Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 36
CHAP. XXXVI.
Verſ. 1. ELihu alſo proceeded.] See the Note chap. 34.1.
Verſ. 2. Suffer me a little, &c.] Hereby he intimates, that he would be brief in what he had farther to ſay for the juſtifying of God; and that becauſe he had already ſpoken a long time together.
Verſ. 3. I will fetch my knowledge from afarre, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, In declaring what I know concerning the Queſtion in hand, namely, whether thou haſt done well in charging God for dealing too ſeverely with thee, I will open the matter, as it were, from the very foundations. But yet what he means by theſe words, from afarre, it is not eaſie to determine. Some think that his meaning was, that he would utter nothing but what by inſpiration from God he knew to be ſo: he would not ſpeak what he in his reaſon might apprehend to be right, but what he had by ſpeciall enlightning from above, and therefore was ſure it was true. And then again, others underſtand it thus, that he would fetch his proofs for the juſtifying of God from the eternall nature of God, or from the works of creation, as we ſee towards the end of this chapter he argues from thoſe meteors of rain, thunder, and lightning, &c. and theſe things he calls knowledge from afarre, either becauſe the things he meant to ſpeak of were of a high nature, farre remote from us, and not eaſily comprehended by humane reaſon; or, becauſe they were ſuch things as had been from the firſt creation, yea (as concerning the nature of God) from all eternity; or, becauſe they might ſeem to be farre from the matter in queſtion, though indeed they were principles and generall grounds, from whence that truth, which he was to maintain, might be unqueſtionably concluded and proved. As for the following clauſe, and will aſcribe righteouſneſſe to my maker; in theſe words my maker Elihu implyes, that in regard he had his being from God, he was bound to plead his cauſe; and withall he might intend thereby, covertly to charge Job with being ungratefully injurious to his Creatour.
Verſ. 4. For truly, my words shall not be falſe; he that is perfect in knowledge is with thee.] This laſt clauſe many good Expoſitours underſtand of God; and ſo hold that Elihu doth hereby put Job in mind, either that he had to deal with God, who was perfect in knowledge, as being omniſcient, who could not therefore through any miſtake deal unjuſtly with him; or that God, who was perfect in knowledge, ſpake now to him by him, that he would not ſpeak any thing of his own head, but what he received by inſpiration from God, in whoſe ſtead he now ſpake unto him. But more generally it is held, that Elihu doth modeſtly here ſpeak of himſelf in the third perſon, as the Apoſtle alſo doth 2 Cor. 12.2, 3. He that is perfect in knowledge is with thee; as if he ſhould have ſaid, You have one to argue with you that is found in judgement, and ſincere in his intentions towards you, one that underſtands the cauſe we have in hand throughly, and that will in all things deal uprightly with you.
Verſ. 5. Behold, God is mighty, and deſpiſeth not any: he is mighty in ſtrength and wiſedome.] How Gods juſtice may be proved from his power and wiſedome, ſee in the Note chap. 9.4. Here theſe two are joyned together, God is mighty, and deſpiſeth not any, to ſhew, that as he needs not fear thoſe that are great, ſo neither doth he deſpiſe either great or ſmall, becauſe of his own ſupereminent greatneſſe, he makes not ſo light eſteem of any, as therefore to afflict them cauſeleſly, or not to care what injury he doth them. And herein alſo it may well be, that Elihu had reſpect to ſome ſpeeches of Jobs, wherein he might apprehend that Job had complained of God, that he carried all by his abſolute power, and that by reaſon of the dread thereof he could not plead his cauſe before him; as chap. 10.3. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldeſt oppreſſe? that thou shouldeſt deſpiſe the work of thine hands? and chap. 30.21. Thou art become cruell to me: with thy ſtrong hand thou oppoſest thy ſelf againſt me; and in divers other places.
Verſ. 6. He preſerveth not the life of the wicked; but giveth right to the poor.] That is, He doth not ſafeguard them in favour, as eſteeming them precious in his ſight, though he may ſee cauſe to keep them alive for a time; but he pleads the poors cauſe againſt them, though a while he may let them be oppreſſed.
