Teks -- Job 8:5-22 (NET)

8:5 But if you will look to God, and make your supplication to the Almighty, 8:6 if you become pure and upright, even now he will rouse himself for you, and will restore your righteous abode. 8:7 Your beginning will seem so small, since your future will flourish. 8:8 “For inquire now of the former generation, and pay attention to the findings of their ancestors; 8:9 For we were born yesterday and do not have knowledge, since our days on earth are but a shadow. 8:10 Will they not instruct you and speak to you, and bring forth words from their understanding? 8:11 Can the papyrus plant grow tall where there is no marsh? Can reeds flourish without water? 8:12 While they are still beginning to flower and not ripe for cutting, they can wither away faster than any grass! 8:13 Such is the destiny of all who forget God; the hope of the godless perishes, 8:14 whose trust is in something futile, whose security is a spider’s web. 8:15 He leans against his house but it does not hold up, he takes hold of it but it does not stand. 8:16 He is a well-watered plant in the sun, its shoots spread over its garden. 8:17 It wraps its roots around a heap of stones and it looks for a place among stones. 8:18 If he is uprooted from his place, then that place will disown him, saying, ‘I have never seen you!’ 8:19 Indeed, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth others spring up. 8:20 “Surely, God does not reject a blameless man, nor does he grasp the hand of the evildoers. 8:21 He will yet fill your mouth with laughter, and your lips with gladness. 8:22 Those who hate you will be clothed with shame, and the tent of the wicked will be no more.”

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

Wesley: Job 8:5 - Betimes

Heb. rise early to seek him, if thou wouldest seek him speedily, early and diligently.

Wesley: Job 8:6 - Habitation

The concerns of thy house and family; which thou hast got and managed with righteousness.

Wesley: Job 8:8 - Search

Seriously and industriously search the ancient records.

Wesley: Job 8:9 - We, &c.

_But lately born, and therefore have but little knowledge and experience. We live not so long as they did, to make observations on the methods of Divine Providence.

Wesley: Job 8:10 - Utter

Not partially, but sincerely, speaking their inward thoughts; not rashly, but from deep consideration; not by hearsay, but their own knowledge.

Wesley: Job 8:11 - Can, &c.

_The hypocrite cannot build his hope, without some false, rotten ground or other, any more than the rush can grow without mire, or the flag without water.

Wesley: Job 8:12 - Greenness

Whereby it promises long continuance. Tho' no man cut it down, it withers of itself, sooner than other herbs.

Wesley: Job 8:13 - Paths

Of wicked men. By their paths he doth not understand their manner of living, but the events which befall them, God's manner of dealing with them.

Wesley: Job 8:14 - Hope

Whose wealth and outward glory, the matter of his hope, and trust, shall be cut off suddenly and violently taken away from him.

Wesley: Job 8:14 - Web

Which tho' it be formed with great art and industry, is easily swept down, or pulled in pieces.

Wesley: Job 8:15 - House

He shall trust to the multitude of his children and servants, and to his wealth, all which come under the name of a man's house in scripture.

Wesley: Job 8:15 - Hold it

To uphold himself by it. But his web, that refuge of lies, will be swept away, and he crushed in it.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - He

The secure and prosperous sinner may think himself wronged, when he is compared to a rush or flag.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - Compare him then to a flourishing and well

rooted tree. Yet even then shall he be suddenly cut off.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - Green

Flourisheth in the world.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - Before the sun

Publickly and in the view of all men.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - Branch

His children, who are here mentioned as additions not only to his comfort, but also to his strength and safety.

Wesley: Job 8:16 - Garden

A place where it is defended from those injuries to which the trees of the field are subject, and where, besides the advantages common to all trees, it hath peculiar helps from the art and industry of men. So he supposes this man to be placed in the most desirable circumstances.

Wesley: Job 8:17 - Heap

Of stones. This circumstance is added, to signify its firmness and strength, that it was not in loose and sandy ground, which a violent wind might overthrow, but in solid ground, within which were many stones, which its numerous and spreading roots embrace, folding and interweaving themselves about them.

