Exposition of Job 22-26, Commentary · Chapter 22 · Verse 9
Verſ. 9. The widdow thou haſt ſent empty away, and the armes of the fatherleſs have been broken.
As if he had ſaid; Thou didſt fill the full with good things, but the hungry thou haſt ſent empty away; The honourable have been provided for, but they who were deſtitute of all friends, found no friendſhip at thy hands, unleſſe the breaking of their owne armes.
Thou haſt ſent widows away empty.
foreign verbum dimittendi violentiam quandam affert, ut ſit idem quod eijcere extrudere, expellere?There is ſomewhat conſiderable in the nature of the word, which wee render ſent; for it implyes a putting away with a kinde of violence; thou haſt caſt them out, or bid them be packing; thou haſt put them off with rigour and diſtaſt. As if he had ſayd, Thou haſt not onelyonly let them goe from thy houſe unreleeved, but thou haſt reviled them and thruſt them away becauſe they aſked releife. So we may expound it by that (Gen. 3.23, 24.) And the Lord God ſent him (that is, Adam) forth, from the garden of Eden, to till the ground from whence he was taken. What this ſending forth was, is expreſſed in the next verſe, So hee drove out the man. Such a ſending away is here intended, thou haſt ſent widows away (as we ſpeake) with a witneſs; thou haſt chide or rated them out of thy preſence. As it is ſaid of Gallio (Acts 18.16, 17.) That he cared for none of thoſe things, and hee drave them from the Judgement-ſeate. Thus thou haſt ſent widdows away.
ComplutenſesFurther, In the Chaldee Language; the word ſignifies to ſtripe, or to pluck off the very skinne. This is yet more tyrannical, Thou haſt ſent them away ſpoyled and ſtript, or as it followeth in the Text, empty. Thou haſt ſent widowes away &c. It was not the mighty man, nor the great ones of the earth, that he is charged to deale thus unkindly or rather cruelly with, but the widow; that hightens the ſinfullnes of his tyranny. This very word by which a widow is expreſſed in the Hebrew,foreign a verbo foreign quod eſt colligare, ergo ligata dicitur per contrarium intellectum quia jam ſoluta viro. Significat etiā habere linguam colligatam, i. e. …bmuteſcere aut mutū eſſe, quòd mortuo viro non valeat loqui & litigare, quamvis contra aequū & jus rapinam bonorum ſuorum patiatur. Rab: Mord. as well as her condition, calls for helpe and pitty. It comes from a roote that ſignifies; either to binde, or to be ſilent; taking it, in the firſt ſignification, to binde, the widdow may be ſo called for two reaſons. Firſt, becauſe the widow is (as it were) bound about with afflictions, and ſorrowes, ſhee hath many troubles about her, as ſo many bonds, from which ſhee cannot free her ſelfe without running into many other troubles. Secondly, The widow is ſo called, by the rule of contrary ſpeaking; bound, that is, not at all bound, but free or looſed from her husband. Thus the Apoſtle ſpeaks (Rom. 7.1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 7.39.) her marriage knot is un…yed by death; If her husband be dead, ſhee is looſed from the law of her husband, ſhee is left to her ſelfe, and her owne diſpoſe alone. Take the word in the ſecond fignification, to be ſilent; A widow is ſo called becauſe ſhee ſeldome hath that natural, and never hath that civil liberty or freedome of ſpeech, which her husband had, and therefore ſhee needs others to ſpeake for her, or muſt ſpeake her minde by others; her ſelfe being eyther unable, or diſabled to ſpeake in her owne caſe, or to ſpeake for her ſelfe. This being the widows ſtate, he hath the greater ſinne who deales unkindly with her. What? Thruſt away the widow, whoſe heart is bound about, yea and thruſt thorough with many ſorrowes; What? thruſt away the widow, who is unable to mannage her owne cauſe, and defend her ſelfe in her right? yet this thou haſt done. Thou haſt ſent widows away Empty.
