Job 28

Vcr. 13. And said unto them, Ye shall not bring in the captives hither. That is, into the city of Samaria.‘For tvhereas we have offended against the Lord already.] By making such an unmerciful slaughter of their brethren.. •,] v i’, Ye intend to add more to our sins and to our trespass; for our trespass is great, and there is fierce wrath against. Israel.] Or, though our trespass i$ great, and deserves to be punished with a fierce wrath, as we have exercised against Judah.. chap. xxvm.J THE SECOND BOOK OF THE CHRONICLES. of the Lord, and out of the house of the king, and of the princes, and gave it unto the king of Assyria: but he helped him not.] Did not make his condition better, but so much the worse. (See 2 Kings xvi. 8.). The connexion of this chapter with the foregoing, I hope I have truly expressed in the first verse. And that being found, it is not difficult to see at what it drives; viz. to stop the busy inquiry of mankind, who are very wise, he shews, in other things, but have not wit enough to comprehend the reasons why God doth not inflict those punishments upon all wicked men which fall upon some. It is not needful to set down here how this argument is managed (with such admirable elegance of words, and such weightiness of matter, as make it deserve the name of mashal, parable, or proverb), because it will sufiV ciently appear in the paraphrase.

Job 28:1

jc.HAZ was twenty years old when he began to reign; and he reigned sixteen years in Jerusalem: but he did not that which was right in the sight of the Lord, like David his father. See 2 Kings xvi. 2. where there are the very same words. • PURELY there is a vein for the silver, and a place for gold where they fine it.] You would have me give a reason, perhaps, why God punishes some wicked men and not all: but the wit and industry of mankind, which Jiave discovered mines of silver and gold, must not think to find out this secret, which God hath reserved to himself.

Job 28:2

For he walked in the ways of the kings of Israel, and made also molten images for Baalim. He not only worshipped the golden calves (which was the way of the kings of Israel), but many other gods of the nations round about: which are all comprehended under the name of Baalim. (See what I have noted upon Judg. ii. 11.) Iron is taken out of the, earth, and brass is molten out of the stone.] They invent means to extract iron and brass out of the earth and out of stone.

Job 28:3

Moreover, he burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom. Where Moloch was worshipped. And burnt his children in the fire.] Or, made them to pass through the fire; for the words are ambiguous. The Targum here saith, The AVord of the Lord snatched Hezekiah out of the fire; because he foresaw three saints would spring from him: and here he tells a long tale of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, who were thrown into the fiery furnace. After the abominations of the heathen, ivhom the Lord had cast out before the children of Israel.] This was the most detestable idolatry that was practised among the ancient inhabitants of Canaan, as appears from Lev. xviii. 21. xx. 2—4, &c. He setteth an end to darkness, and searcheth out all perfection; the stones of darkness, and the shadow of death,] There is no mine so dismally dark, but there some man or other sets things in order for his work; he searches to the very bottom of it, and finds out those stones which lie in the most abstruse and hidden parts of the earth.

Job 28:4

He sacrificed also and burnt incense in the high places.". Not unto God, but unto his idols, whom he worshipped also o/i the hills, and under every green tree, as it here follows. TIte flood breaketh out from the inhabitant; even the waters forgotten of the foot: they are dried up, they are gone away from men.] A flood breaks out from some neighbouring place, and disturbs the miners (for the waters seem as if they would stagnate there, and never stir afoot): but by the hard labour of man they are drained, and leave the place dry again.

Job 28:5

Wherefore the Lord his God. The Lord is called his God, because he was so by the right of his dominion over him, and his kindness to him for his father’s sake. Delivered him into tJie hand of the king of Syria.] That by this punishment he might return from his evil ways. These two kings, Rezin king of Syria, and Pekah king of Israel, seem to have come upon him together, whereby he was put to some distress. And they smote him.] That is, the Syrians slew many of his people. And carried away a great multitude of them captives, and brought them to Damascus.] This was after that invasion mentioned 2 Kings xvi. 5. And he was also delivered into the hand of the king of Israel, who smote him with a great slaughter.] As is related in the next verse. Ver. G. For Pekah the son of Remaliah slew in Judah a hundred and twenty thousand in one day, which were all valiant men; because they had forsaken the Lord God of their fathers.] Who therefore forsook them, and took away their courage, that they could make no resistance; for. otherwise, it had not been possible to make so great a slaughter in one day. As for the earth, out of it cometh bread: and under it is turned up as it were fire.] Out of the surface of the earth he gets herbs and corn for his food and sustenance, and underneath it he finds lime and brimstone, and suchlike fiery stuff for other uses.

