Job Expounded, Commentary on Job · Chapter 11
THE SVMME AND ORDER of the xi. Chapter.
TSOPHAR the third of Iobs friends, as he spake last, so is he herein more to be blamed then his fellowes, that whereas he ought to hauehave vnderstood by Iobs answers, that he was wrongfullie accused, he contrariwise beginning with a most bitter invective, ver. 2. & 3. openly playeth the Sophister, so interpreting those thinges, which Iob had said both before in the 6 Chap. ver. 10. & in the former Chapter, verse 7. in defence of his innocencie, as if Job had maintained that he was free from all sinne, whereas notwithstanding he had not once or twise, but very often witnessed & confessed him selfe to be a sinner: in so much that albeit he were without sinne, yet he could not be accounted cleare and pure in the sight of God. But you will say: whereof then did Job complaine? Surely for that coniecturing by the greatnesse of his miseries, they charged him most falsely to be an vngodly hypocrite, and a very wicked man. Whatsoeuer therefore Tsophar speaketh from the 4. verse to the 13. concerning the infinite and vnsearchable wisedome of God, is indeed very truely and grauely discoursed, but yet nothing fitly to convince Iob: albeit Iob herein had not kept within compasse, and therefore had deserued blame: because he had more boldly then became him reasoned with God, desiring that the cause of this his so extraordinarie visitation, might be disclosed and made knowen vntounto him. And among other things, that discouereth Tsophar his vndiscrete rashnes, that he durst so presumptuously iudge, that God if he should come and speake face to face with Iob, would vtterly condemne him and pronounce him worthie of double punishment. For contrariwise God him selfe appearing to Iob, acquitteth him, and spareth those his friends at Iobs earnest intreatie for them. Seeing then that out of all these allegations from the 13. vers. to the ende of the Chapter, which nothing at all concerne Job, Tsophar concludeth nothing but that which Eliphaz & Bildad had said before him, namely, that this was the only remedie left for Job, if he acknowledging him selfe for such a one as they accused him to be, and so earnestly detesting him selfe, would craue pardon at Gods hands: it followeth that Iob could not follow this their counsell, vnlesse he would lie against his owne conscience.
❧ CHAPTER XI.
1 THen answered Tsophar the Naamathite, and said,
2 Should not he, that aboundeth in words, be heard, (that is, should not a man ful of words be answered?) or shall a great talker be absolued? (that is, shall a pratling fellowe carrie away his cause?)
3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace, and when thou mockest shall there be none to make thee ashamed?
1 and 2. What then, shal not a talkatiue man be answered? shall any man by multitude of words obtaine to be accounted iust? 3. Shall these thy lyes stop our mouthes, and mocking both God and vsus, shalt thou finde no man to make thee blush, and to be ashamed thereof?
4 For thou hast said, my being (hath bene) pure: and I am cleane in thine eyes.
5 But oh that God would speake, and open his lips with thee.
6 And that he would shew thee the secrets of wisedome. For (they should be) double to that which is, (that is, those things, whereof thou complainest, should be twise so grieuous as those things which thou already sufferest:) & know, that God doeth not challenge thee according to thine iniquitie; (that is, that God doth not exact, whatsoeuer thou owest, but only a little parcell of that punishment, which thy sinnes deserue.)
4 For we hauehave heard, when as speaking to God him self, thou saydest, that thou hadst continued pure & perfect, thorough the whole course of thy life, and diddest terme him an eye witnesse of thy vprightnes. 5 and 6. And truely if it could be brought to passe, that as thou durst desire of him, he would vouchsafe to speake vntounto thee, and at thy rash & vnaduised request, reveale the hidden secrets of his wisedome, I tell thee thy state would be twise as miserable and wretched as nowe it is. For thus thou must perswade thy selfe, that God doeth not take such punishment and vengeance vponupon thee, as thy offences deserue, but onelyonly some small part and portion thereof.
