“Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,”
Themanite. People of this city, about twelve miles from Petra, in Arabia, were renowned for wisdom, Jeremias xlix. 7., and Baruch iii. 22. Pythagoras therefore visited this country. (St. Cyril, contra Jul. x.) — Eliphaz attempts to prove that no innocent person is chastised. He does not speak of small faults, to which any person may be exposed, and which God may severely punish. But he will have Job to be a great offender, at least in secret, and represents himself in too advantageous a light; though he was really a good man, and meant well. (Calmet) — But this did not exempt him from sin, (chap. xlii.) no more than Eliu, chap. xxxii. Bonum ex integra causa; malum ex quolibet defectu; as theologians agree. (Haydock)
“If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? to: Heb. a word withhold: Heb. refrain from words?”
Conceived? and to which the speech of Job had given occasion. (Menochius) — Septuagint, “Who shall bear the force of thy words? For if thou,” &c. (Haydock)
“Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.”
Knees. It is just that thou shouldst apply thy instructions to thyself. (Menochius)
“But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.”
And thou. Septuagint, “and has touched thee. But thou makest haste” (Haydock) to flee. Hebrew, “art consternated.” We may easily prescribe for others, but when we are sick we know not what to do. (Calmet)
“Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?”
Where? Septuagint, “Rather is not thy fear foolishness as well as thy hope, and the innocence of thy path?” (Haydock) — Is not all hypocrisy? (Menochius) (Calmet) — Many of the assertions of Job’s friends are true, but their inferences are false. (Menochius)
“Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?”
Destroyed? They never were eternally. But Abel and many other just persons, have been exposed to tribulation in this world, (Worthington) for their greater improvement. Yet Eliphaz falsely concludes from the sufferings of Job, that he must have been a criminal. (Calmet) — If any one should now hold the same opinion, we should deem him very ignorant or foolish. But we have observed, (Preface) that this was not so obvious at that time. Cain, the giants, Her, Onan, Sodom, &c., had been made examples of divine vengeance. But a new order of things was now commencing. (Houbigant)
“Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.”
Reap them. He insinuates that Job now reaps what he had sown, Galatians vi. 8.
“The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.”
Tiger. Hebrew Layish, means also an “old lion.” Septuagint murmekoleon, “ant-lion,” which some have deemed fabulous, improperly. (Bochart, vi. 5.) (Ælian, xvii. 42.) — Eliphaz tacitly accuses Job of violence and pride. (Ven. Bede) (Calmet)
“Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. secretly: Heb. by stealth”
Private. Heretics pretend such obscure visions, rather to get credit than to edify others. (St. Gregory, v. 18.) (Worthington) — Many suppose that Eliphaz was guilty of feigning: but the greatest part think that he had truly seen a vision, but did not draw the proper conclusions from it. (Calmet) — Protestants, “Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.” (Haydock)
“In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,”
The horror. Hebrew, “thoughts,” while I considered the cause of thy distress. (Calmet)
“Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:”
Spirit: angel, or gentle breeze. (Calmet)
“It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was silence, and I heard a voice, saying, there: or, I heard a still voice”
And I. Protestants, “there was silence, and I heard a voice.” Marginal note, “a still voice.” Septuagint, “But I heard a breeze and a voice.” (Haydock)
“Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?”
Maker. It is thought that these were the words of the angel. If God punish without cause, may not the sufferer esteem himself the better of the two? You must therefore be guilty. (Calmet) — Job would never dispute; but God was infinitely more pure than man, who may nevertheless be free from grievous sins. (Worthington) — The highest angel has nothing but what he has received from God, in comparison with whom he is still as a mere nothing. But this does not prove that Job was a criminal, or that he pretended to arrogate to himself any excellence, independent of the giver of all good gifts. He did not assert that he was impeccable: yet, with God’s grace, he might be innocent. (Calmet)
“Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: and his: or, nor in his angels, in whom he put light”
Angels, who fell, as the fathers explain it. (Estius) (Tirinus) — Hebrew, “behold, he put no trust in his servants, and his angels he charged with folly,” chap. xv. 15., and xxv. 5., and 2 Peter ii. 4. (Protestants) (Haydock)
“How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?”
Foundation. Children of Adam, whose bodies are taken from the dust. (Menochius)
“They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. destroyed: Heb. beaten in pieces”
Understandeth. Hebrew, “regardeth.” Septuagint, “can help himself.” (Haydock) — Man is justly punished because he does not reflect on what he ought. (Calmet)
“Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom.”
And they. Hebrew, “doth not their dignity pass away with them? They die without wisdom.” (Haydock) — This is but too frequently the case of the great ones of this world, who never discern true from false riches. (Calmet)