That is, without any helpe or comfort.A radice foreign quod eſt effundere vel evacuare. The word is uſed to ſignifie the emptines of a veſſell (2 King. 4.4.) It is uſed alſo concerning the Dreamer; who thinks that he hath eaten, but when he awakes his ſoule, (that is, his ſtomacke) is empty (Iſai. 29.8.) So we may expound the word Racha (Mat. 5.22.) He that ſaith to his brother Racha; which ſome underſtand, not of a man that wants wit or honeſty only, but wealth or plenty. And then to call a man Racha, Erat ergo contumelioſū verbum diſcere fratri Raka i. e. Vocare pauperculum & bonis omnibus exhauſtum.is to upbraid him both with poverty and ſimplicity. As if it ſhould (in diſgrace) be ſayd to him; Thou poore ſnake, thou ſilly fellow, what doſt thou talke, thou who haſt ſo little wit, thou that art not worth a groate? In the Story of Jephtah (Judg. 11.3.) ſuch a ſort of men are ſpoken of as his ayders and aſſiſtants; Then Jephthah fled from his brethren, and there were gathered together vaine men to Jeptah, and went out with him. Some tranſlate,Heb: Vacui. non ut putat Vatablus, Otioſi ſed, ut alij inopes & bonis exhauſti. poore men were gathered together, and went out with him. Vaine men, are uſually idle fellowes, and vagabonds; and we may conceive his company or followers to have conſiſted of poore men rather then of vaine men. And in that ſenſe the word is uſed (Neh. 5.13.) Even thus be he ſhaken out and emptied; That is, impoveriſh'd and reduced to nothing. And thus alſo the low eſtate of Jeſus Chriſt is expreſſed (Phil. 2.) Hee empted himſelfe, namely, of his divine glory and ſplendour; that is, he ſhew'd not his Majeſty whileſt hee was in the fleſh, but covered and vailed it, and was in appearance as a poore empty man, having voluntarily made himſelfe of no reputation, though he were Lord over all. Such was the emptines, in which theſe widows were ſent away by Job, as Eliphaz accuſeth him. And this act may have a threefold interpretation. Firſt, they were ſent away empty; that is, not filled or releived by thy charity; thou didſt not open, eyther thy heart or thy hand to ſupply their neceſſities, or to make them up in what they wanted, and humbly deſired.
Secondly, Thou haſt ſent widows empty away; That is, thou haſt given them no reliefe by thy Juſtice; ſome widows beg meerly for our Almes, others bring their caſe and cauſe to the Magiſtrate or man in Authority, for helpe againſt their oppreſſing adverſaries. In the 18th of Luke, the importunate widow, ſaith to the Judge, Releive mee againſt my Adverſary; I beg not your charity, but your Juſtice; The widow is ſent away empty, when her ſuite is not heard. Wee may underſtand Eliphaz eyther way, that when the widow ſued for her right, ſhee found no Juſtice; and when ſhee came for an almes, ſhee found no charity.
Thirdly, Wee may interpret it yet higher; Thou hast ſent widows away empty; That is, widows came to thee full or in a good condition, but thou haſt emptyed them by oppreſſion, and taken away what they had. Covetous Magiſtrates care not how or of whom they get it, ſo they can get it; They empty the widows purſe, yea widows houſes to fill their owne. Chriſt reproved the Phariſees for this (Mat. 23.14.) Woe unto you Scribes and Phariſees, for yee devoure widows houſes; yee eate them out of houſe and home,Tradunt ſe ad tuendum majoribus, deditias ſe divitum faciunt. Illud grave eſt, quod hac lege tueri pauperes videntur ut ſpoliant; hac lege defendunt miſeros ut miſeriores faciant defendendo. Salvian. Lib. 5to de provid. eyther by living upon them, or by taking away their livings. Wee may underſtand Eliphaz in this ſenſe alſo; Thou haſt ſent widows away empty; that is, widdows came to thee for protection, and thou didſt promiſe it, but then to make thy owne market upon them and ſerve thy ſelfe, thou haſt oppreſſed them, they came to thee to doe them right, and thou haſt undone them by unrighteouſneſſe. It is ill enough to deny widows charity, it is worſe to deny them Juſtice, but it is worſt of all to undoe them by unjuſtice; yet thoſe two Horſe-leaches, pride and covetouſneſs will not forbeare to draw from the widow. Some rich men undertake the widows cauſe, onelyonly to enrich themſelves by the ſpoyles of the widow; and for this reaſon they promiſe helpe to thoſe who are in miſery, that they may make them more miſerable, in ſtead of helping them, Thou haſt ſent widows away empty. Thus Job was ſuppoſed to have dealt with widows.
