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In this and the two following chapters we have Job's answer to Zophar's discourse, in which, as before, he first reasons with his friends (see Job 13:19) and then turns to his God, and directs his expostulations to him, from thence to the end of his discourse. In this chapter he addresses himself to his friends, and, I. He condemns what they had said of him, and the judgment they had given of his character, Job 12:1-5. II. He contradicts and confronts what they had said of the destruction of wicked people in this world, showing that they often prosper, Job 12:6-11. III. He consents to what they had said of the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, and the dominion of his providence over the children of men and all their affairs; he confirms this, and enlarges upon it, Job 12:12-25.
1-25
Job's Reply to Zophar (1520 BC)
简体中文
约伯记第十二章
约伯答琐法（主前1520年）
¹ 约伯回答说：
² 你们真是子民哪，智慧必与你们同死。
³ 但我也有聪明，与你们一样；并非不及你们：这样的事，谁不知道呢？
⁴ 我这求告神、蒙他应允的人，竟成了朋友所讥笑的；公义完全人竟受了讥笑。
⁵ 患难的人，他的脚将要滑跌，在安逸人的心思中被看如将残的灯。
约伯在此对朋友的责备——不论是否公正——十分尖锐，可作为一切骄傲轻蔑之人的责备，暴露他们的愚妄。
一、他责备他们自夸和自以为比他智慧的好看法——再没有比这更软弱、更不相宜、更该被嘲笑的了
1. 他把他们描述为自占智慧之专营（伯 12:2）。 他以反讽的口吻：「你们真是子民哪！你们自以为配向全人类发号施令、立法度，又以自己的判断为量度并审判各人意见的标准——仿佛除了你们之外无人能辨别真假、善恶；所以一切顶帆都要向你们低头，不论对错，我们都必与你们所说的一样，你们三人就是子民——多数——有决定性的一票。」 请留意：任何人以为自己比全人类都智慧，或以自信专横的方式言行——仿佛如此想——都是十分愚蠢有罪的。他更进一步：「你们不仅以为无一人如你们那样智慧，更以为无一人将如你们那样智慧——所以「智慧必与你们同死」——你们一去，全世界都必作糊涂人，你们的日头一落，世界都在暗中。」 请留意：以为自己死后会有什么大损失、或我们不可缺，是愚妄——因神有 剩余 之灵，能兴起别人——比我们更合适——作他的工。智者善人死时，想到智慧良善不与他们同死，便得安慰。有人以为约伯在此影射琐法把约伯（他想）和旁人比作野驴驹（伯 11:12）。「是」（他说）「「我们是驴；你们才是唯一的人。」 2. 他自陈也有一份智慧之恩（伯 12:3）：「但我也有聪明，与你们一样；并非不及你们」（旁注如此）。——「我也能判断护理的方法和意旨，能解释它的难题，正如你们。」 他不是说这话来抬高自己。说自己和他们一样有聪明，并不算什么自夸；说自己和他们一样懂这事，也不算什么——因为他们二人有什么理由以懂那最卑微之人都能懂的事为傲呢？「这样的事，谁不知道呢？你们所说的真事都是 浅显的真理、是寻常题目，许多人能如你我一样出色地谈论。」 但他说这话为要使他们谦卑、遏制他们以博士自居的自视。请留意： 〔1〕想到多少人知道我们所知的——也许更多、且更有目的——便足以使我们不以自己的知识为傲。 〔2〕当我们被引诱苛刻 论断那些与我们不同、相争的人之时，当想到他们也有如我们一样的悟性——有判断的能力、也有为自己判断的权利；也许他们并不亚于我们，反而胜过我们；他们可能在理上、我们可能在错中。所以我们不可论断、不可轻视（罗 14:3），也不可*「多人作师傅」（雅 3:1直译），因为「你们都是弟兄」（太 23:8）。* 客观地承认一切我们所交往、所相争的人都是与我们一样的理性受造，这是十分合理的让步。
二、他抱怨他们待他的极大轻视
那自高、对自己评价过高的人，通常也轻蔑、易于践踏周围一切人。约伯发觉如此——至少他以为如此（伯 12:4）：「我成了……所讥笑的。」 我不能说这指控有理由；我们不当想约伯的朋友们有意辱他，他们的目的不过是要劝服他——按正当之法安慰他；他却喊：「我成了所讥笑的。」 请留意：我们易于把责备当作毁谤、把劝戒当作戏弄——这暴躁是我们的愚妄，也是对自己和朋友的大亏负。然而我们不能不说这指控有颜色：他们来安慰他，却使他愁烦；给他 劝导和鼓励，却不大以为其中之一有效；所以他以为他们戏弄他——这大大加增他的忧愁。从兴旺的高峰跌入患难深渊之人，最痛苦的事莫过于被践踏、被践踏时被讥笑；这方面他们太易于疑心。请观察：
