gather together, then who can hinder misery, and remember it him?

8

11 For he knoweth vain men: he seeth wickedness also; will he not then consider it?

12 Fort vain man
t
u would be wise,
man be born like a wild ass's

though colt.

X

13 If thou prepare thine heart, and a stretch out thine hands toward him: 14 If iniquity be in thine hand, it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles.

f

put

15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be stedfast, and shalt not fear:

16 Because thou shalt forget thy

3. 2 Chr. 12:14. 19.3. Ps. 78.8.
Luke 12:47.

a Ps. 68:31. 28:9, 143:6.
b 4:7,8. 22:5. Is. 1:15.

c 22:23. 34:32. Ez. 18:30,31.
Jam. 4:8.

d Ps. 101:2,3. Zech. 5:3,4.
e 10:15. 22:26. Gen. 4:5,6. Ps.
119.6.7. 2 Cor. 1:12. 1 Tim. 2:
8. 1 John 2:28. 3:19-22.

f Ps. 27: 1,2. 46:1,2. 112:6-8.
Prov. 14:26. 28:1.

g Gen. 41:51. Prov. 31:7. Ee.
5:20. Is. 54:4. 65:16. John 16:
21. Rev. 7:14-17.

"and know thou that, &c.' (Ezra 9:13. Notes, Ps. 103:10. Lam. 3:21—23.)

pass away:

k

as waters that

17 And thine age shall be clearer than the noon-day; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning.

1

18 And thou shalt be secure, becaus there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig abou thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety.

19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, "many shall make suit unto thee.

20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as "the giving up of the ghost.

h 6:15. Gen. 9:11.
54.9.

i 42:11-17.

Is. 12:1,2. Ps. 37:6. 92:14. 112:4. Prov. 4:18. Is. 58:810. Mic. 7:8,9. Zech. 14:6,7. Mal. 4:2. Luke 2:26-32.

Heb. arise above the noon-
day.

k 1 Chr. 29:10,&c. Hos. 6:3.
1 6:11. 7:6. 22:27-29. Ps. 43:5.
Prov. 14:32. Rom. 5:3-5. Col.

1:27.

m Lev. 26:6. Ps. 3:5. 4:8. Prov.

3:24-26.

n 42:8,9. Gen. 26:26-31. Ps. 45:12. Prov. 19:6. Is. 60:14 Rev. 3.9.

Heb. entreat thy face.

o 31:16. Lev. 26:16. Deut. 28. 65. Ps. 69:3. Lam. 4:17.

Heb. flight shall perish from them. Am. 2:14. 5:19,20. 9:3 -3. Heb. 2:3.

