2 "Shall he who argues contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."
Why do you strive against him, Because he doesn't give account of any of his matters?
Woe to him who strives with his Maker--a potsherd among the potsherds of the earth! Shall the clay ask him who fashions it, "What are you making?" or your work, "He has no hands?" Woe to him who says to a father, "What have you become the father of?" or to a woman, "With what do you travail?" Thus says Yahweh, the Holy One of Israel, and his Maker: Ask me of the things that are to come; concerning my sons, and concerning the work of my hands, command you me.
"As God lives, who has taken away my right, The Almighty, who has made my soul bitter.
Or do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he?
"For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has first given to him, And it will be repaid to him again?" For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things. To him be the glory for ever! Amen.
You will say then to me, "Why does he still find fault? For who withstands his will?" But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed ask him who formed it, "Why did you make me like this?" Or hasn't the potter a right over the clay, from the same lump to make one part a vessel for honor, and another for dishonor? What if God, willing to show his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much patience vessels of wrath made for destruction, and that he might make known the riches of his glory on vessels of mercy, which he prepared beforehand for glory,
What do you mean, that you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying, The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge?
He is near who justifies me; who will bring charges against me? Let us stand up together: who is my adversary? Let him come near to me.
Whatever has been, its name was given long ago; and it is known what man is; neither can he contend with him who is mightier than he.
You have turned to be cruel to me. With the might of your hand you persecute me.
Know now that God has subverted me, And has surrounded me with his net. "Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard: I cry for help, but there is no justice. He has walled up my way so that I can't pass, And has set darkness in my paths. He has stripped me of my glory, And taken the crown from my head. He has broken me down on every side, and I am gone. My hope he has plucked up like a tree. He has also kindled his wrath against me. He counts me among his adversaries.
God delivers me to the ungodly, And casts me into the hands of the wicked. I was at ease, and he broke me apart. Yes, he has taken me by the neck, and dashed me to pieces. He has also set me up for his target. His archers surround me. He splits my kidneys apart, and does not spare. He pours out my gall on the ground. He breaks me with breach on breach. He runs on me like a giant. I have sewed sackcloth on my skin, And have thrust my horn in the dust. My face is red with weeping. Deep darkness is on my eyelids. Although there is no violence in my hands, And my prayer is pure. "Earth, don't cover my blood, Let my cry have no place to rest. Even now, behold, my witness is in heaven. He who vouches for me is on high. My friends scoff at me. My eyes pour out tears to God, That he would maintain the right of a man with God, Of a son of man with his neighbor!
Withdraw your hand far from me; And don't let your terror make me afraid. Then call, and I will answer; Or let me speak, and you answer me. How many are my iniquities and sins? Make me know my disobedience and my sin. Why hide you your face, And hold me for your enemy? Will you harass a driven leaf? Will you pursue the dry stubble? For you write bitter things against me, And make me inherit the iniquities of my youth: You also put my feet in the stocks, And mark all my paths. You set a bound to the soles of my feet:
If I sin, then you mark me. You will not acquit me from my iniquity. If I am wicked, woe to me. If I am righteous, I still shall not lift up my head, Being filled with disgrace, And conscious of my affliction. If my head is held high, you hunt me like a lion. Again you show yourself powerful to me. You renew your witnesses against me, And increase your indignation on me. Changes and warfare are with me.
Is it good to you that you should oppress, That you should despise the work of your hands, And smile on the counsel of the wicked? Do you have eyes of flesh? Or do you see as man sees? Are your days as the days of mortals, Or your years as man's years, That you inquire after my iniquity, And search after my sin? Although you know that I am not wicked, There is no one who can deliver out of your hand.
For he is not a man, as I am, that I should answer him, That we should come together in judgment. There is no umpire between us, That might lay his hand on us both. Let him take his rod away from me, Let his terror not make me afraid: Then I would speak, and not fear him, For I am not so in myself.
For he breaks me with a tempest, Multiplies my wounds without cause. He will not allow me to take my breath, But fills me with bitterness.
How long will you not look away from me, Nor leave me alone until I swallow down my spittle? If I have sinned, what do I do to you, you watcher of men? Why have you set me as a mark for you, So that I am a burden to myself? Why do you not pardon my disobedience, and take away my iniquity? For now shall I lie down in the dust. You will seek me diligently, but I shall not be."
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible » Commentary on Job 40
Commentary on Job 40 Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
CHAPTER 40
Job 40:1-24. God's Second Address.
He had paused for a reply, but Job was silent.
1. the Lord—Hebrew, "Jehovah."
2. he that contendeth—as Job had so often expressed a wish to do. Or, rebuketh. Does Job now still (after seeing and hearing of God's majesty and wisdom) wish to set God right?
answer it—namely, the questions I have asked.
