Job 12

ANd Iob answered and said,

No doubt, but ye are the people You three, and you only are the people; i. e. people of all people for eminency of wisdom, the only company of reasonable Creatures, all others are but fools or beasts: You have engrossed all the reason of Mankind; and each of you have as much wisdom as an whole people put together. It is an Ironical Expression, as the next Verse shows., and wisdom shall die with you All the wisdom and knowledge of divine things which is in the World, lives in you, and will die and be utterly lost when you die. This you think of your selves; and this makes you so confidently and peremptorily deliver your Opinions, and give Laws to me and all mankind, and even to God himself..

But I have an understanding Heb. an heart; which is oft put for the understanding; as Iob 34. 34 Ier 5. 21. Acts. 8. 22. i. e. God has given me also the knowledge and ability to judge of these matters. as well as ye, I am not inferiour to you In these things; which he speaketh, no... in a way of vain-glorious boasting, but for the just and vindication, both of himself and of that cause of God, which for the matter and substance of i... he maintained as God himself attests, Iob 42. 7: yea, who knoweth not such things as these The truth is, neither you nor I have any re... son to be puffed up with our knowledge of these thing...: For the most foolish and barbarous Nations know that God is Infinit... in Wisdom, and Power, and Justice. But this is not the question between you and me.?

I am as one mocked of his neighbour Heb. I am a derision (the Infinitive being put for a Noun, as is usual both in the Hebrew and other Languages) to my neighbour; i. e to th... se three who have pretended and would be though... to be my Friends and Neighbours; whom therefore such carriage does very ill become: Instead of supporting & comforting me, they make a sport and scorn of me., who up in God, and he answereth him This who belongs either 1. to Iob, who here declares his own practice in this case; when you mock me. I go to God with my Complaints and Prayers, and he hears me, though you will not. But this seems not to agree either with the Context, or with other passages of Iob; in which he constantly complains, that God did not hear nor regard his prayers, nor pity and help him. Or 2. to Iob's Friends; and so this is either 1. an aggravation of their Crime, that they should mock him who made a great profession of Religion, who used... uly to call upon God, and to receive answers from him, and therefore should have carried themselves more piously and charitably, and compassionately towards their miserable Brother. Or 2. as the reason of their mockage of Iob, because God who neglected Iob's prayers, heard theirs, and gave them those mercies for which they pra... ed; and therefore being themselves well and at ease, they were hard-hearted towards their poor afflicted Brother, as the manner of men is. This seems to suit well with the following Verse. Or 3. as an Argument against their scorning or slighting of him; God hears you when you pray, therefore you should turn your mocks of me into prayers for me; and you should pity me, whom God does not hear when I pray: and as God hears you, so you should hear and comfort me, when I pour out my Complaints to you. But these words may be brought in mimetically, as being some of their scoffing words: They say of me, Let him call upon God, and God will hear him: For so they had suggested to Iob, Ch. 5. 8. & 8. 5. &c. & 11. 13. But this, says Iob, I take for a piece of mockery, and insulting over my Miseries: For I know by sad experience, and they see the contrary, that though I call and cry again and again, yet God has no regard to me.: the just upright man is laughed to scorn i. e. I, who, notwithstanding all their hard censures and reproaches, must and dare still own it, that through God's grace I am a just and upright man, am derided by them. This he repeats again because it was very grievous and burdensom to him..