p 8:13,14. 27:8. Prov. 10:24. 20:
20. Luke 16:23-26.
Or, a puff of breath

V. 13-20. Here Zophar, after the example of Eliphaz and Bildad, exhorted Job to repentV. 7-12. These animated interrogations were ance, and gave him great encouragement, yet intended to convince Job, that the nature of mixed with irritating insinuations. (Notes, 5:1 God is incomprehensible, and his judgments un- -27. 8:20-22.) If, instead of vindicating him searchable; since there is an infinity in his per- self, he would, with due preparation of heart, fections, and in his counsels, which no similitude humble himself before God, and stretch out his can represent to our imaginations, and no rea- hands in fervent prayer to him; if he repented of sonings or researches fully explain to our under- his wickedness, and did "works meet for repentstandings. But this important truth, instead of ance;" he might obtain forgiveness, and stand militating against Job's doctrine, condemned the with confidence before God, who would clear his rashness of his friends, who inferred his guilt character, restore his health, and establish him from his calamities, as if they had found out the in prosperity: so that his misery would be forsecrets of the divine wisdom to perfection, where-gotten, or only remembered as a cause of grati as they had not the least conception of the real tude. Then his old age would shine with a reason of his unprecedented sufferings! (Notes, brighter light of divine favor and felicity, than 4:17-21.)-Zophar added, that if God were either his youth or more mature years had done: pleased to cut off a man's family, (or rather, to secure of the protection of God, and rejoicing alter the course of things,) to shut him up in prison, in hope of future blessedness, he might order all or to gather armies against him, none could hin- his affairs with comfort and confidence, and der him; that he knew the vanity and folly of men, would close his life in reputation and usefulness. and saw and considered the most secret wicked- But disappointment, vexation, and ruin, inevitaness of their lives or hearts; and so had good rea- bly awaited all wicked men: and their very sons for punishing even those who appeared to hope would soon expire, as a dying man gives up be righteous. He declared that man, ignorant the ghost.-There was, however, no certain and short-sighted as he is, has an ambition of be-ground on which to conclude, that Job's deepest ing wise and knowing, is curious and presumptuous, and proud of his understanding, and the depth of his penetration; though in fact he is born as uninformed as the wild ass; and like that animal, he fiercely scorns subjection and confinement, aims at independence and liberty PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS. in indulging his appetites; and is therefore very Nothing is more unbecoming, or more comincompetent to the acquisition of divine wisdom mon, than acrimony and reviling in religious conand knowledge. Or, being obstinate and head-troversy. Opposition stirs up pride and resent strong like the wild ass's colt; nothing can make ment in the hearts even of godly men; the credi him wise to know his place and duty, but severe of the victory insensibly becomes the object, discipline and painful experience. The closing verse, however, is variously interpreted, and does not necessarily imply all that is suggested by our version of it; but may literally be rendered, "That empty man may become considerate: though man be born as the colt of a wild ass." 'But a vain man (a fool,) will become wise, when 'the wild ass's colt is born a man.' E. Smith.

repentance and the Lord's most gracious forgiveness, must be followed by outward prosperity; nor any reason to regard him as a hypocrite, if he died in his present calamitous condition.

and an opponent must be represented as a dangerous and wicked man, that he may without censure be exposed to ridicule or hatred. But in fact, a multitude of empty words neither require nor deserve an answer; and specious reasonings are best opposed by conclusive arguments. Those who accuse others of falsehood and deceit, Hare commonly the first to transgress: and men

B C. 1550.

CHAP. XII.

CHAPTER XII.

e

swereth him; the just upright man i

f

He Job retorts on his friends, censures their pretensions to superior laughed to scorn. knowledge, and complains of their unkindness, 1-5. shews that God often permits the wicked to prosper in this He discourses on the perfections and works of feet, is as world, 6-11.

God, 12-25.

A

ND Job answered and said,

*

peo

2 No doubt but a ye are the ple, and wisdom shall die with you. 3 But I have understanding as well as you: I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as

these?

C

4 I am as one mocked of his neigh

d

bor, who calleth upon God, and he an

a 6:24,25. 8:8-10. 11:2,3,6,12. 152,10. 17:4. 20:3. 32:7-13. Prov. 28:11. Is. 5:21. 1 Cor. 4:10. 6:5.

b 13:2-5. Prov. 26:4. 2 Cor. 11:5,21-23.

Heb. an heart.

† Heb. I fall not lower than

5 He that is ready to slip with his a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

h

6 ¶ The tabernacles of robbers pros-
and they that provoke God are se-
per,
cure; into whose hand God bringeth
abundantly.

7 But ask now the beasts, and they
shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air,
and they shall tell thee:

8 Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee; and the fishes of the sea shall

declare unto thee.

e Prov. 14:2. Mark 5:40. Luke
16:14. Acts 17:32.

f Deut. 32:35. Ps. 17:5. 94:18.
Jer. 13:16.