1. 使这冤屈更重的是两件事： 〔1〕他们是他的「邻舍」——他的朋友、他的同伴（原文如此）——这样的讥笑常最刻薄地发出，也最愤慨地接受（诗 55:12-13）：「不是仇敌辱骂我，若是，我便可轻看、忍受；是你——同我平等的人。」 〔2〕他们是信仰的宣认者——「求告神」、又说他「应允他们」的人（有人以为这话指戏弄者）：「他们是向天有关心、在天有利益的人——他们的祷告我宁愿得着、也为此感恩；他们的好评我不能不切慕——所以他们的 论断更沉重。」 请留意：求告神的人竟戏弄弟兄（雅 3:9-10），是可悲的；好人被他所看为好的所看为坏，不能不沉重——然而这并非新事。
2. 支持他的是什么。 〔1〕他有一位可投靠的神，可向他呈上诉状——有人以为这话指那被戏弄的人——「他求告神，神应允他」；这与伯 16:20相符：「我的朋友讥笑我，我的眼向神流泪。」 我们的朋友对我们的诉苦充耳不闻，神却不；他们定我们罪，神知我们的正直；他们把我们看得最坏，他要把我们看得最好；他们给我们逆耳的回答，他给我们顺耳的回答。 〔2〕他的情形不是孤例，乃是十分寻常：「公义完全人竟受了讥笑。」——被许多人因其义和正——他对人的诚实、对神的敬虔——而讥笑；这些被嘲笑为愚昧事，是无聊人无谓自缚的——仿佛信仰是笑话，所以当被作笑话。 被大多数人因任何小弱点而讥笑——不顾他的义和正——也是一样。请留意：诚实的好人被藐视被讥笑，自古以来就是他们的分；我们不当以为怪（彼前 4:12），也不当以为苦——若这是我们的分；「他们如此逼迫先知」，更不必说族长时代的圣徒了（太 5:12）——我们能指望比他们更好的待遇吗？
3. 他所疑心为真因的——简言之：他们自己富足安逸，所以藐视落入贫穷的他。 这是世俗之理；我们日见其例。兴旺的人被称赞，走下坡的人被说*「推倒他」。**「脚将要滑跌」、要落入患难的人——他从前虽如灯照耀——那时却被看如将残的灯芯——我们把它扔在地上践踏——所以在安逸人的心思中被藐视（伯 12:5）。连那在他世代如明灯燃烧照耀的公义完全人，若「进入试探」（诗 73:2）*或落在云下，也被藐视。请看： 〔1〕那些活在兴旺中之人的通病是什么。 自己既饱足、安逸、欢乐，便以轻蔑的眼光看那些在缺乏、痛苦、忧愁中的人；他们不看他们，不理他们，设法忘记他们（诗 123:4）。酒政在大碗里喝酒，对约瑟的苦情却全不在意（创 40章）。无恩的财富常使人如此高傲、对穷邻舍如此漠不关心。 〔2〕那些落入患难之人的通命是什么。 贫穷足以使他们一切光彩黯然；他们虽是灯，若从金灯台取出、如基甸的放进瓦器里，便无人如从前那样看重他们——安逸的人便藐视他们。
⁶ 强盗的帐棚兴旺，惹神的人稳固；神多将物赐入他们手中。
⁷ 你且问走兽，走兽必指教你；又问空中的飞鸟，飞鸟必告诉你；
⁸ 或与地说话，地必指教你；海中的鱼也必向你说明。
⁹ 看这一切，谁不知道是耶和华的手所作的呢？
¹⁰ 凡活物的生命，和人类的气息，都在他手中。
¹¹ 耳朵岂不试验言语，正如上膛尝食物吗？
约伯的朋友们所持的原则是：恶人在此世不能长久兴旺，必有某种显著的审判忽然临到；琐法以这话作结：「恶人的眼目必要失败」（伯 11:20）。 约伯在此反对这原则，并主张：神在安排人的外面事务上，是按主权行事，将精确的赏罚留到将来。
一、他断言恶人可能、也常常长久兴旺（伯 12:6）
连大罪人也可享大兴旺。请观察： 1. 他如何描述这些罪人。 他们是*「强盗」、是「惹神的人」——最坏的一类罪人，亵渎者、逼迫者。也许他指抢劫他的示巴人和迦勒人——他们向来以劫掠抢夺为生，却兴旺；全世界都看见他们如此——无可争议；一个基于事实的观察胜过二十个 假设的理论。或更广而言之：一切骄傲的压迫者都是强盗和海盗。可推论：对人有害的，就是惹神的——他是正义的保护者、人类的 盾牌。那些违犯正义之 约束的人，也必冲破一切宗教之 义务——甚至向神自己挑战，以惹他为无物。 2. 他如何描述他们的兴旺。 它极大： 〔1〕连他们的「帐棚」也兴旺——与他们同活的、和他们后裔。 仿佛祝福附在他们家族上；有时以诈欺所得的，竟存留到后代。 〔2〕*他们「稳固」——不仅不感觉害，也不怕害——不因威胁的护理或苏醒的良心而忧虑。** 但那些*「惹神」的人，并不因他们「稳固」就更安全。 〔3〕**神多将物赐入他们手中——「他们所得的过于心里所想的」（诗 73:7直译）*——不仅为必需，更为娱乐——不仅为自己，更为别人——不仅为现在，更为将来；并且这是出于护理之手。** 神丰盛地赐给他们。所以我们不能以人的丰盛判断他的虔诚，也不能以他手中所有的判断他心中的。
二、他甚至向下等受造之物求证——兽、鸟、树、甚至地本身；求问这些，它们必告诉你（伯 12:7-8）
我们能从它们学到许多好教训，但它们在此要教我们什么？ 1. 我们可以从它们学到「强盗的帐棚兴旺」（有人如此解）*；因* 〔1〕连在野兽之间，大的吞小的、强的食弱的；人也如海中的鱼（哈 1:14）。若罪未入世，我们可以推想受造之物之间无此紊乱，狼与羊必同卧。 〔2〕这些受造之物服事恶人，所以它们宣告他们的兴旺。问群畜属于谁，它们必告诉你：某强盗、某压迫者是它们的主人；鱼鸟必告诉你它们被端上桌、喂养骄傲罪人的 奢华。地向他们出土产（伯 9:24），全受造之物在他们暴政的重担下叹息（罗 8:20、22）。请留意：恶人所滥用的受造之物——使之作其私欲的饮食和燃料——他日必见证他们（雅 5:3-4）。 2. 我们可以从它们学到神的智慧、权能和良善——以及他那主权的统治——这些 浅显自明的真理，必须成为这一切奥秘护理之解释的归结。 琐法把它说成大奥秘（伯 11:7）。「远非如此」（约伯说）「「我们所当知的，甚至可向下等受造之物学习；因为「谁不知道呢？（伯 12:9）」* 任何人都能容易地从受造之书得出结论：「是耶和华的手所作的」——即*「有一位智慧的护理，以我们所不知、也不胜任判断的规则引导治理这一切。」* 请留意：从神对下等受造之物的主权，我们当学到在自己一切的安排——纵然与我们度量相背——中 安然顺服。
三、他将一切归于神对一切受造之物的绝对拥有权（伯 12:10）：*「凡活物的生命……都在他手中。」