Job 28:6

The stones of it are the place of sapphires; and it hath dust of gold. He goes into countries whose stones are the place where sapphires are lodged, and whose dust to him is as good as gold.

Job 28:7

And Zichri, a mighty man of Ephraim, slew Maaseiah the king’s son, and Azrikam the governor of the house, and Elkanah that ivas next to the king.~. They seem to have taken Jerusalem (though they did not keep it), and to have slain these great persons. The Targum translates the last words, the arkapta of the king: that is, as some interpret it, the captain of his host. But our translation comes nearest to the Hebrew, second to the king. Who was inferior to the king alone; insomuch that the LXX. translate it AtaSoxov, he that immediately followed the king, and succeeded him. His viceroy, as some interpret it. There is a path which no fowl knoweth, and which the vultures, eye hath not seen.] He treads in paths which no bird of prey knoweth, which the most quick-sighted among them hath never seen.

Job 28:8

And the children of Israel carried away captive of their brethren two hundred thousand, women, sons, and daughters, and took also away much spoil from them. This is an argument that they were quite dispirited, and had no heart to defend themselves, being not only slaughtered like sheep, but carried captive by droves. And brought the spoil to Samaria.] Into their own country, towards Samaria: but they had not yet brought it into the city of Samaria, (ver. 13.) -Ver. 9. But a prophet of the Lord was there, whose name teas Oded.] By this it appears that God continued his prophets among the Israelites, to bring them to repentance, if they would have hearkened to their admonitions. And he went out before the host that came to Samaria.] Bringing their captives and spoil in great triumph thither. And said unto them, Behold, because the Lord God of your fathers was wroth with Judah, he hath delivered them into your hand.] He would not have them lifted up with their victory; which was not to be ascribed so much to their valour, as to the anger of God against Judah, who abandoned them to their fury. /ind ye have slain them in a rage that reached up unto heaven.] That had no measure, and cried to heaven for vengeance upon the Israelites. The lions whelps have % nqt trodden it; nor the fierce lion passed by it.] Where the wildest beasts, who search for solitary places, never made their den, or so much as approached, no, not the ravenous lions, whose hunger leads them every where to seek satisfaction.

Job 28:9

He putteth forth his hand upon the rock; he overturneth the mountains by the roots. He digs through the hardest rocks by his obstinate labour, and undermines mountains, that he may find the treasure hid in their bowels.

Job 28:10

And notv ye purpose to keep under the children of Judah and Jerusalem. This seems to denote that they had sacked Jerusalem. For bond-men and bond-women unto you.] To use them as slaves of another nation, of whom they. might make money, by selling them to their neighbour, or make them drudges to serve them for nought. • But are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lordyour God?2 He bids thenr consider, that they who thought themselves God’s favourites because he had made them so victorious, had sins enough to answer for: for which if he punished them as they deserved, they might be reduced to the same condition with the brethren of Judah. He cutteth out rivers among the rocks, and his eye seeth every precious thing.] And if he meet with waters which hinder his work, he cuts a channel through the rock to convey them away, and never rests till he hath discovered every thing that may requite his indefatigable pains.

Job 28:11

Now hear me therefore, and deliver the captives again, which ye have taken captive of your brethren; for the fierce xvrath of the Lord is upon you. If they did not setthem at liberty, he threatens sudden destruction, which was ready to break forth upon them for their cruelty. Hebindeththe floods from overflowing; and the thing that is hid bringeth he forth to light.] Nay, more than this, he stops the course of rivers, and leaves not a drop remaining, that he may bring to light all that is hidden in the bottom of them. Ver. 12; But where shallwisdom be found? and where is the place of understanding?] But though he be so successful in these searches, he must not think to comprehend the reasons of wise Providence. He may study as long as he pleases, and weary himself with busy inquiries, but never be able with all his labour to dive into the bottom of this secret, why God doth not punish all the wicked who so insolently contemn him.

Job 28:12

Then certain of the heads of the children of Ephraim, Azariah the son of Johanan, Berechiah the son of Meshitlemoth, andJehizkiah the son of Shallum, and Amasa the son of Hadlai, stood up against them that came from the war.] These, persons had some goodness in them, as well as courage, and great authority with the people and soldiers.

