Annotations upon the Holy Bible. Vol. I wherein the sacred text is inserted, and various readings annex'd, together with parallel scriptures, the more difficult terms in each verse are explained, seeming contradictions reconciled, questions and doubts resolved, and the whole text opened / by the late reverend and learned divine Mr. Matthew Poole.

CHAP. IV.

1. THen [Eliphaz the Temanite a] answered, and said.

2. If we assay to commune with thee, [wilt thou be grieved? b] [But † who can with▪hold himself from speaking? c]

3. Behold, [thou hast instructed many, d] and [thou hast strengthened the weak Hands. e]

4. Thy words have upholden him that was fal∣ling, f and thou hast strengthened † the feeble Knees. g

5. But now it h is come upon thee, and thou faint∣est, i it toucheth thee k and thou art troubled.

6. Is not this thy Fear, thy Confidence, the Up∣rightness of thy Ways, and thy Hope? k

7. Remember, I pray thee, l who ever perished, m being innocent? n or where were the righteous cut off? o

8. Even as I have seen, p they that plough Ini∣quity, and sow Wickedness, q reap the same. r

9. By the blast of God s they perish, and † by the Breath of his Nostrils are they consumed.

10. The roaring of the Lion, and the voice of the fierce Lion, t and † the Teeth of the young Li∣ons are broken. u

11. The old Lion perisheth for lack of Prey, x and the stout Lions Whelp•…•… are scattered abroad. y

12. Now z a thing a was ‖ secretly brought to me, b and mine Ear received c a little thereof. d

13. In thoughts e from the Visions of the Night, e when deep sleep falleth on men. f

14. Fear † came upon me, g and trembling, which made ‖ all my Bones to shake.

15. Then h a Spirit i passed before my face, the Hair of my Flesh k stood up. l

16. It stood still, m but I could not discern the form thereof: n An Image was before mine Eyes, o † there was silence, p and I heard a voice, saying,

17. Shall mortal Man be more just than God? q shall a man r be more pure than his Maker? s

18. Behold, t he put no trust in his Servants u; ‖ and his Angels he charged with Folly: x

19. How much less y on them z that dwell in Houses of Clay, a whose Foundation is in the dust, b which are crushed c before the Moth? d

20. They are † destroyed from Morning to Even∣ing; e they perish for ever f without any ‖ regard∣ing it. g

21. Doth not their excellency h which is in them, go away i? they die even without Wisdom k.

Notes

• a

  Who spake first, because possibly he was the eldest, or of great∣est Authority or Zeal.
• Heb. •…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪
• b

  Or, (without a Note of Interrogation) thou wilt be grieved. Our words will undoubtedly vex thee, and not comfort thee, as we in∣tended and desired to do. We must not use words of Comfort, but of sharp Reproof, which will be irksom to thee: and this makes me desire to be silent, if it were possible.
• †

  Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 can 〈◊〉〈◊〉 from 〈◊〉〈◊〉
• c

  When he hears such unreasonable and ungodly Words coming from such a Person as thou art, whereby thou dost accuse thy Maker, and reproach his Providence, and contemn his Blessings. No man who hath any respect to God, or love to thee, can forbear reproving thee.
• d

  Teaching them those Lessons which thou hast not learned and wiltst not practise, to wit, patiently to bear afflictions and to submit to Gods will and Providence in all things, which thou most shamefully refusest to do.
• e

  By administring Supports and Comforts and Coun∣sels to such as were unable to bear their Burdens, or to do their duty.
• f

  Ready to sink under their pressures, or to fall from God, or into sin, (as that word is used, 1 Cor. 10. 12. Gal. 6. 2. and elsewhere) through despondency and distrust of Gods Providence and Promise, or through Impatience.
• †

  〈…〉〈…〉
• g

  Such as were weak heart∣ed, and fainting under their Trials. See Isa. 35. 3. Dan. 5. 6. Heb. 12. 12.
• h

  i. e. The evil which thou didst fear, Ch. 3. 25. and which was come upon those whom thou didst so comfort.
• i