7 Wilt thou finde out the searching of God? wilt thou attaine to the perfectnesse of the Almightie?
8 (They are) the heauens height, what wilt thou do? it is deeper then hell, (that is, the lowest places vnderunder the earth,) howe wilt thou know (them?)
9 The measure of it is longer then the earth, and it is broader then the sea.
10 Whether he cut off, or shut vp, or gather together, who shall withstand him?
11 Doubtlesse he beholdeth faithlesse men, he seeth wicked dealing, and shal he not regard it?
7 And what doest thou require more at Gods handes, seeing these things so open and so manifest, doe ynough, yea and more then ynough convince thee. For if God him selfe would vouchsafe to giuegive thee account of his secret purposes, yet were thy minde able to conceiue and comprehende that wisedome of God? or couldest thou by the profoundnesse of thy iudgement, or quickenesse of thine vnderstanstanding reach vntounto that most absolute perfection of the Almightie? 8 For he is higher then the highest heauens, how then canst thou a sillie man creeping on the earth, come thither? His counsels lye hid more deeply then those things which are buryed in the lowest parts vnderunder the earth, howe canst thou finde them out by searching? 9 and 10. This his wisedome stretcheth it selfe farther then the borders of the earth, and it is of greater breadth and compasse then the wide Ocean. And who can let him to order and dispose all these things after his owne pleasure, or to turne them vpside downe if it seeme good vntounto him? And seeing thou canst not denie, but that the falshoode of men, and all wickednes whatsoeuer, lyeth open to his eyes, tell me, I pray thee, shall he not regard and punish that which he seeth.
12 But vaine, (that is, foolish,) man is also made wise, though man be borne as a wilde asses colte.
13 Jf thou preparest thine heart, & stretchest out the palmes of thy hands,
14 If there be any defrauding in thine hand, and thou hast remoued it from thee: neither sufferest iniquitie to dwell in thy tabernacle.
15 Then truely shalt thou lift vp thy face without spot, & shalt be stable, and shalt not feare.
16 Doubtlesse thou shalt forget thy miserie, (and) remember it as the waters, that hauehave passed by.
17 And thy time shall arise aboue the noone day, (that is, more bright then the clearest day,) thou shalt shine, thou shalt be as the morning it selfe.
18 And thou mayest be bolde, because there shalbe hope, & thou shalt digge, (that is, thou shalt builde thee a dwelling place,) and thou shalt sleepe quietly.
19 And when thou lyest downe, none shall make thee afraide, and many a one shall make sute vntounto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall faile, and their refuge shall perish from them, and their hope shall be the giuing vp of the Ghost.
12 And so men, who before were vaine and foolish, being taught by their afflictions and chastisements, begin to be wise, and who are borne by nature as wilde as an asses colte, are tamed and made gentle. What other helpe therefore or remedie is there left for thee but this, that setting apart all wilfulnesse, and redressing thy minde to a true and vnfained repentance, thou humble & prostrate thy selfe before God. 13 And if so be thou hauehave any thing which was ill gotten, cast it away, neither suffer thou any thing to remaine in thy house, which thou hast taken from any man by violence or oppression, 14 For then, doubt not, thou shalt be quiet and voide of feare, thou shalt hauehave a cheerefull coūtenance, and all that filthinesse, wherewith it hath bene deformed, shall be quite taken away. 15 For a certaintie I say, the remembrance of these miseries will foorthwith vanish, neither shalt thou remember them any more, thē waters which are suddenly passed away. 17 A brightnesse more cleare then the noone day shall arise to thee, and scatter this darknesse, and thou shalt shine euen like the faire and pleasant morning, 18 Finally, a sure hope shall succeede this thy despaire, and thou shalt make to thy selfe quiet & safe dwelling places. 19 In which thou mayest take thy rest without feare, yea and all men shall doe thee honour. 20 But on the contrarie side, that greedinesse of the wicked, whose eyes deuoure all things, shall come to nought, and death comming vponupon them at vnawares, shal beguile them of their expectation.