c Heb. a spider's house. Isai, lix. 5, 6.- d Ch. xxvii, 18. This is the first place in which the word hypocrite Reed, hath many large flaggie leaves, somewhat trian-occurs, or the noun chaneph, which rather conveys gular and smooth, not much unlike those of cats-taile, rising immediately from a tuft of roots, compact of many strings; amongst the which it shooteth up two or three naked stalkes, square, and rising some six or seven cubits high above the water; at the top whereof there stands a tuft or bundle off chaffie threds, set in comely order, resembling a tuft of floures, but barren and void of seed;" GERARDE's Herbal, p. 40. Which of the two descriptions is easiest to be understood by common sense, either with or without a knowledge of the Latin language? This plant grows in the muddy banks of the Nile, as it requires an abundance of water for its nourishment. the idea of pollution and defilement than of hypocrisy. A hypocrite is one who only carries the mask of godliness, to serve secular purposes; who wishes to be taken for a religionist, though he is conscious he has no religion. Such a person cannot have hope of any good, because he knows he is insincere: but the person in the text has hope; therefore hypocrite cannot be the meaning of the original word. But all the vile, the polluted, and the profligate have hope; they hope to end their iniquities before they end life; and they hope to get at last to the kingdom of heaven. Hypocrite is a very improper translation of the Hebrew. Mr. Good renders, Thus shall their support rot away. The foundation on which they trust is rotten; and by and by the whole superstructure of their confidence shall tumble into ruin. Can the flag grow without water?] Parkhurst sup- Verse 14. Whose hope shall be cut off] Such persons, poses that the word achu, which we render flag, subdued by the strong habits of sin, hope on fruitis the same with that species of reed which Mr. Has-lessly, till the last thread of the web of life is cut off selquist found growing near the river Nile. He de- from the beam; and then they find no more strength scribes it (p. 97) as "having scarcely any branches, in their hope than is in the threads of the spider's web. but numerous leaves, which are narrow, smooth, channelled on the upper surface; and the plant about eleven feet high. The Egyptians make ropes of the leaves. They lay the plant in water, like hemp, and then make good and strong cables of them." AS ach signifies to join, connect, associate, hence x achi, a brother. x achu may come from the same root, and have its name from its usefulness in making ropes, cables, &c., which are composed of associated threads, and serve to tie, bind together, &c. Verse 12. Whilst it is yet in his greenness] We do not know enough of the natural history of this plant to be able to discern the strength of this allusion; but we learn from it that, although this plant be very succulent, and grow to a great size, yet it is shortlived, and speedily withers; and this we may suppose to be in the dry season, or on the retreat of the waters of the Nile. However, Soon RIPE, SOON ROTTEN, is a maxim in horticulture. Verse 13. So are the paths] The papyrus and the rush flourish while they have a plentiful supply of suze and water; but take these away, and their prosperity is speedily at an end: so it is with the wicked and profane; their prosperity is of short duration, however great it may appear to be in the beginning. Thou also, O thou enemy of God, hast flourished for a time; but the blast of God is come upon thee, and now thou art dried up from the very roots. The hypocrite's hope shall perish] A hypocrite, or rather profligate, has no inward religion, for his heart is not right with God; he has only hope, and that perishes when he gives up the ghost. Verse 15. He shall lean upon his house] This is an allusion to the spider. When he suspects his web, here called his house, to be frail or unsure, he leans upon it in different parts, propping himself on his hinder legs, and pulling with his fore claws, to see if all be safe. If he find any part of it injured, he immediately adds new cordage to that part, and attaches it strongly to the wall. When he finds all safe and strong, he retires into his hole at one corner, supposing himself to be in a state of complete security, when in a moment the brush or the besom sweeps away both himself, his house, and his confidence. This I have several times observed; and it is in this that the strength and point of the comparison consist. The wicked, whose hope is in his temporal possessions, strengthens and keeps his house in repair; and thus leans on his earthly supports; in a moment, as in the case of the spider, his house is overwhelmed by the blast of God's judgments, and himself probably buried in its ruins. This is a very fine and expressive metaphor, which not one of the commentators that I have seen has ever discovered. Verse 16. He is green before the sun] This is another metaphor. The wicked is represented as a luxuriant plant, in a good soil, with all the advantages of a good situation; well exposed to the sun; the roots intervolving themselves with stones, so as to render the tree more stable; but suddenly a blast The wretched state of the wicked, A. M. cir. 2484 a JOB. shooteth forth in his garden. about the heap, and seeth the 20 Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers: 21 Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. 