20 21 22 23 24 25 Seized" ruthlessly a house he would not build; Because content, within, he never knew, 18 Nor lets18 escape him aught of his desire- 'Tis then God sends on him His burning storm of wrath, Until He rains it on him in his food. Does he flee from the iron lance ?22 The bow of brass shall pierce him through and through. HE23 hath drawn [the sword]; forth comes it from his flesh; The gleaming weapon from his gall. 24 Terrors are over him. He is gone." must hold true in all languages, that when the sense is clear without them, conjunctions had better be dispensed with. The translator has endeavored to preserve this asyndetic style, and, at the same time, to carry into the English the conciseness of the Hebrew. 17 Ver. 19. Seized ruthlessly. The rendering plunder mi-leads. It conveys the idea of robbing or despoiling a house of things that are in it. The more common as well as the primary sense of is here demanded, not only because it alone is applicable to a house, but because it gives the contrast wanted between the two ideas of violently taking possession, and of building for one's-self. The future (1)3) expresses not only that which objectively follows in time, but also what is subjectively consecutive, that is, in the order of the thought. In Greek and Latin the future is the mother of the subjective moods. In Hebrew, which is so destitute of modal forms, it is used for them. Had built, or builded not, a E. V. renders it after the Vulgate, will not do, because it makes a pluperfect or an objectively finished past prior in therder of the thought. 18 Ver. 20. Nor lets escape. may be regarded, like many other examples of Piel and Hiphil verbs, as permissice or preventive, as well as causal-let escape-make escape. Its future form is because it is consecutive in idea to the previous clause: He is so unquiet or unsatisfied that he lets not, or will not let,-the rendering in English by the future, or the present, coming to the same thing. 19 Ver. 21. His good. Some such word as prosperity for 10 might seem more emphatic; but the simpler English word includes it and more. There is intended his summum bonum, or what seems such to the bad man. Therefore his GOOD shall not endure. It sounds like a sentence of judgment, after the arraignment in the previous items. If it is not too cruel a supposition, we may regard the angry yet eloquent Zophar as having Job in view, as though, at every item, he pointed to him as he sat in the ashes, intimating that he is the man: It must be that he had done some most wicked and oppressive acts,-crushed the poor-seized a house--gratified himself in everything; and therefore it is that his property and his happiness ar all gone. 2 Ver. 22. Every hand of toil. DELITZSCH: "The rich uncompassionate man becomes the defenceless prey of the proletaires." : Ver. 23. Be it the time-taken as a supposition. The simplest rendering here is the surest. i, above, suggests the in this verse, and there must be a similarity of statement and idea. At the very time when his greed is highest, and h is about to satisfy it, then God sends, etc. This makes the 3d clause unmistakable, though it seems to have perplexed commentators. The rain of wrath min gles with the food he is eating, just as in other place tears mingle with the bread one is eating. See Ps. lxxx. 6; xlii. 4. The other rendering makes the filling of his belly in the first clause, God's filling his belly with wrath (by way of irony for food) and then in the third clause, Dn is made the object of the verb: He rains his food upon him,-to the neglect of the preposition 1. or disposing of it in the facile way of calling it Beth essentia. UMBREIT renders it "for his לחום meat," or in place of it. So DILLMANN. That is a sense of in some cases, but the more usual meaning is better her. DELITZSCH renders it: rain upon him into his flesh, giving twoindirect objects to, but no direct one. He takes for a sense it seems to have, Zeph. i. 17, and which he derives from the Arabic on; quite a different word with very different vowels. Besides this, it is not easy to give the sense of into after a verb of motion with the idea of attack, especially such a verb as 0. The rendering flash, Bays DILLMANN, is wholly inadmissible. 22 Ver. 24. Iron lance. p, armor, generally, but here some striking or piercing weapon. Through and through: The rendering is not too strong for that most peculiar and emphatic word n 23 Ver. 25. He hath drawn. The translator agrees with UMBREIT in regarding God as the subject of. The Divine name thus left out makes it all the more fearful as well as emphatic. It might be rendered passively it is drawn -unsheathed-but there is no need of it. Suddenness is the idea the words vividly impress. It is no sooner out of its scabbard than it is through his body; or, between its being drawn from the sheath and being drawn back from his gall is but a moment. The other rendering: he (the one pierced) draws it out or back, loses all this, besides having very serious philological difficulties. It must, in that case, refer to the arrow just above, but the verb is ever used of the sword in the numerous places of its occurrence, except in Ruth iv. 7, 8, where it means slipping the foot out of the shoe or sandal, and Ps. cxxix. 