The Book of Job Paraphrased, Chapter 4
CHAP. IV.
ARGUMENT.
Eliphaz incenſed at this Complaint of Job, in ſtead of condoling with him, and pitying the Miſeries which had put him into this Agony, and applying fitting Lenitives to his Anguiſh; bluntly rebukes him for not following the good Advice that he uſed to give to others in their Adverſity: and tells him, he had reaſon to ſuſpect his Piety, becauſe the Innocent were not wont to ſuffer ſuch things, but onelyonly wicked Oppreſſours; whom, though never ſo mighty, God had always humbled. Witneſs the Horims, who dwelt in Seir, (II. Deut. 12.) whom the anceſtours of Eliphaz (XXXVI. Gen. 11.) had overcome, though they were as fierce as Lions. To thoſe Beaſts of prey, of all ſorts, he compares the Tyrants whom he ſpeaks of in this Chapter, v. 10, 11. intending, it is likely, to remember him alſo of the deſtruction of the Emims by the children of Moab, (II. Deut. 10, 11.) and of the Zamzummims, (v. 20, 21.) who were rooted out by the children of Ammon, as the Horims by the children of Eſau: from whoſe Grandchild Eliphaz ſeems to have been deſcended, and called by the name of the eldeſt Son of Eſau. He tells Job alſo of a Viſion he had, to confirm the ſame truth, That man's Wickedneſs is the cauſe of his Deſtruction.
1. THen Eliphaz the Temanite anſwered and ſaid,1. THen Eliphaz (one of his moſt ancient Friends, deſcended from Teman) replied to him, and ſaid;
2. If we aſſay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himſelf from ſpeaking?2. We muſt either ſtill keep ſilence, or ſpeak what will not pleaſe thee. But Truth ſure is more to be regarded then Friendſhip; and therefore I muſt remember thee,
3. Behold, thou haſt inſtructed many, and thou haſt ſtrengthened the weak hands.3. That thou, it is well known, haſt given good Counſel unto others, (and perhaps reproved their Impatience,) thou haſt incouraged thoſe who were disſpirited;
4. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou haſt ſtrengthened the feeble knees.4. And by thy diſcourſe haſt ſupported thoſe whoſe hearts were ready to ſink, and ſettled thoſe who trembled under their burthen.
5. But now it is come upon thee, and thou fainteſt; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.5. And now that thou art faln into the ſame condition, thou canſt not practiſe thy own Leſſons; but fainteſt, and art ſtruck with conſternation.
6. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightneſs of thy ways?6. Is not this the time to exerciſe thy Piety, (ſo much fam'd,) thy Confidence in God, thy Hope, thine Integrity?
7. Remember, I pray thee, who ever periſhed being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?7. Conſult thine own obſervation, and tell me when thou ever ſaweſt a Righteous man forſaken by God.
8. Even as I have ſeen, they that plow iniquity, and ſow wickedneſs, reap the ſame.8. Quite contrary, I have ſeen the Wicked reaping the fruit of their doings.
9. By the blaſt of God they periſh, and by the breath of his noſtrils are they conſumed.9. God blaſts and conſumes them as the nipping wind, or the fire doth the corn in the field.
10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions are broken.10. Though they be as fierce as the Lions and as ſtrong, their power is broken.
11. The old lion periſheth for lack of prey, and the ſtout lions whelps are ſcattered abroad.11. The greateſt Tyrants and their poſterity, after they have long injoy'd their power, are deprived of all their riches gotten by oppreſſion, and come to nothing.
12. Now a thing was ſecretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.12. If theſe obſervations be not ſufficient to convince thee, hear what God himſelf ſecretly whiſpered to me.
13. In thoughts from the viſions of the night, when deep ſleep falleth on men,13. As I was ruminating one night, when all were aſleep, of ſome Viſions which I had had;
14. Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to ſhake.14. I was on a ſudden ſeized with ſuch a fear, that it made every joynt of my body tremble.
15. Then a ſpirit paſſed before my face, the hair of my fleſh ſtood up.15. Whereupon I ſaw a Spirit paſs by me, which made mine hair ſtand an end.
16. It ſtood ſtill, but I could not diſcern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was ſilence, and I heard a voice, ſaying,16. I am not able to deſcribe what it was like; for though it ſtood ſtill, and I ſaw an image of ſomething, yet I can onelyonly tell what I heard in a ſtill voice, ſaying;
17. Shall mortal man be more juſt then God? ſhall a man be more pure then his maker?17. Can any one think that a miſerable Man is more righteous then God his Judge? or that it is poſſible for any-body to be more unreprovable then He that made him?
18. Behold, he put no truſt in his ſervants; and his angels he charged with folly:18. The Heavenly Miniſters themſelves may fail; for they are not perfectly wiſe, though they have no fleſh and bloud as we have.
19. How much leſs on them that dwell in houſes of clay, whoſe foundation is in the duſt, which are cruſhed before the moth?19. How can we then pretend to Perfection, who dwell in bodies of dirt; which ſtand upon no firm foundation, but are as ſubject to be deſtroyed as a garment to be fretted with moths?
20. They are deſtroyed from morning to evening: they periſh for ever without any regarding it.20. We ſee continual examples of thoſe that are cut off: they are quite taken away, when no-body thinks of it.
21. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die even without wiſedome.21. Though their Dignities be never ſo great, and their Poſterity never ſo numerous, all go away with them, and they die like ſo many Beaſts, who have no underſtanding of their latter end.