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1. THen answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said,
2. How long wilt thou speak these things? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind a?
3. Doth God b pervert judgment c? or doth the Almighty pervert justice?
4. If thy children have sinned against him d, and he have cast them away † for their transgression e:
5. If thou f wouldest seek unto God betimes g, and make thy supplication to the Almighty;
6. If thou wert pure and upright h, surely now he would awake for thee i, and make the habitation k of thy righteousness l prosperous.
7. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly encrease m.
8. For enquire, I pray thee, of the former age n, and prepare thy self to the search of their Fa∣thers o.
9. (For we are but of yesterday p, and know † nothing because our days upon earth are a sha∣dow q.
10. Shall not they teach thee r, and tell thee, and utter words out of their hearts s?
11. Can the rush † grow up without mire t? can the flagg u grow without water?
12. Whilest it is yet in his greenness, x and not cut down, y it withereth before any other herb z.
13. So are the paths of all that forget God a, and the Hypocrite's hope shall perish b:
14. † Whose hope shall be cut off, c and whose trust shall be † a Spiders web d.
15. He shall lean upon his house f, but it shall not stand: g he shall hold it fast, h but it shall not en∣dure.
16. He i is green k before the Sun l, and his branch m shooteth forth in his garden o.
17. His roots are wrapped about the heap o, and seeth p the place q of Stones.
18. If he r destroy him from his place s, then it t shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee u.
19. Behold, this is the joy of his way x, and out of the earth shall others grow y.
20. Behold, God will not cast away z a perfect man, neither will he † help a the evil doers:
21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing b, and thy lips with † rejoycing.
22. They that hate thee c shall be cloathed with shame d, and the dwelling-place of the wicked e † shall come to nought.
i. e. Boisterous and violent, swelling and furious, opposing all persons and things that stand in thy way, not sparing either God or men.
Gen. 18. 25. Deut. 32. 4. Cap. 34. 17. 2 Chron. 19. 7. Dan. 9. 14. Rom. 3. 5.
Heb. The mighty God, as this word signifies, the Almighty, or Alsufficient God, as the next name of God here implies. These Names are emphatically used, to prove that God cannot deal un∣justly or falsly with men, because he hath no need of it, nor temp∣tation to it, being self-sufficient for his own happiness, and being able by his own invincible power to do whatsoever pleaseth him; unless men will impudently say, that God doth falsly for meer love to falshood, without any necessity of it, or advantage to him∣self by it; than which nothing can be more absurd and ridicu∣lous: for this makes him worse than the vilest of men, who act unjustly and falsly because they cannot otherwise accomplish their designs.
i. e. Overthrow the course of Justice in giving judg∣ment; or, judge unrighteously? No, this is inconsistent with God's Nature, which is essentially and necessarily just, and with his Office of Governour of the World, Gen. 18. 25.
What though thou wast in a great measure innocent, thy Children, upon whom a great part of these Calamities fell, might be guilty of great sins; and therefore God is not unrighteous in these proceedings.
Heb. in the hand of their transgressions
Or, Hath expelled, or cast them out (to wit, out of the world, or out of his favour; as a man gives his Wife a Bill of Divorce, of which this word is used) by means, (Heb. by the hand, which is oft so used) of their wickedness. Or, hath left them in the hand of their sin; to wit, to be punished by it, and for it. Comp. Num. 32. 23. Your sin shall find you out.
Chap. 11. 13. & 22. 23.
But God hath spared thee, whom he might justly have destroy∣ed with thy Children, and thou art yet capable of his favour if thou seek for it: And therefore cease from these causeless and un∣thankful complaints.
Heb. rise early to seek him, i. e. if thou wouldest seek him speedily, early and diligently. See Ch. 5. 8. & 7. 18, 21. But this may be understood of the time past; and this verse being connected with the next, may be thus rendred and un∣derstood; If thou hadst sought (for the future tense in the Hebrew is ost put for the past) unto God b•…•…tivies (as thou didst seem to do, Ch. 1. 5.) and made supplication to the Almighty; If withal thou hadst been pure and upright, i. e. If thy prayers had been accompanied with purity and uprightness of heart and life, they should have been heard and answered. But because thou didst regard iniquity in thy heart, therefore God would not hear, and did not answer thy prayers, but answered thee with a curse instead of a blessing, as he useth to deal with Hypocrites.
