21 and he saith, `Naked came I forth from the womb of my mother, and naked I turn back thither: Jehovah hath given and Jehovah hath taken: let the name of Jehovah be blessed.'
As he came out from the belly of his mother, naked he turneth back to go as he came, and he taketh not away anything of his labour, that doth go in his hand.
for nothing did we bring into the world -- `it is' manifest that we are able to carry nothing out;
giving thanks always for all things, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, to the God and Father;
And he saith unto her, `As one of the foolish women speaketh, thou speakest; yea, the good we receive from God, and the evil we do not receive.' In all this Job hath not sinned with his lips.
Jehovah dispossesseth, and He maketh rich, He maketh low, yea, He maketh high.
is it not lawful to me to do what I will in mine own? is thine eye evil because I am good?
Forming light, and preparing darkness, Making peace, and preparing evil, I `am' Jehovah, doing all these things.'
And the dust returneth to the earth as it was, And the spirit returneth to God who gave it.
For at his death he receiveth nothing, His honour goeth not down after him.
by the sweat of thy face thou dost eat bread till thy return unto the ground, for out of it hast thou been taken, for dust thou `art', and unto dust thou turnest back.'
Is a trumpet blown in a city, And do people not tremble? Is there affliction in a city, And Jehovah hath not done `it'?
Who hath given Jacob for a spoil, And Israel to the spoilers? Is it not Jehovah -- He against whom we sinned? Yea, they have not been willing in His ways to walk, Nor have they hearkened to His law.
And Thou, Thou hast cast off, and dost reject, Thou hast shown Thyself wroth With Thine anointed, Hast rejected the covenant of Thy servant, Thou hast polluted to the earth his crown, Thou hast broken down all his hedges, Thou hast made his fenced places a ruin. Spoiled him have all passing by the way, He hath been a reproach to his neighbours, Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries, Thou hast caused all his enemies to rejoice. Also -- Thou turnest back the sharpness of his sword, And hast not established him in battle, Hast caused `him' to cease from his brightness, And his throne to the earth hast cast down. Thou hast shortened the days of his youth, Hast covered him over `with' shame. Selah. Till when, O Jehovah, art Thou hidden? For ever doth Thy fury burn as fire? Remember, I pray Thee, what `is' life-time? Wherefore in vain hast Thou created All the sons of men? Who `is' the man that liveth, and doth not see death? He delivereth his soul from the hand of Sheol. Selah. Where `are' Thy former kindnesses, O Lord. Thou hast sworn to David in Thy faithfulness, Remember, O Lord, the reproach of Thy servants, I have borne in my bosom all the strivings of the peoples, Wherewith Thine enemies reproached, O Jehovah, Wherewith they have reproached The steps of Thine anointed. Blessed `is' Jehovah to the age. Amen, and amen!
I have been dumb, I open not my mouth, Because Thou -- Thou hast done `it'.
The work of his hands Thou hast blessed, and his substance hath spread in the land, and yet, put forth, I pray Thee, Thy hand, and strike against anything that he hath -- if not: to Thy face he doth bless Thee!'
And Hezekiah saith unto Isaiah, `Good `is' the word of Jehovah that thou hast spoken;' and he saith, `Is it not -- if peace and truth are in my days?'
it may be Jehovah doth look on mine affliction, and Jehovah hath turned back to me good for his reviling this day.'
And Samuel declareth to him the whole of the words, and hath not hid from him; and he saith, `It `is' Jehovah; that which is good in His eyes He doth.'
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 1
Commentary on Job 1 Matthew Henry Commentary
An Exposition, With Practical Observations, of
The Book of Job
Chapter 1
The history of Job begins here with an account,
In all this he is set forth for an example of suffering affliction, from which no prosperity can secure us, but through which integrity and uprightness will preserve us.
Job 1:1-3
Concerning Job we are here told,
Job 1:4-5
We have here a further account of Job's prosperity and his piety.
Job 1:6-12
Job was not only so rich and great, but withal so wise and good, and had such an interest both in heaven and earth, that one would think the mountain of his prosperity stood so strong that it could not be moved; but here we have a thick cloud gathering over his head, pregnant with a horrible tempest. We must never think ourselves secure from storms while we are in this lower region. Before we are told how his troubles surprised and seized him here in this visible world, we are here told how they were concerted in the world of spirits, that the devil, having a great enmity to Job for his eminent piety, begged and obtained leave to torment him. It does not at all derogate from the credibility of Job's story in general to allow that this discourse between God and Satan, in these verses, is parabolical, like that of Micaiah (1 Ki. 22:19, etc.), and an allegory designed to represent the malice of the devil against good men and the divine check and restraint which that malice is under; only thus much further is intimated, that the affairs of this earth are very much the subject of the counsels of the unseen world. That world is dark to us, but we lie very open to it. Now here we have,
Job 1:13-19
We have here a particular account of Job's troubles.
Job 1:20-22
The devil had done all he desired leave to do against Job, to provoke him to curse God. He had touched all he had, touched it with a witness; he whom the rising sun saw the richest of all the men in the east was before night poor to a proverb. If his riches had been, as Satan insinuated, the only principle of his religion now that he had lost his riches he would certainly have lost his religion; but the account we have, in these verses, of his pious deportment under his affliction, sufficiently proved the devil a liar and Job an honest man.
Lastly, Here is the honourable testimony which the Holy Ghost gives to Job's constancy and good conduct under his afflictions. He passed his trials with applause, v. 22. In all this Job did not act amiss, for he did not attribute folly to God, nor in the least reflect upon his wisdom in what he had done. Discontent and impatience do in effect charge God with folly. Against the workings of these therefore Job carefully watched; and so must we, acknowledging that as God has done right, but we have done wickedly, so God has done wisely, but we have done foolishly, very foolishly. Those who not only keep their temper under crosses and provocations, but keep up good thoughts of God and sweet communion with him, whether their praise be of men or no, it will be of God, as Job's here was.