Commentary on the Holy Bible

Verse 13. The grave is mine house] "Let, my life..be long or short, the grave at last will be my home*, (expect soon to lie down in darknessh— 4hete is mf end: I cannot reasonably hope for any thing else.>

Verse 14. I have said to corruption] I came from a corrupted stock, and I must go to cormption again. The Hebrew might be thus rendered: To the ditch I have called, Thou art my fkthet. To the worms Thou art my mother and my sister. I am in the nearest state of sd&iity to dissolutiom and corruption: I bay well call them my nearest rtUuions, Sa I shall soon h6 blended with them.

Verse 15. And where'vi now my hope?] In the circumstances in which I am found, of what use can hope be t Were I to form the expectation of future geody who coald ever see it real^Mdf- Is it then.

Tene 16. They shall go doim to the bars of the pH] All that 1 have must descend into the depths of the grave. Thither are we all ^ goings; and there alone 'eanlrejf.

vH^ haddty^ which we translate 3ar«, signifies also hrfiTushes, distended limbs, or claws^ and may here refer either to a personification of the grave, a monster 1^0 seizes on homan bodies, and keeps them fast in bis deadly^ gripe; or to the difiereot branching-off alleys in subterranean cemeteries, or catacombs, in which niches are made for the reception of difiterent bodies. When our rest together is in the dustJ] That, is, according to some critics, My hope and myself shall descend together into the grave. It shall never be realized, for the timef of my departure is at hand.

Ih those times ^^hat -deep diades bnng on the state of man afler death, and on every thing pertaining to the • eternal world I, Perplexity and uncertainty were the contoquences; and a corresponding gloom ofienr dwelt on the.mii\d8 of even the best'of the Old Testar ment believers. Job's ' friends, thpqgh learned in aH the wisdom of the Arabians, connected with the advantages derivable from the Mosaic writings, and perhaps these of the e&rli^r prophets, had little «lear or distinct in their minds relative to all'spbjects past mortem, or of the invisible world. Job himself, though sometimes strongly donfident, is oftep harassed with doubts* and feare upon the- subject, insomuch that his sayings ^d experience oAen appear contradictory. Perhaps it could not be otherwise; t^e true li^t was^ not then come: Jesus alone brought life and immor-' tality to li^ht by bis Gospeh iildqtt, in a speech^oj passionate inoective, accuses Jo6 of- impaiience and impiety, 1-4 \ shows the^arfyl end of the wic%ed and their posterity; and apparently applies the whole, to Job, vfhom he threatens idlft, the most ruinous end, 5-31.

't^HEN anwered Bitdad the Sliuliite, and said, 2 How long t«;27/ U he.ere ye make an end o( words?

NOTES ON CHAP. Xvili. Verse 1. 'T^hen answered Bildad] The following analysis of this- speech, by Mr. l£eath, is judicious': *' Bildad, irritated to the.last, degree that Job should ireat tlieir advice witlr 90 mjich contempt, is no longer able to keep his passions within the bounds of decency. Hei ftroceeidil to downright abuse;' and.finding little attention given by J[ob to his arguments, * he tries ' to teirify him into a compliance. - To that end he draws a yet more terrible picture of the final end of. wicked men than any yet preceding, throwing in all iliei.citcumstanoeii of Job's calam^ies, that he might {ilainiy perceive the resemblance; and at the same time insinuating that he had much worse still to expect, unless he prevented it by a speedy change of behaviour. That it was the highest arrogance In him, to suppose that he, was of consequence enough to be the oaiis^ df altering the general rules of Providence, ▼er. 4. And that it was^much mor^ expedient for the good of the whole, that he, by his example, should deter others from txeadiog in the same path of wickednesiB apd My;*' Ter. 5-7,

Yefte 9. Houf long will it be ere ye make an end] It is diffiettlt to say to whom this address is made: bemg in the plural number, it can hardly be supposed to mean Job only. It probably means all present; W if he had said. It is vain to talk With this man, and Ibllow him through all his quibbles: take notice of (his, and then let us all deliver our sentiments. fuDy to, him, without pajting any regard to his tolf-vindicatiena. =84

It must b^ /)wned that this is the plan which BOdad foUowed'; and he* amply unburdens a mind that was labouring under the spirit of rancour and abuse. Instead of How long will it be ere ye make an end of word^l Mr. Good ti:anslate»: ^^ How long will, yeplant, thorns (irritating, lacerating, wounding invectiyes) among words v^ translating the unusual term ^ysp kintsey, thorns^ instead of bounds or limits. The word ^}f:p kintsey may be the'Chaldee form for ^m kitiey, the i riun, being inserted by the Chaldeans for th^ sake of euphony, as is frequently done; and it may be. considered as the contracted plural from yp kats, a thorn, from m kats, to lacerate, rather than yp ketSf an end, from nXp katsah, to cut off*.

' Schultens and others have contended that |^Jp. kanats, is an Arabic word, dsed also in Hebrew; that (j^iS kanasa, signifies to hunt, to Jay snares; and hence (joAlue maknas,'dL sni|re: and that the words ^ould be translated, I* How long will you put ciaptioitf snilres tii words V But I prefer 'XJp kintsey, as being the Chalde^ form for ^yp kitsey, whetMr it be considered as expressipg lintits or thorns; as the v/hxAe instance, is formed after tjie Chaldee model, as is evident, not only in the word in question, hot also in I'SdS lemillin, to words, the Chaldee plural instead of 0-SdV lemiHim, the Hebrew plural;

Verse 3. Counted as beasts] Thou treatest us as)f we had neither reason nor understanding.

Verse 4. He titareth himself in his anger] Literally, Rending his own soul in his ^ger; as if he had said

6 The light shall be dark in his taSemade, * and his ^candle skall, be put out wkh

7 The st^ of his strength shall h^* straitened, and f his Own counsel shall cast him.down.

8 For ^ he is cast into ^ net by his own f^et, and he walketh upon a snare.

Hioa art a madman*: thy fury has sach -a Bway over thee that thoa eatest thy ow& flesh. While thoa treatest as as beasts^ we see thee to be^a furiqiis maoiaCi descroyiog dij own life.

SkmO the etarih he farsqken for-thee.'] To say the least, afllicdons are the conunon lot qf men. Must God woik > milucle in provideoce, in order Co exempt thee from the operation of nata^ causes! Dost thou wish to engrbas all the attention ^nd care t>f Providence to thyself alone 1 What pride and insolence!

Terse 6. The. light of Ihfi uncked shall be put out] Some think it would be better to traifislate-the original, ** Let the light of the wicked be extinguished?' Thou art a bad man, and thou hast perverted the understanding which God hath given thee. Let that uhderr ttaodiog, that abased gift, be taken away. From this verse to the end of the chapter is a conUnual invectiyiB against Job.

Verse 6.. T%e light shall be dark in his tabernacle] His property shall be' destroyed, his house.piHaged, and ftimseif and his £unily com6 to an untimely end.

Verse 7. Thi^ steps of his strength] Even in his greatest prosperity he shall be in straits and diillcaU'ies.

HU own counsel] He shall be the dupe and the victim of his own airy, ambitions, and impious schemes.

Verse 8. For he is cast into a net] His own conddet wUI infallibly bring him to ruin. He shall be like a wild beast taken in ane.t; the more h6 flounces in order to extricate Ifimself^ the more IrS shall be entangled.

He walketh upon a snare.] He is con^ually walking on the meshes of a.net, by which he must soon be entangled and overthrown*

Verse 9. The gin shall take him] Houbigant reads the tenth before the ninth verse, thus: " The snare is laid for him in the giottnd,:and a trap for him in the way. The gin shall take him 1>y the heel, and the robber shall prevail against him.^*

From the beginning of the seventh verse to the end of the thirteenth there is an allusion to the various arts I and methods practised in honting. 1. A nmnber of)

in the grouncl, and a trap for him in the way,

11-^ Terrors ^ball make hini afraid on every sifie, and shall "^ drive, him to his feet

.1 2 His strejigth shall be hanger-bitten^ a^(} 7 destruction shaU be ^ea4y at his side,

)d It 9hall devour the "^ strength of his akiii'f even th^e first-born of death shall devour' his strength.

persons extend themselves in a, forest, and drive the game befdre them, still straitening tlie space fr,om "a, ' broad bkse to a narrow point in form of a triangle, soi* that the farther they go the less room have, they on the right and left, the hi\nters lining each side, while the drovers with their dogs are coming up behind. '* The steps of his strength shall be straitened,*^ ver; 7.' 3. Nets J gins^ and pitfalls^ are laid or formed in difierent places, so that -many are taken >before thej come to the point where the two lines close. " He is cast into,a^ net, he walketh upon a snare— the trap is laid for him in the way — the snare jn the ground,'* ver. 8, 9, 10. 3. The howling of the dogs, with the shouts of the hitntsmen, fill hindi with dismay, and caose him.to run himself beyond his strength and outpf breath. <* Terrors shall make him afraid on every side, and shall drive him to his feet,** ver. 11. 4, While spent with hunger and fatigue, he' is en^^gled in the spread nets; and- the huntsman either pierces him with an.arrpw or speai^, or cuts the sinews of his legs, so that he is easily captured and destroyed. " The robber. shall prevail against him,** ver. j^. *'Hi8 s*trength is hungef-Sitten, and destruction is ready at his side,** ver..12. This latter verse is thus paraphrased by the Chaldee: f? Let his first-born son hp famished; and aflfiction be prepared for his wife."

Verse 13. It 'shall devour the strength of his skin] This.may refer to the elephant, or to the rhinoceros, whose skin scarcely any dafl can pierpe: but in fhe case referred to above, (he animal is taken in a pitfal]| and then the first-bom of death — '^ sudden and over^ whelming j/roA:e— deprives him of life. See the account of hunting the dephant in the East at the end of the chapter. The.Chaldee has:."The strength of -his skin shall devour his fiesh; and the angel of death sbali -consume his children.**

Verse 14. His confidence shall be rooted out] His dwelling-place, how well soever foHified, shall pow jM deemed utterly insecure.

And it shall bring him to the king of terront,} Djr, as Mr. Qood translates, '<And dissdlution shall invade him as a monarch.*' He shall be completely and finally overpowered.

thought tbjdean deathj bi|t it is not used in any sijch wajjn the text. For TtmS^ -fSoS hmelech baUahoth, to the king of destructions, one of De Rossifs MSS. has ']Sdp kemeiech, " as a kin^;** and one, mstead of ntnSs baUfhoih^ with) vau holem, to indicate the pliim/, <«9T0f#ft destructions, has rwnhz kaUahuth, With 1 vau jAureA, which is singular, and signifies, terror, destruction. So the Vulgate seems to have. tead; as it translates, Et caloet super eum, quasi rex, interituS; i*And shall tread upon him as a king or destroyer. Or as.a king who is determined otteriy to destroy hin^;" On this verse the bishop of Killala* Dr. Stock, s^ys, " I am sorry to part with* a beautiful phrase in 4>ur epmmon yersiouf the^ idng of terrors, as descriptive of • jdeathf hut there is no authority for it in the Hebrew *text.'* \ "^

.it may however be stated that dea^ has been deziohiinated by similar epithets bgth among the Greeks find Romans. - •

»* O Pluto, king of shades:' That is, the mvisible demon, who dwells in darkness impenetiuhle.

