Teks -- Job 12:1-5 (NET)

Job’s Reply to Zophar

12:1 Then Job answered: 12:2 “Without a doubt you are the people, and wisdom will die with you. 12:3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these? 12:4 I am a laughingstock to my friends, I, who called on God and whom he answered– a righteous and blameless man is a laughingstock! 12:5 For calamity, there is derision (according to the ideas of the fortunate)– a fate for those whose feet slip!

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Wesley: Job 12:2 - Ye

You have engrossed all the reason of mankind; and each of you has as much wisdom as an whole people put together. All the wisdom which is in the world, lives in you, and will be utterly lost when you die. When wise and good men die, it is a comfort to think that wisdom and goodness do not die with them: it is folly to think, that there will be a great, irreparable loss of us when we are gone, since God has the residue of the spirit, and can raise up others more fit to do his work.

Wesley: Job 12:3 - But

In these things, which he speaks not in a way of boasting, but for the just vindication both of himself, and of that cause of God, which for the substance of it he maintained rightly, as God himself attests, Job 42:7.

Wesley: Job 12:3 - Such things

The truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things: for the most barbarous nations know that God is infinite in wisdom, and power, and justice. But this is not the question between you and me.

Wesley: Job 12:4 - Upon God

Even by my religious neighbours, by those who call upon God, and not in vain; whose prayers therefore I covet, not their reproaches.

Wesley: Job 12:4 - The just

I, who, notwithstanding all their hard censures dare still own it, that through God's grace I am an upright man.

Wesley: Job 12:5 - Slip with his feet

And fall into trouble; tho' he had formerly shone as a lamp, he is then looked upon as a lamp going out, as the snuff of a candle, which we throw to the ground and tread upon; and accordingly is despised in the thought of him that is at ease.

JFB: Job 12:2 - wisdom shall die with you

Ironical, as if all the wisdom in the world was concentrated in them and would expire when they expired. Wisdom makes "a people:" a foolish nation is "not a people" (Rom 10:19).

JFB: Job 12:3 - not inferior

Not vanquished in argument and "wisdom" (Job 13:2).

JFB: Job 12:3 - such things as these

Such commonplace maxims as you so pompously adduce.

JFB: Job 12:4

The unfounded accusations of Job's friends were a "mockery" of him. He alludes to Zophar's word, "mockest" (Job 11:3).

JFB: Job 12:4 - neighbour, who calleth, &c.

Rather, "I who call upon God that he may answer me favorably" [UMBREIT].

JFB: Job 12:5

Rather, "a torch" (lamp) is an object of contempt in the thoughts of him who rests securely (is at ease), though it was prepared for the falterings of the feet [UMBREIT] (Pro 25:19). "Thoughts" and "feet" are in contrast; also rests "securely," and "falterings." The wanderer, arrived at his night-quarters, contemptuously throws aside the torch which had guided his uncertain steps through the darkness. As the torch is to the wanderer, so Job to his friends. Once they gladly used his aid in their need; now they in prosperity mock him in his need.

Clarke: Job 12:2 - No doubt but ye are the people

No doubt but ye are the people - Doubtless ye are the wisest men in the world; all wisdom is concentrated in you; and when ye die, there will no more be found on the face of the earth! This is a strong irony.

Clarke: Job 12:3 - I am not inferior to you

I am not inferior to you - I do not fall short of any of you in understanding, wisdom, learning, and experience

Clarke: Job 12:3 - Who knoweth not such things as these?

Who knoweth not such things as these? - All your boasted wisdom consists only in strings of proverbs which are in every person’ s mouth, and are no proof of wisdom and experience in them that use them.

