The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 38
CHAP. XXXVIII.
ARGUMENT.
What Elihu had ſaid concerning the Divine Majeſty, in the 22. verſe of the foregoing, God declares to be true, by a ſenſible demonſtration, as I have expreſſed it in the firſt Verſe of this Chapter. In which God himſelf appears as a Judge (according to Job's repeated deſires) to decide this great Controverſy. And taking up the Argument begun by Elihu, (who came neareſt to the truth,) and proſecuting it in unimitable words, (excelling his and all other mens in the loftineſs of the ſtyle, as much as Thunder doth a Whiſper,) He convinces Job of his Ignorance and Weakneſs; by ſhewing him how little he underſtood of the moſt obvious things in this World. Intending from thence, at laſt, to infer, that he who found himſelf puzzled, when he went about to give an account of the meaneſt of God's viſible Works, ſhould not preſume to penetrate into his ſecret Counſels; nor queſtion his Goodneſs, no more then he could his Wiſedom and Power, though he knew not why he was afflicted. One inſtance had been ſufficient to bring Job to a Non-plus; but He heaps up abundance, to humble him the more, when he ſaw how much cauſe there was for it: whether he conſidered the Earth, or the Heavens; the Sea, or the Sun; things contained in the boſome of the Sea, or in the bowels of the Earth; eſpecially all the Meteors (as we call them) which are formed in the Clouds, and the Conſtellations in the higher Regions; together with the Beaſts upon the earth, and the Birds which ſly in the air; one of each of which he mentions in the end of this Chapter.
1. THEN the LORD anſwered Job out of the whirlwind, and ſaid,1. NO ſooner had Elihu ſpoken theſe words, but there was a ſenſible token of the Preſence of that moſt dreadfull Majeſty of God, (XXXVII. 22.) among them. For there aroſe an unuſual Cloud, (after the manner of God's appearing in thoſe days,) and a Voice came out of it, as loud as a Tempeſt; which called to Job, ſaying,
2. Who is this that darkeneth counſel by words without knowledge?2. Who is this that diſparages my Counſels, with his ignorant Diſcourſes about them?
3. Gird up now thy loins like a man; for I will demand of thee, and anſwer thou me.3. If thou haſt the courage to argue the caſe with Me, (as thou haſt often deſired,) make thy ſelf ready for the Debate, and anſwer me the queſtions I ſhall ask thee.
4. Where waſt thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare if thou haſt underſtanding.4. Where waſt thou, when I founded the earth? ſpeak Man, and relate how I went about that work, if thou art ſo skilfull as thou pretendeſt.
5. Who hath laid the meaſures thereof, if thou knoweſt? or who hath ſtretched the line upon it?5. How came it to have theſe Dimenſions? (For thou, ſure, who preſumeſt to cenſure my Providence, canſt not be ignorant of ſuch matters.) After what manner was the line and the rule applied, to give it theſe exact Proportions?
6. Whereupon are the foundations thereof faſtened? or who laid the corner-ſtone thereof?6. Canſt thou tell how it was fixt, and ſettled upon its Center; or what it is that holds all the Parts of it ſo firmly together?
7. When the morning ſtars ſang together, and all the ſons of God ſhouted for joy.7. Where waſt thou when the bright Stars firſt appeared to proclaim my Praiſe with one conſent? and all the Angelicall Powers expreſſed their joy, but did not aſſiſt, at the birth of the World?
8. Or who ſhut up the ſea with doors, when it brake forth as if it had iſſued out of the womb?8. What Midwiſe had the Sea, to bring it forth, when it burſt out of the confuſed Abyſs, like an Infant out of the womb?
9. When I made the cloud the garment thereof, and thick darkneſs a ſwadlingband for it,9. And I covered it with Clouds as with a garment; and wrapt its boiſterous waves in a thick Miſt, with as much eaſe, as a Nurſe ſwaddles a new-born Child?
10. And brake up for it my decreed place, and ſet bars and doors,10. And laid it in that Bed, which I had appointed to be broken up for it in the earth? where though it be toſſed to and fro, as an Infant in a Cradle, yet it keeps within its Shores, which cannot be overturned.
11. And ſaid, Hitherto ſhalt thou come, but no farther: and here ſhall thy proud waves be ſtayed.11. For I have fixed its Bounds, and reſolved, Thus far ſhalt thou flow, but no farther: Theſe Sands and theſe Clifts ſhall ſtop thy ſwelling waves, be they lifted up never ſo tempeſtuouſly.
12. Haſt thou commanded the morning ſince thy days? and cauſed the day-ſpring to know his place.12. Raiſe up thy thoughts ſtill higher, and tell me, doſt thou remember ſince the morning Light was made? or was it thou who ordered the Sun, in what part of the Heaven it ſhould every day ariſe?
13. That it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be ſhaken out of it?13. And ſpred its Beams to the ends of the earth; that the Wicked, who delight in works of darkneſs, may be detected, and dragg'd to their deſerved Puniſhment?
14. It is turned as clay to the ſeal, and they ſtand as a garment.14. For they are daunted at its approach, and change colour as oft as the Clay doth its form under different ſeals: they are no more conſiſtent with themſelves then a changeable Garment:
15. And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm ſhall be broken.15. And at laſt loſe the uſe of that Light, which innocent perſons injoy with ſo much pleaſure: their inſolent Power, which in the Night was ſo audacious, being broken in pieces in the Morning.
16. Haſt thou entred into the ſprings of the ſea? or haſt thou walked in the ſearch of the depth?16. O thou who adventureſt to enter into the Abyſs of my Judgments, didſt thou ever penetrate into the ſpring of the Sea? or haſt thou perfectly diſcovered all that lies at the bottom of that great Deep?
