“Can a man be profitable unto God, as he that is wise may be profitable unto himself? as he: or, if he may be profitable, doth his good success depend thereon?”
Knowledge. How then canst thou dispute with God?
“Is it any pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous? or is it gain to him, that thou makest thy ways perfect?”
Profit. God rules all with justice or with mercy: since, therefore, he punishes, it must be for some guilt, and not for his own advantage. But he might still chastise for the good of man, or to manifest his own power, John ix. 3. God also punishes the sinner for the wrong which he does to himself. (St. Augustine, Conf. iii. 8.) Any one may discover the sophism of Eliphaz. If God were indifferent with regard to our virtue, who would be able to advance one step towards him? (Calmet) — Man is unprofitable indeed to God, but he may reap great advantage from piety himself; and this is what God desires, as well as his own glory, Matthew v. 17. (Worthington)
“Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?”
Fear. Thus malefactors are condemned, that they may no longer disturb society. But may not God afflict the just, though he have nothing to fear? (Calmet)
“Is not thy wickedness great? and thine iniquities infinite?”
Iniquities. He adduces no fresh arguments, but boldly taxes Job with many crimes, which a person in his station might have committed. He rashly concludes that he must have fallen into some of them at least. (Calmet)
“For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for nought, and stripped the naked of their clothing. the naked: Heb. the clothes of the naked”
Pledge. Hebrew, “person.” Debtors might be sold, Matthew xviii. 30.
“Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry.”
Water. Job’s disposition was the reverse, chap. xxix. 15. Such inhumanity would hardly be conceived possible among us. But the Idumeans were guilty of it; (Numbers xx. 18., and Isaias xxi. 14.) and if it had not been probable, Eliphaz would not have dared to speak thus. (Calmet)
“But as for the mighty man, he had the earth; and the honourable man dwelt in it. mighty: Heb. man of arm honourable: Heb. eminent, or, accepted for countenance”
It. Hebrew and Septuagint intimate that Job accepted persons, and gave sentence in favour of his rich friends. (Haydock)
“Thou hast sent widows away empty, and the arms of the fatherless have been broken.”
Arms; possessions, condemning orphans unjustly.
“Or darkness, that thou canst not see; and abundance of waters cover thee.”
Waters, and misery, (Calmet) which such conduct deserved. (Haydock)
“Is not God in the height of heaven? and behold the height of the stars, how high they are! height of the stars: Heb. head of the stars”
Stars: and of course, that his Providence regardeth not human affairs. (Calmet) — When an infidel observed, “I think the gods are too great to want my adoration,” Socrates well replied, “The greater they appear to thee, the more oughtest thou to treat them with respect and honour.” (Xenophon, Memor.)
“Thick clouds are a covering to him, that he seeth not; and he walketh in the circuit of heaven.”
Doth. Hebrew, “seeth not.” Septuagint, “is not seen.” — Poles, on which the whole machine seems to turn. (Calmet) — “Hipparchus intimated that there would be a time when the hinges, or poles of heaven, would be moved out of their places.” (Colum. i. 1.) Hebrew and Septuagint, (according to Origen’s edition, ver. 13 to 16) “he walketh about in the circuit of heaven.” (Haydock)
“Hast thou marked the old way which wicked men have trodden?”
Wicked. Alexandrian Septuagint, “just.” But Grabe substitutes unjust; (Haydock) as otherwise, Eliphaz would argue against his own principles: unless just be put ironically for hypocrites. (Calmet) — Wilt thou imitate the ancient giants, before the deluge? (Calmet)
“Which were cut down out of time, whose foundation was overflown with a flood: whose: Heb. a flood was poured upon their foundation”
Flood. Hebrew, “river,” (Septuagint; Calmet) or “flood.” (Protestants) This does not certainly allude to the deluge, though Job could not be unacquainted with an event (Haydock) which appears in the writings of the most ancient pagan authors. (Grotius, Relig.)
“Yet he filled their houses with good things: but the counsel of the wicked is far from me.”
From me. He thus insinuates that Job entertained such sentiments, though he seemed to condemn them, chap. xxi. 16. (Calmet) — Septuagint, “is far from him,” God.
“The righteous see it, and are glad: and the innocent laugh them to scorn.”
Shall. Septuagint, “saw.” The Jews explain this of Noe, who saw the ruin of the giants with pity, mixed with joy, as he approved of the divine judgments. (Vatable, &c.) — The just can thus rejoice, only on this account; as they would not be just if they were devoid of charity. (St. Gregory) (Psalm lvii. 11., and cvi. 42.) (Calmet)
“Whereas our substance is not cut down, but the remnant of them the fire consumeth. substance: or, estate the remnant: or, their excellency”
Their. Hebrew, “our.” (Calmet) — “Whereas our substance is not cut down.” (Protestants) (Haydock) — But the Septuagint and Chaldean agree with the Vulgate, which gives a better sense. — Fire, which consumed Sodom, &c. (Calmet)
“Receive, I pray thee, the law from his mouth, and lay up his words in thine heart.”
Law of Moses, (Rabbins) or rather (Haydock) the natural law, which teaches that God is just, and deserves to be adored. He addresses Job, as if he had acknowledged no law or restraint.
“Then shalt thou lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir as the stones of the brooks. as dust: or, on the dust”
Gold, to build and adorn thy habitation, ver. 23. Hebrew, “He will give thee gold instead of dust; (or more abundant) yea, gold of the torrents of Ophir.” The Phasis is said to roll gold dust, which is of the purest kind, Genesis ii. 11. (Calmet) — “Thou shalt lay up gold as dust, and the gold of Ophir, as the stones of the brooks.” (Protestants) (Haydock) — This is an exaggeration, (3 Kings x. 27.; Calmet) and a sort of proverb, intimating that strength and plenty should succeed to infirmity. The foundations should be the hard rock, instead of earth, &c.
“Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver. defence: or, gold plenty: Heb. silver of strength”
Silver. Septuagint, “But he shall purify thee, as silver, which has passed the fire.” (Haydock)
“For then shalt thou have thy delight in the Almighty, and shalt lift up thy face unto God.”
Face, with confidence of being in favour and accepted. (Calmet)
“Thou shalt make thy prayer unto him, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt pay thy vows.”
Vows, after obtaining thy requests. (Menochius) —
“Thou shalt also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee: and the light shall shine upon thy ways.”
Decree. Thy projects shall succeed. Septuagint, “But he shall appoint for thee the rule of justice.” (Haydock)
“When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, There is lifting up; and he shall save the humble person. the humble: Heb. him that hath low eyes”
Glory, as the gospel declares, Matthew xxiii. 12. The Hebrew is more perplexed. “When men are cast down, then thou shalt say, there is lifting up;” (Protestants; Haydock) or “when thy eyes shall be cast down, they shall say to thee, Arise.” (Calmet)
“He shall deliver the island of the innocent: and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands. He shall: or, The innocent shall deliver the island”
Innocent. Hebrew, “He shall deliver even the man who is not innocent, and that for the sake of the purity of thy hands.” (Chaldean; Junius, &c.) — God will even spare the guilty, to manifest the regard which he has for the intercession of the saints. These interpreters have taken ai in the same sense as ain, which is the case, 1 Kings iv. 21. (Calmet) — Others explain, “He shall deliver the island of the innocent, and it is delivered by the pureness of thine hands.” (Protestants) This also would shew the merit and protection of the saints, as a whole island may owe its safety to one of God’s servants. In effect, the world stands by the prayers of the saints. (Haydock) — All that has been said from ver. 21 tends to shew that God favours his friends; and, consequently, that he would never have punished Job, if he had not been guilty. (Calmet)