Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 37
CHAP. XXXVII.
Verſ. 1. AT this alſo my heart trembleth, &c.] To wit, at the conſideration of that which he meant next to ſpeak of, which is concerning the thunder, verſ. 2. Hear attentively the noiſe of his voice, &c. Indeed this may have reference likewiſe to that which went before in the former chapter, eſpecially if that which is ſaid there verſ. 29. and 33. concerning the noiſe in Gods Tabernacle, be meant of the thunder. But this word (alſo) At this alſo my heart trembleth, ſeems rather to imply, that he meant to alledge another ſpeciall work of God, full of terrour, whereof he had not ſpoken before.
Verſ. 3. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightening unto the ends of the earth.] That is, he cauſeth the thunder and lightening to paſſe from one end of the heaven to the other; as Chriſt ſaith Matth. 24.27. The lightening cometh out of the Eaſt, and shineth even unto the Weſt. Yet withall thoſe words, He directeth it, ſeem alſo to hint to us, that the thunder and lightening are guided by the ſpeciall providence of God whitherſoever they goe.
Verſ. 4. After it a voice roareth, &c.] For the lightening is ſeen before the thunder is heard, though the thunder be before it: he thundreth with the voice of his excellency; that is, with an excellent voice, or with a voice that clearly diſcovers his tranſcendent excellency: and he will not ſtay them when his voice is heard; that is, he ſtayes not the lightenings, when once it begins to thunder, but they are preſently with us before the clap of thunder is heard; or, he will not ſtay the ſtorms of rain, (whereof he had ſpoken before chap. 36.27, 28.) but immediately after the thunder, they come pouring down in a moſt vehement manner.
Verſ. 5. God thundreth marvellouſly with his voice, &c.] This word marvellouſly may not only have reference to that marvellous noiſe that the thunder makes, but alſo to thoſe ſtrange effects of the thunder and lightening obſerved by many; as that it will melt a ſword in the ſheath, or mony in a purſe, and neither hurt the ſheath nor the purſe, break the bones in a mans body, and kill a child in the womb, and yet not the leaſt ſign of hurt to be ſeen outwardly, and many other effects of the like nature: To which alſo ſome limit the following words, great things doth he, which we cannot comprehend. But that I conceive muſt be extended alſo to that which follows, concerning ſnow and froſt: for though philoſophers do give the reaſon of all theſe things, yet they do it but imperfectly, and there is much uncertainty in many things they ſay; and, beſides, why theſe things are done at ſuch a time and in ſuch a place, rather then another, they can never give a reaſon.
Verſ. 6. For he ſaith to the ſnow, Be thou on the earth, &c.] This expreſſion, Be thou on the earth, may ſeem to imply, not only the coming of the ſnow down upon the earth, but alſo its uſuall lying for a time upon the earth before it melts away: likewiſe to the ſmall rain, and the great rain of his ſtrength; that is, the great mighty ſhowres of rain, which ſometimes fall, or thoſe violent ſtorms which diſcover the mighty ſtrength of that God that ſends them.
Verſ. 7. He ſealeth up the hand of every man, that all men may know his work.] There is a like expreſſion before concerning Gods ſealing up the ſtars, chap. 9.7. concerning which ſee the Note there. The meaning of this here is, that God by covering the earth with ſnow, or by ſending ſuch tempeſtuous weather, as is before mentioned, doth wholly take men off from their labour; being driven home for ſhelter, there he lodgeth them, and locketh or ſealeth them up faſt, ſo that they cannot ſtirre abroad to follow their imployments: and this he doth that all men may know his work, that is, that all men may hereby ſee and know what God is able to doe, who can thus at his pleaſure take men off from their buſineſſes, and make them wait upon him, till he is pleaſed to ſet them at liberty again.
Verſ. 10. By the breath of God froſt is given, &c.] That is, By the cold winds, which God doth as it were breath upon the earth, he cauſeth froſts; (and this he ſaith in reference to what he had ſaid in the foregoing verſe concerning the winds, Out of the South cometh the whirlwind, and cold out of the North;) and the breadth of the waters is ſtreightned, that is, the waters are frozen, and ſo being congealed into ice, and as it were bound together in a narrower compaſſe, they ſeem to be dryed up, and take not up ſo much room as they did before.
