Commentary on the Holy Bible

T^HIS is the most singular book in the whole of the Sacred Code: though written by llie aame mspiration^ and in reference lo ihe same end^ the salvaUon of menj it is go dificrenl from e^eiy other book of the Bible, that it seema to possess ii^^^ing in common wilh thetn J for even the language^ in its construe lion, is dissimilar from that in the Imw^ tiie Prophet Sy and the hzsi&rical books. But on all hands it is accounted a work that contains ** the purest vmraiitr/, the subliinest philosophj^ the simplest rUv^h and the most majestic creeds." Bicept the twoJir$t chapters and the^tsfi lust verses^ which are merely prose, all the rest of tiie book is poeiic; and is every where reducible to llie hemistich {onUj in which all iha other poetic books of the Bible are written: it is therefore properly called a poem; but whether it belongs to ilie dramatic or epic species has not been decided by learned men* T<j tiy il by those rules which have been derived from Aristolkj and are siill applied to liCCTtailt compositions in these departments of poelryi is, in tny opinion, as absmd as il i« ndicnloos. Who ever made a poem on these rules 1 And is there a poem in the \miverse warth reading that is strictly conformable to these rules? Not one. The niles> it is true, were deduced from compositions of this description: — and ahhoup^h they may be very us*^ful, m cabling poets to meUiodize their compositions, and to keep the difTcrcni parts distinct; yet they have often acted as a species of critical trammels, and havQ. cramped genius- Genuine poetry is like a mountain flood: it pours down, resistless^, bursts all bounds^ scoops out its own channel, carries woods and rocks before it, and spreads itself abroad^ botli deep and wide, over all the plain. Suchj indeed, is tlie poetry wliich the reader will meet witii in llri» stji§iilar and astonishing book- As to Aristotle himself, although he was a keen-eyed ploddier of nature, and a prodigy for his lime; yd if we may judge from his poetic s^ he had a iO«l m mcapable of feeHng the inie geme createur, as Racine terms the qyirit of poetrtj^ as he wa% by his physicsj metaphysics, and analogies, of discovering the true system of ihe, mniTfise.

As lo the book of Job, it is most evidently a poem^ and a poem of ihe liighest order; dealing in mbjects the most grand and sublime; using imagery the most chas^te and appropriate; described by language the most happy and energetic; convoying instrtiction^ both in Divine and haman things, the most ennobling and useful j abounding in precepts the most pure and exmlled, which are enforced by arguments llie most strong and conclusive, and illuitrated by es&mples the most natural and striking.

All these points will appear in the strongest hglii to every attentive reader of tlie book; md to such ilM great end will be answered: ibey will learn from it, that God has way every where: that the wicked, though bearing rule for a time, can never be ultimately prosperous sod happy i and that the righteous^ though oppressed with sufferings and calamities, can Q&wei be foi|[otten by Him in whose hands are his saints, and with whom their lives are precious; that in tliis world neither are the wicked ultimately punished, nor tlie righteous ultimately rewarded; that God*s judgments are a great deep, and his ways past finding out; but tlie issues of all are to the glory of his wisdom and grace, and to the eternal liappiness of those who tru^t in him. This is the grand design of the book, and this design will be imkifigly evident to the simplest and most unlettered reader, whose heart is right with God, and who is seelting instnjctionj in order tliat he may glorify his Maker* by receiving and hy doing good.

Noiwidiatanding all this, there is not a hook in Scripture on the stibjcct of which more difficulties have been started None, says Calmetf has furnished more sijbjects of donbt and embarrassment; and none has aifordcd less information for the solution of ihose doubts. On this subject the great questions which have been agitated refer, principally, L To tiie person of Job, 2, To his eaistence. 3* To the time in which he lived. 4. To his cmmtry. 5. To his stock or kindred, 6. To his rehgion. 7. To the author of the book. 8. To its truth. 9. To its authenticity; and^ 10, To, the time and occasion on vfhich it was written

With respect to iht^Jirst and second^ several writers of eminent note have denied the personality of Job; according to them, no such person ever existed; he is mEToly fabulous ^ and is like the li penseroso^ or sorrowful man of Milton; sorrow, distress, affliction, and persecution personified, as the name imports. According to them^ he is a mere ideal beings created by the genius of tli^ poet; clothed with euch attribute s, and placed in such circumstances, as gave the poet scope and materials for his work.

Hardly^ as to the time in which those place him who receive this as a true history, there is great variety. According to some, he flourished in the patriarchal age; some make him contemporary with Moses; that he was in the captivity in Egypt^ and that he lived at the time of the exodus. Some place him in the time of the Israelitish judges; others in tlie days of David; others, in those of Solomon; and others, in the time of the Babylonish captivity^ having been teacher of a school at Tiberias in Palestine^ and, with the rest of his countrymen, carried away into Babylon; and that he lived xmdcr Ahasuerus and Esther, Fourthly y as to his country: some make him an Arab; others, an Egyptian; others, a Syrian; some, an Israelite; and some, an Idnmean. Fifthly, as to his origin: some derive him from NachoTj and others from Esau^ and make him the fifth in descent from Abraham. Si^cthly^ as to his religion: some suppose it to have been Sab^Bism; others, that it was patriarchal; and others, that he was bred up in the Jewish faith. Seventhly, as to the authm* of the work, learned men arc greatly divided: some suppose the author to have been Elihu; others. Job; others, Jf}b n,nd his friends; others^ Moses ^ some, Solomon; others, Isaiah; and others, Ezra, or some unknown Jew, posterior to the captivity. Eighthly, as to the book: some maintain that it is a history of fact, given by one best qualified to record it; and others, that it is an insUructive fcHon^^aciB^ persons, dialogues and all, being supposititious; given, however, by the inspiration of God, in a sort of parahoUc form, like those employed in the Gospel; and similar to that of the rich man and Lazarus, Ninthly^ as to its authenticiiy: while some, and those not well qualified to judge, have asserted it to be a mere human production, of no Divine authority; others have clearly shown that the book itself, whatever questions may arise concerning the person^ author^ time, place, 6cc., was ever received by the Jewish Church and people as authentic, genuine, and divinely inspired; and incoiporatcd, with the highest propriety, among the most instructive, sublime, and excellent portions of Divine revelation. Tenthly^ as to the occasion on which it was written, there are considerable differences of opinion: some will have it to be written for the consolation of the Hebrews In their peregrinations tlirough the wilderness; and others, for the comfort and encouragement of the Israelites in tlie Babylonish captivity: these state that Job represents Nehemiah^ and that his three professed friends, but real enemies, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite^ and Zophar the Naamathite^ represent Sanhallat the Horonite^ Tobiah the Am-^ fnonite, and Geshem the Arabian! and that the whole book should be understood and interpreted on this ground; and that, with a little allowance for poetic coloiuring, aU its parts perfectly harmonize, thus understood; showing, in a word, that into whatsoever troubles or persecutions God may permit his people to be brought, yet he will sustain them in the fire, bring them safely through it, and discomfit all their enemies: and that whatsoever is true on this great scale^ is tnie also on that which is more contracted; as he will equally support^ defend, and finally render conqueror, every individual that trusts in him.

I shall not troidJe my readers with the arguments which have been used by learned men, pro and con^ rekthre to the particulars already mentioned: were I to do this, I must transcribe a vast mass of matter, which, though it might display great learning in the authors, would most certainly afford Uttle edification to the great bulk of my readers. My own opinion on those points they may naturally wish to know; and to that opinion they have a x^^: it is such as I dare avow, and such as I feel no disposition to conceal. I believe Job \6 have been a real person^ and his history to be a statement of facts.