  Thou allowest in thy self what thou wouldst not bear in others. What in them was a Vice, in thee, it seems, is become a Virtue. Thou art wise for others, but not for thy self; a good Physician to cure others but not thy self; quick fighted to see the faults of others, but blind to thine own.
• k

  It is now come to be thine own case.
• k

  So the sense is, We now plainly see what was the nature and Complexion of thy Fear of God, thy Confidence in him, the Upright∣ness of thy Ways, and thy Hope in Gods Mercy, which thou didst make shew and boast of, and for which thou wast become so famous. Thy present carriage discovereth to thy self and others, that it was but meer Talk and appearance, and there was nothing sound and sin∣cere in it. In thy prosperity it was easie to make a splendid pro∣fession of Religion; but men are best known by Affliction, and this now sheweth of what metal thou art made: For now thou dost cast off thy Fear of God, and all thy Confidence and Hope in him, and hast let go that Integrity of thy ways, which hitherto thou didst seem to hold fast; whereas true Piety is uniform, and constant, and stedfast in all varieties of conditions, and under all Trials and Temptations. But this Translation removes the and from its proper place, and changeth the Order of the words, which is this in the Hebrew, thy Hope, and the Uprightness of thy ways, which words may be restored to their own Order, and with that variation our Tran∣slation may stand, and this seems to be the true sense. And so here are four distinct Questions, Is not this thy Fear? Is not this thy Con∣fidence? Is not this thy Hope? Is not this the Uprightness of thy ways? But others make only two Questions, and render the words either thus; Is not (or rather, Was not) thy Fear (of God) thy Confidence? And the Uprightness of thy Ways thy Hope? i. e. Did not thy Fear of God, and the Integrity of thy Life, of which thou didst make such eminent Profession, proceed only from the love of thy self, and of this present World? And from thy Confidence and Hope that God would bless and prosper thee for it? For now when God with∣draws his Favour and Blessings from thee, thy Religion is vanished, and thou hast cast off all Fear and Reverence of God, as thy impi∣ous Speeches shew. Or thus: Would not thy Fiar be thy Confidence, and the Uprightness of thy Ways thy Hope? i. e. If thou hadst indeed that Fear and Integrity to which thou pretendest, it would give thee good ground of Hope and Confidence in the midst of all thy distresses, and thou wouldst not so faint and sink under thy Calamities, as now thou dost, for want of a solid foundation of true Prety. But both these Translations, besides other Inconveniences, stumble at the same stone, and pervert the Order of the Words in the Hebrew Text, of which see before; which is not to be allowed without some kind of necessity, which is not in this case.
• l

  Give me one Example hereof out of all thy Experience or Reading.
• m

  i. e. Was so utterly undone, as thou art, so miserably afflicted by such unparallel'd and various Judgments from God and Men, all conspiring against thee.
• n

  Who had not by his wicked∣ness provoked so merciful a God to do that which is so unusual, and in some sort unpleasing to himself. Therefore thou art guilty of some great, though secret, Crimes, and thy Sin hath now found thee out, and hath brought down these stupendious Plagues upon thee.
• o

  By the Sicle of Divine Vengeance before his time, which is like to be thy case. His Judgment herein was rash and false, but not without some appearance of Truth: For God had made many Promises, not only of spiritual and eternal, but also of temporal Blessings, to all that should faithfully serve and obey him, which accordingly he did from time to time confer upon them, as we see by the Examples of Noah, Lot, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and doubtless many others which had lived in or before their days. And this was Gods usual method under all the times of the Old Testament, as we see by the People of Israel, who were generally either in an happy and flou∣rishing▪ or in an afflicted and miserable State, according to their Obedience to God, or their Apostacy from him. And therefore it is not strange that they fell into this mistake: But allowing for this mistake, and the consequence of it, his uncharitable Opinion of Iob, the method which he useth with Iob is commendable, and to be imitated by others in their dealing with persons in Sickness or Affliction: For he doth not flatter him in his Sins, nor immediately and unseasonably apply Comforts to him; but endeavours to con∣vince him of his Sins, and to bring him to Repentance, as the only regular way to his Remedy.
• p