一切受造之物——尤其是人类——从他得存有、欠他存有、仰赖他维持、在他怜悯之下、在他指导和主权之下、完全在他处置之下；他一召唤便须交还生命。凡灵魂都是他的；他岂不能随己意待自己所有的吗？此处用了*「耶和华」之名（伯 12:9）——这是约伯与朋友们一切讲论中唯一见此名之处；因那时代神更以「沙代——全能者」*之名被人认识。
四、那些话——*「耳朵岂不试验言语，正如上膛尝食物吗？」（伯 12:11）——可作前文之结、也可作下文之序。** 人的心智当其适当陈明时，辨别真假之能力，正如上膛辨别甜苦之能力。所以约伯向朋友要求为自己判断他们所说之话的自由，又请他们也用同样自由判断他所说的话；不，他似乎向任何人在此争论中公正的判断申诉——让耳朵试两造的话，便要发觉他在理上。请留意：耳朵在接收话、以致赞同之前，必须先试它。如我们以味道判断何物滋养身体、何物不滋养，照样我们以分辨之灵当判断何道理健全、可口、滋养，何物不（林前 10:15；11:13）。
¹² 年老的有智慧；寿高的有知识。
¹³ 在神有智慧和能力；他有谋略和知识。
¹⁴ 他拆毁的，就不能再建造；他拘禁人，便不得释放。
¹⁵ 看哪，他止住水，水便干涸；他再发出，水便翻覆大地。
¹⁶ 在他有能力、有智慧；被诱惑的与诱惑人的，都是属他。
¹⁷ 他把谋士掳去，使审判官变为愚妄。
¹⁸ 他放开君王的绑，又用带子束他们腰。
¹⁹ 他把祭司掳去，使有力的人倾败；
²⁰ 他除掉忠信人的讲论，夺去老人的聪明。
²¹ 他将地上民中首领的聪明夺去，使他们在荒废无路之地飘流；
²² 他将深奥的事从黑暗中彰显，使死荫之地显于光中。
²³ 他使邦国兴旺而又毁灭；他扩充邦国，又将他们掳去。
²⁴ 他将地上民中首领的聪明夺去，使他们在荒废无路之地飘流；
²⁵ 他们无光在黑暗中摸索；他使他们犹如醉酒之人东倒西歪。
这是约伯一篇高尚的讲论——论到神的智慧、权能、主权：神按自己旨意安排一切世人之子的事，无人敢驳、无人能挡。把他们从所热烈争辩的事中取出，他们都讲得十分精彩；但在那事上，我们有时简直不知所云。智者善人若在小事上意见不同，能看见所同意的大事——为他们的尊荣、安慰、别人的建立——是最重要专注之处，那是何等好。约伯在这题目上说话如其本人。此处无激情之怨、无暴躁之反思，一切都雄浑伟大。
一、他肯定神不可测度的智慧和无能挡的权能
诚然，「年老的有智慧」（伯 12:12）；但这只见于少数人——「年老」者、寿高者——他们以长久经历和恒久经历而得；既得了智慧，却已失了力量，不能执行其智慧之结论。但「在神」既有「智慧」又有「能力」——智慧设计最好，能力成就所设。他不像我们靠观察得谋略和知识，而是本质上、永恒地本于己有（伯 12:13）。古人之智慧比诸*「亘古常在者」（但 7:9）之智慧，又当如何！我们所知甚少，所能更少；但神万事能作，「他的旨意不能拦阻」（伯 42:2）。以这神为神的人有福了——因他们有无限智慧和力量为他们效力。人对他的尝试尽都愚妄徒然（伯 12:14）：「他拆毁的，就不能再建造。」* 请留意：不能与神护理相争，也不能破其措施。他从前说过（伯 9:12）：他*「夺去，谁能阻挡他？」——他如今再说。神所说的不能驳，神所作的不能撤。神所要任其荒废的，再无可建——如巴别塔，承建者无法继续（创 11:8）；如所多玛、蛾摩拉的荒场，永无可修（赛 25:2；结 26:14；启 18:21）。神所判无期徒刑的，无可释放；他若「拘禁人」——以疾病、缺乏、事业困窘——便「不得释放」*。他拘禁于坟墓，无人能破其封印之门；拘禁于地狱、黑暗之链中，无人能越那所定的深渊。
二、他以自然为证（伯 12:15）
神掌管*「众水」——「以云为衣」（伯 38:9直译；箴 30:4）、「捧在手中」（赛 40:12）；他能以水之缺或水之过罚世人。正如人因两极之失和过而违德行（德行在中），照样神以两极罚之、夺去他们在中所有的怜悯。 1. 大旱有时是大审判：他止住水，水便干涸；天若如铜，地便如铁；雨若被拒，泉源便涸、其流便缺，田野便焦、其果便缺（摩 4:7）。 2. 大涝有时是大审判。 他升水，便「翻覆大地」——其出产、其上建筑。「大雨扫荡，不留粮食」（箴 28:3直译）。* 请看神有多少法与有罪的民相争、夺去他们所滥用、所 丧失的怜悯；我们与他相争又是何等无力。若我们可颠倒次序，伯 12:15正合挪亚洪水——那神圣权能永可记念之实例。神那时在怒中放出诸水，翻覆了地；却在怜悯中止住它们——关了天上的窗户和深渊的泉源——不久它们便干了。
三、他举出许多实例在神对世人之子的权能治理上——使他们的目的受挫、藉他们、在他们身上成就自己的目的；推翻他们一切谋略、压倒他们一切尝试、胜过他们一切反对。神使人有何等改变！给他们何等转折！何其容易！何其惊人！
1. 总而言之（伯 12:16）：「在他有能力」——原文有智慧、稳定 自洽之意。 他有智慧之精华。有人如此读：「在他有能力和一切所是。」 他是其所是本于己，万物也本于他、在他里面存在。既有此力和智，他知道如何利用——不仅利用那些甘心乐意服事他的智慧良善之人，甚至利用那些愚妄邪恶、似乎无法服事他护理目的之人：「被诱惑的与诱惑人的都是属他」——最简单受骗的人不在他注意之下；最狡猾骗人的人不能以其狡猾逃他鉴察。世界充满欺骗；人类一半 欺骗另一半，神却容许如此，至终要从双方为自己得荣耀。骗者以被骗者为工具，大神却以二者为工具——他用之而作，无人能挡。他有足够的智慧和能力管理世上一切傻瓜和恶棍，知道如何藉之服事自己的目的——纵然一方的愚妄、另一方的邪恶。雅各以诡计得祝福时，神恩之设计得以服事；亚哈被 假预言引入灭亡之征途时，神公义之设计得以服事；二者之中*「被诱惑的与诱惑人的」都在他处置之下（结 14:9）。若他不知如何为二者设界限、从二者得荣耀，便不容骗者之罪、被骗者之苦。「哈利路亚，主神全能者如此掌权」（启 19:6直译）*；他如此行是好的——因世上智慧诚实如此之少，若非如此，世界早已混乱败坏。
