the parents in the origination of the human or- such a doom in passing, but every time springs ganism, that the fundamental idea of traducian-shuddering back with hope, or at least with ism, or generationism, is not foreign to the wri- longing to God, and (like a child, severely chaster's thought, but is to be included in it as tised, which nevertheless knows no other refuge a presupposition which is not to be ignored. So and no other comfort than may be found with then these two methods of representation, that its father) does not stop clinging to the Heaof creationism and that of generationism, must venly Author of his being, ever renewing his always and every where go hand in hand, mutu- complaints and petitions to Him for help. It ally supplementing and rectifying one another, is true that Job, so long as he regards his suf(comp. Nitzsch, Syst. of Christ. Doct. 107, Rem.ferings as a dispensation of divine judgment, is 2; Rothe, Eth. 124, Rem. 1; Frohschammer, as unjust towards God as he believes God to be Ueber Ursprung der menschlichen Seele, 1854). unjust towards him; but if we bear in mind that this state of conflict and temptation does not preclude the idea of a temporal withdrawal of faith, and that, as Baumgarten (Pentat. i. 209) aptly expresses it, the profound secret of prayer is this, that man can prevail with the Divine Being, then we shall understand that this dark cloud need only be removed, and Job again stands before the God of love as His saint" (Del.). c. Again, the absolute superiority of the Divine intelligence to the human, and hence the infinite knowledge and unapproachable wisdom of God, are described in ch. ix. 3, 4 (comp. ver. 14 seq.; ch. x. 4) with an impressive power and beauty, rivalling the most important of those Old Testament passages (e. g. Ps. cxxxix.) where this theme is unfolded. d. When in contrast with all this Job comes to speak of the weakness, vanity, and transitoriness of human existence, his words are not less impressive and eloquent. They resemble (especially ch. ix. 25 seq. "For my days are swifter than a runner, etc.", comp. ch. x. 20. "Are not my days few," etc.) those passages in Job's earlier lament, at the beginning of ch. vii., where he describes the transiency and vanity of man's life on earth; but they also resemble similar passages in the preceding discourses of Eliphaz and Bildad. Thus it is that this complaint over the hasty flight and the misery of human life, presents itself as a constant theme with all the speakers of this book, and is indeed a characteristic property of all the Chokmah poets and teachers of the Old Testament generally. e. With this repeated emphasizing of human weakness is closely connected the prominence given to the consciousness, characteristic of the Old Testament stand-point of faith and life, of such superiority in God over man as makes it absolutely impossible for the latter to contend, or to come into comparison with Him, there being no arbiter or judicial mediator between both (ch. ix. 32 seq.). The recognition of this both indirectly postulates such a mediator and prompts to an expression of the yearning felt for him; comp. above on ch. ix. 33. The HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL. survey given above (No. 2 a-f) of those portions of the preceding section having the greatest doctrinal and ethical value will show where the most fruitful themes for homiletic discussion may be found. In any case the separate treatment of these themes commends itself in proportion to the richness of their contents and their high significance, in preference to the homiletic treatment of the whole discourse If a compre The through all its length as a unit. hensive text is sought for, either one of the three sections, into which the whole discourse is divided, may be chosen. Or combining the first two sections into one of greater length, the division by chapters may be followed. In this case the theme of a homily on ch. ix. might run: "The saint of the Old Testament groaning under the pressure of the Divine omnipotence, not having as yet the consciousness of an atonement." The theme for ch. x. might be stated: pious sufferer of the Old Testament on the brink of despair," or "wavering between a child-like, thankful, trustful recognition of the Father-love of God (vers. 8-12) and disconsolate complaint because of His apparent merciless severity."As shorter texts the following present themf. Finally, it is a noticeable frait of Job's selves: ch. ix. 2-12-God's Omnipotence; ch. profound piety that repeatedly, in the midst of ix. 13-24-The apparent injustice of the Divine his sorrowful complaint, he addresses