1-6. Luke 12:19. 16:19,20.

i 9:24. 21-7-15. 1 s. 17:14. 37:
1,35. 73:11,12. 92:7. Jer. 5:27,
28.

g 18:5. Prov. 15:9. 20:20. Matt.k 21:29,30. Prov. 6:6. Is. 1:3.
Jer. 8:7. Rom. 8:20-22.
25:8.

h 6:5. 16:4. Ps. 123:3,4. Am. 6:

we forget our misery, as waters that pass away;
the light of God's countenance will render our
declining years more pleasant, than those early
days that were spent in youthful gaiety; we may
then rest in safety, and the work of our hands
Trials may inter-
shall be established unto us.
rupt our happiness, but cannot destroy it; nay,
they will tend to increase it: we shall become
truly honorable and useful; and may at length
lie down in the grave without fear, and bid an
eternal farewell to pain and sorrow, at that pe-
riod, when the expectation and enjoyment of the
ungodly shall eternally expire. For "the wick-
ed is driven away in his wickedness; but the
righteous hath hope in his death." (Note, Prov.
NOTES.
14:32.)

often shame themselves by their invectives and misrepresentations, in attempting to put others to shame; or they manifest their own pride, when they would represent the sentiments of others, Such as maintain as mockery of the truth. error are often most ready to appeal to God, and to express a high confidence that they are pleading his cause: and in the eagerness of dispute, the most important truths will be adduced in support of those very principles of which they Yet we should endeavor to are subversive. profit by truth, though we disapprove of the spirit with which it is maintained. We ought often to meditate on the incomprehensible perfections and works of God, that we may be made sensible of our own meanness, ignorance, and Zophar had treated Some little of his wisdom, justice, and CHAP. XII. V. 2, 3. vileness. goodness in the government of the universe, we may discover by faith, from revelation; enough Job's discourse as futile and erroneous, and his indeed to shew us sinners, that our severest tem- other friends were of the same judgment; Job poral sufferings are "less than our iniquities de- therefore ironically retorted upon them. Doubtserve," and so to render us patient and thankful 'less,' says he, 'you three are the only men of ununder them; but the secrets of his wisdom, which 'derstanding in the world, and when you die, no we can never search out to perfection, infinitely wisdom will remain on earth; but men will exceed our narrow capacities. (Notes, 26:14. sustain an irreparable loss, being bereaved of In this abyss our 'such oracles of divine knowledge!' Yet he 28:23-28. Deut. 29:29.) thoughts and reasonings are swallowed up: the thought that he had some understanding of these height, and depth, and length, and breadth of all matters, and did not fall below them: and indeed his attributes pass knowledge: and our province any body might know such things as they had V. 4. Here again Job retorted upon Zophar, is to believe, adore, and love. It is in vain for advanced, as far as there was truth in them. us to dispute against his omnipotent sovereignty; nor can we escape his omnipresent and infinite who had spoken of him as a mocker: but indeed knowledge: but it behoves us to consider who his friends treated his sufferings, character, and man, who had long been an accepted worshipper and what we are, and to remember that we are discourse with contempt, and reviled an upright born in sin, and children of wrath, and in some We of God, as if he were a hypocrite.-'You deride respects resemble the untractable wild ass. should then give up our proud desire of compre- your friend, when you bid him call upon God, hending the deep things of God; and of measur-that he may answer him: but this is no new ing his truths, judgments, and decrees, by the thing, for the best of men have been mocked on Our wisdom this fashion.' Bp. Patrick. rule of our short-sighted reason. consists in preparing our hearts to seek his mercy and favor; to repent of our sins; to accept of his mercy and salvation; and to pray earnestly for his sanctifying grace, that we may "cast away all our transgressions," and devote to him our bodies, our souls, and substance, and rule our families in his faith and fear. Thus, "being justified by faith, we shall have peace with God," and Confidence before him and a quiet conscience, joy in the Holy Ghost," an affiance in a wise and kind providence ordering all for our good, with the lively hope of eternal felicity, will give comfort and stedfastness to our souls. So shall ||