Verſ. 7. He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous, &c.] That is, He never forgets, nor forſakes them: but with Kings are they on the throne, yea he doth eſtablish them for ever; that is, he continues them even unto death in thoſe places of dignity whereto he hath advanced them, and often too their children after them. As for the laſt clauſe, and they are exalted, the meaning of that is, either that thus they are exalted, maugre all oppoſition that may be made againſt them; or, that being thus advanced, they riſe in power and glory ſtill more and more. Some underſtand it of their exaltation to heavenly glory after death, and others of their being puffed up in their minds and ſpirits: but the former Expoſitions are more probable.
Verſ. 8. And if they be bound in fetters, &c.] That is, If the righteous, whether thoſe that God had exalted or others, come to be ſtreightned with affliction. It is probable that he alludes to that expreſſion of Jobs, Thou putteſt my feet in the ſtocks, chap. 13.27.
Verſ. 12. But if they obey not, they shall perish by the ſword, &c.] That is, God ſhall ſlay them in his anger; and they shall die without knowledge, that is, in their folly, not knowing why Gods hand is upon them; or for their folly, becauſe they would not learn by Gods corrections. Yet moſt probably it is thought by ſome, that Elihu ſtill ſpeaks here of the juſt, mentioned before verſ. 7. who indeed may be cut off by death for their folly, according to that of the Apoſtle 1 Cor. 11.30, 31, 32. for this cauſe many are weak and ſickly among you, and many ſleep; and that he ſpeaks not of the wicked till the following verſe.
Verſ. 13. But the hypocrites in heart heap up wrath, &c.] That is, ſay ſome Expoſitours, they grow more and more enraged againſt God. But rather the meaning is, that they by their obſtinacy and ſinning more and more, yea even in their afflictions, do treaſure up wrath to themſelves againſt the day of wrath: they cry not when he bindeth them; that is, they call not upon God when he afflicts them, as not acknowledging that God doth puniſh them for their ſins, or being every way of irreligious and profane ſpirits.
Verſ. 14. They die in youth, and their life is among the unclean.] Or, among the Sodomites. The meaning is, that their life is cut off after the ſame manner, as thoſe are cut off that are moſt hatefull to God and man, as being moſt abominably wicked; namely, that they are puniſhed with as much ſeverity, and are cut off by ſome vile and ſhamefull death, and that in their young years. And indeed ſome Expoſitours conceive that this laſt is ſolely intended in theſe words; and ſo they conceive that the ſame thing that is affirmed in the firſt clauſe, they die in youth, is repeated again in other tearms in the ſecond clauſe, and their life is among the unclean, that is, they are cut off amongſt ſuch as themſelves, wanton youngſters, that live in all kind of uncleanneſſe. And ſome think alſo, that Elihu hath reference in theſe words to the deſtruction of Sodome.
Verſ. 17. But thou haſt fulfilled the judgement of the wicked, &c.] That is, thou haſt carried thy ſelf as wicked men uſe to doe, thy courſe hath been juſt like theirs; or, thou haſt judged as wicked men uſe to doe, in cenſuring the waies of Gods Providence towards thee. It ſeems to be the ſame in effect with that which he had ſaid before, chap. 34.8. that Job went in company with the workers of iniquity: whereupon he adds, judgement and juſtice take hold on thee; as if he ſhould have ſaid, you ſee what you get by ſpeaking ſo deſperately of God; the juſt indignation of God hath already ſeized upon thee.
Verſ. 18. Becauſe there is wrath, beware leſt he take thee away with his ſtroke.] That is, Becauſe thou haſt ſhown ſuch wrath and indignation againſt God; or rather, Becauſe, though God be very long-ſuffering and patient, yet there is wrath with God, as well as mercy and patience; or, becauſe Gods wrath is already broken forth upon thee, take heed that thou doſt not provoke him farther, even to the cutting of thee off.
