Teks -- Job 42:1-7 (NET)

Job’s Confession

42:1 Then Job answered the Lord: 42:2 “I know that you can do all things; no purpose of yours can be thwarted; 42:3 you asked, ‘Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge?’ But I have declared without understanding things too wonderful for me to know. 42:4 You said, ‘Pay attention, and I will speak; I will question you, and you will answer me.’ 42:5 I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye has seen you. 42:6 Therefore I despise myself, and I repent in dust and ashes!

VII. The Epilogue (42:7-17)

42:7 After the Lord had spoken these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “My anger is stirred up against you and your two friends, because you have not spoken about me what is right, as my servant Job has.

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per frasa)

Wesley: Job 42:2 - Thou canst, &c.

_Job here subscribes to God's unlimited power, knowledge and dominion, to prove which was the scope of God's discourse out of the whirlwind. And his judgment being convinced of these, his conscience also was convinced, of his own folly in speaking so irreverently concerning him.

Wesley: Job 42:2 - No thought can be withholden from thee

No thought of ours can be withholden from thy knowledge. And there is no thought of thine, which thou canst be hindered from bringing into execution.

Wesley: Job 42:3 - Who

What am I that I should be guilty of such madness! Therefore - Because my mind was without knowledge.

Wesley: Job 42:3 - Knew not

I have spoken foolishly and unadvisedly of all things far above my reach.

Wesley: Job 42:4 - Hear

Hear and accept my humble confession.

Wesley: Job 42:4 - Enquire

I will no more dispute the matter with thee, but beg information from thee. The words which God had uttered to Job by way of challenge, Job returns to him in way of submission.

Wesley: Job 42:5 - Seeth thee

The knowledge which I had of thy nature, perfections and counsels, was hitherto grounded chiefly, upon the instructions of men; but now it is clear and certain, as being immediately inspired into my mind by this thy glorious apparition and revelation, and by the operation of thy holy spirit; which makes these things as evident to me, as if I saw them with my bodily eyes. When the mind is enlightened by the spirit of God, our knowledge of Divine things as far exceeds what we had before, as knowledge by ocular demonstration, exceeds, that by common fame.

Wesley: Job 42:7 - Eliphaz

As the eldest of the three, and because he spoke first, and by his example led the rest into the same miscarriages.

Wesley: Job 42:7 - Two friends

Elihu is not here reproved, because he dealt more mercifully with Job, and did not condemn his person, but only rebuked his sinful expressions.

Wesley: Job 42:7 - Ye have not, &c.

This is not to be understood absolutely, but comparatively. Job was not so much to be blamed as they, because his opinion concerning the methods of God's providence, and the indifferency of its dispensations towards good and bad men was truer than theirs, which was, that God did always reward good men and punish sinners in this life.

JFB: Job 42:2 - thought

"purpose," as in Job 17:11; but it is usually applied to evil devices (Job 21:27; Psa 10:2): the ambiguous word is designedly chosen to express that, while to Job's finite view, God's plans seem bad, to the All-wise One they continue unhindered in their development, and will at last be seen to be as good as they are infinitely wise. No evil can emanate from the Parent of good (Jam 1:13, Jam 1:17); but it is His prerogative to overrule evil to good.

JFB: Job 42:3

I am the man! Job in God's own words (Job 38:2) expresses his deep and humble penitence. God's word concerning our guilt should be engraven on our hearts and form the groundwork of our confession. Most men in confessing sin palliate rather than confess. Job in omitting "by words" (Job 38:2), goes even further than God's accusation. Not merely my words, but my whole thoughts and ways were "without knowledge."

JFB: Job 42:3 - too wonderful

I rashly denied that Thou hast any fixed plan in governing human affairs, merely because Thy plan was "too wonderful" for my comprehension.

JFB: Job 42:4

When I said, "Hear," &c., Job's demand (Job 13:22) convicted him of being "without knowledge." God alone could speak thus to Job, not Job to God: therefore he quotes again God's words as the groundwork of retracting his own foolish words.