6, where it is the slipping of the flower out of its calix, or of the fruit from its glume or husk (entschloffen; see HUPFELD). When used of a weapon it is always the sword, and its drawing is from its sheath. Jud. iii. 22 is only a seeming exception, as there the body is regarded as the sheath, and it is the sword still; no other weapon being carried in a sheath. The word (8. L. P.) is onomatopic, like our word slip-not that the one is derived from the other, but that both are formed on the same principle as signifying an easy slipping motion. The rendering of DELITZSCH and others, makes, moreover, a feeble tautology: "he draws it out; and it comes out." Another reason given by UMBREIT has much force: fulgur, brightness, is generally need of the sword when applied to a weapon; Deut. xxxii. 41; Ezek. xxi, 15, 20; or sometimes of the spear. he might have said. The barb of the arrow, mor over, would prevent its being easily drawn back by the victim, and tearing, as DELITZSCH renders, would be greatly out of congruity with the verb 5. On see Note (7) chap. xxxv. 5. * Ver. 25. He is gone. The accents separate from D. The latter word cannot, therefore, be the subject, even if the number permitted. The verb stands by itself. There is an applling suddenness and abruptness in this whole description, which is best given in measures somewhat irregular. For examples of taken in a similar way, see xiv. 20; xix. 10; xxvii. 20. The rendering which 26 27 28 29 In his hid treasures lies all darkness hid; Still feeding on the remnant in his tent. Against him rises up the earth. His wealth to other lands28 departs, Like flowing waters, in His day of wrath. This is the bad man's portion sent from God,- regards the word as separated, is sustained by ROSENMUELLER, | ≈ Ver. 26. Hid treasures 153–150. The two words have both of them the idea of hiding, and there seems to be something of a sententious play upon them. 26 Ver. 26. Self-enkindled; not blown upon. Ver. 26. Still feeding. EWALD, ZOCK., ROSENM., UMBREIT, makey from yy: Uebel geht es dem. The other sense is according to the accents and the metaphor of fire feeding (ignis depascens) which is in so many languages. 28 Ver. 28. To other lands departs: 7—goes into erile. 29 Ver. 29. The Mighty One. This is CONANT's judicious rendering of the divine name to avoid a tautology. Why grow they old, yea giant' like in power? 8 Before them-with them-firmly stands their seed ;5 9 1 Ver. 2. O listen. The doubling of the verb here denotes not so much a desire for attentive hearing, as to be heard at all. It might be expressed by an emphatic auxiliary do: Do listen, etc. 1 Ver. 5. Turn now. has the sense of turning and looking in the face. On leaving out the mere copulative in such cases, see Note xiii. 23. 3 Ver. 7. Live at all. There is an emphasis on ". The astonishment is at God's suffering them to remain on earth, or even to be born. He goes to the root of the great problem of evil. This was the thought that so dismayed him whenever he called it to mind. 4 Ver. 7. Giant-like. Something of this kind demanded by the strong word : Heroes. See Gen. vi. 4. 5 Ver 8. Their seed. Instead of description intended to be universal and dogmatic, it is clear that Job is sin ply touched by the contrast between his own state, bereaved of children, stripped of property, suffering acutest pain, with the condition of many a bad man in directly opposite circumstances. The points he makes show this, and it may be in perfect harmony with what follows in ver. 17, where his thoughts tend to take the other and the larger view. See ADDENDA, p. 10 11 12 13 14 15 The issue of their herds is sure ;6 Their kine bring forth without mischance. No knowledge of Thy ways do we desire. The Almighty! who is he that we should serve him? 17 18 19 20 21 [Yet, truth" ye say]; how oft goes out the lamp of evil men! When God, in wrath, allots them deadly" pangs. Like stubble are they then before the wind, Like chaff the whirling tempest bears away. When sundered thus the number of his months? [PAUSE.] Ver. 10. The issue of their herds. In this clear passage, euphemistic language may be allowed. 7 Ver. 10. Sons and daughters. O is in contrast with D rendered little ones. It may be taken for the grown-up children of both sexes. es 8 Ver. 13. In joy unbroken. Heb. 10, in good. But this is to be taken here for what the wicked man teems the good, his summum bonum,-pleasure or enjoyment uninterrupted and without stint. Ver. 13. In a moment. A quick death is spoken of as the good fortune of the wicked. "There are no bands in an instant of time; T their death,” Ps. Ixxiii. 