Verse 15. // shall dwell in his tahernaele\ Desolation is here personified, and it is said that it shall be the inhabitant, its former o^er being destroyed. Brimgtofte shall be scattered upon his habitation^ so that, like Sodom and Qomorrah^ it may be an everlasting monument of the Divine displeasure. ' In the P^Vsian.poet Saadjfj.we find a couplet which contains a similar sentiment: —

Purdeh daree meekund dar keesri Keesar ankeboot ' Borneo Noobml metzund ber kumbed Afraseeab.

|;The spider holds the veil in the palace ot Cesar; The owl stands sentinel on the watchtower eyf Afiasiab." • ^.

The palaceb df those.x&ighly kings are so desola^ that the spider is the only chtmiberlavnT, vpA the owl. the only sentinel. The web of the former is all that rediains as a substitute fbr the costly,veil furnished by the chamberlain in the palace ol the Roman monarch' ^^ and the hooting of the latter is the only remaining substitute for the sound of drums and trumpets by which.the guards were accustomed io^be relieved V the. watchtower of Ihe Persian king...

The word JUaS Keemir, the same as Kaurap or ^ CiBsar, is the term w|uch the Asiatics always «m when they designate the Roman emperor.

Afrasiab was an ancient king who invaded and eon^ quei^ Persia about seven hundred years before' the Christian era.. Afler having reigned twelve year^ he was defeated an^ *slain by Zalzer and his s<yn, thr -famous ttust'em. The present reigning family of Constantinople claim descent froni this ancient monarch.

Brimstone shall 6e scattered upon his habitation.} Thi^ may^ either refer to the destruction ofSpdomand Gomom^, as has already been intimated, or to -an.ancient custom of fumigating houses with brimstcme, in order to purify them from defilement.* Plthy says,' ■iiist.. Nat.', liB. xxxv., c. 15, speaking of the uses of sa\plinT,,Ifabei et in religionibus locum ad expUmdas st^uJomosf which Drt Holland paraphrases 'thus.< '' Moreover brimstone is.employed ce^Qionibusly in hallowing of houses; for many are of opinion that the perAime and burning thereof will keep out all enchantn^ents; yea, and drive away foul fiends and evil sprites that do haunt a plhce.*'

. Et veniat, quae, lustret anus lectumque locumque: Prseferat et tremula suiphur et ova mano.

This alludes to the ceremony of purifying. the bed o't place in which a sick pefison was confined; an old woman or nurse ^ns the operator, and eggs and sulphur were the instruments- of jptin/fco^ion.

On this and other meUiods of purgation see an excellent note in Servius on these words of Virgil, Mn. vi., VST. 740.

T-— ' — Aliae pandontur inanes

Suspensae ad ventos: aliis* sub gurgite vasto Infebtiun elnitur scelus, aut exuritur igni.

" For this are various penances subjoinM; ' And some, are hung to bleach upon the wind; Some plunged in waters, others plunged in^fires."

Undeetiam, says Servius, in sacris Liberi omnibus tres sunt istae purgationes: nam aut 4ada puigantur e( fulpkure^wt aqua ablinmtil^, aut aire ventitanUil;

18 * He shall be driven from light into darkness, and chased oat (rf* the world.

19 *He shall neidier have son nor nephew

** These three kinds of purgation are used in the xHes of Bacchus: they are purged by flame and sulphor, or washed in water, or rentilated by the winds."

Bot it is most likely that'Bildad, in his-nsusd undiaritahle. manner,' alludes tQ the destractioa x>f Job^^ ptupei'ty. and' family -by icinds and fire: for the fiRE or QnDfeBftam heaven, ahi burnt up the sheep artd lie servants, and consumkd them; and a great ynnd^ probably the suipkufe&us suffocating simoomj smote the fawr comers of the- house, where Job's children were fiBasttng, and Idlled'ithem;' see chap, i^ 16, 19«

Verse 16. His roots shall he dried up^-^his hranch he ctttty^.] He shall be as atterly destroyed) both in kimseif, ^' posteriiyi and hisprop^ty, as a tree is whose bnacfaee are all lopped off, and whose every root Is cat away.

Verse 17. Hii remembrance shall perish] He 'shall liaTe none to sorTive him, to continue his name among yb name in the street.] He. shall never be a man of repatafion; after his demise> none shall talk othis/ame.

Verse IB. He shall be driven from light] He shall be taken off^iy a violent death. '

And chased out of the world.] The wicked is dmvjcn AWAT in Tiis iniquity. This shows his reluctance, to depart fronAife.. • ^

Verse 20. They that come after him] The young siiaJl "be strdck wi^i astonishment when they hear tlie. relation of the judgments of God upon this wickeid man. Ai4hey that went before: The *'aged who* were his contemporaries, and who* saw the judgnients that feU on" him, were afirighted, y^ ITHK achaztt saat, seized with horror^— were horrified; or^ as Mr. Good has well expressed it, were panic-struck.

among his people, nor a^yje- b'c^'*^ maining in his dwellings. ". Ante i. oiympt as they that ^ went before '^ were af&ighted.. 21 Surely such, are. the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him thai^

Verse 21.. Such- toe the dwellings] Qis ja the comnion lot of the wicked; and it shall be particularly the case with him* tr^o knoweth not God, that is Job^ for it is evident he alhides to.Bim. Poor Job! hard was ^hy lo^ severe were thy.sufferingSf.

On the elephant hnhtto whi<;h I have referred, ¥8^; 13, r shall borrow the fallowing account extracted from Mr. Cocdiner's History of Ceylon, by^M^. Good: —

^ ** We hate a curious de9cription of tjie'el^hant hunt, which is pursued in a manner not essentifdly different from the preceding, etcept that the sn'ares are palUsadoed with the strongest pos^ble stakes, instead of being netted, and still f^her fortified by intedacings. They* are nomeronsi but connected together;* every snare or inclosure* growing gradually narrower, ana opening into each^other by a gate or tWptKat will only admit the entrance of a single animal, at 4 time., • '

" The wood in which elephants acre knowii to abpqnd is first surrounded, excepting at the end where ^e foremost and widest inclosure is situated, with fires placed on moveable pedestals, which in every direction are drawn closer and closer, and, aided, by loud and perpetual shouts, drive the animals forward till they ^nter into the outer snare. Af^er which the same process is continued, and they^re driven by fear into a second, into a third, and into a fourth; till at length the elephants become sq much subdivided, that by the aid pf cordage. fastened carefully. round their limbs, and. the management of decoy elephants, tlie'y.are easily capable of being led away one by one, and tamed. A single hunt thus conducted will sometim'es occupy not less than two months of unremitting laboui'; and the entrance of the elephants into the sn^es is regafdr. ed as an amusement or sport of the highest character, and as such is attended by all the principal families of the country." *

Job complains of the cruelty of his friends, 1-5. Pathetically laments his sufferings, 6-1?. Cornplains of his being fotsaken by all his domestics, friends y relatives, and even his wife, 1 3-19. Details his sufferings in an affecting tnanner, calls upon his friends to pity him, and earnestly wishes that his speeches may be recorded, 20-^4. Expresses his hope in a future resurrection, 9$-?7, And warns his persecutors tq desist, lest they faU under God's Judgments, 2%, 29.

B. c. ca ^?a T^^^ ^^^.answered and said, Ante I. oiymp. - 2 How long Will ye vex my Ante u. c. cir. 5oul, and break me i;p pieces with

■''^- ^ wtrds?. 3 These * ten times ha^e ye reproached me; ye aife not ashamed that ye ^m^ke- yourselves.strange to me.

4 And be.it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth wrtfa myself. -

5 If indeed, ye will ® magnify yoi/r^eZvc^ against me, and plead against me my reproach ^

8 •.He hath fenced up my way:that'I.cannot pass, and he hath set darkness in my paths.

^ 'He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken tfie. XTown /r(wn my iiead. 10 He hath destroyed nrve on every side^

Verse 2. How long will ye vex my sotiJ[\ Every t^ing that was irritating, vexatious, and opprobfipys, bis friends had repoorse to, in order to siipport their own 'jBysteoa, and overwhelm him. Not one of them seems to fiave Seen touched.. with a feeling ef tenderness tow;ards him,' nor does a kind expression drop at any time from tHeir lips! They were called /r»enij; but this term, in reference to them, must he taken loi the sense of cold-blooded acquaintances ^ Howjtfvcr, there are many in' the world that go binder the sacred name offriendsl who, iu times of difficulty, act s^ similar part. • Job's ftiends have been, by the general consent of posterity, consigned to endless infamy. May all tho^e.whQ follow their steps.be equally, enrolled.in the annals of bad fame!. -

Verse 3. These ten times\ The exact arithmetical number is not to b& regarded h^re;.tenlimes being put for many times, as we have al/eady seen. See particularly the note on Gen. "xxxi* T.,.

Ye tnake yourselves strange to me.]. When I was in a^uence and prosperity, ye.were my intimates, and appeared to rejoice in- my happiness; but now ye scarcely know, me, oy y6 prdfess to consider me • a wicked man because I am in adversity. Of this yon had BO suspicion when I was in prosperity!: Circumstances change men's minds.

Verse 4. And be it indeed that / have erred] Suppose indeed that I have beep mis(!iken in, any thing, that in the simplicity of my heart I. have gone astray,' and that this matted rcovains with myself^ (for most certaiinly there is no public stain on my life,) you must grant that this error, whatsoever- it' is, has hurt, no person except myself. Why theh do ye treal me as a person whose life has been a general blot, and whose example must be a public curse 1 '

Verse 6. Know now that God hath overthrown me"] The matter is between him and me, and he has not commissioned yoti to add reproaches to his chastisements.

And hat/i compassed me toith his net."] There may < be an allusion here.to the difierent modes pf hunting which have been alrejidy referred to in the preceding chapter. But if we take the whole versfe together, and read the latter clauM before the former, thus, " Know, therefoie, that God hath encompassed nje with his net, uad oyerthrown me \^\ the allusion may be to an ancient ' 88/ ■ mode of.combat practised am^ong the ancient Peivians, ancient. Goths, and ieimong the Romans. • The custom among the Romans was this: ^* One of the Qombatants was armed with a sword and shield^ the other with « trident and net. The net he endeavoared lO;east over the head of his adversary, in wluch/wheu. he racceeded, ' the entangled person was soon puUjpd down by a nop^ ^at fastened round, thq neck, and then despatched, ThO' person, who. carried the net arid trident wtooalled Retiarius, and the other who.carried the sword and shield was termed Secutor^ ox. the pursuer, hec^uae^ when the Retiarius missed his thrDw, he was obliged, to run about the ground till he got his net in order for a.second tlp'ow, while the Se^eutor followed Lard to prevent and despatch him." The Persians in old timea used what wad cailled ^^yj^ kumund,the noose. It was not a net J but a sort oi 'running loopi which horsemen endeavoured to.cast^Qver the heads of their enemies that they migixt pull them eff their horses. ^ * '.

That the Goths vmci a hoop net Ifastened. to a pole, whieb they endeavoured to throw over the %eads of their fo^'s, is attested by Olaus Magnus, Hkt. de Gen^ hbusSeptehtrionalibuSi Rom,.15 &5, lib. xi., oap. 13, De diver sU J^fodis praUiandi^ Finnorwfv. His wo^dft aiie, Quidani restib'us instar reti^m ferinorum ductilibus sublimi iactatione utuntur: ubi enim cum hoste congressi sunt, injiciunt eos restes qAasi laqueos in caput resistentis, ut eqiium aut hominem ad se trahant. ** Some use elastic ropes, forme.d like hunting nets» whi^h they throw aloft; and when they come in contact with ^e enemy, ^hey throw these ropes over the head of their opponent,,and by this means they can then drag either man or horse to themselves." At the head of the page he gives a wppd^cut representing the netf and the manner of throwjng it over the head of the enemy. To such a device Job might allude, God hath encompassed me toith his net, and overthrown me.