As the preface to this book (I mean the first chapter) states him to have Uved.-in the land of Uzj or Uts, I beh'eve, with Mr. Good and several other learned men, this place to have been <' situated in Arabia Petrcea^ on the south-western coast of the lake Asphaltites, in a line between Egypt and Philistia, surrounded with Kedar, Teman, and llidian; all of which were districts of Arabia Petraea; situated in Idumea, the land of Edom or Esau; and com prising so large a part of it, that Idumea and Ausitisj or the land of Uz, and the land of Edom, were convertible terms, and equally employed to import the same region: thus. Lam. iv. 21: ^Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz."* See Mr. Goocf J Introductory Dissertation; who proceeds to observe: " Nothing is clearer than that all the persons introduced into this poem were Idumeans, dwelling in Idumea; or, in other words, Edomite Arabs. These characters are. Job himself, dweUing in the land of Uz; Eliphaz of TemaUj a district of as much repute as Vz, and (upon the joint testimony of Jer, xlix. 7, 20; Ezek, xxv. 13; Amos i. 1 1, 12, and Obadiah ver. 8, 9) apart, and a principal part, of Idumea; Bildad of Shuak, always mentioned in conjunction with Sheba and Dedojiy all of them being uniformly placed in the vicinity of Idumea; Zophar of Naamahy a city whose name imports pleasantness, which is also stated, in Josh. xv. 21, 41, to have been situated in Idumea, and to have Iain in a southern direction towards its coast, or the shores of the Red Sea; and Elihu of Buz, which as the name of a place occurs but once in sacred writ, but is there (Jer. xxv. 22) mentioned in conjunction with Teman and Dedan; and hence necessarily, like themselves, a border city upon Ausitis, Uz, or Idumea, It hsj^ a number of names: it was at first called Horitis, from the Horim or Horites, who appear to have first settled there. Among the descendants of these, the most distinguished was Seir; and firom him the land was known by the name of the Land of Seir. This chief had a numerous family, and among the most signalized of his grandsons was Uz, or Uts; and firom him, and not from Uz the son of Nahor, it seems to have been called Ausitis, or tlie Land of Uz. The family of Hor, Seir, or Uz, were at length dispossessed of the entire region by Esau, or Edom,; who strengthened himself by his marriage with one of the daughters of Ishmael; and the conquered territory was denominated Idumea, or the land of Edom.'* I think this is conclusive as to the country of Job and his friends. See Mr. Good as above.

The man and his country being thus ascertained, the time in which he lived is the point next to be considered.

I feel all the difficulties of the various chronologies of learned men: all that has been offered on the subject is only opinion or probable conjecture; and, while I differ from many respectable authors, I dare not say that I have more to strengthen my opinion than they have to support theirs.

I do not beUeve that he lived imder the patriarchal dispensation; nor in any time previous to the giving of the Law, or to the death of Moses. I have examined the opposite arguments, and they have brought no conviction to my mind. That he lived after the giving of the Law appears to me very probable, from what I consider frequent references to the Mosaic institutions occurring in the book, and which I shall notice in their respective places. I know it has been asserted there are no such references; and I am astonished at the assertion: the reader will judge whether a plain case is made out where the supposed references occur. An obstinate adherence to a preconceived system is like pr^jit^^; it has neither eyes nor ears.

With this question, that relative to the author oi the book is nearly ccMUiected. Were we to suppose ihal Job himself, or Elika^ or Job tnd his friends, wrote tbe work, ihe quiestion woiJd at oncG be attsw^red thai regards the time; but all poiitive evidence on this point is wanting: and while ©ther supposiliuns have certain argttments to support ihem, the above claimanis, who are supported only by critical conjecture, must ^land where they are for want of evidence™ The opinions that appear the most probable, and have plausible ar^imcnts to support them, are tlic following: U Afoses was the author of this book, as many portions of it harmonize With Ilia acknowledged writings. 2, Solnmon is the moet likely author, as many of the sentiments contained in it are pTecisely the same wiili tliose in the Proverbs; and they are delivered often in nearly the same words* 3* The book waj written by some Jew, in or soon after the time of the BabylotMsh captivity.

I, Hiat Mo^s was the author has been the opinion of most learned men; and none has set the arguments in sxipport of this opinion in so strong a light aa Mr. Mason Good, in }us Introductory Diss^tation to his translaiion and notes on this book, Mr, G* is a gentleman of great knowledge, great learning, and correct thinking; and whatever he says or writes is entitled to respect. If lie have data^ his deductions are most generally consecutive and solid. He contends, *nhat the writer of this poera must in hh style have been equally master of llie simple and of the sublime; that he must have been minutely and elaborateiy acquainted with Astronomy ^ Natural History, and the general science of his age; ihat he must have been a Hebrew by birth and native language^ and an Arabian by long residence and local study; and, finally, that he must have flourished ai^ composed the work before the exodus." And he thinks that ** every one of these features is consummated in Moses, and in Moses alone j and that the whole of them give us his complete lineament* and portraiture. Instructed in all the learning of Egypt, it appears little doubtful that he composed it during some part of his forty years' residence with the hospitable Jcthro, in that district of Idumea which was named Midian " In addition to these external proofs of identity, Mr. Good thinks, " a little attention will disclose to us an internal proof, of peculiar force, in the close and striking similarity of diction and idiom whicfi exists between the book of Job and those pieces of poetry which Moses is usually admitted to have composed, Tliis point he proceeds to examine; and thinks that tlic following examples may make some progress toward settling the question^ by exhibiting a very singular proof of general parailelisr/i,

^* The order of creation, as detailed in the first chapter of Genesis, is precisely similar to that descril>ed in Job xxxviii. 1—20, the general arrangement that occupied the Jirst day; — ^the formation of the chud^i which employed the second; — the separation of the sea, which took up a pari of the third; — and the establishment of the luminaries in the skies, which ciiaracterized the. fourth.

" In this general description, as given in Genesis, the vapour in the clouds, and tlie fluid in the «ea, arc equally denominated waters: thus, ver* 5, 6, 7, ' And God said. Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and lei it divide the waters from the waters. And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from ihc wnlers which were above the firmament.'

"Let us compare tliis passage with Job 3txvi, 8-10: — -

He driveth together the waters bto His thick cloudi; And the cloud is not rent under them, — - Kg setteih a bow on the face of the waters. Till the conaummation of light and of darkness.