22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame; and the dwelling-place of the wicked. 18 If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. 19 Behold, this is the joy of his way, and shall come to nought. b out of the earth shall others grow. a Ch. vii. 10. xx. 9. Ps. xxxvii. 36.- b Ps. cxiii. 7. Heb. take the ungodly by the hand. comes, and the tree begins to die. The sudden fading of its leaves, &c., shows that its root is become as rottenness, and its vegetable life destroyed. I have often observed sound and healthy trees, which were flourishing in all the pride of vegetative health, suddenly struck by some unknown and incomprehensible blast, begin to die away, and perish from the roots. I have seen also the prosperous wicked, in the inscrutable dispensations of the divine providence, blasted, stripped, made bare, and despoiled, in the same way. Verse 18. If he destroy him from his place] Is not this a plain reference to the alienation of his inheritance? God destroys him from it; it becomes the property of another; and on his revisiting it, the place, by a striking prosopopæia, says, "I know thee not; I have never seen thee." This also have I witnessed; I looked on it, felt regret, received instruction, and hasted away. A Verse 19. Behold, this is the joy of his way] strong irony. Here is the issue of all his mirth, of his sports, games, and pastimes! See the unfeeling, domineering, polluting and polluted scape-grace, levelled with those whom he had despised, a servant of servants, or unable to work through his debaucherics, cringing for a morsel of bread, or ingloriously ending his days in that bane of any well-ordered and civilized state, a parish workhouse. This also I have most literally witnessed. Cut of the earth shall others grow.] As in the preceding case, when one plant or tree is blasted or cut down, another may be planted in the same place; so, when a spendthrift has run through his property, another possesses his inheritance, and grows up from that soil in which he himself might have continued to flourish, had it not been for his extravagance and folly. This verse Mr. Good applies to God himself, with no advantage to the argument, nor elucidation of the sense, that I can see. I shall give his translation, and refer to his learned notes for his vindication of the version he has given: "Behold the Eternal (1) exulting in his course; Even over his dust shall raise up another." In this way none of the ancient Versions have understood the passage. I believe it to be a strong irony, similar to that which some think flowed from e d Heb. shouting for joy.- ―e Ps. xxxv. 26. cix. 29.——f Heb. shall not be. the pen of the same writer: Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these God will bring thee into judgment; Eccles. xi. 9. These two places illustrate each other. Verse 20. Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man] This is another of the maxims of the ancients, which Bildad produces: "As sure as he will punish and root out the wicked, so surely will he defend and save the righteous." Verse 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing] Perhaps it may be well to translate after Mr. Good: "Even yet may he fill thy mouth with laughter!" The two verses may be read as a prayer; and probably they were thus expressed by Bildad, who speaks with less virulence than his predecessor, though with equal positiveness in respect to the grand charge, viz., If thou wert not a sinner, of no mean magnitude, God would not have inflicted such unprecedented calamities upon thee. This most exceptionable position, which is so contrary to matter of fact, was founded upon maxims which they derived from the ancients. Surely observation must have, in numberless instances, corrected this mistake. They must have seen many worthless men in high prosperity, and many of the excellent of the earth in deep adversity and affliction; but the opposite was an article of their creed, and all appearances and facts must take its colouring. Job's friends must have been acquainted, at least, with the history of the ancient patriarchs; and most certainly