Commentary on the Old Testament Volume 2-4, Biblical commentary 2 · Job · Chapter 12
CHAP. XII.
ZOphar having spoken, as he thought, most wisely, and as one able to instruct Job, now he answereth him by deriding him and his fellows for their selfe-conceitednesse, when as they had spoken nothing, but what he knew very well before, as he sheweth by speaking much more, in setting forth the power and wisdome of God, then he had done. For his deriding of them V. 2.
No doubt but yee are the people, and Wisdome shall abide with you. It is commonly Vers. 2.reproved in Scripture, as a great sinn, to deride and to despise others, as in Ishmaell mocking at Isaack, Michal at David, the Children of Bethel at Elisha, and Sennacherib at Hezekiah, The Jews at Christ upon the Cross, and at his Apostles, Act. 2. and many others: But the mocking of Job was not such, but as that of Elijah mocking at Baals prophets, and of Michaiah at Ahab, saying, Go up to Ramoth Gilead, and prosper, and of Isay at Idolaters to make them ashamed of their sinns, and repent: so Job, that these men instead of glorying in their wisdome wherein they thought they excelled much, ashamed that they had no more wisdome to decline so gross an error, as wherin they were held touching him, judging him wicked for his bodily sufferings and the speeches that he used to defend his innocency against them; Despisers then, and mockers in generall, are not hereby justified, but only the godly-wise that do it out of zeale for Gods glory and against sinn, and upon just cause, that they, who do, or speake evill, may being thus made ashamed, repent: As for other mockers at piety in any they are as Sennacherib, whom Esaiah challenged saying, whom hast thou despised or mocked, and Note. therfore threatneth him with curbing and destruction; or at misery in any of Esa. 38. Ps. 137Gods people, as the Babilonians and Edomites are sayd to have done, and therefore they are pronounced blessed that shall pay them with their own coyne, destroying them and aggravating their misery with the greatest cruelty. For the pride of these men and theire selfe-conceitednesse, Gregory saith well, that it put them on to teach one more learned then themselves, Gregory.and they were like men lighting upon a vessell full of liquor, poure Note. in more, which because it is full already, is all lost; for such speake not that others hearing them may learn of them, but as a man that hath plenty of those worldly things giveth to such as have no want, that they may bee thought greatly to abound, & so be more magnified, so these men …o purchase to themselves the reputation of the teachers of Job, bestow largely upon him that of which hee was full already. Pride then makes men teach those that are able to teach them, but hereof they shall reape nothing but shame although for a time they please themselves by thus their own magnifying; therefore all who are humble, if they know more then others, teach such as know lesse, but not presume to take upon them over the more learned, but bee silent before them sitting to heare and learne yet more of them. This because proud hereticks forget, they commonly set themselves to detract from the Orthodoxe, as ignorant, or superstitious, that they might be counted the only men of knowledg & their errours imbraced: but they are like these false friends of Job, and false prophet of Baal, Zedekiah, that insulted over the true prophet Michaiah, and shal be judged accordingly, as hee was, and these men 1 Kin. 22. 24.had a sharp check from God in the end, so shal they if comming to themselves they make such their friendes againe as they have calumniated, otherwise their rebuke will be farr worse, and unexpiable even by Jobs sacrificing for them; For Jobs saying, that he had wisdome as well as they, herein he shewed no pride, for that he made himselfe not superiour, but equal to them, not to magnifie himselfe, but to pull downe their pride.
I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth Vers. 4.me: The just upright man is laughed to scorn. The vulg. He that is derided of his friend as I, shall call upon God, and he will heare him: The simplicity of the just is derided. Hebr. Derided of his neighbour, I am calling upon God. To which N. Tran. cometh nerest, but only in the last words. For he heareth me, It is, Heareth him. But both this and the vulg. come to one; Job compareth himselfe to a man derided, who careth not for their speeches, that deride him, but turneth him to God; as with whom innocency and uprightnesse is regarded, whereas by such it is mocked at, when a man is in misery, an I brought most low.