Clarke: Job 12:4 - I am as one mocked of his neighbor

I am as one mocked of his neighbor - Though I am invoking God for help and salvation, yet my friends mock me in this most solemn and sacred work. But God answereth me

Clarke: Job 12:4 - The just upright man is laughed to scorn

The just upright man is laughed to scorn - This is a very difficult verse, on which no two critics seem to be agreed. Mr. Good translates the fourth and fifth verses thus: -

"Thus brother is become a laughing-stock to his companions

While calling upon God that he would succor him

The just, the perfect man, is a laughing-stock to the proud

A derision amidst the sunshine of the prosperous

While ready to slip with his foot

For a vindication of this version, I must refer to his notes. Coverdale gives at least a good sense. Thus he that calleth upon God, and whom God heareth, is mocked of his neighboure: the godly and innocent man is laughed to scorne. Godlynesse is a light despysed in the hertes of the rich; and is set for them to stomble upon. The fifth verse is thus rendered by Mr. Parkhurst: "A torch of contempt, or contemptible link, (see Isa 7:4; Isa 40:2, Isa 40:3), לעשתות leashtoth , to the splendours of the prosperous (is he who is) ready ( נכון nachon , Job 15:23; Job 18:12; Psa 38:17) to slip with his foot."The general sense is tolerably plain; but to emendations and conjectures there is no end.

TSK: Job 12:2 - ye are the people

ye are the people : Job 6:24, Job 6:25, Job 8:8-10, Job 11:2, Job 11:6, Job 11:12, Job 15:2, Job 17:4, Job 20:3, Job 32:7-13; Pro 28:11; Isa 5:21; 1Co 4:10, 1Co 6:5

TSK: Job 12:3 - But I have // understanding // I am not inferior to you

But I have : Job 13:2-5; Pro 26:4; 2Co 11:5, 2Co 11:21-23

understanding : Heb. an heart

I am not inferior to you : Heb. I fall not lower than you. who knoweth not such things as these. Heb. with whom are not such as these. Job 6:6, Job 6:7, Job 26:2, Job 26:3

TSK: Job 12:4 - one mocked // calleth // the just

one mocked : Job 11:3, Job 16:10, Job 17:2, Job 17:6, Job 21:3, Job 30:1; Psa 22:7, Psa 22:8, Psa 35:16; Mat 27:29; Heb 11:36

calleth : Job 16:20; Psa 91:15; Jer 33:3; Mic 7:7

the just : Pro 14:2; Mar 5:40; Luk 16:14; Act 17:32

TSK: Job 12:5 - ready // a lamp // of him

ready : Deu 32:35; Psa 17:5, Psa 94:18; Jer 13:16

a lamp : Job 18:5; Pro 13:9, Pro 20:20; Mat 25:8

of him : Job 6:5, Job 16:4; Psa 123:3, Psa 123:4; Amo 6:1-6; Luk 12:19, Luk 16:19, Luk 16:20

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Poole: Job 12:2 - Ye are the people // Wisdom shall die with you

Ye are the people you three, and you only, are the people , i.e. people of all people for eminency of wisdom, the only company of reasonable creatures; all others are but fools or beasts: you have engrossed all the reason of mankind; and each of you have as much wisdom as a whole people put together. It is an ironical expression, as the next verse showeth.

Wisdom shall die with you all the wisdom and knowledge of Divine things which is in the world lives in you, and will die and be utterly lost when you die. This you think of yourselves; and this makes you so confidently and peremptorily deliver your opinions, and give laws to me and all mankind, and even to God himself.

Poole: Job 12:3 - An understanding // I am not inferior to you // Who knoweth not such things as these?

An understanding Heb. a heart ; which is oft put for the understanding , as Job 34:34 Jer 5:21 Act 8:22 ; i.e. God hath given me also the knowledge and ability to judge of these matters.

I am not inferior to you in these things; which he speaketh, not in a way of vain-glorious boasting, but for the just and necessary vindication both of himself; and of that cause of God, which for the matter and substance of it he maintained rightly, as God himself attests, Job 42:7 .

Who knoweth not such things as these? the truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things; for the most foolish and barbarous nations know that God is infinite in wisdom, and power, and justice. But this is not the question between you and me.

Poole: Job 12:4 - As one mocked of his neighbour // Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him // The just, upright man is laughed to scorn

As one mocked of his neighbour Heb. I am a derision (the infinitive being put for a noun, as is usual both in the Hebrew and other languages) to my neighbour , i.e. to these three, who have pretended and would be thought to be my friends and neighbours; whom therefore such carriage doth very ill become. Instead of supporting and comforting me, they make a sport and scorn of me.