himself government of the world; ch. ix. 25-35-The directly to God. Indeed, from ch. ix. 28 on, he cheerless and helpless condition of the suffering no longer speaks in the third person of God, but righteous under the Old Dispensation, who as in the second person to Him. This tone of yet knew no mediator between God and men; entreaty, which the sorely afflicted sufferer main-ch. x. 1-7-The contradiction which shows itself tains, even where he utters the bitterest complaints and accusations against God, is instructive in regard to that which should be regarded as in general the fundamental frame of his soul (comp. on ch. ix. 28, and on ch. x. 2). According to this, he appears as one whom God had in truth not forsaken, but only afflicted for the sake of proving him. Indeed, far from being objectively forsaken of God, he is not once guilty of forsaking God in the subjective sense (i. e. in a spirit of self-will, through doubt, disobedience or open apostasy). In the inmost depths of his praying heart, he does not once believe that he is forsaken or rejected by God; he only fears between the fact of God's omniscience, and that of the innocent suffering of the godly; ch. x. 8-12.-God's fatherly love, and His merciful allincluding care as exhibited in the creation and preservation of human life; ch. x. 13-22.-God as the hostile persecutor of the sufferer, who fancies himself to be forsaken by Him, and who is deprived of all earthly comfort. Particular Passages. Ch. ix. 5 sq. OECOLAMPADIUS: The levelling of mountains, the shakings of the earth, eclipses of the sun and of the stars, and in short the movements of the universe are testimonies to shall never thus be purified, who in the strict judgment of God would be pronounced abominable, and defiled with filth.-ZEYSS: The guilt of sin can be washed away by no snow-water, lye, or soap, i. e., by no outward works, or selfelected service of God, or papistic holy water. It is quite another washing that serves for that, to wit, the blood of Jesus Christ; 1 John i. 7. the power of God. It must needs be that He is mighty who hurls mountains into the sea with such ease, that it is scarcely noticed. . . . Hence believers derive the hope that nothing is so terrible or so grievous but God can alleviate it, especially when He says: "If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place, and it shall remove" (Matt. xvii. 20). By which saying Ch. ix. 33. ECOLAMPADIUS: Without Christ it is testified that the highest power belongs to we are such creatures as Job has described those who believe.-STARKE: If God has the above. If however Christ is our arbiter and mepower to remove mountains, He certainly has diator (1 Tim. ii. 5) He Himself will remove the the power to deliver out of all troubles (Ps. 1. | rod. 25). The heavens are a mirror of the infinite and incomprehensible Wisdom, Goodness and Omnipotence of God. Even the heathen have learned from their reflections, that there must be a supreme intelligent Being, who rules over all. Every star is our schoolmaster, and testifies to us that there is a God. Ch. ix. 10 sq. BRENTIUS: God's judgments are hidden: at first sight they seem to men either unjust or foolish, but in the end His counsel is understood, and His back is seen, though not His face (Jer. xviii. 17). . . . Hence if God should pass before thee, i. e. if He should carry on some wondrous work before thine eyes, although at first thou shouldst be ignorant what it is, or what He wills by His wonderful work, nevertheless thou canst not doubt in the least that He is good and wise and just.-TUEBING. BIBLE: God as omnipresent is continually around us and with us, although we see Him not.-OSIANDER: Although God is without the least varying disposed towards us as a Father, it may nevertheless seem to us in trouble as though He had changed towards us (Ps. lxvii. 10; Is. Ixiv. 16). Ch. ix. 21 sq. ZEYSS: Although it seems to pious believers when in deep affliction and trial, as though God observed no measure and no discrimination in the infliction of punishment, it is nevertheless not so with Him; but such thoughts proceed from flesh and blood, yea, they are temptations of Satan (comp. Brentius above, Doctrinal and Ethical Remarks, No. 2).