See next how Eliphaz chargeth him for his dealings with the fatherleſſe.
And the Armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken.
Theſe two deſolate names are often found alone,Duo iſta nomina in quantum, deſpectui humano in tantum miſerecordiae divinae expoſita. Tertull. l. 1. ad uxor. c. 8. Per viduam & pupillum omne genus miſerorū hominum ſignificatur. Pined. but oftener as one in Scripture; the widow who is disjoyn'd from her husband, and the fatherleſſe, who are bereaved of their parents, are commonly joyned together. And theſe two names are taken in Scripture, eyther ſtrictly, or more largely; ſtrictly to ſignifie onelyonly ſuch perſons as have eyther l…ſt their huſbands or parents; Largely, and ſo the widow and fatherleſſe, ſignifie any that are in diſtreſſe, or need our charity: Becauſe the widow and the fatherleſſe ſtand often in need of charity, therefore theſe names in Scripture, ſignifie any that need our charity. While the Prophet ſaith (Hoſ. 14.3.) With thee the fatherleſs findeth mercy; Wee are not to ſtraighten his ſenſe onelyonly to Orphans, but to any that are in diſtreſſe; hee that is a father may be called fatherleſſe, and the childe that hath a father may be called fatherleſſe, when extreamely needing the helpe eyther of God or man. And ſo the word widow muſt be underſtood (Rev. 18.7.) where Babylon boaſteth, I ſit as a Queene, and am no widow; that is, I am neither friendleſſe nor helpleſſe; or as the next words ſeeme to expound it; I ſhall ſee no ſorrow; which is uſually the widows portion. Thus in the Text by the widow and the fatherleſſe, wee muſt underſtand not onelyonly thoſe who are formally ſo, but all in affliction, who are equivalently ſo.
The armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken.
In the former part of the verſe, he ſaith; Thou haſt ſent the widow away empty; charging the ſinne perſonally upon Job; here he onelyonly ſayth; The armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken; As if he did not place the fault directly upon him; yet ſome tranſlate it ſo; Thou haſt broken the armes of the fatherleſſe; making it Jobs act; However our rendring layes fault enough upon him, and leaves him in particular without excuſe, while it ſpeaks onelyonly in g…nerall; The armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken. For it is as if he had ſaid; thou haſt permitted their armes to be broken; And if he ſhould object; what if the armes of the fatherleſs have been broken? what is that to mee? Yes; you being in place and power, and having ſtrength in your owne hands to preſerve the fatherleſſe, if the armes of the fatherleſſe have been broken, the ſinne muſt lye at your doore: Every man is guiltie of all the evill, which he hath power and a call to hinder, and doth not hinder.
The armes of the fatherleſſe.
Armes may be taken either properly, or figuratively; The arme properly is a noble and moſt uſefull Limbe of the body, we are not to underſtand it ſo here, as if he had broken the naturall armes of their bodyes; A mans arme is broken when his power is broken, though his skin be not ſo much as toucht. So then,
Per brachia robur divitiae, facultates quae Orphano pro brachijs & manibus eſſe poſſunt, intelliguntur.By the armes of the fatherleſſe, wee are to underſtand whatſoever is the ſtrength, or makes for the defence of the fatherleſſe. The arme (as was toucht in the former verſe) is put for ſtrength, becauſe the arme hath much ſtrength and activity in it for the defence and uſe of the whole body. The eſtate, the friends, the kindred, all the meanes, helpes, and ayds which are ſubſervient to the good and protection of the fatherleſſe, are by a figure called the Armes of the fatherleſſe; Theſe armes, ſaith Eliphaz, Have been broken.
foreign confringere contundere.The word notes an utter breaking, a breaking to pieces; To break, as a thing is broken in a Morter with a peſtle. This breaking may be alſo conſidered two wayes;1 Non ſubveniendo. 2 Detinendo ſubſtantiam ipſis a parentibus relictam. either as done by a poſitive act, or by a negative act; that is, by withholding that helpe which might preſerve them from breaking. The armes of the fatherleſſe are broken by denying them protection as well as by exerciſing oppreſſion upon them. Thus wee ſee what a bill of inditement is here drawne up againſt J…b, how he is charged with crimes, which are not onelyonly againſt the light of Scripture, but even againſt the very light of nature, even with thoſe crimes which his hand was farre from, and his heart further from, with thoſe crimes which he did not onelyonly forbeare to practice, but which his ſoule did abhorre.