He that is ready to slip with his feet, is like a Lamp despised by them that live at ease. The vulg. A lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich, prepared Vers. 5.for an appointed time. and Hebr. word for word the same, but only for rich foreign quiet, free from trouble, injoying prosperity, as they that have and hold their wealth, not being robbed thereof do: But the word quiet or at ease, best expresseth the meaning, because this implyeth both wealth and health, which Jobs friends had, but he now wanted: And whereas N. Tran. hath it. He that is ready to slip with his foot, is a despised lamp. There is no word in the verse more but foreign foot, therefore if it be rendred accordingly, no more can be made of it but thus, A lamp despised in the thoughts of the quiet, set up for a time, a foot. Of which words what else can be the meaning, if we look back to V. 4. but this? the righteous man shining in virtue, and esteemed of accordingly, is now despised as a lamp that is out; and accounted not as an head and honourable, for his virtue any more: But as a foot despisable, his wealth being gone, and his body soare smitten, as Jobs was; but they be blind worldlings, that think thus of him, who measure men, and estimate them only according to their present worldly possessions.
Gregory saith, That the poor just man, is here compared to a Lamp extinct. Because he shineth inwardly, by the virtue of an upright heart, but Gregor.outwardly is, as it were extinct, because there is nothing outward to commend him, No glorious apparel, no goodly houses, no wealth, costly fare, or attendans as the rich have: And therefore think vilely of such, as have not about them, as they have: But such a Lamp he saith, is set for an appoynted time, That is, the day of Judgment, when he shall shine most brightly, even as the Sun, as the Lord speaketh: And sit upon a Throne with him as a Judge, the rich wicked, that have shined in Worldly glory for a little time, having all their glory put out for ever, and thrust into utter darknesse.
The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, into whose hand God bringeth abundantly. Here Job passeth from speaking Vers. 6.of Lamps shining by virtue to dark and black Soules, notorious for oppressions and robberies: But sith they provoke God, how is it that they are full, and how is God said to bring in abundantly into their hands: Sol. He bringeth not this abundance in, as a blessing to them, but in way of judgment against others, from whom their goods be taken: Yet sometimes they have the better of it, who are robbed, and the robbers the worser, because the sinnes of these are thus punished, but the sinnes of those increased, these being stript of their worldly goods, having occasion given them the more to distrust worldly thinsg, and to lift their hearts up to Heaven to get them a treasure there. But those by their prevayling, being hardned to go on in their sinnes till far greater judgments befal them: A consideration truly for all oppressors, that be in place and authority, for they are no better then Theeves and Robers, and so they are called by the Prophet, saying: Thy Esa. 1. 23.Princes are companions of Theeves. It is no arguing, God bringeth these into Note. our hands, therefore he approveth of our doings; no no: For so he hdotitn. o the hands of robbers, who are said yet to provoke him.
But ask now the Beasts, and they shall teach thee: And the fowles of the Aire and they shall tell thee, &c. Job having hetherto answered to the nip Vers. 9.given him by Zophar, for his many words, as though he only were wise and something to the common argument against him, to prove him a wicked man; because he suffered such grievous things: Now he proceedeth to speak to that, wherein he thought to shew himself most wise; that is: In his discourse about the power and wisdome of God: And herein he so vilifyeth him, as if in speaking hereof, he had shewed no more wisdome, then the dumb Beast hath, or the Birds of the Aire, or the Earth, or Fishes, because all these in their several shapes, and formes, representing themselves unto us, do in effect tell us: That God by his almighty power and wisdome, made them, and therefore that his power is so great, as Zophar said. For whence had they their beings? for they made not themselves, therefore the very sight of them, is a silent teaching of this almighty power. Doth not the eare try words? And the mouth tast his meat? Here Job proceedeth Vers. 11.further in vilifying that which Zophar had said, for although he knew how to speak things touching God, that were right; because he had heard thus much of him, whereby he had this knowledge, swimming as it Gregor.were in his brain, but he tasted it not with the palate of his Soule; because he made no good use hereof, to love and feare God, as he ought, and as they that are taught of God do: And the same is the case of all that heare the words of God, but are not hereby sanctified; they heare of good and Note. nourishing meat, but they tast it not, although they can speak of it to others; but such as heare and lay to heart what they heare, to be reformed there after, they heare with their eares and tast, and feed hereupon with the mouth of the soule, to their everlasting comfort. Chrysost and Olympiod. give this for the sense, the eare by hearing words, can as easily know Chrysost. Olympiod.all that thou hast said, as the mouth by tasting meat, what is the tast thereof: and therefore little is the understanding of him, that knoweth to speak thus: Some will have this spoken of God, as if he had meant; that God could much more easily heare, and tast that which is spoken, to reject the evil and approve the good, then the eare of man, words spoken in his hearing, and his mouth tast his meat. For men that are ancient, have by long experience attained to such wisdome, as followeth, V. 12. that they can discern other men by their speeches: Much more God then can do it, who hath made the eare, and giveth men wisdome, for which he addeth by way of aplication, With him is wisdome and strength. V. 13. Let the Reader follow which he pleaseth: For my part I prefer that of Gregory, as most useful, and an exposition well agreeing with the words: And for the next words, V. 12. He maketh them thus to cohere, this tast in such spiritual food is not sufficiently confirmed to be in a man, when he hath for a little time thus relished it, but when as he hath gone on so to do, till his old age, then he hath this wisdome and true understanding indeed: But least it should be thought, that hereby he averred wisdome to be in Gregory.all the ancient, which is not; for some such are still as children for wisdome, He addeth, V. 13. With him is wisdome and strength, He hath counsel and understanding. That is, God who is the ancient of daies, wherein he both confirmeth that which was spoken before by Zophar, and wherein he had spoken a little, he speaketh much more, and more profoundly to shew his shallownesse, and how unadvisedly through his pride he had been, to undertake to teach him. Gregory by him in this verse, understandeth the Son of God: From hence to the end of the chap. The mighty acts of God are set forth, whereby his power and wisdome are proved to be infinite, which Zophar had only spoken of without proving.