Wesley: Job 8:17 - Seeth

The tree reacheth thither, takes the advantage of that place for the strengthening of itself.

Wesley: Job 8:18 - He

God, who is the saviour of good men, and the destroyer of the wicked.

Wesley: Job 8:18 - It

The place; to which denying him, and seeing him, are here ascribed figuratively.

Wesley: Job 8:18 - Not seen

He shall be so utterly extirpated and destroyed, that there shall be no memorial of him left.

Wesley: Job 8:19 - Behold

This is the issue of the flourishing state. This all his joy comes to.

Wesley: Job 8:19 - And, &c.

Out of the same earth or place shall another tree grow.

Wesley: Job 8:20 - Behold

God who will not help the evildoer, will not cast away a good man, tho he may be cast down. Yet it may be, he will not be lifted up in this world: and therefore Bildad could not infer, that if Job was not restored to temporal prosperity, he was not a good man. Let us judge nothing before the time, but wait 'till the secrets of all hearts are revealed, and the present difficulties of providence solved, to universal and everlasting satisfaction.

Wesley: Job 8:21 - 'Till, &c.

_And what I have said in general of good men, shall be made good to thee, if thou art such: God will not forsake thee, nor desist from doing thee good, 'till he give thee abundant matter of rejoicing.

JFB: Job 8:5 - seek unto God betimes

Early. Make it the first and chief anxiety (Psa 78:34; Hos 5:15; Isa 26:9; Pro 8:17; Pro 13:24).

JFB: Job 8:6 - He would awake for thee

That is, arise to thy help. God seemed to be asleep toward the sufferer (Psa 35:23; Psa 7:6; Isa 51:9).

JFB: Job 8:6 - make . . . prosperous

Restore to prosperity thy (their) righteous habitation. Bildad assumes it to have been heretofore the habitation of guilt.

JFB: Job 8:7 - thy beginning

The beginning of thy new happiness after restoration.

JFB: Job 8:7 - latter end

(Job 42:12; Pro 23:18).

JFB: Job 8:8-9

The sages of the olden time reached an age beyond those of Job's time (see on Job 42:16), and therefore could give the testimony of a fuller experience.

JFB: Job 8:9 - of yesterday

That is, a recent race. We know nothing as compared with them because of the brevity of our lives; so even Jacob (Gen 47:9). Knowledge consisted then in the results of observation, embodied in poetical proverbs, and handed down by tradition. Longevity gave the opportunity of wider observation.

JFB: Job 8:9 - a shadow

(Psa 144:4; 1Ch 29:15).

JFB: Job 8:10 - teach thee

Job 6:24 had said, "Teach me." Bildad, therefore, says, "Since you want teaching, inquire of the fathers. They will teach thee."

JFB: Job 8:10 - utter words

More than mere speaking; "put forth well-considered words."

JFB: Job 8:10 - out of their heart

From observation and reflection; not merely, from their mouth: such, as Bildad insinuates, were Job's words. Job 8:11-13 embody in poetic and sententious form (probably the fragment of an old poem) the observation of the elders. The double point of comparison between the ungodly and the paper-reed is: 1. the luxuriant prosperity at first; and, 2. the sudden destruction.

JFB: Job 8:11 - rush

Rather, "paper-reed": The papyrus of Egypt, which was used to make garments, shoes, baskets, boats, and paper (a word derived from it). It and the flag, or bulrush, grow only in marshy places (such as are along the Nile). So the godless thrives only in external prosperity; there is in the hypocrite no inward stability; his prosperity is like the rapid growth of water plants.

JFB: Job 8:12 - not cut down

Before it has ripened for the scythe, it withers more suddenly than any herb, having no self-sustaining power, once that the moisture is gone, which other herbs do not need in the same degree. So ruin seizes on the godless in the zenith of prosperity, more suddenly than on others who appear less firmly seated in their possessions [UMBREIT] (Psa 112:10).

