Notes on the Old and New Testaments

3 For thou saidst, What " i advantage will it be unto thee? and, What profit shall 1 have if '/ be cleansed Ironi my sin?

saying, tliat he was more riglitet)i!s tlum his IMaker. It cannot bo denied tliat Joh had given occasion for this interpretation to be put on his sentiments, thongli it cannot be supposed tiiat he would have affirmed this in so many words.

3. For tlwu saidst. Another sentiment of a simihir kind which Elihu proposes to examine. He had already adverted to this sentiment of Job in ch. xxxiv. 9, and examined it at some length, and had shown in reply to it that God could not be unjust, and that there was great impropriety when man presumed to arraign the justice of the JMost High. He now adverts to it again in order to show that God could not be benefited or injured by the conduct of man, and that iio was, therefore, under no inducement to treat him otherwise than impartially. II What advantage will it be, unto thee? See Notes on ch. xxxiv. I). Tiie phrase " unto thee," refers to Job himself. He had said this to himself; or to his own soul. Such a mode of expression is not uncommon in the Scriptures. U And, what profit shall Ihaveifl be cleansed from my sin? Jlarg. " or, by it more than hy my sin." The Hel>few will admit of either of these interpretations, and the sense is not materially varied. The idea is, that as to good treatment or securing the favor of God under tlie arrangements of his government, a man might just as well be wicked as righteous. He would be as likely to be prosperous in the world, and to experience the tokens of the divine favor. Job had by no means advanced such a sentiment; but lie had maintained that he was treated as if he were a sinner; that the dealings of Providence were not in this world in accordance with the character of

4 I will ^ answer thee, and thy companions with thee.

5 Look unto the heavens, and see; and behold the clouds, tohich are higher than thou.

men; and this was interpreted by Elihu as maintaining that there was no advantage in being righteous, or that a man might as well be a sinner. It was for sucli supposed sentiments as these, that Elihu and the three friends of Job charged him with giving ' answers ' for wicked men, or maintaining opinions which went to sustain and encourage the wicked. See ch. xxxiv. 36.

4. / tcill ansioer thcc. ftlarg. return to thee 2cords. Elihu meant to explain this more fully than it had been done by the friends of Job, and to show where Job was in error. H Jlnd thy companions with thee. EVipha?.., in ch. xxii. 2, had taken up the same inquiry, and proposed to discuss the subject, but he had gone at once into severe charges against Job, and been drawn into language of harsh crimination, instead of making the matter clear, and Elihu now proposes to state just how it is, and to remove the objections of Job. It may be doubted, however, whether he was much more successful than Elipliaz had been. The doctrine of the future state, as it is revealed by Christianity was needful to enable these speakers to comprehend and explain this subject.

•5. Look unto the heavens, and see This is the commencement of the reply which Elihu makes to the sentiment which he had understood Job to advance, and which Eliphaz had proposed formerly to examine. The general object of the reply is, to show that God is so greafthat he cannot be affected with human conduct, and that he has no interest in treating men otherwise than according to character. He is so exalted that their conduct cannot reach and affect his happiness. It ought to be pre-

6 If thou sinnest, what dost thou against him? " or if thy transgressions be multiplied, what dost thou unto him?

7 If" thou be righteous, what

sumed, therefore, since there is no motive to tlie contrary, that the dealings of God with men would be impartial, and that there icould be an advantage in serving Jiim — not because men could lay him under ohligution, but because it was right and proper that such advantage should accrue to them. To impress this view on the mind, Elihu directs Job and his friends to look to the heavens — so lofty, grand, and sublime; to reflect how njuch higher they are than man; and to remember that the great Creator is above all those heavens, and thus to see that he is so far exalted that lie is not dependent on man; that he cannot be affected b}' the righteousness or wickedness of his creatures; that his happiness is not dependent on them, and consequentl}' that it is to be presumed that he would act impartially, and treat all men as they deserved. Tiiere would be, therefore, an advantage in serving God. IT Andhelwldthe clouds. Also far above us, and seeming to float in the heavens. The sentiment here is, that one view of the astonishing display of wisdom and power above us must extinguish every feeling that he will be influenced in his dealings as men are in theirs, or that he can gain or suffer any thing by the good or bad behavior of his creatures. 6. If t/iou sin7iest., ichat docst thou against him? This should not be interpreted as designed to justify sin, or as saying that there is no evil in it, or that God does not regard it. Tliat is not the point or scope of the remark of Elihu. His object is to show that God is not influenced in his treatment of iiis creatures as men are in their treatment of each other. He has no interest in being partial, or in treating them otherwise than they

8 Thy wickedness may hurt a n^an as thou art, and thy righteousness may i)rqfit the son of man.

deserve. If they sin against him his happiness is not so marred that he is under any inducement to interpose hy passion, or in any other way than that which is right.

7. If thou be righteous, rchat givest thou him? The same sentiment substantially as in the previous verses. It is, that God is supreme and inde pendent. He does not desire sUch benefits from the services of his friends, and is not so dependent on them, as to be induced to interpose in tlieir favor in any way beyond what is strictly proper. It is to be presumed, therefore, that he will deal with them according to what is right, and as it is right that they should experience proofs of his favor, it followed that tjiere would be advantage in serving him, and in being delivered from sin; that it u-ould be better to be holy than to lead a life of transgression. This reasoning seems to be somewhat abstract, but it is correct, and is as sound now as it was in the time of Elihu. There is no reason why God should not treat men according to their character. He is not so under obligations to his friends, and has not such cause to dread his foes; he does not derive so much benefit from the one, or receive such injury from the other, that he is under any inducement to swerve from strict justice; and it follows, therefore, that where there ought to be reward there will be, where there ought to be punishment there will be, and consequentl}' that there is an advantage in being righteous.

8. Thy icickedness may Imrt a man as thou art. That is, it may injure him, but not God. He is too far exalted above man, and too independent of man in his sources of happiness, to be affected by what Jie can

9 By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry; they cry out by reason of the arm of the

do. The object of the whole passage (vs. 6-8) is, to show that God is independent of men, and is not governed in his dealings with them on the principles which regulate their conduct with each other. One man may be greatly benefited by the conduct of imotiicr, and may feel under obligation to reward him for it; or he may be greatly injured in his person, property, or reputation, by another, and will endeavor to avenge himself. But nothing of this kind can happen to God. If iie rewards, therefore, it must be of his grace and mercy, not because he is laid under obligation; if he inflicts chastisement, it must be because men deserve it, and not because God has been injured. In this reasoning Elihu undoubtedly refers to Job, whom he regards as having urged a claim to a different kind of treatment, because he supposed that he deserved it. The general principle of Eliliu is clearly correct, tliat God is entirely independent of men; that neither our good nor evil conduct can affect his happiness, and that consequently his dealings with us are those of impartial justice.

9. By reason of the multitude of oppressions they make the oppressed to cry. It is not quite easy to see the connection which this verse has with what goes before, or its bearing on the argument of Elihu. It seems, however, to refer to the oppressed in general., and to the fact, to which Job had himself adverted (ch. xxiv. 12), that men are borne down by oppression, and that God does not interpose to save them. They are suffered to remain in that state of oppression — trodden down by men, crushed by the arm of a despot, and overwhelmed with poverty, sorrow, and want, and God does not interpose to rescue them. He looks on and sees all this evil, and does not come forth to de-

10 But none saith, Where is God my Maker, who giveth sonss in the nisht:

liver those who thus suffer. This is a common case, according to the view of Job; this was his own case, and he could not explain it, and in view of it he had indulged in language which Elihu regarded as a severe reflection on tlie government of the Almighty. He undertakes, therefore, to crplain the reason why men are permitted thus to suffer, and why they are not relieved. In the verse before us, he states the fact that multitudes do thus suffer under the arm of oppression — for that fact could not be denied; in the following verses, he states the reason why it is so, and that reason is, that they do not apply in any proper manner to God, who could 'give songs in the night,' or joy in the midst of calamities, and who could make them acquainted with the nature of his government as intelligent beings, so that they would be able to understand it and acquiesce in it. The phrase ' the multitude of oppressions ' refers to the numerous and repeated calamities which tyrants bring upon the poor, the down-trodden, and the slave. The phrases ' to cry ' and ' they cry out,' refer to the lamentations and sighs of those under the arm of the oppressor. Elihu did not dispute the truth of the fact as it was alleged by Job. That fact could not then be doubted any more than it can now, that there were many who were bowed down under burdens imposed by hard-hearted masters, and groaning under the government of tyrants, and that all this was seen and permitted by a holy God. This fact troubled Job — for he was one of this general class of sufferers; and this fact Elihu proposes to account for. Whether his solution is satisfactory, however, may still admit of a doubt. 10. But none saith. That is, nojis of the oppressed and down-troddea

11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth, and maketh us wiser than the fowls of heaven?

say. This is the solution wliich Elihu gives of what appeared so mysterious to Job, and of what Eliliu regarded as the source of the bitter complaints of Job. The solution is, that when men are oppressed they do not apply to God witli a proper spirit, and look to him that they may find relief. It was a principle with Elihu, that if when a man was afllicted he would apply to God with a humble and penitent heart, he would hear him, and would withdraw his hand. See this principle fully stated in ch. xxxiii. 19-26. This, Elihu now says, was not done by the oppressed, and this, according to liim, is the reason why the hand of God is still upon them. IT Where is God my Maker. That is, the}' do not appeal to God for relief. They do not inquire for him who alone can help them. This is the reason why they are not relieved. II Ulio giveth songs in the night. IVight, in the Scriptures, is an emblem of sin, ignorance, and calamity. Here calamity is particularly referred to; and the idea is, that God can give joy, or impart consolation, in the darkest season of trial. He can impart such views of himself and hig government as to cause the afflicted even to rejoice in his dealings; he can raise the song of praise even when all external things are gloomy and sad. Comp. Acts xvi. 25. There is great beauty in this expression. It has been verified in thousands of instances where the afflicted have looked up through tears to God, and their mourning has been turned into joy. Especially is it true under the gospel, that in the day of darkness and calamity, God puts into the mouth the language of praise, and fills the heart with thanks- ■ giving. No one who has sought comfort in affliction witli a right spirit has found it withheld, and all the

12 There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

sad and sorrowful may come to God with the assurance that he can put songs of praise into their lips in the night of calamity. Comp. Ps. cxxvi. 1,2.