He breaketh down and cannot be built up again, he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. Gregory here by breaking down, understands Vers. 14. Gregory.destroying everlastingly, and to this end, the breaking down of Gods Image in a man, which is in righteousnesse and holinesse: Now God doth not this any other way, but by leaving a wicked man to himself, not giving him grace: For to such a man, no Preacher can do any thing to build him up, every mouth being dumbe, that speaketh to him, whose eares God openeth not: That is, the eares of his heart; he also shutteth up a man as it were in Prison; when he leaveth him to the accusation and condemnation of his own evil conscience, wherein the wicked lye, as it were, imprisoned, till that being brought forth at the last day: They be by the just Judge condemned and sent into the everlasting flames of Hell fire; which should make every man to have a great care to keep a clear conscience towards God Note. and men: As the Apostle Paul saith, that he did, that he may never be thus shut up, or broken down; for then woe will be unto him, and they are none but men of an evil conscience, that are thus served: As Pharoah and Judas, whose conscience condemned and forced him, to do execution upon himself, and so he sinned more then he had done before, in betraying his Lord: And the like may be said of Esau, having spoken so contempteously of his birth-right, he was shut up from coming in for the blessing, even against his Fathers will; and when he came, he could not be opened, that he might receive it, although he sought it with strong cries and bitter. Heb. 12. 16. Ferus.Ferus going according to the later, expoundeth it of works set up by men, but by God broken down, as the Tower of Babel and the Wals of Jericho: and of Babilon afterwards ruined by Cyrus: And the shutting up of man, of his giving him into the enemies hands, to be taken and carried away captive and imprisoned, as the Jews were by the Caldees; and Manasseth that most wicked King: And as Ferus so Engubin. Tilloman, &c. But although it be thus understood according to the letters, any man may easily give the sense of it so without an interpreter. Gregory therefore who findeth more herein for further instruction and edification, is not to be slighted, but much to be esteemed of, for his opening greater mysteries that ly hid herein.
He withholdeth the waters, and they dry up; he sendeth them out, and they overturn the Earth. Here is another argument of his infinite power, when Vers. 15.he withholdeth rain, a great drought is caused, and when rain falleth in abundance, which is also at his will, a sloud is made, which galleth and washeth away the earth in many places; and sometime the floud was so great, that all buildings erected out of the earth, were overturned hereby and drowned, as in the time of Noah. But of this also, Gregory makes an allegory; saying, The waters here set forth, either the word preached, or Gregory.the spirit, which is often set forth hereby: If there be no teaching, as there is not, when God taketh it away for sin: Or if there be teaching, and not the spitit working herewith, men that came out of the earth, dry and wither in grace; but contrariwise these waters being made to flow, the Earth is overturned, that is: Earth-lives in mens minds, Heaven-lives of mind succeeding: According to which our Lord sayth. That which is born Ioh. 3.of the earth is earthly, that which is born of the spirit is heavenly. Therefore Note. pray we against this judgment of a famine, of hearing the word of God, Amos 8.of which Amos speaketh, and for the water of the spirit, that it may come together with this heavenly dew falling, as Moses calleth his doctrine, saying, My doctrine shall drop as the rain, and my speech distil as the dew.