4. y 10 Ver. 16. But lo. For a discussion in respect to the remarkable transition here, and in the verse following. See EXCURSUS, ADDENDA, pa, 175 11 Ver. 17. (Yet truth ye say). For the propriety of the words in brackets, and of the interpretation generally, see ADDENDA, på 175 13 Ver. 19. Eloah treasures. There is no warrant for taking this as a question; still less as an ironical taunt on the part of Job, as though making it the language of the friends and then deriding it. Equally defenceless is it, the making imprecatory here, and thus to differ from all the other futures before and after it. See EXCURS. II. on this chapter; ADDENDA, p. 182. The retribution on his sons is, in fact, retribution on himself, and, in some way, he shall know it to be so. It may be, too, that 11 may have, in this verse, its other clear and frequent sense of strength and wealth. cern, others render it. A turn may be given to this which 14 Ver. 21. For what his pleasure. What con may make it seem to favor the other or imprecatory rendering of the previous verse (" for what cares he for his house after him "); but the other changes which this is made to suit are BO forced as to invalidate the opposite reasoning, however plausible, in respect to this verse. A connection of thought between vers. 20 and 21 is easily seen without it. A sudden destruction is predicted, ver. 20, when his wealth goes to others, and what pleasure will he have of it? This suddenness is intimated in which means sharp cutting, cul ting off in the very midst of his enjoyments.-not a calm old age and easy death closing all cares, which is demanded by the other view. The thought of judicial severity is insepa 12 Ver. 17. Deadly pangs. D'an, tortures, primary rable from 7 thus used. sense, to bind. 30 31 32 33 kept; That to the day of doom the wicked man is2 15 Ver. 22. Ah, how is this? A pause here, with an intervening thought, leading to what follows, may be rationally supposed. See ADDENDA, pa. 176. The words in brackets denote the transition. It is a very impassioned speech. Job's mind is revolving like that of Koheleth, when he so often says "I turned "-"I turned again to see "-I took another and another view of things, etc. The chief difference is that Koheleth is in a more calm and contemplative state, and gives outward notice of these mental changes, whilst Job silently broods over them, and then bursts forth. His state of soul, instead of being a meditative rest, is tumultuous, volcanic we might almost style it, as it sometimes shows itself. To expect of him closely connected and logical sequences, is itself most illogical. The statements in pr vious verses, apparently varying, but, in fact, only two ja ts of one picture viewed from different stand-points, naturally bring up the thought of the great diversity in the lives ant deaths of men,-a fact inexplicable on any human theory. This again calls up the thought of some higher wisdom of God yet unknown to men. It is fully set forth in ch. xxviii., but Job is only approaching it here. It produces the silence of a moment, when he resumes: shall one teach God? and then goes on with the picture of diversity in human condition that had led to it. GESENIUS re- 16 Ver. 22. Teach God-see note below on ver. 30, and the pages in the ADDENDA there referred to. 17 Ver. 23. All quiet. Heb. 1. gards this strange form as a compound of BEN GANACH, in his Hebrew Grammar entitled RIKMA, page 18, maintains that it is only 1 euphonic giving it a more intensive sense. 18 Ver. 24. His breasts y occurs but once. Some give it the sense of station for watering flocks (as derived from the Arabic) and then transferred to the flocks themselves. The parallelism, however, demands a word denoting some part of the body to correspond to bones in the second clause. There seems to be nothing better, after all, than the rendering breasts which E. V. got from the Targum, and which, as an expression of health, may be applicable to either sex. 19 Ver. 27. Thoughts to my hurt. מחשבות means evil thoughts. From the rendering of E. V., and that of most of the commentators, there would be derived the idea of plots or machinations (stratagems DELITZSCH renders it) or of something to be done to, or against, Job. But the words do not really demand this. I may refer simply to the false and unfavorable views they have indulged of Job's case and character. 20 Ver. 27. Wrongfully. Do has generally the associated thought of violence, but the essential idea is that of injustice. It seems to combine the two senses very much as the Greek ὕβρις-υβρίζω. 21 Ver. 28. Say ye. Equivalent to think ye, as onui in Greek sometimes. 22 Ver. 29. Their signs; like mottoes borne on their tendards--enigmatical devices,-or, taken generally, any modes by which their sententious or traditional language is made known. 23 Ver. 30. To the day of doom the wicked man is kept. On the general interpretation of this verse, see EXCURSUS III. of the ADDENDA, pa. 182. T: 24 Ver. 30. Mighty wrath, Literally to the day of wraths, dies irarum. The word is the intensive plural. 25 Ver. 30. Declares his way. Who dares tell him of the fearful TN to which his way leads, or of the day of wrath to which he is to be brought forth. Nothing could be more appropriate to the view taken of ver. 30 in E. V., and insisted on in EXCURSUS III. If ver. 30 refers to some great eschatological doom, however dimly conceived as belonging to some unknown period, then the word here, as placed in brackets, is implied in the emphasis of the passage. 