The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 486

rally with harshness o.nd cruelty in his rela- special o}~im on ma.a'! benevolonco (ee6 tions towards those weaker tho.n himself Exod. xxu. 22; Deut. xiv. 20; xvi. 11 H, (ob. xxii. 6-9), but had not specio.lly pointed xxiv. 19; xxvi. 12, 13; Pd. cxlvi. !) ; Prov'. to this kind of oppressiveness. As, however, xv. 25; Isa. i. 17; Jar. vii. 6; M"I. iii. 5; this was the commonest form of the vice, 1 Tim. v. 16; Jae. i. 27). Job deems it right to disclaim it, before Ver. 17.-0r he.va eaten my morsel my- 11ddrcssiog himself to the severo.l charges self alone, and the f11therleas hath not ea.ten brought by Elipbnz. Ho bus not ill used thereof. With the widow, the fatherless is bis slo.ves, either mole or femnle. Ho has usually conjoined, as an equal object of not" despised their cause," but given it full compassion (see Ex:od. xxii. 22; Deut. L consideration 11ntl attention; he has heard 18; Ps. lxviii. 5; lsl\. i. 17; Jar. xxii. 3; them when they oontended with him ; he Ezek. xxii. 7; Zech. vii. 10, etc.). Eliphaz baa allowed them to "contend ; " he bas hacl specially charged Job with oppression 1 been a just, and not a bo.rcl master. The of the fatherl~•s (cb. xxii. ::I), and his charge slavery of which be speaks is evidently of ha<l been demed by Job (eh. xxix. 12). He a kind 11Uder which the slave had certain now claims to have always shared his bread rights, as was the case also under the Mosaic with orphans, and made them partakers of Law (Exod. xxi. 2-11). his abundance. Vers. H, 15.-What then shall I do when Ver. 18.-For from my youth he was God riseth up1 Job regards Goel as the brought up with me, as with a father, and Avenger and Champion of a.II the oppressed. I have guided her from my mother's womb; If he bacl been harsh and cruel to his depen- i.e. I have always, so long as I can remem- dants, he would have provoked God's anger, ber, protected the orphan and clone my best 11nd God would assuredly "rise up" one to help the widow. It has been my habit ·day to punish. What, then, could he (Job) from my earliest years so to a.et. The lan- do? What but submit in silence? When guage is exaggerated; hut it had, no doubt, he visitetb, what shall I answer him 1 o. basis of fa.et to rest upon. Job was brought There coul,l be no valid defence. The slave up in these principles. was still a man, a brother-God's creature, Ver. 19.-If I have seen any perish for equally with his master. Did not he that want of clothing (comp. eh. xxii. 6, where made me in the womb make him 1 and did Elipha.z taxes Job with so acting; and, on not one fashion us in the womb 1 God the duty of clothing the naked, see Isa. !viii "bath mo.de of one blood all nations of 7; Ezek. xviii. 7, 16; Matt. xxv. 36). Or ·men," and all individual meu, •• to dwell any poor without covering. A pleonastio on tho face of the earth" (Acts xvii. 26). para.Ilelism. All have rights-in a certain sense, equal Ver. 20.-If his loins have not blessed rights. All are entitled to just treatment, me (see above, eh. xxix. 11, 13), and it fD kind trtla.tment, to merciful treatment. he were not warmed with the fleece of my Job is before his age in recognizing· the sheep. Clothed, i.e., with a garment spun substantial equality of. the slave with the from wool yieldeu by my own sheep. A freeman, which otherwise was scarcely taught great sheikh like Job would keep in store by nny until the promulgation of the gospel many such garments, ready to be given to (sec 1 Tim. vi. 2; Philem, 16). such as were naked or poorly clad, when Ver. 16.-If Iha.ve withheld the poor from they came under his observation (Toa. their desire. As Eliphaz had maintained !viii. 7). (eh. xxii. 6, 7), and as Job had already Ver. 21.-If I have lifted up my hand denied (eh. xxix. 12, 16). The <luty of re- age.inst the fatherless; i.e. if I have in o.ny lieving tho poor, solemnly enjoined upon way oppressed him. When I saw my help the people of Israol in the Law (Deut. xv. in the gate; i.e. when I had the power to 7-11), was generally admitted by the do so-when I saw my friends and hangers- civilized nations of antiquity. In Egypt on mustered in force at the gate where it was especially insisted on. "Tho Egyp- causes were being tried. The wrong and tian's duties to mankind," says Dr. Biroli, robbery which the poor suffer in the Ea.et "were comprised In giving brend to tho have always been ea.used, to a large extent, hungry, drink to the thirsty, clothes to the by failure of justice "in the courts, where no.keel, oil to the wounded, aud burial to might, and not right, carries the day. the dead" (' Egypt from the Ea1·1iest Times,' Ver. 22.-Theu let mine arm (rather, my p. 46). 01· have caused the eyes of the Blwulder) fall from my shoulder-blade. Job widow to !ail. "Thc,u bast sent widows was, perhaps, led to make this rather strange 11way empty," was one of the accusations of imprecation by the fact that, iu the disease Eliphuz (oh. xxii. 9). "I caused the from which he was suffering, portions of wi,low's heart," replied Job, "to sing for bone sometimes detach themselves and comti joy" (eh. xxix. 13). 'fhe widow's weak- awuy. And mine arm be broken from th1 ness bas 111 ways been folt to give her e bone. l\Iy fore-arm, i.e., detach itself fro111  ti02 THE BOOK OF .'TOl3. [on. xx:u. 1-'0.