This and the following chapter contain Job’s reply to the last oration of Eliphaz; in this he first declares his present sorrowful estate and condition, Job 23:1, Job 23:2; wishes he knew where to find God, as a judge sitting on a throne, before whom he might lay his cause, and plead it, and have…

Then Job answered and said. ] In reply to Eliphaz; for though he does not direct his discourse to him, nor take any notice of his friends; yet, as a proof of his innocence, against his and their accusations and charges, he desires no other than to have his cause laid before God himself, by whom he…

Even today is my complaint bitter Job’s afflictions were continued on him long; he was made to possess months of vanity; and, as he had been complaining ever since they were upon him, he still continued to complain to that day, “even” after all the comforts his friends pretended to administer to…

O that I knew where I might find him That is, God, who is understood, though not expressed, a relative without an antecedent, as in ; Jarchi supplies, and interprets it, “my Judge”, from ; and certain it is Job did desire to find God as a judge sitting on his throne, doing right, that he might have…

I would order my cause before him Either, as a praying person, direct his prayer to him, and set it in order before him, see ; or else as pleading in his own defence, and in justification of himself; not of his person before God, setting his works of righteousness in order before him, and pleading…

I would know the words which he would answer me Being a God hearing and answering prayer, who always hears, and sooner or later answers the petitions of his people in his own way; and which when he does, they know, take notice, and observe it: or then he should know the reason why the Lord…

Will he plead against me with his great power? &c.] God will not plead against his people at all, but for them: much less will he plead against them with his great strength, use all his power to run them down, crush, and oppress them; for he is a great God, and of great power, he is mighty in…

There the righteous might dispute with him That is, at his seat, either at his mercy seat, where even God allows sinners to come and reason with him, for pardoning grace and mercy, upon the foot of his own declarations and promises, and the blood and sacrifice of his son, ; or at his judgment seat,…

Behold, I go forward, but he is not there Job here returns to what he had said before, ; as Jarchi observes, where he expresses his earnest desire after God, that he might know where he was, and come up to his seat; here he relates the various ways he took to find him, and his fruitless search of…

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him The northern part of the world, where his seat is, or the circle of the earth, says Bar Tzemach, and who has stretched out the north over the empty place, .

But he knoweth the way that I take This he seems to say in a way of solace to himself, comforting and contenting himself, that though he could not find God, nor knew where he was, or what way he took, nor the reasons of his ways and dispensations with the children of men, and with himself, yet God…

My foot hath held his steps Trod in the steps he has walked in; he followed God closely, imitated him in acts of holiness and righteousness, of mercy, kindness, and beneficence; and he continued therein; as he set his foot in the steps of God, which were to him for an example, he persisted therein;…

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips, &c.] From any of the commandments his lips had uttered; meaning not the ten commandments given to Israel, which perhaps as yet were not given, or had not come to the knowledge of Job; some speak of the seven commandments, given to the sons…

But he is in one mind Either with respect to his commandments, every precept remains in full force, he never alters the thing that is gone out of his lips, or delivers out other commandments different from, or contrary to what he has given; and therefore Job thought it his duty to abide by them,…

For he performeth the thing that is appointed for me The same word is used as at the end of ; where it is rendered, “my necessary food”; or appointed food a certain portion of it; food convenient, daily bread; and this has led some interpreters to take it in the same sense here, and render it, “he…

Therefore am I troubled at his presence Not at his gracious presence, which he wanted, and every good man desires; but at his appearance as an enemy, as he apprehended him, laying and continuing his afflictive hand upon him, and indeed at his appearance as a Judge to try his cause; for though he…

For God maketh my heart soft Not tender as Josiah’s was, , or as the heart of every penitent is, when God makes it humble and contrite by his spirit and grace, or takes away the stony heart, and gives an heart of flesh; though Job had such an heart, and God made it so; but he means a weak, feeble,…

Because I was not cut off before the darkness That is, it was amazing to him, and troubled him when he thought of it, that he was not cut off by death, before the darkness of afflictions, or this dark dispensation came upon him; as sometimes righteous ones are taken from the evil to come, as…