  As thou hast never seen any Example of a Righteous man cut off so on the contrary I have seen many Examples of wicked men cut off for their wickedness. Or, As far as I have observed. Or, But as I have seen or experienced.
• Psal. 7. 14. Prov. 22. 8. Hos. 10. 13.
• q

  They that designedly and industri∣ously work wickedness, first plotting and preparing themselves for it, and then continuing to pursue and execute it, as Husbandmen first plow up and prepare the ground, and then cast in the Seed. Compare Prov. 22. 8. Hos. 10. 13.
• r

  i. e. Iniquity, or such trouble or Injury (for so also the Hebrew word, Aven, signifies) as they cause to others. Or, the fruit of their Iniquity, the just Recom∣pence and Punishment of it, which is oft called Sin or Iniquity, as Gen. 4. 7. Numb. 12. 11. and 16. 26. and 32. 23. Compare Gal. 6. 7, 8.
• s

  To wit, Of his Nostrils, as it here follows; i. e. by his Anger, which in Men shews itself, in the Nostrils, by hot and frequent Breathings there, and therefore by an Anthropopathy is ascribed to God: by a secret and oft undiscerned, but mighty and powerful, Judgment of God, by which they are blasted and blown away as Chaff by the Wind, as the Phrase is, Psal. 1.
• †

  That is, by his Anger, as Isa. 30. 33. Exod. 15. 8. Chap. 1. 19. and 15. 30. Isa. 11. 4.
• Psal. 34. 10. and 35. 17.
• t

  Understand vanisheth, or perisheth, out of v. 9. or, is restrained, or suppressed, as may be gathered out of the following Branch of this Verse.
• †

  Psal. 58. 6.
• u

  Which is true literally; the Lions when taken having most com∣monly their Teeth broken, as antient and modern Writers relate. But this is here mystically meant of wicked and Powerful Tyrants, who are oft and fitly compared to Lions, Ezek. 32. 2. and 38. 13. 2 Tim. 4. 17. who though for a time they persecute and oppress other men, yet in due time they are restrained, and broken, and crushed in pieces by the mighty Power of God appearing against them in some eminent Judgments. Possibly he may secretly accuse Iob, or his Children, or both, that being persons of great Wealth and Power in those parts, they had wickedly abused it to ruine their Neigh∣bours, and therefore were justly cut off.
• x

  Because they cannot go▪abroad to seek it, and their young ones either cannot find, or do not bring it to them. See Psal. 59. 14, 15. and 109. 10.
• y

  Gone from their Dens several ways to hunt for Prey, and can find none.
• z

  Heb And, or, Moreover, I will further convince thee by a Visi∣on which I had relating to such matters as these. That here fol∣lows a Relation of a Vision is apparent from the punctual descrip∣tion of all its Circumstances. To think as some do, that this was but a Fiction and Artifice which Eliphaz used, that his words might have more Authority with Iob; or that this was a Diabolical Delu∣sion seems to be both uncharitable and unreasonable, partly because Eliphaz, though under a mistake concerning Iob's case, was doubt∣less a wise and good man, and therefore would not needlesly make himself a Lyar for Iob's Conviction; and partly from the matter of this Vision, which is no way suitable to the Nature or Designs of the Devil, but holy and agreeable to the Divine Majesty and puri∣ty, and useful for mens Instruction, and Humiliation, and Refor∣mation. It was therefore a Divine Vision, which in that Age and State of the Church, before the holy Scriptures were written, was the usual way of Gods discovery of his Mind to those that sought to him.
• a