Hence obſerve; That the moſt innocent perſons, are often charged with the fouleſt and ſinfulleſt crimes.
Job was ſo cleare in his owne conſcience from this accuſation, that he not onelyonly profeſſeth openly that he never did, but imprecates a like vengeance upon himſelfe if ever he had done it (Chap. 31.21.) If I have lift up my hands againſt the fatherleſſe, when I ſaw my helpe in the gate, (that is, when by reaſon of my great power and authority in the place of judgement I could eaſily enough have done it, no man daring to oppoſe or hinder mee, but all rather being ready to countenance and aſſiſt me in it, if (I ſay) when I had theſe advantages over the fatherleſſe, I did ever breake their armes) then let mine arme fall from my ſhoulder blade, and mine arme be broken from the bone; As if he had ſaid, if I have done this thing, let a divine and viſible retaliation poynt me out for the man, let all the world ſee and reade my ſinne in my puniſhment, and my injuſtice againſt man in the moſt diſcernable judgements of God upon my ſelfe. Thus free and innocent was Job, and yet thus accuſed. And indeed if to accuſe were enough, there is no man in the world could be innocent or free. Who is there of ſo unſpotted a converſation, that may not be ſpotted with accuſation? who while his conſcience is pure, may not have much dirt caſt in his face?
Secondly, Eliphaz accuſes Job of all this, not becauſe he knew it to be ſo, but becauſe he thought it was ſo. Whence note (which hath formerly been toucht at) That to charge any man upon ſurmiſe with things that wee cannot prove, is a high breach not onelyonly of charity but of juſtice.
The Lord reproves Jobs three friends in the laſt Chapter of this Booke, becauſe they had not ſpoken of him the thing that was right; and as they had not ſpoken the thing that was right of God, ſo not of Job. They pitcht upon no reaſon why they condemned him ſo much, but onelyonly becauſe he indured ſo much. They concluded him a man of ſinne, becauſe he was a man of ſorrow. The Apoſtle gives us the true genius of charity (1 Cor. 13.3, 4.) Charity beleeveth all things; not that charity is ſo credulous as to take up every thing for truth which is ſcattered by any common and ungrounded report; that's no commendation in any man, much leſſe is it the commendation of a godly man; therefore when the Apoſtle ſaith, Charity beleeveth all things, the meaning is, Charity interprets every thing in the beſt ſence which it will beare; and makes the fayreſt conſtruction which every mans caſe and condition will admit. And againe at the 5th verſe; Charity thinkes no evill; that is, it thinkes no evill of others; As a godly man will not maintaine evill thoughts, or ſuffer them to lodge within him, in reference to any ſinne which himſelfe is tempted to commit. So a charitable man, will not maintaine or Iodge evill thoughts of others, in reference to any ſinne which he can onelyonly ſuppoſe that they have committed. Againe, as charity thinkes no evill, that is, it doth not plot evill againſt others; ſo thinkes no evill, by a raſh ſurmiſing it of others. Thus, charity beleeves all's well, and thinkes no evill. How uncharitable then are they, yea, how unjuſt who beleeve all's ill, where they know of none, and thinke the worſt of them in whom they never ſaw any thing, but what was good? It is not enough for a man to ſay he doth not judge his brother maliciouſly, he ought not to judge him ignorantly. Though to ſpeake or judge ill of another, becauſe wee wiſh him ill, be the greater ſinne, yet barely to ſpeake or judge ill of another, by whom we know no ill, is very ſinfull: And then 'tis moſt ſinfull, when wee doe it not onelyonly as not knowing any evill they have done, but becauſe we know, heare, or ſee the evills which they ſuffer. 'Tis dangerous as well as improper to make the hardeſt and harſheſt dealings of God with any man, the ground of our hard and harſh thoughts of him.
