Answering Eliphaz, Job says that he would gladly turn to God, if only...
Answering Eliphaz, Job says that he would gladly turn to God, if only God would agree to hear him (Job 23:3-5). He is completely sure that he has something to answer God with: after all, he is a righteous man, he has always tried to follow the Torah in everything, and he has nothing with which to reproach himself. If only God would agree to stoop to his human weakness and limitation, because if He begins to compare Job with Himself, not only Job but no one else could stand the comparison (Job 23:6-12). But for now God frightens Job with His power more than He speaks with him face to face (Job 23:13-17). Meanwhile the wicked live calmly, thinking nothing about God, and God does not disturb them with His presence (Job 24:1-22).
Job evidently understands that everything happening to him is somehow conditioned by his righteousness and his relationship with God. In fact, already in the preexilic period, judging by the hymns that have come down to us and been included in the Book of Psalms, many understood that God's judgment concerns the righteous person first of all, that it is precisely the righteous person who seeks this judgment, while the wicked person runs from it. But traditional ideas about God's judgment were connected with the thought of the triumph of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked, even though both were often postponed until the end of time. In that case it became clear that the righteous person who seeks God's judgment and has found it is happier than the wicked person who runs from this judgment because nothing good awaits him there. But God's judgment opens itself to Job in a completely different way. He suddenly understands that one must still obtain judgment, that getting through to God is not at all simple, and that relationships with Him may turn out to be far more difficult for a person than he can expect, even if that person is righteous.
Relations with God turn out to be risky, exhausting, and sometimes even destructive, while the coming triumph turns out, even for the righteous person, to be not only far from near, but even entirely uncertain: it is not at all obvious to Job that meeting God will be precisely a just judgment. What had once seemed clear and unambiguous within the framework of traditional religiosity suddenly became vague, incomprehensible, and threatening. Instead of joy and triumph, relations with God brought only problems. And Job begins to look with bewilderment at the wicked, who live calmly, thinking nothing about God and not facing the problems Job has faced. There was something here to think about.
23 Here seems to be a struggle throughout this chapter between nature and grace, Job complains of his condition, yet with an assurance of God's clemency, Job 23:1-7.
He cannot understand God's dealings, nor hope for relief, yet holds fast his integrity, Job 23:8-14.
He is in deep trouble, Job 23:15-17.
23:2 To - day - Even at this time, notwithstanding all your pretended consolations. Stroke - The hand or stroke of God upon me.Groaning - Doth exceed my complaints.
23:3 O - I desire nothing more than his acquaintance and presence; but alas, he hides his face from me. Seat - To his throne or judgment - seat to plead my cause before him.
23:5 Know - If he should discover to me any secret sins, for which he contendeth with me, I would humble myself before him, and accept of the punishment of mine iniquity.
23:6 No - He would not use his power against me, but for me; by enabling me to plead my cause, and giving sentence according to that clemency, which he uses towards his children.
23:7 There - At that throne of grace, where God lays aside his majesty, and judges according to his wonted clemency. Dispute - Humbly propounding the grounds of their confidence. So - Upon such a fair and equal hearing.Delivered - From the damnatory sentence of God. This and some such expressions of Job cannot be excused from irreverence towards God, for which God afterwards reproves him, and Job abhorreth himself.
23:8 Is not - As a judge to hear and determine my causes, otherwise he knew God was essentially present in all places.
23:10 Gold - Which comes out of the furnace pure from all dross.
23:11 Steps - The steps or paths which God hath appointed men to walk in.
23:14 Performeth - Those calamities which he hath allotted to me.And - There are many such examples of God's proceeding with men.
23:16 Soft - He hath bruised, and broken, or melted it, so that I have no spirit in me.
23:17 Because - God did not cut me off by death. Before - These miseries came upon me. Covered - By hiding me in the grave.
24 Job shews that open sinners are often prosperous, Job 24:1-12.
That secret sinners often pass undiscovered, Job 24:13-18.
That God punishes such by secret judgments, and reserves them for future judgment, Job 24:19-25.
24:1 Why - Why (how comes it to pass) seeing times, (the fittest seasons for every, action, and particularly for the punishment of wicked men,) are not hidden from, or unknown to the Almighty God, (seeing all times, and men that live, and things that are done, orto be done in their times and seasons, are exactly known to God) do they that know him, (who love and obey him) not see (whence is it that they cannot discern) his (that is, God's) days? His times and seasons which he takes for the punishment of ungodly men; which if they were constant and fixed in this life, they would not be unknown to good men, to whom God uses to reveal his secrets.
24:3 Pledge - Contrary to God's law, first written in mens hearts, and afterwards in holy scripture, Exo 22:26-27.
24:4 Way - Out of the path or place in which these oppressors walk and range. They labour to keep out of their way for fear of their farther injuries. Hide - For fear of these tyrants.
24:5 Wild asses - Which are lawless, and fierce, and greedy of prey.Desert - Which is the proper habitation of wild asses. They - The oppressors. Go - To spoil and rob.
24:6 They - The oppressors. Wicked - Of such as themselves: so they promiscuously robbed all, even their brethren in iniquity.
24:7 Naked - Those whom they stripped of their garments and coverings.
24:8 Wet - With the rain - water, which runs down the rocks or mountains into the caves, to which they fled for shelter. Rock - Are glad when they can find a cleft of a rock in which they may have some protection against the weather.
24:9 They - The oppressors. Pluck - Out of covetousness; they will not allow the mother time for the suckling of her infant.
24:10 The sheaf - That single sheaf which the poor man had got with the sweat of his brow to satisfy his hunger.
24:11 Walls - Within the walls of the oppressors for their use.Suffer - Because they are not permitted to quench their thirst out of the wine which they make.
24:12 Groan - Under grievous oppressions. Soul - The life or blood of those who are wounded to death, as this word properly signifies, crieth aloud to God for vengeance. Yet - Yet God doth not punish them.
24:13 Light - As well the light of reason and conscience, as the light of Divine revelation, which was then in good measure imparted to the people of God, and shortly after committed to writing. Know not - They do not approve, nor love, or chuse them.
24:14 Poor - Where he finds nothing to satisfy his covetousness, he exercises his cruelty.
24:16 They - The robber: having on that occasion inserted the mention of the adulterer as one who acted his sin in the same manner as the night - thief did, he now returns to him again.
24:17 Is - Terrible and hateful.
24:18 Swift - That is, he quickly passeth away with all his glory, as the waters which never stay in one place, but are always hasting away. Portion - His habitation and estate which he left behind him.He - He shall never more see or enjoy his vineyards, or other pleasant places and things, which seem to be comprehended under this particular.
24:20 Womb - His mother that bare him in her womb. Wickedness - The wicked man. Broken - Broken to pieces, or violently broken down, as the word signifies. Tree - Which being once broken down never grows again.
24:21 He - He here returns to the declaration of his farther wickednesses, the cause of these judgments. Barren - Barrenness was esteemed a curse and reproach; and so he added affliction to the afflicted.
24:22 Draweth - Into his net.
24:23 Yet - Yet his eyes are upon their ways: although God gives them such strange successes, yet he sees and observes them all, and will in due time punish them.
24:24 The way - Out of this world. Other - They can no more prevent or delay their death, than the meanest men in the world. Corn - In its greatest height and maturity.