they contained facts of an opposite nature. Righteous Abel was persecuted and murdered by his wicked brother Cain. Abram was obliged to leave his own country, on account of worshipping the true God: so all tradition has said. Jacob was persecuted by his brother Esau; Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; Moses was obliged to flee from Egypt, and was variously tried and afflicted, even by his own brethren. Not to mention David, and almost all the prophets. All these were proofs that the best of men were frequently exposed to sore afflictions and heavy calamities; and it is not by the prosperity or adversity of men in this world, that we are to judge of the approbation or disapprobation of God towards them. In every case our Lord's rule is infallible: By their fruits ye shall know them. Job acknowledges God's CHAP. IX. CHAPTER IX. justice and man's sinfulness. Job acknowledges God's justice and man's sinfulness, 1-3. Celebrates his almighty power as manifested in the earth and in the heavens, 4-10. Maintains that God afflicts the innocent as well as the wicked, without any respect to their works: and hath delivered the earth into the hands of the wicked, 11-24. Complains of his lot, and maintains his innocence, 25-35. NOTES ON CHAP. IX. Verse 2. I know it is so of a truth] I acknowledge the general truth of the maxims you have advanced. God will not ultimately punish a righteous person, nor shall the wicked finally triumph; and though righteous before man, and truly sincere in my piety, yet I know, when compared with the immaculate holiness of God, all my righteousness is nothing. Verse 3. If he will contend with him] God is so holy, and his law so strict, that if he will enter into judgment with his creatures, the most upright of them cannot be justified in his sight. One of a thousand.] Of a thousand offences of which he may be accused, he cannot vindicate himself even in one. How little that any man does, even in the way of righteousness, truth, and mercy, can stand the penetrating eye of a just and holy God, when all motives, feelings, and objects come to be scrutinized! In his sight, on this ground, no man living can be justified. Oh, how necessary to fallen, weak, miserable, imperfect, and sinful man, is the doctrine of justification by faith, and sanctification through the Divine Spirit, by the sacrificial death and mediation of the Lord Jesus Christ! Verse 4. He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength]| By his infinite knowledge he searches out and sees all things, and by his almighty power he can punish all delinquencies. He that rebels against him must be destroyed. Verse 5. Removeth the mountains, and they know not] This seems to refer to earthquakes. By those strong convulsions, mountains, valleys, hills, even whole islands, are removed in an instant; and to this latter circumstance the words, they know not, most probably refer. The work is done in the twinkling of an eye; no warning is given; the mountain, that Bemed to be as firm as the earth on which it rested, was in the same moment both visible and invisible; so suddenly was it swallowed up. | 6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. A. M. cir. 2484. 7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars. f i g 8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. 9h Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. heights. Gen. i. 16. Ch. xxxviii, 31, &c. Amos v. 8. i Heb. Ash, Cesil, and Cimah. Verse 6. The pillars thereof tremble.] This also refers to an earthquake, and to that tremulous motion which sometimes gives warning of the approaching catastrophe, and from which this violent convulsion of nature has received its name. Earthquakes, in scripture language, signify also violent commotions and disturbances in states; mountains often signify rulers; sun, empires; stars, petty states. But it is most likely that the expressions here are to be understood literally. Verse 7. Which commandeth the sun] Obscures it either with clouds, with thick darkness, or with an eclipse. Sealeth up the stars.] Like the contents of a letter, wrapped up and sealed, so that it cannot be read. Sometimes the heavens become as black as ebony, and no star, figure, or character in this great book of God can be read. Verse 8. And treadeth upon the waves] This is a very majestic image. God not only walks upon the waters, but, when the sea runs mountains high, he steps from billow to billow in his almighty and essential majesty. There is a similar sentiment in David, Ps. xxix. 10: "The Lord sitteth upon the flood; yea, the Lord sitteth King for ever." But both are far outdone by the Psalmist, Ps. xviii. 