Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry, Job · Chapter 40
CHAP. XL.
Verſ. 1. MOreover, the Lord anſwered Iob.] That is, Having for a while made a ſtop and been ſilent, to ſee what Iob would ſay, (as the following words which he now adds do alſo clearly imply,) the Lord began again, and proceeded to anſwer to what Job had formerly ſpoken.
Verſ. 2. Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty, inſtruct him? &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, Judge now by this which thou haſt heard, whether man be able or fit to contend with the Almighty God, whether any ſuch poor wretch, as will undertake to contend with me, be able to inſtruct me how to doe any thing more wiſely or juſtly, then I have done it. If in none of theſe my works, whereof I have ſpoken, there is nothing you can blame, why ſhouldeſt thou think me blame-worthy for my dealing with thee? If thou canſt not comprehend theſe my ordinary works, how canſt thou think to judge of the ſecret counſels of my providence? he that reproveth God let him anſwer it, that is, let him anſwer to this which I now ſay, whether he that contendeth with God can inſtruct him; or, let him anſwer to that, or any one thing of that which I have before ſpoken; or, let him anſwer it, that is, let him anſwer for his reproving of God. And thus he covertly taxeth Job for his fooliſh boldneſſe in daring to expoſtulate with God as he had done, and in deſiring ſo earneſtly that he might plead his cauſe with him, whereas now when God had begun to argue with him, he had nothing to ſay.
Verſ. 3. Then Iob anſwered the Lord.] Though hitherto he durſt not reply a word, as being appalled with Gods immediate parlee and the terrour of the whirlwind, and fully convinced of his folly, and that he had thereby provoked God to be angry with him; yet becauſe the Lord in his laſt words ſeemed to upbraid him with his ſilence, he now addreſſeth himſelf to give an account thereof, even by an humble acknowledgement, that his mouth was ſtopped, and that he had nothing to ſay for himſelf.
Verſ. 4. Behold, I am vile; what shall I anſwer thee? &c.] That is, I am every way baſe and worthleſſe, and no way fit to contend with a God of ſuch infinite power and wiſedome and holineſſe, as all thy works declare thee to be: yea a vile and wicked thing it was in me to ſpeak of thee in ſo peremptory a manner as I have done: neither have I any thing to anſwer for my ſelf, but I now renounce my challenge; I will lay mine hand upon my mouth: concerning which expreſſion ſee the Note chap. 21.5.
Verſ. 5. Once have I ſpoken, but I will not anſwer; yea twice, &c.] That is, ſeverall times. See the Note chap. 33.14.
Verſ. 6. Then anſwered the Lord unto Iob out of the whirlwind.] Though Job was fully already convinced, and had humbled himſelf before God, and promiſed amendment of that wherein he had been faulty; yet the Lord again in the whirlwind replyes upon Job, and that to the ſame purpoſe as before, thereby yet farther to humble him, and to aſſure him of the infinite power, wiſedome and juſtice of God, that ſo if there were any ſcruple remaining in his mind, it might be removed, and he might be brought wholly to reſign himſelf to the good will of God. For beſides that the beſt of Gods ſervants, by reaſon of the remainders of corruptions in them, have need to have theſe things often preſſed upon them, for Job in particular this might ſeem the more needfull, becauſe he had not yet begged pardon of God, nor had yet, at leaſt plainly and expreſſely, acknowledged his fault, as afterwards he did, chap. 42.3, &c. Concerning the whirlwind ſee the Note chap. 38.1.
Verſ. 7. Gird up thy loins now like a man, &c.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, What? doſt thou flinch? That were a ſhame for thee, that didſt erewhile with ſo much confidence deſire thou mightſt plead thy cauſe with me: Gird up thy loyns now like a man; I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me: concerning which words ſee the Note before, chap. 38.3.