Verſ. 11. Alſo by watering he wearieth the thick cloud, &c.] That is, the black full clouds: and it may be ſaid, that God wearieth the thick clouds, whilſt by them he watereth the earth, either firſt, becauſe they are carried about to water the ground from one place to another, or ſecondly, becauſe they goe laden with ſuch abundance of rain within them, or thirdly, becauſe by watering they are ſpent and waſted, even as the ſtrength of a man will waſt and conſume, when he is wearied with much labour. As for the following clauſe, he ſcattereth his bright cloud, though ſome underſtand it thus, that by the wind, or by the beams of the Sun, he ſcattereth the clouds from whence flaſhes of lightening did before break forth; yet I rather take the meaning to be this, that by the wind or Sun he ſoon ſcattereth the white, empty, lightſome cloud, that it quickly vaniſheth and comes to nothing.
Verſ. 12. And it is turned round about by his counſels, &c.] That is, By the wiſe determinate counſels of God, and not by chance, is the cloud carried round about the earth, or rather whirled about, ſometimes one way and ſometimes another: that they may doe whatſoever he commandeth them; that is, that theſe clouds, and the hail, rain, ſnow, &c. therein, may doe what God appoints them.
Verſ. 13. He cauſeth it to come, whether for correction, or for his land, or for mercy.] To wit, the cloud, together with the ſhowres and ſtorms it brings along with it. It is not eaſie to diſtinguiſh the two laſt clauſes in this verſe, namely, where it is ſaid that God cauſeth theſe things to come, or for his land, or for mercy. Some by his land underſtand that part of the earth which is not inhabited, in which none therefore challenge an intereſt, but the Lord only: and ſo they make the meaning to be this, that ſometimes God cauſeth theſe ſhowres to come for his land, thoſe parts that are not inhabited; and ſometimes for mercy, that is, in mercy to man, when he ſends them to make the earth fruitfull where men dwell. Others ſay, that God cauſeth them to come for his land, when he ſends them to moiſten and fatten the earth, which is the Lords, as is all the fulneſſe thereof, but more out of that common reſpect that he hath to all his creatures, then out of any reſpect to the wicked inhabitants, that are no way worthy that God ſhould mind them; and that he cauſeth them to come for mercy, when he ſends them in pity and mercy to men, upon their humbling of themſelves before him. Again, others hold that then God is ſaid to ſend theſe ſhowres for his land, when he ſends them in an ordinary way for the watering of the earth, and to make it fruitfull; and that then God is ſaid to ſend them for mercy, either when he ſends them in times of drought, taking pity of men in their miſery, to reſtore again to them the fruits of the earth, or at leaſt a little to refreſh them, and allay their miſery, or when he ſends them in ſome other way of mercy, as to cool and cleanſe the air, or any other ſuch like favour.
Verſ. 14. Hearken unto this, O Iob; ſtand ſtill, and conſider the wondrous works of God.] That is, conſider ſeriouſly of theſe mighty works of God, and think whether it be fit that ſuch a poor Creature, as thou art, ſhould murmure againſt ſo great a God, and whether it be poſſible for thee to comprehend his ſecret counſels, that canſt not comprehend his ordinary works.
Verſ. 15. Doſt thou know when God diſpoſed them, and cauſed the light of his cloud to shine?] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Wert thou of counſell with God from all eternity, when he decreed and determined how theſe things ſhould be? (namely, the wondrous works mentioned in the foregoing verſe, or the clouds and meteors, rain, ſnow, hail, &c. formerly ſpoken of) or when in time he did actually order and diſpoſe of them, that ſo thou ſhouldeſt underſtand in what manner and to what end they are done? As for the particular inſtance that is added in the next words, and cauſed the light of his cloud to shine? either it muſt be underſtood of the lightening, to wit, that he did not know how out of ſuch a thick, watry, cold cloud ſo many flaſhes of lightening ſhould break forth; or of the light of the Sun, how that breaks forth through the clouds; or of thoſe tranſparent lightſome clouds, which are ſometimes in the skie, how they are gathered and ordered by the mighty power of God. For though ſome learned Expoſitours underſtand this of the rain-bow, yet that ſeems to me of all the leaſt probable.
Verſ. 16. Doſt thou know the ballancings of the clouds? &c.] That is, How God hath cauſed the clouds, which are oft very great and ponderous, to hang in the liquid air round about under the heavens, as in an even and equall ballance? As for the following words, the wondrous works of him which is perfect in knowledge, by the mention therein made of Gods perfect knowledge, he intimates, that though God knoweth theſe things exactly, yet, alas, it is little or nothing which man can know of them.
Verſ. 17. How thy garments are warm, when he quieteth the earth by the South wind?] That is, whence it is that the South wind, that uſually brings calm and ſtill weather with it for the refreſhing of the earth, doth make thy garments warm about thee, rather then any other wind.
