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Zophar charges Job with falsehood and pride, ver. 1 - 4.
Wishes that God would convince him of his wisdom, justice, and
unsearchable perfections, ver. 5 - 9.
Of his sovereignty, power and the cognisance he takes of men,
ver. 10 - 12.
He assures him, that on his repentance, God would restore him to
prosperity, but that the wicked should perish, ver. 13 - 20.
1: Then answered - How hard is it, to preserve calmness, in the
heat of disputation! Eliphaz began modestly: Bildad was a little
rougher: But Zophar falls upon Job without mercy. "Those that have
a mind to fall out with their brethren, and to fall foul upon them,
find it necessary, to put the worst colours they can upon them and
their performances, and right or wrong to make them odious."
2: Answered - Truly, sometimes it should not. Silence is the best
confutation of impertinence, and puts the greatest contempt upon it.
3: Lies - Both concerning thy own innocency, and concerning the
counsels and ways of God. Mockest - Our friendly and faithful counsels,(Job 6:14,15,25,26).
4: Doctrine - Concerning God and his providence. Clean - I am
innocent before God; I have not sinned either by my former actions,
or by my present expressions. But Zophar perverts Job's words, for
he did not deny that he was a sinner, but only that he was an hypocrite.
5: Speak - Plead with thee according to thy desire: he would soon put
thee to silence. We are commonly ready with great assurance to interest
God in our quarrels. But they are not always in the right, who are most
forward, to appeal to his judgment, and prejudge it against their
antagonists.
6: Secrets - The unsearchable depths of God's wisdom in dealing
with his creatures. Double - That they are far greater (the word
double being used indefinitely for manifold, or plentiful) than
that which is manifested. The secret wisdom of God is infinitely
greater than that which is revealed to us by his word or works: the
greatest part of what is known of God, is the least part of those
perfections that are in him. And therefore thou dost rashly in
judging so harshly of his proceedings with thee, because thou dost
not comprehend the reasons of them, and in judging thyself innocent,
because thou dost not see thy sins; whereas the all - knowing God sees
innumerable sins in thee, for which he may utterly destroy thee.
7: Find out - Discover all the depths of his wisdom, and the reasons
of his actions?
10: Cut off - A person or family. Shut - Its a prison, or in the
hands of an enemy. Gather - Whether it pleaseth God to scatter a family,
or to gather them together from their dispersions. Hinder - Or, who
can contradict him, charge him with injustice in such proceedings?
11: Knoweth - Though men know but little of God, yet God knows man
exactly. He knoweth that every man in the world is guilty of much vanity
and folly, and therefore seeth sufficient reason for his severity against
the best men. Wickedness - He perceiveth the wickedness of evil men,
though it be covered with the veil of religion. Consider - Shall he only
see it as an idle spectator, and not observe it as a judge to punish it?
12: Man - That since the fall is void of all true wisdom, pretends
to be wise, and able to pass a censure upon all God's ways and works.
Colt - Ignorant, and dull, and stupid, as to divine things, and yet heady
and untractable.
13: Heart - To seek God; turning thy bold contentions with God into
humble supplications.
15: Lift up - Which denotes chearfulness, and holy boldness.
Without spot - Having a clear and unspotted conscience.
Steadfast - Shall have a strong and comfortable assurance of God's favour.
16: As waters - Thou shalt remember it no more, than men remember a
land - flood, which as it comes, so it goes away suddenly.
17: Shine - Light in scripture commonly signifies prosperity and
glory. Thy comfort, like the morning - light shall shine brighter and
brighter, until the perfect day.
18: Secure - Thy mind shall be quiet and free from terrors, because
thou shalt have a firm and well - grounded confidence in God. Dig - Either
to fix thy tents, which after the manner of the Arabians were removed
from place to place: or to plough the ground, as he had done,(Job 1:14), or to make a fence about thy dwelling.
20: Fail - Either with grief and tears for their sore calamities: or
with long looking for what they shall never attain. Their hope - They
shall never obtain deliverance out of their distresses, but shall perish
in them. Ghost - Shall be as vain and desperate as the hope of life is in
a man, when he is at the very point of death.
