Job 1

PART I--PROLOGUE OR

HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION IN PROSE--

(Job 1:1-2:13)

Job 1:1-5.

THE

HOLINESS OF

JOB,

HIS

WEALTH,

&c.

1. Uz--north of Arabia-Deserta, lying towards the Euphrates. It

was in this neighborhood, and not in that of Idumea, that the Chaldeans

and Sabeans who plundered him dwell. The Arabs divide their country

into the north, called Sham, or "the left"; and the south, called

Yemen, or "the right"; for they faced east; and so the west was on

their left, and the south on their right. Arabia-Deserta was on the

east, Arabia-Petræa on the west, and Arabia-Felix on the south.

Job--The name comes from an Arabic word meaning "to

return," namely, to God, "to repent," referring to his end [EICHORN]; or rather from a Hebrew word signifying

one to whom enmity was shown, "greatly tried" [GESENIUS]. Significant names were often given among the

Hebrews, from some event of later life (compare

Ge 4:2,

Abel--a "feeder" of sheep). So the emir of Uz was by general consent

called Job, on account of his "trials." The only other person so called

was a son of Issachar

(Ge 46:13).

perfect--not absolute or faultless perfection (compare

Job 9:20;

Ec 7:20),

but integrity, sincerity, and consistency on the whole,

in all relations of life

(Ge 6:9; 17:1;

Pr 10:9;

Mt 5:48).

It was the fear of God that kept Job from evil

(Pr 8:13).

3. she-asses--prized on account of their milk, and for riding

(Jud 5:10).

Houses and lands are not mentioned among the emir's wealth, as nomadic

tribes dwell in movable tents and live chiefly by pasture, the right to

the soil not being appropriated by individuals. The "five hundred yoke

of oxen" imply, however, that Job tilled the soil. He seems also to

have had a dwelling in a town, in which respect he differed from the

patriarchs. Camels are well called "ships of the desert," especially

valuable for caravans, as being able to lay in a store of water that

suffices them for days, and to sustain life on a very few thistles or

thorns.

household--

(Ge 26:14).

The other rendering which the Hebrew admits, "husbandry," is not

so probable.

men of the east--denoting in Scripture those living east of Palestine;

as the people of North Arabia-Deserta

(Jud 6:3;

Eze 25:4).

4. every one his day--namely, the birthday

(Job 3:1).

Implying the love and harmony of the members of the family, as

contrasted with the ruin which soon broke up such a scene of happiness.

The sisters are specified, as these feasts were not for revelry,

which would be inconsistent with the presence of sisters. These latter

were invited by the brothers, though they gave no invitations in

return.

5. when the days of their feasting were gone about--that is, at the

end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round

through all the families.

Job . . . sanctified--by offering up as many expiatory burnt offerings

as he had sons

(Le 1:4).

This was done "in the morning"

(Ge 22:3;

Le 6:12).

Jesus also began devotions early

(Mr 1:35).

The holocaust, or burnt offering, in patriarchal times, was offered

(literally, "caused to ascend," referring to the smoke ascending to

heaven) by each father of a family officiating as priest in behalf of

his household.

cursed God--The same Hebrew word means to "curse," and to

"bless"; GESENIUS says, the original sense is to

"kneel," and thus it came to mean bending the knee in order to invoke

either a blessing or a curse. Cursing is a perversion of blessing, as

all sin is of goodness. Sin is a degeneracy, not a generation. It is

not, however, likely that Job should fear the possibility of his sons

cursing God. The sense "bid farewell to," derived from the

blessing customary at parting, seems sufficient

(Ge 47:10).

Thus UMBREIT translates "may have dismissed God

from their hearts"; namely, amid the intoxication of pleasure

(Pr 20:1).

This act illustrates Job's "fear of God"

(Job 1:1).

Job 1:6-12.

SATAN,

APPEARING BEFORE

GOD,

FALSELY

ACCUSES

JOB.

6. sons of God--angels

(Job 38:7;

1Ki 22:19).

They present themselves to render account of their "ministry" in other

parts of the universe

(Heb 1:14).

the Lord--Hebrew, JEHOVAH, the self-existing God, faithful to

His promises. God says

(Ex 6:3)

that He was not known to the patriarchs by this name. But, as the name

occurs previously in

Ge 2:7-9,

&c., what must be meant is, not until the time of delivering Israel by

Moses was He known peculiarly and publicly in the character

which the name means; namely, "making things to be," fulfilling the

promises made to their forefathers. This name, therefore, here, is no

objection against the antiquity of the Book of Job.

Satan--The tradition was widely spread that he had been the agent

in Adam's temptation. Hence his name is given without comment. The

feeling with which he looks on Job is similar to that with which he

looked on Adam in Paradise: emboldened by his success in the case of

one not yet fallen, he is confident that the piety of Job, one of a

fallen race, will not stand the test. He had fallen himself

(Job 4:19; 15:15;

Jude 6).

In the Book of Job, Satan is first designated by name: "Satan,"

Hebrew, "one who lies in wait"; an "adversary" in a court of

justice

(1Ch 21:1;

Ps 109:6;

Zec 3:1);

"accuser"

(Re 12:10).

He has the law of God on his side by man's sin, and against man. But

Jesus Christ has fulfilled the law for us; justice is once more on

man's side against Satan

(Isa 42:21);

and so Jesus Christ can plead as our Advocate against the adversary.

"Devil" is the Greek name--the "slanderer," or "accuser." He is

subject to God, who uses his ministry for chastising man. In

Arabic, Satan is often applied to a serpent

(Ge 3:1).

