Job 9:6 Komentář

In this and the following chapter we have Job's answer to Bildad's discourse, wherein he speaks honourably of God, humbly of himself, and feelingly of his troubles; but not one word by way of reflection upon his friends, or their unkindness to him, nor in direct reply to what Bildad had said. He wisely keeps to the merits of the cause, and makes no remarks upon the person that managed it, nor seeks occasion against him. In this chapter we have, I. The doctrine of God's justice laid down (Job 9:2). II. The proof of it, from his wisdom, and power, and sovereign dominion (Job 9:3-13). III. The application of it, in which, 1. He condemns himself, as not able to contend with God either in law or battle (Job 9:14-21). 2. He maintains his point, that we cannot judge of men's character by their outward condition (Job 9:22-24). 3. He complains of the greatness of his troubles, the confusion he was in, and the loss he was at what to say or do (Job 9:25-35).

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 9 This and the following chapter contain Job's answer to Bildad, and in this he asserts the strict justice at God; which is such, that no man can be just in his sight, not being able to answer to one charge, or for one sin, of a thousand he is guilty of, Job 9:1; and that such are his wisdom and power, that the most daring man cannot expect to succeed in an opposition to him, Job 9:4; instances are given of his power in the works of nature and providence, Job 9:5; notice is taken of the imperceptibleness of his actions and motions, and of his sovereignty in all his ways, Job 9:11; and of his fierce wrath and anger, which is such as obliges the proudest of men to stoop under him; and therefore Job chose not to contend in a judicial way with him, but in a suppliant manner would entreat him, since his hand was so heavy upon him, Job 9:13; he affirms, in direct opposition to Bildad and his friends, and insists upon it, that God afflicts both the righteous and the wicked; yea, gives the earth to the latter when he slays the former, Job 9:22; he then observes the shortness of his days, and complains of his heavy afflictions, Job 9:25; and concludes, that it was in vain for him to expect his cause to be heard before God, there being no daysman between them; and wishes that the dread of the Divine Majesty might be taken from him, and then he would freely and without fear speak unto him, Job 9:29.

Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not,.... Either he could do it if he would, by a word speaking, as he ordered it to stand still in the times of Joshua, Jos 10:13, and caused the shadow to return ten degrees it had gone back in the dial of Ahaz, in the times of Hezekiah, Kg2 20:11; or else the sense is, it rises not at any other time and place but when and where he commands it; or he commands it not to rise in the same place at one time of the year as at another, and it rises not; or this may be understood of eclipses, or of its being covered with clouds in tempestuous weather for a considerable time together, when it seems as if it was not risen: some think this respects the three days' darkness in Egypt, when the Israelites were there, Exo 10:22, which was a little before, or about the time of Job; or rather it refers to the general flood, in the times of Noah, when it rained forty days and forty nights, Gen 7:12, during which time the sun appeared not, and so seemed as if it was not risen; see Amo 8:9; Herodotus (b) relates, from the memoirs of the Egyptians, that the sun rose four times out of its usual course; twice it rose where it now sets, and twice it set where it now rises: and sealeth up the stars: either by the light of the sun in the daytime, which hides them that they are not visible, or by dark clouds and tempestuous weather in the night; such a season as that was in which the Apostle Paul and the mariners with him were, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days, Act 27:20, and so the Targum paraphrases it, and"sealeth up the stars with clouds;''this may also refer to the time of the flood, during the rain of forty days and nights, Gen 7:4; or to the annual motion of the sun through the ecliptic, which makes the point of the sun's rising and setting vary, and is the reason why some stars appear in summer and are sealed up in winter, and others that are seen in winter are not visible in summer; and so Cocceius interprets it. (b) Euterpe, sive, l. 2. c. 149.

“He removes mountains,” Job says, “and they do not know it.” The mountains, he says, and they do not notice it. And this is in perfect accordance with what David said: “He touches the mountains, and they smoke.” In this passage he speaks about the power of God by stating that God can do anything through his avenging power. In fact, Job has testified to his justice and, at the same time, testifies to his power.

Which shaketh the earth out of her place and the pillars thereof shall tremble. For 'the earth was shaken out of her place,' when the Israelitish people, rooted out of the borders of Judaea, submitted the neck to the Gentiles, because she would not be subjected to the Creator. Which same earth had pillars, in that the erection of her stubborness, which was to be destroyed, rose upon the Priests and Rulers, the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees. For in these she held in her the edifice of the letter, and in her season of peace, carried the burthen of carnal sacrifices like a fabric overlaid. But when 'the mountains were removed,' the 'pillars were shaken,' in that when the Apostles were withdrawn from Judaea, they were no more themselves allowed to live therein, who drove out from thence the proclaimers of life. For it was meet that they being brought into subjection should lose that earthly country, for the love of which they had not been afraid to assail the soldiers of the heavenly country. But upon the holy Teachers being drawn out, Judaea waxed altogether gross, and by the righteous inquest of Him That judgeth, she shut the eyes of the mind in the darkness of her delusion.

He passes from the mixed bodies to the elements. Among these the earth seems to be the most fixed and stable which as it is the center of all motion is unmoved. Yet sometimes, it moves naturally because of gas which is contained within it in some of its parts as the philosophers correctly taught. This is the theme he addresses when he continues, "He can move the earth from its place," not completely as a whole, but he agitates parts of it like in an earthquake. In this movement, even the mountains which are like the pillars based on the earth are struck violently and so he continues, "and its pillars will be shaken." By pillars can be understood literally columns and other kinds of structures which seem to cling to the earth which are shaken about in an earthquake. Or one can understand by pillars the lower, deep, hidden parts of the earth because just as the foundation of a building is set up firmly on pillars, so the stability of the earth proceeds from its center, to which all the parts of the earth naturally tend. Consequently, all the lower parts of the earth are the supports for the upper regions of the earth and are like pillars. So, since an earthquake proceeds from the deep regions of the earth, it seems to be like a violent shaking of the pillars of the earth.

No men knows, by any present sign, what is before him, Ecc 9:1. All things happen alike to all, Ecc 9:2, Ecc 9:3. Comparison of the state of the dead and the living, Ecc 9:4-6. Enjoy God's mercies, and live to his glory, Ecc 9:7-10. The race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, Ecc 9:11. Man is ignorant of futurity, Ecc 9:12, Ecc 9:13. The account of the little city, and the poor wise man, Ecc 9:14-18.

The pillars thereof tremble - This also refers to an earthquake, and to that tremulous motion which sometimes gives warning of the approaching catastrophe, and from which this violent convulsion of nature has received its name. Earthquakes, in Scripture language, signify also violent commotions and disturbances in states; mountains often signify rulers; sun, empires; stars, petty states. But it is most likely that the expressions here are to be understood literally.

REPLY OF JOB TO BILDAD. (Job 9:1-35) I know it is so of a truth--that God does not "pervert justice" (Job 8:3). But (even though I be sure of being in the right) how can a mere man assert his right--(be just) with God. The Gospel answers (Rom 3:26).

The earth is regarded, poetically, as resting on pillars, which tremble in an earthquake (Psa 75:3; Isa 24:20). The literal truth as to the earth is given (Job 26:7).