9—15, and especially in these words, ver. 10, He did fly on the wings of the wind. Job is great, but in every respect David is greater. Verse 9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.] For this translation the original words are ɔ wy nwy noseh ash, kesil, vechimah vechadrey theman, which are thus rendered by the SEPTUAGINT: 'O TOLWY Πλειάδα, και Εσπερον, και Αρκτούρον, και ταμεία νοτου "Who makes the Pleiades, and Hesperus, and Arcturus, and Orion, and the chambers of the south." The VULGATE, Qui facit Arcturum, et Oriona, et Hyadas, et interiora Austri; “Who maketh Arcturus, I see him not: he passeth on also, but I per-righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would ceive him not. 13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the f proud helpers do stoop under him. a Ch. v. 9. Ps. lxxi. 15.- b Ch. xxiii. 8, 9. xxxv. 14. Isai. xlv. 9. Jer. xviii. 6. Rom. ix. 20. d Heb. who can turn him away? Ch. xi. 10.- e Ch. xxvi. 12. Isai. and Orion, aud the Hyades, and the innermost chambers of the south." make supplication to my judge. 16 If I had called, and he had answered me; yet would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice. 17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds" without cause. "kimah, from a camah, to be hot or warm, denotes genial heat or warmth, as opposed to wy ash, The TARGUM follows the Hebrew, but paraphrases a parching, biting air, on the one side; and ↳ɔɔ kesil, the latter clause thus: "And the chambers or houses the rigid, contracting cold, on the other; and the of the planetary domination in the southern hemi-chambers (thick clouds) of the south." See more in sphere." Parkhurst, under . The SYRIAC and ARABIC, "Who maketh the Pleiades, and Arcturus, and the giant (Orion or Hercules), and the boundaries of the south." COVERDALE has, He maketh the waynes of heaven, the Orions, the vii starres and the secrete places of the south. And on the vii starres he has this marginal note: some call these seven starres, the clock henne with hir chickens. See below. Edmund Becke, in his edition, 1549, follows Coverdale; but puts VAYNES of heaven for waynes, which Cardmarden, in his Bible, Rouen, 1566, mistaking, changes into WAVES of heaven. Barker's Bible, 1615, reads, "He maketh the starres Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the climates of the south." On which he has this note, "These are the names of certain starres, whereby he meaneth that all starres, both knowen and unknowen, are at His appointment." Our carly translators seem to agree much with the German and Dutch: Er machet Den wagen am himmel, und Orion, und die Glucken, und die Sterne gegen mittag. "He maketh the wagon of heaven (Charles's wain), and Orion, and the clucking hen (the Pleiades), and the stars of the mid-day region." Sce above, under Coverdale. The Dutch Version is not much unlike the German, from which it is taken: Die den wagen maecht, den Orion, ende het sevengesternte, end de binnenkameren van't Zuyden. The European Versions, in general, copy one or other of the above, or make a compound translation from the whole; but all are derived ultimately from the Septuagint and Vulgate. As to the Hebrew words, they might as well have been applied to any of the other constellations of heaven: indeed, it does not appear that constellations are at all meant. Parkhurst and Bate have given, perhaps, the best interpretation of the words, which is as follows: | I need scarcely add that these words have been variously translated by critics and commentators. Dr. Hales translates kimah and kesil by Taurus and Scorpio; and, if this translation were indubitably correct, we might follow him to his conclusions, viz., that Job lived 2337 years before Christ! See at the end of this chapter. Verse 10. Great things past finding out] Great things without end; wonders without number.— Targum. He is incomprehensible in all his ways, and in all his Verse 11. Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not] GOD; for his own nature and his operations are past works; and he must be so if he be GoD, and work as finding out. Verse 12. He taketh away] He never gives, but he improved, he permits it to remain; but when it is ever lending: and while the gift is useful or is becomes useless or is misused, he recals it. him to restore it? Who can hinder him?] Literally, Who can cause account of none of his matters. He is infinitely wise, What doest thou?] He is supreme, and will give and cannot mistake. He is infinitely kind, and can do nothing cruel. He is infinitely good, and can do either his motives or his operations. nothing wrong. No one, therefore, should question Verse 13. If God will not withdraw his anger] It is of no use to contend with God; he cannot be successfully resisted; all his opposers must perish. Verse 14. How much less shall I qnswer] I cannot contend with my Maker. He is the Lawgiver and the Judge. How shall I