  Heb. A word, to wit, from God, as Prov. 13. 13. a Do∣ctrine or Message.
• ‖

  Heb. by stealth.
• b

  Heb. was stoln, or brought by stealth into me, i. e. privately and secretly, as the word of God used to come to the Prophets, being spoken in their Ear, as it was to Samuel, 1 Sam. 9. 15. and the like to Moses, so as Pharaoh, though present, could not hear nor observe it, Exod. 11. 1. with a low and still voice, a secret Whisper. This is opposed to the more publick Delivery of Gods Word by the Prophets to the People, which was done by crying aloud, Isa. 58. 1.
• c

  i. e. I heard.
• d

  Or, a parcel thereof, i. e. of Gods word, not of that particular Word which God had now deli∣vered to Eliphaz, which doubtless God would so speak, that he to whom he directed his Speech might hear it all, and Eliphaz certain∣ly would be as careful not to lose a Syllable of it; but a parcel of Gods Word in General, which this indeed was. And withal this may be a modest and humble Expression, arising from a deep sense of his own Infirmity, and the small measure of his knowledge of di∣vine things, whereof he knew only some little fragments and par∣cels, as Paul said, We know but in part, 1 Cor. 13. 9. As if he had said, Many I doubt have more familiar acquaintance with God, and more full Revelations from God than I can pretend to, but a little of that Treasure God hath been pleased to impart to me.
• Chap. 3•…•…▪ 1•…•….
• e

  In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entan∣gled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasi∣on of the following Fear.
• e

  In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entan∣gled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasi∣on of the following Fear.
• f

  This may belong either to the thoughts last mentioned, or to the Fear following; both which did arise from the Visions of the Night, i. e. from the great importance and the terribleness of such Visions, whereof probably he had had for∣mer Experience, and now had an Expectation of another of them which God had raised and wrought in him, to prepare him the better for the reception of it. Visions differed from Dreams herein, that God imparted his Mind to a man in Dreams when he was asleep, but in Visions, when they were awake. And these Visions sometimes happened by day, as Luk. 1. 22. Act. 10. 17. and 26. 19. but most frequently by night, whence we read of Vision, or Visions of the night, as Gen. 46. 2. Iob 20. 8. and 33. 15. And such this was which made it the more terrible.
• f In the dead of the Night, when men usually are in a deep sleep; though Eliphaz was not now asleep, as appears from the nature of a Vision, and from the following words
• †

  Heb. met me.
• g

  Either caused by the apparition following: or sent by God to humble him, and to prepare him for the more diligent attention to, reverent reception of, and ready compliance with, the divine Mes∣sage.
• ‖

  Heb. the mul∣titude of my bones.
• h

  Heb. And, or For, as this particle is oft used. So this was the reason of the foregoing Thoughts and Fear.
• i

  An Angel in some visible shape, otherwise he could not have discerned it, nor would have been affrighted at it.
• k

  i. e. Of my Body, as Flesh is taken, Gen. 2. 24. Psal. 16. 9. and 119. 120.
• l

  Through that excessive horrour caused by so glorious, unusual, and terrible a presence. Which God used to excite in men upon such occasions to convince them, that it was not a vain Imagination or Illusion, but a real Vision and Revelation, and that from God.
• m

  Having passed by him too and again he made a stand, as one that had some business with him, and addressed himself to speak to him.
• n

  To wit, exactly and distinctly, so as to know what or who it was.
• o

  I saw some corporeal or visible Resemblance, though in a confused manner.
• †

  Or, I heard a still voice.
• p

  The Spirit, which possibly had made some noise with his motion, now standing still made no noise; all other persons and things about me were silent, and I also kept in my Voice and Breath, as much as I could, that I might distinctly hear what I perceived the Spirit was speaking to me. In the Hebrew the words run thus, Silence and a voice, (i. e. A silent, or still, or low voice, by a very common figure called, Hendiadis) I heard.
• q

  The Sense is, Thou O Iob dost presumptuously accuse God for dealing harshly and unrighteously with thee, in sending thee in∣to the World upon such hard terms, and punishing an innocent and righteous man with such unparallel'd severity; but consider things calmly within thy self, If God and thou come to a Trial be∣fore any equal Judge, canst thou think that thou wiltst go away ju∣stified, and the great God shall be condemned. No righteous man will punish another without cause, or more than he deserves; and therefore if God do so with thee, as thy words imply, he is less just than a man: which is blasphemous and absurd to imagine.
• r