Verse 7. I cry out of wrong] I compkiin of violence and of injustice; but no -one comes to my help., Verse 8. He hath fenced up piy way^ 'This- may allude to the modp of hunting the elephant, described at the conclusion of the preceding chapter; or to the operation? of an invading army. See under ver. 11.

Veirse. 9. He hath stripped me of my ghry] I aan reduced to such circumstances, that I have losfall my honour and resjfect. •

. Verse 10. Mine hope hath he rem&ved like a /nee.]

and I am gone: and mine hope hath he removed likfe a- tree. 11 He.Tiath also kindled hia

12 His troops come together^ and ^ raise up theip way i^nst me, asd eiroamp round about my tabernacle, •... *. '

13 * He hath put my brethren far from me, and miile acquaintance ans verify estran^d from me.

14 My kinsfolk have failed, an4 my fatniliar firiends have forgotten me. -

15 They -that dwell ianijoe house,', and my

17 My breath is strange to my wife, though I entreated for the children's sake of ^mine own body.

19 " All " my inWard friends abhorred,me; and^ they whom I, loved are turned against me.

There is no more hope of myre^toratfon to affluepce, anthoritj, and respect, 'than there^is that a tree shall grow and flourish, whose.roots ai^e extracti^d fEon^ the earth! I am paUed up t>y tlie roots, withered, and gone.

Verse 11-. 'And he counteth me unto him cu'one of hUeTiemies'.] Frpm the seventh to the^thirteenthyer^ ihere seems td be an allusion to, a hostile inyasion, battles, sieves, Acer. 1. A neighboaring chief, vfithout pracocaticn^ invades^is neighbours' territories, and none oflns friends will come to his help. "I cry ont of WTongf bat 1 am not heard,'^ vdr. 7. 3. The foe has seized on aU the passes, and he is hemmed up. ** He hath fenced ap tny way that I cannot pass,*' yer. 8. 3. He has sirifprised and carried by assault tho regaj' city, seized and possessed the treasures. " He hath stripped me of my glory, and taken the crown from my head,^ rer, 9. 4. All hia armies are routed in the field, and his strong places carried. " He hath dostrsyed me on every side," Ver. 10. 6. The enemy proceeds to the greatest length of outrage, wasting erery thing with fire and sword. " He hatb kindled his wrath against me, and treateth me like one of his sdyersaries, ver. 11. 6. He is cooped up in a small camp with the wrecks of his army; and in tlfis he* is elosely besieged by all 4ho power of his foes, ^vrho encompass the place, and raise forts against it. " His troops come together, and raise up their way against me, and encamp round Uiout m^ tabernacle.*^ 7.- Not receiving any assistance from friends or neighbours,- he abandons all hope of being able lo keep the field, escapes vrith the utmost difl|culty, and is despised and neglected by his friet^ds and domestics becatise he has been onfortunate. '^ I am escaped with the skin of my teeth," ver..20. ** My kinsfolk have failed^ — all my intimate friends abhorred me," ver. 14-19.

Verse- 14. Mff kinsfolk have failed] Literally, departed: they have all left my house now there is DO more hope of gain.

Verse 16. They that dtoell in mine house] In this and the following verses the disregard and contempt vsoally shown to -men who have fallen from affiuence and authority into poverty and dependence, are very fcxcibly described: formerly reverenced by a//, now esteemed by none. Pity to those who have fhUen into adversity is rarely shown; the rich httoe many-friends^ and to htm who Uppears td be gaining woi^dly substance much court is paid; for many worship the rising suny \dHo think little of that which is gone down. Some are even reproached with that eminence which they have lost, thoogh not culpable for the loss, 'A bishop^ perhaps Bale, of Ossory, being obliged to leave his country and fly^for his life, in the days of bloody QueeA Mary;'i(nd who never 'regained his bishopric, was met one morning by one like those whom *Job describes, whO) intending to be witty at the expense of the vene^ rable prelate, accosted him thus: *' Good morrow, BISHOP quondan^.''^ To which the bishop smartly replied, " Adieu, rKave semper?^

Verse 17. Though I entreated for the children* s sake of mine own body.] This may imply no more than adjuring heir by the tend^rest ties, by their alSectionate intercourse, and consequently by the childreh which had been the seals of their mutual affection, though iKese children were no more.

But the mention of his child^ren in this place may intimate that he had still some remaining; that there might have been ydung ones, who, not being of a pro-" per age to attend the fi^tival of their elder brothers and' sistei-s, escaped that sad patastrophe. The Septuagint have, JlpoaeKaXovfiipf de /coAoxfvwv vlovg iraXXaKiduv fwv, "I affectionately entreated the children of my. concuhinesx^'* But there is no ground in the Hebrew text for such a strang-e exceptionable' rendering. Coverdale has, X arm fa^iu to spealte ta^re Ut^t tWtivtn ot msnt oton boU^;.

Verse 20. My bone cleaveth to my skin.] My flesh is entirely wasted away, and nothing' but skin and bone left.

I' am escaped with the skin of my teeth.] I have had the most narrow escape. If I still live, it is a thing to be wondered at, my sufferings and privations have been so great. To escape with the skin tf the teeth, seems to have been a proverbial expression, signifying great difllculty. I had as narrow an escape

%l Have pity upon 4^e» have pity Upon m^ O yflf my fiiends^ ' for the hand of God hath.touchad me.

21^ Why do ye ' perseiwte me as God, asd are not satisfied wfUi my flesh? i.

from death, as the ^fefAlieas of the enamel 6a the teeth. I was wiihiA a haj[f ^A breadih of destruction; see on vetse 11. •. ".

l^rse 31. H^pSu-^ponme] The iteration hete. glva|igiy indicates the depth of his distress, and that bia >pkit was. worn down wjth the length and severity of his -suffering., -

Verse 22. Why do ye persecute me a^ God] Are not the aflHBlions which Qod sends enough? Do ye not aee that I have. as much as.! can 'bear \ 'When the papistiS were bOrniog Dr« Taylor at Oxford, while wrapped, in the flames, one of the true sons, of the Church took a stick.out of the faggots, ^nd threw it at bis. head, and split open, his ^ce. To whom he caimJy said, Man, why this xorong I Do not I suffer enough! ' ':. ' '.

And t^^ not satisfied wiih my flesh t^ Will ye persecute my ^oul, while God is persecutihg my body? Is it not enough that my 7^0(£y is destroyed" 1 Why then Itl^nr to torment my mind? r *, '

Verse 23. O that my "words were now written f'^ Job iA^duces'the important subject which follow^ in • manner unusually 'solemn; and he certainly considers Qie words which he w^ abouti^to. utt^r of great n^oment, and therefore wishes them to be recorded in every ^possible way. All the modes ojf ^vriting. then 'ii) use he appears to rBfer to. As to printing, that should be out of the question, as no such ar( was then discovered, nor for' nearfy two thousand yezfs after. Our translators have made a strange mistake by rendering the V eih ^prs^ yuchaku, printed, wken they should have used described, traced tut. O that my words were faiVly traced out- in a book! It is neces-> sary to make this remark, because superficial readers have imagined that the drf of printing existed in Job's time, and that it was, not.a discovery of the fifteenth century of the Christian era: whereas there is no proof that it ever existed in the^world before A. D. 1440, or thereabouts, for the first printed book with a date is a psalter printed hy John Fust, in 1457, and' the first Bible with a date is that by the same. artist in 1460.'

Three kinds of writing Job alludes to, as being practised in his time: 1. Writing in a book,, formed either of the leaves of the jofl/^ynw,. already described, - (9ee on chap. viii. 1 1,) or on a sort of linen clothe A roll of this liind, with unknown characters, I have seen taken out of the envelopements of an Egyptian mummy. Denon, in his travels in Egypt, gives aii account of a book of this kind, with an engrave^ /ac-Jtmt/e, taken also out of an Egyptian mummy- 2. Cutting with an iron stile on pUttes of lead. 3. Engraving on large stonet or rocks, many of which' are still found in diffj^rent parta of Arabia.

with AH iron.pen and l^ai'ia the rock ^oj^' ever!.... 25 • For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and.

.' To the present day the leaves of the palm iree are used in (he East'inateadof;Mr;>«r, and k stile of brasii, silver, iron, &c., ^ith k steel point, selves for a pen. By tliis instrument -the ' letters are cut ot engraved on the substance of the leaf, and aflen)mdstom#. black polouring matter, is rubbed in, in dtderto make the letters apparent. This was probably the oldest^mode of writing, and it continues* among the Cingalese td the present day. It ts worthy of riemark that Pmnr {Hist, N^t., lib.^xiii,, c.ll) mentions mo^ of these 'Methods of writing, and^ states that the leaves of the palm tree were used before, other snbstancea Were* in-: vei^ted. ^fler showing that;Mr;?tfr was not osedbtfprfi the. conVioest of Egypt by Alexander theGi-eat, he prO:; ceeds:- In palmarum foliis pxinio scriptitatun^; deinde.quUrundam arborum libris*: postea puplica monumentt^ plumbeis volun^inibus, mox et privatd linteis con/Sci capta, aut ceris, '*At first nien wrote on. palm-tree leaves, and afterwards on the bark or rind of other trees. In process of time,, public. monuments were written on roHs of lead,- and those of a private nature on Ijnen boQks, or tables covered wi^h wax J**

Pausanias, lib. xiL, c. 31, giving* an account of the BcBotians, ^ho dwelt near fount I{eIio6o, slates- the following fact:-^K<u f£oi fio^iov edeuofvoav, evB^ ^ ntjyrj, ra iroXXa vnp rou xpovov Xe^vfiaafuvov, eyyeypoK'' rat yap. avru ra epya;."They showed me A leaden table near to the fountain, on which his works (Hestod*s) were, written; but a great part bad perished by thq injuries- of time/' yec8e.34. Iron pen and lead] Some suppose that the meaning of this plaoe is this: the iron pen is the chisel by which the letters, were to^be deeply cut in the, stone or rock; and the /ea<^ was* melted into those cavities in order to preserve the engraving distinct. But this is not so natural, a supposition as what 'is stated* above; that Job refers ta the different^ kinds ofwriting or perpetuating publio events, used in^his time: and the.quotations from Pliny and Pausanias confirm the opinion already expressed.. *

Verse 2 5. For I know that my Redeemer liveth} Any attempt to esjtablish the true rneaning of this passage is. almost hopeles?.. By learned jnen and eminent critics the words have been understood very difijprently; some vehemently cdntending that they refer to. the resurrection of the 'body^ and the redemption of the human. race by Jesus Christ; while others, with equal vehemence and show of argument, have* contended that they refer only to Job^s restoration to health, family comforts,, and general prosperity, after the present trial should be ended. In defence of these two opinions larger treatises have beeq writtea than the whold book of Job woold amount to, if wntteneven

that he shall stand at tHe latter ^ day upA^r^e earth:

in capilaU. To discusB the afgameDts on either sule the mtar^ of this wdiji forl^ide; bat my own view of the aobject will be rtesonably erpected by the reader.* I. 1 alBll therefore lay down.one principle, without which r M mode of interpretatidh hitherto offered can have loy weight. The principle is this: Job was now ujtder ike especial inspiration of the Holy, Spirit, and spokepro^iicaiiy. ^

> Now, whether we allow thai the passage*- refers to the general resurrection and the redemption hy Ohrist^ or to Job^ restoration to health, 'happiness, and pro^ perity, this principle is equally niBcessary. 1. In those titties no man could speak- so eletCrly concerning ftie general resorreciion and.the redempiioa by Jesus Christ as Job, by one class of interpreters, is supposed here Xfi do, unless especially inspired for this very pur-. pose. 2. Job^s restoration to heal^ and happiness, which, though it did take plaice, was so totally improbable to. himself ail the way through, so wholly unexpected, and, in every sense, impossible^ except to the almighty power of God, that it.could not be inferred from any thing that had already taken place, atod must be foreshown by direct inspiration. Now, that it was efnaUy easy to predict either of these eveots, will be at once evident, becauqe. both were* in' futurity, and both were previously determined. Nothing contingerit codd exist in either;.with thein men had nothjng to do; and. they were equally within the knowledge of Him to whose ubiquity there, can. he neither pfist nor fviure time; in whose presence absolute and contingent events subsist ih their own distinctive characters, and are never resolved into each other.