JFB: Job 42:5 - hearing of the ear

(Psa 18:44, Margin). Hearing and seeing are often in antithesis (Job 29:11; Psa 18:8).

JFB: Job 42:5 - seeth

Not God's face (Exo 33:20), but His presence in the veil of a dark cloud (Job 38:1). Job implies also that, besides this literal seeing, he now saw spiritually what he had indistinctly taken on hearsay before God's infinite wisdom. He "now" proves this; he had seen in a literal sense before, at the beginning of God's speech, but he had not seen spiritually till "now" at its close.

JFB: Job 42:6 - myself

Rather "I abhor," and retract the rash speeches I made against thee (Job 42:3-4) [UMBREIT].

JFB: Job 42:7

EPILOGUE, in prose. (Job 42:7-17)

JFB: Job 42:7 - to Eliphaz

Because he was the foremost of the three friends; their speeches were but the echo of his.

JFB: Job 42:7 - right

Literally, "well-grounded," sure and true. Their spirit towards Job was unkindly, and to justify themselves in their unkindliness they used false arguments (Job 13:7); (namely, that calamities always prove peculiar guilt); therefore, though it was "for God" they spake thus falsely, God "reproves" them, as Job said He would (Job 13:10).

JFB: Job 42:7 - as . . . Job hath

Job had spoken rightly in relation to them and their argument, denying their theory, and the fact which they alleged, that he was peculiarly guilty and a hypocrite; but wrongly in relation to God, when he fell into the opposite extreme of almost denying all guilt. This extreme he has now repented of, and therefore God speaks of him as now altogether "right."

Clarke: Job 42:2 - I know that thou canst do every thing

I know that thou canst do every thing - Thy power is unlimited; thy wisdom infinite.

Clarke: Job 42:3 - Who is he that hideth counsel

Who is he that hideth counsel - These are the words of Job, and they are a repetition of what Jehovah said, Job 38:2 : "Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge?"Job now having heard the Almighty’ s speech, and having received his reproof, echoes back his words: "Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge Alas, I am the man; I have uttered what I understood not; things too wonderful for me, that I knew not. God had said, Job 38:3 : "Gird up now thy loins like a man; I will demand of thee, and answer thou me."In allusion to this, Job exclaims to his Maker, Job 42:4 : "Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak: I will ask of Thee, and declare Thou unto Me."I acknowledge my ignorance; I confess my foolishness and presumption; I am ashamed of my conduct; I lament my imperfections; I implore thy mercy; and beg thee to show me thy will, that I may ever think, speak, and do, what is pleasing in thy sight

Clarke: Job 42:3 - Things too wonderful

Things too wonderful - I have spoken of thy judgments, which I did not comprehend.

Clarke: Job 42:5 - I have heard of thee

I have heard of thee - I have now such a discovery of thee as I have never had before. I have only heard of thee by tradition, or from imperfect information; now the eye of my mind clearly perceives thee, and in seeing thee, I see myself; for the light that discovers thy glory and excellence, discovers my meanness and vileness.

Clarke: Job 42:6 - I abhor myself

I abhor myself - Compared with thine, my strength is weakness; my wisdom, folly; and my righteousness, impurity

"I loathe myself when thee I see

And into nothing fall.

Clarke: Job 42:6 - Repent

Repent - I am deeply distressed on account of the imaginations of my heart, the words of my tongue, and the acts of my life. I roll myself in the dust, and sprinkle ashes upon my head. Job is now sufficiently humbled at the feet of Jehovah; and having earnestly and piously prayed for instruction, the Lord, in a finishing speech, which appears to be contained in Job 40:1-14, perfects his teaching on the subject of the late controversy, which is concluded with, "When thou canst act like the Almighty,"which is, in effect, what the questions and commands amount to in the preceding verses of that chapter, "then will I also confess unto thee, that thy own right hand can save thee."In the fifth verse of the fortieth chapter, Job says, "Once have I spoken."This must refer to the declaration above, in the beginning of this chapter, (42). And he goes on to state, Job 40:5 : "Yea, Twice; but I will proceed no farther."This second time is that in which he uses these words: after which he spoke no more; and the Lord concluded with the remaining part of these fourteen verses, viz., from Job 40:7-14, inclusive. Then the thread of the story, in the form of a narration is resumed at Job 42:7.