26 Ver. 32. One keepeth watch. Various views are taken of this; but no one seems more simple and natural than the idea of a friend or relative keeping watch by the grave, whether as guardian or as mourner. The wicked man, too, has those who loved him in spite of his wickedness. The picture is a very touching one. lite 2 Ver. 33. Lightly press, The Hebrew rally means are sweet, but may be applied to anything agree. able, or represented as such, whether in fancy or reality. Compare xxiv. 20: The worm feeds sweetly on him, or, his sweet ness is the worm. The idea, in either case, is that of insensi means thoughts generally,, especially with,bility to suffering, but strangely conceived of as having something of enjoyment. We do not wholly divest ourselves 34 And after him come all in lengthened train, of such feelings when we talk of the grave as a place of rest. Κούφα σου Χθὼν ἐπάνω πέσειε-γύναι. Light fall the earth upon thee-lady. 28 Ver. 33. Lengthened train. An idea clearly contained in the Hebrew D. See Jud. iv. 6, 7, where it denotes the drawing out of the military line; Ps. xxviii. 3: “Draw me not out (or let me not draw out) with the wicked." 29 Ver. 33. Have gone before. Life a procession; one part coming, another passing, another gone. It reminds us of the monumental lines from the Greek Anthology: τὴν αὐτὴν ὁδόν ἣν πάντας ἐλθεῖν ἔστ' ἀναγκαίως έχον, On the road that all must travel have they gone, All alike; even God's Elect present the same appearance of an ever-passing and disappearing procession: Part of the host have crossed the flood, The picture presented by Job is as touching as it is true and universal. The great distinguishing day of doom kept out of sight, the same sad destiny seems to await all mankind. All are marching to the tomb, and seem to lie down in it as their common place of rest. On this verse UMBREIT makes some of his characteristic remarks: Ein bitterer Ausspruch! He calls it: "a bitter or rancorous judgment. Is the wicked man extirpated from the earth by death, so follow him others without number," etc. (pa. 171). He would represent Job, in saying this, as governed by a spirit of morose misanthropy. On the contrary, the language of this and the preceding verse may be cited as evidence of what the translator has elsewhere insisted on (see ADDENDA, pa. 175), namely, the striking difference between the speeches of Job and those of the others. Impassioned, as his language is, in view of his own severe sufferings, there is, after all, the manifestation of a softer feeling when his revolving thoughts lead him to consider the common lot of humanity. In his second picture of the wicked man's wretchedness, or his afterthought, as we may call it, he alludes to their doom in some great judgment, all unknown and undetermined though it be; and that seems immediately to call up a tenderer language which looks very much like commiseration for the wicked man himself. He, too, lies down in the dust, like all other men. He, too, has some one who loves him, and who will watch mournfully by his grave. On him, too, will "lightly press the clods of the valley," as upon the most lovely and innocent among "the dwellers in dust." How different are these tender images from the fierce speech of Zophar, especially as it appears in the terrible pictures with which he concludes, xx. 23-27: "The gleaming weapon piercing through his gall," and his very food mingled with "the Almighty's rain of burning wrath." That is the languago of one who seems to love such picturing, and actually to exult in the sinner's doom. He assumes towards Job the attribute of moral superiority; and, good man as he is, he cannot conceal the self-righteous feeling with which he so formally passes sentence at the close: This is the bad man's portion sent from God- There is more severity in Job's picture, xxvii. 13-23; but here there certainly seems to be an effusion of tenderness not to be found in the speeches of the others. They are cool, philosophical moralists, except when roused to indignation by Job's refusal to confess. He is the true bero, the mighty wrestler with sin and suffering. His moral sense goes deeper than theirs. He is more conscious of his own sin, of the common depravity, and, therefore, the more likely to lose sight of outward moral differences in the conJob comes nearer templation of the universal suffering. than they to the spirit of Christ and to the spirit of His language when He says: "Think ye that they were sinners above all the Galileans? I tell you nay; but unless ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." CHAPTER XXII. 1 2 3 Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite and said:" 1 Ver. 2. The strong man. " as used in Job is generally emphatic-the strong, powerful, or rich man as distinguished from the common man, or man in general. Here Eliphaz would app y it peculiarly to Job as one who may have thought he was doing God service when he was serving himself, as Satan also charged, i. 9. it necessary. The picture suggested is that of a man who thinks he is serving God, profiting God, when his aim is stripped, as he fancies, of these his gains. The connection thereby to profit himself, and who makes a great outcry when and dependence of the gives the easy and appropriate sense in harmony with all that Eliphaz says afterwards. 2 Ver. 2. That thereby. Some take this parenthet!, the prudent man. There seems to be just a touch of cally; as DELITZSCH: "No indeed! the intelligent man is profitable to himself." So RENAN: Nor; c'est lui eul que le sage est utile. It is not easy to see what warrant there is for it grammatically, or what demand of the sense makes irony here: Prudent man as he is in such a calculation of the accruing advantages of outward piety. It may be well rendered adverbially: wisely serve himself. |