This chapter contains Job’s reply to Zophar’s preceding discourse, in which, after a preface exciting attention to what he was about to say, Job 21:1–6; he describes by various instances the prosperity of wicked men, even of the most impious and atheistical, and which continues with them as long as…

But Job answered and said. ] In reply to what Zophar had asserted, concerning the prosperity of the wicked being only for a short time, ; the contrary to which he most clearly proves, and that in many instances their prosperity continues as long as they live; that they die in it, and it is enjoyed…

Hear diligently my speech The following oration or discourse he was about to deliver concerning the prosperity of wicked men; to which he desires their closest attention, that they might the better understand the force of his reasoning, the evidences and proof of fasts he should give; whereby, if…

Suffer me that I may speak To go on with his discourse, without any interruption, until he had finished it; as he before craves their attention, here he entreats their patience to hear him out, as well as to give him leave to begin; they might by their gestures seem as if they were breaking up and…

As for me, is my complaint to man? &c.] Job had been complaining, and still was, and continued to do so after this, but not to them, his friends, nor any other man; his complaint was made to God, and of him he thought he was hardly dealt with by him, he could not tell for what; he had desired to…

Mark me Or “look at me” [[12]]; not at his person, which was no lovely sight to behold, being covered with boils from head to foot, his flesh clothed with worms and clods of dust, his skin broken, yea, scarce any left; however, he was become a mere skeleton, reduced to skin and bone; but at his…

Even when I remember Either the iniquities of his youth he was made to possess; or his former state of outward happiness and prosperity he had enjoyed, and reviewed his present miserable case and condition, and called to mind the evil tidings brought him thick and fast of the loss of his substance,…

Wherefore do the wicked live Which question is put either to God himself, as not knowing ow to account for it, or to reconcile it to his divine perfections; that he, a holy, just, and righteous Being, should suffer such wretches to live upon his earth, who had been, and still were, continually…

Their seed is established in their sight with them Which is to be understood not of seed sown in the earth, and of the permanence and increase of that, but of their children; to have a numerous progeny, was reckoned a great temporal blessing, and to have them settled happily and comfortably in the…

Their houses are safe from fear Of enemies besetting them, entering into them, and pillaging and plundering them; of thieves and robbers breaking into them, and carrying off their substance: or “their houses are peace” [[13]]; their families live in peace among themselves, or enjoy all prosperity,…

Their bull gendereth, and faileth not As the wicked man’s prosperity is described before by the increase and comfortable settlement of his children and grandchildren, and by the peace and safety of all within doors; here it is further set forth by the increase of his cattle in the fields, one part…

They send forth their little ones like a flock Of sheep, which are creatures very increasing, and become very numerous, ; to which a large increase of families may be compared, , for this is not to be interpreted of their kine sending or bringing forth such numbers as to be like a flock of sheep;…

They take the timbrel and harp Not the children, but the parents of them; these took these instruments of music into their hands, and played upon them while their children danced; thus merrily they spent their time: or, as Jarchi and Aben Ezra, they lift up the voice with the tabret and harp; that…

They spend their days in wealth Or “in good” [[14]]; not in the performance of good works, or in the exercise of that which is spiritually good; or in seeking after spiritual good things, or eternal happiness; but in earthly good, in the enjoyment of the temporal good things of this life, and which…

Therefore they say unto God While in health and life, amidst all their outward prosperity, and because of it; for worldly riches have this tendency, to make men proud and insolent, and not only to behave ill to their fellow creatures, and to slight and despise them; but even to forsake God, and…

What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? &c.] “Who is he” [[18]]? as some render it; or what is there in him, in his nature, in his excellencies and perfections, that should oblige us to serve him? One would think the attribute of “Almighty”, they own and acknowledge, is sufficient to engage…

Lo, their good is not in their hand Though it is in their possession for the present, it is not in the power of their hands to keep, nor to carry it with them when they die; God, that gave it, can take it away when he pleases; and therefore it might be profitable to them to serve him and pray unto…

How oft is the candle of the wicked put out? &c.] Job here returns, as Jarchi observes, to his former account of the constant and continued prosperity of wicked men; and puts questions tending to prove the same.

