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Then Job answered and said,

Then Job answered and said — viz. In defence of his own integrity, against Eliphaz’s calumnies in the foregoing chapter. To make apology to every one that shall traduce us, Plato holdeth to be both base and bootless, Pασιν απολογεισθαι θεραπευτικον (Plat.). But when such a weighty man as Eliphaz shall lay load upon so innocent a man as Job, Quis tulerit? something would be said in way of answer.

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Even to day [is] my complaint bitter: my stroke is heavier than my groaning.

Even today is my complaint bitter — q.d. After all mine endeavour to satisfy you, I am still misinterpreted, and accounted by you, my friends, no better than a malcontent and a murmurer against God; albeit my laments do no way equal my torments. True it is that Eliphaz had given him excellent counsel, Job 22:21-22 , …, but it was to flatter him into the same error that he himself held; viz. that bodily and temporal sufferings are a sure sign of a notorious hypocrite. Hence Job never taketh notice of it in this reply; but begins his apology pathetically and abruptly; and soon falls into an appeal to God, the righteous Judge, who well knew (though his friends would take no notice of it) that he complained not without cause; but the contrary.

My stroke is heavier than my groaning — Most men’s groaning is greater than their strokes or sufferings. Invalidum omne natura querulum est (Senec.). Some are ever whining and growling; their lips, like rusty hinges, move not without murmuring and mutining, yea, they not only creak, but break, as rotten boughs do, if but a little weight be hung upon them; or as some men’s flesh, which if never so little razed with a pin, it presently rankleth and festereth. Job was none of these; if he groaned, as he did (and will they deny him that ease of his dolour? Expletur lachrymis egeriturque dolor. Ovid), there was very great cause for it, since his pressures were greater than could be expressed by any sighs or words.

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Oh that I knew where I might find him! [that] I might come [even] to his seat!

Oh that I knew where I might find him! — That is, God, so oft in his mind and mouth, that his acquaintance might easily know whom he meant. Aph-Hu, even he, 2 Kings 2:4 , as held by some to be one of God’s attributes (Weems). And Mα τον , without mention of Dια , was an ordinary oath in Plato’s mouth, as Suidas recordeth.

That I might come even to his seat! — His tribunal prepared for him. Venirem usque ad stationem eius (Mercer). Great is the confidence of a good conscience. See Genesis 20:5 1 Peter 3:21 . But yet haec certe omnia audacius dicuntur a misero homuncione, this was too bold a speech for a mortal creature, as God himself (who gave him his wish) will afterwards tell him, Job 38:2 ; Job 40:2 , and contrary to that which he had before resolved on, Job 9:3 . See the like failing in David, Psalms 39:1 ; Psalms 39:3 2 Samuel 6:8-9 . In these examples of so good men we may see how natural it is to us in affliction to rise up against God, as the horse that casteth his rider, and riseth up against him. Hoc a pietate alienum est, quod adversus Deum praefractius, et contumeliosius loquatur quam humilitas fidei ferat (Brent.). This the poets shadowed out in their fiction of the giants conspiring to pull Jove out of heaven. That which may be said in favour of Job herein, is, 1. That Job 23:6 , he professeth to plead with God in God’s strength. 2. That being accused by his friends of such foul offences, he had no other way of clearing himself than by appealing unto God whose most just judgment he acknowledged. 3. That he dared not have spoken thus boldly, but in confidence of his mercy. 4. That he would have his controversy with his friends (and not his whole life) to be exactly examined and judged by God.

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I would order [my] cause before him, and fill my mouth with arguments.

I would order my cause before him — I would not stick to approach to his tribunal, there to plead my cause (not against him, as being the supreme Judge, and not either plaintiff or defendant, but) against your false and wrongful accusations, which undoubtedly I would disprove and confute by many forcible and strong arguments (Beza).

And fill my mouth with arguments — Heb. Redargutions ( ελεγχος ,) increpations, reprehensions. A good orator will first rightly lay down his cause, state the question, as we call it. 2. Confirm it with reasons. 3. Observe what is said to the contrary, and confute it. Job would do all this if he might have audience; but if to God all this, Job was much mistaken. And so at another time, when in a better mind, he could say, "Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer, but I would make supplication to my judge. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me," …, Job 9:15 ; Job 9:20 .

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I would know the words [which] he would answer me, and understand what he would say unto me.

I would know the words that he would answer me — q.d. I cannot know your minds, O my friends, nor understand your words, which yet I believe are little to the purpose; but God (I know) will utter his mind plainly, and approve my cause, which you so rashly condemn. Thus John Huss and other martyrs, when they could not have a fair hearing from men, appealed and applied themselves to God, committing their cause to him who judgeth righteously.