JFB: Job 8:13 - paths

So "ways" (Pro 1:19).

JFB: Job 8:13 - all that forget God

The distinguishing trait of the godless (Psa 9:17; Psa 50:22).

JFB: Job 8:14 - cut off

So GESENIUS; or, to accord with the metaphor of the spider's "house," "The confidence (on which he builds) shall be laid in ruins" (Isa 59:5-6).

JFB: Job 8:15 - he shall hold it fast

Implying his eager grasp, when the storm of trial comes: as the spider "holds fast" by its web; but with this difference: the light spider is sustained by that on which it rests; the godless is not by the thin web on which he rests. The expression, "Hold fast," properly applies to the spider holding his web, but is transferred to the man. Hypocrisy, like the spider's web, is fine-spun, flimsy, and woven out of its own inventions, as the spider's web out of its own bowels. An Arab proverb says, "Time destroys the well-built house, as well as the spider's web."

JFB: Job 8:16 - before the sun

That is, he (the godless) is green only before the sun rises; but he cannot bear its heat, and withers. So succulent plants like the gourd (Jon 4:7-8). But the widespreading in the garden does not quite accord with this. Better, "in sunshine"; the sun representing the smiling fortune of the hypocrite, during which he wondrously progresses [UMBREIT]. The image is that of weeds growing in rank luxuriance and spreading over even heaps of stones and walls, and then being speedily torn away.

JFB: Job 8:17 - seeth the place of stones

Hebrew, "the house of stones"; that is, the wall surrounding the garden. The parasite plant, in creeping towards and over the wall--the utmost bound of the garden--is said figuratively to "see" or regard it.

JFB: Job 8:18

If He (God) tear him away (properly, "to tear away rapidly and violently") from his place, "then it [the place personified] shall deny him" (Psa 103:16). The very soil is ashamed of the weeds lying withered on its surface, as though it never had been connected with them. So, when the godless falls from prosperity, his nearest friends disown him.

JFB: Job 8:19

Bitter irony. The hypocrite boasts of joy. This then is his "joy" at the last.

JFB: Job 8:19 - and out of the earth

Others immediately, who take the place of the man thus punished; not godly men (Mat 3:9). For the place of the weeds is among stones, where the gardener wishes no plants. But, ungodly; a fresh crop of weeds always springs up in the place of those torn up: there is no end of hypocrites on earth [UMBREIT].

JFB: Job 8:20

Bildad regards Job as a righteous man, who has fallen into sin.

JFB: Job 8:20 - God will not cast away a perfect man

(or godly man, such as Job was), if he will only repent. Those alone who persevere in sin God will not help (Hebrew, "take by the hand," Psa 73:23; Isa 41:13; Isa 42:6) when fallen.

JFB: Job 8:21 - Till

Literally, "to the point that"; God's blessing on thee, when repentant, will go on increasing to the point that, or until, &c.

JFB: Job 8:22

The haters of Job are the wicked. They shall be clothed with shame (Jer 3:25; Psa 35:26; Psa 109:29), at the failure of their hope that Job would utterly perish, and because they, instead of him, come to naught.

Clarke: Job 8:5 - If thou wouldest seek unto God

If thou wouldest seek unto God - Though God has so severely afflicted thee, and removed thy children by a terrible judgment; yet if thou wilt now humble thyself before him, and implore his mercy, thou shalt be saved. He cut them off in their sins, but he spares thee; and this is a proof that he waits to be gracious to thee.

Clarke: Job 8:6 - If thou wert pure and upright

If thou wert pure and upright - Concerning thy guilt there can be no doubt; for if thou hadst been a holy man, and these calamities had occurred through accident, or merely by the malice of thy enemies, would not God, long ere this, have manifested his power and justice in thy behalf, punished thy enemies, and restored thee to affluence

Clarke: Job 8:6 - The habitation of thy righteousness

The habitation of thy righteousness - Strongly ironical. If thy house had been as a temple of God, in which his worship had been performed, and his commandments obeyed, would it now be in a state of ruin and desolation?