Job 28:13

Man knoweth not the price thereof; neither is it found in the land of the living. Alas! this wisdom is not to be purchased with all that wretched man hath to givo for it: it is not a thing that any part of this world affords.

Job 28:14

So the armed men left the captives and the spoil before the princes and all the congregation. To dispose of them as they pleased. A wonderful instance of obedience; in restoring not only the captives which were very valuable, but all the spoil also, which, no doubt, was considerable. What might not these great men have done, to bring them to repent of their idolatry, if they had been truly religious, and exerted their authority? The depth saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith, It is not with me.] The miners, poor souls, dig they never so deep, are never s like to come within the reach of it; nor is it to be fetched by the mariner from any of those countries to which he sails.

Job 28:15

And the men ivhich were expressed by name. There were some nominated and appointed, I suppose, by the heads of the people, to take care of the captives, and see them well treated. p,., Rose up, and took the captives, and with the spoil clothed all that were naked among them, and arrayed them, and shod them, and gave them to eat and to drink, and anointed them.] They not only gave them necessary sustenance, but refreshed their weariness, like the good Samaritan in the parable, who poured oil and wine into the wounds of a poor traveller. This was an extraordinary goodness, not only to release poor captives without doing them hurt, or making any gain of them, but to dismiss them with vl> viaticum (as Slrigelius speaks), giving them all things necessary for their return home. And it was still a’greater kindness to provide vehicles (as it here follows) for tho infirm multitude, and bring them to their own country without hard travel. And carried all (lie feeble of them upon asses, and brought them to Jericho, the city of palm-trees, to their brethren; then, they returned to Samaria.] So great was the power of the prophet at this time, that he turned their barbarous cruelty into the tenderest humanity. But, as I said, they were not so easily converted from idolatry: unto which they had so strong an inclination, that. nothing could persuade them to forsake it. Ver. 1G. At that time did king Ahaz sendunto the king of Assyria to help him.] When Rezin king of Syria invaded him, 2 Kings xvi. G, 7. This is the first time that we read of the king, of Assyria, except in 2 Kings xv..19. where Pul, king of Assyria, is mentioned’as a powerful prince, who invaded the Israelites.! Before his time we read nothing of that monarchy, which grew by degree’s to.its greatness from small beginnings. Forin David’stime, or whensoever Psalm lxxxiii. was written, the king of Assyria was but a petty prince, like those of Moab and Ammon, and the like, with whom he joined, (ver. 8.) to enslave tho Israelites: but now had swallowed up all tbosQ little princes, and grown to such a height that none could stand before them.. But if their large empire had been of long standing, we should in all probability have heard of them before this time, as we do often afterward. It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed f or t the price thereof.] All the gold and silver which men have heaped up by such long toil and labour, are tpo inconsiderable a priee to be offered for it. Digitized by Miprosoft® [chap. XXIX. Ver. 1G. It cannot be valued tenth the gold of Ophir, with the precious onyx, or the sapphire.] Though it be the purest gold which comes from Ophir, together with all the precious stones wherewith that rich country abounds, they are Of so little value,

Job 28:17

For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives. When Rezin fell Upon them, the Edomites took that advantage, and made great ravage in the land of Judah. The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold.] That if you should add the gold and the crystal which are brought from other places, with all the vessels made by Ihe art of man of the most Tefined and massy gold, they could do nothing to obtain it. •