2. 他继而论神在列国列邦革命上的智慧和权能之特殊实例；因他从此取证，过于从护理对私人家庭类似之工作取证——因人所处越高越公众，其变迁越引人注意，护理在其中越显著发光。 且易推论：神既能如此把世上大人物如球般抛来抛去（赛 22:18），何况小人物；邦国都要服的那位，我们与他相争实是最大的疯狂。有人以为约伯在此指利乏音人、苏西人、以米人、何利人那些强族的被剿灭（创 14:5-6；申 2:10、20）——其中或特别记到他们如何奇怪地被弄愚、被削弱：若是如此，目的是表明：邦国事务中每逢类似的事，都是神所作的，我们当在其间观察神的主权——即使对那些自以为最有权势、最有政治、最专制的人。试与以利法的话比较（伯 5:12-14等）。让我们汇集此处所列举之特殊变迁——神在人身上所作的，或为灭国、或为栽植别国代之，或为换一政府一内阁、又立另一代之——这可能成为国之福；如我国二十年前那光荣的革命，我们在其中所见的，正是约伯这话最幸福的注解。 〔1〕那些本有智慧的有时奇异地被弄愚——其中神的手当受承认（伯 12:17）：「他把谋士掳去」——如他胜过他们的战利品，剥去他们以策略所得的尊荣和财富，不，更剥去他们因之闻名之智慧 本身、和他们对其 计画所盼望的成功。 他的谋略立定，他们的设计尽归无有、被挫败——如此他们既失其智之满足，又失其智之名誉。「他使审判官变为愚妄」——他作工在他们心上，剥夺其任职的资格，所以他们真的成了愚妄人；他又以其对他们事务的处置，使其计画的结局和效果与他们自己所图的全然相反——如此使他们看起来像愚妄人。亚希多弗的谋略——这话在他身上显著应验——变为愚妄，他如其名*「愚妄人的兄弟」（参撒下 17:23）。参见赛 19:13：「琐安的首领都变为愚昧；他们勾引了埃及，就是埃及支派的柱子。」* 所以智者不可因自己的智慧夸口；最能干的谋士和审判官不可因其职骄傲，当谦卑靠神持续其才干。连老年人——似乎以 约定俗成之权持有智慧、自以为以己勤而得之、故有不可夺之权——也可被剥夺，且常常被衰老所剥夺，使他们两次作孩子：他*「夺去老人的聪明」（伯 12:20）。——那最被倚重给劝告的老人，辜负了倚重他们的人。我们读到「一个年老不肯纳谏的愚昧王」（传 4:13直译）。* 〔2〕那些本居高位的奇异地被降卑、贫穷、奴役——是神使他们卑微（伯 12:18）：「他放开君王的绑」——夺去他们用以治民的权——也许奴役他们、严严治理；他剥去他们一切尊荣权威的徽章、一切暴政的支撑，解其腰带——剑从身旁落下，于是冠冕不久从头落下——随之而来「用带子束他们腰」——仆役的徽章，因仆人束腰而行。如此他「把祭司掳去」*（伯 12:19）——剥去其一切权势财富、并其所乐所夸。请留意：君王不在神辖权之外。对我们他们是神，对他不过是人，且受比常人更多的变迁。* 〔3〕那些本强壮的奇异地被削弱——是神使他们弱（伯 12:21）并「倾败」*（伯 12:19）。* 健壮之身因老病被削弱；强大的军队消融归无，其力不能保他们免致命倾覆。无力量可在全能者面前站立——歌利亚的也不行。 〔4〕那些以口才闻名、受托公众事务的奇异地被缄默，无话可说（伯 12:20）：「他除掉忠信人的讲论」——使他们不能如本意、如素常那样自由清楚地说，而是支吾、踌躇、说不出名堂。 或不能如本意说，反说相反的——如巴兰，他祝福那些他被召来咒诅的。所以演说家不可以其修辞自傲，也不可滥用之于恶，免得神——他造人的口——收回它。 〔5〕那些受人尊敬钦佩的奇异地落入羞辱（伯 12:21）：他将「藐视倾在君王身上」。*——他任他们自己去作卑下之事，或改变人对他们的看法。* 君王自己若藐视神、轻看他，若他对神的子民施以不敬、践踏他们，他们必被轻看，神必将藐视倾在他们身上（诗 107:40）。当权时高傲狂妄之人，跌倒时通常自己最卑贱、也最受人凌辱。 〔6〕隐秘隐藏的奇异地被显明昭彰（伯 12:22）：「他将深奥的事从黑暗中彰显。」——紧密铺设的阴谋被发现挫败；紧密犯下、巧妙隐藏的恶被发现，有罪者受当得之罚——隐秘的叛国（传 10:20）、隐秘的谋杀、隐秘的淫乱。 君王内阁之议都在神眼前（王下 6:11-12）。 〔7〕邦国有其涨落、其消长；二者都来自神（伯 12:23）：他有时「使邦国兴旺」*、扩充其疆界，使其在列国中显著、令人畏惧；但过一时，因某种不明显之因，他们被毁灭、被 限制、变少变穷、被截短，许多被截去——如此在邻邦眼中可鄙，那作头的成了列邦之尾（诗 107:38-39）。* 〔8〕那些本胆大勇敢、不畏危险的奇异地被吓胆怯灰心；这也是主所行的（伯 12:24）：「他将地上民中首领的聪明夺去」——那些本是他们的领袖和统帅、以武勇和大战功闻名的人；有事当办之时，他们却无胆，一叶之摇便欲逃（诗 76:5）。 〔9〕那些本全速推进其 计画的奇异地茫然失措；他们不知身在何处、所作何事，其谋略不稳、其行动不定，或此或彼、或去或来，如人在旷野中飘流（伯 12:24）、如人在暗中摸索、如醉汉东倒西歪（伯 12:25；赛 59:10）。请留意：神能速叫最深的政治家 不知所措、叫最大的才子「智慧人惭愧」（林前 1:19直译）*，以显明他在他们所夸之事上比他们更高。*
列国的革命如此奇妙地被超越一切的护理所成就。天地都震动，主却永坐为王；在他那里我们盼望*「一个不能震动的国」（来 12:28）。*
英文原文
Job's Reply to Zophar (1520 BC)
¹ And Job answered and said,
² No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you.
³ But I have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you: yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
⁴ I am as one mocked of his neighbour, who calleth upon God, and he answereth him: the just upright man is laughed to scorn.