-HENGSTENBERG: To this result (viz. of regarding God as the author of evil and as absolutely unjust) we must come in our investigation of evil, if we look at the subject with carnal eyes. The matter looks differently, however, to him who is capable of spiritual discernment, which is true only of him who can bring his own processes and experiences into accord with God's justice. He sees that the triumph of evil is always only apparent and transient, only the means of preparing the way for the triumph of the good. He sees that the righteous need suffering for temptation and purification, that so long as sin dwells in them, they cannot yet be exalted to glory, but that, as the Apostle says of himself, they must be "troubled on every side, yet not distressed" (2 Cor. iv. 8); otherwise they would soon be a dead reed. "The staff of affliction beats our loins down to the grave," etc., etc. Ch. ix. 30 seq. ECOLAMPADIUS: The most potent kind of comfort is that which comes from a pure conscience, which is as it were a perpetual outcry. But neither from that do we derive any benefit, if we look back at our works. For we Ch. x. 2 seq. HENGSTENBERG: The needless and aimless cruelty towards an innocent person, of which Job accuses God, seems all the more inexcusable if this innocent one is at the same time wholly helpless. It would be revolting to see omnipotence sporting with impotence.-To such cheerless results are we driven, when, like Job, we look into ourselves as into a golden cup. If in severe suffering we fail to recognize our own darkness, the Father of Lights must change into darkness. Ch. x. 8 seq. CRAMER: In affliction there is no better comfort than to remember that we are sprung from God (Ps. xxii. 10).-CHR. SCRIVER (in the hymn: "Jesu, meiner Seele Leben "): HENGSTENBERG: It is worthy of note, what a fund of knowledge of God Job still possesses, even when he seems to have completely forsaken God. With one who is penetrated, as he is, by the consciousness that every whiff of breath belongs to God, faith must, sooner or later, fight its way through all temptations and dark clouds. Ch. x. 13 seq. CRAMER: God does not afflict and trouble men willingly (Lam. iii. 33), and although in affliction He seems to frown, He yet smiles on us in His heart. He stands behind the wall, and looks through the lattice; Cant. ii. 9. -HENGSTENBERG: Nothing tends more strongly to lead human nature astray, than the discovery that one whom you have been accustomed to love and to honor as your benefactor, has used his beneficence only as means to gratify the deepest malignity. Job thinks that his experience in relation to God is of this character. How under such circumstances must the Fountain of all consolation be changed into a poisonous spring! Ch. x. 18 seq. OSIANDER: It is great ingratitude if we do not thank God for the use of light in this life; and it is a heathenish speech to say it were best never to have been born, or to have died immediately after birth.-ZEYss (on ver. 20 seq.): Terrible as are death and the grave to natural eyes, they are no less sweet and comforting to the eyes of faith (Luke ii. 29; Phil. i. 21).-STARKE: Those who are tried are wont to long greatly that God, if He will not altogether remove their suffering, would yet send some relief (Isa. xxxviii. 14).—VICT. ANDREAE: Do we not see in these two chapters (ix. and x.) how the human heart in truth wavers to and fro between the proudest presumption and the most pusillanimous despair? III. Zophar and Job: Chaps. XI-XIV. A.-Zophar's violent arraignment of Job, as one who needs in penitence to submit himself to the all-seeing and righteous God: CHAPTER XI. 1. Expression of the desire that the Omniscient One would appear to convince Job of his guilt. VERS. 2-6. 1 Then answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said: 2 Should not the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified? 3 Should thy lies make men hold their peace ? and when thou mockest, shall no man make thee ashamed? 4 For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure, and I am clean in Thine eyes. 5 But oh that God would speak, and open His lips against thee; 6 and that He would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is ! Know therefore that God exacteth of thee less than thine iniquity deserveth. 2. Admonitory description of the impossibility of contending against God's omniscience, which charges every man with sin VERSES 7-12. 7 Canst thou by searching find out God? canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection? 8 It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do? deeper than hell, what canst thou know? 9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth, and broader than the sea. 10 If He cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder Him? 11 For He knoweth vain men ; He seeth wickedness also; will He not then consider it? 12 For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild ass's colt. 3. The truly penitent has in prospect the restoration of his prosperity; for the wicked, however, there remains no hope: 15 For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot; yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and shalt not fear. 16 Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away; 17 and thine age shall be clearer than the noonday; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. 