Verſ. 18. Haſt thou with him ſpread out the skie, which is ſtrong, and as a molten looking-glaſse?] That is, like a looking-glaſſe of molten, poliſhed braſſe: See Exod. 38.8. The skie is ſaid to be ſtrong, not becauſe it is of a hard, maſſy, elementall thickneſſe, but becauſe it is of a ſolid ſubſtance, not ſubject in its own nature to wear and waſt away, and eſpecially becauſe it ſtands firm and faſt by its own ſtrength, not having any thing elſe to ſupport it: and it is ſaid to be as a molten looking-glaſse, becauſe it is tranſparent and bright. Now the drift of Elihu in demanding of Job, whether he helped God in ſpreading out the skie at its firſt Creation, is to imply, that unleſſe it were ſo, he could not exactly know the manner how it was done, and the cauſes of its ſtrength and brightneſſe; and that therefore there was no more likelyhood, that he ſhould know whence it is, that the skie, being of ſo thin and tranſparent a ſubſtance, ſhould yet withall be ſo firm and ſtrong, then that he had any hand with God in ſpreading it at firſt over our heads.
Verſ. 19. Teach us what we shall ſay unto him; for we cannot order our ſpeech by reaſon of darkneſſe.] As if he ſhould ſay, Since you would ſeem ſo wiſe, and to know ſo much above others, as that you dare complain of Gods government, and the diſpenſations of his providence, and deſire ſo earneſtly that you may plead your cauſe before God, teach us, I pray you, how we ſhould plead in this kind for our ſelves or others, or wherein we ſhould object any thing againſt God; or, teach us what we ſhould in your ſtead ſay in your defence, (which I like the beſt) of thoſe many arguments, wherewith you ſay you could fill your mouth (chap. 23.4;) let us hear but one of them, that we may alledge it on your behalf: for alas we profeſſe, that through the ignorance and blindneſſe of our minds, we are no way able to comprehend his works, and therefore muſt needs ſay that we know not how to alledge any thing by way of pleading againſt any of his proceedings; or, we cannot imagine any thing that can be ſaid in the defence of your murmurings againſt God.
Verſ. 20. Shall it be told him that I ſpeak? If a man ſpeak, ſurely he shall be ſwallowed up.] Some underſtand this as ſpoken in reference to what Elihu had ſpoken concerning the meteors, Shall it be told him that I ſpeak? &c. as if he had ſaid, Who can or dares undertake before God to give a reaſon of theſe things, whereof I have ſpoken? He that ſhould undertake it, would be ſwallowed up in ſeeking to comprehend the unſearchable wiſedome that is in theſe works. And much more then is that man ſure to be overwhelmed with Gods glory, that ſhall ſearch into his ſecret counſels. But the words in our Tranſlation will hardly bear this Expoſition. Rather they are added in reference to that which he ſaid in the foregoing verſe▪ Teach us what we shall ſay unto him? &c. And ſo the firſt clauſe, Shall it be told him that I ſpeak? may be underſtood, either after the manner of judiciall proceedings, Shall it be told him that at ſuch a time I will plead the cauſe I have undertaken? or elſe ſimply of ſome mans reporting to God, that he pleaded againſt the proceedings of Gods Providence: and accordingly the drift of Elihu in theſe words may be to imply, either firſt, that none would dare to make report to God of what he ſhould ſay, if he ſhould ſpeak any thing by way of pleading againſt God, Shall it be told him that I ſpeak? No doubtleſſe, no man would dare to doe this for me, which I dare not doe my ſelf; or ſecondly, that if he ſhould ſpeak, as Job had done, by way of blaming any of Gods dealings, he might well be afraid, leſt the Lord ſhould hear of it; or thirdly, that the complaints and murmurings of ſo baſe a creature as man is, would not be found with God worth regarding; (and this I like the beſt) Shall it be told him that I ſpeak? as if he ſhould ſay, Yes, it were pity elſe: as if it ſhould be thought worthy to be carried to a king, that ſome baſe beggar, that were withall a very Idiot, had found fault with ſomething in the kings governing of his kingdome. But however the following clauſe is clear, If a man ſpeak, ſurely he shall be ſwallowed up; for the meaning of that is plainly this, that if any man ſhould thus undertake to plead againſt God, or but to report what another man hath ſo pleaded, he would ſoon be confounded and overwhelmed with Gods Majeſty and glory. Now all this tends to ſhew Job his errour in quarrelling againſt Gods proceedings with him, and deſiring in ſuch a peremptory manner, that he might be admitted to plead his cauſe before God.