Clarke: Job 8:7 - Though thy beginning was small

Though thy beginning was small - Thy former state, compared to that into which God would have brought thee, would be small; for to show his respect for thy piety, because thou hadst, through thy faithful attachment to him, suffered the loss of all things, he would have greatly multiplied thy former prosperity, so that thou shouldest now have vastly more than thou didst ever before possess.

Clarke: Job 8:8 - Inquire - of the former age

Inquire - of the former age - לדור רישון ledor rishon , of the first age; of the patriarchs; the first generation of men that dwelt upon the earth: not of the age that was just past, as Mr. Peters and several others have imagined, in order to keep up the presumption of Job’ s high antiquity. Bildad most evidently refers to an antiquity exceedingly remote.

Clarke: Job 8:9 - For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing

For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing - It is evident that Bildad refers to those times in which human life was protracted to a much longer date than that in which Job lived; when men, from the long period of eight or nine hundred years, had the opportunity of making many observations, and treasuring up a vast fund of knowledge and experience. In comparison with them, he considers that age as nothing, and that generation as being only of yesterday, not having had opportunity of laying up knowledge: nor could they expect it, as their days upon earth would be but a shadow, compared with that substantial time in which the fathers had lived. Perhaps there may be an allusion here to the shadow projected by the gnomon of a dial, during the time the sun is above the horizon. As is a single solar day, so is our life. The following beautiful motto I have seen on a sundial: Umbrae Sumus ! "We are shadows!"referring to the different shadows by which the gnomon marked the hours, during the course of the day; and all intended to convey this moral lesson to the passengers: Your life is composed of time, marked out by such shadows as these. Such as time is, such are you; as fleeting, as transitory, as unsubstantial. These shadows lost, time is lost; time lost, soul lost! Reader take heed! The writer of this book probably had before his eyes these words of David, in his last prayer, 1Ch 29:15 : "For we are strangers before thee, and sojourners, as all our fathers were; our days upon earth are as a Shadow, and there is no expectation. There is no reason to hope that they shall be prolonged; for our lives are limited down to threescore years and ten, as the average of the life even of old men.

Clarke: Job 8:10 - Shall not they teach thee

Shall not they teach thee - Wilt thou not treat their maxims with the utmost deference and respect? They utter words from their heart - what they say is the fruit of long and careful experience.

Clarke: Job 8:11 - Can the rush grow

Can the rush grow - The word גמא gome , which we translate rush, is, without doubt, the Egyptian flag papyrus, on which the ancients wrote, and from which our paper derives its name. The Septuagint, who made their Greek translation in Egypt, (if this book made a part of it), and knew well the import of each word in both languages, render גמא gome by παπυρος papyrus, thus: Μη θαλλει παπυρος ανευ ὑδατος ; Can the Papyrus flourish without water? Their translation leaves no doubt concerning the meaning of the original. They were probably writing on the very substance in question, while making their translation. The technical language of no science is so thoroughly barbarous as that of botany: the description of this plant by Linnaeus, shall be a proof. The plant he calls "Cyperus Papyrus; Class Triandria; Order Monogynia; Culm three-sided, naked; umbel longer than the involucres; involucels three-leaved, setaceous, longer; spikelets in threes - Egypt, etc. Involucre eight-leaved; general umbel copious, the rays sheathing at the base; partial on very short peduncles; spikelets alternate, sessile; culm leafy at the base; leaves hollow, ensiform."Hear our plain countryman John Gerarde, who describes the same plant: "Papyrus Nilotica, Paper Reed, hath many large flaggie leaves, somewhat triangular and smooth, not much unlike those of cats-taile, rising immediately from a tuft of roots, compact of many strings; amongst the which it shooteth up two or three naked stalkes, square, and rising some six or seven cubits high above the water; at the top whereof there stands a tuft or bundle off chaffie threds, set in comely order, resembling a tuft of floures, but barren and void of seed;"Gerarde’ s Herbal, p. 40. Which of the two descriptions is easiest to be understood by common sense, either with or without a knowledge of the Latin language? This plant grows in the muddy banks of the Nile, as it requires an abundance of water for its nourishment

Clarke: Job 8:11 - Can the flag grow without water?