Verſ. 8. Wilt thou alſo diſannull my judgement? &c.] To wit, by condemning that which I have done to thee, as unjuſt; for ſo the following clauſe ſeems to explain this, wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayeſt be righteous? Yet this queſtion may imply ſomewhat more, namely, whether Job would undertake, as a ſuperiour judge, to make void the ſentence which God, had paſſed, or to order an alteration in that which God had done; becauſe when men condemn Gods proceedings, they take upon them, as if they could rectify that which God had done amiſſe. As for this word alſo, either it may be referred to the perſon of Job, as if he had ſaid, It were no wonder that wicked ungodly men ſhould thus exalt themſelves againſt me; but wilt thou alſo diſannull my judgement? or elſe to the evil which he chargeth upon him, wilt thou alſo diſannull my judgement? as if he had ſaid, Is it not enough for thee to defend thy ſelf, but thou wilt alſo condemn me?
Verſ. 9. Hast thou an arm like God? &c.] That is, Is thy ſtrength equall to mine? Now this is added to imply, that ſeeing it was not ſo, he was no way fit therefore to contend with God, nor to blame what he did in the government of the world, whoſe acts of government he could in no degree imitate, and who muſt needs be infinite in juſtice, as he was in power, and can no way fail therein, as being the great Judge of all the world.
Verſ. 10. Deck thy ſelf now with majeſty and excellency, &c.] To wit, as earthly Princes uſe to doe, when they ſit in the throne of judgement; or, according to that majeſty and glory wherewith I am adorned, as it is ſaid Pſal. 104.1. O Lord my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majeſty, &c. So that the drift of theſe words is to imply, either that though he could ſet out himſelf with all the majeſty, wherewith any earthly prince is arayed, yet he could not doe thoſe great works mentioned in the following verſes, which God daily doth in the government of the world; or elſe, that he poor wretch was no way capable of that majeſty and glory which was in God. And indeed conſidering the poor condition wherein Iob now lay covered over with duſt and ſcabs, there was much ſharpneſſe in this Ironicall expreſſion, Deck thy ſelf now with majeſtie and excellencie, and aray thy ſelf with glory and beauty.
Verſ. 11. Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath, &c.] The drift of theſe words is to imply, how unable Job was in his wrath to deſtroy the wicked here and there all the world over, as God did; and ſo the following words likewiſe, and behold every one that is proud, and abaſe him, imply that, firſt, Job could not take notice of all that proudly exalted themſelves againſt God, whereas they were all continually in Gods eye: or ſecondly, that he could not deſtroy them with a look, as God did, according to that Hab. 3.6. He beheld and drove aſunder the nations, and Pſal. 104.32. He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth.
Verſ. 12. And tread down the wicked in their place.] That is, every wicked man in his place all the world over. Some would have the drift of the words to be this, that Job could not deſtroy them in their place, that is, where their power was greateſt, as God could. But the firſt Expoſition agreeth beſt with the foregoing words.
Verſ. 13. Hide them in the duſt together, and bind their faces in ſecret.] That is, Cut them off, and throw them into the grave together, how many or of what condition ſoever they be, where they may be laid low out of ſight, and their very memories may periſh for ever. This, I conceive, is the true meaning of theſe words; and that phraſe of binding their faces, may allude to the uſuall cuſtome of tying ſome linnen cloth about the faces of dead men. I know the words may well bear divers other Expoſitions; as firſt, the bringing down of wicked men to a low and poor condition, where they may be as men caſt out of ſight, and may not appear to do any hurt; or ſecondly, the caſting them into priſon, and ſo the phraſe of binding their faces may allude to the cuſtome of covering the faces of thoſe that were condemned, concerning which ſee the Note Eſth. 7.8. or thirdly, the forcing of them to hide themſelves in the caves of the earth, according to that Iſa. 2.10. Enter into the rock, and hide thee in the duſt, for fear of the Lord, &c. But the firſt Expoſition may juſtly be preferred before all the reſt.
Verſ. 14. Then will I alſo confeſſe unto thee, that thine own right hand can ſave thee.] That is, that thou art God as I am, almighty and independent, of thy ſelf able to doe what thou pleaſeſt; and conſequently, that thou being equall to me, art ſtrong enough to maintain thine own cauſe, and that therefore it is no wonder that thou ſhouldeſt dare to contend with me.