18 And thou shalt be secure, because there is hope; yea, thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety. 19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee. 20 But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost. EXEGETICAL AND CRITICAL. Ver. 2. Shall the multitude of words (07277, as in Prov. x. 19; Eccles. v. 2) remain unanswered, or shall a babbler (lit. "man of lips," on, to be distinguished from ' N, “a man of words," i. e., an eloquent speaker, Ex. iv. 10) be in the right ?— P, literally "to be justified, to be declared in the right," to wit, by allowing him the last word. The beginning of the discourse resembles that of Bildad, chap. viii. 2. At the same time there may be detected a slight tone of apology, that the speaker undertakes to say any thing, notwithstanding his youth. [“If Zophar's name, which signifies chirper or chatterer, was expressive of his character, these words might have been applied to himself." WORDSWORTH.] The comparative violence of this new arraigument of Job is to be explained by the fact that he in his last discourse had positively maintained his innocence, and had accused God quite openly and directly of injustice. Zophar, the youngest and the least considerate of the three friends, opposes him on this head with the declaration that God the All-wise and All-seeing, would observe in him, as in all men, enough of sin to justify the stern infliction of punishment on him (ver. 6). He indeed gives direct expression to the thought that the suffering which Job endured was well-deserved punishment for sin (ver. 11), that sincere repentance was required of him (ver. 14). and that on condition of such repentance could he hope for restoration to his former pros- Ver. 3. Shall thy vain talk (D'72 from 772, perity, that in any other case the sad doom of Barrohoyɛir) [E. V: too strong, "lis," rather the wicked would surely be before him (ver. 20). ["In his first appearance he is hot, and eager, chatter, idle babbling] put men (D', archaic and peremptory, but widely more gentle and less expression for DN or D'VN ["like other arcoarse than hereafter. Eliphaz brings forward chaisms, e. g., 2n, always without the article." his earnest exhortation, overawed by its divine DEL.], comp. ver. 11; chap. xix. 19; xxii. 15, majesty, and trembling when he recollects how he received from heaven the truth which he ut- etc.) to silence, so that thou mockest ters for Job's advantage. Bildad reposes not on [God (Hirzel); better Rosenmüller: Deum." revelation, but on the human consciousness. thee to shame? viz., by refuting thee.—The DEL.], without any one putting Zophar, the private dogmatist, and as suchhaving nothing to fall back on with dignity—the | fut. consec. as also at the beginhottest and most intolerant, has only his own ning of the following verse, denotes that into 'of course,' it cannot but be,' with which to si- which Job might be betrayed by men's silence. lence his obstinate adversary." DAVIDSON.] His It bears, therefore, since the principal verb discourse falls into three divisions: 1. The ex- continues the question of the preceding pression of a desire for such a declaration from the All-wise God as would convince Job of his guilt (vers. 2-6); 2. A description intended to warn Job of God's exalted knowledge, by virtue of which He charges on every man his sins (vers. 7-12): 3. An inculcation of the necessity of repentance as the only condition of recovering his former prosperity (vers. 13-20). Parts 1 and 2 are Double Strophes, consisting of small strophes of three or two verses each. Part 3 contains three such shorter strophes or groups of verses. 2. First Division, or Double Strophe. The express on of the desire that the Omniscient One would appear to convince Job of his guilt (vers. 2-6). First Strophe: Vers. 2-4. A censure of the high-flown and impenitent discourse of Job. nos et mock and to say," etc. (so correctly Umbreit, verse, a modal impress: "so that thou darest to Hirzel, Vaihinger, Hahn, Delitzsch, etc., while altogether the interrogative character of our Ewald, Stickel, Dillmann [Carey], etc. remove verse, and make it to consist of two co-ordinate affirmative clauses. Ver. 4. My doctrine is pure.-p, in the Book of Job occurring only here, very common, however, in Proverbs (comp. also Deut. xxxii. 