Commentary on Ezra Nehemiah Ester Job and Psalms, Commentary 4 · Chapter 42
CHAP. XLII. Verſe 1. Then Job anſwered the Lord, and ſaid.]
AFter that he had been ſo plainly and plentifully convinced by Almighty God; 1. That he was far ſhort of him in eternity, Wiſdome, Power, Providence, &c. 2. That he could not ſtand before Behemoth and Leviathan the works of his hands; Job yeeldeth, ſubmitting to Gods Juſtice, and imploring his Mercy; ſo effectual is the word of Gods grace in the hearts of his Elect. It had need to be an elaborate ſpeech that ſhall work upon the conſcience, ſuch as was this afore-going. Vide etiam quid afflictio faciat, ſaith Mercer. See here alſo the happy fruit of an affliction ſanctified. By this ſhall the iniquity of Jacob (of Job) be purged; and this is all the fruit, to take away his ſin, Iſai. 27.9. To make his works full, Rev. 3.2. Job had repented before, chap. 40.4, 5. but not ſo completely. Dice his narrari paenitentiam Jobi plenam, ſaith Piſcator: Here he doth it throughly by a deep and downe-right repentance, ſuch as was never to be repented of.
Verſe 2. I know that thou canſt do every thing] Gods power is either Abſolute or Actual. By the former he can do every thing, make a world, and unmake it in an inſtant; of ſtones raiſe up children to Abraham, &c. By the latter. whatſoever he willeth, that he doth both in heaven and in earth, and none can withſtand him. This Job knew before, but now better, becauſe by experience, and unqueſtionable evidence given in by Gods own mouth. And although this be but a ſhort acknowledgment of Gods Power and Juſtice, yet is it well accepted,Merlin. as proceeding from a true ſenſe of faith. Neque exigis Deus à nobis multa verba, ſed multam fidem.
And that no thought can be with holden from thee] Te non ſolùm omnia poſſe, ſed & omnia noſſe; That thou art not only Omnipotent, but Omniſcient, and that not ſo much as a thought of any mans heart (which alſo is of thy making) can be hid from thee; ſith which way ſoever he turneth him, he ſhall find thee both potent and preſent. The words may be read thus, And that no thought of thine can be cut off or hindred. Having ſpoken of Gods power,Parem in eo eſſe voluntatem … facultatem. Mercer. foreign Sep…. Nempe ego. Tigurin. foreign 1 Pet. 2.24 he ſpeaketh of his thoughts; to teach, ſaith Calvin, That Gods Power and his Will are things inſeparable, his mind and hand agree together; the one to determine, the other to effect.
Verſe 3. Who is he that hideth counſel without knowledge?] Quis iſte eſt, inquis Who is he, ſaiſt thou (chap. 38.2.) that hideth counſel, &c. ſo Tremellius rendreth it. Is ego ipſe ſum, I am the very man that have done it, and now would as gladly undo it again, by an humble confeſſing and diſclaiming mine own folly therein, and by applying thoſe words of thine to my ſelf, with an holy indignation; for therein thou haſt fully met with me.
Therefore have I uttered that I underſtood not] I have raſhly and imprudently, yea, graceleſly and impudently ſpoken of thy judgements, and deſired to diſpute with thee; daring to reprehend that which I did not comprehend, and to paſſe my verdict on things which I was not verſed in,Idcirt… indico me non in…elleniſſe. Merc. Things too wonderful for me which I knew not. Broughton reads thus, Therefore I tell, that I had not underſtanding; that is, I confeſſe I have ſinned, but I did it ignorantly. And ſo he makes way to the enſuing Petition, That God would heare him, and teach him better things.
Verſe 4. Hear I beſeech thee, and I will ſpeak] We have had his confeſſion follow now his Petition here. his Humiliation and Reformation, verſe 6. Theſe are the parts and properties of true repentance, that fair daughter of a foule mother, Sin, But had not Job promiſed to ſpeak no more, to proceed no farther, chap. 40.4, 5. How then doth he ſay here, I beſeech, and I will ſpeak; The anſwer is eaſie; he would ſpeak no more ſo raſhly, and unadviſedly as he had done, to Gods diſhonour, and the offence of his beſt friends. But he would not ſpare to ſpeak Supplications, as here, and to ſet forth his humble docility to give glory to God, and to take ſhame to himſelf, &c. ſuch a ſilence he knew would be ſinful and ſavour of a dumb divel. He therefore addreſſeth himſelf to God, 1. For audience and acceptance: 2. For advice and direction: In all which, he renounceth his owne wiſdome, and delivereth himſelf up wholy to God, to be taught and led into all truth and holineſſe. The matter we ſee, is well amended with Job, ſince challenging God into the Schooles, he once ſaid, Then call shou me, and I will anſwer; or let me ſpeak, and anſwer thou me, chap. 13.22. So afterwards Peter, when penitent, turned his crowing into crying: and Paul, his breathing out threatnings againſt the Saints, into, Lord, what wilt thou have me do? Act. 9.1, 6.