Verſ. 15. Behold now Behemoth, which I made with thee, &c.] Almoſt all Expoſitours agree, that it is the Elephant that is here called Behemoth: and they ſay, that becauſe the Hebrews had no peculiar name for this beaſt, therefore they called it Behemoth, which is, by interpretation, Beaſts, and that with reſpect to the exceeding greatneſſe of his body, as it were to imply that he was the beaſt of beaſts, or that in him there were many beaſts met in one, and that he was full as big as two or three other beaſts. As for thoſe words, which I made with thee, either they are added to imply, that God made the Elephant as well as he made man, and perhaps alſo that he made him on the ſame day when he made man, to wit, on the ſixth day of the creation, Behold now Behemoth which I made with thee, that is, thy fellow-creature, the work of my hands as thou art; or elſe, to imply, that he was created to live on the earth, (which may be added as in oppoſition to the Leviathan mentioned in the next chapter, that lives in the ſea) and that not amongſt the wild beaſts, but amongſt thoſe that are tame and gentle, that love to live with man, and that are for the uſe and ſervice of man. And to the ſame purpoſe alſo may the next clauſe be added, he eateth graſſe as an oxe, to wit, that he liveth not by preying upon other creatures, as wild beaſts do, (which may ſeem ſtrange in a creature ſo terrible, as that ſeems to be) but feeds on paſture, as other houſe-beaſts do: though withall I conceive the ſingular Providence of God is thereby likewiſe hinted to us, in that he hath appointed graſſe to be the food of this beaſt▪ which had they lived by preying upon fleſh, as the wild beaſts do, in regard of the mighty bulk of their bodies, one might well think they would devour all before them, and that the fleſh of man and beaſts would ſcarcely ſuffice them. Now this concerning the Elephant is here mentioned, to intimate the infinite wiſedome and ſtrength of God that made him, and who orders him as he pleaſeth, which man otherwiſe could not doe; thereby to diſcover the folly of Job in contending with God, and what cauſe he had therefore to beg pardon for it.
Verſ. 16. Loe now his ſtrength is in his loyns, and his force is in the navell of his belly.] As if he ſhould have ſaid, His ſtrength is not in his horns or claws, as it is with thoſe beaſts that live upon prey, but in thoſe parts, whereby he is enabled to bear huge burdens for the uſe of man, namely in his loyns, and in the navell of his belly; wherein the Elephant is of ſuch exceeding ſtrength, that it is almoſt incredible to think what mighty burdens they will carry, as may appear by that inſtance 1 Maccab. 6.37. where it is ſaid, that the Elephants which Antiochus had in his army, had each of them towers of wood upon their backs, in every one whereof there were two and thirty fighting men. The greateſt difficulty in theſe words is, why the ſtrength of this beaſt is ſaid partly to be in the navell of his belly: for which ſome ſay, that hereby is implyed, that even thoſe parts are firm and ſtrong in this beaſt, which in others are tender and weak; and others ſay that the meaning of the words is only this, that the body of this beaſt is every way of mighty ſtrength, both above and beneath; which they ſay is evident, in that he is able to endure ſuch mighty girding about his belly, as muſt needs be uſed for the faſtening of ſuch exceeding burdens upon his back. But the ground of this expreſſion may alſo be, becauſe by the arteries that are faſtened to the navell the vitall parts within the body are as it were held and bound up together: to which that ſpeech of Solomons may alſo have reference, It shall be health to thy navell, Prov. 3.8.
Verſ. 17. He moveth his tail like a cedar, &c.] Or, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, He ſetteth up his tail like a cedar: And ſome underſtand thereby his yard, others that which we properly call his tail; affirming that it is compared to a cedar, both becauſe of the greatneſſe of it, and alſo becauſe when it is ſet up, it ſtands ſtraight upright like a huge tall cedar, and is likewiſe plain and ſmooth, the Elephants tail not being ſhaggy and hairy as other creatures are. But becauſe all writers affirm, and by experience it is known, that neither the tail nor the yard of this creature is great, but very little rather, conſidering the vaſt bulk of its body; I ſhould rather think it is meant of the ſtrength or ſtiffneſſe of his tail, which a man can ſtirre or bend no more then a cedar; or of his generative part, which may the rather be thought, becauſe of the following clauſe, the ſinews of his ſtones are wrapt together, to wit, within his body cloſe up to his reins, as we ſhall ſee the roots of trees folded together in the earth: for as the tail before was compared to a cedar, ſo theſe are compared to the roots thereof; and the teſticles of this beaſt do not appear outwardly, as they do in other creatures.