Who calleth upon God, and he answereth him This who belongs either,

1. To Job, who here declares his own practice in this case: When you mock me, I go to God with my complaints and prayers, and he hears me, though you will not. But this seems not to agree either with the context, or with other passages of Job; in which he constantly complains that God did not hear nor regard his prayers, nor pity and help him. Or,

2. To Job’ s friends; and so this is either,

1. An aggravation of their crime, that they should mock him who made a great profession of religion, who used duly to call upon God, and to receive answers from him, and therefore should have carried themselves more piously, and charitably, and compassionately towards their miserable brother. Or,

2. As the reason of their mockage of Job, because God, who neglected Job’ s prayers, heard theirs, and gave them those mercies for which they prayed; and therefore being themselves well and at ease, they were hard-hearted towards their poor afflicted brother, as the manner of men is. This seems to suit well with the following verse. Or,

3. As all argument against their scorning or slighting of him: God hears you when you pray, therefore you should turn your mocks of me into prayers for me; and you should pity me, whom God doth not hear when I pray; and as God hears you, so you should hear and comfort me, when I pour out my complaints to you. But these words may be brought in mimetically, as being some of their scoffing words: They say of me, Let him call upon God, and God will hear him ; for so they had suggested to Job, Job 5:8 8:5 11:13 . But this, saith Job, I take for a piece of mockery, and insulting over my miseries; for I know by sad experience, and they see the contrary, that though I call and cry again and again, yet God hath no regard to me.

The just, upright man is laughed to scorn i.e. I, who, notwithstanding all their hard censures and reproaches, must and dare still own it, that through God’ s grace I am a just and upright man, am derided by them. This he repeats again, because it was very grievous and burdensome to him.

Poole: Job 12:5 - As a lamp despised // In the thought of him that is at ease

i.e. The just man last mentioned, who is upon the brink of the pit or grave, ready to fall into mischief, so as never to rise again in this world, which is my case, and the occasion of their scorn and contempt.

As a lamp despised i.e. like a lamp or torch, which whilst it shines clearly and in a dark night is very useful and comfortable; but when it draws towards an end, and is nigh extinct, and in the light, is neglected and despised, as that which is unnecessary, and troublesome, and offensive. So the same man, who, when his feet stand fast in a prosperous condition, is magnified and adored by all, when his feet slip or stumble , as the phrase is Psa 94:18 Jer 13:16 , when he is in misery, is commonly forsaken and despised.

In the thought of him that is at ease i.e. in the opinion of a man that lives in great ease and outward happiness, which generally makes persons to forget and despise those who are in affliction. But these words are a little otherwise rendered, and that agreeably to the order of the words in the Hebrew text, He (which is easily understood out of Job 12:4 , the just and upright man) is as a torch despised in the opinion or thought (as this or the like words coming from the same Hebrew root are used, Psa 146:4 Dan 6:3 Jon 1:6 . Or, because of the splendour ; for so this root and its derivatives elsewhere signify, as Son 5:14 Jer 5:28 Eze 27:19 . And either of these significations agree well with the place. Or, compared with the splendour or greater lustre and glory) of him that lives in tranquillity; he (i.e. the just man) is (or, because he is ; for this may be the reason of the contempt) ready to slip with his foot , i.e. ready to perish.

Haydock: Job 12:1 - Speakers // Neemanim

Speakers. Permitting them to speak deceitfully, (Calmet) or causing their oracles to be contemned. (Haydock) ---

Hebrew, "he withdraws speech from men of confidence." (Calmet) ---

Neemanim, (Haydock) ambassadors or prime ministers, Numbers xii. 7. He disconcerteth the best concerted plans.

Haydock: Job 12:2 - You

You. Hebrew, "truly you are the people, and wisdom will die with you!" This irony is very sharp. (Calmet) ---

"Are you alone men? or shall?" &c. (Septuagint; Syriac)

Haydock: Job 12:4 - Mocked

Mocked. He retaliates on Sophar, (chap. xi. 3.; Haydock) who had very seriously exhorted Job to call on God, as if he had been ignorant of this duty. (Calmet) ---

God will one day force the wicked to retract their false notion, in despising his servants, Wisdom v. 3. (Worthington)

Haydock: Job 12:5 - The lamp // For

The lamp. Such is the just man, who under affliction is (Haydock) exposed to the ridicule of men who live at their ease. ---

For. Hebrew, "to fall." (Calmet) Septuagint, "It was appointed for me to fall under others at the time fixed."