V. 5. Though a man have shone "as a light in the world," by wisdom, piety, or usefulness, while in affluence; yet as soon as he sinks into poverty or distress, he will generally be despised by the rich and prosperous: and they will mark every one of his mistakes or faults with severity, to justify their neglect of him. He that is near "to his ruin, (as I now am,) is (to those that pros'per and are at ease) like unto a lamp that is near burning out unto the snuff; and therefore despis'ed by them for the present, however it have for[37 'merly shined.' Bp. Hall.-(Note, Ps. 123: 3,4.)

sis.

t 9:12,13. 11:10. Is. 14:23. Jer.
51:58,64. Mal. 1:4.

u 16:11. 1 Sam. 17:46. 24:18. 26:
8. Marg. Is. 22:22. Rom. 11:
32. Marg.

Heb. upon.

x 10. Gen. 8:1,2. 1 Kings 8:35,
36. 17:1. Jer. 14:22. Nah. 1:4.
Luke 4:25. Jam. 5:17, 18. Rev.
11:6.

y Gen. 6:13,17. 7:23. Ps. 104:7
-9. Am. 5:8.
z 13.

Matt. 6:13.

a 1 Kings 22:22,23. Ez. 14:9.
b 2 Sam. 15-31. Is. 19:12-14.
1 Cor. 1:19,20.

V. 6-10. Job here opposes facts to hypotheIt cannot be denied, that audacious robbers and oppressors, and the most impious wretches, are often prospered in Providence, and have riches abundantly in possession. (Notes, 9:22-24. 21:7-1.) The matter is so plain, that the whole creation testifies it. The animal tribes generally subserve the pride, luxury, and indulgence of ungodly men: the earth, and its richest produce, is their property; and all nature drudges, as it were, to pamper their lusts. (Note, Rom. 8:1823.) Yet this is not to be ascribed to fortune, or chance: but the Lord orders these things as he pleases; seeing the life and breath of man, and of every creature, are entirely at his disposal.

**

22 He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

23 He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.

24 Hetaketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.

m

25 They grope in the dark without light, and he "maketh them to # like a drunken man.

c 2 Chr. 33:11-14. Jer. 52:31
-34. Dan. 2:21. Rev. 19:16.

d Josh. 10:24,42. 1 Sam. 17:45,
46. Is. 37:36-38. 45:1. Rev.
17:14. 19:19-21.

Heb. the lip of the faithful.
Prov. 10:21. 12:19,22.

e 24. 17:4. 32:9. 39:17.

f Ex. 8:2,16,24. 1 King 21:23,
24. 2 Kings 9:26,34—37. Ps.
107:40. Is. 23:9. 24:21,22. 37:
38. Dan. 4:32,33. Matt. 2:12,
13. Acts 12:23.
**Or, looseth the girdle of the
strong. Is. 5:27. 11:5. 22:21.
Eph. 6:10,14.

stagger

g 11:6. 28:20-23. 2 Kings 6:12. Ps. 44:21. 139.12. Dan. 2:22 Matt. 10:26. 1 Cor. 2:10. 4.5. h 3:5. 24:17. 34:22. Am. 5:8. Luke 1:79.

Ex. 1:7,20. Is. 9:3. 26:15. 27:6. 51:2. 60:22. Jer. 30:19. 33: 22. Zech. 10.8.

†† Heb. leadeth in.

k 20. 17:4. Is. 6:9,10. 19:1. Hos. 7:11.

Ps. 107:4,40.

m 5:14. Gen. 19:11. Is. 59:10. Acts 13:11. 1 John 2:11.

n Ps. 107:27. Is. 19:14. 24:20. Heb. wander.