I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me] As a dutiful and docible Scholar, (who ſhould be foreign) I will ask thee queſtions, and hang upon thy holy lips for an anſwer.
Verſe 5. I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear] God hath ordained, that as death entred into the world at firſt by the ear, poiſoned by that old Man-ſlayer, Geneſ. 3. ſo life ſhall enter into the ſoul by the ſame door: for it is, Hear and your ſoul ſhall live, Iſai. 55.3. And, The dead (in ſins and treſpaſſes) ſhall hear the voice of the Son of God (ſounding in his Ordinances) and ſhall live the life of grace here, and of glory hereafter, John 5.25. This great mercy Job had received, and he thankfully acknowledgeth it: But behold a greater,
But now mine eyes hath ſeen thee] Not only in the temple and whirl-wind, thoſe clear teſtimonies of thy preſence, but by ſome other ſpecial, glorious apparition (ſo ſome think) and by a Spirit of Prophecy (as the Hebrewes would have it) by the inward teaching of thy Spirit howſoever, as Vatablus ſenſeth it, Et quando Chriſtus Magiſter, quàm citò diſcitur quod docetur; ſaith Auſtin. When God by his Spirit taketh in hand to teach a man, he ſoon becometh a skilful Scholer. Neſcit tarda molimina Spiritus Sancti gratia, ſaith Ambroſe. The Spirit is not long in teaching thoſe that commit themſelves to his tuition. The hypocrite knowes God but by hear-ſay, as a blind man knoweth colours; ſuch may ſay as thoſe in the Pſalm, Audivimus famam, ſomething we have heard, and ſome confuſed notions we have got concerning God and his will; but they are meerly diſciplinary, but not intuitive, id eſt, Per ſpeciem Propriam, &c. Such as transformes the ſoul into the ſame Image; it is not that claritas in intellectu quae parit ardorem in affectu, That light in the underſtanding that kindleth the affections. Job was ſuch, witneſſe his next words.
Verſe 6. Wherefore I abhor my ſelf] Aſpernor illa; ſo Tremellius: I utterly diſlike thoſe my former baſe and bald conceits of thee, my hard and unſauoury ſpeeches, mine impatient and imprudent carriages. Horreo quicquid de meo eſt, ut meus ſins, as Bernard expreſſeth it. Reprobo meipſum, ſo Brentius; I do utterly reject my ſelfe, I condemn mine own folly: I eat thoſe words of diſcontent at thy righteous proceedings, Dignaſanè quae per jugulum redeant. Abiicio vitam meam, ſo Mercer and Lavater render it.Diſpliceo mihimetipſi, ac pervelim ut aliter dixiſſem ac feciſſem. Lavat. Jerem. 6.26. and 25.34. Virg. Aeneid. lib. 12. I caſt away my life, and look upon it as loſt, if thou ſhouldſt take the forfeiture: I humbly put my ſelf into the hands of juſtice, yet in hope of mercy.
I repent in duſt and aſhes] As in an expreſſe and publick pennance. I throw my ſelf here upon the ground, I put my mouth in the duſt, Lam. 3.24. Canitiem i…mundo perfuſam pulvere turpo, I ſprinkle duſt and aſhes upon mine head, in token, that I have deſerved to be as far under ground, as now I am above ground; I repent my preſumptuous misbehaviour with as lowly a ſpirit, as ever I ſinned with an high. Lo this was paenitentiam agere, quod eſt pro malo bonum reponere, ſaith Brentius; This was true repentance to change evil for good; as piety for blaſphemy, chaſtity for fornication, charity for envy, humility for pride, Chriſt for Satan, And Reformation is the beſt Repentance, ſaith Luther: Such as ſo repent, are ſure of comfort. The word here rendred, I repent, ſignifieth alſo to take comfort, as Ezek. 32.31. It is repentance unto life. Acts 11.18. and ſuch as accompanieth ſalvation, Hebr. 6.9. Neither is it wrought in any man but by a ſaving ſight of Almighty God in his Greatneſs and Goodneſs; ſuch as may make him at once to tremble and truſt, as Job did here, and Iſaiah chap. 6.1, 5.