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Will he plead against me with [his] great power? No; but he would put [strength] in me.

Will he plead against me with his great power? — No; for then you were in a woe-case. For if God’s breath blow us to destruction, as so many dust heaps, Job 4:9 , if he frown us to death, and nod us to destruction, Psalms 80:16 , what shall we think of his Almighty power, which none can abide or avoid? Dittleile est contra eum scribere, qui potest proseribere. It is dangerous dealing with him who hath at his command thirty legions, saith the philosopher to the emperor, who would needs crack an argument with him. And should Job dare to do it with the Lord of hosts, as if stronger than he? The thunder of his power, who can bear? The stoutest men quake before him; and as the worms, when it thundereth, wriggle into the corners of the earth, ready to run, as Caligula did, under any bed or any bench hole.

No; but he would put strength in me — Sic enim ex fidei πληροφορια persuasus, saith Merlin. Thus was Job persuaded, out of the full assurance of his faith, that God would deal with him as a loving Father, and not as a severe Judge: for who can stand before his wrath, or withstand his will? No man surely can contend with God unless he put strength in him, as he did into Jacob, Genesis 32:24 , whom he upheld with the one hand, as he strove against him with the other. This foregoing wish, therefore, of Job hath an excellent commendation in it of his faith and integrity, yet so as that in some things it is blameworthy. For who can come to God’s seat, since he dwelleth in light unapproachable? neither can any one see God and live, Exodus 34:5-8 . For this boldness, therefore, of his he shall be hereafter sharply reproved; first by Elihu, and then also by God himself, stepping forth as it were from behind the hangings, overhearing him, and saying, Who is this that talks thus? how now? Job 38:2-3 .

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There the righteous might dispute with him; so should I be delivered for ever from my judge.

There the righteous might dispute with him — There for then; sc. when God shall put strength into him; the upright or honest man (who draweth near with a true heart, in full assurance of faith, having his heart sprinkled from an evil conscience by the blood of Jesus Christ, Hebrews 10:22 ) might dispute with God, but not unless he have that advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the just one, to appear in the presence of God for him, Hebrews 9:24 , as the lawyer appeareth for his client, to put by and non suit all accusations, to plead his cause, and to justify him by the only merit of his righteousness and obedience. All St Paul’s care was to be found in Christ when sought for by the justice of God; not having his own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, Philippians 3:9 ; for sordet in conspectu iudicis, quod fulget in conspectu operantis (Aug.), "that which is highly esteemed among men, is abomination in the sight of God," Luke 16:15 . They only may dispute with God, that is, in a humble and laudable manner plead with him, as did Jacob, Genesis 32:24 , and Jeremiah, Jeremiah 12:1 , who partake of Christ’s righteousness imputed and imparted; opposing to the appearances of God’s wrath the firm persuasion of his grace, by the seal of his Spirit, Et O quam hoc non est omnium! This is few men’s happiness.

So should I be delivered for ever from my judge — Who would quit me by proclamation; and then I should the less care to be condemned by you, my fellow prisoners. I care not for man’s day, since he that judgeth me is the Lord, 1 Corinthians 4:3-4 ; where note what boldness and confidence the upright have in God; neither shall they be herein deceived, as Job was not.

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Behold, I go forward, but he [is] not [there]; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:

Behold, I go forward — Heb. Eastward, which is reckoned the forepart of the world; because that eye of the world, the sun, riseth there; and every man looketh to the rising sun.

But he is not there — sc. In that sort, as I desired to find him, Job 23:3 , he is not visible to me; he is too subtile for sinew or sight to seize upon; his judgments also are unsearchable, and his paths past finding out. True it is, that the whole world is nothing else but Deus explicatus, God expounded, a mirror or theatre wherein God may he seen; yea, felt and found out by those who are blind, Acts 17:27 . If a man hear a sermon by night, and in the dark, though he see not the preacher, yet he knows he is there. So Job questioned not God’s omnipresence; but complaineth that himself was benighted, and forsaken of his hopes to be eased of his troubles, outwardly in body, or inwardly in mind; this is the judgment of the flesh, when under affliction.

And backward, but I cannot perceive him — For indeed he is imperceptible by bodily eyes, neither sitteth he anywhere in this world to decide controversies, as he shall do in the clouds at the last day, when the righteous shall look up, for their redemption draweth nigh, Luke 21:28 , and the wicked shall look on and wail because of him, οψονται κοψονται , Revelation 1:7 , they shall look and lament, yea, be mad for the sight of their eyes which they shall see, as Deuteronomy 28:34 .

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