The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 522

Vor. 7.-111.y terror shall not make thee aga~llt me. This charge may perhape be o.fraid. Thou canst foe) no o.lnrm o.t ,rn,; I justified by reference to Job's comploints cannot terrify thee, BB God would (eh. vi. 4; in oh. vii. 17-19 and x. 3-6; but tho vii. 14; ix. 84, eto.). Neitherehall my hand exact words II.re not Job's. He oounteth me (litemlly, m11 paolc-saddle) be heavy upon for hill enemy. Certainly, Job had ,ai,l thee. Thou wilt not feel my presence o. this more tho.n once (see eh. xvi. 9; xix. 11). burden, or be crushed under the weight of But he cannot really have believed it, or his my words. trust in God must have failed. 'fbe fact that to the last he clung to God, npperLled Vere. 8-12.-His exordium over, Elihu to him, hoped to receive judgment from him proceeds to point out what he blames in (eh. xxxi. 2, 6, 28, 35-37), is proof sufficient Job's disoourses, o.nd at present notices two that he knew God we.a not really alienated rlepe.rturcs from truth and right only. Job, from him, but wonld in the end acknowledge he says, asserts his absolute innocence (ver. him and vindicate his character. Ver. 11.-He putteth my feet in the 9); he also maintains the.t God deo.ls with lltooks. A reference to Job's words in eh. him harshly, os an enemy (vers. 10, 11). xiii. 27. Ke marketh ell my paths (comp. Neither assertion is justifiable. oh. :uxi. 4, o.nd see o.lso eh. vii. 17-19). Ver.12.-Behold, in this thou a.rt not just. Ver. 8.-Surely thou he.et spoken in mine It would oerto.inly not ho.ve been e. just hearing, e.nd I have heard the voice of thy charge to make ago.inst God, tho.t he counted words, snying. Elihu does not quote exactly Job us an enemy; and, so far as Job's state- whe.t Job had said. He probnbly intended ments go, it must be admitted that he had to be perfectly fair and just, but in reo.lity le.id himself open to Elibu's rebuke. Bat he greatly overate.tee the truth. Job had it is no logical" answer" to Job's charge to never so.id the words he ascribes to him in say, in reply to it, I will answer thee, that ver. 9 ; at best they are an inference, or God is greater than man, Might does not deduction, from what he had said. And he constitute right, and it is a poor way of had said o. great deal on the other side, justifying God to urge that he is e.11-power- which Elihu overlooks (see the comment on ful, and may do what be likes. So Cambyses ver. 9). was jllBtified in his worst acts by the royal Ver. 9.-I am olean without transgression, judges (Herod., iii. 31); and so in an abso- I am innocent. Joh had not so.id that he lute monarchy it is always possible to justify was "-clean," or" without transgression," or the extremest acts of tyranny. Certainly "innocent." With respect to "cleanness," God cannot act unjustly; but this is not be had observed, "Who can bring o. clean because his doing o. thing makes it right, thing out of an unclean 1 not one," implying but because his justice is a law to his will, that all men were unclean (see oh; xiv. 4). and he never wills to do anything that he Concerning "transgressions," he he.d de- has not previously seen to be just (see Cud- ole.red," I have sinned. . .. Why dost thou worth's • Immutable Morality,' which de- not pardon my transgression, and take o.we.y serves the ce.refnl study, . not alone of mine iniquity?" (ob. vii. 20, 21); e.nd again, moralists, but also of theologians). " Thou me.kest me to possess the iniquities Ver. 13.-Why dost thou strive against of my youth" (eh. xiii. 26). Further, he him 1 Why dost thou insist on taking the had asked to be told the number .of his attitude ofone who contend.9 with God, who iniquities and sins (oh. xiii. 23), o.nd declared would fain ent.er into o. controversy with him, that God kept his transgressions and and force him to pleo.J in his own defence? iniquities sewn up o.nd see.led in o. bog (eh. It is not alone hie omnip0tence that makes xiv. 17). With regard to" innocence," the such conduct folly, but his remoteness, bis only observation that he had me.de was, "l inaccessibility. He co.nnot be forced to know that thou wilt not hold me innocent" make nnswer; it is not bis wont to do so; (oh. ix. 28). What he had really o.sserted he giveth not acoo11I1t of any of his matters. wo.s his uprightness, his integrity, his It is presumptuous to suppose that God will "righteousness" (oh. xii. 4; xvi. 17; xxiii. condescend to reveal himself from henven 7; xxvii. 5, 6; xxxi. 5-40). And three nud mnkc answer to thy overbold che.Jlenges. ore exnctly what God bore witness to ( eh. i. Vor. 14.-For God spea.keth once, yea 8; ii. 3). It is plain, then, tbut Elibu over- twice. God has his own ways of speaking stated his case, ond, whatever his intentions to man, which nre not those the.t Job has were, was practically al.most as unfair to been expecting. He speaks silently and Joh o.s the " }omforters.' Neither is there secretly, not in thunders and lightnings, as iniquity in me. Nor bo.d Job said this. He o.t Sinai (Exod. xii:. I 6-20), not by e:s.tro.• hud frequently arkuowlcdged the contrary ordiunry theophanies, but nevertheless quits (see eh. vii. 21; xiii. 26; xiv. I 7). as effectually. Yet man perceiveth it not. Ver. 10.-Behold, he 11.ndeth oooasions Man often d0es not reco,:nize God's o.cti.011  THE BOOK OF JOB. [CH, xtxm. 1-83.