Verſe 7. And it was ſo, that after the Lord had ſpoken theſe words to Job] And Job thoſe other again to God, it ſoon repented the Lord concerning his ſervant. Pro magno delicto parum ſupplicii ſat is eſt patri. A little puniſhment is enough to a loving father for a great fault. Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, ſaith the Lord — for (alaſs) they have received of my hand double for all their ſins. Terent. Iſai. 40.1, 2.So it ſeemed to him who is all bowels, and who in all their afflictions is equally afflicted. God weeps on his peoples necks tears of compaſſion; they weep at Gods feet tears of compunction. Oh beautiful contention!
The Lord ſaid to Eliphaz the Temanite] Becauſe he was the ancienter man of greateſt Authority, and he that paſſed the heavieſt cenſures upon Job, doing enough to have driven him into deſperation.
My wrath is kindled againſt thee] Thus God paſſeth not ſentence on Jobs ſide, till he had firſt angerly repreſſed and reprehended thoſe three friends of his, who had aſſailed him without all right and reaſon. Let Gods ſervants hold out faith and patience: ſooner or later they ſhall be righted.
And againſt thy two friends Bildad and Zophar] Who ſtuck ſo cloſe to thee and chimed in with thee, againſt a better man then any of you all. As for Elihu, he is neither commended here, nor condemned. He ſpake well for the main, but many times took Job at the worſt, and miſconſtrued his ſpeeches. He is therefore puniſhed (as Ambaſſadors are uſed to be when they commit undecencies) with ſilence, which is the way royal to correct a wrong. The other three had great cauſe to be much troubled and terrified at that ſhort, but ſharpeſt ſpeech of God, My wrath is kindled againſt you: for, Who knoweth the power of Gods wrath, ſaith David: It is as the Meſſenger of death,Pſalm 90.11 and Harbinger of hell. God never ſaid ſo much to Job, in all thoſe long and large ſpeeches he made unto him, for he knew that milder words would do, and he loveth not to overdo. Ille dolet quoties cogitur eſſe ferox. By the way obſerve, That although theſe three had offended more then Job, yet he was afflicted, and they eſcaped free. Judgement beginneth at Gods houſe; neither have any out of hell ever ſuffered more then thoſe Worthies, of whom the world was not worthy, Heb. 11. For ye have not ſpoken the thing that was right] And yet they ſeemed to be all for God: and to plead his Cauſe againſt Job throughout. But as in ſome things they were much miſtaken, ſo they had their ſelf-reſpects, and were much byaſſed in their diſcourſes. Hypocrites and Heretikes (ſaith Gregory here) ſeem unto men more righteous; but God accepteth them not for all their plauſible pleas, and ſpecious pretences. Luke 16.15. Ye are they (ſaid our Saviour to the Phariſees) who juſtifie your ſelves before men, but God knoweth your hearts; for that which is highly eſteemed amongſt men is abomination in the ſight of God.
As my ſervant Job hath] They alſo were Gods ſervants, but becauſe they had lent Satan their ſervice againſt Job, and drawne from him many paſſionate ſpeeches, they are for a puniſhment ſet by after a ſort; as David alſo was when he had numbred the people, 2 Sam. 24.12. Go and ſay unto David. Now 'tis plaine David, who was wont to be my ſervant David, 2 Sam. 7.5. That Job is called Gods ſervant, (and that emphatically and excluſively) is a very great honour done him upon his repentance, and the like was done to David and Peter.
Verſe 8. Therefore take unto you now ſeven bullocks] God reproveth not his for any other end, but that he may reduce them, and be reconciled unto them. The Sun of righteouſneſs loveth not to ſet in a cloud.
Dejicit ut relevet: premit ut ſolatia praeſtet.
Enecat, ut poſſit vivificare Deus.
