1 Then Job answered and said,
2 I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God?
3 If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered?
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger.
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.
7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8 Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea.
9 Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south.
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 If God will not withdraw his anger, the proud helpers do stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would 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.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
19 If I speak of strength, lo, he is strong: and if of judgment, who shall set me a time to plead?
20 If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me: if I say, I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse.
21 Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
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 ships: as the eagle that hasteth to the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my heaviness, and comfort myself:
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 If I be wicked, why then labour I in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean;
31 Yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment.
33 Neither is there any daysman betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his fear terrify me:
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
1 Then Job H347 answered H6030 and said, H559
2 I know H3045 it is so of a truth: H551 but how should man H582 be just H6663 with God? H410
3 If he will H2654 contend H7378 with him, he cannot answer H6030 him one H259 of a thousand. H505
4 He is wise H2450 in heart, H3824 and mighty H533 in strength: H3581 who hath hardened H7185 himself against him, and hath prospered? H7999
5 Which removeth H6275 the mountains, H2022 and they know H3045 not: which overturneth H2015 them in his anger. H639
6 Which shaketh H7264 the earth H776 out of her place, H4725 and the pillars H5982 thereof tremble. H6426
7 Which commandeth H559 the sun, H2775 and it riseth H2224 not; and sealeth up H2856 the stars. H3556
8 Which alone spreadeth out H5186 the heavens, H8064 and treadeth H1869 upon the waves H1116 of the sea. H3220
9 Which maketh H6213 Arcturus, H5906 Orion, H3685 and Pleiades, H3598 and the chambers H2315 of the south. H8486
10 Which doeth H6213 great things H1419 past H369 finding out; H2714 yea, and wonders H6381 without number. H4557
11 Lo, he goeth H5674 by me, and I see H7200 him not: he passeth on H2498 also, but I perceive H995 him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away, H2862 who can hinder H7725 him? who will say H559 unto him, What doest H6213 thou?
13 If God H433 will not withdraw H7725 his anger, H639 the proud H7293 helpers H5826 do stoop H7817 under him.
14 How much less shall I answer H6030 him, and choose out H977 my words H1697 to reason with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, H6663 yet would I not answer, H6030 but I would make supplication H2603 to my judge. H8199
16 If I had called, H7121 and he had answered H6030 me; yet would I not believe H539 that he had hearkened H238 unto my voice. H6963
17 For he breaketh H7779 me with a tempest, H8183 and multiplieth H7235 my wounds H6482 without cause. H2600
18 He will not suffer H5414 me to take H7725 my breath, H7307 but filleth H7646 me with bitterness. H4472
19 If I speak of strength, H3581 lo, he is strong: H533 and if of judgment, H4941 who shall set H3259 me a time to plead?
20 If I justify H6663 myself, mine own mouth H6310 shall condemn H7561 me: if I say, I am perfect, H8535 it shall also prove me perverse. H6140
21 Though I were perfect, H8535 yet would I not know H3045 my soul: H5315 I would despise H3988 my life. H2416
22 This is one H259 thing, therefore I said H559 it, He destroyeth H3615 the perfect H8535 and the wicked. H7563
23 If the scourge H7752 slay H4191 suddenly, H6597 he will laugh H3932 at the trial H4531 of the innocent. H5355
24 The earth H776 is given H5414 into the hand H3027 of the wicked: H7563 he covereth H3680 the faces H6440 of the judges H8199 thereof; if not, where, H645 and who is he?