He that is ready to slip with his feet i. e. The just man last mentioned who is upon the brink of the Pit or Grave, ready to fall into mischief, so as never to rise again in this World, which is my case, and the occasion of their scorn and contempt., is as a lamp despised i. e. Like a Lamp or Torch, which whilst it shines clearly and in a dark Night is very useful and comfortable, but when it draws towards an end, and is nigh extinct, and in the light, is neglected and despised, as that which is unnecessary and troublesom, and offensive So the same man, who, when his Feet stand fast in a prosperous Condition, is magnified and adored by all: When his feet slip or stumble, as the Phra... e is, Psalm 94. 18. Ier. 13. 16. when he is in misery, is commonly forsaken and despised. in the thought of him that is at... ase i. e. In the Opinion of a man that lives in great case and outward happiness; which generally makes persons to forget and despise those who are in affliction. But these words are a little otherwise rendred, and that agreeably to the order of the words in the Hebrew Text, He (which is easily understood out of verse 4. the just and upright man) is as a T... despised in the opnion or thought, (as this or the like words coming from the same Hebrew Root are used, Psalm 146. 4. Dan 6. 3. I... n. 1. 6. Or because of the splendor; for so this Root and its Derivatives elsewhere signifie, as Cant. 5. 14. Ier. 5. 28. Ezek. 27. 19 And either of these significations agree well with the place. Or, compared with the splendor, or greater luster and glory) of him that li... s in tranquillity;... e, (i. e. the just man) is (or, he is: for this may be the reason of the contempt) ready to slip with his foot; i. e. ready to perish..

The tabernacles of robbers prosper Thy Opinion delivered Chap. 11. 14, &c. is confuted by daily experience; which shows that the most wicked and injurious, and impudent Oppressors, Tyrants and Robbers, are so far from meeting with those Disappointments and Miseries, wherewith thou didst threaten them that they commonly succeed in their cursed Enterprizes, and flourish in Wealth and Glory, and fill their Houses with the Goods of others which they violently took away; whereof the Chaldeans and Sabeans, ch. 1. 15. 17. are a present and pregnant Evidence., and they that provoke God are secure They whose common practice it is to despise and provoke God, are confident and secure, live without danger or fear.; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly So far is God from crushing such persons, that he seems to favour them with wonderful success, and by his special and more than common Providence, puts into their hands the opportunities which they seek, and the persons and goods of other more righteous men which they lie in wait for..

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee To wit, objectively; i. e. If thou observest the Beasts and their Properties and Actions and Events, from them thou mayst learn this Lesson: What Lesson? I answer, Either 1. that which was last mentioned, v. 5. God's Providence does order things in the like manner among the very Beasts, and Fowls and Fishes; of which the most ravenous and mischievous fare the best, whilest those which are more harmless, and serviceable, and beneficial to men, meet with the hardest usage. Or 2. That which Zophar had uttered with so much pomp and gravity, Chap. 11. 7, 8, 9. concerning God's Infinite Wisdom, which, says Iob, thou needest not go into Heaven or Hell to know, but thou mayst learn it even from the Beasts, &c.; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee.

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee, and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.

Who knoweth not in all these Or, by all these Brute-creatures., that the hand of the LORD has wrought this That God by his power and wisdom has created and ordered all this which is in them, or is done by and among them.?

In whose hand i. e. At whose absolute disposal it is to give it, or take it away when and how it seemeth good to him. is the soul The Life, or the Soul the Principle of Life. of every living thing i. e. Of all unreasonable Creatures, of which he spoke v. 7. opposed to man in the last words., and the breath Or, the spirit, as that word is commonly used; i. e. the Immortal Soul; which is no less a Creature, and in Gods power to dispose of it, than the Animal Soul of unreasonable Creatures. of all mankind.

Does not the ear try words? and the mouth tast his meat As the Mouth tasteth and thereby judgeth of Meats, and as it liketh or disliketh, so it receiveth or rejecteth what is put into it; so it is the Office of the Ear, or rather of the Mind, which hears and receives the Opinions and Discourses of others by the Ear, not rashly to approve or condemn every thing which it hears, but diligently and thoroughly to search and try whether it be true, and so to be embraced; or false, and to be rejected. Interpreters are much puzzled about the connexion and design of these words: But they seem to be either 1. An Apology for himself, why he did not comply with their Opinion and Arguments, because they did not suit with his Ear or Mind; and though he had considered and tried them, he could not discern any weight in them. Or, rather 2. a Reproof to his Friends, that they did so hastily condemn his Person and his Doctrine without a strict and serious enquiry. Or, 3. a Preface to his following Discourse; whereby he invites them to hear and judge of his Words and Arguments more candidly and impartially; and not to scorn all that he said because of his present poverty and misery, as men a...... ase use to do; nor to cast away the good for any mixture, of bad with it; but calmly to weigh and debate things both within and among themselves and with him, that they and he too might all agree in disallowing whatsoever should appear to be false, and owning of every truth.