He is called prince of this world

(Joh 12:31);

the god of this world

(2Co 4:4);

prince of the power of the air

(Eph 2:2).

God here questions him, in order to vindicate His own ways before

angels.

7. going to and fro--rather, "hurrying rapidly to and fro." The

original idea in Arabic is the heat of haste

(Mt 12:43;

1Pe 5:8).

Satan seems to have had some peculiar connection with this earth.

Perhaps he was formerly its ruler under God. Man succeeded to the vice

royalty

(Ge 1:26;

Ps 8:6).

Man then lost it and Satan became prince of this world. The Son of man

(Ps 8:4)

--the representative man, regains the forfeited inheritance

(Re 11:15).

Satan's replies are characteristically curt and short. When the angels

appear before God, Satan is among them, even as there was a Judas among

the apostles.

8. considered--Margin, "set thine heart on"; that is, considered

attentively. No true servant of God escapes the eye of the adversary of

God.

9. fear God for naught--It is a mark of the children of Satan to

sneer and not give credit to any for disinterested piety. Not so much

God's gifts, as God Himself is "the reward" of His people

(Ge 15:1).

10. his substance is increased--literally, "spread out like a flood";

Job's herds covered the face of the country.

11. curse thee to thy face--in antithesis to God's praise of him

(Job 1:8),

"one that feareth God." Satan's words are too true of many. Take away

their prosperity and you take away their religion

(Mal 3:14).

12. in thy power--Satan has no power against man till God gives it.

God would not touch Job with His own hand, though Satan asks this

(Job 1:11,

"thine"), but He allows the enemy to do so.

Job 1:13-22.

JOB, IN

AFFLICTION,

BLESSES

GOD,

&c.

13. wine--not specified in

Job 1:4.

The mirth inspired by the "wine" here contrasts the more sadly with the

alarm which interrupted it.

14. the asses feeding beside them--Hebrew, "she asses." A graphic

picture of rural repose and peace; the more dreadful, therefore, by

contrast is the sudden attack of the plundering Arabs.

15. Sabeans--not those of Arabia-Felix, but those of Arabia-Deserta,

descending from Sheba, grandson of Abraham and Keturah

(Ge 25:3).

The Bedouin Arabs of the present day resemble, in marauding habits,

these Sabeans (compare

Ge 16:12).

I alone am escaped--cunningly contrived by Satan. One in each case

escapes

(Job 1:16, 17, 19),

and brings the same kind of message. This was to overwhelm Job, and

leave him no time to recover from the rapid succession of

calamities--"misfortunes seldom come single."

16. fire of God--Hebraism for "a mighty fire"; as "cedars of

God"--"lofty cedars"

[Ps 80:10].

Not lightning, which would not consume all the sheep and

servants. UMBREIT understands it of the burning

wind of Arabia, called by the Turks "wind of poison." "The prince

of the power of the air"

[Eph 2:2]

is permitted to have control over such destructive agents.

17. Chaldeans--not merely robbers as the Sabeans; but experienced in

war, as is implied by "they set in array three bands"

(Hab 1:6-8).

RAWLINSON distinguishes three periods: 1. When

their seat of empire was in the south, towards the confluence of the

Tigris and Euphrates. The Chaldean period, from 2300 B.C. to 1500 B.C. In this period

was Chedorlaomer

(Ge 14:1),

the Kudur of Hur or Ur of the Chaldees, in the Assyrian inscriptions,

and the conqueror of Syria. 2. From 1500 to 625 B.C., the Assyrian period. 3. From 625 to 538 B.C. (when Cyrus the Persian took Babylon), the

Babylonian period. "Chaldees" in Hebrew--Chasaim. They

were akin, perhaps, to the Hebrews, as Abraham's sojourn in Ur, and the

name "Chesed," a nephew of Abraham, imply. The three bands were

probably in order to attack the three separate thousands of Job's

camels

(Job 1:3).

19. a great wind from the wilderness--south of Job's house. The

tornado came the more violently over the desert, being uninterrupted

(Isa 21:1;

Ho 13:15).

the young men--rather, "the young people"; including the daughters (so

in

Ru 2:21).

20. Job arose--not necessarily from sitting. Inward excitement is

implied, and the beginning to do anything. He had heard the other

messages calmly, but on hearing of the death of his children, then he arose; or, as EICHORN translates, he started up

(2Sa 13:31).

The rending of the mantle was the conventional mark of deep grief

(Ge 37:34).

Orientals wear a tunic or shirt, and loose pantaloons; and over these a

flowing mantle (especially great persons and women). Shaving the head

was also usual in grief

(Jer 41:5;

Mic 1:16).

21. Naked--

(1Ti 6:7).

"Mother's womb" is poetically the earth, the universal mother

(Ec 5:15; 12:7;

Ps 139:15).

Job herein realizes God's assertion

(Job 1:8)

against Satan's

(Job 1:11).

Instead of cursing, he blesses the name of JEHOVAH

(Hebrew). The name of Jehovah, is Jehovah Himself,

as manifested to us in His attributes

(Isa 9:6).

22. nor charged God foolishly--rather, "allowed himself to commit no

folly against God" [UMBREIT].

Job 2:10

proves that this is the meaning. Not as Margin "attributed no

folly to God." Hasty words against God, though natural in the

bitterness of grief, are folly; literally, an "insipid,

unsavory" thing

(Job 6:6;

Jer 23:13,

Margin). Folly in Scripture is continually equivalent to

wickedness. For when man sins, it is himself, not God, whom he injures

(Pr 8:36).

We are to submit to trials, not because we see the reasons for them,

nor yet as though they were matters of chance, but because God

wills them, and has a right to send them, and has His own good

reasons in sending them.