The Pulpit Commentary — Job — Section 640

~cnt the impreelrion which the e.nime.l would th&t one of their early klnga bad been alaln mnke on an impreeeible bnt nnecientiftc by a crocodile (Maneth" &p. Euseb., • Ohron. ohsener viewing it in its natfro h11.nnte for Can.,' p&rs i. 20, p. 98). The 'l'Vorebip p&!d the firettime. Spluhing, snorting, and throw- to orocodiles in some p&rts of Egypt, and the ing up epre.,· nil around, it would seem to be hatred felt tow&rde them in others, were hrmthingoutstcnm nnd smoke, from which the probably nlike inspired by fea.r. .lEllan idee. of fire is insepnrnble(eee the next verse). BRys that, in the distriote where crocodiles Ver. 20.-0nt of his nolltril■ goeth 11moke, were worshipped, it was not eafe for e.ny 1111 out or a ■eething pot or oaldron; rather, one to WIUlh his foet or to draw water nt n• frnm a ,ee.th ing pot and l'U3MI! ; i.e. 611 the river, and th&t in the vioinity of some from a p0t hented by burning rnehes. towns pcopl0 did not de.ro to walk along Yer. 21.-Kill breath kind.lath 008!.s, and the be.nk of the elr<>e.m (' Nat. AJJ.,' x. 24). a flame goeth out of his mouth. All the In modern times they have been known to rcpr<>sentatione of dragons b1'811thing smoke precipitate men from the be.nk into the w11ter and flnmes, found in the myths and engns by & sweep of their tail, and then to devour of "" runny countries, probably rest upon them at their leisure. By rea.son of break- the observed fact of stMm or spre.y streaming inga they purify themselves ; rather, theg forth from the mouth and widely opened are -founded. The "bree.kings" m11y be Dost.rile of the crocodile. The st.ee.m has either the breakinge forth of the e.nimal seemed to be smoke, and smoke has ne.tn- from his lair e.mong the Nile rushes, or his rally su1tgeet.ed flame and fire. " breaking" of the weapons of hia assailanta. Ver. 22.-In his neok rema.ineth strength. Ver. 26.-The sword of him that layeth It has been well remarked that the whale at him OIIDllot hold, It either mnkee no has no neck, or at anv rate none that is impression or it ene.ps in his hand. Equally visible. while the crocodile has one that ie vain are the l!pe&r, the da.rt, and the javelin. of great strength, and the.t naturally attracts Habergean ie a mistranslation. obsenntion. "Le con assez marque," says Ver. 27.-He esteemeth iron 1111 straw, e.nd the • Dictionne.ire dee Sciences' (Z.e.c. ). It braes (rather, brome) as rotten wood, Even is nearlv of the same diameter with the head the hardest metals are useless age.inst the at the point of junction, and where it adjoins crocodile. Modern& observe that even flre- the body is still larger. And sorrow ii e.rms are of little ave.ii against him. The turned into joy before him; rather, and ha.ck and tail, at any rate, resist musket- t,e,-ror cumeeth before him (see the Revised balls (Bochart); and a rifl.e-bullet will glance Version). Whithersoever he proceeds, he aside if it strikes one of the BOalee (Trie- cansee terror ; people tremble, take to flight, tram); eee ver. 15. and disappear. Ver. 28.-The arrow CIIDllot make him Ver. 23.-Theflakes ofhil flesh are joined flee; litere.lly, the 1011 of the bow (oomp. together. Even the softer mu.soles, and Lam. iii. 13, where arrows are called "sons parts which in moet anime.le are yielding of the quiver"). Sling-lltones are turned with and flabby, in the crooodile are bound up, him into stubble. (On the nee of the sling and, as it were, soldered together (comp. ver. as a weapon of war in ee.rly times, see the 17). They are :firm ill themeelve1; rather, e.ntbor's • Hist. of Ancient Egypt,' vol. i. p, they are firm upon him; litemlly, fuaed upon 449 ; e.nd comp. 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol 1,im, like det&ched pieoea of metal, which ii. pp. 35, 36 ; 1 Sam. xvii. 49, 50 : 2 Kings are melt,ed one into another. They OB.DJLOt iii. 25.) (On "stubble" as a metaphor for be moved. Hie whole body is so firmly wee.knees, see e.bove, eh. xxi, 18, and com- compacted together that it is ell oue piece; pare the next verse.) the eepamte parts cannot be moved sepa- Ver. 29.-Darts are oounted aa stubble; rately. One result is that the orocodile he.s mther, the club u counted a, stubble. Maces, great difficulty in turning. either of hard wood or of metal, were ueed Ver. 24.-Eis heart ii :firm u a lltone. by the Assyrian& (' Ancient Monarchies,' Some rel('ard this B8 intended physically, vol. ii. p. 64). They had heavy heads, and and note that the great saurians, with their were quite e.e effective weapons e.e either cold and sluggish circule.tion, have hearts swords or spee.rs. If a strong man could which are comparatively torpid, not oon- have succeeded in dealing a blow with one tracting or expanding readily. Others take on the he&d of a crocodile, it would probably the "stony heart" to mean e. fierce and he.ve proved fatal; bnt intending a.es&ilants obstinate disposition. In either case, the were doubtless charged, and scattered '' e.e dellCription will well suit the crocodile. Yea, stubble,n before they could find opportunity u hard u a piece af the nether millatone. to Btrike. Re laugheth e.t the shaking of A repetition and slight exaggeration of the a 1pear; rather, at the ru,hing of tlui ja'Delln preceding idea. (see the Revised Version). Ver. 25.-When he raiaeth up himaelf, the Ver. 30.-Sharp lltones are under him; mie'htJ are dr&i4. Egyptian hilrt.oriane B&id mther, j119ged potsherd, are undtr him; i.e cu. xr.r. 1-34.] THE BOOK OF JOB. 657