Thirdly, Conſider who they were whom Job is ſuppoſed to have oppreſſed; they were not the great ones, not the mighty men of the earth, but the fatherleſſe, and the widow.
Whence note; That the poore are uſually the ſubject of oppreſſion.
The greater fiſh in the ſea of this world devoure and live upon the leſſer; The ſtrong ſhould ſupport the weake, and they who are upper-moſt ſhould uphold thoſe who are under them. But becauſe the weake and the underlings may moſt eaſily be oppreſt, therefore they are moſt uſually oppreſt. As Covetouſneſſe is cruell, ſo 'tis cowardly, and dares not meddle with its match. God in reference to Spiritualls, filleth the hungry with good things, and the rich he ſendeth empty away, (Luk. 1.53.) Ungodly men, in reference to temporals, would ſend the rich away empty, if they could, but they are ſo farre from filling the hungry with good things, that they take away all the good things they can from the hungry, they care not if they ſtarve the hungry, if they make the poore poorer, and take all from them who have but little.
Fourthly, Job having been a Magiſtrate, and ſo (by his place) a Miniſter of Juſtice, is ſtrongly preſſed with the doing of injuſtice.
Whence note; Firſt, That they who have power, may eaſily, though not alwayes juſtly, be ſuſpected for the abuſe of it.
To have a power in our hands whereby we may doe good, is a temptation to doe evill. 'Tis hard to keepe power within its bounds, and to rule that, by which others are ruled. The Prophet (Iſa. 1.10.) calls the rulers of Sion, rulers of Sodome, becauſe they ruled like them, or rather worſe then they, eating up the people, under their charge, rather then feeding them, and vexing thoſe whom they undertooke to governe, and to be a Shield unto againſt the vexations of others.
Secondly, Note; That as oppreſſion is a ſinne in any man, ſo it is moſt ſinfull in thoſe who have power in their hands to releeve the oppreſſed.
Such act not onelyonly contrary to a common rule, but contrary to their ſpeciall duty; by how much we have the more obligation not to doe a thing, by ſo much we ſin the more if we doe it.
Thirdly, Note; That as it is very ſinfull in Magiſtrates to wrong any man, ſo it is moſt ſinfull to wrong them, or to deny them right, who have moſt need of it, the widow, and the fatherleſſe.
Magiſtrates are called Gods; And God who hath honoured them by putting his name upon them, expects that they ſhould honour him, by imitating or acting like unto him. What a Magiſtrate doth he ſhould doe like God, he ſhould doe it ſo that every one may be convinced that God is in him and with him of a truth. As God takes care of the widow, and of the fatherleſſe, ſo ſhould he. God is knowne by this Title; A father of the fatherleſſe, and a Judge of the widow, is God in his holy habitation (Pſal. 68.5.) That is, in Heaven; for that's the habitation of his holines, and of his glory, there he dwells, Judging for the widow, and the fatherleſſe; And as that is the ſpeciall buſineſſe (as it were) of God in Heaven, ſo they who are Gods on earth, ought to make it their ſpeciall buſineſſe to judge for the widow and the fatherleſſe. Hence wee finde the widow and the fatherleſſe commended by name to the care of the Magiſtrate; The fatherleſſe have no naturall parents living, or none neere of kinne remaining to maintaine and defend them, therefore the Magiſtrate, who is (pater patriae) the common father of his Country, ſhould be their Foſter-Father. They who want power are the charge, & ſhould be the ſpeciall care of thoſe in power. Thus they are commanded (Pſa. 82.3, 4.) Defend the poore & fatherleſs, doe juſtice to the afflicted & needy, deliver the poore and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked. Here's their worke; and the neglect of this worke (how buſie ſo ever Magiſtrates are about other worke) is often complained of aloud in Scripture, as a crying ſinne, as a ſinne that ruines Nations, and drawes downe publicke Judgements upon a people. (Iſaiah 1.17.) Ceaſe to doe evill, learne to doe well, ſeeke Judgement, relieve the oppreſſed, Judge the fatherleſſe, plead for the widow: And at the 23 verſe; They judge not the fatherleſſe, neither doth the Cauſe of the widow come unto them. Againe (Jer. 