Geneva Study Bible Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said, Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said,
If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but who can withhold himself from speaking? If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? but {a} who can withhold himself from speaking?
(a) Seeing your impatience. Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou hast strengthened the weak hands. Behold, thou hast instructed many, and thou {b} hast strengthened the weak hands.
(b) You have comforted others in their afflictions but you cannot now comfort yourself. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees. Thy words have upholden him that was falling, and thou hast strengthened the feeble knees.
But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled. But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? Is not this thy {c} fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways?
(c) He concludes that Job was a hypocrite and had no true fear or trust in God. Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? or where were the righteous cut off? Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being {d} innocent? or where were the righteous cut off?
(d) He concludes that Job was reproved seeing that God handles him so extremely, which is the argument that the carnal men make against the children of God. Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same. Even as I have seen, they that {e} plow iniquity, and sow wickedness, reap the same.
(e) They who do evil cannot but receive evil. By the blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed. By the {f} blast of God they perish, and by the breath of his nostrils are they consumed.
(f) He shows that God needs no great preparation to destroy his enemies: for he can do it with the blast of his mouth. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken. The roaring of the {g} lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, and the teeth of the young lions, are broken.
(g) Though men according to their office do not punish tyrants (whom for their cruelty he compares to lions, and their children to their whelps) yet God is able and his justice will punish them. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad. The old lion perisheth for lack of prey, and the stout lion's whelps are scattered abroad.
Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. Now a thing was {h} secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.
(h) A thing I did not know before was declared to me by vision, that is that whoever thinks himself just will be found a sinner when he comes before God. In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, In thoughts from the visions of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men,
Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones to shake. Fear came upon me, and trembling, which made all my bones {i} to shake.
(i) In these visions which God shows to his creatures, there is always a certain fear joined, that the authority of it might be had in greater reverence. Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up: Then a spirit passed before my face; the hair of my flesh stood up:
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, It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof: an image was before mine eyes, there was {k} silence, and I heard a voice, saying,
(k) When all things were quiet or when the fear was relieved as God appeared to Elijah, 1Ki 19:12. Shall mortal man be more just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker? Shall mortal man be more {l} just than God? shall a man be more pure than his maker?
(l) He proves that if God punished the innocent, the creature would be more just than the creator, which was blasphemy. Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: Behold, he put no trust in his servants; and his {m} angels he charged with folly:
(m) If God finds imperfection in his angels when they are not maintained by his power, how much more shall he lay folly to man's charge when he would justify himself against God? How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth? How much less in them that dwell in houses of {n} clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are crushed before the moth?
(n) That is, in this mortal body, subject to corruption, as in 2Co 5:1. They are destroyed from morning to evening: they perish for ever without any regarding it. They are destroyed from {o} morning to evening: they perish for ever {p} without any regarding it.
(o) They see death continually before their eyes and daily approaching them. (p) No man for all this considers it. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without wisdom. Doth not their excellency which is in them go away? they die, even without {q} wisdom. (q) That is, before any of them were so wise, as to think of death. The Geneva Bible Translation Notes [1599] Bible Hub |
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