1]. Who teacheth ns more than the beasts of.the earth. Who is able to teach us more than the irrational creation; that is, in regard to the nature and design of affliction. They suffer without knowing why. They are subjected to toil and hardships; endure pain, and die, without any knowledge why all this occurs, and without any rational view of the government and plans of God. It is not, or need not be so, says Elihu, when man suffers. He is intelligent. He can understand why he is afflicted. He has only to make use of his superior endowments, and apply to his Maker, and he will see so much of the reason of his doings that he will acquiesce in the wise arrangement. Perhaps there is an implied reflection here on those who suffered generally, as if they manifested no more intelligence than the brute creation. They make no use of their intellectual endowments. They do not examine the nature of the divine administration, and they do not apply to God for instruction and help. If they should do so, he would teach them so that they would acquiesce and re. joice in his government and dealings According to this view, the meaning' is, that if men suffer without relief and consolation, it is to be attributed to their stupidity and unwillingness to look to God for light and aid, and not at all to his injustice.

12. There they cry. They cry ouf in the language of complaint, but not for mercy. H Because of the prid e of evil men. That is, of their own pride. The pride of men so rebellious, and so disposed to complain ol God, is the reason why they do not

13 Surely God will not" hear vanity, neither will the Almighty regard it.

appeal to him to sustain them and give them rehef. Tliis is still as true as it was in the time of Elihu. The pride of the heart, even in affliction, is the true reason with multitudes why they do not appeal to God, and why they do not pray. They have valued themselves on their independence of spirit. They have been accustomed to rely on their own resources. They have been unwilling to recognize their dependence on any being whatever. Even in their trials, the heart is too wicked to acknowledge God, and they would be ashamed to be known to do what they regard as so weak a thing as to pray. Hence they murmur in their afflictions; they linger on in their sufferings without consolation, and then die without hope. However inapplicable, therefore, this solution of the dilflculty may have been to the case of Job, it is not inapplicable to the case of multitudes of sufferers. Many of the affliclrd have no peace or consolu/ion in their trials — no ' songs in the night' — because they are too

13. Surely God icill not hear vanity. A vain, hollow, heartless petition. The object of Elihu here is to account for the reason why sufferers are not relieved — having his eye, doubtless, on the case of Job as one of the most remarkable of the kind. The solution which he here gives of the difficulty is, that it is not consistent for God to hear a prayer where there is no sincerity. Of the truth of the remark there can be no doubt, but he seems to have taken it for granted that all prayers offered by unrelieved sufferers are thus insincere and liollow. This was needful in his view to account for the fact under consideration, and this he assumes as being unquestionable. Yet the very point indispensable to make out his case

14 Although thou sayest thou.shall not see \\\m,y('t 'judgment /".s before him; therefore trust thou in him.

14. Jil though thou sayest thou shalt not see him. This is addressed to Job, and is designed to entreat him to trust in God. Elihu seems to referto some remark that Job had made, like that in ch. xxiii. 8, seq., where he said that he could not come near him, nor bring his cause before him If he went to the east, the west, the north, or the south, he could not see him, and could get no opportunity ot bringing his cause before him. See Notes on that place. Elihu here says that though it is true in fact that God is invisible, yet this ought not to be regarded as a reason why he should not confide in him. Tlie argument of Elihu here — which is undoubtedly sound — is, that the fact that God is invisible should not be regarded as any evidence that he does not attend to the affairs of men, or that he is not w'orthy of our love. IT Judgment is before him. He is a God of justice, and will do that which is right. H Therefore trust him. Though lie is invisible, and though you cannot bring your cause directly before him. The word which is here used ('i^'in^, from PTI) means to turn around; to twist; to be firm — as a rope is that is twisted; and then to wait or delay — that is, to be firm in patience. Here it may have this meaning, that Job was to be firm and unmoved, patiently waiting for the time when the now invisible God would interpose in his behalf, though he could not now see him. The idea is,- that we may trust the hivisihle God, or that we should patiently teait for him to manifest himself in our behalf, and may leave all our interests in his hands, with the feeling that they are entirely safe. It must be admitted that Job had not learned this lesson as fully

15 But now, because it is not 50, ' he hath visited in his anger;

as it might liave been learned, and that he had evinced an undue anxiety for some public rnanifc station of the favor and friendship of God, and that he had not shown quite the willingness which he should have done to commit his interests into his hands, though he was unseen.

]5. But now, hcrausc it is 7iot so. This verse, as it stands in our authorized translation, conveys no intelligible idea. It is evident that the translators meant to give a literal version of the Hebrew, but without understanding its sense. An examination of the principal words and phrases may enable us to ascertain the idea which was in the mind of Elihu when it was uttered. The phrase in the Hebrew here (^^^J"'] '■|'^X~''S) may mean ' but now it is as nothing,' and is to be connected with the following clause, denoting, * now it is comparatively nothing that lie has visited you in his anger;' that Is, the punishment which he has inflicted on you is almost as nothing compared with what it might have been, or w^hat you have deserved. Job liad complained much, and Elihu says to him, that so far from having cause of complaint, his sufferings were as nothing — scarcely worth noticing, compared with wluit they might have been. TT He hath visited in his anger. Marg. i. e. God. The word rendered ' hath visited ' (^^t^Q) means to visit for any purpose — for mercy or justice; to review, take an account of, or investigate conduct. Here it is used with reference to punishment — meaning that the punishment which he had inflicted was trifling compared with the desert of the oftences. 'i{ i e.t he knoiccth it not. Marg. i. e. Job. The marginal reading here is undoubtedly erroneous. The reference is not to Job, but to

God; and the idea is, that he did not know, that is, did not take full account of the sins of Job. He passed them over, and did not bring them all into the account in his dealings with him. Had he done this, and marked every oflience with the utmost strictness and severity, his punishment would have been mucli more severe. '& In great extremiiij. The Hebrew here is ''i^'3 ^33. The wordr!1J9, pash, occurs nowhere else in the Hebrew. The Septuagmt renders it naQdi7ZT0)^ici, offence, and the Vulgate scelus, i. e. transgression. Tlie authors of those versions evidently read it as if it were ^^:Q, iniquity; and it may be that the final 'S has been dropped, like l^iJ for i^)'^,, in Job XV. 31. Gesenius. Theodotion and Symmachus in like manner render it transgression. Others have regarded it as if from TIJ^S, to heprovd, and as meaning in pride, or arrogance; and others, as the Rabbins generally, as if from liJ^lB, to disperse, meaning on account of the multitude, scil. of transgressions. So Rosenmiiller, Umbreit, Luther, and the Chaldee. It seems probable to me that the interpretation of the Septua gint and the Vulgate is the correct one, and that the sense is, that he ' does not take cognizance severely ('IX'2) of transgressions;' that is, that he had not done it in the case of Job This interpretation agrees with the scope of the passage, and with tJie view which Elihu meant to express — that God, so far from having given an}' just cause of complaint, had not even dealt, with him as his sins deserved. AVitliout any impeachment of ins wisdom or goodness, his inflictions might have been far more severe.

16 Therefore doth Job open his mouth in vain: he multipli-

16. Therefore. In view of all tliat Eliliii liafl iinw said, he came to the conclusion tliat the views of Job were erroneous, and that he had no t'ust cause of complaint. He had suffered no more than lie had deserved; he might have obtained a release or mitigation if he had applied to

God; and the government of God wa.s just, and was every way worthy of conlidence. The remarks of Job, therefore, complaining of the severity of his sufferings and of the government of God, were not based on knowledge, and had in fact no solid foundation

Thu chapter is the commencement of the fourth speech of Elihu, whicli continuca to the close of ch. xxxvii., when the subject is taken up by God himself. The object of this wliole speech is to vindicate the justice of God in his dealings; and this is done mainly by showing that he has shown so much wisdom in the creation and government of tlio world, that men ought to have confidence in him. and to submit to him. This argument is pressed particularly in ch. xxxvi. -SC-SS. and in the whole of ch. xxxvii., where Elihu goes into an examination of the things in the works of God which show his inscrutable wisdom.

I. The introduction — where Elihu proposes to speak on behalf of God, and says that he will not deal in commonplace remark, but will bring his illustrations from subjects beyond the ordinary range of thinking. The idea is, that he has some views of the divine government which show that God is great, and just, and wise, and has a claim to confidence, vs. 1-4.

II. He affirms that God is just in his dealings; that he is the watchful guardian over the conduct of men; that whether men be on the throne or bound in fetters and chains, he equally ob serves them, and deals justly with them; and that if they bad been guilty of crime he takes measures to reclaim them, and to bring them to forsake their iniquity, vs. 5-14.

III. He affirms that God deals gently with the poor, the humble, and the contrite; and that if Job had manifested that spirit, he would have been merciful to him, and would have brought him out of his calamities. Having stated this general principle, he concludes that the true reason why Job continued thus to be afflicted was, that lie was obstinate, and refused to repent of his sins under the c. 'tisement of the divine hand, vs. 15-17. In this the view which Elihu takes of the nature and desisn of affliction differs from that taken by the frienda of Job. They held that it was full proof of guilt and hypocrisy, he maintained that it was disciiilinary in its nature; they aftirnied that it demonstrated only that the sufferer was a sinner, he that if the sufferer was penitent he might again obtain the divine favor; tAft/ maintained that the true cause of the severe and protracted nature of the sufferings of Job was that he had been in his former life a man of eminent guilt. Elihu maintained that the reason why he suffered so much and so long was because the discipline had failed of its object, and he did not return with a humble and penitent heart to God.

IV. Elihu, therefore, exhorts Job with great earnestness to beware lest his obstinacy end in hie.uin. God would not change, and if he persevered in his unyielding state of mind, the result must be destruction. That destruction was so great, that if it came upon him a great ransom could not rescue him; great riches could not save from it, nor the forces of strength recover him,v8 18-21. -^

V. He then reminds Job that God is wise. None could teach like liim; none had prescribed his way for him; and it became man to magnify his Maker, and to acknowledge him, vs. 22-25.

VI. The chapter is closed by the commencement of an argument respecting the inscrutable dealings of God, vs. 26-33. This argument is continued through the next chapter, and consista of appeals to his works, as being beyond our comprehension. Elihu refers, in this chapter, to the rain, the dew, the c Inuds, the liglit, tlic thunder, and tl:e vapor, to show that we cannot understand liis works. The design of the whole of this argument is to show that God is far above us; and tliat we should, therefore, bow with submission to his will. See ch x.xxvii 23, 2-1.

EL.IIIU also proceeoed, and said, 2 Suffer me a little, and I will shew thee that ' / have yet to speak on God's behalf.