Verſ. 19. Will he eſteem thy riches? no not gold, nor all the forces of ſtrength.] That is, As thou canſt not by thy wealth, ſo neither by any force or ſtrength be delivered, when once thou art cut off, or when once God hath determined to cut thee off.
Verſ. 20. Deſire not the night, when people are cut off in their place.] There are ſeverall Expoſitions given of theſe words, which being conſidered apart by themſelves the words would well enough bear: as firſt, that Elihu counſels Iob that he ſhould not deſire the night, as thieves and robbers do, that he might doe miſchief therein, when poor men are uſually cut off in their places, by thoſe that unexpectedly break in upon them: ſecondly, that he adviſeth him not to deſire the night of other mens afflictions and tribulations, that taking advantage thereof he ſhould cut them off in the places where they live: thirdly, that he calls upon him not to deſire the night, as thinking to find thereby ſome eaſe in his miſeries, ſince there is no looking for eaſe, as long as God is angry with him; and God even in a night doth often cut off whole nations, at leaſt many people together, and therefore may eaſily cut off him: and fourthly, that he wills him not to deſire the night, that is, not to deſire to know the night, when people are cut off in their place; not curiouſly to enquire into the cauſe of that judgement of God, when in a night ſometimes whole nations or multitudes of people are cut off in their place, they need not be driven forth, or ſcattered abroad into ſtrange countries, they melt away in their own place: and hereby he would intimate, that Job ſhould not make ſo ſtrange of it, nor be ſo eager to know, why he being a good man ſhould be ſo ſorely afflicted. But becauſe in the foregoing verſes Elihu had warned Iob to take heed, that he did not provoke God utterly to cut him off, therefore I rather think this to be the meaning of the words, Deſire not the night, when people are cut off in their place; that is, Deſire not death, which is the common paſſage of all men, and by the ſtroke whereof men are utterly cut off, and ſo if they be not in the better condition do periſh eternally: as if he had ſaid, ſo farre you are from fearing Gods cutting you off, that you deſire it; but take heed of this, &c.
Verſ. 21. Take heed, regard not iniquity, &c.] That is, affect not this murmuring againſt God, and deſiring death, and quarrelling againſt his proceedings: for this haſt thou choſen rather then affliction; to wit, in that he choſe to contend with God, rather then patiently to bear his afflictions.
Verſ. 22. Behold, God exalteth by his power, &c.] This may be underſtood two ſeverall waies: to wit, either that God exalteth and magnifyeth himſelf or his works by his power, that is, that by the manifeſtation of his almighty power God ſheweth himſelf to be a great God, and his works appear exceeding glorious; and then the drift of this clauſe is to put Job in mind, that therefore there is no reaſoning nor contending with him: or elſe rather, that God doth often by his great power exalt thoſe that are afflicted and caſt down; and then the drift of the words is, to intimate to Job, that God was able to exalt him, and that if ever he were raiſed again from his low condition, it was God that muſt doe it; in regard whereof it was fitter that he ſhould humble himſelf before God, and ſeek his favour, rather then quarrell againſt him for that which he had done to him. And then in the next clauſe it is ſaid, who teacheth like him? either becauſe God being omniſcient, and knowing all things of himſelf, muſt needs teach better then man that knoweth but in part, and as he receives from others; or, becauſe God enlightneth the mind, and effectually teacheth the heart, which no man can doe; or, becauſe God teacheth men by the afflictions he layes upon them: and then the drift of this laſt clauſe is to imply, that as God is great in power, ſo he is of incomprehenſible wiſedome, and that men ſhould content themſelves with that which God teacheth, and not ſearch into thoſe things which are above their reach; and eſpecially, that it was a mere folly to murmure againſt any of Gods proceedings, as if man could teach God how to govern the world; and that Iob might learn much by the afflicting hand of God, if the fault were not in himſelf, yea that particular leſſon, that none could raiſe him but God, was clearly taught him, in that all the while he was ſo impatient, he was ſtill kept in ſuch a helpleſſe condition.