If thou wert in truth what thou pretendest, and hast been thought by others to be. pure and upright, i. e. of a sincere heart, and blameless life towards God and men. But God's severe dealing with thee is an evident token, that notwithstanding all thy fair shews, thou art but an Hypocrite and secret sinner▪ And this sense may seem to agree both with the same charge brought in against Iob by Eliphaz, Ch. 4. 6, 7. and with the following discourse, parti∣cularly with v. 13, 20. Or thus, If thou wouldest be pure and upright; i. e. if thou wouldest joyn Reformation to thy Supplication. And this sense may seem best to suit with the foregoing verse, according to the common Translation.
i. e. Bestir himself to help thee, as being his faithful friend and servant, whom he could not in honour or justice forsake; whereas now he shews a deep sleep, and wholly neglects thee, and turneth a deaf Ear to all thy prayers; which sheweth what opinion he hath of thee.
i▪ e▪ The concerns of thy house and family: An usual Metonymy.
Either 1. which thou hast go•…•… and managed with righteousness; so he calls it by way of supposition; if it were so, God would prosper thee accordingly. But because thou doest not prosper, it gives us cause to suspect that thou hast got thy estate by fraud and oppression. Or 2. Which thou shalt now manage with justice, and not wrongfully, as thou hast done.
The se•…•… se is either 1. Though thou hadst possessed but very little at first, yet God would have wonderfully blessed and increas∣ed thy estate. Whereas now God hath brought thee down from a great estate almost to nothing. Which is an evidence of his dis∣pleasure and thy hypocrisy. Or 2. Though the beginning of thy future fortunes, or, tho what thou hast left be now very small, yet if thou dost repent and seek God it shall vastly increase.
Deut. 4. 32. Chap. 15. 18.
i. e. Of our predecessors, who had the advantage of longer life and more experience besides more frequent revelations from God, than we have Who also will be more impartial Judges of this cause then we may be thought to be. Inform thy self from them by the instructions which they left either in word or writing what their opinion was about the manner of Gods dealings with men.
Do not slightly, but seriously and industriously search the antient Re∣cords.
See ch. 7. 6. Gen. 47. 9. 1 Chro. 29. 15. Psal. 39. 5. & 144. 4.
But lately born, and therefore have but little knowledge and experience, as it follows.
Heb. not
This is meant either. 1. Of their lives in particular, which were far shorter than the lives of their an∣cestors, the Patriarchs, whose long lives gave them opportunity to know and see the course of Gods providence towards Good and bad men, and the differing ends and issues of their lives. Or, 2. Of mens lives in general; Which being very short, mens observation reacheth but to very few events in comparison of those which may be known by the records and testimony of all former ages.
Assuredly they will inform thee that it is as we say. Not par∣tially, but sincerely, speaking their inward thoughts; Not rashly, but from deep consideration; Not by hearsay from others, but their own knowledge and experience.
Heb. lift up it self.
i. e. If it be not in moist and miry ground. This and what fol∣lows hementions as it were in the person of those antients to whom he had referred him, of whom he saith that they would give him such instructions as these.
Or, the grass: or the mead•…•… as this word is used, Gen. 41. 2. i. e. The grass of a meadow. But our tran∣slation seems the best, because it is compared with other herbs.
Psal. 129. 6. Jer. 17. 6.
Whereby it promiseth long continuance.
Though no man cut it down, it withered of itself, and will save a man the labour of cutting or plucking it up. It gives not a man so much warning that he can cut it down in time, as other green things do, but suddenly withered.
i. e. Sooner than other herbs or in their presence, or they surviving; in which sense it seems to be said that Ishmael died in the presence of his brethren, Gen. 25 18. The rest of the herbs look∣ing upon it and admiring this sudden change. For actions of sense and understanding are oft ascribed to lifeless creatures both in Scrip∣ture and in other Authors.