Clarke: Job 42:7 - After the Lord had spoken these words

After the Lord had spoken these words - Those recorded at Job 40:7-14; he said to Eliphaz, who was the eldest of the three friends, and chief speaker: Ye have not spoken of me - right. Mr. Peters observes, "It will be difficult to find any thing in the speeches of Eliphaz and his companions which should make the difference here supposed, if we set aside the doctrine of a future state; for in this view the others would speak more worthily of God than Job, by endeavoring to vindicate his providence in the exact distribution of good and evil in this life: whereas Job’ s assertion, Job 9:22, ‘ This is one thing, therefore I said it, He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked,’ which is the argument on which he all along insists, would, upon this supposition, be directly charging God that he made no distinction between the good and the bad. But now, take the other life into the account, and the thing will appear in quite a contrary light; and we shall easily see the reason why God approves of the sentiments of Job, and condemns those of his friends. For supposing the friends of Job to argue that the righteous are never afflicted without remedy here, nor the wicked prosperous on the whole in this life, which is a wrong representation of God’ s providence; and Job to argue, on the other hand, that the righteous are sometimes afflicted here, and that without remedy, but shall be rewarded in the life to come; and that the wicked prosper here, but shall be punished hereafter, which is the true representation of the Divine proceedings; and here is a very apparent difference in the drift of the one’ s discourse, and of the others’ . For Job, in this view, speaks worthily of God, and the rest unworthily. The best moral argument that mankind have ever had to believe in a life to come, is that which Job insists on - that good and evil are, for the most part, dealt out here promiscuously. On the contrary, the topic urged by his friends, and which they push a great deal too far, that God rewards and punishes in this world, tends, in its consequences, like that other opinion which was held by the stoics in after times, that virtue is its own reward, to sap the very foundation of that proof we have, from reason, of another life. No wonder, therefore, that the sentiments of the one are approved, and those of the other condemned."

Defender: Job 42:7 - thing that is right

God rebuked Eliphaz, as the chief spokesman of the three friends. Elihu had already been indirectly rebuked and was evidently ignored here, since he had merely restated the Eliphaz arguments. What Job had said about God was right; what the others said was wrong. Job had endured the worse tests Satan could devise, yet retained his faith in God; that was the real issue. But even Job had to confess his sin of failing to submit fully to God as Creator. God has every right to do whatever He wills with respect to those He has created, and we do not have to know why. In the scale of eternity, whatever He does is for our ultimate good. "Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator" (1Pe 4:19)."

TSK: Job 42:2 - thou // no // can be withholden from thee

thou : Gen 18:14; Isa 43:13; Jer 32:17; Mat 19:26; Mar 10:27, Mar 14:36; Luk 18:27

no : Psa 44:21, Psa 139:2; Jer 17:10; Eze 38:10; Joh 2:24, Joh 2:25, Joh 21:17; Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13

can be withholden from thee : or, of thine can be hindered, Job 23:13; Pro 19:21; Ecc 3:14; Isa 14:27, Isa 46:10; Dan 4:35; Eph 1:11

TSK: Job 42:3 - Who // things

Who : Job 38:2

things : Psa 40:5, Psa 131:1, Psa 139:6; Pro 30:2-4

TSK: Job 42:4 - Hear // I will

Hear : Gen 18:27, Gen 18:30-32

I will : Job 38:3, Job 40:7

TSK: Job 42:5 - heard // mine

heard : Job 4:12, Job 28:22, Job 33:16; Rom 10:17

mine : Job 23:8, Job 23:9; Num 12:6-8; Isa 6:1; Joh 1:18, Joh 12:41, Joh 12:45; Act 7:55, Act 7:56