*' These arCj perhaps, the only instances in the Bible in which the cloudy vapours are

denominated watet*s, before they become concentrated into rain j and they offer an identity of thouglit, which strongly suggests an identity of person. The following is another very striking peculiarity of the same kind, occurring in the same description, and is perhaps still more in point, Thfe combined simplicity and sublimity of Gen, i* 3» * And God said, Be light! and liglit was,' has been felt and praised by critics of every age. Pagan and Mohammedan^ as well as Jevrish and Christian; and has by all of them been regarded as a charac-

** In this specimen of comparison il ib peculiarly worthy of remark, that not only the same train of ideas is found to recur, but in many instances the same wordsj where others might have been employed, and perhaps have answered as well; the whole obviously resulting from that habit of thinking upon subjects in the same manner, and by means of the aame terms, which is common to every one, and which distinguiBhei original identity from intentional imitation. I will only advert to one instance: the use of the very powerful, but not very common verb few sis, ' to exult,' exulto^ glorior, yau^jAtu, which occurs in the last verse of both the above passages, and is in each instance equally appropriate: nun^ ir«f* yasis Ytho^ah — 0\vsn Kin hu mesos^ i^Su- jiuMv

*' The same term is again employed, Job xxxix. 21, to expreis the spirited prancing of the high mettled war-horse«

** The above passage from chap. viii. 1 9 has not been generally tmderstood^ and has been given erroneously in the translations,'* Mr. Goodf in bis nates, p, 101— 1 03, enters at large into a defence of his Tersion of tliis passage,

viii. 8. For examine, I beseech thee, the past agi { x:x3di^ 7^ Reflect on the days of old; Yea, gird thyself to the study of its fore-

10. ShalJ not they inatnjct tbee, araniel thee, - And swell forth the sajingB of their wiadom? XX. 17. He shall uot beliold iliehranehea of the river, Brooks of honey and butter. — xxix. 6. When my path flowed with butt^Tj

And the lock poured out for me ri^-era of oil. XT, 97, Though bis face be enveloped with fatness,

Add heaped up with fatness on his loins. Ti* 4. The arrows of tbe Almighty are within me; Their poison drinketh up my spirit: The ierrors of God aet themselves m siray against me; xvi. 13. His arrows fly aroQnd me;

Contennplate the times of ages beyond

ages; laquire of thy father, and he will show

thd6; Thine elders, and they will instniot thee. He gave him to suck honey out of the

rock, And oil out of tbe flmty rock, Butter of kine, athi milk of sheep. But JeahoTun waxed fat, and kicked; Thou art waxen fat, thou art grown tluek ^ Thou art enveloped utith fatness, I will heap mischiefii upon them, I will spend my arrows upon them. I nill make mine axtaws dnrnk with

He piereetb my reins without mercy*

" The Une pathetic ele^ of the ninetieth psalm has been usually ascribed to Moses; and Dath^ imagines it was written by him a little before his death.

" Kennicott and Gcddes have some doubt upon this point, chiefly because the ultimate period assigned in it to the life of man is fourscore years; while Moses was at his death a hundred and tw^enty years oid^ yet * his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated;* Deut. 3L\xiv* 7,

" The following comparison will, perhaps, hare a tendency to coniirm the general opinion, by reodering it probable tkat its author and the author of the Book of Job were the same person.

3dv, 2, Ho spTingeth up as a Hower, and is cut down;

2. Yea, he fleeth as a shadow, and endureth

3. And doit thou cast thine eyes upon such

And wouldst thou bring me into judgment

16. Yet now art thou d umbering my ateps;

Thoa overlook est nothing of my bios:-^

18* And for ererf as the crumbling mountain

And the rock mouJdereth away from his

19. So conaniiiesi thou the hope of man,

Thou harassesi him continually tLU he periah. [transgreesloni

m 81. Why wilt thou not turn away from my AMd let my calamity paav by!

are like the pasamg grass morning; In the moniing it epringeth up and gfoweth; In ibe eTening it is cut down and withereth,

7. For we are conaomed by thine anger, And by thy wrath are we troubled.

8. Thou hast set our iniquitiea helbre thee; Our secret sins in the tight of thy countenance.

9. Behold, all our days are pasted aw«y in

thy wrath. We spend our years as a tale thtl is told. Their strength is labour and sorrow; It b soon cut off| and we flee away. So teach UB to number our days That we may apply our heart! ttnto iro*

The same image occurs in Solomon, Prov, xxvi, 6: " He ihat seudeth a mes&age by the hand of a fool drinketk damage."

In Job xv, 34 it is said, " Fire ihall consume the tabernacle of hribety,^ The same lum of thought occurs Prov* xv. 27"; " He that is greedy of gain troubleth his own house | but he that hateth gifts shall live*"

Both speak of weighing tJw ^irits or winds. See Job x^tviii, 25; Prov, xvi. Bui to me the parallelism in these cases is not evident, as both the reason of the saying, and some of the lenns in the original, are different* Job tells his friends, ** If ihey would hald their peace, it would be their wisdom ^^ chap* xiii. 5* Solomon has the same sentiment in nearly the same words, Prov* xviL 28: " Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace^ is counted wise; and he that shuttetli his Hps is esteemed a man of understanding."

Solomon represents the rephaim or giants as in hell, or the great deep; Prov. ii. 18, ix, 1 8, vii. 27. The hke sentiment is in Job xxvi. 5. See the Hebrew.

In Job xxvii. 16, 17, it is said that " If the wicked heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay; the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.** The like sentiment is found, Prov. xxviii, 8: " He that by usury and unjust gain increaseth his substance, he shall gather for him that will pity the poor." Solomon says, Prov. xvi. 1 9: ^* Pride goctli before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall:" and, ** Before desLniclion the heart of man is haughty; and before honour is humility;** xviii. 12: and, '* A man^s pride shall bring Ixjra low; but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.*' The same sentiment is expressed in Job xxii. 29: ** Wlien men a^e cast dmvnt then thou shalt say. There is a lifting up; and he shall save the humble person."

Both apeak nearly in the same way concerning the creation of the earth and the sea, " Where wast thou when I laid the fmmdations of the earth? — Who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth as if it had issued from the womb t" Job xxxviii, 4—8. This seems a reference to the flood. In Prov, viii. 23—29 Wisdom says: " The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way — when as yet he had not made the eajih — when lie gave to the sea his decree that the waters should not pass his comtnandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth.^ These are precisely the same kind of conception a, and nearly the same pluraseology*

In Job XX. 7 it is said, " The wicked shall perish for ever^ like his own dung." And in Prov, x* 7 it is said, "The name of the wicked shall rot."

It would not be difficult to enlarge this list of correspondences by a collation of passages in Jot and in Proverbs; but most of Uiem will occur to the allenlive reader. There is, however, another class of evidence that appcBrs still more forcible, viz.: There are several terms used frequently in the Book of Job and in the books of Solomon which are almost peculiar to those books, and which argue an identity of authorship. The noun TTw\F> tushiyah^ which may signify essence, substanc€f realitt/, completeness^ occurs in Job and Proverbs. See Job v. 12, vi. 13, xi. 6, xii. 16, xxvi. 3, and xxx* 22; Proverbs ii, 7, iii* 21, viii. 14, and iviiir 1. And it occurs only iwice^ as far as I can recollect, in all the Bible besides; viz,^ lia, ixviii, 29, and Mic» vi* 9. The word mn havvaht used in the sense of misfor'tune^ ruinous downfall, calamity ^ occurs Job vi. 2, 30, xxx. 13, and in Prov. x. 3, xi, 6, xvii. 4, and xix. 13, It occurs nowhere else, except once in Ezek. vii. 26^ once in Micah viL 3, and a few limes in the Psalms, v. 9, lii, % 7, Iv. 12, xci. 3, xciv. 20, xxxvii. 12, and Ixii. 3.

The word mSDnn tachbuloth^ wise counsels^ occurs only in Job xxivii, 12| and in Prov. i, 5, xi, 14, xii. 5, xx, 18, and xxiv* 6; and nowhere else in the Bible in this form. And nnu pothehi the silltf onef simpleton, fool^ is used precisely in the same sense in Job V, 2, Prov. xix, 7, and in various other parts of the same book, Tlie word ]n3K, ahaddon^ destruction^ Job xxvi, 6, xxviii, 22, xxxi. 12, connected sometimes with S^Kt? sAeo?, Itell, or the grave; and aid muveth, death, occurs as above, and in Prov, xv, 11, and xxvii. 20.