Verſ. 18. His bones are as ſtrong pieces of braſſe; his bones are like bars of iron.] That is, as ſtrong: and ſome do herein alſo comprehend the Elephants teeth.
Verſ. 19. He is the chief of the wayes of God, &c.) That is, the chief of all the works of God amongſt the beaſts, to wit, for bigneſſe, ſtrength, and ſtrange ſagacity to conceive and learn what is taught him: he that made him can make his ſword to approach unto him; that is, though in regard of his matchleſſe ſtrength man could never have grappled with him nor ſubdued him, had not God made him of ſuch a gentle and tractable diſpoſition, (as appears by his unreſiſtable violence when he is enraged) yet God can many wayes eaſily deſtroy him.
Verſ. 20. Surely the mountains bring him forth food, &c.] That is, unleſſe he be tamed by men, he rangeth abroad on the mountains, and there feedeth himſelf; (and this may be mentioned to note the wonder of Gods providence, that ſuch huge creatures ſhould there find food ſufficient) where all the beaſts of the field play, to wit, as no way fearing the Elephant, though of ſo terrible an aſpect, in regard he preys not upon fleſh, as other beaſts do.
Verſ. 21. He lyeth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed and fens.] That is, By reaſon of his naturall heat, and being bred in hot countries, he loves to abide and reſt himſelf in ſhadowy and watery places: and no more can be meant by theſe words he lyeth, if it be true, which is commonly ſaid, that having no joynts in his legs, the Elephant never lyeth down on the ground.
Verſ. 23. Behold, he drinketh up a river and haſteth not.] Becauſe the Elephant drinketh ſo exceeding much, and fetcheth ſuch long draughts, by reaſon partly of their great heat and thirſt, and partly of the huge capacity of their bellies, hence is this expreſſion, he drinketh up a river and haſteth not, that is, he drinketh as if he would drink up a whole river, and doth not for fear of any creature haſten his draught, as the dogs are ſaid to drink by ſnatches in Nilus for fear of the Crocodile, and as many other creatures are wont, through the frightfulneſſe of their diſpoſition, to break their draught and ſtare about them. He trusteth that he can draw up Iordan into his mouth; that is, in the vaſt imagination of his fancy he thinks he can ſuck up all Jordan into his mouth: and this river is particularly named, becauſe it was famouſly known in Idumea where Job lived, near to the borders whereof it ran, and perhaps becauſe there were many Elephants in thoſe times in the countries through which this river went.
Verſ. 24. He taketh it with his eyes; his noſe pierceth through ſnares.] Another Tranſlation of theſe words we have in the margin of our Bibles, Will any take him in his ſight? or bore his noſe with a gin? and the meaning of the words ſo tranſlated is plain, to wit, that the Elephant, when he is wild, cannot be taken openly by force, (there muſt be ſome wiles uſed to take him) nor were it poſſible for men to put a hook into his noſe, therewith to lead him away, when they had taken him: which may well be ſpoken with reference to the nature of Elephants, if that be true which is commonly ſaid, that though they may eaſily be tamed and made gentle, yet they will never endure to have a halter or bridle put upon their heads, a bit into their mouths, or a ring into their noſes, as ſome other beaſts will. But reading the words, as they are in our Tranſlation, He taketh it with his eyes; his noſe pierceth through ſnares; either the meaning is, that he ſeeth the ſnare when men goe about to enſnare him, (He taketh it or diſcovers it with his eyes,) and thereupon with his trunk he eaſily makes his way through the ſnares that are ſet for him; or elſe, that he taketh it with his eyes, that is, He no ſooner ſees the river, but preſently by reaſon of his thirſt he thinks to drink it all up: his noſe pierceth through ſnares, that is, he thruſts his ſnout ſo deep into the water, (which is a ſign of ſtrength in beaſts) that with his noſe he makes way through ſtubs and ſharp ſtones, and other things, that lye as ſnares to hurt his ſnout in the bottome of the river: which may be thought the more probable, conſidering that it is commonly ſaid of the Elephant, that he is wont with his ſnout to ſtir the mud in the bottome of rivers before he will drink.