TSK: Job 42:6 - I // repent

I : Job 9:31, Job 40:3, Job 40:4; Ezr 9:6; Psa 51:17; Isa 5:5; Jer 31:19; Eze 16:63; Eze 20:43, Eze 36:31; Luk 15:18, Luk 15:19; 1Co 15:8, 1Co 15:9; 1Ti 1:13-16; Jam 4:7-10

repent : Job 2:8, Job 30:19; 1Ki 21:27; Est 4:1-3; Isa 58:5; Dan 9:3; Jon 3:6-10; Mat 11:21; Luk 10:13

TSK: Job 42:7 - Eliphaz // My // ye have

Eliphaz : Job 2:11, Job 4:1, Job 8:1, Job 11:1

My : Job 32:2, Job 32:3, Job 32:5

ye have : Job 11:5, Job 11:6; Psa 51:4

Tafsiran/Catatan -- Catatan Kata/Frasa (per Ayat)

Poole: Job 42:2 - Thou canst do // Every thing // No thought can be withholden from thee

Thou canst do not only by power, (for that he always thought,) but also by right; about which he had in some sort doubted and disputed. It is a maxim in law, that a man can only do that which he hath a right to do.

Every thing whatsoever it pleaseth thee to do with thy creatures.

No thought can be withholden from thee he speaks either,

1. Of Job’ s thoughts. Thou knowest me and all my sinful and unworthy thoughts of thy providential dealings with me, though I was not able to see the evil of them. Or,

2. Of God’ s thoughts. Whatsoever thou thinkest or proposest to do thou canst or mayst do it; and neither I nor any of thy creatures can either restrain thee from it, or condemn thee for it, as I have boldly and wickedly presumed to do. So this last clause of the verse explains the former.

Poole: Job 42:3 - Who is he? // That hideth counsel without knowledge // Therefore // Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not

Who is he? i.e. what am I, that I should dare to do so? Ah silly audacious wretch that I am, that I should be guilty of such madness!

That hideth counsel without knowledge which words are repeated out of Job 38:2 , where they are explained.

Therefore because my mind was without knowledge, therefore my speech was ignorant and foolish. Or, being sensible of my ignorance and rashness, I think fit to make this humble and ingenuous confession.

Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not I have spoken foolishly and unadvisedly of things far above my reach, even of God’ s infinite and sovereign majesty, and of his deep and unsearchable counsels and providence.

Poole: Job 42:4 - I will demand of thee

Hear and accept my humble and penitent confession and recantation.

I will demand of thee or, and inquire , to wit, counsel or instruction, as a scholar doth of his master, as the following words note. I will no more saucily dispute the matter with thee, but beg information from thee. The words which God had uttered to Job by way of challenge, Job 38:3 40:7 , Job returns to him again in way of submission.

Poole: Job 42:5

The knowledge which I had of thy Divine nature, and perfections, and counsels, was hitherto dark, and doubtful, and conjectural, being grounded chiefly, if not only, upon the instructions and reports of other men; but now it is clear and certain, as being immediately inspired into my mind by this thy glorious apparition and revelation, and by the operation of thy Holy Spirit; which makes these things as certain and evident to me, as if I saw them with my bodily eyes.

Poole: Job 42:6 - I abhor // myself // In dust and ashes

I abhor i.e. dislike, and detest, and loathe

myself or my former words and carriage . One of these or some like supplement is necessary to complete the sense, and is clearly gathered from the following words.

In dust and ashes sitting in dust and ashes; which hitherto I have done in token of my grief for my affliction; but now I desire and resolve to do in testimony of my penitence for my sins.