Calmet^ who refers to several of the above places, adds: It would be easy to collect a great number of similar parallel passages; but it must make a forcible impression in favour of this opinion when we ebserre in. Job and Proverbs the same principles, the same sentiments, the same terms,, and some that are found <Mily''in Job and Solomon. We may add farther, the beaalj of the stgl^ the sublimity of the Noughts, the dignity of the fruUter^ Hie form and order m:^Ai0^lf^wiiaterials of 4h«i writer* axe laid down, the vast erudition md astonishing /tfcufuti^f-^HJIp all of whick perfectly chaia^tarize Solomon.

Beiide»1$^aiD0rfey we find vb^kj farms o^ expression in diis book which prove that its author had a hmmUdge of the law of God, and many which show that he was acquainted with the Psalms of David, aad a few rffSf like what we find in thfd toritings of the prophets, I shall insert a Um mate:—

Job xf. S7: Becaaae lie eoTereth his fiice with Psa. XTii. 10: They are inclosed in their own /ol,

Job xxzir. 14: If he set his heart npon man, he Psa. eiT. 99: Thoa hidest thy &ce, and they are

^lall gather auto himself his spirit aod hia breath. troubled: thon takest away their breath; they die, and

Job.zxi^9: Their houses are safe from fear; neither Psa. Ixxiii. 6: They are uQt in trouble as other is the lod of God upon them. men; neither are (hey plagued like other men.

Jek nd. 10: Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; Psa. cxiiv. 13, 14: Let our sheep bring forth thon- their eow ealveth, and casteth not her calf. sands; — and our oxen be strong to labour.

Job xxL 1 8: They (the wicked) are as stu&ble before Psa. i. 4: The ungodly are like the chaff which the

the winJ; and as chaff that the storm carrieth away, wind drifeth away.

Job zxiL 19: The righteous see it, and are glad; Psa. Wiii. 10: The righteous shaU rejoice when he and the innocent laogh them to scorn. seeth the vengeance; he shall wash his feet in the

Job xzxtiu. 41: Who proTideth for the raven his Psa. cxbii. 9: He gireth to the beast hif fopd; and food? when his young ones cry unto Ood. to the young ravens which ery,

Job xii, 91: He poureth contempt upon princes, vs^d Psa. cvii, 4p: He poureth contempt upon princes, weakeneth the strength of the mighty. and causeth them to wander in the wilderness.

Job iiL 3: Let the day perish in which I was bom; Jer. xy. 1 0: Wo is me, my mother, that thou hast and the night in which it was said, There is a man- borne me, a man of strife, xx. 14, 15: Cursed be child conceived. See also chap. x. 18. the day wherein I was horn — let not the day wherein my mother bare me be blessed.

Job xxi. 7: Wherefore do the wicked live, become Jer. xii. 1,3: Wherefore doth the way of the wicked old, and are mighty in power f prosper f they grow; yea, they bring forth fruit.

Job zxriii. 12: But where shall wisdom be found. Collate these Terses with Baruch iii. 14, 15, 29, and knoweth not the price thereof; neUher is it found in 10-3((. the land of the tiring.

The remarkable sentiment that " God, as Sovereign of the world, docs treat the righteous and the wicked, independently of their respective merits, with a similar lot in this life, and that like events often happen to both,'* is maintained in the Book of Job and the Ecclesiastee of Solomon. Job ix. 22-24: «* He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. The earth is given into the hand of the icicked; he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where and who is he?" X. 15: "If I be wicked, wo imto me; and if I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head,** ii. 15: " Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I jipt answer; I would make supplication to my Judge." xii. 6: " The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly." xxi. 7-0: " Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea are mighty in power? Their seed is established in their* sight, and their offspring before their eyes. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.^

Sunilar sentiments, with a great similarity of expression, are found in the following passages from Solomon. Eccles. vi. 8: " For what hath the wise more than the fool T viii. 14: ♦'There he just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked. Again, there be uncked men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the righteous^ ix. 2: *'AU things come dike to all: there is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrit

ficeihnoU As is the goody so is the rinner; and he that sweareth, as he thhi feareth an 0€Uhy vii. 15 1 '' There is %just man that perisJieth in his righteousness; and there is a wicked man that prolongeth his life in Ais wp^cedness.^

I laay conclude this with the words of a learned translator of the book of Job, and apply in reference to Solomon what he a^^lies to Moses: *^ The specimens of rtiemblance now produced have an equal claim to originality, and seem very powerfully to establish a unity of authorship." I ikink the argument much stronger in favour of Solomon as its author than of Moses: and while even here I hesitate, I must enter my protest against the conclusions drawn by others; and especially those who profess to show where Davidy Solomon, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, &c., have copied and borrowed from Job! Some of them, in all probability, never saw the book; and those who did had an inspiration, dignity, manner, and power of their own, that rendered it quite unnecessary to borrow from him. Such plagiarism would appear, in common cases, neither requisite nor graceful. I have a high opinion of the book of Job, but God forbid that I should ever bring it on a level with the compositions of... j(^ Ibe sweet singer of Israel, the inimitable threnodies of Jeremiah, or the ultra-sublime eflfu* ^^t IMons of the evangelical prophet. Let each keep his place, and let God be acknowledged ^' - nf the inspurer of all.

Thus, by exactly the same process, we come to different conclusions; for the evidence is now as strong that Job lived posterior to the days of Moses; that he was acquainted with the Law and the Prophets; that either he took much bom the Psalms and Proverbs, ot that David and Solomon borrowed much from him; or that Solomon, the son of David, wrote the history; as it is that he lived in the days of Moses.

For my own part, I think the later date by far the most probable; and although I think the arguments that go to prove Solomon to be the author are weightier than those so skilftiUy brought forth by learned men in behalf of Moses, yet I think it possible that it was the work of neither, but rather of some learned Idumean, well acquainted with the Jewish religion and writers; and I still hold the opinion which I formed more than thirty years ago, when I read over this book in the Septuagint, and afterwards in the Hebrew, that it is most probable tlie work was originally composed in Arabic, and afterwards translated into Hebrew by a person who either had not the same command of die Hebrew as he had of the Arabic, or else purposely affected the Arabic idiom, retaining many Arabic words and Arabisms; either because he could not find appropriate expressions in the Hebrew, or because he wished to adorn and enrich the one language by borrowing copiously from the other. The Hebrew of the book of Job differs as much from the pure Hebrew of Moses and the early prophets, as the Persian of Ferdoosy differs bom that of Saady. Both these were Persian poets; ibe former wrote in the simplicity and purity of his elegant native language, adopting very few Arabic words; while the latter labours to introduce them at every turn, and has thus produced a language neidier Persian nor Arabic. And so prevalent is this custom become with all Persian writers, both in prose and verse, that the pure Persian becomes daily more and more corrupted, insomuch that there is reason to fear that in process of time it will be swallowed up in the language of the conquerors of that country, in which it was formerly esteemed the most polished language of Asia. Such influence has the language of a conqueror on the country he has subdued; witness our own, where a paltry French phrasettogy, the remnant of one of the evils brought upon us by our Norman conqueror and tyrant, has greatly weakened the strong current of our mother tongue; so that, however amalgamated, filed, and polished by eminent authors, we only speak a very tolerable jargon, enriched, as we foolisUy term it, by the spoils of other tongues. The best specimen of our ancient fcdiguage exists in the LorcPj prayer, which is pure English, or what is called Anglo-Saxon, with the exception of three fi^nchified words, trespasses, temptation, and deliver.

