13 But he stands alone, and who can oppose him? What his soul desires, even that he does.
But our God is in the heavens. He does whatever he pleases.
God is not a man, that he should lie, Neither the son of man, that he should repent: Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it good? Behold, I have received [commandment] to bless: He has blessed, and I can't reverse it.
There are many plans in a man's heart, But Yahweh's counsel will prevail.
All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; and he does according to his will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth; and none can stay his hand, or tell him, What do you?
When he gives quietness, who then can condemn? When he hides his face, who then can see him? Alike whether to a nation, or to a man:
That which is crooked can't be made straight; and that which is lacking can't be counted.
Yahweh of Hosts has sworn, saying, Surely, as I have thought, so shall it happen; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand: that I will break the Assyrian in my land, and on my mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulder. This is the purpose that is purposed on the whole earth; and this is the hand that is stretched out on all the nations. For Yahweh of Hosts has purposed, and who shall annul it? and his hand is stretched out, and who shall turn it back?
declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not [yet] done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;
Whatever Yahweh pleased, that he has done, In heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps;
You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?"
making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his good pleasure which he purposed in him to an administration of the fullness of the times, to sum up all things in Christ, the things in the heavens, and the things on the earth, in him; in whom also we were assigned an inheritance, having been foreordained according to the purpose of him who works all things after the counsel of his will;
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 23
Commentary on Job 23 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 23
This chapter begins Job's reply to Eliphaz. In this reply he takes no notice of his friends, either because he saw it was to no purpose or because he liked the good counsel Eliphaz gave him in the close of his discourse so well that he would make no answer to the peevish reflections he began with; but he appeals to God, begs to have his cause heard, and doubts not but to make it good, having the testimony of his own conscience concerning his integrity. Here seems to be a struggle between flesh and spirit, fear and faith, throughout this chapter.
Job 23:1-7
Job is confident that he has wrong done him by his friends, and therefore, ill as he is, he will not give up the cause, nor let them have the last word. Here,
Job 23:8-12
Here,
Job 23:13-17
Some make Job to complain here that God dealt unjustly and unfairly with him in proceeding to punish him without the least relenting or relaxation, though he had such incontestable evidences to produce of his innocency. I am loth to think holy Job would charge the holy God with iniquity; but his complaint is indeed bitter and peevish, and he reasons himself into a sort of patience per force, which he cannot do without reflecting upon God as dealing hardly with him, but he must bear it because he cannot help it; the worst he says is that God deals unaccountably with him.