With the ancient is Wisdom, and in length of days Understanding These words contain a concession of what Bildad had said, ch. 8. 8, 9. and a joining with him in that appeal; but withal, an intimation, that this Wisdom was but sinite, and imperfect, and liable to many mistakes; and indeed mere Ignorance and Folly, if compared with the divine Wisdom, of which he speaks in the next and following Verses. And therefore that antiquity which they pretended for their Opinion, ought not to be received against the Oracles or Truths of the eternal and most wise God..

With him i. e. With God; the Relative being put for the Antecedent, which is easily and necessarily understood out of the scope of the place, and all the following Verses. is Wisdom Perfect Wisdom is only in him, and all Wisdom in the World cometh from him, who giveth to old or young as i... pleaseth him: The ancient are not wise without his Gi... and G... ce, and with that a younger Man may be wiser than the Ancients, David was, Psal. 119. 100. and strength, he has Counsel and Understanding Counsel, i. e. Practical Wisdom to guide all the Affairs of the World, and Understanding, or a speculative knowledge of all persons and things..

Behold, he breaketh down To wit Houses, Castles, Cities, which God designeth to destroy utterly., and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up If he will shut up a man in Prison, or in any straits or troubles. a man, and there can be no opening Without Gods Permission and Providence..

Behold, he withholdeth the waters Which are reserved in the Clouds, that they may not fall upon the Earth., and they i. e. The Waters upon the Earth, Ponds, and Springs, and Brooks, and Rivers. dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the Earth.

With him is strength and Wisdom He does the things here mentioned in the foregoing and succeeding Verses, and that both powerfully, so as no Creature can resist and hinder him, and wisely so as none can prevent and overreach him. The same thing he had said before, v. 13. but he repeats it here to prepare the way for the following events, which are eminent Instances, both of his Power and Wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his i. e. From or by him, and wholly subject to his disposal. That one man deceiveth another, and that the other is deceived by him, either in Divine, or Civil and Worldly things, (which seem to be principally intended here by comparing the following Verses;) this is from God, and by the conduct of his wise and powerful Providence. God giveth to the deceiver more Wit, and Knowledge, and Art, and withal opportunity, and all favourable Circumstances for his deceit. He also gives less Understanding to the deceived, and withdraws from him either wholly, or in part, that common light of discretion, which is his free Gift, and he may justly give, or take away as he pleaseth, and leaves him to his own Ignorance and Errour, Pride and Self-conceit, and to all those Prejudices, Passions, and Lusts, which commonly corrupt mens Minds, and to the Power and Crafts of Satan, that grand deceiver. He governs the Deceiver, and sets bounds to his Deceits, to whom, and when, and how far they shall extend, as is manifest from Deut. 13. 1. 1 King. 22. 20. Isa. 19. 14. Ezek. 14. 9. Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thes. 2. 11. Rev. 20. 3, 8. He also over-rules all this to his own Glory, and the accomplishment of his righteous Designs of trying the good, and punishing wicked men, by giving them up to believe Lies. Yet God is not the cause or Author of any error or sin, but only the wise and holy Governour and Disposer of it..

He leadeth Counsellors away spoiled The wise Counsellors or Statesmen, by whom the affairs of Kings and Kingdoms are ordered, he leadeth away as Captives in triumph, being s... oiled either of that Wisdom which they had, or seemed or pretended to have; or of that Power and dignity which they had enjoyed., and maketh the Judges Fools Partly by discovering their Folly; and partly by infatuating their Minds and turning their own Counsels to their ruine: Of which see 2 Sam. 15. 31. & 17. 14, 23. Isa. 19. 11. 1 Cor. 1. 19.