But to return to the book of Job. The collections of Mr. Good, Dr. Magee, and others, if they do not prove thw Moses was the author of the book, prove that the author was well acquainted with the Mosaic writings; and prove that he was also acquainted with the ninetieth 1^

Psalm; and this lastciiCQiiistaiice "vvill go fEur to prove that he lived aftitr the days of Iktrnd^ for we have no evidence whatever that the ninetieth Psalm was published previously to the coUection and publication of the Psalms now generally termed the Psalms qf Daimdy though many of them were written by other hands, and not a few even after the BabyUndsh cap^ tivity, Andy as to the inscription to this Psalm, dtiSkh btm ttvd nSfin tepkillah Mosheh ish haelohxm^ << A prayor of Moses, the man of God;'' 1. We know not that Moses the

Jewish lawgiver is meant: it might be another penion of the same name. 2. And even In that case it does not positively state that this Moses was the author of iti 3. The inscrip^ tions to the Psalms are of dubious^ and many of them of no authority: some of them evidendy misplaced; and others either bearingt no relation to the matter of the Psalms to which they are jnefized^ or evidently contradictory to that matteri Hence our translators hftve con^t sidered these inscriptions as of no authority; and have not admitted them, in any case, into the body of their respective Psalms. Th^ paraUeUsm^ therefore, drawn from this Psalm, will not help much to prove that Moses was the author of the book of Job; but it will go far to prove, as will be seen in other cases, that the author of this book was acquainted with the book of Psalmsy as several of the preceding collections testify; and that there is a probability that he had read the prophets that lived and wrote in the time^ and after the time, of the

Babylonish captivityy which appears to me the only thing that shakes the argiument hi favour of Solomon; unless we take the converse^ of the question, and say that Moses, David^

Solomon^ Isaiah^ Jeremiah, and Micah, all knew and borrowed from the book of Job* But this supposition will, in its turn, be shaken by the consideration that thei'e are several things in the book of Job which evidently refer to the law as already given, and to some of the principal occurrences in the IsraeUtish history, if such references can be made out. These considerations have led me to think it probable that the book was vmtten after the captivity by some unknown but highly eminent and inspired man. We may wonder, indeed, that the author of such an eminent work has not been handed down to posterity; and that the question should be left at the discretion of the whole limbus of conjecture; but we find^ not only several books in the Bible, but also other works of minor importance and a later date, similarly circumstanced. We havD no certain evidence of the author of the books of to them, make probable conjectures, but this is all. Even in the New Testament the author of the Epistle to the Hebrews is still unknown; though a pretty general tradition, and strong internal evidence, give it to St. Paul; yet this point is not so proved as to exclude all doubt.

The finest poems of heathen antiquity, the Iliad and Odyssey, cannot be certainly traced to Uieir author. Of the person called Homer, to whom they have been attributed, no one knows any thing. He is still, for aught we know, k fabulous person; and the relations concerning him are entitled to Uttle more credit than is due to the Life of jEsop by Planudes.

Seven different cities have claimed the honour of being his birth-place. They are expressed in the following distich: —

Nor have these claims ever been adjusted. Some have gone so far as to attribute the work to Solomon, king of Israel, composed after his defection from the true religion to idolatry! that the word Homer, *OfAi)^ Homeros, is merely Hebrew, onoK omerim, with a Greek termination, signifying the sayings or discourses, from idk amar, he spoke; the whole work being httle more than the dialogues or conversations of the eminent characters of which it is composed. Even the battles of Homer are full of parleys; and the principal information conveyed by the poem is through the conversation of the respective chiefs.

The Makamaton, or assemblies, of the celebrated Arabic author Hariri, show us how converstrtions were anciently carried on among the Arabs, and even in the same country in wliich llie plan of the poem of Job is laid^ and were wc closely to compare the sexconcessus of Uiat author, published by SchukenSj we might fiud many analogies between ihem and ihc uirn of conversation in the book of Job* But the unceriaintfj relaiivc to the avlhor detracts noihing from the merit and excellency of the poem. As it is the most singular, so it is the best, as a whole, in the Hebrew canon. It exhibits a full view of llie opinions of the eastern si^s on the most iniporlant points; not only their religion and systmn of morals arc frequently introduced, but also ilieir philosophy, astronomy, natural history, mincralcgyi and arts and sciences in general; as well those that were ortiomental, as those which nnnistered to the comforts and necessities of life. And on a carehd exatnination, we shall probably find that several arts, wbich are supposed to be the discoveries of xhc moiiernSf were not unknown to those who lived hi a very remote antiquity, and whom it is fashionable to consider as unlettered and uncultivated barbarians.

As the person, family, lime, and dcsceiidnnts of Job are so very uncertain, I shall not trouble my readers with the many genealogical tables which have been constructed by chronologists mud commentators; yet it might be considered a defect were I not to notico what is inserted at the end of the Greek and Arabic Versions relative to this point; to which I shall add Dr* Kennicotts Tables, and the substance of a letter which contains some curi* ous particulars,

" And he (Job) dwelt in the land of Ausitis^ in the confines of Idumca and Arabia; and his fonncr name was Jobab, And he look to wife Arabissa, and begat a son whose name was Ennon, And his {Jobab's} fatherV name was Zarith, one of the sons of the children of Eaau; and his niother*a name was Bosora; and thus he was the fifth iroui Abraham."

**And these are the kings who reigned in Edom; which region he also governed; the finsl was Bulak^ the son of Beor, the name of whose city was Dennaba. And after Balak reigned Jobab, who is also called Job. And after him Assom^ the govenior of the country of the TemaniteSp After him Adad^ the son of Basad, who cut off Madian in the plain of Moab; and the name of Ids city was Gethaim."

'* The friends who came to visit him were Eiiphaz^ son of Sophan, of the children of Esau, king of the Temanites. Baldad^ the son of Amuon, of Chobar, tyrant of the yauchites. Sophar, king of the Minaitce. Thuiman^ son of Eliphaz., governor of ihe Tdumeans "

^' This is translated from the 8j^iac copy. He dwelt in the land of Ausitis^ on the borders of the Euphrates; and his former name was Jobab; and his father was Zareth, who came from the east/' This is verbatim from the Codex Alexandrinm.

Tfic Arabic is not so circumstantial, but is the same in substance, " And Job dwelt in tlie land of Auz^ between the boundaries of Edom and Arabia; and he was at first cailcd Jobab. And he married a strange woman, and to her was bom a son called Annn. But Job was the son of Zara^ a descendant of l!ie children of Esau; his mother's name was Basra, and he was the sixth from Abrafiam, Of the kings who reigned in Edom, the first who reigned over that land was BaJak^ the son of Beor, and the name of his city was Danaba. And after him Jobab, the same who is called Job. And after Job, he (Assom) who w^as prince of the land of Teman. And after him (Adad) the son of Barak, he who slew and put to flight Madian, in the plains of Moab; and the name of his city was Jatham. And of the friends of Job who visited him was Elipha^^ the son of Esau, king of the Temanitea.*'

Dr. Kennicoit says. When Job lived seems deductble from his being contemporary with Eliphaz, tlie Tcmanite, thus:—>

The laie Mis3 Mary Freeman Shepherd, well known for her strong masculine getiios^ and knowledge of various languages, sent me the following genealogy and remarks, wlucli the

Ifaou^bt would clearly ascertain Uie time of Job, I faitlifully transcribe them from her letter

Jm£^ married at fort;, bad Eeub«ii his firk-bom^ and Levi bom of Leah, by the time he wan fmty-four 44

Afler the deltige 59U

'* Shem was the fallier of Aram, who gave his name to the Aiamites, t\ c*, the Syrians « mnA he was the father of II2, who gave hiiS name to the land of Uz^ in wliich Job dweltt not was h&m^ for tlie text says^ There w^ a man in tite land of Uzj culled Job*

'* In Gen. xlvi* 1 3, one of the sons of Isaachar is named Job. In the genealogies of Nmm. xx^i, 24, and m 1 Chron. vii» 1, he is called Jashuh. It is remarkable tlial there is jKi n^enuon in Chronicles of the sons of Jashub, or of any of the sons of Issachar, among the thotiBands of IsiEel, sons of Tola, where, might not Job be called Jashub 7 Mitzraim, ** e., Egjpi, was a son of Ham; Uz and Aram, sons of Shem; Islmaael by Hagar, and Midian by Keturah, both &ons to Abram. How well does tliis accomit for the nearness of tb9 languages of these people, being scions from the same mother tongue!