Seven Bullocks, and ſeven Rams] A great Sacrifice, whether we look to the greatneſſe of the Cattle, or the number; (eſpecially if each of them were to bring ſeven of each ſort as ſome underſtand it) to ſhew the greatneſſe of their ſin, in not ſpeaking right things of God and Job, though of a good intention, and with a very faire pretence. Seven of each they were to bring, which is noted for a number of perfection; and this pointed them of old (for the Ceremonial Law was their Goſpel) to the complete perfect Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt, the Lamb ſlain from the beginning of the world, every way ſufficient to expiate their ſinnes, and to ſave them from the wrath to come. Its aſſured them alſo, that God was through Chriſt perfectly ſatisfied, and pacified toward his faithful people.
And go to my ſervant Job] Who was to do the honourable Office of a Prieſt for them (as before the Law Abraham did, and Melchiſedech and others) and is thrice in this verſe called, Gods ſervant, for honours ſake; to the end that his friends might the more reſpect him; whom before they had vilipended, and be reconciled unto him, whom before they had wronged.
And offer up for your ſelves a burnt offering] Holocauſtabit is holocauſtum; a whole burnt Offering: Where we muſt not imagine, that God took delight in the ſmell or rather ſtench of the burnt beaſts hides and all, but in the faith of thoſe that offered them, who alſo were hereby inminded of their ſins (for which they had deſerved to be burnt in hell) and of their duties, to mortifie their earthly members and to preſent their bodies a living Sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, Rom. 12.1.
And my ſervant Job ſhall pray for you] Which as he could do very well, Ezek. 14.14. ſo he ſhould now do, to ſhew his hearty reconciliation; but ſhould have little availed for them, had not they repented, and believed, and prayed for themſelves. For the Juſt ſhall live by his faith; and it is a great vanity in ſome great Papiſts, who preſume to live looſely and baſely, becauſe they have hired ſome hedg-Prieſt to ſay a certain number of prayers for them daily.
For him will I accept] ſcil. Through the Office and perſon of my Son, which herein he reſembleth. The High-Prieſts Office was, 1. To expiate the ſins of the people. 2. To intercede and make requeſt for them. Chriſt is the High-Prieſt of the New-Teſtament; in whom the Father is well pleaſed, and through whom he will deny nothing to his humble Suppliants, for themſelves or others.
Leſt I deal with you after your folly] Heb. Leſt I work fooliſhneſſe with you; that is, (ſaith Beza) leſt I ſo behave my ſelf toward you, as your fooliſhneſs doth deſerve. Or, leſt I ſo handle you, that you may think me no wiſer then I ſhould be ſith you have ſeemed ſo to rough-hew Job out of zeal to me. Thus to the froward God ſeemeth to deal frowardly, Pſal. 18.27. Tremellius rendreth it not folly but hainous offence; others, diſgrace.Mercer.
In that ye have not ſpoken, &c.] And if for hard words and ill language, good men may ſuffer,Flagitium, ignominia. what ſhall become of ſuch, as both with virulent tongues, and violent hands, ſet againſt ſuch as fear God?
Verſe 9. So Eliphaz the Temanite, &c.] Here was reſipiſcentia ex fide conſtans ſaith Brentius, the repentance of faith, the obedience alſo of ſaith readily y…ilded. Had not theſe been good and godly men, they would have ſtuck at the coſt of ſo great a Sacrifice, they would alſo have ſcorned to have ſought to Job, whom they had ſo much ſlighted, and to beg his prayers of whom they had ſo ill deſerved. But hey had not ſo learned Chriſt. God they ſaw well was greatly offended, and Job highly accepted; glad therefore were they by any good means to ingratiate, each of them ſaying to God for himſelf, as he did onceto C…ſar,
Juſſa ſequi tam velle mihi quam poſſe neceſſe eſt.
Omne trahit ſecum Numinis ira malum.Lucan. Ovid.
The Lord alſo accepted Job] Whether he teſtifieth his good acceptance by conſuming his Sacrifice with fire from heaven, is uncertain. 'Tis enough for us to know that he ſhewed himſelf reconciled unto them, and well pleaſed with Jobs prayer for them, and their own prayers joyned no doubt with his, and proceeding from faith in the Merits and Mediation of Jeſus Chriſt. And hitherto Gods de…iſive ſentence, whereby all the ſtrife was graciouſly ended, and all parties happily and heartily reconciled. What became of Satan a chief Actor in this Tragedy, we read not; Victus enim abiit. And as God would not once call him to account, when he had beguiled our firſt parents, Gen. 3. becauſe he meant him no mercy: ſo here he never mentioneth him, as being judged already, and by Job bravely worſted and defeated. All that we find of him is, that his commiſſion to vex Job any farther, was now taken away, for ſo it followeth
Verſe 10. And the Lord turned again the Captivity of Job] He took him out of Satans clutches, who had hitherto held him priſoner, as it were in the bands of poverty, ſickneſs, ſorrow, contempt, diſtreſs, &c. Whether all at once, or by degrees, God did all this for him, it skills not. Upon his prayers for his friends (which was no ſmall evidence and effect of his Piety and Charity) it appears; that God did all this that followeth for him. So true is that of Solomon, The reward of humility, and of the fear of the Lord, is riches, and honour, and life, Prov. 22.4.
