Job 21

SECOND SERIES.

Job 21:1-34.

JOB'S

ANSWER.

2. consolations--If you will listen calmly to me, this will be

regarded as "consolations"; alluding to Eliphaz' boasted "consolations"

(Job 15:11),

which Job felt more as aggravations ("mockings,"

Job 21:3)

than consolations

(Job 16:2).

3. literally, "Begin your mockings"

(Job 17:2).

4. Job's difficulty was not as to man, but as to God, why He so

afflicted him, as if he were the guilty hypocrite which the friends

alleged him to be. Vulgate translates it, "my disputation."

if it were--rather, "since this is the case."

5. lay . . . hand upon . . . mouth--

(Pr 30:32;

Jud 18:19).

So the heathen god of silence was pictured with his hand on his mouth.

There was enough in Job's case to awe them into silence

(Job 17:8).

6. remember--Think on it. Can you wonder that I broke out into

complaints, when the struggle was not with men, but with the Almighty?

Reconcile, if you can, the ceaseless woes of the innocent with the

divine justice! Is it not enough to make one tremble?

[UMBREIT].

7. The answer is

Ro 2:4;

1Ti 1:16;

Ps 73:18;

Ec 8:11-13;

Lu 2:35-end;

Pr 16:4;

Ro 9:22.

old--in opposition to the friends who asserted that sinners are "cut

off" early

(Job 8:12, 14).

8. In opposition to

Job 18:19; 5:4.

9. Literally, "peace from fear"; with poetic force. Their house

is peace itself, far removed from fear. Opposed to the friends'

assertion, as to the bad

(Job 15:21-24; 20:26-28),

and conversely, the good

(Job 5:23, 24).

10. Rather, "their cattle conceive." The first clause of the verse

describes an easy conception, the second, a happy birth

[UMBREIT].

11. send forth--namely, out of doors, to their happy sports under

the skies, like a joyful flock sent to the pastures.

little ones--like lambkins.

children--somewhat older than the former.

dance--not formal dances; but skip, like lambs, in joyous and

healthful play.

12. take--rather, "lift up the voice" (sing) to the note of

[UMBREIT].

timbrel--rather, "tambourine."

organ--not the modern "organ," but the "pipe"

(Ge 4:21).

The first clause refers to stringed, the latter, to wind instruments;

thus, with "the voice" all kinds of music are enumerated.

13. wealth--Old English Version for "prosperity."

in a moment--not by a lingering disease. Great blessings! Lengthened

life with prosperity, and a sudden painless death

(Ps 73:4).

14. Therefore--rather, "And yet they are such as say," &c.,

that is, say, not in so many words, but virtually, by their conduct

(so the Gergesenes,

Mt 8:34).

How differently the godly

(Isa 2:3).

ways--The course of action, which God points out; as in

Ps 50:23,

Margin.

15. (Compare

Jer 2:20;

Pr 30:9,

Margin,

Ex 5:2).

what profit--

(Job 35:3;

Mal 3:14;

Ps 73:13).

Sinners ask, not what is right, but what is for the profit of

self. They forget, "If religion cost self something, the want of it

will cost self infinitely more."

16. not in their hand--but in the hand of God. This is Job's

difficulty, that God who has sinners prosperity (good) in His hand

should allow them to have it.

is--rather, "may the counsel of the wicked be far from me!"

[UMBREIT].

This naturally follows the sentiment of the first clause: Let me not

hereby be thought to regard with aught but horror the ways of the

wicked, however prosperous.

17. Job in this whole passage down to

Job 21:21

quotes the assertion of the friends, as to the short continuance of the

sinner's prosperity, not his own sentiments. In

Job 21:22

he proceeds to refute them. "How oft is the candle" (lamp), &c.,

quoting Bildad's sentiment

(Job 18:5, 6),

in order to question its truth (compare

Mt 25:8).

how oft--"God distributeth," &c. (alluding to

Job 20:23, 29).

sorrows--UMBREIT translates "snares," literally, "cords," which

lightning in its twining motion resembles

(Ps 11:6).

18. Job alludes to a like sentiment of Bildad

(Job 18:18),

using his own previous words

(Job 13:25).

19. Equally questionable is the friends' assertion that if the

godless himself is not punished, the children are

(Job 18:19; 20:10);

and that God rewardeth him here for his iniquity, and that he

shall know it to his cost. So "know"

(Ho 9:7).

20. Another questionable assertion of the friends, that the sinner

sees his own and his children's destruction in his lifetime.

drink--

(Ps 11:6;

Isa 51:17;

La 4:21).