*^l8hmEel, the father of the tribes of Arabia; Arabic was, there fore, not their mother toDgiie* The roots of these languages germinated from the Hebrew roots^ and so a new language sprang up, afterwards formed according to grammatic rules, and enriched as arts aod sciences, and cultivated genius^ added new inventions* Tilings new and unknown before gave rise Ui new words or names. Nouns, and tlie action, operation, and effects of arts and dciejtces, produced verbs or roots. Thus the Arabic became so copious and rich, and has roots not to liie pure original Hebrew* All tliis considered, might not Moses have written the book of Jiibj as parts of Ezra, Nehemiah, and Daniel were written, after the captivity, in a mixed langungBf in order that it might be the better understood by those for whom it was written; those of ihe {>eop!c who, bciiig left in Jerusalem, had retamed their native Hebrew; and lliose who bad, by long residence m Babylon, corrupted and mingled it with the Chaldaic, which is a dialect of the Hebrew, hke the modern lan^iage of Italy when compared with that of ancient Rome, or our modem Latin wljen compared with that of the Auguetan age.

" By the influence of climate upon the organs of speech, the different avocations, usages, diet, lum of mind, and genius of men, the dialects which all streamed from one language, and pronounced in one and the same s^peeck, confounded, (not annihilated, troubled, but not dried up,) no new language then creaicd, yet so confounded in utterance that they understood not one another's speech. The operation was upon the ear of the heart, as in the day of pentecost: one man spoke, and all, thougli of different tongues, understood; the ear auggeafted the various somids lo the tongue, and from thence the varied pronunciations of one and tlie same language often makes it misunderstood.

** Shem, who lived five hundred and two years after the deluge, being still alive, and in the tlir&e hundred and ninety -tltird year of his life, when Abram was bom, therefore the Jewish ti^lion that Shem was the Melchisedek, (my righteous king of Salem,) an epithet, or title of honotir and respectt not a proper name» and, as the head and father of his race, Abraham

iqUBFACE to THE BOOK OF JOB.

paid tithes to him; thiiieems te me well fomided, and the idea confinned by these remarkable words, Psahn CK^Jkhovak hath mooniy and toill not repenty |ny*'3^ TnarySpxhijh p3 nnM attah cohen leolam ol dibraOd trndkutiedek. As if he had said, Thouy my only-begotten Son, first-born of many brethren; not according to the substituted priesthood of the s<ms of Leri, Who^ after the sin of the golden calf, stood up in lieu of all the first-bom of Israel, invested with their forfeited rights of primogeniture of king and priest; the Lord hath sworn, and will not lepenty (change,) Thou art a priest {(k ever after the (my order of Melchisedek, my own eitiginal primitive) order of primogeniture; even as Shem the man of namcy the Shem that stands the first aiid foremost of the sons of Nodi. The righteous prince and priest of the most high Crod meets his descendant Abraham after the slaughter of the kings, with refreshments; blessed him as the head and father of his race, and as sucb^ he receires from Abraham the tithe of all the spoil.

" How beautifully does Paul of Tarsus, writing to the Hebrews, point through Mekhisedek, ''-^hem, the head and father of their race, invested in all the original rights of primogeniture, priest of the most high God, blessing Abraham as such, as Levi even had existence, and as such receiving tithe from Abraham, and in him from Levi yet in the loins of his forefathers, when Moses on this great and solemn occasion records simply this: Melchisedek, king of Salem, priest of the most high God, sine genedhgia; his pedigree not mentioned, but standing, as Adam in St. Luke*8 genealogy, without father and without mother, Adam of God, Luke iii., last verse;•— 4iow beautiftilly, I say, doth St. Paul point through Melchisedek to. Jehoshua our great High Priest and King, whose eternal generation who shall declare! Hammashiachy the Lord's Anointed, Priest, and King, after the order of Melchisedek, onlybegotten firvt-bom Sonl The Levitical priesthood that arose from the sin of the golden calf, and the forfeited rights of the first-bom, in whose stead stood the sons of Levi, (the reward of their zeal for God, on that sad occasion.) This right of primogeniture, as the streams of Jordan at the presence of God, conversus est retrorsumy to its fountain head; and Judah was his sanctuary y Psalm cxiv. Reuben forfeited by incest his excellence; Simeon and Levi, the right in priority of birth, theirs; and Judah, he to wh(«n his brethren should bow down as their head« From the time of Abraham, who married a sister of Haran, prince of the tribe of Judah, to the tune of Jesusy the tribes of, Levi and Judah intermarried: thus was incorporated the source and streams in one. And the very names of all the sons of the tribes of Israel lost in oney that of Jehudah, firom which they call themselves Jehudim.

•* The shehity tribe, not sceptre, the rod or ensign of the chief of a tribe. * The tribcy genealogy y shall not recede from Jehudah until Shiloh come;* for whose genealogy they subsist. Ten, by the schism of Jeroboam, may be carried away beyond the river, and heard of no more; but Jehudah, Levi, and Benjamin, shall be tribes; and their registers shall be clear and unbroken until the temple and city and all the registers of genealogy are destroyed. The people are one; one people worshipping one God« * I hav^ preyed,' said Jehoshua Mashiach, < that ye might be one in me, as I and my Father are one/

*< Ham, the son of Noah, begat Gush, and Gush begat Nimrod, and Saba, and others. Nimrod began a monarchy, and founded Babel. Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh. Ninurod was therefore contemporary with Peleg. Gompare Gen. ii. 8, 9, with Gen. ix. 10^25.

^ Thus, in about two hundred and ten or twenty years after the deluge, by the confusion of tongues, was the earth divided; as its inhabitants, dispersing no doubt in fieiinilies, together formed themselves into nations, people, and tribes and kindreds, and firom thence into tongues.

<' From the knowledge I have of the Hebrew, I have cau^t a glance of the genius, spirit, and tone of the general march of the oriental tongues, and even (rf* the expression of their character. To me the book of Job seems to have much of the CbaMee, both in woids and idiom, and much of the sublimity and spirit of the writings of Moses. His grand descriptions of the Most High, his womlrous works, his power, wisdom, justice, and truth, all speak the historian of Genesis, the legislator of Israel, the unconsumed fire of the burning bush,

the loud thuiiders of 8mai| and the shinings of the light of QSod«, ^tP^ pointed exactness and conciseness of narration that distinguish Moses, are also cottapifMA in the book of Job. - If Hoses did indeed vrrite this book, he wrote it for the nations^ aipWeQ as for Israel; and took, as the best vehicle of a general conveyance, a language most generally understood. At this day, for the facilitating, of intercourse in the Levant, Mediterranean, Archipelago, &c.| l^ere is a laAguage called Lingua Fraw^ the language of the Franks. To Israel Moses conveyed the pure language of their fathers; but rather than the^ations should be famished for bread, or die for tliirst, he put manna in their coarse earthen vessels, and wine in their wooden cups. *. - '

<' You see, my dear air, how %\x<mgiB female obstinacy; 1. struggle and contend for the body of Moses.. I admire Moses; I admire Job. God; by the prophet Ezekiel and the apostle St. James, ascertains the history of Job to be a fact, not a fiction. And thus inspira^ tion sustains its inspiration.