1. Elihu also proceeded. Heb. arfdfd—tb;^^. \u\^. addens; LXX, riooa&dc; — adding., or proceeding. The Hebrew commentators remark that this word is used because this speecli is added to the number which.t might be supposed lie would make. There had been tln-cc series of speeches by Job and his friends, and in each one of them Job had spoken three times. Each one of the three friends had also spoken thrice, except Zophar, wlio failed to reply when it -came to his turn. Elihu had also now made three speeches, and here he would naturally have closed, but it is remarked that he added this to the usual number.

2. Suffer me a little. Even beyond the regular order of speaking; or, allow me to go on though I have fully occupied my place in the numhcr of speeches. Jarchi remarks that this verse is Chaldaic, and it is worthy of observation that the principal words in it are not those ordinarily used in Hebrew to express the same thought, but are such as oc ur in the Chaldee.

The word rendered suffer C^Sil?) has here a signification which occurs only in Svriac and Chaldee. It properly means in Hebrew, to surround., in a hostile sense. Judges xx. 43. Ps. xxii. 13; tlien in Hiph. to crown one's self. In Syriac and Chaldee, it means to icait — perhaps from the idea of going round and round — and this is the meaning here. He wished them not to remit their attention, but to have patience with what he would

3 I will fetch my knowledge from afar, and will ascribe righteousness to my Maker.

yet say. IT Jind I icill shoio thee that. Marg. " there are ijet words for God." The Hebrew is, " And I will show you that there are yet words for God;" that is, that there were yet many considerations which could bo urged in vindication of liis government. The idea of Elihu is not so much that he had much to say, as that in fact there was much that could be said for him. He regarded his character and government as having been attacked, and he believed that there were ample considerations which could be urged in its defence. The word which is here rendered " I will show thee" (~.'!ljJ<), is also Chaldee in its signification. It is from "^^H (Chald.) not used in Kal, but it occurs in other forms in the Chaldee portion of the Scriptures. See Dan. ii. 11, 16, 24, 27. The use of these Chaldee words is somewhat remarkable, and perhaps may throw some light on the question about the time and place of the composition of the book.

3. I will fetch my hiwirledge from afar. ^Vhat I say shall not be mere commonplace. It shall be the result of reflection on subjects that lie out of the ordinary range of thought. The idea is, that he did not mean to go over the ground that had been already trodden, or to suggest such reflections as would occur to any one, but that he meant to bring his illustrations from abstruser matters, and from things that had escaped their attention. He in fact appeals to the

4 For truly my words shall not he false; he that is perfect in knowledge /.s with thee.

various operations of nature — the rain, the dew, the liniht, the instincts of the animal creatit)n, the vicissitudes of the seasons, the laws of iieat and coUl, and shows that all these prove that God is inscrutably wise and gloriously great. If And will ascribe ritrhtcousnrss to vnj Maker. 'I'hat is, I will show that these things to which I now appeal, /)rt)rc that he is righteous, and is worth}' of universal confidence. Perhaps, also, he means to contrast the result of his reflections with those of Job. He regarded him as having charged his Maker with injustice and wrong. Elihu says that it was a fi.xed principle with him to ascribe righteousness to God, and that he believed it could be fully sustained by an appeal to his works. Rlan should presume that his INIaker is good, and wise, and just; he should be 7cilliiii{ to find that he is so; lie should expect that the result of t^e profoundest investigation of his ways and works will prove that lie is so — and in such an investigation he will never be disappointed. A man is in no good frame of mind, and is not likely to be led to any good result in his investigations, when he begins his inquiries by believing that his INIaker is unjust, and who prosecutes them with the hope and expectation that he will find him to be so. Yet do men never do this.' 4. For truly my words shall not be fiilse. This is designed to conciliate attention. It is a professed purpose to state nothing but truth. Even in order to vindicate the ways of God, he would state nothing but what would bear the most rigid examination. Job had charged on his friends a purpose ' to speak wickedly for God;' to make use of unsound arguments in vindicating his cause, (see Notes on ch. xiii. 7, 8), and Elihu liow says that he will make use of no

5 Behold, God is mighty, and despiseth not any: he " is mighty in strensth and ' wisdom.

such reasoning, but that all that ho says shall he I'ounded in strict truth. IT lie that is perfect in knowledge is icith thee. This refers undoubtedly to Elihu himself, and is a claim to a clear understanding of the subject. He did not doubt that lie was right, and that he had some views which were wortliy of their attention. The main idea is, that he was of sound knowledge; that his views were not sophistical and captious; that they • were founded in truth, and were worthy, therefore, of their profound attention.

5. Behold, God is mighty. This is the first consideration which Elihu urges, and the purpose seems to be to affirm that God is so great that he has no occasion to modify his treatment of any class of men from a reference to himself. He is wholly independent of all, and can therefore be impartial in his dealings. If it were otherwise; if he were dependent on men for any share of his happiness, he might be tempted to show special favor to the great and to the rich; to spare tlie mighty who are wicked, though he cut off the poor. But he has no such inducement, as he is wholly independent; and it is to be presumed, therefore, that he treats all impartially. See Notes on ch. xxxv. 5-8. IT.ind despiseth not any. None who are poor and humble. He does not pass them by with cold neglect because they are poor and powerless, and turn his attention to the great and mighty because he is dependent on them. IT He is mighty in loisdom. Marg. heart. The word heart in Hebrew is often used to denote the intellectual powers; and the idea here is, that God has perfect wisdom in the management of his affairs. He is acquainted with all the circumstances of his creaturea, and passes by none from a defect of

6 He preserveth not the life of the wicked: but giveth right to the ' poor.

7 He " withdraweth not his from the righteous: but

knowledge, or from a want of wisdom to know how to adopt his dealings to their condition.

6. He preserveth not the life of the loicked. Elihu here maintains substantially the same sentiment which the three friends of Job had done, that the dealings of God in this life are in accordance with character, and that strict justice is thus maintained. ir But giveth right to the poor. Marg. " or afflicted." The Hebrew word often refers to the afflicted, to tiie humble, or the lowly; and the reference here is to the loicer classes of society. The idea is, that God deals justly with them, and does not overlook them because they are so poor and feeble that they cannot contribute any thing to him. In this sentiment Elihu was undoubtedly right, though, like the three friends of Job, he seems to have adopted the principle that the dealings of God here are according to the characters o? m&n. He had some views in advance of theirs. He saw that affliction is designed for discipline (ch. xxxiii.); that God is willing to show mercy to the sufferer on repentance; that he is not dependent on men, and that his dealings cannot be graduated by any reference to what he would receive or suffer from men; but still he clung to the idea that the dealings of God here are a proof of the character of the afflicted. What was mysterious about it he resolved into sovereignty, and showed that man ought to be submissive to God, and to believe that he was qualified to govern. He lacked the views which Christianity has furnished, that the inequalities that appear in the divine dealings here will be made clear in the retributions of another world.

7. He toithdraiceth not his eyes from with kings are they on the throne; yea, he doth establish them for ever, and they are exalted.

8 And if they he bound in

the righteous. That is, he constantly observes them, whether they are in the more elevated or humble ranks of life. Even though he afflicts them, his eye is upon them, and he does not forsake them. It will be remembered that one of the difficulties to be accounted for was, that they who professed to be righteous are subjected to severe trials. The friends ot Job had maintained that such a fact was in itself proof that they who professed to be pious were not so, but were hypocrites. Job had verged to the other extreme, and had said that it looked as if God had forsaken those that loved him, and that there was no advantage in lieing righteous. Notes ch. XXXV. 2. Elihu takes a middle ground, and says that neither was the correct opinion. It is true, he says, that the righteous are afflicted, but the}' are not forsaken. The eye of God is still upon them, and he watches over them, whether on the throne or in dungeons, in order to hring good results out of their trials. U But loith kings are thev on the throne. That is, if the righteous are in the state of the highest earthly honor and prosperity, God is with them, and is their protector and friend. The same thing Elihu, in the following verses, says is true respecting the righteous, wlien they are in the most down-trodden and depressed condition. U Yea, he doth establish them for ever. The meaning of this is, that they are regarded by God with favor. When righteous kings are thus prospered, and have a permanent and peaceful reign, it is God who gives this prosperity to them. They are under his watchful eye, and his protecting hand.

9 Then he sheweth them ihcir work, and tlieir transgressions that they have exceeded.

JO He openeth also their ear to discipline, and commandetli

into prison, and are subjected to oppressions and trials, or if they are chained down, as it were, on a bed of pain, or crushed by hoa\y cahunities, tlie eve of God is still upon them. Their sufferings should not be regarded either as proof that they are hypocrites, or that God is regardless of them, and is indifferent whether men are good or evil. The true solution of the diliicultv was, that God was then accomplishing purposes of discipline, and that happy results would follow if they would receive affliction in a proper manner.

9. Then he shoiccth thevi their iDork. What their lives have been. This he does either by a messenger sent to them (eh. xxxiii. 23), or by their own reflections (ch. xxxiii. 27), or by the influences of his Spirit leading them to a proper review of their lives. The object of their affliction, Elihu says, is to bring them to see what their conduct has been, and to reform what has been amiss. It should not be interpreted either as proof that the afflicted are eminently wicked, as the friends of Job maintained, or as furnishing an occasion f)r severe reflections on the divine government, such as Job had indulged in. It is all consistent with an equitable and kind administration; with the heliefthat the afflicted have true piety — though they have wandered and erred; and with the conviction tliat God is dealing with them in mercy, and not in the severity of wrath. They need only recall the errors of their lives; humble themselves, and exercise true repentance, and thev would find afflictions to be among even^ their richest blessings. If Transgressions that they have ex-

11 If they obey and serve him, they shall spend their days in prosperity, and their years in pleasures:

12 But if they obey not, they shall perish ' by the sword, and

cecded. Or, rather, ' he shows them their transgressions that they have been eery great;' that they have made themselves great, mighty, strong —

^???r''? • The idea is, that their transgressions had been allowed to accumulate, or to become strong, until it was necessary to interpose in this manner, and check them by severe affliction. All this was consistent, however, with the belief that the sufferer was truly pious, and might find favor if he would repent.

10. He openeth also their ear to disripline. To teaching; or he makes them willing to learn the lessons which their afflictions are designed to teach. Comp. Notes on ch. xxxiii. 16.