25 Now my days H3117 are swifter H7043 than a post: H7323 they flee away, H1272 they see H7200 no good. H2896
26 They are passed away H2498 as H5973 the swift H16 ships: H591 as the eagle H5404 that hasteth H2907 to the prey. H400
27 If I say, H559 I will forget H7911 my complaint, H7879 I will leave off H5800 my heaviness, H6440 and comfort H1082 myself:
28 I am afraid H3025 of all my sorrows, H6094 I know H3045 that thou wilt not hold me innocent. H5352
29 If I be wicked, H7561 why then labour H3021 I in vain? H1892
30 If I wash H7364 myself with H7950 snow water, H4325 H1119 and make my hands H3709 never H1252 H1253 so clean; H2141
31 Yet H227 shalt thou plunge H2881 me in the ditch, H7845 and mine own clothes H8008 shall abhor H8581 me.
32 For he is not a man, H376 as I am, that I should answer H6030 him, and we should come H935 together H3162 in judgment. H4941
33 Neither is H3426 there any daysman H3198 betwixt us, that might lay H7896 his hand H3027 upon us both. H8147
34 Let him take H5493 his rod H7626 away H5493 from me, and let not his fear H367 terrify H1204 me:
35 Then would I speak, H1696 and not fear H3372 him; but it is not so with me.
1 Then Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth I know that it is so: But how can man be just with God?
3 If he be pleased to contend with him, He cannot answer him one of a thousand.
4 `He is' wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?-
5 `Him' that removeth the mountains, and they know it not, When he overturneth them in his anger;
6 That shaketh the earth out of its place, And the pillars thereof tremble;
7 That commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, And sealeth up the stars;
8 That alone stretcheth out the heavens, And treadeth upon the waves of the sea;
9 That maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
10 That doeth great things past finding out, Yea, marvellous things without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: He passeth on also, but I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he seizeth `the prey', who can hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab do stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, And choose out my words `to reason' with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he hearkened unto my voice.
17 For he breaketh me with a tempest, And multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He will not suffer me to take my breath, But filleth me with bitterness.
19 If `we speak' of strength, lo, `he is' mighty! And if of justice, Who, `saith he', will summon me?
20 Though I be righteous, mine own mouth shall condemn me: Though I be perfect, it shall prove me perverse.
21 I am perfect; I regard not myself; I despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I say, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge slay suddenly, He will mock 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 `it be' not `he', who then is it?
25 Now my days are swifter than a post: They flee away, they see no good,
26 They are passed away as the swift ships; As the eagle that swoopeth on the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will put off my `sad' countenance, and be of good cheer;
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow water, And make my hands never so clean;
31 Yet wilt thou plunge me in the ditch, And mine own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire betwixt us, That might lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, And let not his terror make me afraid:
35 Then would I speak, and not fear him; For I am not so in myself.
1 And Job answereth and saith: --
2 Truly I have known that `it is' so, And what -- is man righteous with God?
3 If he delight to strive with Him -- He doth not answer him one of a thousand.
4 Wise in heart and strong in power -- Who hath hardened toward Him and is at peace?
5 Who is removing mountains, And they have not known, Who hath overturned them in His anger.
6 Who is shaking earth from its place, And its pillars move themselves.
7 Who is speaking to the sun, and it riseth not, And the stars He sealeth up.
8 Stretching out the heavens by Himself, And treading on the heights of the sea,
9 Making Osh, Kesil, and Kimah, And the inner chambers of the south.
10 Doing great things till there is no searching, And wonderful, till there is no numbering.
11 Lo, He goeth over by me, and I see not, And He passeth on, and I attend not to it.
12 Lo, He snatches away, who bringeth it back? Who saith unto Him, `What dost Thou?'
13 God doth not turn back His anger, Under Him bowed have proud helpers.
14 How much less do I -- I answer Him? Choose out my words with Him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, I answer not, For my judgment I make supplication.
16 Though I had called and He answereth me, I do not believe that He giveth ear `to' my voice.
17 Because with a tempest He bruiseth me, And hath multiplied my wounds for nought.
18 He permitteth me not to refresh my spirit, But filleth me with bitter things.
19 If of power, lo, the Strong One; And if of judgment -- who doth convene me?
20 If I be righteous, Mine mouth doth declare me wicked, Perfect I am! -- it declareth me perverse.
21 Perfect I am! -- I know not my soul, I despise my life.
22 It is the same thing, therefore I said, `The perfect and the wicked He is consuming.'
23 If a scourge doth put to death suddenly, At the trial of the innocent He laugheth.
24 Earth hath been given Into the hand of the wicked one. The face of its judges he covereth, If not -- where, who `is' he?
