4 His children H1121 are far H7368 from safety, H3468 and they are crushed H1792 in the gate, H8179 neither is there any to deliver H5337 them.
Happy H835 is the man H1397 that hath his quiver H827 full H4390 of them: they shall not be ashamed, H954 but they shall speak H1696 with the enemies H341 in the gate. H8179
Salvation H3444 is far H7350 from the wicked: H7563 for they seek H1875 not thy statutes. H2706
Thou shalt not bow down H7812 thyself to them, nor serve H5647 them: for I the LORD H3068 thy God H430 am a jealous H7067 God, H410 visiting H6485 the iniquity H5771 of the fathers H1 upon the children H1121 unto the third H8029 and fourth H7256 generation of them that hate H8130 me;
And, behold, there came H935 a great H1419 wind H7307 from H5676 the wilderness, H4057 and smote H5060 the four H702 corners H6438 of the house, H1004 and it fell H5307 upon the young men, H5288 and they are dead; H4191 and I only am escaped H4422 alone to tell H5046 thee.
Thou knowest H1847 that I am not wicked; H7561 and there is none that can deliver H5337 out of thine hand. H3027
His roots H8328 shall be dried up H3001 beneath, and above H4605 shall his branch H7105 be cut off. H5243 His remembrance H2143 shall perish H6 from the earth, H776 and he shall have no name H8034 in the street. H6440 H2351 He shall be driven H1920 from light H216 into darkness, H2822 and chased H5074 out of the world. H8398 He shall neither have son H5209 nor nephew H5220 among his people, H5971 nor any remaining H8300 in his dwellings. H4033
Lest he tear H2963 my soul H5315 like a lion, H738 rending it in pieces, H6561 while there is none to deliver. H5337
Let his children H1121 be fatherless, H3490 and his wife H802 a widow. H490 Let his children H1121 be continually H5128 vagabonds, H5128 and beg: H7592 let them seek H1875 their bread also out of their desolate places. H2723 Let the extortioner H5383 catch H5367 all that he hath; and let the strangers H2114 spoil H962 his labour. H3018 Let there be none to extend H4900 mercy H2617 unto him: neither let there be any to favour H2603 his fatherless children. H3490 Let his posterity H319 be cut off; H3772 and in the generation H1755 following H312 let their name H8034 be blotted out. H4229 Let the iniquity H5771 of his fathers H1 be remembered H2142 with the LORD; H3068 and let not the sin H2403 of his mother H517 be blotted out. H4229 Let them be before the LORD H3068 continually, H8548 that he may cut off H3772 the memory H2143 of them from the earth. H776
Or G2228 those G1565 eighteen, G1176 G2532 G3638 upon G1909 whom G3739 the tower G4444 in G1722 Siloam G4611 fell, G4098 and G2532 slew G615 them, G846 think ye G1380 that G3754 they G3778 were G1096 sinners G3781 above G3844 all G3956 men G444 that dwelt G2730 in G1722 Jerusalem? G2419 I tell G3004 you, G5213 Nay: G3780 but, G235 except G3362 ye repent, G3340 ye shall G622 all G3956 likewise G3668 perish. G622
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 5
Commentary on Job 5 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 5
Job 5:1-27. Eliphaz' Conclusion from the Vision.
1. if there be any, &c.—Rather, "will He (God) reply to thee?" Job, after the revelation just given, cannot be so presumptuous as to think God or any of the holy ones (Da 4:17, "angels") round His throne, will vouchsafe a reply (a judicial expression) to his rebellious complaint.
2. wrath … envy—fretful and passionate complaints, such as Eliphaz charged Job with (Job 4:5; so Pr 14:30). Not, the wrath of God killeth the foolish, and His envy, &c.
3. the foolish—the wicked. I have seen the sinner spread his "root" wide in prosperity, yet circumstances "suddenly" occurred which gave occasion for his once prosperous dwelling being "cursed" as desolate (Ps 37:35, 36; Jer 17:8).
4. His children … crushed in the gate—A judicial formula. The gate was the place of judgment and of other public proceedings (Ps 127:5; Pr 22:22; Ge 23:10; De 21:19). Such propylæa have been found in the Assyrian remains. Eliphaz obliquely alludes to the calamity which cut off Job's children.
5. even out of the thorns—Even when part of the grain remains hanging on the thorn bushes (or, "is growing among thorns," Mt 13:7), the hungry gleaner does not grudge the trouble of even taking it away, so clean swept away is the harvest of the wicked.
the robber—as the Sabeans, who robbed Job. Rather, translate "the thirsty," as the antithesis in the parallelism, "the hungry," proves.
6. Although—rather, "for truly" [Umbreit].
affliction cometh not forth of the dust—like a weed, of its own accord. Eliphaz hints that the cause of it lay with Job himself.
7. Yet—rather, "Truly," or, But affliction does not come from chance, but is the appointment of God for sin; that is, the original birth-sin of man. Eliphaz passes from the particular sin and consequent suffering of Job to the universal sin and suffering of mankind. Troubles spring from man's common sin by as necessary a law of natural consequences as sparks (Hebrew, "sons of coal") fly upward. Troubles are many and fiery, as sparks (1Pe 4:12; Isa 43:2). Umbreit for "sparks" has "birds of prey;" literally, "sons of lightning," not so well.