11. If they obey and serve him. That is, if, as the result of their afflictions, they repent of their sins, seek his mercy, and serve him in time to come, they shall be prospered still. The design of affliction, Elihu says, is, not to cut them off', but to bring them to repentance. This sentiment he had advanced and illustrated before at greater length. See Notes on ch. xxxiii. 23-28. The object of all this is, doubtless, to assure Job that he should not regard his calamities either as proof that he had never understood religion — as his friends maintained; or that God was severe, and did not regard those that loved and obeyed him — as Job had seemed to suppose;, but that there was something in his life and conduct which made discipline necessary, and that if he would repent of that, he would find returning prosperity, and end his days in happiness and peace.

wlio are afflicted do not turn to God, and yield him obedience, they must expect that he will continue their calamities until tliey are cut oft'. IT Tkeij shall perish by the sicord. Marg. as in Heb. pass away. The word rendered sword (^bllJ) means properly any thing sent — as a spear or an arrow — a missile — and then an instrument of war in general. It may be applied to any weapon that is used to produce death. The idea here is, that the man who was afflicted on account of the sins which he had committed, and who did not repent of them and turn to God, would be cut otr. God would not withdraw his hand unless he;icknowledged his offences. As he had undertaken the work of discipline, lie could not consistently do it, for it would be in fact yielding the point to hiin whom he chastised. This may be the case now, and the statement here made by Elihu may involve a principle whicli will explain the cause of the death of many persons, even of the professedly pious. They are devoted to gain or amusement; they seek the honors of the world for their families or themselves, and in fact they make no advimcesin piety, and are doing nothing fur the cause of religion. God lays his hand upon them at first gently. They lose their health, or a part of their property. But the discipline is not effectual. He then lays his hand on them with more severity, and takes from them an endeared child. Still, all is ineffectual. The sorrow of the affliction passes away, and they mingle again in the gay and busy scenes of life as worldly as ever, and exert no influence in favor of religion. Another blow is needful, and blow after blow is struck; but nothing overcomes their worldliness, nothing makes them devotedly and sincerely useful, and it becomes necessary to rerrove iheni from the world. TT

13 But the hypocrites in heart heap ° up wrath; they cry not when he bindeth them:

They shall die without knowledge. That is, without any true knowledge of the plans and government of God, or of the reasons why he brought these afflictions upon them. In all their sufferings they never saip the design. They complained, and murmured, and charged God with severity, but they never understood that the affliction was intended for their own benefit.

13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up loraUi. By their continued impiety they lay the foundation for increasing and multiplied expressions of the divine displeasure. Instead of confessing their sins when they are afflicted, and seeking for pardon; instead of returning to God and becoming truly his friends, they remain impenitent, unconverted, and are rebellious at heart. They complain of the divine government and plans, and their feelings and conduct make it necessary for CJod farther to interpose, until they are finally cut off and consigned to ruin. Elihu had stated what was the effect in two classes of persons who were afflicted. There were those who were truly pious, and who would receive affliction as sent from God for purposes of discipline, and who would repent and seek his mercy, ver. 11. There were those, as a second class, who were openly wicked, and who would not be benefited by afflictions, and who would thus be cut off, ver. 12. He says, also, that there was a third class — the class of hypocrites, who also were not profited by afllictions, and who would only by their perverseness and rebellion heap up wrath. It is possible that he may have designed to include Job in this number, as his three friends had done, but it seems more probable that he meant merely to suggest to Job that there was such a class, and to turn his mind to the possibility that he might be of

14 They ' die in youth, " and their life is among the "^ unclean.

the number. In explaining the design and effect of aiilictions, ii was at least proper to refer to this class, since it could not be doubted that there were men of this description. ^ They cry not icheti he bindcth them. They do not cry to Cod with the hui^juageof penitence when he binds tlieni down by calamities. See ver. 8. ]-l. They die in youth. JMarg. their soul dieth. The word soxd or life in the Hebrew is used to denote one's self The meaning is, that they would soon be cut down, ana share the lot of the openly wicked. If they amended their lives they might be spared, and continue to live in prosperity and honor; if they did not, whether openly wicked or hypocrites, they would be early cut otf. IT Jlnd their life is amonrr the unclean. Marg. Sodomites. The idea is, that they would be treated in the same way as the most abandoned and vile of the race. No special favor would be shown to them because they were j/rofessors of religion, nor would this fact be a shield against the treatment

I not be classed with the righteous, and must, therefore, share the fate of the most worthless and wicked of the race, Tlie word rendered unclean (C-iwhp) is from 'd'-\p^—kadhdsh, to be pure or holy; and in Iliph, to regard as holy, to consecrate, or devote to the service of God, as e. g. a priest.

j Ex. xxviii. 41, xxix. 1. Then il means to consecrate or devote to any service or purpose, as to an idol god. Hence it means one consecrated or devoted to the service of Astarte, the goddess of the Sidonians, or Venus, and as this worship was corrupt and licentious, the word means one who is licentious or corrupt. Comp. Deut. xxiii. 18. 1 Kings xiv. 24. Gen. xxxviii. 21, 22. Here it

15 He delivereth the ^ poor in his affliction, and openeth their ears in oppression:

abandoned; and the idea is, that is livpocrites did not repent under the inflictions of divine judgment, they would be dealt witii in the same way as the most abandoned and vile. On tiie evidence that licentiousness constituted a part of the ancient worsliip of idols, see Spencer </e Legg. rituall HebrcEor. Lib. ii. cap. iii. pp. 613, 614. Ed. 1732. Jerome renders this, ijiter effceminatos. The LXX, strangely enough, " Let their life be wounded by angels."

15. He delivereth the poor in his affliction. Marg. " or afflicted." This accords better with the usual meaning of the Hebrew word C^^^), and with the connection. Tlie inquiry was not particularly respecting the poor, but the afflicted, and the sentiment which Elihu is illustrating is, that when the afflicted call upon God he will deliver them. The object is to induce Job to make such an application to God that he might be rescued from his calamities, and be permitted yet to enjoy life and happiness. ir.^itid openeth their ears. Causes them to understand the nature of liis government, and the reasons why he visits them in this manner. Comp. ch. xxxiii. 16, 23-27. The sentiment here is a mere repetition of what Elihu had more than once before advanced. It is his leading thought; the principle on which he undertakes to explain the reason why God afflicts men, and by which he proposes to remove the difference between Job and his friends. IT In oppression. This word expresses too much. It refers to God, and implies that there was something oppressive, harsh, or cruel in his dealings. This is not the idea of Elihu in the language which he uses. The word i»'hich lie uses here (^H?) means that which crushes; then straits, distress, aJfliction. Jerome, in tribulatione. The

16 Even so would he have removed thee out of the strait into a broad " place, where there is no straitness; and ' that which should be set on thy table ' should be full of fatness.

16. Even so xoould he have, removed thee. That is, if you had been patient and resigned, and if you had gone to him witli a broken heart. Having stated tlie ■principles in regard to affliction which he held to be indisputable, and having aitirmed that God was ever ready to relieve the sufferer if he would apply to liim with a proper spirit, it was natural to infer from this that the reason why Job continued to suffer was, that he did not manifest a proper spirit in his trials. Had he done this, Eliliu says, the hand of God would have been long since withdrawn, and his afflictions-would have been removed. IT Out of the strait into a broad place. From the narrow, pent-up way, where it is impossible to move, into a wide and open path. Afflictions are compared with a narrow path, in which it is impossible to get along; prosperity with a broad and open road in which there are no obstructions. Comp. Ps..xviii. 19, x.xxi. 8. U.^nd that wldch should be set on thy table. 3Iarg. the rest of thy table. The Hebrew word Cnfja — from H'D, to rest., and in Hiph. to set down, to cause to rest) means properly a Icttinrr, or setting down; and then that which is set down — as e. g. food on a table. This is the idea here, that the food which would be set on his table would be rich and abundant; that is, he would be restored to prosperity, if he evinced a penitent spirit in his trials, and confessed his sins to God. The same image of piety occurs in Ps. xxiii. 5, " Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies."

17 But thou hast fulfilled the judgment of the wicked: judgment and justice '*take hold on thee.

plains this as meaning, ' If under divine inflictions and chastisements you wish to imitate the obduracy of the wicked, then the cause and the punisliment will mutually sustain themselves; that is, the one will be commensurate with the other.' But it i.*; not necessary to regard this as a supposition. It has rather the aspect of an affirmation, meaning to express the fact that Job had, an Elihu feared, evinced the same spirit in his trials which the wicked do. He had not seen in him evidence of penitence and of a desire to return to God, but had heard complaints and murmurings, such as the wicked indulge in. He had ' filled up,' or 'fulfilled,' the judgment of the wicked; that is, he had in no way come short of the opinion which they expressed of the divine dealings. Still it is possible that the word ' if may be here understood, and that Elihu means merely to state that if Job should manifest the same spirit with the wicked, instead of a spirit of penitence, he would have reason to appre hend the same doom which they experience. IT Judgment and justice take hold on thee. Marg, " or, should vphold thee.'' The Hebrew word here rendered take — >l3^ri'^., is from T(''3r} — to take hold of, to obtain, to hold fast, to support. RosenmCiller and Gesenius suppose that the word here has a reciprocal sense, and means they take hold of each other, or sustain each other. Prof. Lee renders it, "Both judgment and justice will uphold this;" that is, the sentiment which he had just advanced, that Job had filled up the judgment of the wicked. Umbreit renders it, " If thou art full of the opinion of the wicked, then the opinion and justice will rapidly follow each other"

I 18 Because there is wrath, beicare lest he take thee away with his stroke: then a great ransom cannot ' deliver thee.

According to this the meaning is, that if Job held the opinions oi" wicked men, he must expect that these opinions would be rapidly followed by judgment, or that they would go togetiier, and support each other. This seems to me to be in accordance with the connection, and to express the tiiought which Elihu meant to convey. It is a sentiment which is undoubtedly true — that if a man holds the sentiments, and manifests the spirit of the wicked, he must expect to be treated as they are.

