In this and the two following chapter Job makes answer to Zophar’s discourse in the former; who having represented him as an ignorant man, he resents it, and begins his defence with a biting sarcasm on him and his friends, as being self-conceited, and having an high opinion of their own wisdom, as…

And Job answered and said. ] In reply to Zophar, and in defence of himself; what is recorded in this and the two following chapters.

No doubt but ye are the people Which is said not seriously, meaning that they were but of the common people, that are generally ignorant, and have but little knowledge, at least of things sublime, especially in matters of religion; wherefore, though they took upon them to be his teachers and…

But I have understanding as well as you A natural understanding, or an understanding of natural things, which distinguishes a man from a brute; and a spiritual understanding, an understanding enlightened by the spirit of God, which is naturally dark as to divine things; but he had an understanding…

I am as one mocked of his neighbour That is, according to Sephorno, if I knew not, or denied those things you have been speaking of concerning God, his immensity, sovereignty, and wisdom, I should be derided by all my friends and acquaintance; but rather the sense is, Job instances in himself as a…

He that is ready to slip with his feet Not into sin, though this is often the case of good men, but into calamities and afflictions; and Job means himself, and every just upright man in the like circumstances: or he that is “prepared” or “destined” to be among them, that “totter” and stagger in…

The tabernacles of robbers prosper Such as the Chaldeans and Sabeans, who had robbed Job of his substance, and filled their houses with the spoils of others, and lived in the greatest fulness and prosperity, and whom he might have in his view; and the like is what has been since observed by good…

But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee And so the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, in this and ; from those instructions may be learned, of instances taken, and examples given, which may illustrate and confirm the same things that had been treated of: either what had been…

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee Or ask “a sprig of the earth” [[12]], any shrub, or tree, or whatsoever grows out of it, and they will all unite in this doctrine, that they are raised and preserved by the power of God, and are so many instances of his wisdom, power, and goodness: and…

Who knoweth not in all these Or “by” or “from all these” that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? made this visible world, and all things in it, to which Job then pointed as it were with his finger, meaning the heavens, earth, and sea, and all that in them are, which were all created by him:…

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing Of every animal, of every brute creature, as distinct from man, in the next clause: the life of everyone of them is from him, and it is continued by him as long as he pleases, nor can it be taken away without his leave; two sparrows, which are not…

Doth not the ear try words? &c.] Articulate sounds; and the mind by them judges whether what is expressed and designed by them is right or wrong, true or false, to be received or rejected; so such that have spiritual ears to hear, try the words of God and men, the wholesome words of Christ, and…

With the ancient is wisdom Meaning not himself, who was not very ancient; though some think Eliphaz so understood him; hence those words of his, in (Job 15:9, Job 15:10) ; rather, as others, Job tacitly wishes that some ancient man, with whom wisdom was, would undertake to examine the affair…

With him is wisdom and strength Not with the ancient and long lived man, but with God, who has made the whole universe, and in whose hand and at whose dispose all creatures are, (Job 12:9, Job 12:10) ; with him wisdom is originally, essentially, and inderivatively, as the fountain and fulness of…

Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again Which some restrain to the tower of Babel; but though the builders of it were obliged to desist from building, it does not appear that it was broken down, but seems to have continued many ages after: others more probably refer it to the…

Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up Or “lays a restraint in” or “on the waters” [[17]]; either in the ocean, as he did at the creation, when he gathered the waters that were upon the face of the earth into one place, and restrained them there, even in the decreed place he broke up…

With him is strength and wisdom Which is repeated from ; though different words are used but expressive of the same things; of the greatest strength might, and power of God, as the above instances show and of his most consummate, solid and substantial wisdom, as appears by what follows: the…

He leadeth counsellors away spoiled Such who have the greatest share of knowledge and wisdom in civil things, and are capable of giving advice to others, and are very useful in commonwealths, in cities, towns, and neighbourhoods; wherefore it is a judgment on a people when such are removed, ; these…

He looseth the bonds of kings Not with which they themselves may be bound, being taken prisoners, or being so before made kings, and brought from thence to reign, as in ; but that which they bind on their subjects, a yoke of bondage, tyranny, and oppression; so that to loose their bond is to loose…

He leadeth princes away spoiled Of their principalities and dominions, of their wealth and riches, and of their honour and glory; or “priests” [[19]], as some choose to render the word, against whom God has indignation for their sins, and leads them into captivity with others; so the Septuagint…

He removeth away the speech of the trusty Speech is proper to mankind, and a benefit unto them, whereby they can converse together, and communicate their minds to each other; this is the gift of God, he gives to men in common the faculty of speaking; to some the tongue of the learned to speak…

He poureth contempt upon princes Not on good princes, such as rule in righteousness, and decree judgment and govern their subjects according to good laws, in a mild and gentle manner, and answer to their name of free, liberal, beneficent and munificent.

He discovereth deep things out of darkness The deep things of God, his own deep things which lie in his heart, wrapped up in darkness impenetrable to creatures, and which could never be known unless he had discovered them; such as the thoughts of his heart, which are very deep, ; the deep things of…

He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them As he did before the flood, when the earth was tilled, and all over peopled with them, but at the flood he destroyed them at once.

He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth The people of the earth are the common people; the “chief” or “heads” [[5]] of them, as it may be rendered, are kings, princes and generals of armies; whose “hearts” may be said to be “taken away” when they are dispirited, and…

They grope in the dark without light Like blind men, as the men of Sodom, when they were struck with blindness; or “they grope”, or “feel the dark, and not light” [[6]], as the Targum; as the Egyptian, did when such gross darkness was upon them as might be felt: and he maketh them to stagger like a…