among men was supposed to increase wisdom and understanding, led Job to think of the everlasting Gop, whose wisdom and knowledge are infinite: and thus, without mentioning him, he proceeded to expatiate on his perfections and dispensations; shewing that he believed the same general truths as his friends did, and could discourse upon them with cogency and fluency. (Notes, 5:8-16. 11: 7-12.) He declared God to be the Fountain of knowledge, wisdom, and power; and that his providence rules the world with irresistible authority. He destroys cities and imprisons the inhabitants: he afflicts the land with drought; or overflows it with a deluge, as he did the earth in the days of Noah. (Notes, Gen. 7:) The crafty deceivers, and those who are deluded by them, fall in with his universal plan for his own glory; and even Satan, the great deceiver, accomplishes the purposes of God by his malignant endeavors to defeat them! Kings and legislators, conquerdis-ors and orators, are disgraced, overthrown, and infatuated, beyond all expectation, as the Lord pleases: and they are sure to be at length rendered contemptible when they oppose his cause. (Notes, Is. 2:10-18. 23:8,9. Dan. 4:34—37. Acts 12:20-23.) He detects the most secret conspiracies, and the deepest intrigues of princes: he disposes of nations with absolute authority; and when any stand in his way, he throws them into such confusion, that they are perfectly bewildered, as if lost in a desert, or groping in the dark, or staggering from drunkenness; and thus they become incapable of the least effectual

V. 11, 12. The ear of man, (that is, the understanding to which the report of the senses is made,) was formed, that, by attention to what is spoken, it might distinguish truth from falsehood, and right from wrong; as the palate distinguishes tastes. But Job probably thought, that the tinguishing faculty of his friends must be obtuse, or vitiated by prejudice; otherwise they could never reject truths so obvious as those which he had stated to them. Indeed, aged men, who|| have had long opportunity of making observations, are supposed to be wiser than others; but he intimated, that his friends had lived long to little purpose, as they were egregiously mistaken in so plain a matter.

V. 13-25. The transition from the foregoing verse to this subsequent discourse seems as follows. The consideration. that "length of days"

stood it.

2 What

now my reasoning, and

ye know, the same do I hearken to the pleadings of my lips.

know also: I am not inferior unto you. 3 Surely I would

d

a 5:9-16. 12:9,&c. 42:3-6,

b 4:12. 5:27. 8:8-10. 15:17,18. Ps. 73:3,4. 1 John 1:3.

c 12:3. 15:8,9. 34:35. 35:16. 37:2.

e 9:3,14,15. Is. 1:18-20. 41:21.
Jer. 12:1,2. marg.

speak to the Al-47-11. 5:1-5. 8:3.4. 18:5,

exertion.—These important truths were suited to convince the over-confident disputants, that they had gone out of their depth, in attempting to assign the Lord's reason for afflicting Job; when "his judgments are unsearchable, and his ways past finding out." (Note, Rom. 11:33-36.)

PRACTICAL OBSERVATIONS.

V. 1-10.

...

Mark 2:17. 5:26.

h 13. 11:3. 16:3. 18:2. 19:2. 21:2, 3. 32:1.

&c. 21:27-34. 22.6,&c. Ex. i Prov. 17:28. Ec. 5:3. Am. 5: 20:16. Ps. 119:69. 13. Jam. 1:19. g 16:2. Jer. 6:14. 8:22. 30:13.k 21:2,3. 33:1-3. 34:2. Judg. 9. 46:11. Ez. 34:4. Hos. 5:13. 7. Prov. 8:6,7.

duced on the powers of the mind by the fall of man, connected with our prejudices, and the influence of our sinful passions, we draw wrong conclusions, make a perverse choice, and often wander farther from God and true wisdom as our years increase. Yet, when being renewed by the Holy Spirit, we begin to use our faculties aright; we receive wisdom from the Fountainhead by faith and prayer; we learn useful lessons from all we see and experience; and acquire a spiritual taste, which savors truth and holiness,