3. Lord—Jehovah.
4. I am (too) vile (to reply). It is a very different thing to vindicate ourselves before God, from what it is before men. Job could do the latter, not the former.
lay … hand … upon … mouth—I have no plea to offer (Job 21:5; Jud 18:19).
5. Once … twice—oftentimes, more than once (Job 33:14, compare with Job 33:29; Ps 62:11):
I have spoken—namely, against God.
not answer—not plead against Thee.
6. the Lord—Jehovah.
7. (See on Job 38:3). Since Job has not only spoken against God, but accused Him of injustice, God challenges him to try, could he govern the world, as God by His power doth, and punish the proud and wicked (Job 40:7-14).
8. Wilt thou not only contend with, but set aside My judgment or justice in the government of the world?
condemn—declare Me unrighteous, in order that thou mayest be accounted righteous (innocent; undeservingly afflicted).
9. arm—God's omnipotence (Isa 53:1).
thunder—God's voice (Job 37:4).
10. See, hast thou power and majesty like God's, to enable thee to judge and govern the world?
11. rage—rather, pour out the redundant floods of, &c.
behold—Try, canst thou, as God, by a mere glance abase the proud (Isa 2:12, &c.)?
12. proud—high (Da 4:37).
in their place—on the spot; suddenly, before they can move from their place. (See on Job 34:26; Job 36:20).
13. (Isa 2:10). Abase and remove them out of the sight of men.
bind … faces—that is, shut up their persons [Maurer]. But it refers rather to the custom of binding a cloth over the faces of persons about to be executed (Job 9:24; Es 7:8).
in secret—consign them to darkness.
14. confess—rather, "extol"; "I also," who now censure thee. But since thou canst not do these works, thou must, instead of censuring, extol My government.
thine own … hand … save—(Ps 44:3). So as to eternal salvation by Jesus Christ (Isa 59:16; 63:5).
15-24. God shows that if Job cannot bring under control the lower animals (of which he selects the two most striking, behemoth on land, leviathan in the water), much less is he capable of governing the world.
behemoth—The description in part agrees with the hippopotamus, in part with the elephant, but exactly in all details with neither. It is rather a poetical personification of the great Pachydermata, or Herbivora (so "he eateth grass"), the idea of the hippopotamus being predominant. In Job 40:17, "the tail like a cedar," hardly applies to the latter (so also Job 40:20, 23, "Jordan," a river which elephants alone could reach, but see on Job 40:23). On the other hand, Job 40:21, 22 are characteristic of the amphibious river horse. So leviathan (the twisting animal), Job 41:1, is a generalized term for cetacea, pythons, saurians of the neighboring seas and rivers, including the crocodile, which is the most prominent, and is often associated with the river horse by old writers. "Behemoth" seems to be the Egyptian Pehemout, "water-ox," Hebraized, so-called as being like an ox, whence the Italian bombarino.
with thee—as I made thyself. Yet how great the difference! The manifold wisdom and power of God!
he eateth grass—marvellous in an animal living so much in the water; also strange, that such a monster should not be carnivorous.
16. navel—rather, "muscles" of his belly; the weakest point of the elephant, therefore it is not meant.
17. like a cedar—As the tempest bends the cedar, so it can move its smooth thick tail [Umbreit]. But the cedar implies straightness and length, such as do not apply to the river horse's short tail, but perhaps to an extinct species of animal (see on Job 40:15).
stones—rather, "thighs."
wrapped—firmly twisted together, like a thick rope.
18. strong—rather, "tubes" of copper [Umbreit].
19. Chief of the works of God; so "ways" (Job 26:14; Pr 8:22).
can make his sword to approach—rather, "has furnished him with his sword" (harpe), namely, the sickle-like teeth with which he cuts down grain. English Version, however, is literally right.
20. The mountain is not his usual haunt. Bochart says it is sometimes found there (?).
beasts … play—a graphic trait: though armed with such teeth, he lets the beasts play near him unhurt, for his food is grass.
21. lieth—He leads an inactive life.
shady trees—rather, "lotus bushes"; as Job 40:22 requires.
22. shady trees—Translate: "lotus bushes."
23. Rather, "(Though) a river be violent (overflow), he trembleth not"; (for though living on land, he can live in the water, too); he is secure, though a Jordan swell up to his mouth. "Jordan" is used for any great river (consonant with the "behemoth"), being a poetical generalization (see on Job 40:15). The author cannot have been a Hebrew as Umbreit asserts, or he would not adduce the Jordan, where there were no river horses. He alludes to it as a name for any river, but not as one known to him, except by hearsay.
24. Rather, "Will any take him by open force" (literally, "before his eyes"), "or pierce his nose with cords?" No; he can only be taken by guile, and in a pitfall (Job 41:1, 2).