When he prayed for his friends] According to that of the Apoſtle Paul, Being defamed we pray. This is an high degree of Chriſtian perfection, which but few attain unto, as Merlin here bewaileth it; O raram & ſingularem virtutem, &c. And another well obſerveth, That God gives and forgives, according as man forgives his neighbour.
Alſo the Lord gave Job twice as much, &c.] Underſtand it both of Goods and Graces; which though he never parted with, yet by tryal and experience he found them much increaſed. As for outward things it is nothing unuſual for men to recover and recruit as far as God ſeeth fit.
Multadies vari…ſquo Labor mutabilis avi
Rettulit in melius: multos alterna reviſens
Luſit, & in ſolido rurſus fortuna locavit.Virg. Aen. l. 11
The beſt way is to hang looſe to theſe things below, not truſting in uncertain riches, but in the living God, 1 Tim. 6.17. who will be our exceeding great reward, and give to his Sufferers an hundred fold here, and eternal life hereafter, Mat. 19.29. Optand… nimirùm eſt jactura quae lucro majore penſatur, ſaith Agricola. It is doubtleſſe a lovely loſſe that is made up with ſo much gaine. Well might Saint Paul ſay. Godlineſſe is profitable to all things, as having the Promiſe of both lives, 1 Tim. 4 6 Well might Saint Peter call it, The Divine Nature, 2 Pet. 1.2 For as God brings light out of darkneſſe, comfort out of ſorrow, riches out of poverty, &c. ſo doth Godlineſſe. Let a man, with Job, bear his loſſes patiently and pray for his enemies that wrong and rob him, and he ſhall be ſure to have his own againe, and more, either in money or moneys worth, either in the ſame or a better thing: contented Godlineſſe ſhall be great gaine to him, 1 Tim. 6.6. Beſides heavens happineſſe, which ſhall make a plentiful amends for all. The Rabbins would perſwade us, That God miraculouſly brought back again to Job the ſelf-ſame cattle, that the Sabaeans and others had taken from him, and doubled them. Indeed his children, (ſay they) therefore were not doubled unto him, becauſe they periſhed by their ow… …ault and folly, as one of his friends alſo told him. But of all this nothing certain can be affirmed: and they do better who ſay, That his children being dead in Gods favour, periſhed not, but went to heaven; they were not loſt but laid up; ſo that, before God, Job had the number of his children doubled: for they are ours ſtill, whom we have ſent to heaven before us; and Chriſt at his coming ſhall reſtore them unto us, 1 Theſſal. 4.14. In confidence whereof faithful Abraham calleth his deceaſed Sarah, his dead; That I may bury my dead out of my ſight Gen. 23.4. and ſo ſhe is called eight ſeveral times in that one Chapter, as Paraeus hath obſerved.
Verſe 11 Then came there unto him all his brethren] Then; when God had begun to reſtore him. As his adverſity had ſcattered his friends, ſo his proſperity brought them together again. This is the worlds uſage.
Dum fueris foelix multos numerabis amicos:
Tempora ſi fuerint nubila, ſolus eris.
Summer-birds there are not a few: Samaritans, who would own the Jewes whiles they flouriſhed; but otherwiſe diſavow them; as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes: Rich Job had many friends, Prov. 14.20. Qui tamen perſiſtebant amicitia ſicut lepus juxta tympanum, as the Proverb is. All this good Job paſſeth by, and forgetting all unkindneſſes, magnificently treateth them; as Iſaac in like caſe, had done Abimelech and his train, Gen. 26.30.