2; Isa. xxix. 24), signifies not a mere "assumption," or "opinion" (Hahn), but something appropriated from tradition, a truth taught in ac ordance with tradition, especially in respect to moral conduct, therefore, in brief, moral teaching, or doctrine in general. With regard, there is accordingly partitive, to be expressed by "somewhat of, much of," , lit. to bring into forgetfulness, oblivioni dare, a causative Hiphil, occurring elsewhere in the O. T. only in chap. xxxix. 17. fore, to this his doctrine, the substance of his "] that Eloah remits to thee of thy moral axioms and rules of living, Zophar re- guilt-i. e., leaves much of it out of the account proaches Job with maintaining (or rather he against thee, lets it go unpunished. The in says that he would maintain, if encouraged by the silence of others): "it is pure," i. e., it is immaculate and infallible (as in chap. viii. 6; xxxiii. 9; Prov. xvi. 2, etc.). And yet more than this: even against God would he maintain that he was pure in His eyes" (comp. chap. ix 21; x. 7). He would therefore, in addition to the purity of his principles, maintain also that of his life, result which seems to Zophar the height of absurdity, and which seems to him to mock every holy ordinance of God. Second Strophe: Vers. 5-6. Expression of the wish that God Himself might personally interpose to punish Job's arrogant falsehoods. 3. Second Division, or Double Strophe: Describing, with an admonitory purpose, the impossibility of contending against God's omniscience, which charges every man with sin, vers. 7-12. First Strophe: Vers. 7-9. [God's wisdom unsearchable.] Ver. 7. Canst thou reach the depths [in the Germ.: den Grund erreichen: lit. to reach the Ver. 5. But oh that Eloah would speak bottom] in Eloah, or penetrate to the utand open His lips against thee.-After termost parts [zum Aeussersten hinandringen] here follows first the Infinitive (as in Ex. in the Almighty?-P, "search" (chap. xvi. 3); then, however, in b, and in the follow-viii. 8), is used here sensu objectivo that which ing verse Imperfects: comp. GESEN. 136, 2. is to be searched, the ground of any thing (so in [The subject of the Inf. is emphatically placed chap. xxxviii. 16); here, therefore, the hidden before it. "Oh, that Eloah would speak!" See depth [ground, basis] of the divine nature. EWALD, 329, c.] A forcible (verum enim, on the contrary, denotes "the finishing, vero) introduces the whole optative clause and puts it, in a measure, in opposition to the wish that God might come, previously uttered by Job himself (chap. ix. 34 seq.), thus: verily, would He but come, there would be an immediate end to thy boasting. Ver. 6. And make known to thee the secrets of His wisdom, that it is twofold in true knowledge.— in a somewhat different sense from that found above in chap. v. 12; vi. 13; here in a more theoretic (scientific) sense., lit. that which is doubled, i. e., in general that which is much greater than something else, which far surpasses it [hence "manifold" would, according to our mode of expression, be more exact than "twofold." The explanation of some that the word is used here by way of comparison, as though the meaning were that "God's wisdom is double thine," or "twice as great as thou canst imagine," is inadequate. The word is absolute, and although dual in form, is to us plural, or intensive in meaning God's wisdom is fold upon fold! how then canst thou presume to judge it, as though able to see through it? For this intensive use of the dual comp. D, ver. 17, lit. "double brightness," i. e., the superlative brightness of noonday.-E.]. Comp. Isa. xl. 2. 'T: T' the terminus," i. e., the end, the extremity of the in the sense of perfection. This, how- finds חֵקֶר אֶל .does not favor it, but contrari wise היא .wiz כפלים The subj. of referring back to, is here omitted. be- its parallel in; the former belonging to cause it is identical with the obj. of the principal the category of depth, the latter to that of length, clause; comp. Gen. ii. 4; Isa. iii. 10 (EWALD, 336, b). [E. V. here-"that they are double to which accounts for the preposition Ty. (2) The that which is"-is scarcely intelligible.] So accentuation does not favor it, but the reverse. must thou know [, Imperat. consec., pre- Munach puts in precisely the same connecsenting the necessary consequence of the fulfil-tion with the final verb in this member, as ment of that wish; comp. EWALD, 8 347, a) [De- in the former member.-E.] litzsch: "Instead of saying: then thou wouldst perceive, Zophar, realizing in his mind that which he has just wished, says imperiously אלוה Ver. 8. Heights of heaven: to wit, are the distances which lie between our perception and |