They are as stubble before the wind Or how oft “are they as stubble?” &c. or how oft does God do the above things, “so that they are”, or “become, as stubble before the wind” [[19]], and as chaff that the storm carrieth, or “steals away” [[22]]? hastily, suddenly, at an unawares like a thief:…

God layeth up his iniquity for his children This is a prevention of an objection which Job foresaw his friends would make, and therefore takes it up and answers to it; you will say, that, be it so, that the wicked are for the most part prosperous, and their prosperity continues; God does not punish…

His eyes shall see his destruction Or “should see his destruction” [[1]]; calamities coming upon himself and upon his children; or otherwise it will not affect him: but when a man has a personal experience of affliction as punishments of his sin, or with his own eyes sees his children in distressed…

For what pleasure hath he in his house after him As, on the one hand, the prosperity of his children after his decease gives him no pleasure and delight, so, on the other hand, the calamities and distresses of his family for his sins and theirs give him no pain or uneasiness; he knows nothing that…

Shall any teach God knowledge? &c.] Who is a God of knowledge, and knows all things, that teaches men knowledge; will any one take upon him to teach him the path of judgment, and the way of understanding, how he shall govern the world, and dispose of men and things in it? see (Isa. 40:13, Isa.

One dieth in his full strength Man is born a weak feeble creature, and it is by degrees, and through various stages of infancy, childhood, and youth, that he arrives to his full strength in manhood; and, when he does, sometimes so it is, that his strength is not weakened in the course of his life…

His breasts are full of milk As this is not literally true of men, some versions read the words otherwise; his bowels or intestines are full of fat, as the Vulgate Latin and Septuagint; and others, his sides or ribs are full of fat, as the Syriac and Arabic; the words for “side” and “fat” being…

And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul Either another wicked man; for there is a difference among wicked men; some are outwardly happy in life, and in the circumstances of their death, as before described; and others are very unhappy in both; their life is a scene of afflictions which…

They shall lie down alike in the dust Such as have lived and died in great outward prosperity, or in more unhappy circumstances; these are levelled by death, and brought into the same state and condition; are laid on dusty beds, where there is no difference between them, their rest together is in…

Behold, I know your thoughts God only truly, really, and in fact, knows the thoughts of men; this is his peculiar prerogative, he only is the searcher of the hearts and the trier of the reins of the children of men.

For ye say Or “have said”, or “I know that ye say”; or “that ye are about to say” [[0]]; it is in your hearts and minds, and just ready to come out of your lips, and what you will say next: where is the house of the prince? of the righteous man, as the Syriac and Arabic versions; or “of the good…

Have ye not asked them that go by the way? &c.] Did you not ask every traveller you met with on the road the above question? not which was the way to Job’s house, which they knew very well, but in what condition that and his sons were? or what was the case of him and his family? and what was his…

That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? &c.] That is, that they are spared, withheld, restrained, as the word [[3]] signifies, or kept and preserved from many calamities and distresses, which others are exposed unto; and so are reserved, either unto a time of greater destruction in…

Who shall declare his way to his face? &c.] Jarchi and Aben Ezra think that Job here returns to God, and speaks of him, as in ; signifying that no man can or ought to presume to charge the ways of God in his providence with inequality or injustice, in sparing the wicked now, and reserving them to…

Yet shall he be brought to the grave Or “and”, “or yea he shall be brought” [[0]]; for the meaning is not, that though he is great in life he shall be brought low enough at death; for Job is still describing the grand figure wicked men make, even at death, as well as in life; for he is not only…

The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him Where he lies interred, alluding to places of interment at the bottom of hills, and mountains, and under rocks, in plains and vales, see ; and by this strong figure is signified, that the dead wicked man, lying in the clods of the valley in his grave,…

How then comfort ye me in vain This is the conclusion Job draws from the above observations: his friends came to comfort him, and they took methods for it, as they thought, but miserable comforters were they all; what they administered for comfort was in vain, and to no purpose; nor could any be…