And did eat bread with him in his houſe] It's likely they came with their coſt to make Job a Feaſt of comfort, ſuch as were uſual in thoſe dayes, Jer. 16.7. Ezek 24.17. But whether they did or not, they were welcome to Job; who now never upbraids them with their forſaking of him in his diſtreſſe (which yet was then a great grief to him) but friendly re-embraceth them, and courteouſly entertaineth them. This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable ſpirits in theſe dayes, whoſe wrath, like that of the Athenians, is foreign, long-laſting; and although themſelves are mortal, yet their hearts are immortal.
And they bimoaned him] They condoled with him, and shook their heads, as the word ſignifieth; not by way of deriding him, as once they had done, chap. 16. but of ſorrow for their former deſerting him, and aſſurance that they would henceforth better ſtick to him in what eſtate ſoever.
And comforted him over all the evil &c.] So they ſhould have done long before: A friend is made for the day of adverſity; but better late then never. Nunquam ſane ſerò ſi ſeriò. See here. ſaith Brentius, the change of affaires, and the right hand of the Moſt High, and learn the fear of God; for as he frowneth or favoureth any man, ſo will the world do.
Every man alſo gave him a piece of money] Or, a Lamb to ſtock him againe. Beza rendreth it, Some one of his Cattle, and paraphraſeth thus: Yea, every one of them gave him either a ſheep or an Ox, or a Camel, and alſo an Ear-ring of gold; partly as a pledge of their good will and friendſhip renewed toward him, and partly in conſideration and recompence of that loſſe, which he had before by the will and fore-appointment of God ſuſtained. Honoraria obtulerunt, ſaith Junius, they brought him theſe preſents as Pledges of their love and obſervance; for ſo were great men wont to be ſaluted with ſome gift,Sen. Epiſt. 17. 1 Sam. 10.27. 2 Chron. 17.5. And the ſame cuſtome was among the Perſians and Parthians, whoſe Kings might not be met without ſome token of congratulation, and Symbol of Honour.
And every one an Ear-ring of gold] Inaurem auream, an Ear-pendant of gold, at the Receipt whereof, Job might well ſay as the Poet did,Theog.
foreign.
To thee this is a ſmall matter, but to me a great.
Verſe 12. So the Lord bleſſed the latter end of Job] According to Bildads Prophecy, chap. 8.7. And S. James his uſeful obſervation, Chap. 5.11. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have ſeen the end of the Lord, that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy. If he afflict any of his, it is in very faithfulneſſe, that he may be true to their ſouls, it is alſo in great mercy,Deut. 8.16. that he may do them good in the latter end; and this they themſelves alſo ſhall both ſee and ſay, by that time he hath brought both ends together, Pſal. 119.71. Be ye therefore patient, ſtabliſh your hearts, James 5.7. Patient Job had all doubled to him. Joſeph of a Slave became his Maſters Maſter. Valentinian loſt his Tribuneſhip for Chriſt, but was afterwards made Emperor. Queen Elizabeth of a priſoner, became a great Princeſſe. But if God deny his ſuffering ſervants Temporals, and give them in Spirituals, they have no Cauſe to complaine: One way or other they ſhall be ſure to have it. Great is the gain of Godlineſſe.
For he had fourteen thouſand ſheep, &c] Cattle only are inſtanced;Pecuma à pec… de. foreign pecudes. & poſteà opes ſignificant. Melancth. Dios becauſe therein eſpecially conſiſted the wealth of that Countrey; but other good things alſo doubtleſſe were doubled unto him, as his family, poſſeſſions, grounds, houſes, and eſpecially Wiſdom to make a good uſe of all: for commonly Stultitiam patiuntur opes; and what's more contemptible then a rich fool, a golden beaſt, as Caligula called his father in Law Syllanus.
Verſe 13. He had alſo ſeven ſons, and three daughters] Whoſe perfections ſweetned the ſorrow which the loſſe of the other had cauſed him. —Sic uno avulſo non deficit alter Aureus.Virg. Ten children he had in heaven, and ten on earth. See the Note above on verſ. 10. The Lord well knew that wealth would be nothing ſo comfortable to Job. unleſſe he had children to leave it to, Gen. 15.2. His wife therefore returning to her duty from which ſhe had ſwerved, became fruitful at an age well advanced; for we read not of any other that he had.
Ver. 14. And he called the name of the firſt, Jemimah] That is, Day-bright, from her orient and gliſtering beauty; q.d. fair as they day: Cant. 6.10. the Church is ſaid,Diurn…. to look forth as the Morning, fair as the Moon.
