The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 204

there iR eontempt for misfortune; it (i.e. con- 6-12, 21; ii. 1-7; xxxviii. 1; xl 1, 3 6 • tempt) is readp for tl1em whose foot slippeth. xiii. 1, 7-12). The writer probo.hly re",:rd~ The meaning 1s, " I nm despisocl nncl scorned the name ae unfamiliar, if not unkno;n, to by you who sit nt ease, becr1uso mv foot hits 0 Job's neighbours, and therefore as avoide<l. slipped, n.ncl I hnve fa.lien into mia fortuno." by him in his discussions with them. But Vor. 6.-The tabernaoles .'!f. robbers pros- here, for once, he forgets to be con8i,tent per. Having set r1t rest the personnl ques- with himself. Outside Scripture, the name tion between himself ancl his friends, Job is first found on the Moabite Stone (about rovorls to his ma.in nrgnment, r1nd mo.intains B.c. 890), where it clcsignates the God wor• tho.t, the whole course of munclo.ne events shipped by the Israelites (see 'Records of being under God's governance, nil the re- the Pe.st,' vol. xi. p. 166, I. 18). sults are to be attributed to him, and among Ver. 10.-In whose hand is the soul of them both the prosperity of tl1e wicked, and, every living thing. A brief summary of by parity of rellBoning, tho sufferings of the what had been so.id in vers. 7, 8, to which righteous. And they that provoke God are is now appended the further statement, that secure (comp. eh. ix. 24; x. 3). Into whose in God's l,an,1-wholly de1,endent on him- hand God bringeth abundantly. So both is the entire race of mankind e.lso. And the the Authorized nnd the Revised Veraions; breath of all mankind; literally, and the but recent critics mostly render, "who bring spirit of all flesh of man. their God in their band," i.e. "who regard Ver.11.-Doth not the ear trywords1 and their own right hand as their God" (comp. the mouth taste his meat l rather, as the Virgil, '1En.,' x. 773, "Dextra mihi Deus") palate tasteth its meat 'I (see the Revised Ver, 7.-But ask now the beasts, and they Version). In other words, "Is it not as shall teaoh thee. Job here begins his review much the busineBB of the ear to discriminate of all creation, to show that God bas the between wise and unwise words, as of the absolute direction of it. The order of (1) palate to determine between pleasant and beasts, (2) birds, (3) fishes, is that of dignity unpleasant tastes?" The bearing of the (OOl!lP· Gen. ix. 2; Ps. viii. 7, 8). Job verse on the general argument is not maintains that, if appeal were made to the clear. animal creation, and they were asked their Ver. 12.-With the anoient is wisdom; position with respect to God, they would and in length of days understanding. Men with one voice proclaim him their absolute get their wisdom graduslly and painfully by Ruler and Director. And the fowls of the much experience during a. long stretch of air, and they shall tell thee. The instincts time, so the.tit is not until they are" ancient" of birds, their pel'iodical migrations, their that we can call them wise or credit them inherited habits, are as wonderful as any- with "understanding." But with God the thing in the Divine economy of the universe, case is wholly different. and as much imply God's continually direct- Ver.13.-With him is wisdom and strength. ing he.nd. With God wisdom and strength dwell essen- Ver. 8.-0r speak to the earth, and it tially, He is not wiser or stronger at one shall teaoh thee. If the material earth be time than at another. Time nnd experience intended, the appeal must be to its orderly add nothing to the perfection of his attri- course, its summers and winters, its seed- butes, which are unchangeable. Such wis- time and harvest, its fonner and lntter rains, dom infinitely transcends any to which man its constunt productivity, which, no less can attain, and therefore is doubtless the than animal instincts, speak of a single wisdom whereby the world is governed. Re ruling power directing and ordering all bath counsel and understanding. God has things. If the creeping things of the earth, these qualities as his own. They are not the reptile creation, be meant, then the argu- acquired or imparted. but belong to him, ment is merely an expansion of that in the necessarily e.nd al ways. preceding verse. The instinots of reptiles Ver, 14.-Behold, he breaketh down, and nre to be ascribed, no lass than those ofbensts it oannot be built again. Professor Lee and birds, to the constant snperintencling thinks that the allusion is to the cities of action and providence of the Almighty. And the plain (Gen. xix. 2'h-29), But tile senti- the fishes of the sea shall deolare unto thee, ment is so general, that we may well doubt The testimony will be unanimous-b01l8ts, if particular iDBtanccs were in Job's mind. birds, reptiles, and fishes will unite in it. At any rate, the destructive agencies of i Ver. 9.-Who knoweth not in all these; nature must be llB much included e.s e.ny or, by all these ; i.e. by all these instances. supernatuml acts. Re shutteth up a man That the hand of the Lord hath wrought (comp. eh. :Iii. 10). God "shuts up" men this 1 literally, the hand of Jehovah. The when he hedges them in with calamities or name "Jehovah" docs uot oocur el8ewhere other circumstances, which take away from in the dialogue, though it is employed them nll freedom of action ( oh. iii. 23: xix. frequently in the historioo.l eeotions (oh. i. 8). When he does this, the result follows - JOB, p  210 THE BOOK OF JOB. [oR, xn. 1-16,