Historical chapter commentary
Verse 2. Heat. Hebrew “east wind,” ( Bible.) or give vent to passion. Bible.—Eliphaz now rebukes Job without any reserve. Calmet.—He was perhaps displeased at the comparison used by the latter. Calmet. 13:4. Baldad had also hinted that Job’s discourse was nothing but wind. Calmet. 8:2. Bible.—Being unable to answer his arguments, he reviles him as an enemy of God. Worthington.
Verse 3. Equal. God, who is far above thee. Hebrew “Will he (the wise) argue with less words, or with speeches which are nothing to the purpose?” Calmet.
Verse 4. God. Another, after thy example, will assert his own innocence under affliction, and will not fear, nor have recourse to God by humble prayer. Behold the dangerous consequences of thy principle. Calmet.
Verse 5. Blasphemers. Hebrew “of the crafty,” which is sometimes taken in a good sense. Septuagint “thou hast not distinguished the speeches of the princes.” Thou hast not shewn respect to our admonitions, ( Calmet.) or understood our meaning. Bible.—Thou rather choosest to imitate those false sages, who strive to deceive the world. Abuse could hardly be carried to greater lengths than it is by this man; who before spoke with some moderation. Calmet. 4. Calmet.
Verse 7. First. Is thy experience so great, ( Menochius.) or art thou the most excellent of men? To hear thee we are but novices. Calmet. 13:5. Calmet.
Verse 8. His. Hebrew “dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? Septuagint “or has wisdom come to thee?” Bible.
Verse 10. Fathers. Hebrew and Septuagint “father.” Bible.—Eliphaz always speaks first, and hints that he was as old, perhaps older, than Job; who had rather found fault with the youth of Sophar. Calmet. 12:12. He also boasts that they, or their country, furnished master of great wisdom and experience than even Job’s father. Calmet.
Verse 11. Thee. This would not be difficult, ( Tirinus.) if thy presumption did not prove an obstacle. Thou makest small account of those comforts or of our advice, trusting in thy own justice. Calmet.—Septuagint “Thou hast been chastised little, considering thy sins. Thou hast spoken with excessive insolence.”
Verse 12. Why. Septuagint “What has thy heart dared, or what have thine eyes brought thee?” Hebrew “what do thy eyes wink at?” ( Bible.) through pride and disdain. Psalms 34:19. Proverbs 6:13. Calmet.—We need not wonder that Eliphaz should misunderstand the looks of Job, ( Bible.) since he gives such a false notion of his speeches. Calmet.
Verse 14. Just. Few are free from all spot; but venial sins do not hinder a man from being styled truly virtuous. Worthington.
Verse 15. Unchangeable, of his own nature, and during this life. Calmet.—Hebrew and Septuagint “is not trusted by him,” till they have been tried, ( Bible. Calmet. 4:17. None is good but God alone. Mar. 10:18) in comparison. Tirinus.
Verse 16. Water, with the utmost avidity and unconcern. Proverbs 10:23 and 26:6.
Verse 17. Seen. He had before given himself out for a prophet. Perhaps he may only mean to deliver what he had been taught, or had learned by experience, verse 18. His observations are in themselves just; but the application to Job is no less insulting. Calmet.
Verse 18. Wise. Prot. “which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it.” Calmet. 8:8. The authority of tradition was then very great; and why should it now be despised? Bible.
Verse 19. Them. Their antiquity, courage, and purity of morals must consequently be greater, as they have preserved themselves from the inroads of strangers. Calmet.
Verse 20. Proud; uncertain. Hebrew “in pain.” Bible.—Septuagint “numbered,” or few. Genesis 34:30. These are the maxims which Eliphaz had received in a vision, or from the ancients, verse 17. The description of a tyrant’s life was admirably verified in Dionysius, of Syracuse, ( Calmet.) and in our Cromwell, ( Bible.)—
“—pale and trembling in the dead of night.” Pope.
—who rarely lodged two night in one chamber. Clarendon.—Such live in dread, ( Bible.) and seldom die a natural death.
Ad generum Cereris sine cæde et vulnere pauci
Descendunt reges et siccâ morte Tyranni. Juv. x. 113.
Nocte dieque suum gestare in pectore testem. Juv. xiii.
They bear always about the witness, “conscience.” Bible.—They distrust every one, and are hated by all.
Districtus ensis cui super impia
Cervice pendet, and so forth Hor. iii. Ode 1.
—These miseries are incident to the wicked, but are improperly addressed to Job. Worthington.
Verse 26. And is. Hebrew “even upon the thick bosses of his buckler.” Bible.—God thus seizes his antagonist, who, like Pharao, swells with pride. Calmet. Deuteronomy 32:15.
Verse 28. Heaps, by his ambition and fury, ( Calmet.) and exactions, (Cajet. Menochius.) till the king chooses to rebuild the cities. Vatab.
Verse 31. That he. Hebrew and Septuagint “for vanity shall be his reward.” Bible.—If he would repent, he might still be safe. Menochius.
Verse 32. Hands; strength and prosperity. Calmet.—Septuagint “his branch shall not grow thick.” Bible.
Verse 33. First. Hebrew “unripe.” Bible.—He shall derive no aid or comfort from his young family.
Verse 34. Congregation, or family.—Bribes. Lit. “presents,” which Bible. frequently were not given freely, but extorted as a real tribute. Calmet.—Septuagint “for the death of the wicked is a martyrdom,” or proof of his impiety. “But fire shall consume the houses of the present (or bribe) receivers.”
Verse 35. Sorrow. Hebrew “mischief.” Bible. See Psalms 7:15. Isaiah 49:4.—The tree is known by its fruit. Eliphaz sufficiently insinuates, that he is speaking of Job. Calmet.—His, or “its,” the congregation’s womb, verse 34. Prot. “their belly.” Bible.