Gill: Job 12:1 - And Job answered and said.

And Job answered and said. In reply to Zophar, and in defence of himself; what is recorded in this and the two following chapters.

Gill: Job 12:2 - No doubt but ye are the people // and wisdom shall die with you

No doubt but ye are the people,.... Which is said not seriously, meaning that they were but of the common people, that are generally ignorant, and have but little knowledge, at least of things sublime, especially in matters of religion; wherefore, though they took upon them to be his teachers and dictators to him, and censors of him, they were not above the rank, but in the class of people of low and mean understandings; see Joh 7:49; this sense indeed agrees with what is after said, "who knoweth not such things as these?" but since Job compares himself with them, and asserts he is not inferior to them, it supposes them to have a degree of knowledge and understanding of things somewhat above the common people; wherefore these words are to be taken ironically, exposing their vanity and self-conceit: "ye are the people"; the only, and all the people in the world of importance and consequence for good sense and wisdom; the only wise and knowing folk, the men of reason and understanding; all the rest are but fools and asses, or like the wild ass's colt, as Zophar had said, and which Job took as pointing to him; so the word in the Arabic language ^c signifies the more excellent and better sort of people; or, ye are the only people of God, his covenant people, his servants; that are made acquainted with the secrets of wisdom, as none else are:

and wisdom shall die with you; you have all the wisdom of the world, and when you die it will be all gone; there will be none left in the world: thus he represents them as monopolizers and engrossers of wisdom and knowledge, full of it in their conceit, allowing none to have any share with them: and by all this he not only upbraids them with their vanity and self-conceit, but puts them in mind, that, as wise as they were, they must die; and that, though their wisdom with respect to them, or any use they could make of it in the grave, where there is none, would die too; or that their wisdom was but the wisdom of the world, which comes to nought; yet there would be wisdom still in the world, and that which is true, which God makes known to men, even the wisdom of God in a mystery, the wisdom hid in himself; and who has the residue of the Spirit and his gifts to instruct men in it, and qualify them to be teachers of others; by which means, though men, even the best of men, die, yet the word of God, the means of true wisdom and knowledge, will always abide.

Gill: Job 12:3 - But I have understanding as well as you // I am not inferior unto you // yea, who knoweth not such things as these

But I have understanding as well as you,.... A natural understanding, or an understanding of natural things, which distinguishes a man from a brute; and a spiritual understanding, an understanding enlightened by the spirit of God, which is naturally dark as to divine things; but he had an understanding given him, to know himself, his state and condition by nature; to know God, his love and grace to men, and, as his covenant God, to know Christ his living Redeemer, who should stand on the earth in the latter day, both to be his Redeemer and his Judge; to know his interest in him, and in the blessings of grace and glory by him: or, "I have an heart as well as you" ^d; a wise and an understanding one; a new heart, and a right spirit; an heart to fear and serve the Lord, a sincere and upright one, and devoid of hypocrisy and deceit; and as good an one as theirs:

I am not inferior unto you: he was indeed as to estate and substance, being now reduced; though he had been, in that sense, the greatest man in all the east; but in wisdom and knowledge, in gifts and grace: thus a modest man, when oppressed and insulted by the speeches of overbearing men, may be obliged and see it necessary to say some things of himself, in his own vindication, which he otherwise would not; see 2Co 11:15; or, "I am not falling before you"; or "by you" ^e; as one intimidated, conquered, and yielding; I stand my ground, and will not gave way or submit to you, or allow you to have the superiority of me: or, "I am falling no more than you"; they took him for an apostate from God, and the fear of him, and the true religion he had professed, which Job denies; he held fast his integrity; and though he was fallen into calamities and afflictions, he was not fallen from God; from his fear of him, faith in him, and love and obedience to him; he was a holy, good man, a persevering saint; and though he had slips and falls in common with good men, yet fell not finally and totally, or was an apostate from the faith:

yea, who knoweth not such things as these? or, "with whom are not as these" ^f? the things you have been discoursing of, which you would fain have pass for the secrets of wisdom, deep and mysterious things, hid from vulgar eyes, which none have and know but yourselves, are common things, what everyone is possessed of, and understands as well as you; that there is a God that has made the world, and governs it; that he himself is unsearchable, infinite and incomprehensible; a sovereign Being that does according to his will and pleasure, and sees and knows all things, and does all things well and wisely, and according to the counsel of his will: though some think Job has reference not to what Zophar had been discoursing concerning the infinity and wisdom of God, but to the thing or things in dispute between them, or to the assertions of his friends; that it is always well with good men, and ill with bad men, or that wicked men only are punished and afflicted, and particularly what Zophar concluded his speech with, Job 11:20. Now these were vulgar notions, which the common people had taken up, and were vulgar errors, as he proves in the following verses, by giving instances of good men, being afflicted, and of bad men being in prosperity.

Gill: Job 12:4 - I am as one mocked of his neighbour // who calleth upon God, and he answereth him

I am as one mocked of his neighbour,.... That is, according to Sephorno, if I knew not, or denied those things you have been speaking of concerning God, his immensity, sovereignty, and wisdom, I should be derided by all my friends and acquaintance; but rather the sense is, Job instances in himself as a proof that good men are afflicted by God in this life; he was once in a very prosperous condition, when he was caressed by all, but now was fallen into such low and miserable circumstances as to be the scorn and contempt of his friends and neighbours; and even his being mocked was no small part of his afflictions; to endure cruel mockings has been the common lot of good men in all ages, and is reckoned one part of their distresses and sufferings for righteousness sake, Heb 11:36; and to be mocked by a neighbour, or a "friend" ^g, as it may be rendered, greatly aggravates the affliction, see Psa 55:12; which was Job's case; his friends that came to comfort him mocked at him, at least so he understood them, and interpreted what they said unto him, see Job 16:20; and what made it still the heavier to bear, he was mocked by such a neighbour or friend,

who calleth upon God, and he answereth him; he was mocked at not by profane men only, but by a professor of religion, ong swept away with the flood, were cast into hell, where they have lain ever since, and will lie unto the judgment of the great day; between the place of the damned, and of the happy, in Abraham's bosom, is a great gulf, that there is no passing from one to the other, which is the immutable and unalterable decree of God, which has fixed the everlasting states of men, Luk 16:26.

Gill: Job 12:5 - He that is ready to slip with his feet // is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease

He that is ready to slip with his feet,.... Not into sin, though this is often the case of good men, but into calamities and afflictions; and Job means himself, and every just upright man in the like circumstances: or he that is "prepared" or "destined" to be among them, that "totter" and stagger in their "feet" ⁱ; that cannot stand upon their feet, but fall to the ground; which may describe man in declining and distressing circumstances; or that is appointed to be the laughing stock of such as are unstable in the word and ways of God; double minded men, hypocrites, and formal professors, that totter and stagger at everything they meet with disagreeable to the flesh: with such, a poor afflicted saint is laughed to scorn; he

is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease; who are in affluent circumstances, enjoy great prosperity, live in plenty, and are not in trouble as others; their hearts are at ease: now with such, poor good men are had in great contempt; they are despised at heart, in the thoughts of such persons, if they do not in words express it; they are like a lamp just going out, which is neglected, and looked upon as useless; or like a torch burnt to the end, when it is thrown away; and thus it is with men, while the lamp of prosperity burns clear and bright, they are valued and had in esteem, but when their lamp becomes dim, and is almost, or quite extinguished, they are despised, see Psa 123:3; some apply this to Christ, who was a lamp or light, a great one, but despised of men, and even as a light; they loved darkness rather than light; and especially by the Pharisees, who were at ease, settled on their lees, that trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others; and this is true of Gospel ministers, though bright and burning lights, and even of every good man, in whom the true light of grace, and of the Gospel, shines, and especially when under afflictive circumstances. Some, instead of a "lamp despised", read, "for" or "because of calamity despised" ^k; so Aben Ezra, which conveys the same sense, that an afflicted man is despised for his affliction; and this being the case of good men confutes the notion of Job's friends, that it always goes well with such; and their other notion of its going ill with bad men is refuted in Job 12:6.