5.28.) They judge not the Cauſe of the fatherleſſe. It is a ſin not to judge any mans Cauſe, not to judge the Cauſe of the richeſt, of the greateſt; yet it is more ſinfull not to judge the Cauſe of the widow and the fatherleſſe. And when he ſaith; They judge not the Cauſe, &c. the meaning is, they judge not the Cauſe of the fatherleſſe impartially and righteouſly. And indeed, he that doth not judge righteouſly, doth not judge at all; and when the Prophet ſaith, They judge not the Cauſe of the fatherleſſe, it is as if he had ſaid; Among all the Cauſes that lye unjudged, this is the Cauſe, that God takes moſt notice of, and is moſt diſpleaſed with the neglect of it, even when the Cauſe of the fatherleſſe is not pleaded, or judged. All are forward enough to plead the Cauſe of the rich; but when the Client is poore, and appeares (in forma pauperis) his cauſe ſeld me finds any but a poore and formal pleading. We read (Acts 6.1.) That there was a great murmuring of the Grecians againſt the Hebrew…s, becauſe their widdowes were neglected in the daily Adminiſtration. Church-Officers (in their capacity) as well as State-Officers (in theirs) ought to have a carefull eye upon widows that are in want. And the Apoſtle James (Cha. 1.27.) ſummes up (as it were) all Religion into this one duty; Pure religion and undefiled before God, and the Father is this, to viſit the fatherleſſe and the widow; Not as if this were indeed all religion, or the all of religion: but as when the Spirit in Scripture, hath to doe with prophane perſons, or meere moral honeſt men, who place all religion in civill righteouſneſſe and workes of charity, then he calls them to firſt Table duties, or to the ſincere worſhip of God, ſo when the Spirit is ſpeaking to thoſe who place all their religion in worſhip, or in firſt Table duties, neglecting the duties of charity and righteouſnes, then we finde all religion placed in ſecond Table worke, in giving every man his due, in compaſſion to the poore, in helping the helpleſſe, in feeding the hungry, in cloathing the naked, in comforting the ſorrowfull, and by name the fatherleſſe and the widow. This is pure religion to viſit the fatherleſſe and the widow; That is, this is the practicall part, or the true practice of religion, without which all religion is vaine; Therefore when the Apoſtle had ſayd (v 21.) Receive with meeknes the engraffed word: Leſt any man ſhould ſtay there, and think he had done enough when he had been a bearer, he adds, Be doers of the word; That is, looke to the practicall part of religion, be diligent in the duties of love to men, as wel as in thoſe of the worſhip of God.
Take theſe two inferences from the whole verſe.
Firſt, Seeing God taketh ſo much care of the widow and the fatherleſſe, Let the widow, let the fatherleſſe truſt in God. They who receive peculiar promiſes from God, ſhould put forth ſuitable acts of faith towards God. Faith cannot worke without a word, and where it hath a word it ought to worke. Wee have both put together in the preſent caſe (Jer. 49.11.) Leave thy fatherleſſe children I will preſerve them alive, and let the widows truſt in mee: As if God had ſayd, if none will take care of them, I will, I will take care of them, I will be a father of the fatherleſſe, a husband to the widow, leave that care to me. Therefore let the widow and fatherleſſe truſt in God; A word from God is a better & a bigger portion, then all the wealth of this world.
Secondly, Seeing the Lord is ſo jealous over them, and ſo ready to take their part againſt all their adverſaries, this ſhould provoke them to be full of zeale for God; God ſtands up for their protection, therfore they ſhould ſtand up for God their protector and patron. How carefull ſhould they be to pleaſe him, who is ſo watchfull to preſerve them? Speciall promiſes call for ſpeciall obedience, as well as for ſpeciall faith; The more God engageth himſelfe to doe for us, the more ſhould we engage our ſelves (in his ſtrength) to doe for him; None have more reaſon to be rich in faith and love to God, then the poore and fatherleſſe.
Thus farre wee have examined the Inditement, or Charge which Eliphaz brought againſt Job; now ſee, what he inferres upon it, here is thy ſinne, and there's thy puniſhment.