The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 112

eelf, 11.nd, 11.e II. consequence, on his integrity before 11.nd confidence in God ( cf. Ps. xxxviii. 6; lxix. 2). The withholding of sympathy from one in his co11aition was a deplorable dereliction of duty nnd a manifest token of unfeeling barLarity. 2. lnconBislent. Besides being 11, dictate of nnturc, the 111.w of kindness is one of the plainest precepts of religion (Lev. xix. 18; Zech. vii. 9; Luke x. 37; Rom. xii. 10---15; Jas. i. 27), and its fulfilment one of the surest marks of moral and spiritual perfection (Ps. cxii. 4; Prov. xxxi. 26; Rom. xiii. 8; Col. iii. 14; 1 Pet. i. 22; 1 John iv. 12). The absence, therefore, of pity on the part of Elir,haz and his friends argued them destitute of genuine religion, or, according to another reading of the clause, showed them to be "forsaking the fear of Shaddai." 3. Injurious. A third interpretation understands Job to say thnt Eliphaz's le.ck of sympathy had rendered it more difficult for him, Job, to believe in the kindness of his heavenly Friend-was, in fact, enough to cause him to forsake the fear of the Almighty. Earthly relationships were undoubtedly designed to be helpful for the right understanding of God's relationship toward8 men; a father's love to be an emblem of that of the Divine Father (Deut. viii. 5; Ps. ciii. 13; Matt. vii. 11); a friend's pity to interpret that of the Elder Brother (Pro-v. xviii. 24). Hence the responsibility of so fulfilling these relationships that men shall be assisted rather than hindered on their heavenward way. 4. Disappointing. Eliphaz and his friends had deceived Job like a brook (ver. 15), like the dried-up water of a mountain wady. The image, applied by Job to his brethren (ver. 21) consists of four parts. (1) The winter torrent, noisy and full, turbid and swollen by thick: blocks of floating ice and fast-falling flakes of snow, rushing down the precipitous ravine, and attracting by its loud roar and white foam the attention of desert travellers as they pass (ver. 16),-an emblem of the loud and profuse protestations of friendship which were made by Eliphaz and his companions at a time when Job did not require them, and which gave promise of Ion~ continuance, like the waters of the brook. (2) The dry river-bed in summer-time, from which the streams have vanished, leaving only hea.ps of shingle or piles of boulders (ver. 17),-an emblem of the quickness and completeness with which the loud-mouthed protestations of Job's friends had disappeared, having gone to nothing, like the winter torrent, the hot sun that had shrivelled them up being Job's deplore.hie and ghastly condition (ver. 21). (3) The desert caravans turning aside in search of the water they had formerly observed, being still attracted by the unusual brightness and verdure of the wadys (vers. 18, 19),-an emblem of the eagerness and confidence with which Job had anticipated sympathy and succour from his friends. (4) The consternation of the travellers, going up into the waste and perishing, being confounded at the miserable disappointment of their sanguine expectations, and ashamed that they had put their trust in what was so proverbially treacherous (ver. 20),-an emblem of the utter collapse of Job's hope and expectation from the coming of his friends. 5. Unreasonable. Job had not asked them for any great evidence of friendship, neither to relieve his sufferings by charitable gifts, nor to repair his losses by munificent contributions from their personal property, nor to restore his ruined fortunes by recovering them from the Chaldeans and Sabeans, 11,1 Abram delivered Lot and his goods from the hands of Chedorlaomer (Gen. xiv. 14). Simply he bad craved their sympathy-a small enough boon, which would not have much impoverished them; and yet even that they had withheld. Jonathan dealt otherwise with David (1 Sam. x.xiii. 16). II. INSINUATION REPELLED. 'l'he imputation which underlay the whole harangue of Eliphe.z, Job resented as: 1. Unproved. "Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred." A perfectly reasonable demand. since conviction should always precede condemnation. So Christ challenged his countrymen first to convince him of sin (John viii. 46). And it is manifestly absurd to expect that men will listen to admonitions who are unconscious of having committed faults. Even God does not exhort to repentance without having first demonstrated man's guilt. 'l'he first function of the Holy Spirit is to convince the world of sin (John xvi. 8). Job's language also indicative of an honest and ingenuous mind. Willingness to be taught is e. sign of humility and a token of sincerity. "A man that is willing to be taught is in a better condition than many who are able to teach. It argues a holier temper of the heart to bo willing to be taught than to be able to teach. And it is far worse to be unwilling to karn than not to be knowing" (Caryl). 2.  1 I (l THE BOOK OF JOB. [oH, VI, 1--30,