" Will you, dear sir, think it worth while to collect and put together these scattered scraps, as httle pegs to better shelves, which you must furbish, smooth, and point; — too hard a work for Mary the aged? Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God: and in him see aU truth."— Af. F. S.

Miss Shepherd is a strong auxiUary to Mr. Good; still I remain unconvinced. My readers must choose for theovelves.

The history of Job, but strangely disguised, is well known among the Asiatics. He is called by the Arabic and Persian historians S-^I Ayouh^ which is exactly the same as the Hebrew y\'^ Ayoub, which Europeans have strangely metamorphosed' into Job. In the Tareekh Muntekheb his genealogy is given thus: Ayoub the son of Anosh, the son of Kazakh, the son of Ais, (£sau,) die son of Isaac. He was a prophet, and was alBSicted by a grievous malady three years^ or according to others, seten years; at the end of which, when eighty years df age, he was restored to perfect health, and had a son named Bash ben Ayoub. Other -vnriters say he had five sons, with whom he made war on a brutal people called Dsul Kefely whom he exterminated because they refused to receite the knowledge of the true God^ whom he preached to them. KhondemUy who entitles him Job the patient, gives us his history in the following manner: —

" Joby by his father's side, was descended from Esau, and by his mother from Lot, Abou Giaffer al Tabary relates that God sent him to* preach to the inhabitants of Thaniah, a people who dwelt between Remla and Damascus; but three persons only received the truth. Nevertheless, as he was very zealous in the service of God, he rewarded his faith and obedience by heaping riches upon him, and giving him a numerous family. This excited the envy of the devil, who, presenting himself before God, accused Job as one who was selfish in his devotion; and, were it not for the temporal blessings wliich he received from his Maker, he would not worship even once in the day. God having given Satan permission to spoil Job of his goods, and deprive him of his children, he gave the same proofs of his piety, worshipping God as before, and patiently bearing his great los^esi Satan, enraged to be thus baffled^ presented himself once more before God, and asserted that Job continued thus faithful because he knew that God would reward his constancy with an equal or even greater portion of earthly blessings: but if he would afflict his body by some grievous disease, he would soon abandon his service, and be at the end of his patience. In order fully to show the piety of this exemplary man, God permitted Satan to afflict his body as he pleased, with the exception of his eyesj his ears, and his tongue. The devil, having received this permission, blew up the nostrils of Job such a pestilential heat as immediately turned his whole mass of blood into corruption, so that his whole body became one ulcer, the smell of which was so offensive that his greatest intimates could not approach him; and he was obliged to be carried out of the city, and laid in a distant place entirely by himself. Notwithstanding, Job continued both his patience and piety. His wife, Rosina, never forsook him, but continued daily to bring him the necessaries of life. Satan, observing this, stole from her tlie provision she had made

for her husband; and ^hen reduced to the lowest ebb, he appeared to her upder the form of an old bald woman, aiultold her, that if she would giye her the two tresses of hair that hung down on her neck, she would provide her daily with what was necessary for her husband's support. This offer appearing so very advantageous in behalf of her afflicted husband, she accepted the offer, and gave the two tresses.to the old woman.

" Satan, overjoyed at the success of his plots, went to Job, told him that his wife had been caught in the act of adultery, and that her tresses had been cut oS, and here was the proof of the fact. Job,^ seeing this, and, finding his wife without her tresses, not supposing that he was deceived by the devil, lost his patience, and bound himself by an oath, that if he should ever recover his heaUh he would inflict on Jiet the most exemplary punishment. Satan, supposing he had now gained his eiid, transformed himself into an angel of light, and went throughout the country as a messenger of God, informing the people that Job, who was counted a prophet, had fallen from his piety and brought the wrath of God upon him; that they should no more listen to his preaching, but banish him from among them, lesMhe curse of God should fall on the whole cou9try.

" Job, coming to understand how the matter stood, had recourse to God by faith and prayer, and said these remarkable words, which are found in the Koran: * Distress closes me in on every side: but thou, O Lord, art more merciful than all those who can feel compassion.' On this all his pains and sufferings immediately ceased; for Gabriel, the faithful servant of the Most' High, descended from heaven, took Job by the hand, and lifting him up from the place where he lay, stamped on the ground with' his foot, and immediately a spring of water rose up from the earth, out of which Job having drunk, and, washed his body, he was instantly cleansed of all his ulcers, and restored fo perfect health.

" God, having thus restored Jiim, greatly mullipHed his goods, so that the rain and the snow which fell around his dwelling were precious; and his riches became so abundant, as if showers of gold had descended upon him."

This is the sum of the account given by the oriental historians, who, forsaking the truth of the sacred history, have blended the story with their own fables. The' great facts are however the same in the main; and we find that with them the personality, temptation, and deliverance of Job, are "matters of serious credibility. Abul Faragius says that the trial of Job happened in the twenty-fifth year of Nahor, son of Serug; thus making him prior to Abraham. He calls him cju^UV ^*r-9rf^ Ayoub assadeek. Job the righteous. See Abul Faragius, Ebn Batric, D^Herbelot, &c.

Commentators have considered this book as being divided into distinct parts. Mr. Good, who considers it a regular Hebrew epic, divides it into sub parts or books, which he considers to be its natural division, and unquestionably intended by the author. These six parts are, an opening or exordium, containing the introduqtory history or decree concerning Job; three distinct series of arguments, in each of which the speakers are regularly allowed their respective turns;, the summing up of the controversy; and the dose of the catastrophe, consisting of the suffering hero's grand and glorious acquittal, and restoration to. prosperity and happiness.

Which contains: — 1. A brief narrative of Job. 2. The tribunal of the Almighty. 3. His remarks to Satan concerning Job's fidelity. 4. Satan's reply. 6. The Almighty consents to his tempUtion. 6. Return of the celestial tribunal. 7. The fidelity of Job proved and declared. 8. Satan insinuates that he would not have proved true had the attack been made on his person. 9. The Almighty consents to a second trial. 10. The trial made. 1 1. Job's utter misery. 12. The visit of his three friends to condole with him. Chap. i. and ii.

1. Exclamation of Job on his miserable condition. 2. Speech of Eliphaz, accusing him of want of firmness, and suspecting his integrity, on account of the affliction with wliich he 0 18 ( »♦)

18 Tisited. 3. JoVs reply, reproaching bis friends with cruelty; bewailing the din&ppoiHt ment he had felt in them; callkig for death as the termination of his miseries; then longing for life, expostulating with the Almighty, and supplicating his forgiveness. 4. Bildad resumes the argument of Elipbaz with great severity; openly accuses Job of hjrpocrisy; and exhorts him to repentance, in order that he may avoid utter ruin. 5. Jcb in reply longs to plead his cause before God, but is overwhelmed at his majesty. 6. He again desponds, and calls for death as the only refuge from his sorrovvs. >7. Zopjuar continues the argument on the side of his companions; condeoons Job acrimoniously fdr still daring to assert his innocence; and once more exhorts him to repentance, as the only means of' obtaining a restoration to the favour of the Almighty. 8. Job is stimulated to a still severer reply. 9. Accuses his companions of declaiming on the part of God, with the base hope of propitiating him. 10. fioldly demands his trial at the tribunal of the Alinighty;- and, realizing the tribunal hehre him, conunences his pleading, in an address variegated on every side by opposite feelings; fear, triumph, humiliation, expostulation, despondency. Chap, iii.-xiv.