Poole: Job 42:7 - To Eliphaz the Temanite // Thy two friends // As my servant Job hath

To Eliphaz the Temanite as the eldest of the three, and because he spoke first, and by his evil example led the rest into the same mistakes and miscarriages.

Thy two friends to wit, Bildad and Zophar, who are not excused, but severely reproved, although they, were drawn into the sin by Eliphaz’ s authority and influence. Elihu is not here reproved, because he dealt more justly and mercifully with Job, and did not condemn his person, but only rebuke his sinful expressions.

As my servant Job hath either,

1. As Job hath now spoken: you have not acknowledged your errors as he hath done. Or rather,

2. As Job did in his discourses with you; which is not to be understood simply and absolutely, (as is manifest from God’ s censure upon Job for his hard and evil speeches of him,) but comparatively, because Job was not so much to be blamed as they; partly, because his opinion concerning the methods of God’ s providence, and the indifferency and promiscuousness of its dispensations towards good and bad men, was truer than theirs, which was that God did generally reward good men and punish sinners in this life; partly, because their misbelief of God’ s counsels and dealings with men was attended with horrid uncharitableness and cruelty towards Job, whom they wounded with bitter and injurious speeches, and condemned as a hypocrite, not only without sufficient evidence, as not being able to search his heart, but upon false and frivolous grounds, to wit, his sore afflictions, and against many evidences of piety which Job had given; and partly, because Job’ s heavy pressures might easily cloud and darken his mind, and draw forth his impatience and passionate speeches; which although it did not wholly excuse Job, yet did certainly much extenuate his offences; whereas they were under no such temptations or provocations, either from God or from Job, but voluntarily broke forth into their hard, and severe, and untrue expressions concerning God’ s counsels and Job’ s conditions, thereby adding affliction to him whom God did sorely afflict, which was most unfriendly and inhuman.

Haydock: Job 42:2 - I know // Hid

I know. So the Keri orders us to translate, with all the ancient versions, as the Hebrew text has, "thou knowest;" which Prof. Chappelow and Schultens deem more "sublime," though one would think it was hardly "sense." (Kennicott) ---

Hid. Hebrew, "of thine can be hindered." All thy orders must be obeyed. It is in vain to keep silence: (chap. xxxix. 34.) I will confess openly thy justice and power. (Haydock) -- He acknowledges his error, in not having before spoken enough of a just Providence. (Worthington)

Haydock: Job 42:3 - Who // Unwisely

Who. Hebrew, "Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?" (Protestants) This seems to allude to the words of God, chap. xxxviii. 2. Each of my friends has only rendered the ways of Providence more obscure, and I myself have not perfectly understood them. (Haydock) ---

Unwisely. See chap. xxxix. 35. (Worthington) (Du Hamel) ---

Hebrew, "without knowledge, thing wonderful to me, which I knew not." (Haydock) ---

Now I comprehend that thou didst not afflict me, but hast given me into the hands of the enemy, as thou wilt hereafter do others of the greatest virtue, that their patience may shine the brighter, and be rewarded. I need inquire no father, now I see thy design plainly, ver. 5. He does not accuse himself of any sin or false assertion, but acknowledges his infirmity in not having understood this before, ver. 6. (Houbigant) ---

Septuagint, "I have been told what I knew not, things great and wonderful, of which I was not apprized." (Haydock) ---

Who can deny God's providence? (Du Hamel)

Haydock: Job 42:5 - Seeth thee

Seeth thee. Some have thought that God now manifested himself from the cloud. (Eusebius, Dem. i. 4.; Titalman, &c.) But all now agree that he only enlightened his understanding, and made known his designs more clearly. (Calmet) ---

Job now perceived that he had spoken too boldly, in saying, Hear, and I will speak, &c., ver. 4. The rest of this book is in prose. (Tirinus)

Haydock: Job 42:6 - Reprehend // Penance

Reprehend. Hebrew and Septuagint, "vilify." (Haydock) ---

I recall the obscure expression which has occasioned my friends to mistake. (Du Hamel) ---