Job 28:18

Hie Philistines also had invaded the cities of the low country. Which lay next to. them, -. And of the south of Judah, and had taken Beth-shemesh, and Ajalon, and Gederoth, and Shochowith the villages thereof, and Timnah tvith the. villages thereof, Gimzo also and the villages thereof: and they dwelt there.] They prevailed so far as to make an inroad further into the country of Judah; and not only possessed themselves of the cities here mentioned, but settled in them. For in this weak condition into which Ahaz was fallen, they took their revenge for the mischief which Uzziah had done them, who subdued them as far as" Gath, (chap. xxvi. G.) Ver. 19 j For the Lord brought Judah -low because of Ahaz.] It was purely upon his account that God gave them up into the hand of the Philistines; for that very year in which Ahaz died, the prophet Isaiah foretold his son should afflict them, (Isa. xiv. 27— 29.) and accordingly Hezekiah smotethem as far as Gaza, (2 Kings xviii. 8.) ■ King of Israel.] We cannot gather from hence that he is called king of Israel, because he walked in their wayfe, for a good king is so called, xx.2. And the Masorites observe,.that six times we read the king of Israel instead of king of Judah, because they all deS<5end£d; from Israel. So Beckius hfere expounds it, in a largo Sense, he was king of Israel:: for Israel is not here opposed to Judah, but comprehends it.,Theref6re the Targum hath tho king of Judah: and so the JjXX. and the Vulgar Latin. For Isntel was Once the name of the whole people, arid after the division of the kingdom, the two tribes were still a part of Israel; in the ancient state.of the world. See Buxtorf; who observes, otit of the Hebrew grammarians, that the manner of the Scripture is to put the genus sometimes for the species, and the species for the genus, (Vindiciee Hebr. Veritatis, cap. 7. par. ii.) For he made Judah naked,] Deprived them of the Divine protection by his foul transgressions. And transgressed sore against the Lord.] The Targum renders it, The house of Judah ceased from the worship of God. Which Ahaz in a manner wholly abolished, and thereby transgressed more grievously than all his predecessors. He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the keeper maketh.] He builds a goodly fabric, out of which he is as easily shaken as a moth out of a garment: and it shall not be more durable than the booth, which is made for him that keeps the fruits of a garden. No mention shall be made of coral, or of pearls: for the price of wisdom is above rubies. ^ The precious stones which are fetched out of the mountains of the east are not worthy to be named with it: men may dive into the sea, and fetch up pearls, but this wisdom lies a great deal deeper.

Job 28:19

The rich man shall lie down, but he shall not be gathered: he openeth his eyes, and he is not. And when he dieth, he shall have no monument made for him: nay, while he lives it so falls out, that he looks about him, and sees that every body hath deserted him. The topaz of Ethiopia shall not equal it, neither shall it be valued with pure gold.] The Arabian topaz, which is so much esteemed for its wonderful lustre, doth not come near it; nor arc all the golden ornaments, which they wear in those parts, proportionable to it. “Ver. 20. Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of under standing?] By what means then shall we get this wisdom of which we are desirous? Who can shew us where it lies, that we may go and searcli for it?

Job 28:20

And Tiglath-pilneser king of Assyria came unto him. As he desired by the messengers he sent to him, (ver. 10,) And distressed him, but strengthened him not] In 2 Kings ivi. 9. it is said, that he did help him; how therefore did he distress him? Both these are true, for as he did come to his assistance against the king of Syria, so he took Damascus, carried the people captive, and delivered Ahaz from the power of the Syrians, (2 Kings xvi. 7 — 9.) But this did Ahaz little good,:for he helped him not to recover the cities the Philistines had taken[from him, nor did he lend him -any forces,, nor enable him to recruit his own;‘but rather weakened him by exhausting his treasures, and by destroying Samaria, whereby the way was opened to invade his country tho more easily in the next reign. Thus many countries/in latter agfcs, by calling in the assistance of some foreign prince against their enemies, have been overrun> and conquered by those who came to their help. Ver; 21. For Ahaz took aivay a portion out of the house Terrors take hold on him as waters, a tempest stealeth him away in the night.] Innumerable terrors then break in upon him, and surprise him like an inundation of waters; the Divine vengeance, like a violent tempest, unexpectedly hurries him away.

Job 28:21

The east wind carrieth him away, and he.dej>arteth; and, as a storm, hurleth him put of his place. Some pestilent vapour blasts him irrecoverably; and as certainly kills him, as a whirlwind hurls things out of their place, Seeing it is hid from the eyes of all living, and kept close from the fowls of the air.] Wo may. ask this question as often as we please, but none can resolve us; for it is concealed from all men living; the most soaring wits were never able to disclose it.

Job 28:22

And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the Lord. He was hot at all amended by the sore calamities which fell on him/but introduced more idolatry than had been practised before.. This is that king Ahaz.~\ The word Ttu is sometimes a word of contempt, as Kimchi observes, (Gen. xxxvi. ult. Numb. xxvi. 9.) And Ahaz deserved to be branded, as the most notorious offender that had ever been among, the kings of Judah: and was remarkable for this’also, that he never prospered in any thing he undertook. For God shall cast upon him, and not spare; he would fain flee out of his hand.] Or God shall send some other mischiefs so fast npon him (without any pity to, him, who had none for others), that all.the attempts shall be in yain which he makes to escape the vengeance. Destruction and death say, We have heard the fame thereof with our ears.] Death is the best informer, and the grave the only place where we may learn something of it. But this is all that they can tell us (which is as far short of a full account as a rumour is from a certain knowledge), that they will shortly make all men equal, and then it will be of no great moment, whether we have been happy or miserable.