stand in judgment before him? Verse 15. Though I were righteous] Though clear of all the crimes, public and secret, of which you accuse me, yet I would not dare to stand before his immaculate holiness. Man's holiness may profit man, but in the sight of the infinite purity of God it is nothing. Thus sung an eminent poet: "I loathe myself when God I see, And into nothing fall; Content that thou exalted be, And Christ be all in all." I would make supplication to my judge.] Though not conscious of any sin, I should not think myself thereby justified; but would, from a conviction of the exceeding breadth of the commandment, and the limited nature of my own perfection, cry out, "Cleanse thou me from secret faults!" Verse 16. If I had called, and he had answered] I could scarcely suppose, such is his majesty and such his holiness, that he could condescend to notice a being so mean, and in every respect so infinitely beneath his notice. These sentiments sufficiently confuted that slander of his friends, who said he was presumptuous, had not becoming notions of the majesty of God, and used blasphemous expressions against his sovereign authority. Verse 17. He breaketh me with a tempest] The Targum, Syriac, and Arabic have this sense: He powerfully smites even every hair of my head, and multiple my wounds without cause. That is, There is no reason known to myself, or to any man, why I should be thus most oppressively afflicted. therefore, cruel and inconsequent to assert that I suffer for my crimes. It is, Who shall set me a time] “π ♫ mi yoideni, “Who would be a witness for me?" or, Who would dare to appear in my behalf? Almost all the terms in this part of the speech of Job, from ver. 11 to ver. 24, are forensic or juridical, and are taken from legal pro and pleadings in their gates or courts of justice. Verse 20. If I justify myself] God must have e reason for his conduct towards me; I therefore do tot pretend to justify myself; the attempt to do it d be an insult to his majesty and justice. Though I am conscious of none of the crimes of which you acerse me; and know not why he contends with me; the wicked have one lot in life. A. M. cir. 2484. B. C. cir. 1520. Ante I. Ol. cir. 744. Ante U.C. c.767. 22 This is one thing, therefore I said it, "He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked. 23 If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. 24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth the faces of the judges thereof; if not, where, and who is he? 25 Now my days are swifter than a post: they flee away, they see no good. 26 They are passed away as the swift Ch. vii. 6, 7.-d Heb. ships of desire. eOr, ships of e yet he must have some reason, and that reason he does not choose to explain. Verse 21. Though I were perfect] Had I the fullest conviction that, in every thought, word, and deed, I were blameless before him, yet I would not plead this; nor would I think it any security for a life of ease and prosperity, or any proof that my days should be prolonged. Verse 22. This is one thing] My own observation shows, that in the course of providence the righteous and the wicked have an equal lot; for when any sudden calamity comes, the innocent and the guilty fall alike. There may be a few exceptions, but they are very extraordinary, and very rare. Verse 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked] Is it not most evident that the worst men Possess most of this world's goods, and that the righteous are scarcely ever in power or affluence? This was the case in Job's time; it is the case still. Therefore prosperity and adversity in this life are no marks either of God's approbation or disapprobation. He covereth the faces of the judges thereof] Or, The faces of its decisions he shall cover. God is often stated in Scripture as doing a thing which he only permits to be done. So he permits the eyes of judgment to be blinded; and hence false decisions. Mr. Good translates the verse thus: "The earth is given over to the hand of INJUSTICE; She hood-winketh the faces of its judges. Where every one liveth, is it not so?” And vindicates the translation in his learned notes: but I think the Hebrew will not bear this rendering; especially that in the third line. Where, and who is he?] If this be not the case, who is he that acts in this way, and where is he to be found? If God does not permit these things, who is it that orders them? Coverdale translates, As for the worlde, he geveth it ober into the power of the wicked, such as the rulers be wherof all londes are full. Es it not so? Where is there eny, but he is soch one? This sense is clear enough, if the original will bear it. The last clause is thus rendered by the Syriac and Arabic, Who can bear his indignation? Verse 25. Swifter than a post] ɔɔ minni rats, |