But another question may arise, Which teas most Ukdy to he the subject of this oracutar declaration, the general resurrection and redemption by Christ; -or the restoration of Job to health ^and affluence J

If we look only to the general importance of these things, this question tnay be soon decided; for the doctrine of human redemption, and the. general resurrection to an eternal life, are of infinitely greater importance than any thing that could affect the personal wel&re of Job^ We may therefore say, of fwo things vhich only the power of God can effect, and one of which only shall be done, it is natural to conclude he win do that" which is of most importance; and that is of most importance by which a greater measure of glory is secured to himself, and a greater sum of good ptodoced to mankind.

As, therefore, a revelation by which the whole human race, in all its successive generations, to the end of time, may be most essentially benefited, is superior in its worth and importance to that by which one man only can be benefited, it is. nitural to conclude here, that the revelation relative to di* fsaeral resurrection, &p., is that which most likely the |jBXt includes. ' But to this it may be answaw^ Gpd does not do always in the. first instance that nUab is most n<ies'- sary and important in itself, as. every thing is dagj'fti thai order anff m that time which seems best'kr his godly wisdom"^; therefore, a thing of less importance may be done now, and 'a thing of-greater importance left to tL future time. So> God made the tttrth before he made man, produced light before he formed th^ celestial hifninaries, and instituted the Mosaic economy l^fore the Christian dispensation. This is all true, for ef ery thiikg is done in that season in which it may best fulfil- (he designs 'Of providence and grace. Biit the question still recurs. Which of the predictions was most colngruouB to the circumstances of Job, apd those of his companions; and which of them Was most likely to do most good on that occasion, and to be most useful through the subsequent ages of the world 1 The s^ubject is now considerably narrowed;- and, if this qMi^ tion could be satisfactorily answered^ the true meaning of the passage, would be at once found out. f. For the sake of righteousness, justice, and truth, and t» vindicate the ways of God with man, it Was necessary that Job's innocence should be cleared; that the false judgments! of- his friends should be corrected; and that, as Job was now reduced to a state of the lowest distress, it was wortl^ the kibdnetfs of God to give him some direct intimation that his sufferings should have a happy termination. That such an event ought to take place, there can be no question: and that it did take place, is asserted in the book; and that Job's friends saw it, were reproved, correoted, and admitted into his favour of whom they did. not speak that which was right, and who had,.in consequence, God*s M>rath kindled against thfim, are also attested facts. But surely there Was no need of so solemn- a revelation to inform them of what was shortly to take place, when:ihey lived to see it; nor ean it be judged essentially necessary to the support of Job, when the ordinary consolations of God's Spirit, and the excitement of a good hope through grace, might have as completely answered the end.

2. On the other hand, to give men, who were the chiefs of their respective tribes, proper notiee of a dpctrine of which they appear to have had no adequate conception,.and which was so necessary to the peace of society, the good government of men, and the control of unruly and wayward passions, which the doctrine of the general resurrection and conseqaent judgment is well calculated to produce; and to stay and support the' suffering godly under the afflictions and calamities of life; were objects worthy the highest

%'. a S: ^ ■ 35 Bui ye shodd 8«yJ ' Why AnM I. oiymp. persecute we him, ^ seeing the Ant«%:a'aii: roM ojf, the matter is focmd in

Regards of inrfnite philjuidirojiy aod justice, and of tlie meet pointed and-eoleiBui nvelatioa which could be given on such, an occaBion. In short, Xhey are tlie gnmnds on whic^ all revelation is given to the 'sons of men: and the prophecy in question, 'viewed in thi^ light, was, in that dark *age. and countryva light shining in a dark jd^tce;. for the doctrine of (he general resurrection, and of fatore rewards and punishments, eidsted among the Arabs from time immemorial; iemd was a part of^the public creed of the different tribes when Mohammed endeavoured to establish his own views of that resurrection and of future rewards and punishments, by the edge of the sWord. I have thusendea^ ¥Ottred diapassionately to view>this subject; and having instituted- the preceding -mode - of reasoning, without foreseeing where it would tend, being only desirous to find ^ut truth, I arrive at. the conclusion,, that the prophecy in question Was not designed to point put the future prosperity of Jvbfhui rather the future redemptian of manAind by Jesus Christ, md the general resurrection of Ihie^ human race..

. After what has 'been etated' above, a short paraphrase an the words of the text will be all that is nceesaary to be added.

/ knowi 'n;?^' yadati, I have a firm and full persna* sion, that my Redeemer, 'Vxj goali, my Kinsman, he whose righ^ it was among^ the ancient Hebrews to rfdeem the forfeited- heritages belonging to the family, to vindicate its honour, and to avenge the death of any of his relatives by slaying the murderer i (Lev. xxr. 25; Num. xxxv: 13; Ruthiiij, 13;) but here it must refer to CAn^r, who has truly the rtg-Arof redemption, being of the same kindred, who was'iom of woman, fte'sh of our flesh and bone of our bone,

Liveth, 'n chai, b the living One, who has the lt^3'a of hell and death: the Creator and Lord of the. spirits of all flesh, and the principle and support of all life.

And that he shall stand at the latter day upon ^he earth. ' The latter day, \^'^r^^ acharon, the latter day, ot time, when God comes to judgment; or finally, or at last, or in the last time, or latter days, as the Opspel is termed, he shall be manifested in the flesh.

He shall stand. Dip yakum, he shall arise, or stand up, i. e., to give sentence in judgment: or he himself shall arise from the dust, as the passage has been understood by some to refer to the resurrection of Christ from the dead.

Upon the earth, ^Qy hj^ al aphar, over the dead, or those who* are reduced to dust. This is the meaning^ of 'Mi^ aphar in Psa. xxX. 9: What profit is there m my blood when I go down to the pit f Shall the dust (i. e., the dead) praise thee? He shall arise over the dust — over them who sleep in the dust, whom he shall also raise up.

Verse 26. And though after my skin worms destroy this body] My skin^ which is now almost all that re* mains of my former 6elf,.except the bones; see^yer. 80.

TheyxUstf^thu-^oihodf. m[yiij^imMepkus»tk, f Asffr-dieeases and affliction, destroy toA wretdiel composijtion of misery and corrtiption.r'

Yet in my flesh sTutU I see God] [ Either, I shall arise from the dead,, have a renewed body, aiii see him with eyes of flesh and blood, thoogh what I have now. ^haQ shoiify moulder into duat; or, TshaU see him oiw she 'flesh; my Kinsman, vvho shall partdce ifif my flesh and blood, in oftfer that he may random the lost inheritance..

Verse 27. Whom I shall see for myself] Have 'a personal ipterest in thd resurrection, as I shall have in the Redeemer. '...

And mine eyes shall behold\ That ver^,pe]<IIOn who shall be* the resurrection,'^ he.ia.lhe Itfe,

And not another] *iV kSi i9elo zar, and not ^jtranger^ one who hks no relation to* human nature; imt ^Sm foo/t, my redeeming Kinsman.

Though my reins be consumed within me^ Thongli I am now apparently i>n the- brink of death, the'thfsad of life being>pun out to extreme tenuity. - This, on the mode of interpretation which I have aaeumefd, appears to be the. meaning of this passlige.' The, ^ords may have a somewhat, different colouring. p^t on them; but thtf basis of the interpretation wST be the same.: *

Why persecute we him] Or, as Mr. Good, How did we^ persecute him! Alas! we are now convinced that we did "Wrong.

Seeing the rOot of the matter] A pure practice, and a so»ind hope, resting on the^solid ground 'of sound faith, ireceived from God himself. Instead of ^^ ^ \n ME, ^3 ho, in mM, is the reading of more than one hundred of Kennicott^s and De Rossi's MSS., and In several of the versions. Seeing the root of the maUer is found in him.

For wrath bringelh] Such anger as ye have displayed against ftie God will certainly resent and punish.

That ye rhay know there is a judgment.] That ye may know that God will judge the world; imd that the unequal distribution of riches and poverty, afflictionH and health, in the present life, is a proof that there nm be & AiCiire jodgmenty whore etil «hatff» pcmiBhed ad TiitDe xewirded.

It wmda not be fair, after ^ 'the disciuMJMtcif.IKe pmedmg Tenev m reference |o the two grani ofMons aad modes o^ iDterpretation instituted bj learned men^ Mt to inlbim the> vea^ that a thitd method of aolvjng aU diflieii||ier haa bc^ proposed, Tiz., tlMI Job refei^ 10 aDirine conTictibn which be had just then received, thsl God would appear in the most evident manner to ▼ioficate hi^ inpoceoce, and give the iuUest proofs to his fioends and to the worM that hie alBlctiona had not beeaaent as a scoiirge for his iniquities. Dr.Kennicottr waa.the propoeer of this Ihird mode of solving these difieiilti«y and 4 shall give his method in his ewn words.

^Theae^e verses, thpugh they contain hoi tuidve laea, hare occasioned contioversies without number, u to the genetal ^meaning of Job in this place, whether he here expresoed his firm belief of a resurrection to i^ipm€Ms after death, or of a riitoration to prosperity imiag the remainder bf his Itfe* ". '

''Each of these positions has fonnd powerfhl as vdl as nomerous advjocates; and the short issue of the whole seems to> he^ that each- par^y. has confuted the opposite opinion, yet without estaUishing its own. Itm how eonid Job here express his conviction of a leverae of things in this world, and of ji restoration to temporal' prosperity f at the very time when he jstrongly iaserts tHiat his miseries Would soon be terroinaled by tethi See chap: Vi. 11 ^vu. 21; xvii^ 11-16; m. 10, and particularly in chap. vii. 7: O remember (Kat niy life is wind;\ mine eye shall no more see good.

"SiUl less eould Jo6. here express a hope full of immortality, which' Sense cannot be extorted from (he words vnthoat every violence. And as' the possession of such belief is ndi to be reconciled with Job's, so bitterly cursing the day of his birth in chap, iit., so th^ declatation of such belief would' have solved at once the whole difficult jr in dispute.