18. Because there is icrath. That is, the wratli of God is to be dreaded. The meaning is, that if Job persevered in the spirit which he had manifested, he had every reason to expect that God would suddenly cut him otr. He might now repent and find mere)', but he had shown the spirit of those who were rebellious in affliction, and if he persevered in that, he had nothing to expect but the wrath of God. TT With his stroke. With his smiting or chastisement. Comp. ch. xx.xiv. 26. H Then a great ransom cannot deliver thee. Marg. turn thee aside. The meaning is, that a great ransom could not prevent him from being cut oft'. On the meaning of the word ransom, see Notes on cli. xxxiii. 24. The idea here is, not that a great ransom could not deliver him after he was cut off and consigned to hell — which would be true; but that when he had manifested a spirit of insubmission a little longer, nothing could save him from being cut off from the land of the living. God would not spare him on account of wealth, or rank, or age, or wisdom. None of these things would be

19 Will he esteem thy riches? " no, not gold, nor all the forces of strength.

20 Desire not the night, wiien people are cut off in their place.

19. Wilt he esteem t/iij riches? That is, God will not regard thy riches as a reason why he should not cut you oft", or as a ransom for your forfeited life. The reference here must be to the fact that Job had hcen a rich man, and the meaning is, either that God would not spare him because he had been a rich man, or that if he had now all the wealth which he once possessed, it would not be sufficient to be a ransom for his life, li JVor all the forces of strength. Not all that gives power and influence to a man — wealth, age, wisdom, reputation, authorit}', and rank. The meaning is, that God would not regard any of these when a man was rebellious in affliction, and refused in a proper manner to acknowledge his Maker. Of the truth of what is here afhrnied, there can be no doubt. Riches, rank, and honors cannot redeem the life of a man. They do not save him from the grave, and from all that is gloomy and revolting there. When God comes forth to deal with mankind, he does not regard their gold, their rank, their splendid robes or palaces, but he deals with them as men — and the gay, the beautiful, the rich, the noble, moulder back, under his hand, to their native dust, in tlie same manner as the most humble peasant. How forcibly should this teach us not to set our hearts on wealth, and not to seek the honors and wealth of the world as our portion!

20. Desire not the night. That is, evidently, the night of death. The darkness of the night is an emblem of death, and it is not uncommon to speak of death in this manner. See John ix. 4, " The night cometh, when no man can work." Elihu seems to have supposed that Job might have

21 Take heed, retrard not in- rather than affliction, iquity: for this hast thou chosen

looked forward to deatli as to a time of release; that so far from dreading what he had said would come, that God would cut him off at a stroke, it might be the very thing which he desired, and which he anticipated would be an end of liis sufferings. Indeed Job had more than once expressed some such sentiment, and Elihu designs to meet that stale of mind, and to charge him not to look forward to death as relief. If his present state of mind continued, he says, he would perish under tlie ' wrath' of God; and death in sucli a manner, great as might be his sufferings here, could not be desirable. H When j}eopJe are cut off in their place. On this passage, Schultens enumerates no less than Jiftceri different interpretations wliich have been given, and at the end of this enumeration remarks that he " waits for clearer light to overcome the shadesof this night." Rosenmilller supposes it means, " Long not for the night, in wliich nations go under themselves;" that is, in which they go down to the inferior regions, or in which they perish. Noyes renders it, " To which nations are taken away to their place." Umbreit renders it, " Pant not for the night, to go down to the people who dwell under thee;" that is, to the Shades, or to those that dwell in Sheol. Prof. Lee translates it, " Pant not for the night, for the rising of the populace from their places." Coverdale, " Prolong not thou the time, till there come a night for thee to set other people in thy stead." Tlie LXX, "Do not draw out the night, tliat the people may come instead of them;" that IS, to their assistance. Dr. Good, " Neither long thou for the night, for the vaults of the nations underneath them;" and supposes that the reference is to the catacomhs, or mummypits that were employed for burialplaces. These are but specimens of the interpretations which have been proposed for this passage, and it is easy to see that there is little prospect of being able to explain it in a satisfactory manner. Tiie principal difficulty in the passage is in the word rendered cvtoff, (S""!^?), which means to go vp, to ascend, and in the incongruity between that and the word rendered in their place, (onnrij, which UteraUj means under them. A literal translation of the passage is, 'Do not desire the night to ascend to the people under them;' but I confess I cannot understand the passage, after all the attemjjts made to explain it. The translation given by Umbreit, seems best to agree with the connection, but 1 am unable to see that the Hebrew would bear this. See, however, his Note on the passage. The word <^?2J he understands here in the sense of going away, or hearing aicay, and the phrase the " people under them," as denoting tlie Shades in the world beneath us. The whole expression then would be equivalent to a wish to die — with the expectation that there would be a change for the better, or a release from present sufferings. Elihu admonishes Job not to indulge such a A\ish, for it would be no gain for a man to die in the state of mind in which he then was.

21. Tak£ heed, regard not iniquity. That is, be cautious that in the view which you take of the divine govern ment, and the sentiments wliich you express, you do not become the advocate of iniquity. Elihu apprehended this from the remarks in which he had indulged, and regarded him as having become the advocate of the same sentiments which the wicked, held, and as in fact manifesting the same spirit. It is well to put a man who is afflicted on his guard agaiiKst this, when he attempts to reason about the divine administralion. IT For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction. That is, you have chosen rather to give vent to the language of com-

22 Behold, God " exalteth by his power: who teacheth ' like him?

plaint, than to bear your trials with resignation. " You have cliosen rather to accuse divine Providence than to submit patiently to his chastisements." Patrick. There was too mucii trutli in this remark about Job; and it is still not an uncommon thing in times of trial, and indeed inhuman I i te i n ge n e ra 1. M e n o fte n pre fe r i n i - quity to alHiction. Tliey will commit crime rather than sutler the evils of poverty; they will be guilty of fraud and forgery to avoid apprehended want. They will be dishonest to their creditors rather than submit to the disgrace of bankruptcy. They will take advantage of the widow and the fatherless rather than sufler themselves. Sin is often preferred to affliction; and many are the men who, to avoid calamity, would not shrink from the commission of wrong. Especially in times of trial, when the hand of God is laid on men, they prefer a spirit of complaining and murmuring to patient and calm resignation to the will of God. They seek relief even in complaining; and think it some alleviation of tlieir sufferings tliat thej- c&n find fault with God. "They who choose iniquity' ratlier than affliction, make a very foolish choice; they that ease their cares by sinful pleasures, escape their troubles by sinful projects, and evade sufferings fiir righteousness' sake by sinful compliances against their consciences; tliese make a choice thev will repent of, for there is more evil in the least sin than in the greatest affliction." He.nrij.

23. Behold, God exalteth by his j)07cer. The object of Eliiin is now to direct the attention of Job to God, and to show liim that he has evinced Buch power and wisdom in his works, that we ought not to presume to arraign him, but should bow with submission to his will. He remarks, therefore, tliat God exalts, or rather

23 Who hath enjoined him his way? or who can say, Thou hast wrought iniquity 1

24 Remember that thou maof-

that God is exalted, or exalts hijnself (S'^SW']) by his power. In liie exhibition of his power, he thus siiows that he is great, and tliat men ougiit to be submissive to him. In support of this, he appeals, in the remainder of his discourse, to the tvorhs of God as furnishing extraordinary proofs of power, and full demonstration that God is exalted far above man. K Who teacheth like him? The LXX render this, ()ii)'«0Tf,'s — " Who is so powerful as lie.''" RosenmUller and Umbreit render it Lord: " Who is Lord like him.''" But the Hebrew word (iTII^j properly means one icho instructs, and tlie idea is, that there is no one who is qualified to give so exalted conceptions of the government of God as he is himself. The object is to direct the mind to him as he is revealed in his works, in order to obtain elevated conceptions of his governmeut.

23. li'ho hath enjoined him his way? Who has prescribed to him what he ought to do.'' Who is superior to him, and has marked out for him the plan which he ought to pursue.' The idea is, that God is supreme and independent; no one has advised him, and no one has a right to counsel him. Perhaps, also, Elihu designs this as a reproof to Job for having complained so much of the government of God, and for being disposed, as he thought, Xo prescrihe to God what he should do. II IVhocan say, Thou hast icrouffht iyiiqjtity? Thou hast done wrong. The object of Elihu is here to show that no one has a right to say tliis; no one could, in fact, say it. it was to he regarded as an indisputable point that God is ahvays riglit, and that Jiowever dark his dealings with men may seem, the reason why they are mysterious never is, that God is wrong.

25 Every man may see it; man may behold it afar off.

work. Make this a great and settled principle, to remember that God is great in all that he does. He is exalted far above us, and all his works are on a scale of vastness corresponding to his nature, and in all our attempts to judge of him and his doings, we should bear this in remembrance. He is not to be judged by tlie narrow views which we apply to the doings of men, but by the views which ought to be taken when we remember that he presides over the vast universe, and that as the universal Parent, he will consult the welfare of the whole. In judging of his doings, therefore, we are not to place ourselves in the centre, or to regard ourselves as the tchole of the creation, but we are to remember that there are other great interests to be regarded, and that his plans will be in accordance with the welfare of the whole. One of the best rules for taking a proper estimate of God is that proposed here by Elihu — to remember that HE IS GREAT. If Wkicli men behold. The Vulgate renders this, de quo cecinerunt ciri — ' concerning which men sing.' The LXX, wv iju^av ai'd'Qfi; — ' over which men.i-de.' Schultens accords with the Vulgate. So Coverdale renders it, " Whom all men love and praise." So Herder and Noyes understand it, " Which men celebrate with songs." Tliis difterence of interpretation arises from the ambiguity of the Hebrew word (^^1'^), some deriving it from ^ITU — shur., to go round about, and then to survey, look upon, exam ine; and some from ^^'■ii — shir, to sing, to celebrate. The word will admit ofeither interpretation, and either will suit the connection. The sensrC of seeing those works, however, better agrees with what is said in the

26 Behold, God is great, and we know hitti not; neither ' can the number of his years be searched out.

following verse, and perhaps better suits the connection. The object of Elihu is not to fix the attention on the fact that men celebrate the works of God, but to turn the eyes to the visible creation, as a proof of the greatness of the Almighty.

25. Every man may see it. That is, every man may look on the visible creation, and see proofs there of the wisdom and greatness of God. All may look on the sun, the moon, the stars; all may behold the tempest and the storm; all may see the lightning and the rain, and may form some conception of the majesty of the Most High. The idea of Elihu here is, that every man might trace the evi deuces that God is great in bis works IT Man may behold it afar off. His works are so great and glorious that they make an impression even at a vast distance. Though we are separated from them by a space which surpasses tlie power of computation, yet they are so great that they fill the mind with vast conceptions of tiie majesty and glory of their Maker. This is true of the heavenlj' bodies; and the more we learn of their immense distances from us, the more is the mind impressed with the greatness and glory of the visible creation.

26. Behold, God is great, and ve Jijiow him not. That is, we cannot fully comprehend him. See Notes on ch. xi. 7-9. If JVcitlicr can the number of his years be searched out. That is, he is eternal. The object of what is said here is to impress the mind with a sense of the greatness of God, and with the folly of attempting fully to comprehend the reason of what he does. Man is of a few days, and k is presumption in him to sit in judgment on the doings of one who is from eternity. We may here remark that the doctrine that there is an Eter

27 For he maketh small the drops of water: they pour down rain " according to the vapour thereof,

nal Beiiigpresiding over the universe, was a doctrine fully held by the speakers in this book — a doctrine far in advance of all tliat philosophy ever taught, and which was unknown for ages in the lands on which the light of revelation never shone.