25 My days have been swifter than a runner, They have fled, they have not seen good,
26 They have passed on with ships of reed, As an eagle darteth on food.
27 Though I say, `I forget my talking, I forsake my corner, and I brighten up!'
28 I have been afraid of all my griefs, I have known that Thou dost not acquit me.
29 I -- I am become wicked; why `is' this? `In' vain I labour.
30 If I have washed myself with snow-water, And purified with soap my hands,
31 Then in corruption Thou dost dip me, And my garments have abominated me.
32 But if a man like myself -- I answer him, We come together into judgment.
33 If there were between us an umpire, He doth place his hand on us both.
34 He doth turn aside from off me his rod, And His terror doth not make me afraid,
35 I speak, and do not fear Him, But I am not right with myself.
1 And Job answered and said,
2 Of a truth I know it is so; but how can man be just with ùGod?
3 If he shall choose to strive with him, he cannot answer him one thing of a thousand.
4 He is wise in heart and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and had peace?
5 Who removeth mountains, and they know it not, when he overturneth them in his anger;
6 Who shaketh the earth out of its place, and the pillars thereof tremble;
7 Who commandeth the sun, and it riseth not, and he sealeth up the stars;
8 Who alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the high waves of the sea;
9 Who maketh the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, and the chambers of the south;
10 Who doeth great things past finding out, and wonders without number.
11 Lo, he goeth by me, and I see [him] not; and he passeth along, and I perceive him not.
12 Behold, he taketh away: who will hinder him? Who will say unto him, What doest thou?
13 +God withdraweth not his anger; the proud helpers stoop under him:
14 How much less shall I answer him, choose out my words [to strive] with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, [yet] would I not answer; I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, I would not believe that he hearkened to my voice, --
17 He, who crusheth me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause.
18 He suffereth me not to take my breath, for he filleth me with bitternesses.
19 Be it a question of strength, lo, [he is] strong; and be it of judgment, who will set me a time?
20 If I justified myself, mine own mouth would condemn me; were I perfect, he would prove me perverse.
21 Were I perfect, [yet] would I not know my soul: I would despise my life.
22 It is all one; therefore I said, he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kill suddenly, he mocketh at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given over into the hand of the wicked [man]; he covereth the faces of its judges. If not, who then is it?
25 And my days are swifter than a runner: they flee away, they see no good.
26 They pass by like skiffs of reed; as an eagle that swoops upon the prey.
27 If I say, I will forget my complaint, I will leave off my [sad] countenance, and brighten up,
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows; I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 Be it that I am wicked, why then do I labour in vain?
30 If I washed myself with snow-water, and cleansed my hands in purity,
31 Then wouldest thou plunge me in the ditch, and mine own clothes would abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him; that we should come together in judgment.
33 There is not an umpire between us, who should lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, and let not his terror make me afraid,
35 [Then] I will speak, and not fear him; but it is not so with me.
1 Then Job answered,
2 "Truly I know that it is so, But how can man be just with God?
3 If he is pleased to contend with him, He can't answer him one time in a thousand.
4 God who is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: Who has hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 Who removes the mountains, and they don't know it, When he overturns them in his anger
6 Who shakes the earth out of its place; The pillars of it tremble;
7 Who commands the sun, and it doesn't rise, And seals up the stars;
8 Who alone stretches out the heavens, Treads on the waves of the sea;
9 Who makes the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiades, And the chambers of the south;
10 Who does great things past finding out, Yes, marvelous things without number.
11 Behold, he goes by me, and I don't see him. He passes on also, but I don't perceive him.
12 Behold, he snatches away; who can hinder him? Who will ask him, 'What are you doing?'
13 "God will not withdraw his anger; The helpers of Rahab stoop under him.
14 How much less shall I answer him, Choose my words to argue with him?
15 Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer. I would make supplication to my judge.
