Job 26

BUt Iob answered and said,

How hast thou helped Thou hast helped egregiously: It is an Ironical expression, implying the quite contrary, that he had not at all helped. See the like, Gen. 3. 22. 1 Kings 18. 27. 1 Cor. 4. 8, 10. him that is without power Either 1. God, who it seems is weak and unwise, and needed so powerful and eloquent an Advocate as thou art, to maintain his Rights and plead his Cause. Or rather 2. Iob himself. I am a poor helpless Creature, my strength and spirits quite broken with the pains of my Body and perplexities of my Mind, whom Nature, and Humanity, and Religion should have taught thee to support and comfort, with a representation of the gracious Nature and Promises of God, and not to terrifie and overwhelm me with displaying his Soveraign Majesty, the thoughts whereof are already so distractive and dreadful to me.? how savest thou the arm that has no strength?

How hast thou counselled him that has no wisdom Either 1. God: Thou hast in effect undertaken to teach God how to govern the World. Or rather 2. me, whom you take to be a man void of understanding, Chapter 11. 2, 3. whom therefore you should have instructed with wholesom counsels, instead of these impertinent discourses; and who indeed do want wisdom being perfectly at a loss, and not knowing what to say or do.? and how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is Heb. Essence, the truth and substance of the thing in question between us; Thou hast spoken the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and all that can be said in the matter. Or, Wisdom, as this word is used, Prov. 3. 21. A most wise and profound discourse thou hast made and much to the purpose: an Ironical expression as before.?

To whom hast thou uttered words For whose Instruction hast thou uttered these things? For mine? Doest thou think me to be so ignorant that I do not know, that which the meanest persons are not unacquainted with; to wit, that God is incomparably greater and better than his Creatures?? and whose spirit came from thee So the sense is, whom hast thou revived or comforted by this discourse? Not me surely. The spirit or breath of a man is in a manner suppressed and intercepted in deep sorrows and consternations, such as Iob's were, and when he is cheared or refreshed, it finds vent and breaths out freely as it did before. But I do not remember that ever this Phrase is used in this sense, but on the contrary, the giving or restoring of life are expressed by the co... ing in, and not by the going out of spirit or breath, as appears from Gen. 2. 7. Ezek 37. 5, 6, 10. The words therefore are and may be otherwise understood; either thus, Whose spirit or inspiration, (as this word signifies, Iob 32. 8.) came from thee? Who inspired thee with this profound discourse of thine? Was it by Divine Inspiration, as thou wouldest have us to believe? Or was it not a rash suggestion of thy own vain and foolish mind? Or thus, Whose spirit went out (to wit, of his body by an extasie of admiration) for thee, by reason of thy discourse? I may be thought partial in my censure of it, but thou mayst perceive none of our Friends here present admire it, except thy self. Or to, or for whom (the Particle eth being here understood out of the former Branch, as is usual among the Hebrews) did breath go out from thee; i. e. didst thou speak? For whose good, or to what end didst thou speak this? God needed it not, I receive no edification or benefit by it.?

