Geneva Study Bible Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said, Then answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said,
Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the east wind? Should a wise man utter {a} vain knowledge, and fill his belly {b} with the east wind?
(a) That is, vain words, and without consolation? (b) Meaning, with matters that are of no importance, which are forgotten as soon as they are uttered, as the East wind dries up moisture as soon as it falls. Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good? Should he reason with unprofitable talk? or with speeches wherewith he can do no good?
Yea, thou castest off fear, and restrainest prayer before God. Yea, thou castest off {c} fear, and restrainest prayer before God.
(c) He charges Job as though his talk caused men to cast off the fear of God and prayer. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, and thou choosest the {d} tongue of the crafty.
(d) You speak as the mockers and contemners of God do. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee. Thine own mouth condemneth thee, and not I: yea, thine own lips testify against thee.
Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? Art thou the {e} first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills?
(e) That is, the most ancient and so by reason the most wise? Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? Hast thou heard the secret of God? and dost thou restrain wisdom {f} to thyself?
(f) Are you only wise? What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us? What knowest thou, that we know not? what understandest thou, which is not in us?
With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father. With us are both the grayheaded and very aged men, much elder than thy father.
Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? Are the consolations of God {g} small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee?
(g) He accuses Job's pride and ingratitude, that will not be comforted by God, but by their counsel. Why doth thine heart carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at, Why doth thine heart {h} carry thee away? and what do thy eyes wink at,
(h) Why do you stand in your own conceit? That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth?
What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should be righteous? What is man, that he should be clean? and he which is born of a woman, that he should {i} be righteous?
(i) His purpose is to prove that Job, as an unjust man and a hypocrite, is punished for his sins, as he did before, Job 4:8. Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight. Behold, he putteth no trust in his saints; yea, the heavens are not clean in his sight.
How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? How much more abominable and filthy is man, which {k} drinketh iniquity like water?
(k) Who has a desire to sin, as he who is thirsty to drink. I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare; I will shew thee, hear me; and that which I have seen I will declare;
Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it: Which wise men have told from their fathers, and have not hid it:
Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. Unto whom alone the earth was {l} given, and no stranger passed among them.
(l) Who by their wisdom so governed, that no stranger invaded them, and so the land seemed to be given to them alone. The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. The wicked man travaileth with pain all his days, and the number {m} of years is hidden to the oppressor.
(m) The cruel man is always in danger of death, and is never quiet in conscience. A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him. A dreadful sound is in his ears: in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him.
He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, and he is waited for of the sword. He believeth not that he shall return out of {n} darkness, and he is waited for of the sword.
(n) Out of that misery to which he once fell. He wandereth abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand. He wandereth {o} abroad for bread, saying, Where is it? he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand.
(o) God not only impoverishes the wicked often, but even in their prosperity he punishes them with a greediness to gain even more: which is as a beggary. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle. Trouble and {p} anguish shall make him afraid; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle.
(p) He shows the weapons God uses against the wicked, who lift up themselves against him, that is, terror of conscience and outward afflictions. For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty.
He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers: He runneth upon him, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers:
Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. Because he covereth his face with {q} his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks.
(q) That is, he was so puffed up with prosperity and abundance for all things, that he forgave God: noting that Job in his happiness did not have the true fear of God. And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps. And he dwelleth {r} in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps.
(r) Though he build and repair ruinous places to gain fame, yet God will bring all to nothing, and turn his great prosperity into extreme misery. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth. He shall not be rich, neither shall his substance continue, neither shall he prolong the {s} perfection thereof upon the earth.
(s) Meaning, that his sumptuous buildings would never come to perfection. He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away. He shall not depart out of darkness; the flame shall dry up his branches, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away.
Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence. Let not him that is {t} deceived trust in vanity: for vanity shall be his recompence.
(t) He stands in his own conceit, that he will give no place to good counsel, therefore his own pride will bring him to destruction. It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green. It shall be accomplished before his time, and his branch shall not be green.
He shall shake off his unripe grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive. He shall shake off his unripe {u} grape as the vine, and shall cast off his flower as the olive.
(u) As one who gathers grapes before they are ripe. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, and fire shall consume the tabernacles of {x} bribery.
(x) Who were built or maintained by bribery. They conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. They {y} conceive mischief, and bring forth vanity, and their belly prepareth deceit. (y) Therefore all their vain devises will turn to their own destruction. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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