⁵ He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease.
The reproofs Job here gives to his friends, whether they were just or no, were very sharp, and may serve for a rebuke to all that are proud and scornful, and an exposure of their folly.
I. He upbraids them with their conceitedness of themselves, and the good opinion they seemed to have of their own wisdom in comparison with him, than which nothing is more weak and unbecoming, nor better deserves to be ridiculed, as it is here. 1. He represents them as claiming the monopoly of wisdom, Job 12:2. He speaks ironically: "No doubt you are the people; you think yourselves fit to dictate and give law to all mankind, and your own judgment to be the standard by which every man's opinion must be measured and tried, as if nobody could discern between truth and falsehood, good and evil, but you only; and therefore every top-sail must lower to you, and, right or wrong, we must all say as you say, and you three must be the people, the majority, to have the casting vote." Note, It is a very foolish and sinful thing for any to think themselves wiser than all mankind besides, or to speak and act confidently and imperiously, as if they thought so. Nay, he goes further: "You not only think there are none, but that there will be none, as wise as you, and therefore that wisdom must die with you, that all the world must be fools when you are gone, and in the dark when your sun has set." Note, It is folly for us to think that there will be any great irreparable loss of us when we are gone, or that we can be ill spared, since God has the residue of the Spirit, and can raise up others, more fit than we are, to do his work. When wise men and good men die it is a comfort to think that wisdom and goodness shall not die with them. Some think Job here reflects upon Zophar's comparing him (as he thought) and others to the wild ass's colt, Job 11:12. "Yes," says he, "we must be asses; you are the only men." 2. He does himself the justice to put in his claim as a sharer in the gifts of wisdom (Job 12:3): "But I have understanding (a heart) as well as you; nay, I fall not lower than you;" as it is in the margin. "I am as well able to judge of the methods and meanings of the divine providence, and to construe the hard chapters of it, as you are." He says not this to magnify himself. It was no great applause of himself to say, I have understanding as well as you; no, nor to say, "I understand this matter as well as you;" for what reason had either he or they to be proud of understanding that which was obvious and level to the capacity of the meanest? "Yea, who knows not such things as these? What things you have said that are true are plain truths, and common themes, which there are many that can talk as excellently of as either you or I." But he says it to humble them, and check the value they had for themselves as doctors of the chair. Note, (1.) It may justly keep us from being proud of our knowledge to consider how many there are that know as much as we do, and perhaps much more and to better purpose. (2.) When we are tempted to be harsh in our censures of those we differ from and dispute with we ought to consider that they also have understanding as well as we, a capacity of judging, and a right of judging for themselves; nay, perhaps they are not inferior to us, but superior, and it is possible that they may be in the right and we in the wrong; and therefore we ought not to judge or despise them (Ro 14:3), nor pretend to be masters (Jam 3:1), while all we are brethren, Mt 23:8. It is a very reasonable allowance to be made to all we converse with, all we contend with, that they are rational creatures as well as we.
II. He complains of the great contempt with which they had treated him. Those that are haughty and think too well of themselves are commonly scornful and ready to trample upon all about them. Job found it so, at least he thought he did (Job 12:4): I am as one mocked. I cannot say there was cause for this charge; we will not think Job's friends designed him any abuse, nor aimed at any thing but to convince him, and so, in the right method, to comfort him; yet he cries out, I am as one mocked. Note, We are apt to call reproofs reproaches, and to think ourselves mocked when we are but advised and admonished; this peevishness is our folly, and a great wrong to ourselves and to our friends. Yet we cannot but say there was colour for this charge; they came to comfort him, but they vexed him, gave him counsels and encouragements, but with no great opinion that either the one or the other would take effect; and therefore he thought they mocked him, and this added much to his grief. Nothing is more grievous to those that have fallen from the height of prosperity into the depth of adversity than to be trodden on, and insulted over, when they are down; and on this head they are too apt to be suspicious. Observe,
1. What aggravated this grievance to him. Two things:—(1.) That they were his neighbours, his friends, his companions (so the word signifies), and the scoffs of such are often most spitefully given, and always most indignantly received. Ps 55:12,13, It was not an enemy that reproached me; then I would have slighted it, and so borne it; but it was thou, a man, my equal. (2.) That they were professors of religion, such as called upon God, and said that he answered them: for some understand that of the persons mocking. "They are such as have a regard to heaven, and an interest in heaven, whose prayers I would therefore be glad of and thankful for, whose good opinion I cannot but covet, and therefore whose censures are the more grievous." Note, It is sad that any who call upon God should mock their brethren (Jam 3:9,10), and it cannot but lie heavily on a good man to be thought ill of by those whom he thinks well of, yet this is no new thing.
2. What supported him under it. (1.) That he had a God to go to, with whom he could lodge his appeal; for some understand those words of the person mocked, that he calls upon God and he answers him; and so it agrees with Job 16:20. My friends scorn me, but my eye poureth out tears to God. If our friends be deaf to our complaints, God is not; if they condemn us, God knows our integrity; if they make the worst of us, he will make the best of us; if they give us cross answers, he will give us kind ones. (2.) That his case was not singular, but very common: The just upright man is laughed to scorn. By many he is laughed at even for his justice and his uprightness, his honesty towards men and his piety towards God; these are derided as foolish things, which silly people needlessly hamper themselves with, as if religion were a jest and therefore to be made a jest of. By most he is laughed at for any little infirmity or weakness, notwithstanding his justice and uprightness, without any consideration had of that which is so much his honour. Note, It was of old the lot of honest good people to be despised and derided; we are not therefore to think it strange (1Pe 4:12), no, nor to think it hard, if it be our lot; so persecuted they not only the prophets, but even the saints of the patriarchal age (Mt 5:12), and can we expect to fare better than they?