Dead things Iob having censured Bildad's discourse concerning God's Dominion and Power as insignificant and impertinent to their question, he here proceedeth to show how little he needed his information in that Point, and that he was able to instruct him in that Doctrine, of which accordingly he gives divers Proofs or Instances. Here he shows tha... the Power and Pro... dence of God reacheth not only to the things which we see, but also to the invisible parts of the World, not only to the Heavens above and their Inhabitants, and to Men upon Earth, of which Bildad discoursed Chap. 25. 2, 3. but also to such persons or things as are under the Earth, or under the Waters, which are under the Earth, which are out of our sight and reach, and might be thought to be out of the ken or care of Divine Providence. This Hebrew word sometimes signifies Giants, as Deut. 2. 11, 20. & 3. 13. and 1 Chron. 20. 8. Whence it may be translated to other great, and as it were, gigantick Creatures, and more commonly dead men, as Psalm 88. 11. Prov. 2. 18. & 9. 18. & 21. 16. Isa. 14. 9. & 26. 14. 19. Whence it is supposed metaphorically to signifie also dead or lifeless things; though there be no example of that use of the word elsewhere; and it may seem improper to call those things dead, which never had no... were capable of life. The next Hebrew Word, or the Verb is primarily used of Women with Child, and signifies their bringing forth their young Ones with travel or grievous pains; as Iob 39. 3. Psalm 29. 9. Isa. 23. 4. & 45. 10. and thence it signifies either to... orm or bring forth, as below, verse 13. Prov. 26. 10. Or to grieve or mourn, or to be in pain. Accordingly these words are diversly understood; either 1. of dead, or lifeless things, such as Amber, Pearl, Coral, Metals, or other Minerals. which are formed or brought forth; to wit, by the Almighty power of God, from under the waters; i. e. either in the bottom of the Sea, or within the Earth, which is the lowest Element, and in the Scripture and other Authors spoken of as under the Waters; this being observed as a remarkable Work of God's Providence, that the Waters of the Sea which are higher than the earth do not overwhelm it, and from under (which may be repeated out of the former Clause of the Verse, after the manner of the Hebrews) the inhabitants thereof; i. e. either of the Waters, which are Fishes, or of the Earth, which are Men. Or rather 2. of the Giants of the old World, which were men of great Renown whilest they lived, Gen. 6. 3. and the remembrance of them and of their exemplary destruction was now in some sort fresh and famous; who once carried themselves insolently towards God and men, but were quickly subdued by the Divine Power, and dr... ned with a Deluge, and now mourn or gr... an from the waters where they were buried, and from under the present Inhabitants thereof, as before. Or 3. of vast and gigantick Fishes or Monsters of the Sea, who by God's infinite power were formed or brought forth under the waters, with the other inhabitants thereof; to wit, of the Waters, the lesser Fishes. Or 4. of dead man, and of the worst sort of them, such as died in their sins, and after death were condemned to further miseries; for of such this very word seems to be used, Prov. 2. 18. & 9. 18. who are here said to mourn or groan from under the waters; i. e. from the lower parts of the earth, or from under those sub... erranean Seas of Waters, which are by Scripture and by Philosophers supposed to be within and under the Earth; of which see Deut. 8. 7. Iob 28. 4 10. Psalm 33. 7. and from under the inhabitants thereof,; i. e. either of the Waters or of the Earth, under which these Waters are, or with the other inhabitants thereof; i. e. of that place under the Waters, to wit, the Apostate Spirits. So the sense is, that Gods dominion is over all men, yea even the dead, and the worst of them, who though they would not own God, nor his Providence, whilest they lived, yet now are forced to acknowledge and feel that power which they despised, and bitterly mourn under the sad effects of it in their subterraneal and infernal Habitations, of which the next Verse speaks more plainly. And this sense seems to be favoured by the Context and scope of the place, wherein Iob begins his discourse of Gods Power and Providence at the lowermost and hidden parts of the World, and thence proceeds to those parts which are higher and visible. Nor is it strange that Iob speaks of these matters, seeing it is evident that Iob, and others of the holy Patriarchs and Prophets of old, did know and believe the Doctrine of the future Life, and of its several Recompences to good and bad men. Others understand this of the Resurrection of the dead; The dead shall be born (as this word is used, Psal. 2. 7. Prov. 8. 24, 25. i. e. shall be raised, which is a kind of Regeneration, or second Birth, and is so called, Mat. 19. 28. Act. 13. 33.) from under the waters (i. e. even those of them that lie in the waters, Rev. 20. 13. that were drowned and buried in the Sea, and devoured by Fishes, &c. whose case may seem to be most desperate, and therefore they only are here mentioned) and (or, e... en, this particle being oft used expositively) the Inhabiants thereof, i. e. those dead corps which lie or have long lain there. are formed from under the waters, and the inhabitants thereof.