'* But if neither of the preceding and opposite opiaipos can be admitted, if the woids are not meant to ei^itese Job's belief either of a restoration or of a rumrreetumy what then are we to do? It does not ippear to me that any other interpretation has yet been proposed by the learned; yet I ^ill now venture to offer a third interpretatioti,. different from both the former, ^md which, whilst it is fr^e from the preceding diflfeolties, does not seem liable to equal objections.

''The conviction, then, which I suppose Job to express herjs, is this: That though his dissolution vf^ hftslening on amidst the unjust accusation^ of his pretended friends, and the cruel insula of his, hostile rdations; and though, whilst he.^^.thus singularly. oppressed with anguish of mind, he was also tortured With pains of body, torn by sores and iil(5ers from head to foot, and sitting upon diist and ashes;' yet still, out of that miserable body, in his.flesh thus stripped of ibn, and nearly dropping into -the grave, re should an God, who would appear in his favour y and vindicate TBS IHTKORITT of his character. This opinion may perhaps be fairly and fully supported by the sense of the words themselves, by the context, and by the following remarks. *

" We read in chap, ii^ 7, that Job was smitten with sore boU0*/rdm the sole of^lUs foot unto Ki^ erown; arid yer. 8, *<IIe sat down among the ashes V la chap. vii. 5, Job say?, "My fleeh is clottirt wiih * worms, and 'clods of dust; my bIRb is broken, and become loathsome.** In chap. xvi. 1|^ " Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, and my record is on high.** Then come tlie woids of Job,* ^ap.^xix. 25— 99. And then, in op|Mticni to whjit Job had just said, that God would aohn appear to •vindicate him, and that eiren his accusing friends would acquit him, Zpphar says, chap. xx. 37, that Uhe heaven Would reveal his iniquity, and the earth would rise up against him.\ LsCstly, this opinion concerning Job*s words, as to God^ vindication of him, is confihned strongly^ at the end of the book, which records the conclusion. of'Job^s history.' His firm hopb is here supposed io be that, before his death, he shQuld, unth his. bodily ey^s, see God appearing and vindicating his character. And from (he conclusion we learn, that God did thus appear: Now, says Job, mine eye seeth thei, Xnd then did God most effectually and. for« ever brighten the glory of Job's fame, hffour timee calling hhn his ifeavANT; and, as his an^^er was kindled against Job's friends, by speaking to them in the following Words: ^ Ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right,' as my servant Job hath. Go to my servant Job, — and my servant J^b^ shall pray for you, — ^in that ye have dot spQken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Job,' chap. xl. 7, 8." >, '

Dr. K. then gives the eommon version, and proposes the following as a new version':— ^

Ver. 26. For I know that my Vindicator liveth;

And he at last shall arise over this dust. ^ 86. And afler that mine adversaries have'man- ^ gled me thus. Even in my flesh shall I see God. ■ 27. Whom I shall see on my side; [from me: And mine eyes shall behold, but not estranged - All this have I made up in mine own bosom*

For the sword waxeth h6t against iniquities i Therefore be assured that judgment will take place^.. '. Kknnicott's Remarks on Select Passages of Scrip* ture, p. 166.

* There is something very plausible in this plan of Dr. Kennicott; and in the conflicting opinions relative to the meaning of this celebrated and much controverted passage, no doubt some will be found who will adopt it as a middle course. The theory, however, is better than some of the arguments by which it is sup^ ported. Yet had I not been led, by the evidence mentioned before, to the conclusion there drawn, I should probably have adopted Dr. K.'s opinion with some modification: but as to his new version, it is what I am persuaded the Hebrew text can never bear. It is even too loose a paraphrase of the original, as indeed are most of the new versions of this passage. Dr. Kennicott says, that such a confidence as' those caoM

Job to express, who make him spteak conoeming the future resurrection, ill comports with his cursing, so bitterly.the day of his birth, &c.> But this objection has littb if any strength, w^en we consider that, it is not at all probable that Job had this confidence any time before the moment in which he uttered it: it was tl^en a direct revelQtion^ nothing of wliich he. ever had before, else he had never dropped those 'words of.im- patience and irritation which we find in seyeral of bid speeches. And this may be safely inferred from the consideration, that after this time no such words escaped his lips: he bears ^e rest of his sufieiings with great patience and fortitude; and s^sm^ -to look forward with steadjThope to that day in which*all teats shall be wiped away from efi* all faces, fmd it |>e luUy. proved that the Judge of all the^earth haiS df>ne rights iZophar answers fob, and largely ditails the wretchedness of the wicked and -the hypocrite; shows tUdt ths rejoicing of such is short and transitory^ 1-9. TKat he is punished in his- family and iri^ his person^ 10-14/ That he shall he stripped of his Ul-gotten 'wealth, and shall be in misery, though in the midst 4tf affluence, 15-8^.. H^ shall at last die a violent death,^and his family and property be finally destroyed, 24-29.... - • - V.

Anti U c. cir. 3. Therefore • do my thoughts.7^^' cause me to answer, and for this

^ I have beard the check of my reproach,- and the spirit of my understanding causeth me to answer*

NOTES ON CHAP. XX. ^ Verse 2. Therefore do my thoughts] It has already beeii observed that Zophar was the most inveterate of all Job's enemies, for we really must cease to call them friends. He sets no bounds to his invective, and outrages every rule of charity. A man of such a bitter spirit mdst have been, in general, very unhapp3r. With him Job is, by -insinuation, every Ibing'tbat is base,' vile, and hypocritical. Mr. Good translates this verse thus: " Whither wobld my tumah transport me \ And how far my agitation within me V^ This is all the modesty that appears in Zophar^s discourse. He acknowledges that he is pressed T)y the impetuosity of his- spirit to reply to Job's selfyvindication. The original is variously tran^ated, but the sense is as above. For this / make haste,] "3 "Bnn "lU^fai ubaalmr ehushi hi, there is sensibility in me, and my feelings provoke me to reply.

Verse 3. / have. heard the check of my reproach] Some suppose that Zophar quotes the wprds of Job, and that some words should be supplied to indicate l|is meaning; e. ^., *' I. have heaifd (say est thou) ihe. i^eck or charge of my reproach V^ Or it may refer lo what Job says of Zophar jand his companions, chap, xix. 3,3:, How long will ye vex my soul — these ten times have ye reproached me. Zophar therefore assumes his old ground, and retracts nothing of what he had said. Like many of his own complexion in the present day, he was determined to believe that hjs judgment was infallible, and that he could not bir.

6 ^Though his- excellency mount up W the he«ivens, and his head reach unto * the. clouds';-

7 - Yet he shall perish for evfer/ like his otW dung: th^y which hard ^een hiih sl^ill say, Where w. He?..,

Verse 4. Knowest thou not thi& of old].This 19 a maxim as ancient as the world; i» began with the fys^ man: A wicked man shaU triumph but % short time; God will (Jestrsy the proud doer.,. • ^ * Since man was' placed upon earth] Literally, ftfic« Adam w'as placed on^he earth; that is, since the fall, wickedness and hypocrisy have existed; hvLi they havv never triumphed long. Thou hast lately been expressing confidence in reference to a general judgment; but. such is thy character, that thou hast little reaaqa to anticipate with any joy «the decisions of that day..

Verse 6. Though his excellency mount up to" tkt heavens] Probably referring to the original state of Adam, of whose fall he appeals to have spo^eui ver.'4^ He was created- in the image of God i but by his fill against his Maker he feU into wretchedness, miseijTtde^th, and destruction. *.

Verse 7. He shall perish for ever] He is dust, nod shall return to the dust from which he was taken. Zophar here hints his disbelief in that doct^e, the resurrection of the body, which Job had so solemojj asserted in the preceding chapter. Or he might hara been like some in the present day,' wha believe thiUr the wicked shall be annihDated, and the bodies of the righteous only be raised' from the dead; but I knqw of no scripture by which such a doctrine is confirmed.

.Like his oten dung] His reputation shall be abominable, and his putrid ctircass shall reseihble his own excrement. A speech thtit partakes as n(iuch of the malevolence as of the asperity of Zophar^s ^irit.

^c:^:lSJ: e. He rfujl fly away rasa AateLCMymp. dream, and shall not be found: Aote b. c. eir. yea, he sbal) be ^chased away '^' as a Tision of the night. '

9 ^The eye also u?AtcA saw him shall see Aim no more; neither shall his place anymore beh<rfd him.

10 ' His children shall seek to please the poor, and his hands ^ shall- restore their goods.

11 His bone^ aire &il of ^the »in of his youdiy ■ which shall lie down with him u> the dust.

Tesae 8. He shall fiy away as a dream] Instead ofiisiiig again from corruption, as thou hast -asserted, (ehap. xix. 06,) with ^ new body, his. flesh shall rot in the earth) and. his spirit.be dissipated like a yapour; and) like a vision of the night,, nothing shall remain bat ^bate impvessioi^that sael\ a creature had once existed, bat shall appear no more forever.

Verse 1 0. His children shall seek to please the poor] Ttej shall be redaced to the lowest degree of poverty *'aDd want, so as to be jobliged to become servants to the poor.. Cursed be JTo^, a servant of servants shall he ^. There are cases' where the poor actually serve the jKXir; and this is the lowest or most abject state of poverty.

His hands shall restore their goods.] He shall be ebliged to restoie the goods that he has taken byvioieaee.

Mr. Chod translates: His branches shall be involved in hi^ iniquity; k e., his children shall suffer on his account. ** His own hands^ shall render to himself the •vil that he has done to others.^ — Calmet. The clause ii varioosly translated.

Verae 1 1. His bones are full of the sin of his youth] Our translators have followed the Vuloate, Ossa ejus implebuniur tntiis adolescentrce ejus; "his bones 'shall be filled with the sins of his youth." The Syriac and Arabh) have, his bones are full of marrow; and the TAAetTM is to the same sense. At first view it might appear that Zophar refers to those infirmities in old^ age, which are the consequences of youthful vices and irregularities. IDlS^ alumav, whic^ we translate his youth, may be rendered his hidden things; as if he had aaid, his secret vices bring down his strength to the dost. For thi^ rendering RosenmuUer contends^ and several other German critics. Mr. Good contends for the same*

Terae Id. Though teickedness he sweet in his mouth] This seems to refer to the secret sins mentioned above.

Hide it under his tongue] This and the four following verses contain an allegory; and the reference is to a- man who, instead of *taking wholesome food, take» what is poisonoust and is so delighted with it because it is sweet, that he rolls it under his tongue, ud vrill scarcely let it down into his stomach, he is - c

1 3 Though he spare it, and Ante u. c. dr. forsake it not; but keep it still ^^'

H Yet his meat in his bowels is turned, it is* the gall of asps within him.. 15 He hath -swallowed down riches^, and he shiall vomit them up iagain: God shall cast them out of his belly. -..

16 He shall suck the' poison of asps*:, the' viper's tongue shall slay him.

SO delighted with the taste; ^he spares It, and forsakes it not, hut keeps it still \uthin his mouth," ter. •Is. " But when he swallows it, it is -turned to the gall of asps within him,^^ Yer. 14, which shall corrode and torture his bowels.

Verse 15. He shall vomit -them up again] This is al30 an allusion to an efiec( jof 'ihost ordinary poisons; they bccasibn a nausea, and oflen excruciating vomits jing; nature striding to eject what it knows, if retaioed, wUl be* its bane!