Can the flag grow without water? - Parkhurst supposes that the word אחו achu , which we render flag, is the same with that species of reed which Mr. Hasselquist found growing near the river Nile. He describes it (p. 97) as "having scarcely any branches, but numerous leaves, which are narrow, smooth, channelled on the upper surface; and the plant about eleven feet high. The Egyptians make ropes of the leaves. They lay the plant in water, like hemp, and then make good and strong cables of them."As אח ach signifies to join, connect, associate, hence אחי achi , a brother, אחו achu may come from the same root, and have its name from its usefulness in making ropes, cables, etc., which are composed of associated threads, and serve to tie, bind together, etc.

Clarke: Job 8:12 - Whilst it is yet in his greenness

Whilst it is yet in his greenness - We do not know enough of the natural history of this plant to be able to discern the strength of this allusion; but we learn from it that, although this plant be very succulent, and grow to a great size, yet it is short-lived, and speedily withers; and this we may suppose to be in the dry season, or on the retreat of the waters of the Nile. However, Soon Ripe, soon Rotten, is a maxim in horticulture.

Clarke: Job 8:13 - So are the paths

So are the paths - The papyrus and the rush flourish while they have a plentiful supply of ooze and water; but take these away, and their prosperity is speedily at an end; so it is with the wicked and profane; their prosperity is of short duration, however great it may appear to be in the beginning. Thou also, O thou enemy of God, hast flourished for a time; but the blast of God is come upon thee, and now thou art dried up from the very roots

Clarke: Job 8:13 - The hypocrite’ s hope shall perish

The hypocrite’ s hope shall perish - A hypocrite, or rather profligate, has no inward religion, for his heart is not right with God; he has only hope, and that perishes when he gives up the ghost. This is the first place in which the word hypocrite occurs, or the noun חנף chaneph , which rather conveys the idea of pollution and defilement than of hypocrisy. A hypocrite is one who only carries the mask of godliness, to serve secular purposes; who wishes to be taken for a religionist, though he is conscious he has no religion. Such a person cannot have hope of any good, because he knows he is insincere: but the person in the text has hope; therefore hypocrite cannot be the meaning of the original word. But all the vile, the polluted, and the profligate have hope; they hope to end their iniquities before they end life; and they hope to get at last to the kingdom of heaven. Hypocrite is a very improper translation of the Hebrew.

Clarke: Job 8:14 - Whose hope shall be cut off

Whose hope shall be cut off - Such persons, subdued by the strong habits of sin, hope on fruitlessly, till the last thread of the web of life is cut off from the beam; and then they find no more strength in their hope than is in the threads of the spider’ s web. Mr. Good renders, Thus shall their support rot away. The foundation on which they trust is rotten, and by and by the whole superstructure of their confidence shall tumble into ruin.

Clarke: Job 8:15 - He shall lean upon his house

He shall lean upon his house - This is all allusion to the spider. When he suspects his web, here called his house, to be frail or unsure, he leans upon it in different parts, propping himself on his hinder legs, and pulling with his fore claws, to see if all be safe. If he find any part of it injured, he immediately adds new cordage to that part, and attaches it strongly to the wall. When he finds all safe and strong, he retires into his hole at one corner, supposing himself to be in a state of complete security, when in a moment the brush or the besom sweeps away both himself, his house, and his confidence. This I have several times observed; and it is in this that the strength and point of the comparison consist. The wicked, whose hope is in his temporal possessions strengthens and keeps his house in repair; and thus leans on his earthly supports; in a moment, as in the case of the spider, his house is overwhelmed by the blast of God’ s judgments, and himself probably buried in its ruins. This is a very fine and expressive metaphor, which not one of the commentators that I have seen has ever discovered.

