Egyp\,' vol. i. p. 605). That they are not 110 one &hul eVlll'flnd-solheofthe retributiOQ more ~ommon is aooouMed for by the rapid laid up for him by God, whioh will be 11loh oxidimtion of iron by exposure to the air, and d&rkness aa Job deBCribea in eh, :a:. 21, 22. ite rapid deoay in the nitrous iloil of Egypt. A fire not blown llh&ll eoub.111.e him l i.e. ".a The inhabitants of South-Western Asia were fire lighted by no human h11.t1ds," probably at no time much behind the Egypti11.ne in lightnil\g or brimstone from henven (oh. their knowledge of the neeful a.rte : and iron xviii. 15). n ahall go ill with him that ii a.ppeareM a well-Jn1nwn meta.I in the Jewish left in hia te.bemaole; literally, in 1,,i, tent, Scriptures from the time of the Exodus i.e. in hie dwGlling. Hie wife, his children, (see Numb. xxxv. 16; Deut. iii. 11; iv. 20; if he has any, and his domestioa, shall be viii. 9: xniii. 23; Josh. ,·iii. 31). It iB involved in the general ruin. • true that the principal weapons of wa.r eon- Ver. 27.-The heaven Bhall reveal hil tinuoo. to be made ordinarily of bronze, both iniquity ; and the earth Bhall rile up against in South-Western Asia a.nd in Egypt, till a him. This is Zopho.r's reply to the il.ppeo.l oomparatively late period; but Zoph11.r may which Job made (in eh. xvi. 18, 19) to heaven mean to BSBign to the slayer of the wicked and earth to bear their witneesi.n his favour. man wee.pons of a superior ch11.re.ot.er. And Heaven, he says, instead of testifying to his the bow of lteel 1he.ll strike him through. It innocence, will one day, when tihe books a.re iB uncertain whether et.eel was known in the opened (Rev. xx. 12), ".reveal liis iniquity," e.noient world. But, whether or no, " steel" and earth, instead of echoing hie cry, will is not meant here. The word used in the "rise up" in indignation •" age.inst hint" ~ original is n(hw;J,taJ., which undoubtedly He will have none either in heaven or earth ! means either "copper" or "bronze." As to take bis part, or give auy testimony in his I copper would be too soft a ma.terial for a favour. ••. . -· I bow, we may assume bronze to be intended. Ver. 28.-The inorease of his house· Bhall The bronze used in Egypt was extremely depm; " The iucrell88 of his house" may elastic, 11.11d there would have been little be either hie children and descendants ; •or difficulty in fashioning bows of it (on the bis substance-that which he has o.ccumu- existence of such bows, see 2 Sam. x:ni 5; lated. In the former co..ee, the departure P~. xviii. 34). spoken of may be either death (see ver. 26), Ver. 25.-It is drawn, and oometh out of or carrying into captivity; in the latter, the body; rather, he drawetli it forth, and general rapine and destruction. And . his it cometh oot of his body (see the Revised goods Bhall :II.ow awayin the day of his wrath. Version). The stricken man draws the It seems to be necessary to supply some such arrow from hi,, flesh, the natural action of nominative as" hie goods," or" his treasure," ,iverv one so wounded. If the arrow was i·Jw~ (see ver. 26). These shall " flow sin1ply tipped with a smooth iron point, it away," i.e. melt and disappear, "in the day would be eo..ey to withdraw it; but B. barbed of his wrath," i.e;tbe day when wrath comes arrow could only be cnt Olli. Yea, the upon him. . . , glittering sword oometh out of his gall ; Ver. 29.-This is the portion 0, 'a. widked rather, the glittering point. The arrow iB man. from God; i.e. the lot, or· p<iseeasion of aupposed to have pierced the gall-bladder, a tDicked man-that which God makes over and to be drawn forth from it. There would to him e.s his own in the:le.stresort, aud ,which be littl.e chance of recovery in such a case. is all that he has to look for. In other Hence terro111 are upOJ1. him. words, it is.. the herite.ge appointed UD.to Ver. 26.-All darkneSB shall be hid in hil him by God (comp.. eh. xxvii. 13). ·As·to eecret plaoel; literally, all darkneB/1 is f'e- some God, at the le.s t, will assign e.n in- ~ for 1'u t,-eaaures, which some under- heritance of good,sotoothel'B hewillappoint 11t.a.nd of hie hidden earthly treasures, which e.n inheritance of evil
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-29.-Zophar to Job: an orthodox champion~ tM rescue. L As :~E- Tuous ORATOB PEBTURBED. Threatened with Di vine vengeance, Zopha.r adva~c~s to .tpe 0