성경 주석서

Furthermore Elihu answered and said,

Furthermore Elihu answered and said — i.e. He prosecuted his former discourse, he thus pronounced (as the Vulgate hath it) in answer to some of Job’s former speeches, which he here reciteth, but not so candidly; and refelleth, but not so mildly as was meet. Pronuncians itaque Eliu, Elihu going on still in his anger and speech. True it is, that Job in his heat had let fall very many lavish and inconsiderate speeches, as is to be seen almost throughout the tenth chapter; but yet it was far from him ever to say either that himself was without sin or that God was unjust, as Elihu would bear him down; very odiously taking up certain sayings of his that way sounding, and very gravely calling forth the rest there present to give sentence with him against Job. Yet is not Elihu to be censured for a proud, arrogant person (as some make him), but to be esteemed, Sapiens et egregius vir, as Lavater here styleth him, a wise and excellent man; though he should have considered that the Spirit of God is neque mendax, neque mordax, a spirit of truth and of meekness.

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Hear my words, O ye wise [men]; and give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge.

Hear my words, O ye wise men — And those are not many, Hosea 14:9 . He excludeth poor Job, whom yet he had promised to teach wisdom, Job 33:33 . And that he spoke not to the many it is probable, for they have not those auras perpargatas, that he calleth for in the next verse. Bοιωτες fere sunt, they are heavily eared for the most part, and of dull apprehension;

To the other three then of Job’s friends he applieth himself; whom because he had sharply reproved before, and that they may not think that he held himself the only wise man among them, he thus bespeaketh to get audience, and makes them judges of his discourse. Men may be wise in some things that have carried the matter foolishly enough in other, ουδεις ανθρωπων αυπος απαντα σοφος (Theog.).

And give ear unto me, ye that have knowledge — It is a happiness to have such hearers. "I speak as to wise men, judge ye what I say," 1 Corinthians 10:15 . Jovianus the emperor was wont to wish, That he might govern wise men, and that wise men might govern him. But as it was once said, That there was never less wisdom in Greece than in the days of the seven wise men; so may we now well complain, that there is a very great want of sound and saving knowledge in this great abundance of helps thereunto; so that we may cry out, with the prophet Isaiah, Whom shall we teach knowledge, and whom shall we make to understand the hearing? Them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts; q.d. We have to do with very babes, children in understanding, but not in malice.

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For the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat.

For the ear trieth words — And for that end we have that excellent sense of hearing given us, that we may hear with judgment, and trying all things, hold fast that which is good, 1 Thessalonians 5:21 , taking heed what we hear, Mark 4:24 , as by the taste we may take heed what we let down; for else a man may easily eat his own bane, drink his poison: so here, for the soul hath her senses also, Philippians 1:9 , and these habitually exercised to discern good and evil, Hebrews 5:14 . Which while carnal people want, they are carried away as they are led, 1 Corinthians 12:2 ; plucked away with the error of the wicked, 2 Peter 3:17 ; wherried about with every wind of doctrine, Hebrews 13:9 , … See Trapp on " Job 12:1 "

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Let us choose to us judgment: let us know among ourselves what [is] good.

Let us choose to us judgment — Let us summon the sobriety of our senses before our judgments; laying aside all prejudice; for, Omne iudicium a se aufert qui praeiudicium affert, He can never judge aright who comes to a cause forestalled or prepossessed.

Let us know among ourselves what is good — Let us go knowingly to work, according to apparent truth; and not use cunningly devised arguments, as many ( mataeologi rather than theologi ) do today in the greatest controversies of religion; and hereunto let us all contribute our best help, for the finding out of truth, and convincing of Job.

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For Job hath said, I am righteous: and God hath taken away my judgment.

For Job hath said, I am righteous — So he was with a twofold righteousness: imputed, or the righteousness of justification; and imparted, or the righteousness of sanctification. But Elihu understood him as if he had said, I am sinless. This Job never said; only he cleared himself of foul offences wherewith his friends falsely charged him; and asserted his own integrity, whereof he seemed to be more solicitous than of giving God the glory of his justice; and therein he was to be blamed, as here he is to some purpose.

And God hath taken away my judgment — sc. By handling me like a wicked man, and not showing me why. See Job 27:3 , where Job had used these very words; but not in the sense that Elihu urgeth them against him.

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Should I lie against my right? my wound [is] incurable without transgression.

Should I lie against my right? — Ut meam causam prodam, so as to betray my cause, and yield myself guilty when I know myself innocent (R. Levi). This I will never do, said Job; no more would that peerless Lady Elizabeth, when as a traitor she was laid up in the Tower, and pressed to appeach herself. Better die than lie.

My wound is incurable without transgression — These last words, "without transgression," Elihu spitefully thrusteth in, saith Beza. Others think they may be gathered out of Job 9:17 ; Job 16:17 . Without presumptuous sin (which David calleth the great transgression, the wickedness with a witness) Job might truly say, it may be; for all men are sinners, yet not all alike; though all have a discrasy, yet every man hath not a fever; and though none are without ill humours, yet some have not a leprosy upon them.

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What man [is] like Job, [who] drinketh up scorning like water?

What man is like Job? — This Elihu speaketh by way of angry admiration, as if he would make Job a very nonsuch, a matchless offender; and that he much wondered with what face he could speak in that sort, Exclamatio admirativa (Pisc.). What, such a man as Job do thus? Oh, shameful! what? upbraid and reproach Almighty God? who would ever have expected such words from such a mouth? Is the man in his right mind, wot you, that he thus maketh himself a common laughing stock and by word, and yet maketh nothing of anything, but doth with as great facility and readiness swallow up men’s scoffs and taunts, as if he were drinking cold water, and no more is he troubled at them? Why, but is this Job? and is it possible that he should have so far lost all fear of God, and shame of the world, that he should set his mouth against heaven, as if he would spit in God’s face, and not care though he drink up scorning and affronts like water, quasi maledictis aleretur, ut venenis capreae, as if he were much taken and tickled with them? True it is, that Nemo pluris aestimavit virtutem, as Seneca saith, No man setteth a better price upon virtue than he who will rather part with his good name than part with his honesty. But it is also as true, that to neglect altogether what others think and say of us, non solum arrogantis est, sed et dissoluti, is the part not of a proud only, but of a forlorn person, saith the orator.

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Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity, and walketh with wicked men.

Which goeth in company with the workers of iniquity — Strange if he should; for the wicked is abomination to the righteous, Proverbs 29:27 . "Lord, gather not my soul with sinners, nor my life with bloody men," saith David, Psalms 26:9 . Lord, send me not to hell among the wicked (said a certain good woman upon her death bed), for thou knowest I never liked their company here on earth. But how proveth Elihu this charge against Job, who was ever a terror to graceless Belialists? Forsooth he gathereth it from a certain speech of his, if he could tell what, or when it was uttered.

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