ROl'cnmiillor, "Thou Bh< not miM thy in in his see.aon; literally, is lifted up. The muk." shocks of corn wero lifted up, and plo.ced Ver. 25.-Thou ahalt know Blllo that thy on n Mrt, for transfer to the barn or the 1eed shell be great. Little by little Eliphnz threshing-floor. The emphasis, however, is paeses from a general description of the on the closing words, "in his season." blel'll!e<lness of those faithful onos who "de- Eliphaz promises Job that he will roach apise not the che.etening of the Almighty" a good ripe old age, and not die untimely. (vor. Ii) to a seriee of allusions which seem (For the result, sec eh. xiii. 17.) BpOcia lly to touch Job's case. Without Ver. 27.-Lo this, we have searohed it, 10 claiming prophetical inspiration, he ventures it is. Eliphaz does not cliiim to be deliver- to promise him in the future •• the exact ing a Divine message, or in any way stating reven:e of nll that he had experienced" in results whioh be has leB,fllt from ·reve- the pMt-" a Be.fe home, flocks untouched, lation. Rather is he declnring w·hat he. ho.a a happy and prosperous family, a peaoeful "searched out;" i.e. gathered with much old age" (Cook). The promises may have sounded in Job's ears as "a mockery" trouble from inquiry, observation, ana ex- perience. He is, however, quite confident (ibid.); but it is creditable to the sagacity that he bas arrived at a true conclusion, of Eliphaz that he ventured to make them. and expeot.s Job to accept it and act upon And thine ofl'apring as the grass of the earth. it. Eear it, and know thou it for thy good; The ordinary symbols for mu1titudinous- literally,/or thyself. Make the knowledge, ness-the eand of the sea. and the stars of i.e., which I have communicated to thee, henven-are here superseded by an entirely thine own. Professor Lee observes, •• There new one, "the grass of the earth." Un- is nothing in all this savouring of any doubtedly it is equally appropriate, and asperity, as fa.r 11.11 I can see, beyond the perhaps more natuml in a pastoral com- aniietiee of trne friendship. The senti- munity. ments delivered from ver. 17 to the end of Ver. 26.-Thou ahalt oome to thy grave the chapter are not only most excellent in in a fnll age (comp. Gen.. iv. 15; xxv. themselves, but perfectly applicable to Job's 8; xx:i;:v. 29). Professor Lee tra.nslo.tes, case; and were, in the event, made good in "Tliou shalt come to thy grave in hon::nur." every respect. It is true, we have not much Dut, on the whole, the rendering of the sympathy expressed for Job's bereavements Authorized Version may well stand. The and afflictions. And, in this respect, Eli- e:J:pression used occurs only here and in pbaz was, no doubt, to blame" (' Book of the eh. :u:x.. 2. Like aa a shook of oorn oometh Patriarch Job,' p, 216),
HOMILETICS. Vers. 1-7.-Eliphaz to Jo'b: 3. The history of a fool. I. THE FOOL'S OHA~AOT_ER. L An impious fool. The menta.l and moral portrait of the aevil (ver. 2) is minutely outlined in the Book of Proverbs, as wstinguished by contempt of true wisdom (Prov. i. 7), talkativeness (Prov. :x.. 8), se!f-conoeit (Prov. xii. 15), irritability of temper (Prov. x.ii. 16), pride (Prov. xiv. .'3), fretfulness against God (Prov. xix. 3), sinful- ness of thought (Prov. x:xiv. 9), etc., most of which qualities were, in thejudgment of Eliphaz, possessed by the aevil whom he depicted, who was probably ,Job. 2.' ...t moral simp"lel<m. The potheh is also sketched in Proverbs, as one who is easily seduced by temptation (Prov. ix. 14-18) and flattery (Prov. vii. 7); who is destitute of any power of self-restraint, credulous of what he hears (Prov. xiv. 15), and heedless of danuer (Prov. x.xviL 12). According to Eliphaz, he is also marked by envy. II. THE FOOL'S ISOLATION. 1. Unheeded by God. "Call now, if there be any that will sns"·er thee" (ver. 1); perhaps meaning ironically," You had better prepare an indict- mem against the Deity." Practically, implies Eliphaz, this is what the sinner does who storms at the Divine dispensations towards him. All sin is more or less an impeach- ment of the Divine righteousness and equity (Gen. iii. 1). Yet so utterly wild and extravao-ant is the idea of a puny, sinful creature like man entering the lists against God; s~ immeasurably foolish as well as presumptuous the imagination that Infinite Purit~• and Wisdom can be arraigned with any hope of success, that the speaker repre- sents the sinner's clamorous out:cries as ringing unheeded and unheard through the silent heavens. The Ineffable Supreme gives no indication that be fa_ B? ~uch as con- scious of his accuser's presence; neither replying himself no~ comnllss1onrng an?ther to appear in his behalf. The silence of Heaven, frequently nusconstrued by the ijlllDer (Ps. L 21), if indicative of the Divine patience and clemency, ill no Iese eloquent of tho OR, V. 1-27.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 00