8. Therefore (as affliction is ordered by God, on account of sin), "I would" have you to "seek unto God" (Isa 8:19; Am 5:8; Jer 5:24).
11. Connected with Job 5:9. His "unsearchable" dealings are with a view to raise the humble and abase the proud (Lu 1:52). Therefore Job ought to turn humbly to Him.
12. enterprise—literally, "realization." The Hebrew combines in the one word the two ideas, wisdom and happiness, "enduring existence" being the etymological and philosophical root of the combined notion [Umbreit].
13. Paul (1Co 3:19) quoted this clause with the formula establishing its inspiration, "it is written." He cites the exact Hebrew words, not as he usually does the Septuagint, Greek version (Ps 9:15). Haman was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai (Es 5:14; 7:10).
the wise—that is, "the cunning."
is carried headlong—Their scheme is precipitated before it is ripe.
14. Judicial blindness often is sent upon keen men of the world (De 28:29; Isa 59:10; Joh 9:39).
15. "From the sword" which proceedeth "from their mouth" (Ps 59:7; 57:4).
16. the poor hath hope—of the interposition of God.
iniquity stoppeth her mouth—(Ps 107:42; Mic 7:9, 10; Isa 52:15). Especially at the last day, through shame (Jude 15; Mt 22:12). The "mouth" was the offender (Job 5:15), and the mouth shall then be stopped (Isa 25:8) at the end.
17. happy—not that the actual suffering is joyous; but the consideration of the righteousness of Him who sends it, and the end for which it is sent, make it a cause for thankfulness, not for complaints, such as Job had uttered (Heb 12:11). Eliphaz implies that the end in this case is to call back Job from the particular sin of which he takes for granted that Job is guilty. Paul seems to allude to this passage in Heb 12:5; so Jas 1:12; Pr 3:12. Eliphaz does not give due prominence to this truth, but rather to Job's sin. It is Elihu alone (Job 32:1-37:24) who fully dwells upon the truth, that affliction is mercy and justice in disguise, for the good of the sufferer.
18. he maketh sore, and bindeth up—(De 32:39; Ho 6:1; 1Sa 2:6). An image from binding up a wound. The healing art consisted much at that time in external applications.
19. in six … yea, in seven—(Pr 6:16; Am 1:3). The Hebrew idiom fixes on a certain number (here "six"), in order to call attention as to a thing of importance; then increases the force by adding, with a "yea, nay seven," the next higher number; here "seven," the sacred and perfect number. In all possible troubles; not merely in the precise number "seven."
20. power—(Jer 5:12). Hebrew, "hands."
of the sword—(Eze 35:5, Margin). Hands are given to the sword personified as a living agent.
21. (Ps 31:20; Jer 18:18). Smite (Psalm 73. 9).
22. famine thou shalt laugh—Not, in spite of destruction and famine, which is true (Hab 3:17, 18), though not the truth meant by Eliphaz, but because those calamities shall not come upon thee. A different Hebrew word from that in Job 5:20; there, famine in general; here, the languid state of those wanting proper nutriment [Barnes].
23. in league with the stones of the field—They shall not hurt the fertility of thy soil; nor the wild beasts thy fruits; spoken in Arabia-Deserta, where stones abounded. Arabia, derived from Arabah—a desert plain. The first clause of this verse answers to the first clause of Job 5:22; and the last of this verse to the last of that verse. The full realization of this is yet future (Isa 65:23, 25; Ho 2:18).
24. know—"Thou shalt rest in the assurance, that thine habitation is the abode of peace; and (if) thou numberest thine herd, thine expectations prove not fallacious" [Umbreit]. "Sin" does not agree with the context. The Hebrew word—"to miss" a mark, said of archers (Jud 20:16). The Hebrew for "habitation" primarily means "the fold for cattle"; and for "visit," often to "take an account of, to number." "Peace" is the common Eastern salutation; including inward and outward prosperity.
25. as the grass—(Ps 72:16). Properly, "herb-bearing seed" (Ge 1:11, 12).
26. in a full age—So "full of days" (Job 42:17; Ge 35:29). Not mere length of years, but ripeness for death, one's inward and outward full development not being prematurely cut short, is denoted (Isa 65:22).
Thou shalt come—not literally, but expressing willingness to die. Eliphaz speaks from the Old Testament point of view, which made full years a reward of the righteous (Ps 91:16; Ex 20:12), and premature death the lot of the wicked (Ps 55:23). The righteous are immortal till their work is done. To keep them longer would be to render them less fit to die. God takes them at their best (Isa 57:1). The good are compared to wheat (Mt 13:30).
cometh in—literally, "ascends." The corn is lifted up off the earth and carried home; so the good man "is raised into the heap of sheaves" [Umbreit].
27. searched it … for thy good—literally, "for thyself" (Ps 111:2; Pr 2:4; 9:12).