God. See above v.9. and the annotation.]

31. Let him not trust in vanity: [i.e. in any of these things, which do so easily waste and perish, as Honour, State, Richs, Forts, Cities, Men, etc. Thus the word vanity is taken Psalms 62:10. and 119.37. and 144.4. Proverbs 31:30. Romans 8:20.] (whereby) he is seduced: for vanity shall be his recompence. [i.e. vexation, ruin, destruction and emptiness: for this shall be the reward of all the former vanity, consisting in honour, richs, power, &c. That they shall not be able to deliver him out of the hand of God, nay rather shall serve him for destruction. See of this signification of the word Vanity, above chap.7.v.3. The Hebrew word rendered Recompence here, doth properly signify alteration, change, exchange.]

32. When his day is not yet, [the day of his death namely, as 1 Samuel 26:10. Psalms 37:13. which he mighty have attained unto by the course of nature. The meaning is, that the wicked shall suddenly perish by some unexpected mischance, or be cut off, when he is in the best plight of his life, and in very good bodily prosperity. Compare below chap.18.20. and the annotations.] then shall it [viz. The aforesaid recompence] be fulfilled, for its bough shall not flourish.

33. They shall-pluck off his unripe grapes, as a Vines, and his blossom they shall cast off, as an Olive Trees. [Oth. (God) shall pluck off his unripe grapes, etc. These similitudes teach, that the expectation of the wicked, whereby they deceive both themselves and others , shall be quite brought to nothing. See above 8.verse 13.]

34. For the Congregation of the hypocrites growth solitary. [see above chapter on verse 13.] and the fire, [viz. Of adversity, plagues and miseries. Thus the word fire is used, Psalms 66:12. Isa.9.19. and 26.11. Ezekiel 30:8, &c. As the word flame, above v.30.] devoureth the tents of the presents. [i.e. wherein gifts and presents are receiving, and which are built or reared up and maintained by undue and unwarrantable presents.

35. They conceive toil [Compare above 4.8.] and bring forth vanity, [or iniquity, vice, wrong, naughtiness.] and their belly [i.e. their heart. See above on v.2.] practiseth deceipt.