1. Eliphaz commences the discussion in his regular turn; Accuses Job of vehemence and vanity; asserts that no man is innoceiit; and that his own conduct sufficiently proves himself not to be so. 8*. Job replies; and complains bitterly of the unjtf^t reproaches heaped upon him; and accuses his companions of holding him up to public derision. 3. He pathetically bemoans his lot; and looks forward to the gra.te widi glimmering, thrcnigh despair, of a resurrection from its ruins. 4. Bildad perseveres in Bis former argument of Job's certain wickedness, from his signal sufferings; and, in a string of ' lofty traditioh8,'points out the constant attendance of misery upon wickedness. 5. Job rises superior to this attack; appeals to the piety and generosity of bis friends; asserts the Almighty to have afHicted him for purposes altogether unknown; and then soars to a full and triumphant hope of a future resurrection, and vindication of his innocence. 6. Zophar repeats the former charge; and Job replies, by directly controverting his argument, and proving, from a variety of examples, that in the present world the wicked are chiefly prosperous, and the just for the most part subject to afHiction. Chap.xv.-xxi.

1. EliphaZy indirect opposition to Job's last remarks, contends that certain and utter ruin is the uniform lot of the wicked; and adduced »the instances of the deluge^ and of Sodom and the other cities of the plain. 2. Job supports his position by fresh and still more forcible examples. Though he admits that, in the mystery of Providence, prosperity and adversity are often equally the lot of both the righteous and the wicked; yet he denies that this ought to be held as an argument in favour of the last, whose, prosperity is in the utmost degree precarious, and who in calamity are v^olly destitute of hope and consolation. 3. Bildad replies in a string of lofty but general apophthegms, tending to prove that Job cannot be without sin, since no man is so in the sight of God. 4. Job rejoins with indignation; takes a general survey of his life, in the different capacities of a magistrate, a husband, and a master; and challenges his companions to point out a single act of injustice he had committed. Chap, xxii.-xxxi.

1. Zophar y who ought to have concluded the last series, having declined to prosecute the debate any farther, the general argument is summed up by Elihu^ who has not hitherto spoken, though present from the first. 2. He condemns the subject matter of the opponents of Job, as altogether irrelevant; accuses Job himself, not of suffering for any past impiety, but of speaking irreverently during the controversy. 3. He contests several of Job's positions; asserts that afflictions are often sent by the Almighty for the wisest and most merciful purposes; and that, in every instance, our dutjf.b Mbmission. '4. He closes with describing the Creator as supreme and uncontrollable; kful as creating, upholding, and regulating all nature according to his own will and pleasure; incomprehensibly and mysteriously, yet ever wisely and benevolently. Chap, zxxii.— xxxvii. •

V ART yh-^The AcquiUal and Restoration of Job.

1. The Almighty appears to pronounce judgment.; speaks to Job in a sublime and magnifieent address out of a whirlwind. 7,. Job humbles himself before God, and is accepted. 3. His friends are severely reproved for theirconduct during the controversy, a sacrifice is demanded of them, and Job is appointed their intercessor. 4. He prays for his friends, and his prayer is accepted... 5..He is restored to his former state of prosperity, and his substance in every instance doubled. Chap, xxxviii.— xUi.

On diis plan Mr. Good has constructed his learned translation and excellent observations on this book..,.

The following Synopsis or general view of this book is very intelligible, and may serve as an index to the ivork: — -

1. Job's Disputation with his three friends, inrhp Came to visit him, in a threefold i.'-^*- '- series, ehap. iii;—xxxi.;. including Job's i^peech, in which he curses the day of a. The Speech of Bildadj chap. viii.

•> a The Speech of Bildady chap, xviii.

b. The Answer of Joby chap. xxi.

b. The Ajiswer of Joby chap, xxvi-xxxi.

EuHu'd judgment concerning the Controversy, delivered at four different intervals, pausing for Job's answer, chap, xxxii.— xxxvii.

a. The first Speech of the Almighty^ chap, xxxviii., xxxix.

6. The second Speech of the Almighty^ chap, xl., xli.

c. The Answer and humiliation of /oft, chap, xlii., ver. 1—6. Historical Narration concerning the restoration of Job to health.and great worldly pros-.. perity; with the account of his age and death, chap. xUi., ver. 7—17. Some have contended that the ^whole of this book is written in verse; but I can see no rule or method by which the two first chapters^ and the ten Ictst verses of chap. xlii. can be reduced to poetry or poetic.arrangement. They are merely narrative; and are utterly destitute of that dignitjr and pathos everywhere evident in this poem, and in eveiy part of the Hebrew hemistich poetry wherever it occurs. I could almost suppose these places, the work of another hand; b, Preface and a Conclusion written by some person who was well acquainted with the fact of Job's temptation, and who foun^ such additions necessary to cast light upon the poem. But they are most probably the Work of the saitie hand. There are, in different parts of the body of the poem, sentences in prose^ which are the headings to the * v^. diSkrent speeches. This is firequent among the Arabic and Persian poets. Such headings " •: -« are generally in rubric^ and should here stand by themselves.

Job^s care for his childrmL

JOB. Satan comes among the sons of G^d.

Ante I. oiymp. and " cuFsed God in their Ante u.c. cir. hearts. Thus did Job » conr ''^' • tinually.

day of each had been celebrated, the pious father appears to have gathered them all together, that the whole faaoily might hold & feast to the Lord, offering

: Inmt-offeriBgs in order to make an atonement for sins of all kinds, whether presumptuoas or committed through ignoraaoe. This we may consider as a general custom AmoDg the godly in those ancient times.

And cursed God in their hearts.] D^nSx Onai uberechu Elohim. In this book, according to most interpreters, the verb 1*11 hirach signifies both to bless and to curse; and the noua D'*n^d< Elohim signifies the true God, false g(fds, and greal or mighty. The reason why Job offered the burnt-offerings appears to have been this: in a country where idolatry flourished, be thought it possible that his children might, in their

- liMtivity, have given way to. idolatrous thoughts, or done something prescribed by idolatrous ritea; and therefore the words may be rendered thus: // may be that my children have blessed the gods, in their hearts. Others think that the word "I'll barach should

;t>e understood as implying -yareu;^//, bidding adieu — lest my children have bidden adieu to God, that is, renounced him, and cast off his fear. To me this is very unlikely. Mr. Mason Good contends that the word should be understood in its regular and general ijense, to bless; and that the conjunction) vau should be translated nor. " Peiadventure my spns may have ■inned, nor blessed God in their hearts." This version he supports with great learning. I think the sense given above is more plain, and less embarrassed. They might have been guilty of some species of idotatry. This is possible even among those calle.d Christians^ in their banquets; witness their songs to 'Bacchus, Yena^, ^e., which are countless in number, and often sung by persons who would think themqelv^ee injured, not to be reputed Christians. Coverdale, in his translation, (1535,) renders the passage thus; ^^era'bbentttre ms «onnes ])abe Tiqne some offence, ant^ liobe bttn untbanitful to €rO'b in t|)efr tiertes/