17. Have the gates of death been opened unto thee? or haſt thou ſeen the doors of the ſhadow of death?17. Hath the Earth opened all her dark caverns to thee? or haſt thou gone down to the very Center of it?
18. Haſt thou perceived the breadth of the earth? declare, if thou knoweſt it all.18. Nay, doſt thou ſo much as underſtand all that grows upon the Surface of the earth? Shew thy skill, if it be ſo comprehenſive.
19. Where is the way where light dwelleth? and as for darkneſs, where is the place thereof,19. Tell me, which is the way that leads to the place where Light takes up its dwelling when the Sun goes down? or what becomes of the Darkneſs when the Sun riſes again?
20. That thou ſhouldeſt take it to the bound thereof, and that thou ſhouldeſt know the paths to the houſe thereof?20. Art thou able to go, and bring either of them hither? or to carry them back again away from hence, and preſcribe them their limits at thy pleaſure?
21. Knoweſt thou it, becauſe thou waſt then born? or becauſe the number of thy days is great?21. Art thou acquainted with theſe things, becauſe thou waſt then born when I made them? How comeſt thou to diſcourſe ſo confidently of my Government of mankind, who couldſt neithertell that thou ſhouldſt be born, nor art able now to ſay when thou ſhalt die?
22. Haſt thou entred into the treaſure of the ſnow? or haſt thou ſeen the treaſures of the hail,22. And when waſt thou in the Clouds, to ſee how the Snow or the Hail is made in ſuch abundance?
23. Which I have reſerved againſt the time of trouble, againſt the day of battel and war?23. That I need no other weapon then thoſe, if I pleaſe to uſe them, for the deſtruction of mine Enemies?
24. By what way is the light parted, which ſcattereth the eaſtwind upon the earth?24. Art thou able to give an account how the Light diffuſes it ſelf, all over in an inſtant? or what makes the Eaſt-wind blow ſo violently upon the earth?
25. Who hath divided a watercourſe for the overflowing of waters? or a way for the lightning of thunder,25. Didſt thou make a chanel in Heaven for the conveyance of overflowing Showrs? or open the way for the breaking out of Lightning and Thunder?
26. To cauſe it to rain on the earth where no man is; on the wilderneſs wherein there is no man?26. Is it by thy direction that theſe Showrs go, and fall upon the deſart places; where there are no Inhabitants to imploy their art to provide them with water?
27. To ſatisfie the deſolate and waſte ground, and to cauſe the bud of the tender herb to ſpring forth?27. And that they ſatisfie the dry and barren parts of the earth, where all the labour of man is unprofitable, without ſuch plentifull Rains to make them fruitfull?
28. Hath the rain a father? or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?28. What's more common then the Rain and the Dew? but who is able to produce one drop of either?
29. Out of whoſe womb came the ice? and the hoary froſt of heaven, who hath gendred it?29. In whoſe womb was the Ice formed? or who can make ſo ſmall a thing as the hoary Froſt?
30. The waters are hid as with a ſtone, and the face of the deep is frozen.30. Whence comes the Cold that turns the waters into Stone, and fetters the raging waves of the Sea?
31. Canſt thou bind the ſweet influences of Pleiades, or looſe the hands of Orion?31. Canſt thou forbid the ſweet Flowers to come forth, when the Seven-ſtars ariſe in the Spring? or open the Earth for the Husbandman's labour, when the Winter ſeaſon, at the riſing of Orion, ties up their hands?
32. Canſt thou bring forth Mazzaroth in his ſeaſon, or canſt thou guide Arcturus with his ſons?32. Is it by thy power that the reſt of the Stars, great and ſmall, appear in the Southern and the Northern Signs, in their proper ſeaſon?
33. Knoweſt thou the ordinances of heaven? canſt thou ſet the dominion thereof in the earth?33. Doſt thou underſtand the Orders and the Laws, which I have eſtabliſhed among the Heavenly Bodies? or couldſt thou tell what to doe, if it were referred to thee here on earth, to ſettle the Government of them?
34. Canſt thou lift up thy voice to the clouds, that abundance of waters may cover thee?34. Let me ſee an inſtance of thy Power and Skill; lift up thy voice to the Clouds, and command them to pour out abundance of waters, upon the place where thou now art.
35. Canſt thou ſend lightnings, that they may go, and ſay unto thee, Here we are?35. Or call to the Lightnings, and bid them go whither thou haſt a mind to ſend them: and let me hear them anſwer, Behold, we are ready to obey thee.
36. Who hath put wiſedom in the inward parts? or who hath given underſtanding to the heart?36. Didſt thou give thy ſelf underſtanding? How comes it then to be ſo ſmall, that thou canſt not tell how a Thought is made?
37. Who can number the clouds in wiſedom? or who can ſtay the bottles of heaven,37. Nor with all the Wiſedom thou haſt, ſo much as count the number of the Clouds? whoſe Showrs thou art as unable to ſtop, as to make them run:
38. When the duſt groweth into hardneſs, and the clods cleave faſt together?38. Though they have faln ſo long, that the earth is abundantly ſatisfied, and fit for the plough, or for the ſeed.
39. Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,39. Or doſt thou pretend to have great power upon Earth, though none in Heaven? wilt thou undertake then to provide food for a Lion and all his whelps?
40. When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?40. And that in a Deſart; where they lie lurking in their dens, and greedily watch for a prey, in cloſe and ſhady places?
41. Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.41. Or, which is leſs, wilt thou take upon thee to feed the young Ravens? who, expelled by the old ones out of their neſt, complain to Me of their Cruelty, but know not where to get a bit of meat?