:^7. For he maketh small the drops of 2cittcr. Elilui now appeals, as lie proposed to do, to the works of God, and begins with what appeared so remarkable and inexplicable, the wisdom of God in the rain and the dew, the tempest and the vapor. That which excited his wonder was, the fact in regard to the suspension of water in the clouds, and the distilling of it on the earth in the form of rain and dew. This very illustration had been used by Eliphaz for a similar purpose (Notes ch. v. 9, 10), and whether we regard it as it appears to men without the light which science has thrown upon it, or look at the manner in whicli God suspends water in the clouds and sends it down in the form of rain and dew, with all the light which has been furnished by science, the fact is one that evinces in an eminent degree the wisdom of God. The word which is rendered "maketh small " (^"^J), means properly to scrape off, to detract, to diminish, to take away from. In Piel, the form used here, it means, according to Gesenius, to take to one's self, to attract; and the sense here, according to this, is, that God attracts, or draws upwards the drops of water. So it is rendered by Herder, Noyes, Umbreit, and R,osenmaller. The idea is, that he draics up the drops of the water to the clouds, and then pours them down in rain. If the meaning in our common version be retained, the idea would be, that it was proof of great wisdom in God that the water descended in small drops, instead of

28 Which the clouds do drop and distil upon man abundantly.

29 Also can any understand the spreadings of the clouds, or the noise of his tabernacle 1

coming down in a deluge. Comp. Notes on ch. xxvi. 8. 11 They pour doicn rain. That is, the clouds pour down the rain. IT According to the vapor thereof — '1''^?. The idea seems to be, that the water thus drawn up is poured down again in the form of a vapory rain, and which does not descend in torrents. The subject of admiration in the mind of Elihu was, that water should evaporate and ascend to the clouds, and be held there, and then descend again in the form of a gentle rain or tine mist. The reason for admiration is not lessened by becoming more fully acquainted with the laws by which it is done than Elihu can be supposed to have been.

28. Upon man abundantly. That is, upon many men. The clouds having received the ascending vapor, retain it, and pour it down copiously for the use of man. The arrange ment, to the eye even of one who did not understand the scientific principles by which it is done, is beautiful and wonderful; the beauty and wonder are increased when the laws by which it is accomplished are understood. Elihu does not attempt to explain the jnorfe by which this is done. The fact was probably all that was then understood, and that was sufficient for his purpose. The LXX have given a translation of this verse which cannot be well accounted for, and which is certainly very unlike the original. It is, " But when the clouds cast a shade over the dumb creation, he impresseth a care on beasts, and they know the order for retiring to rest — xofr^t; ruSiv ■ At all these things is not their understanding confounded? And is not thy heart starting from tliy body?"

29. Also, can any understand the spreadings of the clouds? The out-

80 Behold, he spreadeth " his light upon it, and covereth the ' bottom of the sea.

epreading — tlie manner in which they expand themselves over us. TJie idea is, that the manner in which the clouds seem to spread out, or unfold themselves on the sky, could not be explained, and was a striking proof of the wisdom and power of God. In the early periods of the world, it could not be expected that the causes ofthese phenomena would be known. Now that the causes are better known, however, they do not less indicate the wisdom and power of God, nor are these facts less fitted to excite our wonder. The simple and beautiful laws by which the clouds are suspended; by which they roll in the sky; by which they spread themselves out — as in a rising tempest, and by which they seem to unfold themselves over the heavens, should increase, ratlier than diminish, our conceptions of the wisdom and power of tiie Most High. IT Or, the noise of his tabernacle. Referring, doubtless, to thunder. The clouds are represented as a tent or pavilion spread out for the dwelling of God (conip. Notes on Isa. xl. 22), and the idea here is, that the noise made in a thunderstorm is in the peculiar dwelling of God. Herder well expresses it, " The fearful thunderings in his tent."' Comp. Ps.,\viii. 11:

He made darkne-ss his secret place, His pavilion round about him were dark waters and thick clouds of the skies.

The sense here is, Who can understand and explain the cause of thunder? The object of Elihu in this is, to show how great and incomprehensible is God, and nature furnishes few more impressive illustrations of this than the crash of thunder.

30. Behold, he spreadeth his light upon it. That is, upon his tabernacle or dwelling-place — the clouds. The allusion is to lightning, which flashes in a moment over the wliole heavens. The image is exceedingly

31 For by them * judgeth he the people; he ' giveth meat in abundance.

beautiful and graphic. The idea of spreading out the light in an instant over the whole of the darkened heavens, is that which Elihu had in liis mind, and which impressed him so forcibly. On the difficulty in regard to the translation of the Septuagint here, see Schleusner on the word rjSoj. ^ And covereth the bottom of the sea. Marg. roots. Tlie woid roots is used to denote the bottom, as being the lowest part of a thing — as the roots of a tree. The meaning is that he covers the lowest part of the sea with floods of waters; and the object of Elihu is to give an exalted conception of the greatness of God, from the fact that his agency is seen in the highest and the lowest objects. He spreads out the clouds, thunders in his tabernacle, diffuses a brilliant light over the heavens, and at the same time is occupied in covering the bottom of the sea with the floods. He is Lord over all, and his agency is seen every where. The highest and the lowest objects are under his control, and his agency is seen above and below. On the one liand, lie covers the thick and dense clouds with light; and on the other, he envelopes the depth of the ocean in impenetrable darkness.

31. For by them judgeth he the people. By means of the clouds, the rain, the dew, the tempest, and the thunderbolt. The idea seems to be, that he makes use of all these to execute his purposes on mankind. He can either make them the means ot imparting blessings, or of inflicting the severest judgments. He can cause the tornado to sweep over the earth; he can arm the forked lightning against the works of art; lie can withhold rain and dew, and spread over a land the miseries of famine. II He giveth meat in abundance. That is, by the clouds, the dew, the rain. The idea is, that he can send timely sliowersif he chooses, and the earth will be clothed with plenty. All these things are under his control, and he can, as he pleases, make them tiie means of comfort to man, or of punishing him for his sins. Comp. Ps. Ixv. ll-i-3.

32. With clouds he covereth the light. Tlie Hebrew here is, DifiS-bs _ " upon his hands." Jerome, Inmani- Liis abscondit liicem, ' he hideth the light in his hands.' Sept., 'Eni /fioJiv ixcthi^'t (poiq — ' he covereth the liglit ill his hands.' The allusion is, undoubtedly, to the lightning, and tlie image is,'that God takes the lightning in his hands, and directs it as lie plciises. There has been great variety, however, in the exposition of this verse and the following. Schultens enumerates no less than twenty-eight different interpretations, and almost every commentator has had his own view of the passage. It is quite evident that our translators did not understand it, and were not able to make out of it any tolerable sense. What idea they attached to the two verses (32, 33), it would be very difficult to imagine, for what is the meaning (ver. 33J of the phrase, " the cattle also concerning the vapor.''" The general sense of the Hebrew appears to be, that God controls the rapid lightnings which appear so vivid, so quick, and so awful; and that he executes his own purposes with tliem, and makes them, when he pleases, the instruments of inflicting punishment on his foes. The object of Elihu is to excite admiration of the greatness of God who is able thus to control the lightning's flash, and to make it an obedient instrument in his hands. The particular expression before us, " By his hands he covereth the light," seems to mean that he seizes or holds the lightning in his hands (Herder), or that he covers over his hands ^rith tiie lightning ( i'rabreit), and has it under his con- VOL. II. 5)

7iot to shine, by the cloud that Cometh betwixt.

trol. Prof. Lee supposes that it means, that he holds the lightning in the palms of his hands, or between his two hands, as a man holds a furious wild animal which he is about to let loose for the purpose of destroying. With this he compares the expression of Shakspeare, "Cry havock, and let slip the dogs of war."' There can be no doubt, I think, that the phrase means that God has the lightning under his control, that it is in his hands, and that he directs it as he pleases. According to Umbreit (Note) the allusion is to the double use which God makes of light, in one hand holding the lightning to destroy his foes, and in the other the light of the sun to bless his friends, as he makes use of the rain either for purposes oJ destruction or mercy. But this idea is not conveyed in the Hebrew. V.^nd cnmmandeth it not to shine. The phrase " not to shine" is not in the Hebrew, and destroys the sense. The simple idea in the original is, ' ho comniandeth it;' that is, he has it under his control, directs it as he pleases, makes use even of the forked lightning as an in.strument to execute his pleasure. II By the cloud that covicth betwixt. The words " the cloud" are also inserted by our translators, and destroy the sense. There is no allusion to a cloud, and the idea th.1t the light is intercepted by any object is not in tlie original. The Hebrew word (?'^^S123) means in occurring, in meeting, in striking upon, (from "?Q — to strike upon, to impinge, to fall upon, to light upon), and the sense here would be well expressed by the phrase " in striking." The idea is exactly that which we have when we apply the word strike or struck to lightning, and the meaning is, that he gives the lightning commandment in striking, or when it strikes. Nothing could better answer the purpose of an illustration for Eliliu in exciting elevated views of

33 The noise " thereof shew-

God, for there is no exhibition of his power more wonderful tlian tliat by which he controls the ligiitning.