Job 28:23

For he sacrificed unto the gods of Damascus, which smote him. A most monstrous stupidity, to imagine they had any power over him, who could not defend themselves from Tiglath-pilneser: but being of opinion that they were gods, he sacrificed to, them to appease them, that they \ might do him no further hdrt;’ doing 1 as the ancient Romans, who wooed by larger sacrifices the gods of their enemies to come oyer to their side; and be their friends, as Dr. Jackson discourses, in his Original of Unbelief, chap. 17. parag.5. And he said. Because the gods of the kings of Syria help tJiem, therefore will I sacrifice to them, that they may help me.] Not against the Syrians, but he foolishly imagined they might help him against the Edomites, Philistines, and other enemies. But they ivere the ruin of him and of all Israel.] They were so far from being his friends, that they proved thc’destruction of him, and ofhiswhold country: for though it was not in their power to do him either’ harm or good, yet his worshipping of them undidhim and all his people. Men shall clap their hands at him, and shall hiss him out of his place.] At which the beholders shall rejoice, and applaud God’s righteous judgment (which I confess he sometimes executes): they shall hiss at his name when he Is dead, in that very place where he hath been so much magnified. God vnderstandeth the way thereof, and he knoweth the place thereof] None but God understands the way and method of his own providence: he alone knows the place of that wisdom we inquire after, which is no where else but in his own mind.

Job 28:24

And Ahaz gathered together the vessels of the house of God, and cut in pieces the Vessels of \ the house of God. That the priests might not be able to minister before God for want of them, (xxix. 19.) and that he might employ the money he made of thein (for what he cut in pieces, I suppose, he sold) in building altars (as it follows) in every corner of Jerusalem. And shut up the doors of the house of the Lord.] That no man might come to worship God there, but sacrifice every where, but only where they should; and this continued till the beginning of his son’s reign, (xxix. 3.) For he looketh to the ends of the earth, and seeth under the whole heaven.] Fot, who should govern the world but he, whose understanding is infinite, and sees the motions of all creatures, from one end of it to the other?

Job 28:25

And in every several city of. Judah he made high places to burn incense unto other gods. He took care the people should not think of going up to Jerusalem; by erecting, at his own charge, high places in every city, wherein to perform Divine service to what God they pleased. And provoked to anger the Lord God.of his fathers.] With whom he did not join other gods, but worshipped him not at all. Tomake the weight for the winds; andheweigheth the waters by measure.] Which he hath set in such exact order, and given to them such just measures, that the wind cannot blow, nor the water flow, but in those proportions which he hath prescribed.

Job 28:26

Now the rest of his acts, and of all his ways, first and’ last, behold, they are written in the book of the kings of Judah and Israel. In 2 Kings xvi. 1$. it is only said, they were written in the bookof the kings of Judah: but Ezra/ it seems, found that the book of the kings of Israel contained some memorable passages of his reign; there being, as is here recorded, great wars between them and Judah..* When he had made a decree for the rain, and a way for the lightning of the thunder.] To the like laws he hath bound the rain, and appointed the course which the thundering cloud shall take.

Job 28:27

And Ahaz slept with his fathers, and they buried him in the city, even in Jerusalem; but they brought him not into the sepulchres of the kings of Israel. They are called the kings of Israel, because they had an ancient right to govern the whole twelve tribes. « -, / * And Hezekiah his son reigned in his stead. Then did he see it, and declare; it he prepared it, yea, and searched it out.] And when he ordered all these things, he was pleased in the wisdom which he saw in his works; he made it visible and apparent; he fixed it therefore, and made these laws perpetual; because, after all the search that could be made, he found no fault in it..

Job 28:28

And unto man he said Behold, the fear of tlie Lord, that is wisdom; and to depart from evil is understanding. And making man at the same time, he imprinted this sense upon his heart, that he ought to be an humble adorer, not a censurer, of his secret wisdom, whereby he governs the world.. For the highest wisdom and skill that man can attain, is to be possessed with such a religious fear of the great Lord of all, as not to dare to do any -thing which he knows will displease him.