Penance. Hebrew, "groan." Septuagint, "pine away, I look upon myself as dust and ashes." Such are the sentiments which every one will entertain the nearer he approaches to the divine Majesty. (Haydock) ---

I no longer assert my innocence, but wait patiently in my present forlorn condition, till thou shalt be pleased to dispose of me. How much would the reputation and authority of Job sink, if some of his assertions had been destitute of truth, particularly as the sacred author does not mention which they were! But God exculpates his servant, ver. 8. (Houbigant) ---

Chaldean, "I have despised my riches, and I am comforted with respect to my children, who are now reduced to dust and ashes." I find a consolation in submitting patiently to my sufferings, which I may have deserved on account of my unguarded speeches. (Calmet) ---

Job waits not for God's answer, ver. 4. He at once feels an interior light, and is resigned. (Haydock) ---

He had defended the truth against men: now, with more resignation, he is content to suffer, and does penance for himself and others. (Worthington)

Haydock: Job 42:7 - Two friends // As

Two friends. It is astonishing that Eliu is not also reprehended, as he was no better than the rest. Some answer, that god had passed sentence upon him first. Others maintain, that he spoke with greater dignity of God's judgments, and that his ignorance was blameless; while others remark, that he was connected with some of the three friends, or only came accidentally to enter into the debate. God gives sentence in favour of Job, though with some reproof for his manner of speaking. ---

As. They had maintained false doctrines, and shewed a want of due respect and compassion for their friend; (Tirinus) whereas Job's assertions were true. (Calmet) ---

How then can he be accused of denying the divine justice, or of speaking disrespectfully of Providence? God seemed to interrogate him on this account, though he approved of his sentiments, because some might draw such inferences from his words as all his friends did. But Job entertained no such ideas. He was not guilty of such folly, ver. 8. Septuagint, "Thou hast sinned, and thy two friends, for you have spoken in my presence nothing true like my servant Job."

Gill: Job 42:1 - Then Job answered the Lord, and said.

Then Job answered the Lord, and said. For though he had said he would answer no more, Job 40:5; yet he might mean not in the manner he had, complaining of God and justifying himself; besides he might change his mind without any imputation of falsehood or a lie; see Jer 20:9; to which may be added, that he had then said all he had to say, and did not know he should have more: he then confessed as much as he was convinced of, but it was not enough; and now through what the Lord had since said to him he was more convinced of his ignorance, mistakes, and sins, and had such a sight of God and of himself, that he could not forbear speaking; moreover an injunction was laid upon him from the Lord to speak again, and therefore he was obliged to give in his answer; see Job 40:7.

Gill: Job 42:2 - I know that thou canst do every thing

I know that thou canst do every thing,.... As the works of creation, and the sustentation of them, show; so the Targum,

"thou sustainest all things,''

and can manage, every creature made by him, even such as were not tractable by men, such as behemoth and leviathan, the creatures last instanced in; and was able to abase and bring low the proud, which Job could not do; and could also save him by his right hand, and bring him out of his low estate in which he was, and raise him to great prosperity again, which Job always despaired of till now; and though he had a theoretical knowledge of the omnipotence of God before, see Job 9:4; yet not a practical experimental knowledge of it; at least not to such a degree as he now had, working upon his heart, bowing his will, and bringing him to a resignation to the will of God; he not only knew he could do all things, but that he had a right to do what he pleased; and that whatever he did he did well and wisely, and in a righteous manner, of which before he seemed to have some doubt. And that no thought can be withholden from thee; either no thought of men, good or bad, of God or of themselves, and so is an acknowledgment of the omniscience of God, and may be an appeal to that; that God, who knows the secrets of men's hearts, knew what thoughts Job now had of God; of the wisdom, righteousness, and goodness of God in the dispensations of his providence, different from what he had before; see Joh 21:17; or rather it may be understood of every thought of God's heart, of every secret purpose and wise counsel of his; which, as they are all well known to him, and cannot be withheld from having effect, or the performance of them hindered, Job now saw and was fully assured that all that had befallen him was according to the sovereign and inscrutable purposes of God, and according to the wise counsels of his will; he knew that not only God could do everything, but that he also did whatever he pleased.