Clarke: Job 8:16 - He is green before the sun

He is green before the sun - This is another metaphor. The wicked is represented as a luxuriant plant, in a good soil, with all the advantages of a good situation; well exposed to the sun; the roots intervolving themselves with stones, so as to render the tree more stable; but suddenly a blast comes, and the tree begins to die. The sudden fading of its leaves, etc., shows that its root is become as rottenness, and its vegetable life destroyed. I have often observed sound and healthy trees, which were flourishing in all the pride of vegetative health, suddenly struck by some unknown and incomprehensible blast, begin to die away, and perish from the roots. I have seen also the prosperous wicked, in the inscrutable dispensations of the Divine providence, blasted, stripped, made bare, and despoiled, in the same way.

Clarke: Job 8:18 - If he destroy him from his place

If he destroy him from his place - Is not this a plain reference to the alienation of his inheritance? God destroys him from it; it becomes the property of another; and on his revisiting it, the place, by a striking prosopopoeia, says, "I know thee not; I have never seen thee."This also have I witnessed; I looked on it, felt regret, received instruction, and hasted away.

Clarke: Job 8:19 - Behold this is the joy of his way

Behold this is the joy of his way - A strong irony. Here is the issue of all his mirth, of his sports, games, and pastimes! See the unfeeling, domineering, polluting and polluted scape-grace, levelled with those whom he had despised, a servant of servants, or unable to work through his debaucheries, cringing for a morsel of bread, or ingloriously ending his days in that bane of any well-ordered and civilized state, a parish workhouse. This also I have most literally witnessed

Clarke: Job 8:19 - Out of the earth shall others gross

Out of the earth shall others gross - As in the preceding case, when one plant or tree is blasted or cut down, another may be planted in the same place; so, when a spendthrift has run through his property, another possesses his inheritance, and grows up from that soil in which he himself might have continued to flourish, had it not been for his extravagance and folly. This verse Mr. Good applies to God himself, with no advantage to the argument, nor elucidation of the sense, that I can see. I shall give his translation, and refer to his learned notes for his vindication of the version he has given: -

"Behold the Eternal ( הוא ) exulting in his course

Even over his dust shall raise up another.

In this way none of the ancient versions have understood the passage. I believe it to be a strong irony, similar to that which some think flowed from the pen of the same writer: Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these God will bring thee into judgment; Ecc 11:9. These two places illustrate each other.

Clarke: Job 8:20 - Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man - This is another of the maxims of the ancients, which Bildad produces: "As sure as he will punish and root out the wicked, so surely will he defend and save the righteous."

Clarke: Job 8:21 - Till he fill thy mouth with laughing

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing - Perhaps it may be well to translate after Mr. Good "Even yet may he fill thy mouth with laughter!"The two verses may be read as a prayer; and probably they were thus expressed by Bildad, who speaks with less virulence than his predecessor, though with equal positiveness in respect to the grand charge, viz., If thou wert not a sinner of no mean magnitude, God would not have inflicted such unprecedented calamities upon thee. This most exceptionable position, which is so contrary to matter of fact, was founded upon maxims which they derived from the ancients. Surely observation must have, in numberless instances, corrected this mistake. They must have seen many worthless men in high prosperity, and many of the excellent of the earth in deep adversity and affliction; but the opposite was an article of their creed, and all appearances and facts must take its colouring. Job’ s friends must have been acquainted, at least, with the history of the ancient patriarchs; and most certainly they contained facts of an opposite nature. Righteous Abel was persecuted and murdered by his wicked brother, Cain. Abram was obliged to leave his own country on account of worshipping the true God; so all tradition has said. Jacob was persecuted by his brother Esau; Joseph was sold into slavery by his brothers; Moses was obliged to flee from Egypt, and was variously tried and afflicted, even by his own brethren. Not to mention David, and almost all the prophets. All these were proofs that the best of men were frequently exposed to sore afflictions and heavy calamities; and it is not by the prosperity or adversity of men in this world, that we are to judge of the approbation or disapprobation of God towards them. In every case our Lord’ s rule is infallible: By their fruits ye shall know them.