16 If I had called, and he had answered me, Yet would I not believe that he listened to my voice.
17 For he breaks me with a tempest, Multiplies my wounds without cause.
18 He will not allow me to take my breath, But fills me with bitterness.
19 If it is a matter of strength, behold, he is mighty! If of justice, 'Who,' says he, 'will summon me?'
20 Though I am righteous, my own mouth shall condemn me. Though I am blameless, it shall prove me perverse.
21 I am blameless. I don't regard myself. I despise my life.
22 "It is all the same. Therefore I say, He destroys the blameless and the wicked.
23 If the scourge kills suddenly, He will mock at the trial of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hand of the wicked. He covers the faces of the judges of it. If not he, then who is it?
25 "Now my days are swifter than a runner. They flee away, they see no good,
26 They have passed away as the swift ships, As the eagle that swoops on the prey.
27 If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will put off my sad face, and cheer up;'
28 I am afraid of all my sorrows, I know that you will not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be condemned; Why then do I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself with snow, And cleanse my hands with lye,
31 Yet you will plunge me in the ditch. My own clothes shall abhor me.
32 For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment.
33 There is no umpire between us, That might lay his hand on us both.
34 Let him take his rod away from me, Let his terror not make me afraid:
35 Then I would speak, and not fear him, For I am not so in myself.
1 And Job made answer and said,
2 Truly, I see that it is so: and how is it possible for a man to get his right before God?
3 If a man was desiring to go to law with him, he would not be able to give him an answer to one out of a thousand questions.
4 He is wise in heart and great in strength: who ever made his face hard against him, and any good came of it?
5 It is he who takes away the mountains without their knowledge, overturning them in his wrath:
6 Who is moving the earth out of its place, so that its pillars are shaking:
7 Who gives orders to the sun, and it does not give its light; and who keeps the stars from shining.
8 By whose hand the heavens were stretched out, and who is walking on the waves of the sea:
9 Who made the Bear and Orion, and the Pleiades, and the store-houses of the south:
10 Who does great things not to be searched out; yes, wonders without number.
11 See, he goes past me and I see him not: he goes on before, but I have no knowledge of him.
12 If he puts out his hand to take, by whom may it be turned back? who may say to him, What are you doing?
13 God's wrath may not be turned back; the helpers of Rahab were bent down under him.
14 How much less may I give an answer to him, using the right words in argument with him?
15 Even if my cause was good, I would not be able to give an answer; I would make request for grace from him who was against me.
16 If I had sent for him to be present, and he had come, I would have no faith that he would give ear to my voice.
17 For I would be crushed by his storm, my wounds would be increased without cause.
18 He would not let me take my breath, but I would be full of bitter grief.
19 If it is a question of strength, he says, Here I am! and if it is a question of a cause at law, he says, Who will give me a fixed day?
20 Though I was in the right, he would say that I was in the wrong; I have done no evil; but he says that I am a sinner.
21 I have done no wrong; I give no thought to what becomes of me; I have no desire for life.
22 It is all the same to me; so I say, He puts an end to the sinner and to him who has done no wrong together.
23 If death comes suddenly through disease, he makes sport of the fate of those who have done no wrong.
24 The land is given into the power of the evil-doer; the faces of its judges are covered; if not by him, then who has done it?
25 My days go quicker than a post-runner: they go in flight, they see no good.
26 They go rushing on like reed-boats, like an eagle dropping suddenly on its food.
27 If I say, I will put my grief out of mind, I will let my face be sad no longer and I will be bright;
28 I go in fear of all my pains; I am certain that I will not be free from sin in your eyes.
29 You will not let me be clear of sin! why then do I take trouble for nothing?
30 If I am washed with snow water, and make my hands clean with soap;
31 Then you will have me pushed into the dust, so that I will seem disgusting to my very clothing.
32 For he is not a man as I am, that I might give him an answer, that we might come together before a judge.
33 There is no one to give a decision between us, who might have control over us.
34 Let him take away his rod from me and not send his fear on me:
35 Then I would say what is in my mind without fear of him; for there is no cause of fear in myself.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 9
Commentary on Job 9 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 9
FIRST SERIES.
Job 9:1-35. Reply of Job to Bildad.
