The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 60

HOMILETICS. Vere. 1-10.-The stricl,en patriarch's lament : 1. IJeploring his birth. I. DELIBERATE DIBOOURBE, 1. The time. "After this;" i.e. after the seven days' silence, after wait- ing, perhaps, for some expression of sympathy from his friends, perhaps also after dis- cerning no mitigation in hie misery-an indication that Job spoke not under the influence of some sudden paroxysm of grief, but with fixed resolve and after mature consideration. Language that is pasqionate may aleo be deliberate; and althou;h hasty words are sometimes more excusable than composed utternnce8, as a rule it is wiser and better, especially when under strong emotion, to be "swift to hear, but slow to speak" (Jas. i. 19). 2. The manner. "Opened Job his mouth." The usual Hebrew formula for intimating the commencement of a epeech; this may also mark, in accordance with Oriental custom, the grave composure and solemn stateliness with which Job began his address, as well as hint at the exceptional character of his discourse. Already, since the beginning of bis troubles, be had twice opened his mouth to bless God and justify bis ways; never until now had he opened his mouth to curse. II. IMPASSIONED ELOQUENCE, 1. The sublimity of Job's language. "There is nothing in ancient or modern poetry equal to the entire burst, whether in the wildness and horror of its imprecations, or the terrible sublimity of its imagery" (Goode). "There is indeed a tremendous bulk and heat in his words; his imagination has Titanic grasp and violence in it. All nature's powers be translates into living things" (Davidson). 2. The naturalness of Job's language. Even on the hypothesis that the verses contain rather the formulated conceptions of the author than the ips-issima verba of Job, one cannot but feel the dramatic suitability of both their thought and language to the situation, as well as to the individual to whom they have been assigned. It does not strike one as too lofty for a man of the intellectual calibre of Job; nor does it appear to be inappropriate as a vehicle for the burning thoughts that were then struggling for utterance within .his grief-laden soul. 3. The influence of Job's language. "The boldest and most animated poets of Jerusalem made it the model of their threnodies or grief-songs, whenever uttered in scenes of similar distress" (Goode; cf. Lam. iii. 1-20; Jer. xx.14--16; Ezek. xxx. H-18; xxxii. 7-9, etc.). Among the instances in which modern poetry has been indebted to the imagery of the present chapter, may be mentioned Shakespeare, 'King John,' act iii. sc. 1 ; act iii. sc. 4; • Macbeth,' act ii. BC, 4. III. WILD IMPRECATION. 1. The day of his birth is in general terms execrated : •• Let the day perish wherein I was born" (ver. 3); meaning, let it be erased from the calendar of existence, let it be filled with misery, buried in obscurity, and loaded with dishonour, or let it be blotted out from all remembrance. After which in detail he prays that it may be: (1) Enshrouded in d1ukness (ver. 4); unillumined by the light of heaven, which imparts loveliness to all mundane things-an imprecation conversely reminding us of the value of light. (2) Abandoned by God (ver. 4), who, while interesting himself in all his other creatures, should never ask after it. "Job's wish of darkness had done bis day no great hurt, unless he had taken the eye of God from it also" (Caryl). God's favour is the greatest blessing of the creature; and neither day nor mau can be truly happy from which that favour is ,vithdrawn. (3) Reclaimed by death (ver, 6): "Let darkness and deathshade claim it "-redeem it as II stray portion of their original kingdom, which had wandered into the realms of light, and carry it back to its primeval abode. Adhering to the metaphor which compares the light of day to a captive escaped from the prison-house of darkness, we may remember by whose power it was that the light was first liberated (Gen. i. 3), and whose hand it is that still directs it to the ends of the earth (eh. xxxvii. 3). We may note too that we have a better Kinsman than Job's day bad-one who can buy us back, not like it, from light to de.rkness, but from darkness to light. (4) Haunted by terrors: "Let the blackness of the day terrify it" (nr. 6); e.s il it were a living thing cowering and shrinking in abject  54 THE BOOK OF JOB. [OH, tit, 1-28.