The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 537

he11thon ne.tione, he might have an interest it :fittin~ to accuee his sovereign of wiclied 11part from th11t of those whom he governs, and nnj ust c<>nd'uct? Would he even tax nud eo be tempted to be unjust; but ne he those who stood next to the king-the ie tlio Author of 1Lll and the sole Ri1 !er of princes 1Lnd great officers or the court-with nil, hie interest must bo hound up with the ungodliness? If a sense M what is becom- true interests of his creo.luree, 1Lnd cannot ing and seemly would restrain a man from clo.sh with ihcm. He cnn thus never be the uec of language of thii1 sort towards his unjust, since lie cnn have no temptation to earthly ruler, can it be right that he should bo unjust. Or who bath disposed the whole nllow himself in such lib8rty of speech world 1 rnthor, Who hath laid up011 him the towards his heavenly King, his 1Lbsolute whole world? (eeo tho margin of the ReviHed Lord and Master? Job had not rea11y used Version). Elihu repents the idea of the such language of God, though the cornplaint3 previ_ous clo.ueo 1n other words. which he had made with respect to God's Ver: 14.-If he set his heart upon man, if treatment of him might not unreasonably be he gathe~ unto himself hie spirit and his held to imply some such accusation. breath. Two renderings are proposed, both Ver. 19.-How mnch less to him that ·supported by about equal o.uthority: (1) "If aocepteth not the persona of princes I How he (i.e. God) set hie he1Lrt upon himself, if he much less becomingly is such language used sho·uld go.ther to himself his oum spirit 1Lnd of One so far above princes that he regards breiLth," then all flesh would perish, tltc. them .as on a level with all other men, and (2) "If he [i.e. God] set his heart upon [or, pays them no special respect I Worldly •against'] man, if he were to gather to rank is, of course, not.biog with God. All himself man's spirit and man's breath," then, mankind are hi; subjects and servants, whom etc. The difference is not greo.t. God he differentiates one from nuother solely could, either. by withdrawing ,from man the by their moral and spiritual qua.lities. Nor breath and spirit which he has given him, regardeth the rich more than the poor. If or simply by withholding from man the earthly rank is of no account with God, mnch quickening and sustaining influences which less ie abundance of possessions. The he ie perpetually putting forth, reduce all parable of the rich mau and La.mrtll! places humankind to nothingness. Being eo .com- his complete indifference in a strong light. pletely lno.eter of man, he would surely not For they all are the work of his hands. All condescend to treat him with injustice. In- classes of men, rich and poor, powerful and justice implies something. of opposition, weak, are equally God's creatures, brought struggle, rivalry. into the·world by him, given by him their Ver. 15.-All flesh shall perish together sever1Ll stations, and regarded by him with (comp. Pe. civ. 29), Without God's sustain- favour or disfavour, according as they ing hnnd, all creatures would fall back into conduct themselves in their various occupa- .nolhingnees. And man shall turn again. tions e.nd employments. ll.Ilto, dust. Either Elihu refers here to Ver. 20.-In a moment shall they die. All Gen. iii. 19, or else he has a traditional lie under the same law of death- knowledge of man's origin, handed down " Pallida Mors mquo pulsat pede pauperum from o. remote antiquity, which ie in entire tabernas conformity with the Hebrew belief. Regumque turres." Ver. 16.-If now thou hast understand• (Horace,' Od.,' i. 4, ll.13, 14.) ing, hear this. The appenl ie not to Job, but to o.ny wise nnd intelligent man among "In a moment," whene,er God wills, they the many hearers who wero present (see the pass from life and disappear, the rich comment on vers. 1, 2). Hearken to the equally with the needy, the powerful prince voice of my words (comp. vers. 2, 10). ae much as the outcast and the beggar. And Ver. 17.-Shall even he that hateth right the people, shall be troubled at mid.night, govern 1 Is it conceivable that there can and pass away (comp. Exod. xii 29; 2 Kings be at the head of the uni verso, it.a Ruler aud xix. 35). Such sudden cataatropbes are .Guiile, o·uo who bates justice? The appeal infrequent; but it ie within the power of is to.the instinctive feeling .that in.the one God to produce them at any time. When God per. feet good11ess 11nd ournipotence are they occur, they strikingly exemplify tl1e Ullited, Its spirit ie exactly that of Abra- equality of his dealings with all classes of ham's question, '' Shall not the Judge of all men, since none escape (Exod. :xi, 5; xii. the ea1·th do right?" (see Gon. xviii, 5). 2D). And the mighty shall be ta.ken away And wilt thou co11demn him that is most without hand; i.e. without human agency just 1 re.ther, liim tl1at is both just and strong (comp.Dau. ii. !H). (see the Revised Version). Ver. 21.-For hie eyes are upon the ways Ver. 18.-ls it fit to say to a king, Thou of ma.11, and he aeeth all his gQings. Elihu nrt wioked 1 cmd to prinoes, Ye are ungodly 1 proceeds to II fresh argument. The omni- Would uny subjec~ of a11 eo.rthly ~ing dell.QI. science of God is a eeonrity against hill acting  'rlIE BOOI{ OF JOB.