Verſ. 21. And now men ſee not the bright light that is in the clouds; but the wind paſſeth and cleanſeth them, &c.] It is very hard to determine what the drift of the words is in this and the following verſe, and how they depend upon that which went before. Firſt, ſome hold, that having ſaid in the foregoing verſe, that the man muſt needs be ſwallowed up that dares to argue the caſe with God, here Elihu ſhews, that the very cauſe why ſome men are ſo overbold to contend with God is, becauſe they do not conſider the mighty works of God, as he had adviſed Job to doe, And now men ſee not the bright light, &c. as if he ſhould have ſaid, And now the reaſon of mens overdaring in this kind is, becauſe they do not duly obſerve thoſe wonderfull works of God before mentioned, as of the bright light that is in the clouds, namely, whence it is that ſome clouds are ſo bright and lightſome, and of ſo tranſparent a ſubſtance, that the light of the Sun doth ſo eaſily ſhine through them; and ſo likewiſe how the wind paſſeth and cleanſeth them, that is, cleanſeth the sky of them, or cleanſeth them of that black and watry mixture, that was formerly in them; and how (verſ. 22.) fair weather cometh out of the North, to wit, by means of the North-wind, that ſcatters the clouds and clears the air. And now thoſe that hold this to be the drift and dependance of theſe words, do accordingly underſtand the laſt clauſe verſ. 22. thus, with God is terrible Majeſty, as if he had ſaid, Did men conſider ſeriouſly of theſe great works of God, they would conclude that God is ſo dreadfull in Majeſty, that it is not fit that men ſhould carry themſelves ſo boldly towards him. Again ſecondly, others will have theſe words to depend upon that which Elihu had ſaid verſ. 18: for having ſpoken there of Gods ſtretching forth the skie, which is ſtrong, and as a molten looking-glaſſe, and having then inſerted that paſſage in the two next verſes, as it were to put Iob in mind how impoſſible it was to contend with a God that could doe ſuch mighty things; here again Elihu returns to adde ſomewhat more of theſe mighty works of God, to wit, that ſometimes men can hardly ſee the light of the Sun, by reaſon of the interpoſition of thick clouds, And now men ſee not the bright light which is in the clouds, but that on a ſudden oftentimes the winds come and ſcatter them, but the wind paſſeth and cleanſeth them; fair weather cometh out of the North. From all which at laſt he layes down that concluſion, with God is terrible Majeſty. But thirdly, the moſt and beſt Expoſitours would have the words underſtood thus, to wit, that Elihu here proves that there is no ſtanding before God to contend againſt him, by an argument from the leſſe to the greater; namely, that men cannot behold the light of the Sun, when the wind hath ſcattered the clouds, and ſo it ſhines clearly in the firmament, and much leſſe can they ſtand before God, who dwelleth in light inacceſſible, and is of terrible Majeſtie. And this indeed is very probable; yet the ſecond Expoſition ſeems beſt to agree with our Tranſlation.
Verſ. 23. Touching the Almighty, we cannot find him out, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, And from all this that hath been ſaid we may concerning the Almighty conclude, that we cannot find him out, he is altogether incomprehenſible; of which ſee the Note chap. 11.7. he is excellent in power and in judgement and in plenty of juſtice; he will not afflict; that is, not willingly, till men by their ſins force him to it, and much leſſe will he afflict them cauſeleſly or unjuſtly.
Verſ. 24. Men do therefore fear him, &c.] To wit, becauſe he is of ſuch infinite and incomprehenſible power and juſtice, and eſpecially of ſuch goodneſſe and mercy, that he will not afflict; this makes men fear God, and humble themſelves under his hand, not daring to quarrell or contend with him: he reſpecteth not any that are wiſe of heart; that is, he minds them not. The drift of theſe words may be, either to ſhew what reaſon there is that men ſhould ſo fear God, who is of ſuch infinite power, &c. as not to dare to contend with him, to wit, becauſe God will not vouchſafe to mind ſuch a worm as man is, ſo infinitely beneath him, no not thoſe that are wiſe of heart, as if he had ſaid, not thoſe that out of an overweening conceit of their own wiſedome think they can maintain their cauſe againſt God; or, becauſe God is able to puniſh them, and will puniſh them, if they be too peremptory with him, be they never ſo wiſe of heart, they ſhall not be able thereby to reſcue themſelves out of his hands, he will neither fear nor regard their wiſedome; or elſe, to ſhew why men ought to fear God for his goodneſſe and mercy, and not to murmure againſt his chaſtiſements, to wit, becauſe God doth not ſhew them mercy out of any reſpect he hath to any wiſedome or goodneſſe in them, but merely of his own free grace.