2. I know it is so of a truth—that God does not "pervert justice" (Job 8:3). But (even though I be sure of being in the right) how can a mere man assert his right—(be just) with God. The Gospel answers (Ro 3:26).
3. If he—God
will contend with him—literally, "deign to enter into judgment."
he cannot answer, &c.—He (man) would not dare, even if he had a thousand answers in readiness to one question of God's, to utter one of them, from awe of His Majesty.
4. wise in heart—in understanding!—and mighty in power! God confounds the ablest arguer by His wisdom, and the mightiest by His power.
hardened himself—or his neck (Pr 29:1); that is, defied God. To prosper, one must fall in with God's arrangements of providence and grace.
5. and they know not—Hebrew for "suddenly, unexpectedly, before they are aware of it" (Ps 35:8); "at unawares"; Hebrew, which "he knoweth not of" (Joe 2:14; Pr 5:6).
6. The earth is regarded, poetically, as resting on pillars, which tremble in an earthquake (Ps 75:3; Isa 24:20). The literal truth as to the earth is given (Job 26:7).
7. The sun, at His command, does not rise; namely, in an eclipse, or the darkness that accompanies earthquakes (Job 9:6).
sealeth up the stars—that is, totally covers as one would seal up a room, that its contents may not be seen.
8. spreadeth out—(Isa 40:22; Ps 104:2). But throughout it is not so much God's creating, as His governing, power over nature that is set forth. A storm seems a struggle between Nature and her Lord! Better, therefore, "Who boweth the heavens alone," without help of any other. God descends from the bowed-down heaven to the earth (Ps 18:9). The storm, wherein the clouds descend, suggests this image. In the descent of the vault of heaven, God has come down from His high throne and walks majestically over the mountain waves (Hebrew, "heights"), as a conqueror taming their violence. So "tread upon" (De 33:29; Am 4:13; Mt 14:26). The Egyptian hieroglyphic for impossibility is a man walking on waves.
9. maketh—rather, from the Arabic, "covereth up." This accords better with the context, which describes His boundless power as controller rather than as creator [Umbreit].
Arcturus—the great bear, which always revolves about the pole, and never sets. The Chaldeans and Arabs, early named the stars and grouped them in constellations; often travelling and tending flocks by night, they would naturally do so, especially as the rise and setting of some stars mark the distinction of seasons. Brinkley, presuming the stars here mentioned to be those of Taurus and Scorpio, and that these were the cardinal constellations of spring and autumn in Job's time, calculates, by the precession of equinoxes, the time of Job to be eight hundred eighteen years after the deluge, and one hundred eighty-four before Abraham.
Orion—Hebrew, "the fool"; in Job 38:31 he appears fettered with "bands." The old legend represented this star as a hero, who presumptuously rebelled against God, and was therefore a fool, and was chained in the sky as a punishment; for its rising is at the stormy period of the year. He is Nimrod (the exceedingly impious rebel) among the Assyrians; Orion among the Greeks. Sabaism (worship of the heavenly hosts) and hero-worship were blended in his person. He first subverted the patriarchal order of society by substituting a chieftainship based on conquest (Ge 10:9, 10).
Pleiades—literally, "the heap of stars"; Arabic, "knot of stars." The various names of this constellation in the East express the close union of the stars in it (Am 5:8).
chambers of the south—the unseen regions of the southern hemisphere, with its own set of stars, as distinguished from those just mentioned of the northern. The true structure of the earth is here implied.
10. Repeated from Eliphaz (Job 5:9).
11. I see him not: he passeth on—The image is that of a howling wind (Isa 21:1). Like it when it bursts invisibly upon man, so God is felt in the awful effects of His wrath, but is not seen (Joh 3:8). Therefore, reasons Job, it is impossible to contend with Him.
12. If "He taketh away," as in my case all that was dear to me, still a mortal cannot call Him to account. He only takes His own. He is an absolute King (Ec 8:4; Da 4:35).
13. If God—rather, "God will not withdraw His anger," that is, so long as a mortal obstinately resists [Umbreit].
the proud helpers—The arrogant, who would help one contending with the Almighty, are of no avail against Him.