i. e. Of wicked men who are branded with this same chara∣cter, Psal. 9. 17. & 50. 22. Or Hypocrites, as the next words ex∣plain it, who are described by their first and fundamental miscar∣riage which is, that they forget, i. e. neglect, forsake, and despise (for so this phrase is commonly understood, as Deut. 6. 2. & 8. 11, &c. & 32. 18. Ier. 2. 32. & 23. 27.) God, i. e. his presence, and commands, and worship, and providence; and therefore break forth into manifold sins. But by their paths he doth not understand the course of their actions, or manner of their living, but the events which befall them, called their paths objectively, because they are the paths of God or the methods of his providence or manner of his dealing with them. Now this may be accommodated to the forego∣ing similitude in this manner; such is the prosperity of wicked men, because it wants the solid foundation of their piety, and of Gods pro∣mise and blessing consequent thereupon, it quickly vanisheth into nothing.
Ch. 11. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. & 18. 14. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 112. 10. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. 1•…•…. 25.
i. e. He shall lose what he hoped for, (hope being oft put for its object) even uninterrupted and abiding felicity, and with it all hope of restitution.
Heb. 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
i. e. Whose wealth and outward glory, which is the matter of his hope, and trust, shall be cut off, i. e. suddenly and violently taken away from him. Whose hope shall be i•…•…k some or tedious to him, by the succession of earnest expectation and great disapointment.
Heb. a Spi∣der's 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Isa. 59. 5, 6.
Which though it be formed with great art and industry, and may do much mischief to others, yet is most sle•…•…der and feeble and easily swept down or pulled in peices, and unable to defend the spider that made it. The application is obvious.
Chap. 27. 18.
i. e. He shall trust to the multitude and strength of his Children and servants, and to his wealth, all which come under the name of a mans house in Scripture-use.
i. e. Not be able to uphold itself nor him that trusted to it.
Or, he shall take fast hold of it, not to uphold it, but to strengthen and uphold himself by it, as it is in the former branch.
e Either the spider: Or rather the wicked man signified by it.
Ch. 29. 1•…•….
Either 1. the perfect man here understood out of v. 20. where it is expressed: Or rather 2. the hypocrite, of whom he hath hi∣therto treated, to whom this and the following verses very well a∣gree; Whom he before compared to a Rush, and then to a spi∣ders web and now to a Tree, which is of a more solid substance and more durable; as if he said, as some wicked men are quickly cut off in the very beginnings of their prosperity; so there are others who seem to be more firmly grounded, and yet they also at last come to ruine.
i. e. Flourisheth in the world.
Either 1. pub∣lickly and in the view of all men, who observe it with admiration, and applause, and envy. Comp. 2 Sam. 12. 12. Or rather 2. not∣withstanding all the scorching heat of the Sun, which quickly wi∣thers the Rushes and Herbs of which he spake before, but doth onely cherish and refresh the Tree. And so doth many a wicked man secure himself, and thrive and prosper even in times of great danger and trouble, and in spight of all opposition.
Or, His branches, the singular number for the plural; either 1. properly, and so this belongs to the description of a flourishing Tree, by the spreading of its branches here, as by the depth of its Root, v. 17. Or 2. metaphorically, to wit, his Children, which are here men∣tioned as additions not onely to his comfort, but also to his strength and safety.
n A place where it is defended from those injuries to which the Trees of the field are subject from men and beasts, and where besides the natural advantages common to all Trees, it hath peculiar helps from the Art and industry of men, by whom it is wa∣tered and assisted, as need requires. So he supposeth this man to be placed in the most desirable circumstances.
To wit, of stones, which word may be here understood out of the latter Branch of the Verse, as is very usual in Scripture-use. This Circumstance of the Tree is added, to signifie either 1. Its firmness and strength, that it was not in loose and sandy ground, which a violent Wind might overthrow, but in solid and hard ground, within which were many stones, which its numerous and spreading Roots embrace, solding and interweaving them∣selves severally about several stones. Or, 2. Its singular and ex∣traordinary growth in spight of all disadvantages and oppositions; that every stony-ground, which is very prejudicial to Trees, Matth. 13. 5. doth not hinder its growth, but only add to its strength. So God and Man seem to conspire, and all things con∣cur to secure and perpetuate this Man's happiness. Some ren∣der the words, His roots are wrapped, or folded, or spread, or about, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉 •…•… spring, as the Hebrew gal sometime signifies; as Ioshua 15. 19. Cant. 4 12. i. e. A moist ground, which is much to its ad∣vantage: See Psalm 1. 3. Ier. 17. 8.
