1
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2
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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
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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
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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
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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
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7. Rather, "Penetrate to the perfections of the Almighty"
(Job 9:10; Ps 139:6).
8
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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).
FIRST SERIES.
Job 11:1-20.
FIRST SPEECH OF ZOPHAR.