33. The noise thereof shoioeth concerning it. The word " jwise " here has been inserted by our translators as a version of the Hebrew word (IJ)"!), and if the translators attached any idea to the language which they have used, it seems to have been that the noise attending the lightning, that is, the thunder, furnished an illustration of the power and majesty of Cod. But it is not possible to educe this idea from the original, and perhaps it is not possible to determine the sense of the passage. Herder renders it, " He pointeth out to them the wicked." Prof. Lee, " By it he announceth his will." Umbreit, "He makes known to it his friend;" that is, he points out his friend to the light so that it may serve for the iiappiness of that friend." Noyes, "He uttereth to him his voice; to the lierds and the plants." Rosenmilller, " He announces wliat he has decreed against men, and the flocks wiiich the earth has produced." Many other expositions have been proposed, and there is no reasonaljle ground of hope that an interpretation will be arrived at which will be free from all difficulty. The principal difficulty in this part of the verse arises from the word l^-'t) J rendered in our version, "The noise thereof" This may be from l?*!"!, and may mean a noise, or outcry, and so it is rendered here by Gesenius, " He makes known to him his thunder, i. e. to man, or to his enemies." Or the word may mean his friend, as the word?"} is often used. Job ii. 11, xix. 21. Prov. xxv. 17. Cant. V. 16. Hos. iii. 1. Or it may denote will, thought, desire. Ps. cxxxix. 2, 17. A choice must be made between these different meanings according to the view entertained of the scope of the passage. To me it seems that the word '■'■fricvd"

eth concerning it, the cattle also concerning ' the vapour

will better suit the connection than any one of the other interpretations proposed. According to this, the idea is, that God points out his friends to the lightning which he holds in his hand, and bids it spare them. He has entire control of it, and can direct it where he pleases, and instead of sending it forth to work indiscriminate destruction, he carefully designates those on whom he wishes it to strike, but bids it spare his friends. IT The cattle aho concerninothe vapor. 31arg. that lohich goetli up. What idea the translators attached to tliis phrase it is impossible now to know, and the probability is, that being conscious of utter inability to give anil meaning to the passage, they endeavored to translate the icords of the original as literalh^ as possible. Coverdale evidently felt the same perplexity, for he renders it, "The rising up thereof showeth he to his friends and to the cattle." Indeed almost every translator and expositor has had the same difficult}', and each one has proposed a version of his own. An examination of the words employed is the only hope of arriving at any satisfactory view ot the passage. The word rendered ctittle ('"'.Ih'^), means properly, (1,) expectation, hope, confidence. 1 Cliron. xxix. 15. Ezra x. 2; (2,) a gathering together, a collection, as (a) of waters, Gen. i. 10. Ex. vii. 19, (h) a gathering together, a collection, or conipany of men, horses, &c. — a caravan. So it maj' possibly mean in 1 Kings x. 28, where interpreters have greatly differed. The word cattle, therefore, by no means expresses its usual signification. That would be better expressed liy gathering, collecting, or assemhling. The word rendered also (t)X), denotes (1,) also, even, more, besides, &c., and (2,) the nose, and then anger — from the effect of anger in producing hard breathing. Prov. xxii. 24. Dent, xxxii. 22, xxix

19. Heie it may be rendered, witiioiit impropriety, anger, and then the phrase will mean, ' the collecting, or gathering together of anger.' The word rendered vapor (fills' — if from n j^), means that vvhicji ascends, and would then mean any thing that asctMids — a.s.<moke, vapor; or, as Rosenmillier supposes, what ascends, or irroirs from tiie ground — that is, plants and vegetables. And so Umbreit, dtis GeicfJ.chs — " plants of any kind. ".Xote. But with a slight variation in the pointing (nbiy_i„stead oi"rhrj), the word means etil, tcickedness, ijiifjnitij — whence our word evil; Job.\xiv. 20, vi. 211, xi. 14, xiii. 7; and it may, without impropriety, be regarded as h-aving this signification here, as the points have no authority. The meaning of the whole phrase then will be, ' the gathering, or collecting of his wrath is upon evil, i. e. upon the wicked;' and the sense is, that while, on the one hand God, who holds the lightning in his hands, points out to it liis friends, so that they are spared; on the other handthe gathering together, or the condensation, of bis wrath is upon tlie evil. That is, the ligjitniiigs — so vivid, so mighty, and apparently so wholly beyond law or control, are under his direction, and lie makes them the means of executing his pleasure. His friends are spared; and the condensation of his wrath is on liis foes. Tiiis exposition of the passage accords with the general scope of the remarks of Elihu, and this view of the manner in which God controls even the lightning, was one that was adapted to fill the mind with exalted conceptions of the majesty and power of the Most High.

This chapter is a continuation of the argument commenced in the previous chapter to demonstrate the majesty and glory of God. The object is to «how that his worl<s are past finding out. and that therefore itbec.mies man to bow with submission under the dealings of his hand. See tlie analysis of ch. xxxvi. In the prosecution of this argument, Elihu refers to the followin" things as illustrating the majesty of God, and as showing how incomprehensibly wise he is' To the tempest, or thunder-storm, vs. 1-5; to the snow and rain, vs. 6-8; to the wliirlwind. the cold, and to frost, vs. 9-13; to the phenomena of the clouds, vs. 14-16; to his own Garments as imparting heat to the body, ver. 17; to tlie sky, spread out like a molten looking-glass, ver. 18; to the bright light on the clouds, and to the fair weather that comes out of the North, vs. 21, 2?. In view of all this, he says that he was unable to t'peak of God in any adequate manner (vs. 19, 20); that we cannot hope to find him out, and that we ought to fear him, and to believe that he is wise and impartial in all his doings.

A T this also my heart tremb- 1 leth, " and is moved out of his

1..It t/t!s also. That is, in view of i ter, and should not have been sepathe thunder-storm, for it is that which rated by the division into chapters.

Elihu is describing. This description was commenced in ch. xxxvi. 20, and IS continued to ver..5 of this chap-

Eliliu sees a tempest rising. Ths clouds gather, the lightningH fla«h, the thunder rolls, and he is awe^ as

2 Hear ' attentive]}' the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth.

with the conscious presence of God. There is nowhere to be found a more gr.Tphio and impressive description of a tliunder-storm than this. Comp. Herder on Heb. Poetry, vol. i., 85 seq., by JMarsh, Burlington, 1833. If My heart tremhlcth. With fear. He refers to the palpitation or increased action of the heart produced by alarm. U And is moved out of his place. That is, by violent palpitation. The heart seems to leave its calm resting-place, and to burst away by atiViglit. The increased action of the heart under the eftects of fear, as described here by Elihu, has been experienced by all. The cause of tliis increased actiou is supposed to be this. The immediate effect of fear is on the e.xtremities of the nerves of the system, which are diffused over the whole body. The first effect is to prevent the circulation of the blood to the e.vtremities, and to drive it back to the heart, and thus to produce paleness. The blood thus driven b-uck on the lieart produces an increased action there to propel it through the lungs and the arteries, thus causing at the same time the increased effort of the heart, and the rapid action of the lungs, and of course the quick breathing and the palpitation observed in fear. See Sclieutzer, Physica. Sacra, in loc. An expression similar to that which occurs here, is used by Shakspeare, in Macbeth:

" Why do I yield to that suggestion, Whose horrid image doth unfix my hair,.4.id make my seated heart knock at my ribs. Against the use of nature."

2. Hear attentively. Marg. as in Heb. hear in hearing; that is, hear with attention. It has been supposed by many, and not without probability, that the tempest was already seen rising, out of which God was to address Job (ch. xxxviii.j, and that F.iihu here calls the special attention

3 He directoth it under the whole lieaven, and Ids ^lightning unto the ^ ends of the earth.

of his hearers to the gathering storm, and to the low muttering thunder in the distance. II The noise of his voice. Thunder is often represented as the voice of God, and this was one of the most natural of all suppositions when its nature was little understood, and is at all times a beautiful poetic conception. See the whole of Ps. xxix The word rendered "noise" ("(•;~'), means properly co7mnotio7i,t\ud which is fitted to produce perturbation, or disquiet (see ch. iii. 17, 2(j. Isa. xiv. 3), and is here used to denote tiie commotion, or raging of thunder. U And the sound. The word here used (•^riv!)} means properly a muttering., grojcling — as of thunder. It is often used to denote sighing, moaning, and meditation, in contradistinction from clear enunciation. Here it refers to the thunder which seems to mutter or growl in the sky.

3. He directeth it under the whole heaven. It is under the control of God, and he directs it where he pleases. It is not confined to one spot, but seems to be murmuring from every part of the heavens. If And his lightning. Marg. as in Heb. light. Tliere can be no doubt that the lightning is intended. IT Unto the ends of the earth. Marg. as in Heb. 7cings. The word icings is given to the earth, from the idea of its being spread out or expanded like tlio wings of a bird. Comp. ch. xxxviii. 13. Ezek. vii. 2. The earth was spoken of as an expanse or plain that had corners or boundaries (Notes on Isa. xi. 12, xxiv. 16, xlii. 5), and the meaning here is, that God spread the lightning at pleasure over the whole of that vast expanse.

4. After it a voice roareth. Aftet the lightning; that is, the flash is seen before the thunder is heard

lie thundereth ° with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay llicni when his voice is heard.

val bcivveen llie liglitning and tlie lieiiring of the thunder depending •)n the distance. Lucretius, wlio lias referred to the same fact, compares this with what occurs when a woodman is seen at a distance to wield an axe. The glance of the axe is seen long before the sound of the blow is heard:

Sed tonitrum fit, iiti post auribus accipiamus, Fulgtre quiiin cciiiuiit oculi, quia semper ad

aures Tardius adveniunt, quam visum, quara move-

aiit res. Nunc etiam licet id cognosceie, ca;dere si

quern Anci]iiti videas ferro procul arboris actum, Ante fit, ul ceroas ictum, quara plaga per

aures Det sonitum: Sic fulgorem quoque ccrnimus

ante. Lib. vi.

TI Hp. thundereth with the voice of his excellency. Tliat is, with a voice cf majesty and grandeur. IT Jlnd he will not stay them. That is, he will not hold back the rain, hail, j^nd other tilings which accompany the storm, when he begins to thunder. Rosenmullcr. Or, according to others, he will not hold back and restrain the lightnings when the thunder commences. But the connection seems rather to demand that we should understand it of the usual accompaniments of a storm — the wind, hail, rain, 6cc. Herder renders it, " We cannot explore his thunderings." Prof. Lee, " And none can trace them, though their voice be heard." According to him, the meaning is, that 'great and terrific as this exhibition of God's power is, still the progress of these, his ministers, cannot be followed by the mortal eye.' Dut the usual interpretation given to the Hebrew w'ord is that of holding hack or retarding, and this idea accords well with the connection.

5. God thundereth marvellously. He thunders in a wonderful manner. The idea is, that the voice of his

5 God thundereth marvellously with his voice; great things doeth he, '' which we cannot comprehend.

thunder is an amazing exhibilion of his majesty and power. If Gnat things dortk he, xchich we cannot comprehend. That is, not only in regani to the thunder and the tempest, but in other things. The description of the storm properly ends here, and in the subsequent verses Eliliu proceeds to specify various other phenomena, which were wholly incomprehensilde bv man. The reference here to tiie storm, and to the other grand and incomprehensible phenomena of nature, is a most appropriate introduction to the manifestation of God himself as di^scrilied in the next chapter, and could not but have done much to prepare Job and his friends for that sublime close of the controversy.