He, i. e. the Tree whose Roo•…•… he last mentioneth, reacheth thither, spreadeth himself so far, takes the advantage of that place for the strengthning of its self. Seeing is oft put for enjoying, and is frequently attributed to lifeless things, by a known Figure, called Prosopopeia.
Heb. the house, which is oft used for a place; as 2 Sam. 6. 17. 1 Kings 8. 6. Others render the words thus, He looketh upon the house of stones; i. e. made of stones for greater beauty and strength. He stand∣eth proudly, and looketh boldly upon its Owners house, nigh un∣to which it is placed, even in his Garden, as was said before.
Either God, who is the Saviour of good men, and the De∣stroyer of the wicked: Or, the Owner: or any other man; for this is an indefinite speech, and may be taken passively and impersonally; which is very common in the holy Text and Lan∣guage.
In which he was planted.
i. e. The place; to which denying him, and seeing him, are here ascribed figuratively, as we have oft seen.
i. e. I do not know, nor remember that ever thou wast planted here. He shall be so utterly extirpated and destroyed, that there shall be no Footstep nor Name, nor Me∣morial of them left there.
This is the joyful and happy issue of the flourishing course, state, and condition (which is frequently called a way) of this Tree, or of the Hypocrite manifestly represented by it and ex∣pressed, v. 13. It is a Sarcasm or Irony, and is to be understood contrariwise of his sad and unhappy end.
i. e. Out of the same earth or place shall another Tree grow; which could not be, if there had been but a stump of it left though under ground. So it notes the total extirpation of the Tree, and of the Hypocrite, that his Person and all his Children and Family shall be utterly extinct, and so a stranger shall come into his place, and enjoy the fruit of his labours. But the words are and may be otherwise rendred very agreeably to the Hebrew Text, And out of other ground they (i. e. Plants or Trees, of which he is here speaking) shall grow, or, others shall grow, or, plants shall grow; the Noun being contained in the Verb: So the sense is, This Tree shall be rooted up, and the very ground of it so cursed, that nothing shall grow o•…•… •…•…rive in it; but other ground shall be fruitful, and other Trees that stood round about it shall stand still and flourish in their pla∣ces. His design in all this is to prove Iob to be an Hypocrite, be∣cause he meets with their lot, which is total destruction.
Heb. Not despise or reject; i. e. He will not deny them his help, as appears by the opposite and following Branch of the Verse: He will not suffer them to be utterly lost.
Heb take the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
i. e. Deliver them out of their troubles: Hence it may seem that thou, O Iob, art not a perfect or upright man, but an evil-doer: But this is certain, if for the future thy heart and way be not perfect, and thou doest not cease to do evil, thou wilt be utterly and irrecoverably lost; as on the contrary, if thou doest repent and reform, he will help and deliver thee, and restore thee to thy former glory and happi∣ness; which Promise though it be not here expressed, is suffici∣ently implied in the contrary threatning, as is evident from the following words which plainly suppose it, and have a reference to it: such Ellipses of Contraries being not unusual in Scripture, as we shall see hereafter, especially in the Book of the Proverbs.
And what I have said in general of all perfect men, shall be made good to thee, if thou beest such an one; God will not for∣sake thee, nor desist from doing thee good, till he fill, &c. i. e. God will give thee such abundant matter of rejoycing, that thy heart shall not be able to hold it, but it shall break out at thy mouth and lips.
Heb. shout∣•…•… 〈◊〉〈◊〉 joy.
That rejoyce in thy Calamities.
i. e. Shall be wholly co∣vered with it, shall be utterly confounded, when they shall ob∣serve thee whom they have despised and insulted over, to be so wonderfully and surprizingly restored to thy former or a greater Felicity.
Either particularly of thy Enemies who dealt so unworthily and wickedly with thee: Or more generally of all wicked men. Having shewed what good God would do to the perfect man, he now declares the contrary Portion of the Wicked, and as he said, that God would not help them, v. 20. so here he adds, that God will bring not onely them but their house; i. e. their Family and Estate to nought.
Heb. shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it.