The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 156

the full expansion of Job's argument. But intended. They oonei.sted of a framework it is e. fearful utt.enMJoe. (Prof0880r Lee's of wood, which we.a covered with skins, and attempt to explain the whole pnsse.ge differ- than ooat.ed with bitumen, and resembled ently is 11C11.rooly e. successful one.) the Welsh "ooraoles." .A.1 the eagle that Ver. 24.-The earth ii given into the hand haeteth to the prey; or, a.3 the eagle that er the wiolred. As e. fnrthn proof of God's swoopeth on tll6 prey (Revised Version). indifferPnce to the sufferings of the innocent, Job's observation presents to him three types Job RdduceB the faot that, in the high of swiftness-the tre.ined runner upon the places of the earth, a.re most!)• set wicked earth, the swift ships upon the waters, nud persons, who opprees &nd p()reecute the the hungry eagle in the a.ir. It eeems to righteous. This bas probably been true, in him that his life pa.saes away as swiftly as the East at F<ny rate, at all times. He any of these. oovereth the fllC8II of the judges thereof. Ver. 27.-If I ny, I will forget my com- God rovers up the eyes of those who have plaint (comp. above, eh. vii. 13). Job repre- to judge between tile oppressors f\Dd the sents himself &S sometimes, for a mou1eut, oppre11sed, so that they pervert judgment, imaginiug that he might put aside his load aud side with the oppressors. He does this, of sorrow by not thinking of it. He tries since he permits it to be done. Corrupt and nys to himself, "I will forget," eto.; judges Rre among the perennial curses of but in vain. The whole mass of his suffer- the East. If not, where, and who is he? ings seems to rise up ngainst him, and make rather, If it lie not he, VJho then is it f (see even momentary forgetfulness impossible. the Revised Version). Job argues that the I will leave off my heaviness; or, my blach est.abli..sheu condition of things in hum&n looks. And oomfort myself (comp, oh. x. 20 society must he ascribed to God, since (et and Ps. x.xxi.J:. 13, where the same verb is least) he allows it. There ia no one else to rendered "recover strength"). whom it can be ascribed. Ver. 28.-I am afraid of ell my sorrows Ver. 25.-llow my days are nrifter than (see the comment on ver. 27). I know that a post. Life slips away so fast that before thou wilt not hold me innocent. The worst it is well begun, it is ended. Job compares of all Job's sorrows is the sense of alienation it t.o the swift passage of the trained runner, from God, which his unexampled sufferings or messenger, who carried despatches for have wrought in him. Though unconscious king13 and otl,er great personages in the of having deserved them, he still, not un- olden times (see 2 Chron. :u:x. 6; Esth. iii. naturally, looks upon them as marks of God's 18; "l"ili. lO, 14). Herodotus rays of the displeasure, proofs that God does not regllld trained runners employed by the Persians, him as innocent. "Kolhing mortal tra\"els oo fast as these Ver. 29.-If I be wicked; rather, I am Persian messengers" (Herod., viii. 98). '!Dicked; ie. I am accounted so-I am already There is abuudaut evidence of the employ- condemned. The extreme afflictions under ment of such perEons in ancient Egypt. which I su1i'er indicate that God has passed They liee away, they see no good. It seems sentence upon me, and awarded me my to Job that his prosperity (ob. i. 2-5) was pllllishment. Why then la.bour I in vain 1 only for a moment. He scaroely conld look i.e. Why argue? Why seek to justify my- on it before it was gone. self, since no result is likely to follow? Ver. 26.-They are passed away u the NothiDg that I can say will alter God's fore- ewilt ships; literally, like the ships of reed. gone conclusion. The allusion is probably to the frail reed Ver. 30.-I!·I wash myself with snow- vessels of the Egyptians, of which many water (comp. Ps. Ii. 7). If I should succeed ancient writers speak (see Theophrastus, in purging myself of all guilt, and establish- ' Hist. Plant.,' iv. 9; Pliny, 'Hi..st. Nat.,' vi. ing, so far 'as words can do it, my spotless 56; :i..iii. 11; Luean, 'Phart!&l.ia,' iv. 36, etc.). innocence, even then what advantage should They were long, light canoes, formed gene- I gain? Snow-water does not really cleanse rally of the papyrus plant, and propelled what is defile<l better than any other water, dtbt:r by a single paddle or by a punting- but a lively fancy might suppose it to do so. pole. They were fiat-botlomtd o.nd broad, Job indulges in this fancy, but then checks like pnnt.•, with e. stem and stem rising con- Limsell; and adds a prosaic alternative. And siderably above the level of the water (see make my hands never so olean; ra.ther, and the author's 'History of Ancient Egypt,' make my hand, clean with lye, Lye, or pot- vol i pp. 507,508). Isaiah apea.ks of them ash, is the principal and most essential 118 " vessels of bulrushes," in which "swift ingredient in soap, and the readiest and best mC11Sengers" were aen_J; by the nations detergent. If Job cleanses himself to the peopling the banks of the Nile (Ise.. :z:viii I, very utmost, "Cui bono?" he aaks. 2). Th.e Enphratea boats described by Ver. 31.-Yet 1halt thou plUJlle mo In the Herodotus (i. 194) 1rere of an entirely du- ditch. Yet would God with ease undo his Cereni COIUltrnction, and caDDol; be here work, ah.ow hill purity to be impure, hi11 FM, IX, 1-35.] THE BOOK OF JOB. Hi9