He looseth the Bond of Kings Either 1. Passively, whereby they are bound. He freeth them from Prison or restraint. Or rather 2. Actively, that wherewith they bind their Subjects to Obedience, to wit, their Power and Authority, and that Majesty which God stamps upon Kings, to keep their People in awe: All which God can, and oft does take away from them, and freeth the People from their Bonds, when it pleaseth him: Of which all Histories give Instances. See Da.... 2. 21., and girdeth their Loins with a Girdle Either 1. With a Girdle of Dignity and Glory, which was put upon the Loins of men in great Honour and Authority, as Isa. 11. 5. and 22. 21. Ier. 13. 1, 2. So this Member of the Verse is opposite to the former, and the sense of the whole is, he either casteth down Kings or raiseth them up, as he pleaseth. But the Scripture no where mentions this Girdle as one of the Ornaments of Kings. Or rather, 2. With a servile Girdle: For seeing all, both the foregoing and succeeding passages do evidently nore acts of Judgment or punishments, in... icted upon them, it seems improper to understand this alone of an act of Gods favour to them. So the sense is, He reduceth them into a mean and servile condition; which is thus expressed because Servants did use to gird up their Garments (which after the manner of those parts and time were loose and long) that they might be fitter for attendance upon their Masters; of which see Luk. 12. 37. & 17. 8. And so this is an amplification of the former sentence. He not only deposeth them from their Thrones, but brings them into Bondage and Slavery..

He leadeth Princes So this word, which usually signifies Priests, is oft used, as Gen. 41. 45. & 47. 22, 26. Exod. 2. 16. 2 Sam. 8. 18. Compared with 1 Chron. 18. 17. away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.

He removeth away the Speech Either 1. By taking away or restraining the Gift of utterance from them that they should not be able to express their thoughts with such clearness and Power, as they used to do; which God oft does to wise and eloquent men. Or 2. By bringing them into such straits and troubles that they know not what to say or advise. Or 3. By taking away their Understanding which should suggest and direct their Speech, as it here follows. Or, 4. By permitting them to betray their trust, and either not to speak when they should, or to speak otherwise than they should, and to use their Wit and Rhetorick, not to direct, but to deceive, and so destroy a Prince. of the trusty i. e. Of those wise and eloquent Counsellors, that were, and for their great abilities might be trusted by the greatest Princes with all their affairs., and taketh away the Understanding of the aged.

He poureth contempt upon Princes i. e. He makes them contemptible to their Subjects and others., and weakneth Heb. He looseth the Girdle. Which Phrase signifies weakness, as Isa. 5. 27. as the girding of the Girdle notes strength and Power, as Isa. 22. 21. & 45. 5. Both these Phrases being taken from the quality of their Garments, which being loose and long, did disenable, a man for Travel or Work. the strength of the Mighty.

He discovereth deep things out of Darkness i. e. The most secret and crafty Counsels of Princes, which are contrived and carried on in the dark. and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.

He encreaseth the Nations, and destroyeth them What hitherto he said of Princes, he now applies to Nations and People, whom God does either increase or diminish, as he pleaseth.: he enlargeth the Nations He multiplies them so that they are forced to send forth Colonies into other Lands. and straitneth them again Or, leadeth them in: or, bringeth them back into their own Land, and confineth them there..

He taketh away the Heart Which signifies either 1. Their Courage, as Psal. 76. 12. or rather 2. Their Wisdom and Counsel, as Iob 5. 13 Isa. 3. 4. as the following words show. of the chief Either for place and Power: or for Wisdom and Conduct. of the People of the Earth, and causeth them to wander in a Wilderness where there is no way i. e. Fills them with confusion, and uncertainty, and perplexity of mind, so that they know not how to govern themselves or their People..

They grope Like men that cannot see their way. in the dark without light Two Phrases expressing the same thing, emphatically to express their pro... ound darkness., and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man Who reels hither and thither without any certainty. So they sometimes take one course and sometimes another, as resolving to try all experiments, and indeed not knowing what to do..