3. What he suspected to be the true cause of it, and that was, in short, this: they were themselves rich and at ease, and therefore they despised him who had fallen into poverty. It is the way of the world; we see instances of it daily. Those that prosper are praised, but of those that are going down it is said, "Down with them." He that is ready to slip with his feet and fall into trouble, though he has formerly shone as a lamp, is then looked upon as a lamp going out like the snuff of a candle, which we throw to the ground and tread upon, and is accordingly despised in the thought of him that is at ease, Job 12:5. Even the just upright man, that is in his generation as a burning and shining light, if he enter into temptation (Ps 73:2) or come under a cloud, is looked upon with contempt. See here, (1.) What is the common fault of those that live in prosperity. Being full, and easy, and merry themselves, they look scornfully upon those that are in want, pain, and sorrow; they overlook them, take no notice of them, and study to forget them. See Ps 123:4. The chief butler drinks wine in bowls, but makes nothing of the afflictions of Joseph. Wealth without grace often makes men thus haughty, thus careless of their poor neighbours. (2.) What is the common fate of those that fall into adversity. Poverty serves to eclipse all their lustre; though they are lamps, yet, if taken out of golden candlesticks, and put, like Gideon's, into earthen pitchers, nobody values them as formerly, but those that live at ease despise them.
⁶ The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure; into whose hand God bringeth abundantly.
⁷ But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee; and the fowls of the air, and they shall tell thee:
⁸ Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee: and the fishes of the sea shall declare unto thee.
⁹ Who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the LORD hath wrought this?
¹⁰ In whose hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind.
¹¹ Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat?
Job's friends all of them went upon this principle, that wicked people cannot prosper long in this world, but some remarkable judgment or other will suddenly light on them: Zophar had concluded with it, that the eyes of the wicked shall fail, Job 11:20. This principle Job here opposes, and maintains that God, in disposing men's outward affairs, acts as a sovereign, reserving the exact distribution of rewards and punishments for the future state.
I. He asserts it as an undoubted truth that wicked people may, and often do, prosper long in this world, Job 12:6. Even great sinners may enjoy great prosperity. Observe, 1. How he describes the sinners. They are robbers, and such as provoke God, the worst kind of sinners, blasphemers and persecutors. Perhaps he refers to the Sabeans and Chaldeans, who had robbed him, and had always lived by spoil and rapine, and yet they prospered; all the world saw they did, and there is no disputing against sense; one observation built upon matter of fact is worth twenty notions framed by an hypothesis. Or more generally, All proud oppressors are robbers and pirates. It is supposed that what is injurious to men is provoking to God, the patron of right and the protector of mankind. It is not strange if those that violate the bonds of justice break through the obligations of all religion, bid defiance even to God himself, and make nothing of provoking him. 2. How he describes their prosperity. It is very great; for, (1.) Even their tabernacles prosper, those that live with them and those that come after them and descend from them. It seems as if a blessing were entailed upon their families; and that is sometimes preserved to succeeding generations which was got by fraud. (2.) They are secure, and not only feel no hurt, but fear none, are under no apprehensions of danger either from threatening providences or an awakened conscience. But those that provoke God are never the more safe for their being secure. (3.) Into their hand God brings abundantly. They have more than heart could wish (Ps 73:7), not for necessity only, but for delight—not for themselves only, but for others—not for the present only, but for hereafter; and this from the hand of Providence too. God brings plentifully to them. We cannot therefore judge of men's piety by their plenty, nor of what they have in their heart by what they have in their hand.
II. He appeals even to the inferior creatures for the proof of this—the beasts, and fowls, and trees, and even the earth itself; consult these, and they shall tell thee, Job 12:7,8. Many a good lesson we may learn from them, but what are they here to teach us?
1. We may from them learn that the tabernacles of robbers prosper (so some); for, (1.) Even among the brute creatures the greater devour the less and the stronger prey upon the weaker, and men are as the fishes of the sea, Hab 1:14. If sin had not entered, we may suppose there would have been no such disorder among the creatures, but the wolf and the lamb would have lain down together. (2.) These creatures are serviceable to wicked men, and so they declare their prosperity. Ask the herds and the flocks to whom they belong, and they will tell you that such a robber, such an oppressor, is their owner: the fishes and fowls will tell you that they are served up to the tables, and feed the luxury, of proud sinners. The earth brings forth her fruits to them (Job 9:24), and the whole creation groans under the burden of their tyranny, Ro 8:20,22. Note, All the creatures which wicked men abuse, by making them the food and fuel of their lusts, will witness against them another day, Jam 5:3,4.
2. We may from them learn the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, and that sovereign dominion of his into which plain and self-evident truth all these difficult dispensations must be resolved. Zophar had made a vast mystery of it, Job 11:7. "So far from that," says Job, "that what we are concerned to know we may learn even from the inferior creatures; for who knows not from all these? Job 12:9. Any one may easily gather from the book of the creatures that the hand of the Lord has wrought this," that is, "that there is a wise Providence which guides and governs all these things by rules which we are neither acquainted with nor are competent judges of." Note, From God's sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures we should learn to acquiesce in all his disposals of the affairs of the children of men, though contrary to our measures.
III. He resolves all into the absolute propriety which God has in all the creatures (Job 12:10): In whose hand is the soul of every living thing. All the creatures, and mankind particularly, derive their being from him, owe their being to him, depend upon him for the support of it, lie at his mercy, are under his direction and dominion and entirely at his disposal, and at his summons must resign their lives. All souls are his; and may he not do what he will with his own? The name Jehovah is used here (Job 12:9), and it is the only time that we meet with it in all the discourses between Job and his friends; for God was, in that age, more known by the name of Shaddai—the Almighty.
IV. Those words—(Job 12:11), Doth not the ear try words, as the mouth tastes meat? may be taken either as the conclusion to the foregoing discourse or the preface to what follows. The mind of man has as good a faculty of discerning between truth and error, when duly stated, as the palate has of discerning between what is sweet and what is bitter. Job therefore demands from his friends a liberty to judge for himself of what they had said, and desires them to use the same liberty in judging of what he had said; nay, he seems to appeal to any man's impartial judgment in this controversy; let the ear try the words on both sides, and it would be found that he was in the right. Note, The ear must try words before it receives them so as to subscribe to them. As by the taste we judge what food is wholesome to the body and what not, so by the spirit of discerning we must judge what doctrine is sound, and savoury, and wholesome, and what not, 1Co 10:15,11:13.
¹² With the ancient is wisdom; and in length of days understanding.
¹³ With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding.
¹⁴ Behold, he breaketh down, and it cannot be built again: he shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening.
¹⁵ Behold, he withholdeth the waters, and they dry up: also he sendeth them out, and they overturn the earth.
¹⁶ With him is strength and wisdom: the deceived and the deceiver are his.
¹⁷ He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools.
¹⁸ He looseth the bond of kings, and girdeth their loins with a girdle.
¹⁹ He leadeth princes away spoiled, and overthroweth the mighty.
