Job 5

Job 5:1-27.

ELIPHAZ'

CONCLUSION FROM THE

VISION.

1. if there be any, &c.--Rather, "will He (God) reply to thee?" Job,

after the revelation just given, cannot be so presumptuous as to think

God or any of the holy ones

(Da 4:17,

"angels") round His throne, will vouchsafe a reply (a judicial

expression) to his rebellious complaint.

2. wrath . . . envy--fretful and passionate complaints, such as

Eliphaz charged Job with

(Job 4:5;

so

Pr 14:30).

Not, the wrath of God killeth the foolish, and His envy,

&c.

3. the foolish--the wicked. I have seen the sinner spread his "root"

wide in prosperity, yet circumstances "suddenly" occurred which gave

occasion for his once prosperous dwelling being "cursed" as desolate

(Ps 37:35, 36;

Jer 17:8).

4. His children . . . crushed in the gate--A judicial formula. The gate

was the place of judgment and of other public proceedings

(Ps 127:5;

Pr 22:22;

Ge 23:10;

De 21:19).

Such propylæa have been found in the Assyrian remains. Eliphaz

obliquely alludes to the calamity which cut off Job's children.

5. even out of the thorns--Even when part of the grain remains hanging

on the thorn bushes (or, "is growing among thorns,"

Mt 13:7),

the hungry gleaner does not grudge the trouble of even taking it away,

so clean swept away is the harvest of the wicked.

the robber--as the Sabeans, who robbed Job. Rather, translate "the

thirsty," as the antithesis in the parallelism, "the hungry," proves.

6. Although--rather, "for truly" [UMBREIT].

affliction cometh not forth of the dust--like a weed, of its own

accord. Eliphaz hints that the cause of it lay with Job himself.

7. Yet--rather, "Truly," or, But affliction does not come from

chance, but is the appointment of God for sin; that is, the original

birth-sin of man. Eliphaz passes from the particular sin and consequent

suffering of Job to the universal sin and suffering of mankind.

Troubles spring from man's common sin by as necessary a law of natural

consequences as sparks (Hebrew, "sons of coal") fly upward. Troubles

are many and fiery, as sparks

(1Pe 4:12;

Isa 43:2).

UMBREIT for "sparks" has "birds of prey;"

literally, "sons of lightning," not so well.

8. Therefore (as affliction is ordered by God, on account of sin),

"I would" have you to "seek unto God"

(Isa 8:19;

Am 5:8;

Jer 5:24).

11. Connected with

Job 5:9.

His "unsearchable" dealings are with a view to raise the humble and

abase the proud

(Lu 1:52).

Therefore Job ought to turn humbly to Him.

12. enterprise--literally, "realization." The Hebrew combines

in the one word the two ideas, wisdom and happiness, "enduring

existence" being the etymological and philosophical root of the

combined notion [UMBREIT].

13. Paul

(1Co 3:19)

quoted this clause with the formula establishing its inspiration, "it

is written." He cites the exact Hebrew words, not as he usually

does the Septuagint, Greek version

(Ps 9:15).

Haman was hanged on the gallows he prepared for Mordecai

(Es 5:14; 7:10).

the wise--that is, "the cunning."

is carried headlong--Their scheme is precipitated before it is ripe.

14. Judicial blindness often is sent upon keen men of the world

(De 28:29;

Isa 59:10;

Joh 9:39).

15. "From the sword" which proceedeth "from their mouth"

(Ps 59:7; 57:4).

16. the poor hath hope--of the interposition of God.

iniquity stoppeth her mouth--

(Ps 107:42;

Mic 7:9, 10;

Isa 52:15).

Especially at the last day, through shame

(Jude 15;

Mt 22:12).

The "mouth" was the offender

(Job 5:15),

and the mouth shall then be stopped

(Isa 25:8)

at the end.

17. happy--not that the actual suffering is joyous; but the

consideration of the righteousness of Him who sends it, and the

end for which it is sent, make it a cause for thankfulness, not

for complaints, such as Job had uttered

(Heb 12:11).

Eliphaz implies that the end in this case is to call back Job from the

particular sin of which he takes for granted that Job is guilty. Paul

seems to allude to this passage in

Heb 12:5;

so

Jas 1:12;

Pr 3:12.

Eliphaz does not give due prominence to this truth, but rather to

Job's sin. It is Elihu alone

(Job 32:1-37:24)

who fully dwells upon the truth, that affliction is mercy and justice

in disguise, for the good of the sufferer.

18. he maketh sore, and bindeth up--

(De 32:39;

Ho 6:1;

1Sa 2:6).

An image from binding up a wound. The healing art consisted much at

that time in external applications.

19. in six . . . yea, in seven--

(Pr 6:16;

Am 1:3).

The Hebrew idiom fixes on a certain number (here "six"), in

order to call attention as to a thing of importance; then increases the

force by adding, with a "yea, nay seven," the next higher number; here

"seven," the sacred and perfect number. In all possible

troubles; not merely in the precise number "seven."

20. power--

(Jer 5:12).

Hebrew, "hands."

of the sword--

(Eze 35:5,

Margin).

Hands are given to the sword personified as a living agent.

21.

(Ps 31:20;

Jer 18:18).

Smite

(Psalm 73. 9).

22. famine thou shalt laugh--Not, in spite of destruction and famine,

which is true

(Hab 3:17, 18),

though not the truth meant by Eliphaz, but because those

calamities shall not come upon thee. A different Hebrew word

from that in

Job 5:20;

there, famine in general; here, the languid state of

those wanting proper nutriment [BARNES].

23. in league with the stones of the field--They shall not hurt the

fertility of thy soil; nor the wild beasts thy fruits; spoken in

Arabia-Deserta, where stones abounded. Arabia, derived from

Arabah--a desert plain. The first clause of this verse answers to

the first clause of

Job 5:22;

and the last of this verse to the last of that verse. The full

realization of this is yet future

(Isa 65:23, 25;

Ho 2:18).

24. know--"Thou shalt rest in the assurance, that thine habitation

is the abode of peace; and (if) thou numberest thine herd, thine

expectations prove not fallacious"

[UMBREIT]. "Sin" does not agree with

the context. The Hebrew word--"to miss" a mark, said of archers

(Jud 20:16).

The Hebrew for "habitation" primarily means "the fold for

cattle"; and for "visit," often to "take an account of, to number."

"Peace" is the common Eastern salutation; including inward and outward

prosperity.

25. as the grass--

(Ps 72:16).

Properly, "herb-bearing seed"

(Ge 1:11, 12).

26. in a full age--So "full of days"

(Job 42:17;

Ge 35:29).

Not mere length of years, but ripeness for death, one's inward and

outward full development not being prematurely cut short, is denoted

(Isa 65:22).

Thou shalt come--not literally, but expressing willingness to die.

Eliphaz speaks from the Old Testament point of view, which made full

years a reward of the righteous

(Ps 91:16;

Ex 20:12),

and premature death the lot of the wicked

(Ps 55:23).

The righteous are immortal till their work is done. To keep them longer

would be to render them less fit to die. God takes them at their best

(Isa 57:1).

The good are compared to wheat

(Mt 13:30).

cometh in--literally, "ascends." The corn is lifted up off the earth

and carried home; so the good man "is raised into the heap of sheaves"

[UMBREIT].

27. searched it . . . for thy good--literally, "for thyself"

(Ps 111:2;

Pr 2:4; 9:12).