Job 8

Bildad doth reprehend the words of Job. 1, etc. Praiseth the justice of God, 3. Taxeth Jobs childrens, 4. Promiseth Job, the favour, grace and blessing of God upon his repentance, 5. Demonstrating on the contrary the destruction of the wicked, by the experience of times past, 8. He comforteth Job, if he were upright with the promises of God, v.20.

1. Then answered Bildad the Suhite, and said;

2. How long shalt thou speak these things, and the sayings of thy mouth be a mighty wind? [Here Jobs discourses are compared to a strong wind, as proceeding of violent passions; contrary to the rules of discretion, and seeming to encounter with Gods honour.

3. Should God then pervert the right? And should the Almighty pervert righteousness?

4. If thy children have sinned against him, he hath also cast them into the hand of the transgression [Heb. He hath sent them, i.e. he hath suffered them to fall into the power of sin, for fill up measure thereof, and of punishment, for to receive their due reward.]

5. (But) if thou seek early after God, [i.e. timely and diligently, see above ch.7.on v.21.] and pray for grace to the Almighty. [his meaning here is, as if he had said; Thy children indeed are perished by reason of their sins; but as for thee, if thou do seek the LORD withal thy heart, and pray for grace and pardon, and shalt be clean from abominable sins, he shall redress thee well enough, and repossess thee of thy former well enough, and repossess thee of thy former welfare.]

6. If thou be pure [i.e. not defiled with gross secret sins, for which thou art not sorrowful] and right; surely he shall awake now for thy sake: [Heb. Over thee, i.e. for thy sake, for thy own good and benefit:] and he shall perfect the habitation [i.e. rear it up again, restore and re-establish the same in its former state and condition. Oth. Appease, or prosper, make prosperous.] of thy righteousness [i.e. wherein thou doest practise righteousness and virtuousness and virtuousness.]

7. Thy beginning shall be mean indeed, but thy later end shall be very much increased. [i.e. God shall make thee great, being low; exalted, being debased; rich, being poor, prosperous, being crossed, by blessing thee and thine more and more.]

8. For do but enquire after the former generation, [understand a multitude of people that lived together in one age, or for many years together. See Gen.6.on v.9. and Psal.12.on v.8.] and fit thy self for the searching after their Fathers [viz. That were or lived in the former generations, and had gotten a great measure of understanding and wisdom, by means of their long life and great experience, besides the sundry revelations they had from God.]

9. For we are of yesterday [i.e. not to be compared with those Fathers or Patriarchs, we having a shorter life, less experience, and not so many revelations from God.] and know nothing, because our days are a shadow upon the earth. [i.e. very transitory, vain and nothing Comp.Ps.102.12. & 144.4.]

10. Shall not they [viz. Those Forefathers, whom Job was directed unto by Bildad, ab. Verse 8. This kind of asking, implyeth a strong affirmation. See Gen.13.on v.9.] teach thee, speak to thee [viz. Of the courses of Gods providence and judgements, which are wonderful, and of the issues of Good men, which are good, and of the bad, which are bad.] and bring forth speechs out of their heart? [i.e. not as such as were uttered on the sudden from the lips, but such as they did sit, ripely weigh and consider in their understandings, and had made trial of by their experience.]

11. Doth the Bull-rush raise it self without mire? [the meaning is; even as a Bull-rush cannot grow up without mire, nor the reed without water; but must soon wither away; so a man cannot thrive nor prosper without piety.] growth the reed-grass without water? Oth-flag, or Moor-grass, comp. Gen.41.2. and the annotate. There.]

12. When it is in its virtue, yet (although) it be not cut down, yet it withereth before all grass. [See 1 Kings 18.on v.5.]

13. Thus are the paths of all that forget God: [i.e. thus it fares with them, or, such is the life, the ability, and the issue of those that despise God: although for a time they may be green, and flourish and rise up high, and seem to stand very firm, whiles outward prosperity doth smile upon them; yet when that fails once, they fall and perish on a suddain, yea much sooner than others, Psa.37.2,35.] and the expectation of the hypocrite shall perish: [understand here by the hypocrite, him that is wicked or impious in his heart before God, and yet maketh outward profession in words, behaviour and action before men, of being Godly, to deceive the same. So also bel.ch.13.16. etc 15.34. etc 17.18. Prov.11.9. Isa.9.17. &c.]