21. The argument of the friends, in proof of

Job 21:20,

What pleasure can he have from his house (children) when he is

dead--("after him,"

Ec 3:22).

when the number, &c.--Or, rather, "What hath he to do with his

children?" &c. (so the Hebrew in

Ec 3:1; 8:6).

It is therefore necessary that "his eyes should see his

and their destruction" (see

Job 14:21).

cut off--rather, when the number of his allotted months is

fulfilled

(Job 14:5).

From an Arabic word, "arrow," which was used to draw lots with.

Hence "arrow"--inevitable destiny [UMBREIT].

22. Reply of Job, "In all these assertions you try to teach God how

He ought to deal with men, rather than prove that He does in fact so deal with them. Experience is against you. God gives prosperity and

adversity as it pleases Him, not as man's wisdom would have it, on

principles inscrutable to us"

(Isa 40:13;

Ro 11:34).

those . . . high--the high ones, not only angels, but men

(Isa 2:12-17).

23. Literally, "in the bone of his perfection," that is, the full

strength of unimpaired prosperity [UMBREIT].

24. breasts--rather, "skins," or "vessels" for fluids [LEE]. But [UMBREIT] "stations or

resting-places of his herds near water"; in opposition to Zophar

(Job 20:17);

the first clause refers to his abundant substance, the second to his

vigorous health.

moistened--comparing man's body to a well-watered field

(Pr 3:8;

Isa 58:11).

26.

(Ec 9:2).

27. Their wrongful thoughts against Job are stated by him in

Job 21:28.

They do not honestly name Job, but insinuate his

guilt.

28. ye say--referring to Zophar

(Job 20:7).

the house--referring to the fall of the house of Job's oldest son

(Job 1:19)

and the destruction of his family.

prince--The parallel "wicked" in the second clause requires this to

be taken in a bad sense, tyrant, oppressor

(Isa 13:2),

the same Hebrew, "nobles"--oppressors.

dwelling-places--rather, "pavilions," a tent containing many dwellings,

such as a great emir, like Job, with many dependents, would have.

29. Job, seeing that the friends will not admit him as an impartial

judge, as they consider his calamities prove his guilt, begs them to

ask the opinion of travellers

(La 1:12),

who have the experience drawn from observation, and who are no way

connected with him. Job opposes this to Bildad

(Job 8:8)

and Zophar

(Job 20:4).

tokens--rather, "intimations" (for example, inscriptions, proverbs,

signifying the results of their observation), testimony. Literally,

"signs" or proofs in confirmation of the word spoken

(Isa 7:11).

30. Their testimony (referring perhaps to those who had visited

the region where Abraham who enjoyed a revelation then lived) is that

"the wicked is (now) spared (reserved) against the day of destruction

(hereafter)." The Hebrew does not so well agree with [UMBREIT] "in the day of destruction." Job does not deny

sinners' future punishment, but their punishment in this

life. They have their "good things" now. Hereafter, their

lot, and that of the godly, shall be reversed

(Lu 16:25).

Job, by the Spirit, often utters truths which solve the difficulty

under which he labored. His afflictions mostly clouded his faith, else

he would have seen the solution furnished by his own words. This

answers the objection, that if he knew of the resurrection in

Job 19:25,

and future retribution

(Job 21:30),

why did he not draw his reasonings elsewhere from them, which he did

not? God's righteous government, however, needs to be vindicated as to

this life also, and therefore the Holy Ghost has caused the

argument mainly to turn on it at the same time giving glimpses of a

future fuller vindication of God's ways.

brought forth--not "carried away safe" or "escape" (referring to

this life), as UMBREIT has it.

wrath--literally, "wraths," that is, multiplied and fierce wrath.

31. That is, who dares to charge him openly with his bad ways?

namely, in this present life. He shall, I grant

(Job 21:30),

be "repaid" hereafter.

32. Yet--rather, "and."

brought--with solemn pomp

(Ps 45:15).

grave--literally, "graves"; that is, the place where the graves

are.

remain in--rather, watch on the tomb, or sepulchral mound. Even

after death he seems still to live and watch (that is, have his

"remembrance" preserved) by means of the monument over the grave. In

opposition to Bildad

(Job 18:17).

33. As the classic saying has it, "The earth is light upon him." His

repose shall be "sweet."

draw--follow. He shall share the common lot of mortals; no worse

off than they

(Heb 9:27).

UMBREIT not so well (for it is not true of

"every man"). "Most men follow in his bad steps, as

countless such preceded him."

34. falsehood--literally, "transgression." Your boasted "consolations"

(Job 15:11)

are contradicted by facts ("vain"); they therefore only betray your

evil intent ("wickedness") against me.