14. How much less shall I? &c.—who am weak, seeing that the mighty have to stoop before Him. Choose words (use a well-chosen speech, in order to reason) with Him.
15. (Job 10:15). Though I were conscious of no sin, yet I would not dare to say so, but leave it to His judgment and mercy to justify me (1Co 4:4).
16, 17. would I not believe that he had hearkened unto my voice—who breaketh me (as a tree stripped of its leaves) with a tempest.
19. Umbreit takes these as the words of God, translating, "What availeth the might of the strong?" "Here (saith he) behold! what availeth justice? Who will appoint me a time to plead?" (So Jer 49:19). The last words certainly apply better to God than to Job. The sense is substantially the same if we make "me" apply to Job. The "lo!" expresses God's swift readiness for battle when challenged.
20. it—(Job 15:6; Lu 19:22); or "He," God.
21. Literally, here (and in Job 9:20), "I perfect! I should not know my soul! I would despise," [that is], "disown my life"; that is, Though conscious of innocence, I should be compelled, in contending with the infinite God, to ignore my own soul and despise my past life as if it were guilty [Rosenmuller].
22. one thing—"It is all one; whether perfect or wicked—He destroyeth." This was the point Job maintained against his friends, that the righteous and wicked alike are afflicted, and that great sufferings here do not prove great guilt (Lu 13:1-5; Ec 9:2).
23. If—Rather, "While (His) scourge slays suddenly (the wicked, Job 9:22), He laughs at (disregards; not derides) the pining away of the innocent." The only difference, says Job, between the innocent and guilty is, the latter are slain by a sudden stroke, the former pine away gradually. The translation, "trial," does not express the antithesis to "slay suddenly," as "pining away" does [Umbreit].
24. Referring to righteous "judges," in antithesis to "the wicked" in the parallel first clause, whereas the wicked oppressor often has the earth given into his hand, the righteous judges are led to execution—culprits had their faces covered preparatory to execution (Es 7:8). Thus the contrast of the wicked and righteous here answers to that in Job 9:23.
if not, where and who?—If God be not the cause of these anomalies, where is the cause to be found, and who is he?
25. a post—a courier. In the wide Persian empire such couriers, on dromedaries or on foot, were employed to carry the royal commands to the distant provinces (Es 3:13, 15; 8:14). "My days" are not like the slow caravan, but the fleet post. The "days" are themselves poetically said to "see no good," instead of Job in them (1Pe 3:10).
26. swift ships—rather, canoes of reeds or papyrus skiffs, used on the Nile, swift from their lightness (Isa 18:2).
28. The apodosis to Job 9:27—"If I say, &c." "I still am afraid of all my sorrows (returning), for I know that thou wilt (dost) (by removing my sufferings) not hold or declare me innocent. How then can I leave off my heaviness?"
29. The "if" is better omitted; I (am treated by God as) wicked; why then labor I in vain (to disprove His charge)? Job submits, not so much because he is convinced that God is right, as because God is powerful and he weak [Barnes].
30. snow water—thought to be more cleansing than common water, owing to the whiteness of snow (Ps 51:7; Isa 1:18).
never so clean—Better, to answer to the parallelism of the first clause which expresses the cleansing material, "lye:" the Arabs used alkali mixed with oil, as soap (Ps 73:13; Jer 2:22).
32. (Ec 6:10; Isa 45:9).
33. daysman—"mediator," or "umpire"; the imposition of whose hand expresses power to adjudicate between the persons. There might be one on a level with Job, the one party; but Job knew of none on a level with the Almighty, the other party (1Sa 2:25). We Christians know of such a Mediator (not, however, in the sense of umpire) on a level with both—the God-man, Christ Jesus (1Ti 2:5).
34. rod—not here the symbol of punishment, but of power. Job cannot meet God on fair terms so long as God deals with him on the footing of His almighty power.
35. it is not so with me—As it now is, God not taking His rod away, I am not on such a footing of equality as to be able to vindicate myself.