Hell h is naked before him i, and destruction As this word is frequently used, as Iob 11. 8. Isa. 57. 9, &c. And so it seems to be explained by the following word destruction, i. e. the place of destruction, which Interpreters generally understand of Hell, or the place of the Damned. Others the Grave, the most secret and obscure places and things. has no covering i. e. It is in his Presence and under his Providence. So far am I from imagining that God cannot see through a dark Cloud, as you traduced me, Chap. 22 13. that I very well know, that even Hell it self, that place of utter darkness, is not hid from his sight.. k i. e. The place of destruction, as it is also used, Prov. 15. 11. by a Metonymy of the Adjunct. l To wit, such as to keep it out of his sight.

He stretcheth out the North i. e. The Northern Pole, or part of the Heavens, which he particularly mentions and puts for the whole visible Heaven, because Iob and his Friends lived in a Nothern Climate, and were acquainted only with that part of the Heavens, the Southern Pole and parts near it being wholly unknown to them. The Heavens are oft and fitly said to be spread or stretched out like a Curtain or Tent, to which they are resembled. over the empty place To wit, the Air, so called not Philosophically, as if it were wholly empty, but popularly, because it seems to be so, and is generally void of solid and visible bodies., and hangeth the earth upon nothing Upon its own Center which is but an imaginary thing, and in truth nothing: Or upon no Props or Pillars, but his own Power and Providence: Which is justly celebrated as a wonderful Work of God both in Scripture, and in Heathen Authors..

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds, and the cloud is not rent under them This also is a miraculous Work of God, considering the nature of these Waters which are fluid and heavy, and pressing downward, especially being oft-times there in great abundance, and withal the quality of the Clouds, which are thin and loose bodies of the same nature with Fogs and Mists upon the Face of the Earth, and therefore of themselves utterly unable to bear that weight, and to keep up those Waters from falling suddenly and violently upon the Earth..

He holdeth back i. e. To wit, from our view, that its lustre and glory should not reach us, and so dazle our sight, he covereth it with a Cloud, as the next words explain it. Or, He holdeth fast, or binds together, or strengthens it, that it may be able to bear that burden. the face of his throne Either 1. this lower Air, which is as the Face or open part of the Heavens, which is often called God's Throne, as salm 11. 4. Isa. 66. 1. Amos 9. 6. Or 2. the appearance or manifestation of the Heaven of Heavens where he dwelleth, whose light and glory is too great for mortal eyes, which therefore by Clouds and other ways he hides from us., and spreadeth his cloud upon it.

He has compassed the waters To wit, of the Sea, for of the upper Waters coming out of the Clouds he spake before. with bounds Which are partly the Rocks and Shores, and principally God's appointment, made at the first Creation, and renewed after the Deluge, Gen. 9. 11. 15. that the Waters should not overwhelm the Earth: See Iob 38. 8, 10, 11. Psalm 104. 3. Ier. 5. 22., until the day and night come to an end i. e. Unto the end of the World, for so long these Vicissitudes of Day and Night are to continue, Gen. 8. 22. & 9. 9, &c. Ier. 5. 22. & 31. 35, 36..

The pillars of heaven Either 1. those Mountains which by their height and strength may seem to reach and support the Heavens, as the Poets said of Atlas; for this is a Poetical Book, and there are many Poetical expressions in it. These tremble sometimes by force of Earthquakes, or by God's glorious appearance in them, as Sinai did Or 2. Holy Angels, but they are not subject either to trembling or to God's rebuke. Or 3. the Heavenly Bodies, as the Sun, and Moon, and Stars, which as they may seem in some sort to support, so they do certainly adorn the Heavens: And we know Pillars are oft made, not for support, but only for Ornament; as the two famous Pillars of the Temple, Iachin and Boaz, 1 Kings 7. 21. And these oft-times seem to tremble and be astonished, as in Eclipses or Tempests, and terrible Works of God in the Air, by which they are frequently said to be affected and changed, because they seem so to us; and many things are spoken in Scripture according to appearance: See Isa. 13. 10. & 24. 23. Ioel 2. 10, 31. Mat. 24. 29. &c. Either 1. when God rebuketh them: for God is sometimes said in Scripture to rebuke the lifeless Creatures; which is to be understood figuratively of the Tokens of God's anger in them. Or 2. when God reproveth not them, but men by them, manifesting his displeasure against sinful men by Thunders, or Earthquakes, or prodigious Works. tremble, and are astonished at his reproof y.