And the name of the ſecond, Kezia] That is, Caſſia; a kind of Spice, whereof there are three ſorts, ſaith Dioſcorides but all very ſweet, and ſend forth a moſt pleaſant ſmell, like that of the Roſe. This ſecond daughter therefore ſeemes to be ſo named from the ſweetneſſe of her breath, or perhaps of her whole body, proceeding from the goodneſſe of her conſtitution, as it is reported of Alexander the Great. So ſweet ſmelling Smyrna, the beſt of all the ſeven Churches of Aſia, Revel. 3.
And the name of the third, Keren-happuch] That is, the Horn of beauty, (better then that which is borrowed) and of abundance; as whoſe cheeks Nature had painted with a moſt pleaſing Vermillion, far beyond any artificial tincture, which ſhe had no need of, Ʋtpote omnes aliarum fucos & veneres ſuperans. Some intepret it, the horn of converſion; and think, That Job herein would expreſſe and memorize the ſtrange turn and alteration of his condition, as Joſeph did, Gen. 41.51, 52.Vatab. But the Chaldee Paraphraſt, the Jew-Doctors, and moſt of our Expoſitors, are for the former Interpretation, favoured alſo by the words following:
Verſe 15. And in all the Land there were no women found ſo …, &c.] … though but a … fragile, and one of the gifts of Gods left hand, Prov. 3.16, … is it the Flower of vertue, as Chryſippus called it; one of the greateſt excellencies of Nature, and ſingular degree of Gods Image in man, as Another.Plat…. And although vertue is — Proprio contenta theatro, yet to others
Gratior eſt pulchro veniens in corpore virtus.
That Vertue hath a better grace.
That ſhineth from a beauteous face.
Such probably were Jobs Daughters, not fair and fooliſh, as thoſe Daughters of Jeruſalem, Iſai. 3. but adorned with all variety of Moral vertues, as a clear Skye is with Stars, as a Princely Diadem with Jewels. Hence their good father ſo affected them, that he
Gave them inherit…s among their brethren] Making them coheires with them in his eſtate, which as it was an extraordinary expreſſion of his love to his daughters; ſo it importeth, as ſome think, a deſire in him to have his daughters live ſtill with him amongſt the reſt of his family: either for that he was loath to part with them,Val. Max. Chriſtian pag. 308 (the like whereof is reported of Charles the Great, who being asked, Why he did not beſtow his daughters in marriage, anſwered, That he could not be at all without their company) or elſe as fearing leſt they ſhould be defiled with Idolaters, which peradventure, out of Jobs family, were ordinary in that Countrey.
Verſe 16.Fliny tels of one Xenophilus, who lived 10… years without ſickneſs Lib. 7 cap 5. After this lived Job an hundred and forty years. &c.] And this was not the leaſt part of his happineſſe. Length of dayes is a piece of Wiſdoms wages. Prov. 3.16. And what a mercy, foreign, or a good old age is, hath been before noted; See chap. 5.26. For a ſhort braid of adverſity, Job had an hundred and forty years health and proſperity: Like as Joſeph for his thirteen years of ſlavery and impriſonment, had fourſcore years liberty, proſperity and preferment. Who would not ſerve thee, O King of Nations?
And ſaw his ſons] Who doubtleſs were good and towardly (though nothing is ſaid of them) agreeable to their education, and anſwerable to Jobs former children, chap. 1.
And his ſons ſons] To his great joyes increaſe.
Even four generations] Joſeph ſaw but three, Gen. 50.23. If God deny this happineſs to any of his, yet he hath promiſed them a Name in his houſe better then of Sons and Nephews, Iſai. 56.5.
Verſe 17 So Job died, being old and full of dayes] How long he lived, we know not. The Rabbins ſay, above two hundred years, which was longer then either Abraham or Iſaac lived: of both whom it is likewiſe ſaid, that they were ſaturi dierum, ſated with this earthly life, and deſirous of life eternal. To thoſe old men that would yet live longer, we may ſay, Cur non …t ſatur vitae conviva recedis?Lucret. It is enough, Lord, ſaid Elias; I deſire to be diſſolved, ſaid Paul: Go forth, my ſoul, go forth to God, ſaid Hilarion: What make I here, ſaid Monica. Job is now as willing to dye as ever he was to dine: he is ſatisfied with dayes, ſaith the text, not as a meat loathed, but as a diſh, though well liked, that he had fed his full of.
Laus Deo in Aeternum.