Gill: Job 42:3 - Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge // therefore have I uttered that I understood not // things too wonderful for me, which I knew not

Who is he that hideth counsel without knowledge?.... It may be understood, and supplied, as it is by Cocceius, "thou didst say"; as the Lord had said, or to this purpose; see Gill on Job 38:2; to which Job here replies, I am the foolish man that has done it, I own it with sorrow, shame, and confusion: or it may be interpreted as condemning every other man that should act the like part. Schultens understands this as spoken by Job of God, and renders the words,

"who is this that seals up counsel, which cannot be known?''

the counsels, purposes, and decrees of God are sealed up by him, among his treasures, in the cabinet of his own breast, and are not to be unsealed and unlocked by creatures, but are impenetrable to them, past finding out by them, and not to be searched and pried into; and so the secret springs of Providence are not to be known, which Job had attempted, and for which he condemns himself;

therefore have I uttered that I understood not; concerning the providential dealings of God with men, afflicting the righteous, and suffering the wicked to prosper, particularly relating to his own afflictions; in which he arraigned the wisdom, justice, and goodness of God, as if things might have been better done than they were; but now he owns his ignorance and folly, as Asaph did in a like case, Psa 73:22;

things too wonderful for me, which I knew not; things out of his reach to search into, and beyond his capacity to comprehend; what he should have gazed upon with admiration, and there have stopped. The judgments of God are a great deep, not to be fathomed with the line of human understanding, of which it should be said with the apostle, "O the depth", Rom 11:33, &c. Job ought to have done as David did, Psa 131:1; of which he was now convinced, and laments and confesses his folly.

Gill: Job 42:4 - Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak // I will demand of thee // and declare thou unto me

Hear, I beseech thee, and I will speak,.... Not in the manner he had before, complaining of God and justifying himself, but in a way of humble entreaty of favours of him, of confession of sin before him, and of acknowledgment of his wisdom, goodness, and justice in all his dealings with him, which before he arraigned;

I will demand of thee; or rather "I will make petition to thee", as Mr. Broughton renders it; humbly ask a favour, and entreat a gracious answer; for to demand is not so agreeable to the frame and temper of soul Job was now in;

and declare thou unto me; or make him know what he knew not; he now in ignorance applies to God, as a God of knowledge, to inform him in things he was in the dark about, and to increase what knowledge he had. He was now willing to take the advice of Elihu, and pursue it, Job 34:31.

Gill: Job 42:5 - I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear // but now mine eye seeth thee

I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear,.... From his ancestors, who in a traditionary way had handed down from one to another what they knew of God, his will and worship, his works and ways; and from those who had the care of his education, parents and tutors, who had instilled the principles of religion, and the knowledge of divine things, into him very early; and from such as might instruct in matters of religion in a public manner; and both by ordinary and extraordinary revelation made unto him, as was sometimes granted to men in that age in which Job lived; see Job 4:16. Though he had heard more of God through his speaking to him out of the whirlwind than ever he did before, to which he had attentively listened; and the phrase, hearing by or with the hearing of the ear, denotes close attention; see Eze 44:5;

but now mine eye seeth thee; thy Shechinah, as Jarchi; thy divine glory and Majesty; the Logos, the Word or Son of God, who now appeared in an human form, and spake to Job out of the whirlwind; and whom he saw with the eyes of his body, as several of the patriarchs had seen him, and which is the sense of an ancient writer ⁿ; though no doubt he saw him also with the eyes of his understanding, and had a clearer sight of his living Redeemer, the Messiah, than ever he had before; and saw more of God in Christ, of his nature, perfections, and glory, than ever he had as yet seen; and what he had heard of him came greatly short of what he now saw; particularly he had a more clear and distinct view of the sovereignty, wisdom, goodness, and justice of God in the dealings of his providence with the children of men, and with himself, to which now he humbly submitted.

