Geneva Study Bible But Job answered and said, But Job answered and said,
Hear diligently my speech, and let this be your consolations. Hear diligently my speech, and let this {a} be your consolations.
(a) Your diligent marking of my words will be to me a great consolation. Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on. Suffer me that I may speak; and after that I have spoken, mock on.
As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it were so, why should not my spirit be troubled? As for me, is my complaint to man? and if it {b} were so, why should not my spirit be troubled?
(b) As though he would say, I do not talk with man but with God, who will not answer me, and therefore my mind must be troubled. Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your mouth. Mark me, and be astonished, and lay your hand upon your {c} mouth.
(c) He charges them as though they were not able to comprehend his feeling of God's judgment, and exhorts them therefore to silence. Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh. Even when I remember I am afraid, and trembling taketh hold on my flesh.
Wherefore do the wicked live, become old, yea, are mighty in power? Wherefore do the wicked {d} live, become old, yea, are mighty in power?
(d) Job proves against his adversaries that God does not punish the wicked immediately, but often gives them long life and prosperity, so we must not judge God just or unjust by the things that appear to our eyes. Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes. Their seed is established in their sight with them, and their offspring before their eyes.
Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them. Their houses are safe from fear, neither is the rod of God upon them.
Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf. Their bull gendereth, and faileth not; their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
They send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance. They send forth their little ones {e} like a flock, and their children dance.
(e) They have healthy children and in those points he answers to that which Zophar alleged before. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ. They take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice at the sound of the organ.
They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment go down to the grave. They spend their days in wealth, and in a moment {f} go down to the grave.
(f) Not being tormented with long sickness. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the knowledge of thy ways. Therefore they say unto God, Depart from us; for we desire not the {g} knowledge of thy ways.
(g) They desire nothing more than to be exempt from all subjection that they should bear to God, thus Job shows his adversaries, that if they reason only by that which is seen by common experience the wicked who hate God are better dealt withal than they who love him. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him? What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? and what profit should we have, if we pray unto him?
Lo, their good is not in their hand: the counsel of the wicked is far from me. Lo, their good is not in their {h} hand: the counsel of the wicked {i} is far from me.
(h) It is not their own, but God only lends it to them. (i) God keep me from their prosperity. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger. How oft is the candle of the wicked put out! and how oft cometh their destruction upon them! God distributeth sorrows in his anger.
They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away. They are as stubble before the wind, and as chaff that the storm carrieth away.
God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it. God layeth up his iniquity for his children: he rewardeth him, and he shall know it.
His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty. {k} His eyes shall see his destruction, and he shall drink of the wrath of the Almighty.
(k) When God recompenses his wickedness, he will know that his prosperity was vanity. For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst? For what pleasure hath he in his house after him, when the number of his months is cut off in the midst?
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high. Shall any teach {l} God knowledge? seeing he judgeth those that are high.
(l) Who sends to the wicked prosperity and punishes the godly. One dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet. One {m} dieth in his full strength, being wholly at ease and quiet.
(m) Meaning, the wicked. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow. His breasts are full of milk, and his bones are moistened with marrow.
And another dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure. And another {n} dieth in the bitterness of his soul, and never eateth with pleasure.
(n) That is, the godly. They shall lie down alike in the dust, and the worms shall cover them. They shall lie down alike in {o} the dust, and the worms shall cover them.
(o) As concerning their bodies: and this he speaks according to the common judgment. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me. Behold, I know your thoughts, and the devices which ye wrongfully imagine against me.
For ye say, Where is the house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked? For ye say, Where is the {p} house of the prince? and where are the dwelling places of the wicked?
(p) Thus they called Job's house in derision concluding that it was destroyed because he was wicked. Have ye not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens, Have ye {q} not asked them that go by the way? and do ye not know their tokens,
(q) Who through long travailing have experience and tokens of it, that is, that the wicked prosper, and the godly live in affliction. That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath. That the wicked is reserved to the day of {r} destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath.
(r) Though the wicked flourish here, yet God will punish him in the last day. Who shall declare his way to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done? Who shall declare his way {s} to his face? and who shall repay him what he hath done?
(s) Though men flatter him, and no one dares to reprove him in this world, yet death is a token that he will bring him to an account. Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb. Yet shall he be brought to the grave, and shall remain in the tomb.
The clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him. The {t} clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him, and every man shall draw after him, as there are innumerable before him.
(t) He will be glad to lie in a slimy pit, who before could not be content with a royal palace. How then comfort ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? How then comfort {u} ye me in vain, seeing in your answers there remaineth falsehood? (u) Saying that the just in this world have prosperity and the wicked adversity. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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