The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 107

lo ~h them; they are as watl,~ome meat t-0 eaid to be implied in sll willingness to die, me. The doubt remains whether Job is since it me.y be argued that even tho most speaking of the arguments of Elipbaz, or of wretobcd Ii fe possible would be preferred the aeries of itffliotions which ba'l"e befallen by any man to no lifo at all, and so that him. Either explanation is poBSible. when men are content to die thev mult be Ver. 8.---0h that I might have my request ! expecting, whether oonsoiously or 'not, a life Here the eecond point is taken np. Eliphaz beyond the grave, and be sustained by that has threatened Job with death, representing expectntion. Yea, I would harden myaelf in it as the lR•t aud most terrible of punieh- ■orrow: let him not ■pare; rather, yea, I ment:B (eh. iv. 9, 20, 21; v. 2). Job's reply ,i,ould ezult in anguish that did not spare. i~ thst there is nothing he desires so much However great the pain that acoompanied RB death. Hie prim1ny wish would have his death, Job would rejoice and exult in it, been never to have been born (eh. iii. 3- since by it his death wos to be accomplished. 10); next to thnt, he would have desired an :For I have not conoealed the words of the e,irly death-the earlier the more 1LCceptable Holy One; rather, for I have not denied, or (eh. iii. 11-l!J). As both the:;e have been renottnced. It would be a part of Job's eatis• tleuied him, what be now desires, and ear- faction in dying that he had not let go hia nestly aeke for, is a speedy demise. It is not integrity. Rother he had held it fast, and t1s vet clear whst he thinks de11th to be, or not renounced or abandoned his trust in God wh;•thcr he has any hope beyond the grave. and in religion. "The words of the Holy Put.ting uide all such considerations, he One are the commands of God, however here simply balances death against such a made known to man" (Canon Cook). life e.s he now leads, and must expect to Ver. 11.-What is lily strength, that I lPa.d, since his disease is incurable, and de- should hope 1 Elipbaz had suggested that cides in favour of death. It is not only his Job might recover and be restored to his ( desire. but his " request n to God, that death former prosperity (eh. v. 18-26). Job may come to him quickly. .6.D.d tbat God rejects this suggestion. His strength is I would gnmt me the thing tbat I long for ; brought too low; it is not conceivable that ' literally, my e:r,pect,atwn., or tDish. The idea. he should be restored; he cannot entertain \ of taking his own life does not seem to have any such hope. And what is mine end, that o,·curred to Job, as it would to a Greek I should prolong lily life 1 rather, that I (Plato, • Phmdo,' § 16) or a Roman (Pliny, ahould stretch out my spirit. Job cannot • Epi.st.,' i. 12). He is too genuine a child look forward to such an "end" as Eliphaz of nature, too simple and unsophisticated, prophesies for him ; therefore be cannot for such a thought to occur, and, if it occur- bring himself to wo.it on with patience. red. would be too religious to entertain it for Ver. 12.-Is lily strength the strength of a moment. Like Aristotle, he would feel stones 1 or is lily flesh of bl'Rlls 1 It would the act to be cowardly (Aristotle, 'Eth. require a man to have a body of brass, and Kie.,' v., sub fin.); and, like Plato (l.a.c. ), he strength like that of rocks, for him to be would view it as rebellion against the will able to endure the ravages of such a disease, of God. and yet to recover from it. Job cannot Ver. 9.-Bven tbat it wol:ld please God to pret.end to either. destroy me; or, to crush me (Revised Version) Ver. 13.-Is not my help in me! rather, -" to bre.ak Dlfl in pieces" (Lee). That he I, it not that I have flO help in me? (Revised would let: looae hiB hand; or, put forth Ma Version). Job feels that, instead of having 1ia11d-" stretoh "it ont against me threaten- exceptional strength of constitution to enable in,,ly ." .6.D.d out lllB off. "Cnt me off bit by him to bea.r np against his exhausting UL'' (Lee); comp. Isa. xxxviii 12, where the malady, he is absolutely without strength. • ame word is need of a weaver, who cuts the All his vital power is used np. There is no Lhreads of his loom one by one, until the help in him. And is wisdom driven quite whole is liberated and comes away. frolll llle 1 rather, Is not soundnea, driven Yer. 10.-Then should I yet have oomfort. guite from me 1 Tushiyah. seems to mean here Firet, the comfort that the end was come, 'strength of constitution "-that internal\ :<!J i that he would be spared fnrther suft"er- soundness which resist.& the inroads of dis- ! in;;• ; and further, the still greater comfort ease,and sometimes triumphs over the most I t1,11t he had endured to the end, and not serious maladies. Whatever reserve of this d.,,,ied r,or renounced his trust in religion kind he may have possessed by nature, it is 1,nd in all the '' words of the Holy One." now, Job feels, altogether lost and gone from J'rofesaor Lee sees here "the recognition of him. a future life, expressed in words as plain Ver. H.-To hiill that is afflioted pity a,,d obvious as possible" (' Book of the should be showed from hie friend. Job l:' ..t.riarch Job,' p. 223). But to UB it seems begins here the third head of his reply to that, if the idea is preaoot at e.11, it ill covered Elipw, in which he attacks him and hie up, !&t.ent; oD.11 110 u.r unplied u it 1118,f be companiolll. The first duty of a comforter Olt, vt. 1--30.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 105