He divideth the sea He speaks either 1. of God's dividing the Red-sea for the Israelites to pass over: And consequently the Hebrew word Rahab, which here follows, and is translated pride, or the proud, is meant of Egypt, which is oft called Rahab, as Psalm 87. 4. & 89. 10. Isa. 51. 9. But it seems most probable that that Work was not yet done, and that Iob lived long before Israels coming out of Egypt. Or rather 2. of the common Work of Nature and Providence, in raising Tempests, by which he breaketh or divideth the Waves of the Sea, by making deep Furrows in it, and casting up part of the Waters into the Air, and splitting part of them upon the Rocks and Shores of the Sea. with his power, and by his understanding i. e. By his wise Counsel and administration of things, so as may obtain his own glorious ends. he smiteth thorough the proud Either 1. the Whale, which is called King over all the children of pride, Job 41. 34. and which is sometimes by force of Tempests cast upon the shore. Or rather 2. the Sea, which is fitl... called proud, as its Waves are called, Iob 38. 11. because it is lofty, and fierce, and swelling, and unruly; which God is said to smite when he subdues and restrains its rage, and turns the storm into a calm..

By his spirit Either 1. by his Divine Virtue or Power, which is sometimes called his Spirit, as Zach. 4. 6. Mat. 12. 28. Or 2. by his holy Spirit, to which the Creation of the World is ascribed, Gen. 1. 2. Iob 33. 4. Psalm 33. 6. he has garnished the heavens Adorned or beautified them with those glorious Lights the Sun, and Moon and Stars., his hand has formed the crooked serpent By which he understands either 1. all the kinds of Serpents, or Fishes, or Monsters of the Sea. Or 2. the most eminent of their kinds, particularly the Whale, which may be here not unfitly mentioned (as it is afterwards more largely described) amongst the glorious Works of God in this lower World; as the garnishing of the Heavens was his noblest Work in the superiour visible parts of the World. Or 3. an Heavenly Constellation, called the great Dragon and Serpent, which being most eminent, as taking up a considerable part of the Northern Hemisphere, may well be put for all the rest of the Constellations or Stars wherewith the Heavens are garnished. Thus he persisteth still in the same kind of God's Works, and the latter Branch explains the former. And this sense is the more probable, because Iob was well acquainted with the Doctrine of Astronomy, and knew the nature and names of the Stars and Constellations, as appears also from Chapter 9. 9. and 38. 31..

Lo, these are parts Or, the extremities, but small parcels, the outside and visible work: How glorious then are his invisible and more inward Perfections and Operations. of his ways i. e. Of his Works., but how little a portion is heard of him i. e. Of his Power and Wisdom, and Providence and Actions. The greatest part of what we see or know of him, is the least part of what we do not know and of what is in him, or is done by him.? but the thunder of his power Either 1. of his mighty and terrible Thunder, which is oft mentioned as an eminent work of God; as Iob 28. 25. & 40. 9. Psalm 29. 3. & 77. 18. Or 2. of his mighty Power, which is aptly compared to Thunder, in regard of its irresistible force, and the terrour which it causeth to wicked men: This Metaphor being used by others in like cases; as among the Grecians, who used to say of their vehement and powerful Orators, that they did thunder and lighten; and in Mark 3. 17. where powerful Preachers are called Sons of Thunder. who can understand?