Gill: Job 42:6 - Wherefore I abhor myself // and repent in dust and ashes

Wherefore I abhor myself,.... Or all my words, as Aben Ezra; all the indecent expressions he had uttered concerning God; he could not bear to think of them; he loathed them, and himself on account of them: sin is abominable in its own nature, and makes men so; it is loathsome to God, and so it is to all good men when they see it in its proper light; am especially when they have a view of the purity and holiness of God, to which that is so very contrary, and also of his grace and goodness in the forgiveness of it; see Isa 6:3, Eze 16:63;

and repent in dust and ashes; which was an external ceremony used by mournful and penitent persons; see Job 2:8; and is expressive of the truth and sincerity of repentance; and never do any more truly mourn for sin and repent of it, are more ashamed of it, or have a more godly sorrow for it, or more ingenuously confess it, and heartily forsake it, than those who with an eye of faith behold God in Christ as a sin forgiving God; or behold their sins through the glass of pardoning grace and mercy; see Zec 12:10.

Gill: Job 42:7 - And it was so // that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job // the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite // my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends // for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath

And it was so,.... What follows came to pass:

that after the Lord had spoken these words unto Job; which he spake to him out of the whirlwind, and after he had heard Job's confession, and the declaration he made of his humiliation and repentance:

the Lord said to Eliphaz the Temanite; who with his two friends were still present and heard the speeches of the Lord to Job, and the acknowledgment he had made of sin; though some ^o think that, when the dispute ended between Job and them, they returned to their own country, where Eliphaz is now supposed to be, and was bid with his two friends to go to Job again, which they did, as is concluded from the following verses: but no doubt they stayed and heard what Elihu had to say; and the voice of the Lord out of the whirlwind would command their attention and stay; and very desirous they must be to know how the cause would go, for or against Job; the latter of which they might expect from the appearance of things. Now the Lord directs his speech to Eliphaz, he being perhaps the principal man, on account of his age, wisdom and wealth, and being the man that led the dispute, began it, and formed the plan to go upon, and was the most severe on Job of any of them; wherefore the Lord said to him,

my wrath is kindled against thee, and against thy two friends; who were Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; who gave into the same sentiments with Eliphaz, and went upon the same plan, speaking wrong things of God, charging Job falsely, and condemning him; which provoked the Lord, and caused his wrath to be kindled like fire against them, of which there were some appearances and breakings forth in his words and conduct towards them;

for ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath; they had said many right things of God, and Job had said many wrong ones of him, and yet upon the whole Job had said more corrcet things of God than they; their notion, and which they had expressed, was, that God deals with men in this life according to their outward behaviour; that God did not afflict good men, at least not sorely, nor long; and that wicked men were always punished now: from whence they drew this inference, that Job, being so long and so greatly afflicted, must be a bad man, or God would never have dealt with him after this manner. Job, on the other hand, affirmed, that wicked men enjoyed great prosperity, which good men did not; and therefore the love and hatred of God were not known by these things; and men's characters were not to be judged of by these outward things; in which he was doubtless right: some render the words "have not spoken unto me" ^p, before him, in his presence; for they were all before God, and to him they all appealed, and he heard and observed all that was said, and now passed judgment. No notice is taken of Elihu, nor blame laid on him; he acting as a moderator, taking neither the part of Job, nor of his friends, but blaming both: nor did he pretend to charge Job with any sins of his former life as the cause of his calamities; only takes up some indecent, unguarded, and extravagant expressions of his in the heat of this controversy, and rebukes him for them; and throughout the whole vindicates the justice of God in his dealings with him.