speak of himself 118 an " angel-Interpreter, Ver. 28.-He will deliver hie aoul from one e.mong a thouennd;" nm! it is not pro- going into the pit, and his lile ah&ll aee the be.ble the.t he intends o. reference to 1my light j rather, as in the margin, he hath merely hume.n helper. To show unto man delivered my soul ffom going into the pit his uprightneBB ; either " to show to e. mo.n (comp. ver. ?.4), and my life shall see the what it is rigb t for him to do," or" to indicate light. The reftltored penitent is ~till speaking. to e. man in who.t true righteousness consists." Ver. 29.-Lo, e.ll these thmgs worketh Ver. 24.-Then he is gra.oioua unto him, God oftentimee (litere.Ily, twice and th'fiee) and BBith. Some interpret," Then he (i.e. with man. Elihu, from this point to the God) is gracious unto him, end be (i.e. the end of the chapter, speaks in his own per- angel) saith." Others make God the subject son. Goel, he says, thus works with man, of both clauses. But the angel is tho natural through visions or through chastisements subject. Deliver him from going down to oftentimeB-not, in the le.tter case, taking the pit. The media.ting angel thus a.cl. vengeance on them for their sins, but gra- dresses God, and adds, I have found a. ransom, ciously leadin11; them on to a better mind leaving the nature of the ransom unex- e.nd o higher spiritual condition. This is plained. Some notion of ransom, or e.tone- po.rt of God's ordinary moral government, men t, underlay the whole idea. of so.orifice, and Job be.a no need to suppose himself ex- which appears to have been unive1·sally ceptionally dee.It with. Elihu has reason practised from the remotest times by the on his side in all this, and his words may Oriental nations. have given Job some comfort. But they Ver. 25.-His flesh shall be fresher than did not exactly fit Job's case. Elihu, un- a ohild's. The chastisement having done less supernaturally enlightened, could not its work, and the sufferer being delivered possibly penetrate into the special circum- from death by the mediating angel, e. res- stances of Job's trio.I. He could only try to toration to health follows. The recovery bring his case under general lows, of which of " flesh fresher than a. child's" stands e.s it was not an illustration ; and so, though the natural antithesis to Job's leprosy. He well-meant and probably of some service, shall return to the days of his youth. his argument we.a no complete answer to '{Youthful strength, youthful vigour, youth- Job's difficulties. ,\ ful feelings, shall come bRck to him. He Ver. 30.-To bring back his soul from the shall be once more e.s he was in the days pit. For discipline and correction, not for l of his prime. J Ver. 26.-He shall pray unto God, and vengeance-in love and not in anger (comp. Heb. xii. 5-11, where the doctrine ill set , he (i.e. God) will be fa.voura.ble unto him. forth fully). To be enlightened with the Being restored to God's favour, he will once light of the living; or, that he may be en- more be able lo e.ddrtss him in "effectual lightened. This is God's purpose, ordinarily, fervent prayer," a.ud obtain whatever he de- in afflicting men ; or, at e.ny rate, a po.rt of sires of him. And he shall see his fa.oe with his purpose. He aims at enlightening their joy, God's face shall no longer be a terror understandings, and so enabling them to io him, but he shall look upon it with joy comprehend his ways, and clearly see the and gladness. For he (i.e. God) will render path which it is their true wisdom to walk in. unto man his righteousness. Tbe.t is, will Ver. 31.-Mark well, 0 J"ob, hearken unto both account e.nd make him righteous- me ; i.e. "Mark well what I say. Note it, both justify e.nd sanctify him. and lo.y it np in thy bee.rt." Hold thy peace, Ver. 27.-He looketh upon men; rather, and I will speak. It may be conjectured he (i.e. the restori,d penitent) Bingeth be/o-re that Job at this point showed some inclina- men. He is jubilant, and confesses his tion to break silence o.nd answer Elihu. former offences with e. light heart, feeling But Elihu thought that he bad a. great deal that now he is pardoned end restored to more to say, which was of importance, o.nd God's favour. And ifany say, I have sinned, wisbe<l not to be interrupted. He therefore and perverted that which we.a right. This checked Job's utterance. Tbeu, fearing is altogether e. mistre.nsla.tion. The con- lest he ha<l gone too tar, he mada the con- struction of the Hebrew is simple enough, cession of the next verse. and runs thus: And he (the penitent) saith, Ver. 32.-lf thou hast anything to say, I have sinned and perverted that tchich was answer me. Nevertheless, i.e., if there is right. And it profited me not; i.e. "I gained really anything that thou wouldst fo.in urgo nothing by my tre.nsgressious-they brought on thine own behalf e.t this point, speak-I me no o.dvnnt11ge." Compare St. Paul's in- em ready to hear-for I desire to justify quiry (Row. vi. 21), "What fruit had ye thee; i.e. " I am anxiou::,, if possible, or so theu in those things whereof ye 11re now fe.r as possible, to defoud and justify thy eshamcd?" Some, however, translate, conduct." Then, probably, Elihu mad" 11, "And it wns not requited to me," which po.use, to allow of Job's speaking; but, aa eho gives a good meaning. tl?-.o patrinrch kept silenco, he coutinuod. 538 THE BOOK OF JOB. [on. xnm. 1---83,
Ver. 88.-U uot, hearten unto me: bbld addl'81ls, and especially in hia notion tha, he thy pea11a, and I ■hall teach thee wiedom. oould "teach Job wisdom." It is eignift., Elihu is cenainly quite eufllciently im- oant that neither now, when expresaly in- preseed with the senee of his intellectual ca- vited to reply, nor 11t any subsequent 11oint pacity. Job's silence may have been meant of the diaooutee. nor even at its close, does'. BB a sort of tacit rebuke to him. Consider- Job condescend to make any answer at aU ing hie youth (rh. :u.xii. 6), there is some- to Elihu's speeoh. thing of arroganoe in the whole tone of hie