14. Whom his hope shall loath: [his hope, i.e. the good he hoped for; which is said here shall loath and abhor the hypocrite, and not draw neer unto, but shun and fly from him. Comp. Psalms 96:10. Oth. Whose hope shall be cut off.] and his confidence shall be an house of the spider. [i.e. a Spiders web, which is very weak and frail, and most easily ruined and undone. The sence is, that even as the Spider cannot defend her self against any violence, by her own web, so neither can the wicked protect themselves against the judgements of God, by their outward prosperity.]

15. He [viz. The hypocrite and wicked] shall lean upon his house, but it shall not subsist; he shall lay firmly hold of it, but it shall not abide standing.

16. He is sappy [the wicked is compared to a green and sappy Tree that is well rooted, but being cut down once, and destroyed by the owner, doth fade and waste very soon. For thus the hypocrites also do perish when God doth cut them off once, be they of never so great abilities, or never so highly exalted by all their wealth and welfare.] before the Sun: [i.e. so full of sap and juice, that the very scorching heat of the Sun is not able to dry it up.] and his branches issue forth over his garden. [i.e. they spread forth and elevate themselves all the garden over, by their thrivings, and extraordinary growth. Some are of opinion, that Bildad here in this 16. Verse beginneth to speak of the good or godly men; and therefore they translate the 18. Verse thus; shall any on swallow him out of his place, so that it deny him, etc.]

17. His roots are wreathed in by the spring-vein [viz. There where the waters have their source, do spring and bubble forth, rowling about as it were, and consequently, where there is no want of moisture. The Hebrew word is taken for a Spring-vein, Cant.4.v.12. as likewise the word, Gullet, coming of the same root, Jos.15.19. others render the Hebrew word here over an heap, viz. Of stones; as it is likewise taken, Gen.31.46. and so the sence is one and the same with that of the words following] he seeth a stony place; [i.e. he spreads out his roots so far and mightily, that he reacheth even to the stony ground, and yet maintains his vigour. The sense is, That the hypocrite for a time doth overcome all lets and opposition, which seem to retard or impede his prosperity. Heb. The house of stones. Thus the word house is taken by the Hebrews for a place, or room, or largeness, 2 Samuel 15:17. Other. He looketh out after a stony place. Viz.to settle a firm Habitation there.]

18. (But) when (God) [or the swallower, which is God, who doth destroy the wicked] swalloweth him [the wicked hypocrite namely, that was compared to a green and flourishing tree.] out of place [where the tree stood; understand the dwelling place, the state and glory, and government of the wicked, com.bel.ch.18.21. & 27.21. and the annotation] then it shall [the place namely, that is to say, the inhabitants of the same. See ab.ch.7.on v.10.] deny him [i.e. he shall be destroyed in such a manner, that none shall not so much as acknowledge, or but remember, that ever he was there.] (saying) I have not seen thee.

19. Behold [Here Bildad doth ironically or jeeringly, apply the comparison aforementioned unto the hypocrite and ungodly: as who would say: Indeed for a time he maketh a fair flourish, but yet at last he fadeth, and faileth most miserably, that none doth own or know him any more.] that is the joy of his way: [i.e. of his course, life, state and condition. Compare Gen.6.on v.12.] and out of the dust others shall sprout forth. [i.e. from them which are decayed and improverished; or from such as none expected there may arise others, that shall be godly, and enjoyed the blessing of God in his stead that was destroyed.]

20. Behold, God shall not reject the upright: [Bildad comforteth Job with the promise of God; but yet threateneth him therewithal in case he did not turn away from the hypocrisy or wickedness, which he supposed was in Job: otherwise, all welfare and joy should attend him.] neither doth he take the evil doers by the hand; [i.e. he doth not help the wicked, by rescuing them out of their trouble and sufferings.]

21. Until he fill thy mouth with laugher; and thy lips with shouting [understand joyful acclamations, and exaltations, see 2 Chron.15.on v.14.]

22. The haters [Others, (till that) thy haters, &c.] shall be clothed with shame. [i.e. be made ashamed and confounded. See the like kind of expression, Psa.35.26. and 109.29. Ezek.7.27. & 26.16.] and the tent of the wicked [i.e. their house, dwelling or habitation.] shall be no (more.)