²⁰ He removeth away the speech of the trusty, and taketh away the understanding of the aged.
²¹ He poureth contempt upon princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty.
²² He discovereth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth out to light the shadow of death.
²³ He increaseth the nations, and destroyeth them: he enlargeth the nations, and straiteneth them again.
²⁴ He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness where there is no way.
²⁵ They grope in the dark without light, and he maketh them to stagger like a drunken man.
This is a noble discourse of Job's concerning the wisdom, power, and sovereignty of God, in ordering and disposing of all the affairs of the children of men, according to the counsel of his own will, which none dares gainsay or can resist. Take both him and them out of the controversy in which they were so warmly engaged, and they all spoke admirably well; but, in that, we sometimes scarcely know what to make of them. It were well if wise and good men, that differ in their apprehensions about minor things, would see it to be for their honour and comfort, and the edification of others, to dwell most upon those great things in which they are agreed. On this subject Job speaks like himself. Here are no passionate complaints, no peevish reflections, but every thing masculine and great.
I. He asserts the unsearchable wisdom and irresistible power of God. It is allowed that among men there is wisdom and understanding, Job 12:12. But it is to be found only with some few, with the ancient, and those who are blessed with length of days, who get it by long experience and constant experience; and, when they have got the wisdom, they have lost their strength and are unable to execute the results of their wisdom. But now with God there are both wisdom and strength, wisdom to design the best and strength to accomplish what is designed. He does not get counsel or understanding, as we do, by observation, but he has it essentially and eternally in himself, Job 12:13. What is the wisdom of ancient men compared with the wisdom of the ancient of days! It is but little that we know, and less that we can do; but God can do every thing, and no thought can be withheld from him. Happy are those who have this God for their God, for they have infinite wisdom and strength engaged for them. Foolish and fruitless are all the attempts of men against him (Job 12:14): He breaketh down, and it cannot be built again. Note, There is no contending with the divine providence, nor breaking the measures of it. As he had said before (Job 9:12), He takes away, and who can hinder him? so he says again. What God says cannot be gainsaid, nor what he does undone. There is no rebuilding what God will have to lie in ruins; witness the tower of Babel, which the undertakers could not go on with, and the desolations of Sodom and Gomorrah, which could never be repaired. See Isa 25:2, Eze 26:14, Re 18:21. There is no releasing those whom God has condemned to a perpetual imprisonment; if he shut up a man by sickness, reduce him to straits, and embarrass him in his affairs, there can be no opening. He shuts up in the grave, and none can break open those sealed doors—shuts up in hell, in chains of darkness, and none can pass that great gulf fixed.
II. He gives an instance, for the proof of this doctrine in nature, Job 12:15. God has the command of the waters, binds them as in a garment (Pr 30:4), holds them in the hollow of his hand (Isa 40:12); and he can punish the children of men either by the defect or by the excess of them. As men break the laws of virtue by extremes on each hand, both defects and excesses, while virtue is in the mean, so God corrects them by extremes, and denies them the mercy which is in the mean. 1. Great droughts are sometimes great judgments: He withholds the waters, and they dry up; if the heaven be as brass, the earth is as iron; if the rain be denied, fountains dry up and their streams are wanted, fields are parched and their fruits are wanted, Am 4:7. 2. Great wet is sometimes a great judgment. He raises the waters, and overturns the earth, the productions of it, the buildings upon it. A sweeping rain is said to leave no food, Pr 28:3. See how many ways God has of contending with a sinful people and taking from them abused, forfeited, mercies; and how utterly unable we are to contend with him. If we might invert the order, Job 12:15 would fitly refer to Noah's flood, that ever memorable instance of the divine power. God then, in wrath, sent the waters out, and they overturned the earth; but in mercy he withheld them, shut the windows of heaven and the fountains of the great deep, and then, in a little time, they dried up.
III. He gives many instances of it in God's powerful management of the children of men, crossing their purposes and serving his own by them and upon them, overruling all their counsels, overpowering all their attempts, and overcoming all their oppositions. What changes does God make with men! what turns does he give them! how easily, how surprisingly!
1. In general (Job 12:16): With him are strength and reason (so some translate it), strength and consistency with himself: it is an elegant word in the original. With him are the very quintessence and extract of wisdom. With him are power and all that is; so some read it. He is what he is of himself, and by him and in him all things subsist. Having this strength and wisdom, he knows how to make use, not only of those who are wise and good, who willingly and designedly serve him, but even of those who are foolish and bad, who, one would think, could be made no way serviceable to the designs of his providence: The deceived and the deceiver are his; the simplest men that are deceived are not below his notice; the subtlest men that deceive cannot with all their subtlety escape his cognizance. The world is full of deceit; the one half of mankind cheats the other, and God suffers it to be so, and from both will at last bring glory to himself. The deceivers make tools of the deceived, but the great God makes tools of them both, wherewith he works, and none can hinder him. He has wisdom and might enough to manage all the fools and knaves in the world, and knows how to serve his own purposes by them, notwithstanding the weakness of the one and the wickedness of the other. When Jacob by a fraud got the blessing the design of God's grace was served; when Ahab was drawn by a false prophecy into an expedition that was his ruin the design of God's justice was served; and in both the deceived and the deceiver were at his disposal. See Eze 14:9. God would not suffer the sin of the deceiver, nor the misery of the deceived, if he knew not how to set bounds to both and bring glory to himself out of both. Hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent thus reigns; and it is well he does, for otherwise there is so little wisdom and so little honesty in the world that it would all have been in confusion and ruin long ago.