Verse 16. He shall suck the poison of asps] That delicious morsel, 4hat secret, easily-besetting sin, so palatab1e,«and so pleasurable, shall act. on the life of his soul, as the pdison of asps would do on the life of bis body.,

The poison is called the gall of asps, it being anciently supposed that the poison of scp])ents consists in their gall, which is thought to ' be copiously exuded when those aAimals are enraged; as it has been often seen that their bite is not poisonous when they are not angry. Pliny, in speaking of the yarious. parts of animals, Hist. Nat. lib. xi., c. 37, states, from this ciieumsXance, that in^ the gail the poison of serpents consists; ne guts micetur id (fel) venentlm esse serpentum. And in lib. xxviii., c. 9, he ranks the gall of h6rses among the poisons: Damnalur ((el) equinum tantum inter venena. We see, therefore, that the gall was considered to be the source whence the^ poison of serpents was generated, not only in Arabia^ but also in Italy.

Verse 17. He shall not see the rivers] Mr. Good has the following judicious note on this passage: " Honey and butter -are the common results of a rich, well-watered pasturage, ofiering^ a perpetual banquet of grass to kine, and of nectar to bees; and thus loading the possessor with the most luscious luxuries of pastoral life, peculiarly so before the discoreiy of the means of obtaining sugar. The expression appears to have been proverbial; and is certainly used h^re. to denote a very high degree of tenaporal prosperity." See also chap. xxix. 6. To the Hebrews such expressions were quite familiar. See Exod. iii. 8; xiii. 5; xxxiii. 3; 3 Kings xviii. 32; Dent xxxi. 20 and elsewherj?* <

Milk and honey were such delicacies with the ancients, that Pindar compares his song to them ior its smoothness and sweetness.'t—

On aU thy actions falls ihe dew of praise; Pierian draughts ihy thirst of fam^ assuage. And breathing flqtes thy songs of triumph raise.".'; J. B. a

Qdi te, PolliO) amat, TQniat, qud te quoqnd gandet; Mella fluant illi, ferat et r^us asper hmomum.

•* Who Pollip loves, and who 'his muse admires;' Let PolIio^« fortune crovifn his full desires'. Let myrrhy ihstead of -thothif hisfences fill; And showers of honey from his oaks distil!^'

Flumina jam laetis, ^am flumlna nectaris ibant; Flavaque de viridi siillabant ilice mellat

•* Floods were with milk^ and floods with nectar y fiird; And honey from.the sweating oak distillM.**

Horace employs a similar image in nearly the same words: —

Mella cava manant ex ilieot n\ontibus altis; Levis crepante lympha desilit pede.

>( From hollow ocAsy where honeyed streams distil, And bounds with noisy foot the pebbled nil."

When I washed my steps with butter^. Aad the fock poured oat to me rivers.of tn/.

Isaiah f also, chap. vil. 22, uses the same when describing the produce of a heifer and two ewes: — *

From the plenty of milk that they sluiU.produce. He shall «at butter: butter and honey shail he eat. Whosoever is left in the midlst of the land.

acccirdingtolfl A.M.cir.j^ substaltee shall the restitution oiey Mte i. oiynq^ and he ^hall not rejoice therein. Ante u.c* cir. 1 9 Because he hath » oppressed; ^^'

These expressions denoie fertility and tiundandt; and are often employed to- pk)int out the excellency of the promised land, wjiich is frequently d^nominatod H land, flowing thth milk and honey,: ahd even the su— perior. blessings of th^ Gospel are thiis xshaiacterized, Isa. li.. 1..

Verse 18. That which he IdboureUi for shall he re^ stpre]' J prefer here the trading of the Arabic, whtoh is also supported by the Syrtdc, and is much nearer to' the Hebrew text than the con^mon version. H4 ^ sh(fi return to- labour, but he shall not eat;rhe shaBL^ toil, and not be permitted to enjoy the fruit of hit labour. The. whole of this vers^ Mr, Good tluMitranslates: — ^ • ' - *

The general meaning is. He. idiall labour and toil] but shall not reap, for God shall send on hk land blasting and mildew.. Houbigant translates the veiw tlius: Reddet labore partum; negue id absumeif copiosa fuerunt mercatura ejus, sed iUis nonfruetur, ** He shall restore what he gained by labour, nor shall he consume i(; his merchandises were, abundant^ but he sball not enjoy them." -O, how doctors disagree f * Old^Coverdale gives a good sense, which is po uifre* quent thing with this renerable translator:-^.

Verse 19. He hath oppressed and hath' forsaken th§ poor] Literally, He hath^broken m pieces the forsaken of the poor { Q'*71 3Ty \^2n 'D ki riUUats axab daUinu The poor have fled from famine, and*]eft their children • behind them; and this hard-hearted wretch, meaning Job all the while, has suffered thttm to perish, whei^ he might have saved them alive.

He hath violently taken away a house which hi' builded not] Ox rather, He hath thrown down a honsi^.. c

20 ^Surely he shall rijgt^feel q^etness in his belly, he shall not save of that which be desired...

21 ' There shaill none of his meat be left; therefore shall.no man look for his goods; ^

■22 In the fulness oC his sufiGu;i0ncy he shall be in straits: every hand of the ^ wicked shall come upohbim. ^...

ad hath DOt rebtuk it. By.neglecting or destroying the foisaksn orphans of the poor, mentioned* above, he hu destroyed a hioose, (a/omi/y,) whil6 h& Qiight,*by helping the wretched, have ^ireserv ed the' family from becoming /Bxtin^t. - -« ^

Verae 26. Surely he MR not feel quietness in his MIy] I teve already remarked that the woM {03 keteuj which we translate *fo/(y,. often. me^s in the sacred Scriptures the whole of the human trunk; the regioncs of the th&rax^ and abdomen, wtth their contents; ' the heart, lungs, liver, &e., and conseqiiently all the' tkoughU<t purposes, and indinations 'of the mind,;of #hich tho^e viscera were supposed to be the functionaries. The meaning seems to be, " He shall ncveif be satisfied;'. he shall ha^e an endless desire, afler secolar^ood, and shall never be able to obtain wh'af he covets."

Verse %\. There shall none of his meat b^ left] CoverdaU translates thus: ^e tiebouretl se^gtelvflj^,' t|it ^t left notbfnae bel^^nUe, tjieteforl bfs flooUrs B^l nst fftospcrr. He shall be* stripped of every

Verse 23. In the fulness of his sufficiency he shall he in siraiU\ This is a fine saying, and few of the \ of Job's text have been able to improve the It is literally true of every great, rich, wicked maa; 1m kas no Gt^kI, and ^xieties and perplexities tonna&l him, notwithstanding he has 'his portion in this life. -. •

Every han(tof^the wicked shall come upon him.} All kinds of misery shall be his portion. Coverdale translates: ff^slj^e I^H pUnteoushesse oteber^ ftilnge, Kt bias |e Imore; anU, tl^erefon, te fs but • bretc|) sn cberjp SiS'drr.

Verse 23. When he is about to fill his6elly]. Here seems a plain sBusion to the lustings of the children of Israel in the desert. God showered down quails upon them, and showered down his wrath whila the flesh was in their mouth. The allusion is.too plain to be mistaken; and this gives some counteqance to the bishop of KOlala's vetsion of the 20th v^rse: —

That iSsT, which we translate quietness, means a qitml, also the history of the Hebrews' lustingS) Exod. Vou m. ( 7)

his belly, Go(2. shall cast thei. Ahtei. owi^. fury of his wrath upon him, and AnteU. c.cir. shdl rain U upon hiiA *. while he ''^'

24 y He shall flee from the iron weapon, and the bow of steel shall strike hiin through*

26 It is drawn, and cometh out of the body }, yea, ■ the glittering sword cometk out.of his gall: • terrors are upon him.

26 All darkness shaall he liid in His secret places: ^ a Jfire not bloWn shall consume him;.

xvi. 2-11, and Num. xi.- Sl-^-SS, sufficiently prdves.' Let the reader iriark all the expressions herCf from yer. 20 to 23, and compare them with itum.-xi. dl-35«, and he ^vill probably be of opinion that Zophar hab > that history immediately in view, which speaks of the HebVews* murmux'ings far bread add flesh, and the m)t%u;ulous showers of trianna and quails, and the judg«e ments that fell on them, for their mprmurings. Let us compare a few passages: — yerse-20. He,shaU not f eel quietness, \ 'ht selati the (|uai].' 'VHe sbajl nOt sareof that which he desired." Verse 21: 'VThi^e shall none of his xx^eat be left.'* Exod. xvi. 19: ''* Lei ne man leave of it till tho riaorning.''.. ' ^

' Verse 22; In the fulness of his supUiency he shall ' b^ in straits.] Exod. xvi. 20: ** But sotoe of them left of it until the morning, ^nd it bred, worms and stank."

Verse 23. When he is about to fill his belly, God shall cast the fury 6( his vrraihupon him, and shall rain it upon him while he is eating.] Num. xi. S3: "And while the flesh was. yet between their teeth, ere it was chewed, the wrath ojP'the Ix»rd was kindled against the people, and the Lord «niote- (he people with a very. great plague." Psa. Ixxviii. 26-30:. " He rained flesh upon them as dust, and feathered fowls like as the sand of the sea: so ihey did eat and were filled— but, while the meat was in their mouth, the.wrath of God came upon them," «S{C. These show to what Job refers.

Verse 24. He shall flee from the iron 'weapon] Or, "Though he should flee from the iron armour, the brazen bow should strike^him through." &o tbat st tie fle t])e ^ton toeopens, \^z sfial be sbott toftb t^e stele bott. — poverdale. That is, he shall most certaitily perish: all kinds of deaths await him.. Verse 25* It is drawn, and cometh out] This refers to archery: The arrow is drawn out of the aheaf or quiver, and discharged froln the bow against its mark, and pierces the vitals, and passes through the body. So Coverdale:. — Cb^ arobie 8l)al be tdlten tortbv- antr go out at bU bacbe..

Verse ^6. Afire net Mown shall consume him\ As Zophar is liere showing that the wicked cannot escape from the Divine judgments; so he pQiots out the dif- - ferent instruments which God employs fox their destruction. The %Brath of God — any secret or supernatural curse. The iron weapon — the spear or auch lik^. The bow^ and its awiil-flying arrow. Parkne4, ' 97.. ■

21 I'he heaven shall reveal Iiis iniquity; and the earth shall rise lip against hini. 28 The increase of his houae sliall depart,

deep horror aod perplexity* A fire not hhwu — a •ijperTiataral fire; lighining^ Bifch m f^ll on Komh, and his doinpiiny, to whoao destruciirtn thcrre is probably here an albsion: hencfi ihe word a, It shall go m with hini who ij hft in His taiifrnadei **A»J the Lord apake onto MoH*a and Aajon, Separate yo^rselres fiom among iltifl congregation, that I may cunsume thcoi in a. mmncnt* G^l */c up from aboul Ihe iab^rndcle fff iCorah, Datban, and Ahimm. Depart from the ttnis of tht?se wiriked men. There came out a ^Jife from the Lord and ft</H3iimed the iwa hnnrlred an J flity Tiien ihat r>i]efetl inccofte;" Nuni» xvs* 20, ^.