  A great and mighty man, as this word signifies, a man eminent for Wisdom, or Justice, or Power, or any other perfections, such as thou art thought by thy self or others to be; who therefore might expect more favour than a poor miserable and contemptible man, which the word, enosch, used in the former Branch, signifies. So he an∣ticipates this Objection which Iob might make.
• s

  An unanswera∣ble Argument against Iob, He made thee, and that for himself and his own Glory, and therefore hath an unquestionable right to deal with thee, and dispose of thee, the work of his Hands, as he sees fit. Wo to him that striveth with his maker, Isa. 45. 9. Besides he made man just and pure, if any man have any thing of Justice or Purity in him, it is derived from God the undoubted and only Fountain of it, and therefore it must necessarily be in God in a far more e∣minent degree.
• t

  This deserves thy serious consideration. These and the follow∣ing words seem to be the words of Eliphaz, explaining the former Vision, and applying it to Iob's Case, and enforcing it by further Arguments.
• Chap. 15. 15. and 25. 4. 2 Pet. 2. 4.
• u

  i. e. In his Angels, as appears both by the next words of this Verse, where they are called by way of Explication and Restriction, his Angels; and by the next Verse where men are opposed to them. They are called his Servants by way of Emi∣nency, that general name being here appropriated to the chief of the kind, as is very usual in all Authors in like cases; and withal to intimate that Soveraign Dominion which the great God hath over the glorious Angels, and much more over men, by vertue whereof he hath an unquestionable Authority to treat them ac∣cording to his good Pleasure. And these God is said to put no trust in, because he could not be confident that they, if left to them∣selves, and destitute of the succours of his Power and Grace, would continue to be loyal, and faithful, and serviceable to him, and would not revolt from him, as some of their Brethren had done. And for this cause God was pleased, after some time of Trial, to give some special and further Grace, either by Christ or otherwise, whereby they should be infallibly confirmed in the State of Grace & Felicity.
• ‖

  Or, not in his Angels, in whom he put light.
• x

  Or, with Vanity: i. e. He discerned Folly and Vanity in the Angelical Natures, when he had first made them; which although he saw and pronounced them, no less than the visible Creatures, Gen. 1▪ to be very good in themselves, & free from the least degree or tincture of sin; yet comparing them with himself, and considering them in themselves alone, he saw something of Folly and Vanity in their ve∣ry Natures, because they were Creatures, and therefore Subject to manifold changes, and, among others, to fall from God, or into sin; as it appeared by the sad experience of some of them. Seeing therefore the Angels, which so far exceed Mankind in Wisdom, and Strength, and Purity, and Justice, and all other perfections, do fall incomparably short of God in these things, it is most absurd as well as impious, to think that Man is more just or pure than God, as was said, v. 17. and as thou, O Iob, seemest to surmise. Others, Nor (Heb. And not; the negative Particle being repeated out of the former Branch of the Verse, as it is Psal. 9. 18. Prov. 17. 26. and elsewhere,) in his Angels, in whom (both which particles are frequently understood, as hath been proved before) he put Light, or splendor, to wit, singular Wisdom, and Purity, beyond what he put in Man.
• y

  Understand, doth he put trust in them, &c. Or, How much more, understand, doth he charge folly on them, &c. Either of these sup∣plements are natural and easie, being fetched out of the former Verse, and necessary to make the sense compleat. The sense is, what strange presumption then is it for a foolish and mortal man to pretend to an higher Priviledge than the Angels do, to make him∣self more just than God, or to exalt himself above or against God, as thou dost?
• z

  i. e. On men, as it follows, who thought they have immortal Spirits, yet those Spirits dwell in mortal Bodies, which are great Debasements, and Clogs, and Encumbrances, and Snares to them; and which are here called Houses, (because they are the Receptacles of the Soul, and the places of its settled and continual abode) and Houses of Clay, and Earthly Houses, 2 Cor. 5. 1. partly because they were made of Clay, or Earth, Gen. 2. 7. 1 Cor. 15. 47. and partly to note their great frailty and mutability; whereas the Angels are free Spirits, unconfined to such Carkasses, and dwell in celestial, and glorious, and everlasting Mansions.
• 2 Cor. 5. 1.
• b