5:11-14.) May we seek more and more to have "the eyes of our understanding thus enlightened," and "our senses exercised, by reason of use, to discern both good and evil!"-It is a main point of wisdom to set God always before us, to observe his working in every thing, and to

doeth what he will in the armies of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What doest thou?" He creates or destroys, he exalts or depresses, kings or nations, as he pleases. (Notes, 1 Sam. 2:3-8.) All the power and policy of earth and hell, cannot conceal any thing from him, or carry one point against him. All creatures subserve his purposes, and assist in accomplishing his vast designs. But those who break his commandments, and, depending on their power, wisdom, or dignity, exalt themselves against his cause, and rebel against his authority, after having been constrained to subserve his plan, shall be cast off with indignation, and rendered contemptible and miserable: while such as submit to his authority, and trust in his mercy, obey his precepts, and aim to promote his cause and honor in the world, shall be taken care of by the way, and at the end shall be graciously received with, "Well done, good and faithful servant, enter thou into the joy of thy Lord." May this be our choice, our conduct, and our felicity!

Reviling, raillery, and boasting, commonly prove infectious: and when we over-rate ourselves and court admiration, others will be dis-and is of use every hour of our lives. (Note, Heb. posed to undervalue us, and treat us with contempt. Whatever some men may think to the contrary, there certainly was good sense, sound reasoning, true knowledge, and heavenly wisdom in the world, before they were born; and the world will not be left in the dark, when these luminaries are set, and their labors also consign-feel our own absolute dependence on him. "He ed to oblivion. Nay, when wise and good men die, blessed be God, wisdom does not die with them, but others are raised up in their places.We have all a right to judge for ourselves, being endued with understanding as well as others: and we should neither claim superiority over them, nor in this respect yield it to them; for we are cautioned by our Lord on both sides, when he says, "Call no man father upon earth; neither be ye called masters:" but in other matters our rule is, "in honor to prefer others," and to "sit down in the lowest place;" and it is seldom wise or becoming to deviate from it. (Notes, Matt. 23:8-10. Luke 14:7-11.)-The most pious and conscientious men have generally been treated with contempt by worldly persons; and sometimes by their brethren, who ought to have sympathized in their sorrows, borne with their infirmities, and helped them with their prayers. But if men despise them, let them but call upon God and he will answer them.-Adversity and poverty, in this evil world, eclipse the light of wisdom and piety; and many, who once were honorable and useful, have sunk into contempt, when fallen under misfortunes and become indigent.-Yet worldly prosperity is of small value CHAP. XIII. V. 1, 2. With manifest selfin the sight of God. He has superior blessings preference, Job here declared, that the discovefor his children; and commonly he gives carnal ries of God's providential dealings with men, things abundantly into the hands of those, whose which he had stated, were the result of his own pride, luxury, and impiety are increased by them. exact and careful observation; and that he unThe whole creation groans, as in unnatural bon-derstood these matters at least as well as his dage to the lusts of men. Every creature preaches the goodness of God, and the ungrateful abuse of man; and testifies that this is a state of probation, and not of retribution.

V. 11-25.

NOTES.

friends did, and therefore he did not want their instructions. (Note, 12:2,3.)

V. 3-6. An improper boldness is discernible in the discourses of Job, for which Elihu afterward justly reproved him: (Notes, 33:8-13. 34: The faculties of our souls were originally form-5-9.) yet he did not mean to justify himself beed, as capable of discerning truth and falsehood, fore God, but only to obtain from him a verdict as our bodily senses are of discriminating their in his favor against his friends, who treated him objects.--Observation and experience should as a hypocrite; accusing him of crimes which he teach us wisdom. But, through the effects pro- had never committed, and arguing from false

principles, respecting the divine government of pertinaciously attesting his innocence. 'Well, the world. They visited him indeed as physi- says he, keep silence, let me speak, and I will cians, in his distress; but by their improper treat-risk all consequences; for my anguish is so exment they irritated his disease. They would therefore do him the greatest favor in their power, and most shew their own wisdom, if they would hold their peace; and attend to his reasonings, from which they might learn to correct their own||

V. 13, 14. Perhaps Job's friends seemed about to interrupt him; or shewed apprehensions, that divine judgment would come upon him for sopire."