Verſ. 23. Who hath enjoyned him his way?] This is alledged to prove that therefore none can controll or condemn what he doth; concerning which ſee the Note chap. 34.13.
Verſ. 24. Remember that thou magnifie his work, which men behold.] That is, Inſtead therefore of ſearching into Gods ſecrets, buſie thy ſelf rather in magnifying thoſe works which lye open to every mans view: and this may be meant of the works of God in generall, or of the heaven in particular, the meteors, rain and thunder and lightning, whereof he ſpeaks in the following verſes.
Verſ. 25. Every man may ſee it, man may behold it afarre off.] That is, the heaven; or it may be better underſtood of all the works of God in generall, to wit, that men may behold them, even thoſe that are afarre off, though indeed they cannot perfectly underſtand them.
Verſ. 26. Behold, God is great, and we know him not, &c.] As if he had ſaid, This you will find by obſerving diligently the works of God, to wit, that God is incomprehenſibly great, and that therefore it is not for man to blame any thing that God doth.
Verſ. 27. For he maketh ſmall the drops of water, &c.] That is, He maketh the rain (which is by the heat of the Sun drawn up in vapours from the earth and ſea) to diſtill down by degrees in round ſmall drops, according to the proportion of the vapours that goe up; and this is mentioned, as a work which we are not able to comprehend. See the Note chap. 26.8.
Verſ. 29. Alſo can any understand the ſpreadings of the clouds, or the noiſe of his Tabernacle?] That which man cannot perfectly underſtand in the ſpreadings of the clouds may be, either how farre a cloud will ſpread when it riſeth, or how the clouds come to be ſpread out in ſo vaſt an extent all the heavens over, and that many times in a very different manner, ſome being clouds without water, others yielding ſoft and gentle rain, others pouring forth violent and ſtormy ſhowres, ſome bringing winds with them, others froſt, or hail, or ſnow; and then by the noiſe of his Tabernacle, is meant the roaring of the winds or thunder above in the clouds, Gods Tabernacle or pavilion, as it is called 2 Sam. 22.12. of which ſee the Note there.
Verſ. 30. Behold, he ſpreadeth his light upon it, and covereth the bottome of the ſea.] This verſe is diverſly expounded. Some underſtand it plainly thus, that God ſpreadeth his light over the clouds, Gods Tabernacle above, as they are called in the foregoing verſe, and withall covereth the bottome of the ſea with waters beneath. Others conceive that El…hu ſpeaks here of the ſudden changes that God often makes in the air; to wit, that ſometimes, the thick clouds being ſcattered, he ſpreadeth his light all over his Tabernacle above, and maketh the clouds that are there to be lightſome and bright; and then at other times with clouds gathered together he covereth the bottome of the ſea, that is, he covereth all things with darkneſſe even to the bottome of the ſea: a work the more wonderfull, becauſe the ſame Sun that diſpels the clouds at one time, doth alſo gather them at another. And laſtly, ſome give this to be the meaning of the words, that God by the light of the Sun, or by the flaſhes of lightening, which he ſcattereth abroad in the clouds, doth not only enlighten the clouds above, but alſo cauſeth it to pierce through the waters, even to the covering or overſpreading of the bottome of the ſea with its light. And this ſeems beſt to agree with our Tranſlation.
Verſ. 31. For by them he judgeth the people, he giveth meat in abundance.] That is, By theſe clouds, cauſing ſhowres and thunder and lightening, God both judgeth, that is, puniſheth the wickedneſſe of men, to wit, by great flouds, which often deſtroy not only the fruits of the earth, but likewiſe men and cattel, and alſo moiſtneth the earth at other times, and makes it yield an abundant encreaſe for the nouriſhment of man.
Verſ. 33. The noiſe thereof sheweth concerning it, the cattel alſo concerning the vapour.] That is, the noiſe of the wind or thunder in the clouds above foreſheweth the ſhowres of rain that are coming; the cattel alſo by a naturall inſtinct diſcern the vapours aſcending, and ſo foreſee, and by ſeverall actions and motions do as it were give warning to men of the wet weather that approacheth.