The passage before us (ch. xxxvi. 29-33, xxxvii. 1-5), is probably the earliest description of a thunder-storm on record. A tempest is a pliemomenon which must early have attracted attention, and which we may expect to find described or alluded to in all early poetry. It may be interesting, therefore, to compare this description of a storm, in piobably the oldest poem in the world, with what has been furnished by the masters of song in ancient and modern times, and we shall find that in sublimity and beauty the Hebrew poet will suf"- fer nothing in comparison. In one respect, which constitutes the chief sublimity of the description, he surpasses them all; I mean in the recognition of God. In the Hebrew description, God is every where in the storm. He excites it; he holds the lightnings in both hands; he directs it where he pleases; he makes it the instrument of his pleasure, and of executing his purposes. Sublime, therefore, as is the description of the storm itself, furious as is the tempest; bright as is the lightning; and heavy and awful as is the roar of the thunder, yet the description derives its chief sublimity from tlie fuct that God presides over all, riding on the tempest and directin<r the storm as lie jileuses. Other poets have rarel}- attempted to give this direction to the thoughts in their description of a tempest, if we may except Kl-opstock, and tliey fall, therefore, far below the sacred poet. The following is the description of a storm l)y Eliiiu, according to the exposition which I have given:

The following is the description of a tempest by.^schylus, in the Prometh. Desra., beginning,

" I feel in very deed

The firm earth roclc: the thunder's deepening

roar Rolls with redoubled rage; the bickering

flames Flash thick; the eddying sands are whirled on

high; In dreadl'ul opjmsition, the wild winds Rend the vex'd air: the boisterous billows rise, Conibunding earth and sky: the impetuous

storm Rolls all its terrible fury." Potter.

Ovid's description is the following:

JEOiem conscendit. vultumque sequentia traxit Nubila; quels nimbos, immistaque fulgura

venlis Addidit, et tonitrus, et inevitabile fulmen. Meta iii.

The description of a storm by Lucretius, is the following:

Pratcrea perso'pe niger quoque,er mare

nimbus Ut picis e coelodemissumfJumen, in undas Sic cadit, et fertur tonebris, procul et truhil

atrain Fulminibus gravidam tempestatem, atque pro-

cellis, Ignibus ac ventis cum primus ipse repletus: In lerris quoque ut horrescant ac tecta re-

quirant. Sic igitur supra nostrum caput esse putanduni

est Tempestatem altam. Nequo enim caligino

tanta Ohruenit terras, nisi injedificata superne Multa forent multis exempto nubila sole.

Tlie well-know description of the storm by Virgil, is as follows:

Nimborum in patriam, loca foeta fureiitibua

austris,.(Eoliam venit. Ilic vaste Rex.^olus antro Luctantcs ventos, teinpestatesque soiioras Imperio premit, ac vinclis et carcere I'renat. Uli indignantes, magno cum murmure, nionlis Circum claustra fremunt. Celsa sedet /Eolus

Venti, velut agmine facto,

Qua data poita, ruunt, et terras tuibine per-

flant. Incubuere raari, totumque a sedihns imis, Una Eurus(i; Notusquo ruunt, crebeique

piocellis Africus, et vastos volvunt ad litora fluctns. ^En. i. 51-57, 82-m.

One of tjje most sublime descriptions of a storm to be found any where, is furnished by Klopstock. It contains a beautiful recognition of the presence and majesty of God, and a most tender and affecting description of the protection which his friends experience when the storm rushes by. It is in the Friililingsfeier — a poem which is regarded by^ many as his master-piece. A small portion of it I will transcribe:

Nun schwebensie, rauschen sie, wirde'ndie Winde! Wie beugt sich der Wald! Wie hebetsich der

Strom! Sichtbar, wie du es Sterblichen seyn kannst, Ja, das hist du, sichtbar, Unendliclier!

Ziirnest du, Herr, Weil Nacht dciii Gewand ist.' Diese Naciit ist Segen der Erde. Vater,du ziirnest nicht!

Seht ihr den Zeugen des Nahen, den ziikkcn-

den Strahl.' Hiiit ihr.lehovah's Donner.' Hiiit ihi ibn.' hiirt ihr ihn. Der erschiitlernden Donner des Herrn.'

6 For he saitli to the snow, Be thou 0/?. the earth; ' likewise to the siiKill rain, and to the great

1 and to the:>hawc.r of rain, and to the showers of rain of his strength.

Sey dcin lierrlicher Nama!

Uiid die Gewitterwinde! Sie tragen den

Dormer! Wie sie niuschen! Wie eie niit lanter Woge

den Wall! durchstriimen! ITnd nun sc-livviegon sie. Langsam wandelt Die srliwartzo Wolke. Selit ihr den neuen Zeugen dea Nahen, den

fliegendcn Stralil? Hijret ilir hoch in Wolke den Donner dos

Herrn? Er ruft: Jehova! Jehova! Und der geschinetterte Wald dampft! Aber nicht unsre Hiitta! Unser Vater gebot Soinem Verderber, Vor unsrer Hiitte voriiberzugelin!

6. For he saitk to the snow. That is, the snow is produced by the command of God, and is a proof of his wisdom and greatness. The idea is, that the formation of snow was an ilkistration of the wisdom of God, and should teach men to regard him with reverence. It is not to be supposed that the laws by which snow is formed in the atmosphere, were understood in the time of Elihu. The faot that it seemed to be the effect of the immediate creation of God, was tlie principal idea in the mind of Elihu in illustrating his wisdom. But it is not less fitted to excite our admiration of his wisdom now that the laws by which it is produced are better understood; and in fact the- knowledge of those laws is adapted to elevate our conceptions of the wisdom and majesty of Him who formed them. The investigations and discoveries of Bcience do not diminish the proofs of the Creator's wisdom and greatness, but every new discovery tends to change blind admiration to intelligent devotion; to transform wonder to praise. On the formation of snow, see Notes on ch. xxxviii. 22. IT Be thou on the, earth. There is a strong resemblance between this passage

7 He scaleth up the hand of every man, that " all men may know his work.

and the sublime command in Gen. i. 3, " And God said. Let tliere be light, and there was light." Eacii of them is expressive of the creative power of God, and of the ease with which he accomplishes his purposes. IT Likewise to the small ruin. Alarg. and to the shower of rain, and to the shoioers of ram of his strength. The word whicli is here used in the Hebrew (D'y?), means rain, in general, and the phrase " small rain " (D^5 IlilS), seems to be used to denote the rain simply, without reference to its violence, or to its being copious. The following phrase, " the great rain of his strength " 0>5J niTJO D'l:!), refers to the rain when it has increased to a copious shower. The idea before the mind of Elihu seems to have been that of a shower, as it commences and increases until it pours down torrents, and the meaning is, that alike in the one case and the other, the rain was under the command of God, and obeyed his will. The whole description here is that which pertains to winter, and Elihu refers doubtless to the copious rains which fell at that season of the year. 7. He sealeth up the hand of every man. That is, in the winter, when the snow is on the ground, when the streams are frozen, and when the labors of the husbandman cease. The idea of " sealing up the hand"' is derived from the common purpose of a seal, to make fast, to close up, to secure (comp. Notesch. ix. 7, xxxiii. 16), and the sense is, that the hands can no more be used in ordinary toil. Every man in the snow and rain of winter is prevented fro-m going abroad to hia accustomed toil, and is, as it were, sealed %ip in his dwelling. The idea is exquisitely beautiful. God confines men and beasts in their houses

8 Then the beasts go " into dens, and remain in their places.

or caves, until the winter has passed by. If That all incn viaij know his irork. Tlie LXX render this, " Tliat every man may know liis own weakness— chx^h'^inr. Various interpretations liuve been given of the passage, but our common version has probably expressed in the main the true sense, that God thus interrupts the labors of man, and confines him in his home, that he may feel his dependence on God, and may recognize tlie constant agency of his Creator. The Hebrew literally is, "For the knowledge of all the men of his making;" that is, that all the men \vliom he has created may have knowledge. The changing seasons thus keep before us the constant evidence ofthe unceasing agency of God in his W(jrks, and prevent the feeling which wo might have, if every thing was uniform, that the universe was under the control of fate. As it is, the suclession of the seasons, the snow, the rain, the dew, and the sunshine, all i;ear marks of being under the con- Irol of an intelligent Being, and are ■SO regulated that we need not forget that his unceasing agency is conslantly round about us. It may be added, that when the farmer in the winter is laid aside from his usual toil, and confined to his dwelling, it is a favorable time for him to meditate on the works of God, and to acquaint himself with his Creator. The labors of man are thus interrupted; the busy affairs of life come to a pause, and wiiile nature is silent around us, and the earth wrapped in her fleecy mantle forbids the labor of the husbandman, every thing invites to the contemplation of the Creator, and of the works of his hands. The winter, therefore, might be improved by every farmer to enlarge his knowledge of God, and should be regarded as a season wisely appointed for him to cultivate his understanding and improve his heart.

9 Out of the ' south Cometh the whirlwind; and cold out of the '^ north.

8. Tkf.n the bea.tts go into dens. In the winter. This fact appears to have been early observed, that in the season of cold the wild aniinais wit'idrew into caves, and that many of them became torpid. This fact Elihu adverts to as an illustration of the wisdom and greatness of God. The proof of his superintending care was seen m the fact tliat they withdrew from the cold in which they would perish, and that provision is made for their continuance in life at a time when they cannot obtain the food by which they ordinarily subsist. In that torpid and inactive state, they need little food, and remain often for months with almost no nourishment.

9. Out of the south. Marg. chainbcr. Jerome, ab interiorihus — from the interior, or inner places. Sept. 'En jaufCon' — from their chambers issue sorroiDS — 6&-v>'ctq. The Hebrew word here used ("^"ID) denotes properly an apartment, or chamber, especially an inner apartment, or a chamber in the interior of a house or tent. Gen. xliii. 30. Judges xvi. 9,12. Hence it means a bed-chamber, 2 Sam. iv. 7, or a female apartment or harem. Cant, i. 4, iii. 4. In ch.ix. 9, it is connected with the south — ' the chambers of the south ' (see Notes on that place), and means some remote, hidden regions in that quarter. There can be little doubt that the word " south " is here also to be understood, as it stands in contrast witfi a word which properly denotes the north. Still there may have been reference to a supposed opinion that whirlwinds had their origin in deep, hollow caves, and that they were owing to the winds which were supposed to be pent up there, and which raged tumultuously until they broke open the doors of their prison, and then poured forth with violence over the earth. Conip. the description of the storm in Virgil, as quoted above, in ver. 5.