Verse 27. The heai^en shall rcpeai his iniquUy; ami the earth shall rise up Qgmnst Arm,] Another allufiion, if I mi^uike nott lo ihe destruction of Korah.. and his company. The hearen revealed their ini({UUy; God declared out of hearen his jndjftntmt of their rebflllioo. " And the ^lory oC tlic Lord appeaft^d unto all the eongregatioB;'* Num, xvL 2f>k ifec. Aod then M^ taHh rose up ai^nnst them. ** 'Fhe grtnmd clave asnrtder that uas under them, aud Ihe earth opened her muuih and swaltmved them np; and ihcy uent down alive into the pit, and tlie earth closed upon therti;1* Kum* xvi, 31-33,. ' ^ a

Terse 28. The iitcrease of his house shall depart^ &nd hia goods sh/tti Jtiiw away in the day of his n^rath.] A fart he t allusion to the puniahment td^ tlie rebellious company of Kordi, ^lio not only perialied therii^ehcSy but iU{*lt hmisi^ also, and their goods. Niinj. xvi. 32.

Verse Sy..This h the portion] As God has dealt with the murtnuring Isradtt^s^ and with ih& rehetltous 4oTts of /Ttifa/*, so will he deal \vith thoac who murjtmr against tlie dispensaiivn^ of his prfmtttnct, and rebel ligainst hia authority. Instead of mn cartldy portion^ and an ecchitd^tical heritag^^ such aa Korahi Dtitha[)> iLtid Abiram sought; they shall have fire fpm Gotl to scorch (hem, and the earth lo swallow them up.

Df* Stocky bishop of iCillala, who haa noticed the allubton to the quads, and for which he has heen most Uhmeritedly ridiculed, gives us the ftdlowing note on the passage: — -

"Here 1 apprthend is a fre^h example of the known uaage of Hebrew poets, in adorntng their compositions by allusions to facts in the hisiory of their own people. It has fsaeaped afl the ihterprelers; and it is ilie more important J because it fues the date of this poem, so far AS to prove its having been eompoeed.mhsequenthj to the traixsgreaaion of Israel, at Kibroih HaltaavaJi, re- C4»d«4l in Num. xi. 33,34. Deoauia the wicged ae- 0 08 knowledges not the t^itail^ that is, the meat with which G<k1 has filled, his sloma'^h; but j like the ungrateful Israeiites, erammed, and blasphemed hts feeder^ as ' Mil£an finely expresses it^ be shall eiperience the same ponishment with them, and be out ofl' in th^ midst of his epjoymentf as Mo^s lello us the jieople w^re who lusted." # -

If I mistake not, Ihaye added considerable strength to the preJ^ite^fl reasoning, by ehowing that there is a reference also to the Jiistory of the mannas and to thai which details the rebtUton of Kortik and his company; and if so, (and they may 'dispute who please,) it is 2 proof thai -ihe Book of Job is not sa M as, much less tfldcr than, the Pentatenth, as some have endeavoured to prove T but with no evidence of aueees!}, ai least to -my mtnd; a point which never has been, and I am certain never can be, f>roved; which has multitudes of presuJnpticrns a^nst it, and not one clear i no on test able Tact for' it. Mr. Good has done more in this case than any of bis predeteessoraj aiid yet Mr. 0(*&d has faiie4 j no Vonder ihQn that others, anmerciful mtieisers of the bishop of Killala, have failed also, who hud not a tenth part of Mr, Oottd's learning, nor one-hundredth paft of his cr ilical accroen.

It is, ho wcverj strange tkil'men cannot wiffef mUers to difTer from them on a sobj^pt of confessSd difiiculty and compel rati VeJy little importance, without Fnisiiig up the cry of heresy against them, and treating them with superciliousness and contempt! l^e«e should know, if they are elwgymtn, whether dignified or nol, thai such conduct lU become^ the sacerdotal bharacter; and that ante horl^am dortl senes cannot be always spoken to the teacher's advantage.

As a gtmd story is not the worse fat being tw'f^e toldf the ftdlowipg lines from a clergy man, who, ibr his humility and piety, was. as mouh an honour to his vtteation as he wits lo hum?tn nature, may not bt: aifiiss, tu point of sjflvice to all Warbarioman spirits: — - **Be calnt in atguing, (^t fierceness makes Evrt*t ti. fault, ami truth discmttesy.. Why should I feel another man^s mistakes More than his Sickness or his poverty t

Nor wUdoni neither; thei-efore, giotly move. Calmness is great advantage: he that I eta Anotlier eh«Je, may warm him at his fire, Mark all bis* wanderings^ and enjoy his freia j As cunning fencers suffer heat to lire.

Dr. Stock's work on the Book of Job will stand hnnoujablyoQ the satue shelf with tlie best on this4tf* ficult subject. ^

Me±prt^e4 kunself ^ puzsted h^ the dispenjations of DiviTm Providence^ because of the unequal duirihi*, iiom <rf itmporai good; he shows thai mcktd men often Uve hng-^ ptmpcr tn their farniiies^ in ik^ir jf aci j, and m aU ihetr suhstancet ahd ytt Ut^e in defiance of God and sacred ih^^n 1-16* At Qthcr times thetr pn^Sptrti^ ts suddenly Masted^ and they and their families come td ruin^ 17-21. God, hou^cver^ W iog unse iQ trr; and Ae deals^ out various lots to all accortiing lo his ttisdmn: some come sooner^ others later ^ la «4* gr^^ez the strong mid the weakt the prtnce and the pemant, come io a similar end in this ttfe; but the wteked are reserved for a day of wrath, S2-33* He charges his friends imthf^sehood m th$ir }fr€t$nded tttiempls fa e&m/tfri kirn, 34., ' tV. oicit. and let tills be your consoktiona. '^^ 3 Saffer me that I may speak * i As for mCf is mj complaint to. man 7 and lit a. mere,ra, why should not my spirit be 1* troubled?.

6 Even when I remember I am afraid, and I IrembUng takcih hold on my flesh.

Tersfi 2. Let ikts bt ^nur cmisoiatiQns.] pm ^nm Hm'yWQfVmihehi xolh tamhumniheychcm mayWtTUPff- Ined, ^ Ajid ht this be your retractrrtionu." Let what I UD aiioiif to nay induce you to retract what you have Jud, And to rteall your falae judgments,

□ni nmcham. signifies^ nol only to comfort ^ but to tkmge OfVfV mindt to repefit; hence tJie Vulgate lates et agile p^enitenttamt "and repent.'' which rW'f follows in hia rerMorii rhI) amcuDP uour^ ScHiie suppijse the verse to be undersUjod: I aoi now about lo give you consoJaf ions r Qidaa ^n have given me. Wl^en I h^ve done, llien tmm livem ioro moc/iert/ if you pleaso.

Vene 4* As for me\ *33Kn he^nochi^ ** Alas for xne I** \m It not with a man Ihat I speak? And, if rthtA be lll0 case, why ^hotttd not my spirit be trou- Hed \ i do not reply ag^a^inst my Maker; I sutlTipr Viych from God and marv; why then may I not ve the piiviloge of complaining to creaturca like By«Jft

8 Their seecT is establislied in tfjeir sight with iheni, and their offspring before their fycs,

9 Their houses ^ are safe from fear^ * neither is the rod of God upon ihem-

10^ Their bull genderctlij and faileth not; their cow c^Irelh,. and ^ casleth not her calf.

1 1 They send fortli tlieit little ones Uke a flock, and their children dance*

12 They lake the tiinbrcl and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ*

the thought of entering into a detail on such » subject; my very flesh trembles.

Vo'fsfl 7, Wherefore do the wicked live] Yon have frequently 'asserted that the^ wicked are invariably punished in this life; and that the rt^rteona aro ever distinguished by the strongest marks of God s provident ial kjndnesn; how then does il come that many wicked men Uve long and proaperoueJy, and at last die in peace, without any evidence whatever of Godli, displeasure 1 This is a fact thai ia occurring daily; none oan deny it; how then will you reconcile it with your maxima?

Verse 8* Thetr seed is estabUshed] They see their own children grow upi and become settled in the land; and behold their children's cfttldr&rt also; so that their generations are not cut off* Even the posterity of the wieked continue-

Verse 9. N&ther is the rod sf God upon ihem.] They are not afflittcd as other men.

Verse 10. Their bull gendereih] "i^y tbbar^ passes over^ K e.^ on the cow, referring to the action of the bull when coupling with the female. Their flocks multiply f^reatly, they bring forth in 4ime, «nd none of them IS barren.

Verso 1 1. Thcj/ send forth their lUih (^n^s] It is not very clear whether this refers to tli© yo^^g of the fi^ks or to their children. The first clause may mean the formert the next claitee the latter; while the youn^ of their caide are in flocks* their numerous ehtldren are healthy and vigoroust f^d dance for jo^.

Verse 12* They take the trimhrel and harp] IKIP^ yisrt, they rise up or lift thcmrehes up, probably alluding to the ruri} exercise of daticing*

13 They * spend their djiys ^'in weald), and in a moment go down to the grave.

God, Depart from tis; for we desire not the kriowiedge of thy ways. 1 5 "» What is the Almighty, that we should

17 P How oft is the « candle of the. wicked

21}]; ugab, orgaH, means nothing like the instrument now called the or^ariy though thus translated, hoth by the Septuagini and Vulgate; it probably means the syrinx, composed of. several unequal pipes, close at the Uottdm^ wbichj when blown into at the top, gires a Very shrill and lively sdurfd. To these instruments the youth are represented as dancing foyftdly. Mr. tioitd translates: " They trip merrily to. the sound of the pipe.'' And Ulustrates his translation with the following Terse:— r

Now in circlifig troops they meet; To brisk notes inr cadence beating, Glance their many^' twinkling feet ^

The original is intended to convey the true notion of the gambols of the rustic nymphs and swains ou festival occasions; and let it bo observed that, this is spoken of the children of those who siiyninto God, ** Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him \ and what profit should wo have if we pray unto him?" ver. 14, 15. Is it^aoy woqder that the. Idiildren of sudk parents shouid bo living.to the flesh,' And serviiiijg the luifts of the flesh t for neither they nor their parents know God, nor pray ^iinto

Terse 1 3. They spend their days in wealth^ ' There Is ararious reading here of some importance. In the text we have 1^3' ^haUU, they grow old, or wear out tis with old age, terent tetustate; and in the tnargin, fe' yethallu, ihpy consume^ and the Masbra states that this is one of' the eleven woirds* which, are written with 3 heth and must be read with '3 caph. Several editions have the former word in the text, and the. latter in the margin; tlie former being what is called the kHhib, the latter 'l^eri. 1^3' yehoU»y they grow M, or tffeor mU, is the reading «f the Antwerp, Psar%$% and London Polyglots; yhy yechaUu, they accompUsh or spend, is the reading of the Cqmplulensian Polyglot^ thirteen oi KfwnieotVs and jDe; RossCs MSS., the SepiuaguU, Chaldee, iSynac, and Atabic. The Vulgate has duamt, <'-they lead or spend," from which our translation is borrowed...1 incline to the former, ^ Job^s argument derives conaiderable strength from this eircnmstaaee; they not only spend their days in faring stmiptuously every day; but Ihey even wctxr ou^ so as to grow oM in it; tbay are not.Ci^ofi' by any sadden judgment of God. ' This is' fact; therefore your doctrine, that the wicked are cuf off isitiddenly'. and have but a Short^time, is far from the truth.

In a moment go dovm to the[grave*^ *They vi^fear out their years in pleasure; grow old in their gay and giddy life; and die, as in a moment, without previou sickness; or, as Mr. Good has it, They quietly descent into the grave.