The deceived and the deceiver are his. The vulg. He knoweth the deceiver Deut. 32. 2. Vers. 16.and the deceived. But Hebr. It is as hath been sayd, and the meaning is, that they are both in his hands, the deceiver to have revenge taken upon him, and the deceived, who revengeth not himselfe, to have his cause righted; so it is threatned, 1 Thes. 4. 6. And this argueth both the wisdome and power of God spoken of, in the beginning of the verse, his wisdome to finde our the deceiver, how cunningly and closely soever he goeth to work, as hee did Achan, Gehezi, and Annanias, and his power to be revenged upon such, which should both terrifie deceivers, and comfort the deceived and wronged in any matter, and make them patiently to commit the wrong to God, and not to revenge themselves, which to do were to take their deceivers out of Gods hands, and to put themselves in to be punished for this their precipitant hast.
Hee leadeth Counsellours away spoiled, and maketh Judges fooles. That is, his wisdome is so great, that Counsellours and Judges, who be the wisest men, Vers. 17.are but fools in comparison of him, yea when they thinke to doe wisely, he infatuareth them, and they do foolishly, as men spoiled of their greatest treasure, their wisdome, as Achitaphells wisdome was turned into foolishnesse. A warning to Judges and Counsellors not to take ill causes Note. in hand, to justifie them for a reward, as many do, thus deceiving him that hath a good cause by their cunning, of his right, it is just with God, when they improve their wits to so evill an end, to infatuate their causes, and to make them as despicable as before they were honourable.
He looseth the bond of Kings, and girdeth their loines with a girdle, V. 19.Vers. 18. Vers. 19.
He leadeth Princes away spoiled, &c. The vulg. Contrariwise he looseth the girdle of Princes and girdeth their loines with a rope. But the word foreign which is put last, signifieth a girdle, and foreign put first, a girdle or bond, Vinculum, and therefore it is meant that sometime he looseth the bonds, into which Princes are brought, and advanceth them again to Kingly dignity, the ensigne whereof was of old, a pretious girdle, as it is at this day a signe of honour, so Manasseth was dealt by when hee repented; And Ieremiah having been long in prison, in the time of the raign of Evilmerodach, was again honoured and set up as a King: But as hee doth this sometime, so on the other side, he sometimes giveth Princes and most mighty men into the hands of their enemies, to be spoiled and abused, as Sampson was.
He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged. Here by the speech of the trusty, by Vulg. rendred Veracium: of Vers. 20.true speakers, some understand the comfortable promises made by the Prophets, which are removed; for when no comfort is by them spoken any more but all terrible things for the sinnes of them to whom they spake good formerly. Some, the teaching of men wise and learned, and formerly makeing conscience to teach nothing but the truth; but being drawn by men more then by God, and by the feare or favour of them, they have this faculty of speaking the truth taken away from them, & now it's common with them, for truths, to utter lies, as it was with the Scribes and Pharisees, whom our Lord often disgraceth, by calling them fools and blind for their foolish teaching. Matth. 23.And such are Popish Priests, who formerly were Ministers of Christ; but to please the Pope, or for fear of him, they now and long have taught lying Note. legends and fables for Gods word, which only is truth. And even among our selves in these dayes, some are greatly degenerated, who well performed the office of Evangelists before, but now worse then Balaam, speak other words for a reward, then God putteth into their mouths, for which they may justly feare to perish more then he did, and undergoe the ignomy of the name of foolish Prophets, although they think that herein they doe most wisely, getting by this means countenance and preserment, which others that will not be changed from Truth-speakers, want, yea meet with hard measure although there be nothing else against them.
He poureth out contempt upon Princes, &c. The Vulg. in these words agreeing, for the next have words divers from the Heb. and New Tr. which Vers. 21.are, And weakneth the strength of the mighty. But in vulg. Releiveth them that are oppressed. But this is thus salved by the Jesuite, it is thus rendred by the Sept. and so best answereth, as opposite to the first clause, and it is to the same effect, The weakning of the mighty, that oppressed others, being the relieving of the oppressed. Then for his wisdome he saith, He discovereth darke things. Vers. 22. And for his power, He inlargeth the nations, and streightneth them, Vers. 23.
And he taketh away the heart of the chiefe of the people, and maketh to wander Vers. 24.in the wildernesse where there is no way. That is, as he hath all wisdome, so when he pleaseth, he maketh Kings and Judges fooles, having in their troubles no heart to understand what to do, or which way to take for the best, so that they wander, as it were in a wildernesse, in their consultations, finding no way out, although they groap for it by beating their baines about it, but all in vain.Vers. 25.