The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 203

EXPOSITION. CHAPTER XIl. u yon. " I, however, claim to have just ae much understanding [literally, 'heart'] as The diacomBe of Joh, here begun, oontinues you, and to be just as well entitled to spee.k, through three cbaptel'B ( eh. xii., :xiii., xiv.). and to claim attention ; " since I am not It is thought to form the conclusion of the inferior to yon. "I am not conscious," i.e., "of any inferiority to you, intellectual or first day'■ colloquy. In it Job for the first moral. I do not fall below you in either time really pomB scom upon bis friends, respect." Yea, whoknoweth not such things and :m.eJam a mook of them (see Te?B. 2, 3, u these t "Not," Job means to say, "that 20 ; eh. s:iii. 4--13). This, however, is a much understanding is necessary in such a secondary matter; bis ma.in object is to case e.s this ; any man of common intelli- gence can form a correct judgment on the justify his previous auertions, (I) that ·the point in dispute between us." The special whole oonne of mundane event.a, whether point, in Job's mind, see1DB to be God's good or evil, mtm be attributed to God complete IW1Btery over the world, e.nd abso- (vers. 6-25); (2) that bis suffering& entitle lute control over all that takes place in it him to plead with God, and demand to know (see the introductory paragraph). Ver. 4.-I am os one mocked of bis neigh- why he ii! so punished (eh. xiii. 3-28). A bour. You have accused me of mockery comparatively mild expostulation concludes (eh. xi. 3); but it is I that have been mocked the first series of speeches ( eh. xiv.). of you. The allusion is probably to eh. xi. 2, 3, 11, 12, and 20. Who calleth upon God, Ven. I, !.-And .Job an1wered and said, and he answereth him. You mock me, Bo doubt but ye are the people. Bitterly though I have always clung to religion, ironical Ye are th0110 to whom alone it be- have called upon God in prayer, a.nd from longs to speak-the onl:r "people" to_ wh?m time to time had my prayers answered by attention is due. And Wllldom &hall die with him. Thus it is the jut upright man tho.t you. " At your death," i.e., "e.ll wisdom is laughed to scom. will b.ll.ve fled the earth ; there will be no Ver. 5.-:e:e that is ready to slip with his one left who knows anything." At Jeaet, feet is 11,11 a lamp despised in the thought of IJO doubt, you think 80. him that ill at ease; rather, as in the Revised Ver. 8.-But I have u n ~ u well Version, In th,i thought of him that i1 at ea,a CIT. XII, 1-25.] THE BOOK OF JOD. 209