Verse 14. 'They say unto God] This is the language o( their conduct, though not directly of tbeir lips. •

Depart from u/\ Let. us klone;. we do not tro'uble - thee.. Thy ways are painful; we dp not hke crpasbearing* Thy \rays are spiritual;- we wish to Kvi tUler the flesh. We have learned to ^6 oar o\tra will; we'de not wish to study thin^.

Verse i 5. What ia^the Althighty] What allcgiaBoet dtf we owe- to him? We feel uo obligation U> obey him; and what profit can we derive ftmn prayer t We are as ha|^y as flesh and blood - can make as:. our kingdom is of thi* world; we wish.fer ao other portion than that which we have. • * ^'

Those who have never prayed its they oaght,lcnow nothing of the Weflts of ivayer.

Verse 16. Their good in not in their hand] Wilfi all their boasting and self-dependence, God only lends them his bounty; and though it appears to be ihnisf own, yet it is' at his dlisposaL Some of the 'wkiKnA' he permits to live and die in affluence, provided il'4is acquired in the erdittury way of his prond€Deai'i|r trade, commerce,. &o. Others' he per^ta to TgotUfjt it for a while only, and then strips them of tMfr il^ gaily procured property. ' '

The counsel of the tbicked ' is far jrom me*] Some* understan(f the wofds thus: *' Far be it from me *to advocate the <5ause of the widked." I have nothing in common.^ith them, and am not their apologist. I 8tat« a fact: they are often found in eoDtinual provr perity. I state another fact: they are often foond fj^ wretchedness and misery. ■ -'7

Vetse 17. How oft^is the candle rf Ike wiekedpmt' outt] The candle or lan^ ia often nsed, both as' the emblem of prosperity aUd of posterity, OfWntimes the rejoicing of the. wicked is short; andj not vnfrequently, \\\s seed is cut off from the earth. Tha'^reiifis dried up, and the branch is withered.

God distributeth sorrows in his anger,] He mast be incensed against those who refuse to know, sereet and pr^oy ' unto hini, In his anger, therefore, ki portions out to eaclr his duo share of misery, vexatio&$*- and wo.

18 'TBey are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm ^ carrieth away.

1 9 God layeth up ^ bis iniquity " for his children: he rewardeth hiin^ and he shall know ir.

20 His eyes shall see his destruction* and y he abaU drinliL of the wiath of the Almigh^,

21 For what pleasurer.Aa/A he in, His house

Vene 16.. They are a$ stubble hrfork the wind] ^ His ika is in)iis hand; he will thoroughly cleanse^ to iloor, and the' ch^ be w^l burn with an<piench- •ble Gte, Therefor^ the wJTck^d shall.not etaikd in the itdgmeUj bat shaU^be like the chaff wbtch' the prind diiTCth. away.** Were not this, -a common (hooght, t shonld have apposed that tho. author of this book borrowed U from Psa. i. 4. * The original siSDiies UuU they shall be carried intdy by a furious \ etprm; asd borne offl as booty is by the swift-rtding robbers ef the desert, wha make -a sudden irruption, and then set off at full speed with their prey.

Verse 10^ Ctod layeth up his iniquity for his chtl* iren\ This is according to the declaration of God, Ezod. XX. 5: "Visiting the iniquity of the fathers upoa the children, unto ths tliird and fourth generation of them that hate me.*^ • This ^ays supposes that the children, who arc thus visited, havjB copied fkeir parents'' example; or that ill-gotten property is foond in their hands, whWi has descended to them

22 "" Shall any teach God Aat^^u. C. cir. knowledge? seeing he 'judgeth '^^' those that are high.

23 One di^th y in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.

25 And another 'dtetH in the bitterness of "his soul, afid never eateth with pleasure*

with the' dead, and numbered with them before h« had lived jont half his: years. Some have translated the ▼e^pse thur: *' Behold how speecEily God destroys the house of the wicked after him! Ho>^ he ^rtens th0 number of his months!"

; ye^2i. Shall ^zvfyte^h Ood knamiedger] Who amon^ the sOnsof.men ckn pretend to teach God how to.govern th6 world, who Kimself teaches thost that are high — the heavenly inhabitants, that excel as infinitely both in khowied|fe and wisdom? Neither ^gel^s nQr men can cdroprehend the reasons of the Divine providence. It is • a 3epth Jp^own orfly tp God.. ' ' '

Verse 1^3. One dieth'tn his full strength] In tfiis and the three following verses Job dhows that' the inequality of fortune, goods,' health, strength, Ae., decides nothing, either for or against persons in. Preference to. the -approbation or disapprobation of God, as these various lots are no indications of their toickedr ness or innocence. One has a sudden, another ^ from their wicked fathm; and of this God, in his; lingeriiig death v bul by none of these can theur eternal jodgmeots, -strips them'.- It is, however, very natural states be determined. ■ i - to SQppoee that children -brought up without the fear | Verse 34. His breasts are full of mM] The w«[d cf God win walk in the sightof their own eyes, and j vyiS)? atinaiv, which occurs nowhere else in the Heiftwrffng to the imaginatioM of their own hearts'. | brew Bible, is most likely an Arabic term, hnt pro**. Mtmmrdeth him, and h$ thwU know it.] He shall bably so provincial as to be now lost, '(^jbsi oliW •• VMit his tomsgressions ^on him, that he shall at; signifies to macerate hides so as to take ofT the hdtf^ hflt ^aaoen. that it is God who hath done it. And \ hence Mr. Good thinks it means here, that ikebntt tern they wiH find that there would have been profit [ of skin which is the efifect of fatness both in nnan and

Verse 20. His eyes shall see his destruction] He perceive its. approach, and have the double pwiishment ct fearing tuad feeling; feeling a thocsakd deaths in fearing one.

lie shall drink of the wrath] The cup of God's wrath, the eop of trembling, &c., is frequently expressed or referred to in the sacred writings^ Deut. xixii. 33;isa. li. 17-89;' Jer. xxv. 15; Rev. xiv. 8. It aj^iears to be a metaphor taken from those cups of poiion which certain criminals were obliged to drink. A eup of the juice of hemlock was the wrath or punish^ ment assigned by the Athenifin magistrates to the philosopher Socrates.

Verse 31. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him] What may happen to his posterity he Beitfaer knows nor cares for, as he is now numbered j yet been formed.

beast. But as the radical- idea signifies to stink, \ leather docs which is thus macerated, I cannot see how this meaning can apply here." Under the root JOj? atan, Mr. Parkhursi gives the followin|^ -definitions'; '^ {DJ^ occurs, not as a verb, but as a noun masculine plural, in construction, "^yt^y atiney, the bowels, intestifies; once Job xxi. 84, Vrop atinaiv, hit bowels or intestines, arefull ofy or abound with, 3^ ehalab, fat. So the LXX.: Ta de eyxara avfov vXnpn orearo^. The Vulgate: Viscera ejus plena sunt adipe, * his intestines are full of fat.* May not D'rDjT atinim be & noun masculine plural from HD]^ atah, to WDohe, formed as D'JV*7JI gailyonim, mirrors, from TliX galahf to reveal? And may not the intestines, including those fatty parts, the mesentery and omentum, be so called. on accoant of their wonderful imoolutumet* I think this conjecture to be as likely as any that han

B c'ct'isM* ^^ They 8h?ai • lie down alike Ante I. oiy^p. in the dust, and the worms shall

28 Fpr ye say, *» Where is the house of tlie prince? and wlxere are ^ «the dwelling-plape^ of the 'wicKbd?

29 IJave ye. notasdied them that go by tlie way? and do ye not know their tokens,

31 Who shall declare his way AnteU.c.eir. ^ to his face I and who shall re-" ^^v. pay him whdt he hath done?. ^

,33 The clo4s. ^f the valley shall be sweet unto him, and -* every man shaQ draw aftei^ him, as there are innumerable befbre him.*

34. Ho\y then -comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth ^ falsehood f

Terse 20. They shall /t«. down alike in the dust] Death levels all distinotTQnsj.and the grave- makes all eqaal.' There may be a differei^e in the grave itself^, but th\3 human corpse is the «ame io all. Splendid monunlents enshrike. corn//>/tV>n;. but the sod must lie close and heavy ppon-'the putrefying carcass, to prevent it from becoming «the bane of the living.

Verse 27.. / Hmow your thoughts] ^ Yd still think that, because I am gri^voysly ^ifllicted, I must tlierefore be a felonious tjran^essor.

Verse 28- For ye s<{y. Where is the house of the prince?]' In order to prove yonr p6int, ye ask. Where is the house of the tyrant and oftpressor I Are they jidt.ofiBrthrown ^id destroyed?. And is not this a proof that Gdd does not permit the wicked to enjoy pros^rity?. -

Verse 29. Have ye not asked them that go by the way?] This appears to.be JoVs' answer. Consult travellers who have gone through different countries;. and they will tell you that tliej have seen both examples— ^the wicked in great prosperity in sbme instances, whil^ sttddenly. destroyed in others^ See at the end of the chapter.

. Do ye -not know the^ tokens] Mr^ Good tr^slates the whole verse thiis: " Surely thpu canst never have inquired of men of travel; or thou couldst not liate bwi Ignorant of their tokens. I{adst thou made proper inquiries/ thou, wduldst^havp heard of their awful end in a thousand itistances. ' And also of Iheir prosperity.'*^ See at the end of this chaptej.

•Verse 30.. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction?] Tbongh every one can tell that he has seen the wicked in prosperity, and ^ven. spend a long life in it; yet this is no proof that God loves him, or that he shall enjoy a prosperous lot in the next world. There, he shall meet with the day of^ wrath,^ There, the wicked shall be pumshed, and the just rewarded.

Verse 31. Who shall declare his way to his face I]. But while the wicked is in power, 'who shall dare to tell him to his face what his true character isl or, who shall dare to repay him the evil, he has 'done t As such a person cannot 4iaye his punishment in this life, he must have it* in another; and for this the day pf wrath — the day of judgment, is prepared^ shaU die like other men; and the cermption of the grave shall prey upon him..Mr« Carlyle, in his specimens of Arabic poetry. Translations, p. 1 (^, quotes this - verse, which he translates antf paraphrases, n)^3pb Kmi S^r " He shall be brought, to the grave," Jffnx hpj. mpK^^ M And shall watch 'upon the hightraised heap/J

It was the opinion of the pagan Arabs, that upom, the death oC ahy;person, a bird, by them calM Manah, issued from the brain, and haunted tho sepulchre of the - deceaoed, uttering a lamentablo. «cream. This notion^ he adds, is evidently alluded to in' Job xxi. 32. Thus Abusahel, on the ieath of hia mistress:—^ -■.

Through the earth my grave should reach, •, On /Ao^ voice I loved so well • My transported ghost would dwell."

Verse 33. The clods of the valley ^hall he sweet unte^ him] PiBrhaps there is an allusion here to the Asiatic mode of interment for princes, saints, and nobles: it well- watered valley was chosen for the tomb, where a perpetual spring might be secured. This was in* tended to be*the emblem of a resurrection, or of a^iiture life; and to conceal as much as possible the disv grace of thcrottiAg carcass.

Every man shall draw after him] There seem to be two allusions intended here: 1. To death, the common lot of all. MilliojjkS have gone before him to the tomb; and DIM Sj col adam, all men, shall follow him-: all past generations have died; all succeeding.generations shall die also. 2. To pompous funetal prp^ « cessions; multitudes preceding,.and midtitffdes jfotlowing, the corpse... 'Ji