2. He next descends to the particular instances of the wisdom and power of God in the revolutions of states and kingdoms; for thence he fetches his proofs, rather than from the like operations of Providence concerning private persons and families, because the more high and public the station is in which men are placed the more the changes that befal them are taken notice of, and consequently the more illustriously does Providence shine forth in them. And it is easy to argue, If God can thus turn and toss the great ones of the earth, like a ball in a large place (as the prophet speaks, Isa 22:18), much more the little ones; and with him to whom states and kingdoms must submit it is surely the greatest madness for us to contend. Some think that Job here refers to the extirpation of those powerful nations, the Rephaim, the Zuzim, the Emim, and the Horites (mentioned Ge 14:5,6, De 2:10,20), in which perhaps it was particularly noticed how strangely they were infatuated and enfeebled: if so, it is designed to show that whenever the like is done in the affairs of nations it is God that does it, and we must therein observe his sovereign dominion, even over those that think themselves most powerful, politic, and absolute. Compare this with that of Eliphaz, Job 5:12-14, etc. Let us gather up the particular changes here specified, which God makes upon persons, either for the destruction of nations and the planting of others in their room or for the turning out of a particular government and ministry and the elevation of another in its room, which may be a blessing to the kingdom; witness the glorious Revolution in our own land twenty years ago, in which we saw as happy an exposition as ever was given of this discourse of Job's. (1.) Those that were wise are sometimes strangely infatuated, and in this the hand of God must be acknowledged (Job 12:17): He leadeth counsellors away spoiled, as trophies of his victory over them, spoiled of all the honour and wealth they have got by their policy, nay, spoiled of the wisdom itself for which they have been celebrated and the success they promised themselves in their projects. His counsel stands, while all their devices are brought to nought and their designs baffled, and so they are spoiled both of the satisfaction and of the reputation of their wisdom. He maketh the judges fools. By a work on their minds he deprives them of their qualifications for business, and so they become really fools; and by his disposal of their affairs he makes the issue and event of their projects to be quite contrary to what they themselves intended, and so he makes them look like fools. The counsel of Ahithophel, one in whom this scripture was remarkably fulfilled, became foolishness, and he, according to his name, the brother of a fool. See Isa 19:13, The princes of Zoan have become fools; they have seduced Egypt, even those that are the stay of the tribes thereof. Let not the wise man therefore glory in his wisdom, nor the ablest counsellors and judges be proud of their station, but humbly depend upon God for the continuance of their abilities. Even the aged, who seem to hold their wisdom by prescription, and think they have got it by their own industry and therefore have an indefeasible title to it, may yet be deprived of it, and often are, by the infirmities of age, which make them twice children: He taketh away the understanding of the aged, Job 12:20. The aged, who were most depended on for advice, fail those that depended on them. We read of an old and yet foolish king, Ec 4:13. (2.) Those that were high and in authority are strangely brought down, impoverished, and enslaved, and it is God that humbles them (Job 12:18): He looseth the bond of kings, and taketh from them the power wherewith they ruled their subjects, perhaps enslaved them and ruled them with rigour; he strips them of all the ensigns of their honour and authority, and all the supports of their tyranny, unbuckles their belts, so that the sword drops from their side, and then no marvel if the crown quickly drops from their head, on which immediately follows the girding of their loins with a girdle, a badge of servitude, for servants went with their loins girt. Thus he leads great princes away spoiled of all their power and wealth, and that in which they pleased and prided themselves, Job 12:19. Note, Kings are not exempt from God's jurisdiction. To us they are gods, but men to him, and subject to more than the common changes of human life. (3.) Those that were strong are strangely weakened, and it is God that weakens them (Job 12:21) and overthrows the mighty. Job 12:19. Strong bodies are weakened by age and sickness; powerful armies moulder and come to nothing, and their strength will not secure them from a fatal overthrow. No force can stand before Omnipotence, no, not that of Goliath. (4.) Those that were famed for eloquence, and entrusted with public business, are strangely silenced, and have nothing to say (Job 12:20): He removeth away the speech of the trusty, so that they cannot speak as they intended and as they used to do, with freedom and clearness, but blunder, and falter, and make nothing of it. Or they cannot speak what they intended, but the contrary, as Balaam, who blessed those whom he was called to curse. Let not the orator therefore be proud of his rhetoric, nor use it to any bad purposes, lest God take it away, who made man's mouth. (5.) Those that were honoured and admired strangely fall into disgrace (Job 12:21): He poureth contempt upon princes. He leaves them to themselves to do mean things, or alters the opinions of men concerning them. If princes themselves dishonour God and despise him, if they offer indignities to the people of God and trample upon them, they shall be lightly esteemed, and God will pour contempt upon them. See Ps 107:40. Commonly none more abject in themselves, nor more abused by others when they are down, than those who were haughty and insolent when they were in power. (6.) That which was secret, and lay hidden, is strangely brought to light and laid open (Job 12:22): He discovers deep things out of darkness. Plots closely laid are discovered and defeated; wickedness closely committed and artfully concealed is discovered, and the guilty are brought to condign punishment—secret treasons (Ec 10:20), secret murders, secret whoredoms. The cabinet-councils of princes are before God's eye, 2Ki 6:11. (7.) Kingdoms have their ebbings and flowings, their waxings and wanings; and both are from God (Job 12:23): He sometimes increases their numbers, and enlarges their bounds, so that they make a figure among the nations and become formidable; but after a while, by some undiscerned cause perhaps, they are destroyed and straitened, made few and poor, cut short and many of them cut off, and so they are rendered despicable among their neighbours, and those that were the head become the tail of the nations. See Ps 107:38,39. (8.) Those that were bold and courageous, and made nothing of dangers, are strangely cowed and dispirited; and this also is the Lord's doing (Job 12:24): He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people, that were their leaders and commanders, and were most famed for their martial fire and great achievements; when any thing is to be done they are heartless, and ready to flee at the shaking of a leaf. Ps 76:5. (9.) Those that were driving on their projects with full speed are strangely bewildered and at a loss; they know not where they are nor what they do, are unsteady in their counsels and uncertain in their motions, off and on, this way and that way, wandering like men in a desert (Job 12:24), groping like men in the dark, and staggering like men in drink, Job 12:25, Isa 59:10. Note, God can soon nonplus the deepest politicians and bring the greatest wits to their wits' end, to show that wherein they deal proudly he is above them.
Thus are the revolutions of kingdoms wonderfully brought about by an overruling Providence. Heaven and earth are shaken, but the Lord sits King for ever, and with him we look for a kingdom that cannot be shaken.
在本章及以下两章中，我们看到约伯对琐法发言的回应。他一如既往地先与朋友们辩论（见伯13:19），随后转向他的神，将他的质询直指向神，直至发言结束。在本章中，他对朋友们说话：I. 他谴责他们论到他的话，以及对他为人的评判（伯12:1-5）。II. 他驳斥并反驳他们所说"恶人在这世上必遭毁灭"的话，指出恶人往往反倒兴旺（伯12:6-11）。III. 他认同他们所说关于神的智慧、大能与主权，以及他的护理对世人及其一切事务的掌管；他对此加以印证并详细阐述（伯12:12-25）。