  Whose very Foundation, no less than the rest of the Building, is in the dust; who as they dwell in Dust and Clay, so they had their Foundation or Original from it, and they must return to it, Eccles. 12. 7. And, as to their Bodies, lie down and sleep in it, Dan. 12. 2. as in his long home, Eccles. 12. 5. and the only continuing City which he hath in this World.
• c

  Heb. they crush them, i. e. they are or will be crushed. The Active Verb used Impersonally, as it is Ch. 7. 3. and 34. 20. Prov. 6. 30. Luk. 12. 20.
• d

  i. e. Sooner than a Moth is crushed, which is easily done by a Gentle touch of the Fingers. An Hyper∣bolical Expression. So the Hebrew word, liphne, commonly signi∣fying place, doth here note time, as it is used, Gen. 27. 7. and 29. 26. and 36. 31. Or, at the face or appearance of a Moth. No Creature is so weak and contemptible, but one time or other it may have the Body of Man in its power, as the Worms, the Moths Cousin-Ger∣mans, have in the Grave. But he instanceth in a Moth rather than a Worm, because it is the weaker of the two, and because it better agrees with the similitude of an House, in which Moths commonly are more frequent, and powerful, and mischievous, than Worms. How then canst thou think, O Iob, to contend with thy Maker, that must become a Prey to such small and impotent Creatures?
• †

  Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• e

  Either, 1. Speedily, between Morning and Evening, like the Grass, they flourish in the Morning, and in the Evening are cut off, Psal. 90. 5, 6. Or rather, 2. All the day long, as the Phrase is, 2 Cor. 11. 25. There is not a moment wherein Man is not sink∣ing and drawing on towards Death and Corruption.
• f

  As to hu∣mane appearance and the course of Nature, as many such like pas∣sages are to be understood in this Book; or in Reference to this present and worldly Life, which when once lost is never recover∣ed, Iob 16. 22. Psal. 39. 13.
• ‖

  Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the Heart.
• g

  Heb. without putting the Heart to it, the word Heart being understood here, as also Ch. 23. 6. and 34. 23. Isa. 41. 20. as may appear by comparing 1 Sam. 9. 20. 2 Sam. 18. 3. Isa. 41. 22. and 57. 1. Where the same Phrase is used, and the word Heart expressed. The meaning is either 1. Yet few or no men that survive them lay it to Heart as they should do. Or, 2. They perish beside the Expectation of all men, when both them∣selves and others thought their Mountain was so strong, that it could not be removed. Or rather, 3. This is so common a thing for all men, though never so high and great, to perish in this man∣ner, that no man heeds it, but passeth it by as a general accident not worthy of observation. Oth. No man procuring or furthering it; Heb. without any mans putting the hand to it, i. e. They perish of them∣selves without any violent hand.
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 39. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 14.
• h

  Whatsoever is really or by common estimation excellent in men, all their natural, & moral, & civil accomplishments ashigh birth. great riches, power and wisdom &c. These are sofar from preserving men from perishing, as one would think they should do, that they perish themselves together with those houses of clay in which they are lodged. Or. go away (i. e. die and perish as that phrase is oft used, as Gen. 15. 15 Ios. 23. 14 Iob 10. 21. Psal. 58. 9. Eccles. 12. 5. Mat. 26. 24.) with (as Beth is oft used) them: it doth not survive them
• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 36. 12.
• k

  Either 1. Like fools. Wise men and fools die alike, Eccles. 2. 16. Or 2. they never attain to perfect wisdom, to that wisdom which man once had, much less to that wisdom which is in God, which Iob conceiteth he hath; otherwise he would not so boldly censure the counsels and works of God as unrighteous or unreaso∣nable, because his humane and narrow capacity cannot fully un∣derstand them. Moreover, as folly is oft put for unrighteousness and wickedness; so is wisdom for justice and goodness; which is so known, that it is needless to prove it; and so by wisdom here may be meant that perfect justice and purity, which Iob arrogated to himself, and which Eliphaz here denies to all men, v. 17, &c.