Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible · Job Kabanata 11

FIRST SERIES.

Job 11:1-20.

FIRST SPEECH OF ZOPHAR.

2. Zophar assails Job for his empty words, and indirectly, the two friends, for their weak reply. Taciturnity is highly prized among Orientals

(Pr 10:8, 19).

3. lies--rather, "vain boasting"

(Isa 16:6; Jer 48:30).

The "men" is emphatic; men of sense; in antithesis to "vain boasting."

mockest--upbraidest God by complaints, "shall no man make thee ashamed?"

4. doctrine--purposely used of Job's speeches, which sounded like lessons of doctrine

(De 32:2; Pr 4:2).

thine--addressed to God. Job had maintained his sincerity against his friends suspicions, not faultlessness.

6. to that which is!--Rather, "they are double to [man's] wisdom" [MICHAELIS]. So the Hebrew is rendered

(Pr 2:7).

God's ways, which you arraign, if you were shown their secret wisdom, would be seen vastly to exceed that of men, including yours

(1Co 1:25).

exacteth--Rather, "God consigns to oblivion in thy favor much of thy guilt."

7. Rather, "Penetrate to the perfections of the Almighty"

(Job 9:10; Ps 139:6).

8. It--the "wisdom" of God

(Job 11:6).

The abruptness of the Hebrew is forcible: "The heights of heaven! What canst thou do" (as to attaining to them with thy gaze,

Ps 139:8)?

know--namely, of His perfections.

10. cut off--Rather, as in

Job 9:11,

"pass over," as a storm; namely, rush upon in anger.

shut up--in prison, with a view to trial.

gather together--the parties for judgment: hold a judicial assembly; to pass sentence on the prisoners.

11.

(Ps 94:11).

consider--so as to punish it. Rather, from the connection,

Job 11:6,

"He seeth wickedness also, which man does not perceive"; literally, "But no (other, save He) perceiveth it" [UMBREIT]. God's "wisdom"

(Job 11:6),

detects sin where Job's human eye cannot reach

(Job 11:8),

so as to see any.

12. vain--hollow.

would be--"wants to consider himself wise"; opposed to God's "wisdom" (see on

Job 11:11);

refuses to see sin, where God sees it

(Ro 1:22).

wild ass's colt--a proverb for untamed wildness

(Job 39:5, 8; Jer 2:24; Ge 16:12;

Hebrew, "a wild-ass man"). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.

13. The apodosis to the "If" is at

Job 11:15.

The preparation of the heart is to be obtained

(Pr 16:1)

by stretching out the hands in prayer for it

(Ps 10:17; 1Ch 29:18).

14. Rather, "if thou wilt put far away the iniquity in thine hand" (as Zaccheus did,

Lu 19:8).

The apodosis or conclusion is at

Job 11:15,

"then shalt thou," &c.

15. Zophar refers to Job's own words

(Job 10:15),

"yet will I not lift up my head," even though righteous. Zophar declares, if Job will follow his advice, he may "lift up his face."

spot--

(De 32:5).

steadfast--literally, "run fast together," like metals which become firm and hard by fusion. The sinner on the contrary is wavering.

16. Just as when the stream runs dry

(Job 6:17),

the danger threatened by its wild waves is forgotten

(Isa 65:16)

[UMBREIT].

17. age--days of life.

the noon-day--namely, of thy former prosperity; which, in the poet's image, had gone on increasing, until it reached its height, as the sun rises higher and higher until it reaches the meridian

(Pr 4:18).

shine forth--rather, "though now in darkness, thou shall be as the morning"; or, "thy darkness (if any dark shade should arise on thee, it) shall be as the morning" (only the dullness of morning twilight, not nocturnal darkness) [UMBREIT].

18. The experience of thy life will teach thee there is hope for man in every trial.

dig--namely, wells; the chief necessity in the East. Better, "though now ashamed

(Ro 5:5,

opposed to the previous 'hope'), thou shalt then rest safely" [GESENIUS];

19.

(Ps 4:8; Pr 3:24; Isa 14:30);

oriental images of prosperity.

make suit--literally, "stroke thy face," "caress thee"

(Pr 19:6).

20. A warning to Job, if he would not turn to God.

The wicked--that is, obdurate sinners.

eyes . . . fail--that is, in vain look for relief

(De 28:65).

Zophar implies Job's only hope of relief is in a change of heart.

they shall not escape--literally, "every refuge shall vanish from them."

giving up of the ghost--Their hope shall leave them as the breath does the body

(Pr 11:7).