Defender: Job 8:8 - the former age

Bildad evidently is thinking here of Enoch, Noah and the other patriarchs of the antediluvian age, indicating he was aware of their inspired records, especially of God's punishment of the wicked in that "former age.""

Defender: Job 8:9 - days upon earth

Even though the people of Job's day were still living to ages of approximately 200 years (Job 42:16), this was a shadow compared to the 900-year life spans of the antediluvian patriarchs."

TSK: Job 8:5 - thou wouldest

thou wouldest : Job 5:8, Job 11:13, Job 22:21-23, Job 22:24-30; 2Ch 33:12, 2Ch 33:13; Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8; Heb 3:7, Heb 3:8; Jam 4:7-10

TSK: Job 8:6 - thou wert // he would // make

thou wert : Job 1:8, Job 4:6, Job 4:7, Job 21:14, Job 21:15, Job 16:17; Psa 26:5, Psa 26:6; Pro 15:8; Isa 1:15; 1Ti 2:8; 1Jo 3:19-22

he would : Psa 44:23, Psa 59:4, Psa 59:5; Isa 51:9

make : Job 22:23-30; Isa 3:10

TSK: Job 8:7 - thy beginning // thy latter

thy beginning : Job 42:12, Job 42:13; Pro 4:18; Zec 4:10; Mat 13:12, Mat 13:31, Mat 13:32

thy latter : Deu 8:16; Pro 19:20; Zec 14:7; 2Pe 2:20

TSK: Job 8:8 - inquire

inquire : Job 12:12, Job 15:10, Job 15:18, Job 32:6, Job 32:7; Deu 4:32, Deu 32:7; Psa 44:1, Psa 78:3, Psa 78:4; Isa 38:19; Rom 15:4; 1Co 10:11

TSK: Job 8:9 - we are but // nothing

we are but : Job 7:6; Gen 47:9; 1Ch 29:15; Psa 39:5, Psa 90:4, Psa 102:11, Psa 144:4

nothing : Heb. not

TSK: Job 8:10 - Shall not // utter words

Shall not : Job 12:7, Job 12:8, Job 32:7; Deu 6:7, Deu 11:19; Psa 145:4; Heb 11:4, Heb 12:1

utter words : Pro 16:23, Pro 18:15; Mat 12:35

TSK: Job 8:11 - the rush

the rush : Exo 2:3; Isa 19:5-7

TSK: Job 8:12

Psa 129:6, Psa 129:7; Jer 17:6; Mat 13:20; Jam 1:10, Jam 1:11; 1Pe 1:24

TSK: Job 8:13 - that forget God // the hypocrite’ s

that forget God : Deu 6:12, Deu 8:11, Deu 8:14, Deu 8:19; Psa 9:17, Psa 10:4, Psa 50:22; Isa 51:13

the hypocrite’ s : Job 11:20, Job 13:16, Job 15:34, Job 18:14, Job 20:5, Job 27:8-10, Job 36:13; Pro 10:28, Pro 12:7; Isa 33:14; Lam 3:18; Mat 24:51; Luk 12:1, Luk 12:2

TSK: Job 8:14 - web

web : Heb. house, Isa 59:5, Isa 59:6

TSK: Job 8:15 - it shall not stand

it shall not stand : Job 18:14, Job 27:18; Psa 52:5-7, Psa 112:10; Pro 10:28; Mat 7:24-27; Luk 6:47-49

TSK: Job 8:16 - green // his branch

green : Job 21:7-15; Psa 37:35, Psa 37:36, Psa 73:3-12

his branch : Job 5:3

TSK: Job 8:17 - roots

roots : Job 18:16, Job 29:19; Isa 5:24, Isa 40:24; Jer 12:1, Jer 12:2; Mar 11:20; Jud 1:12

TSK: Job 8:18 - he

he : Job 7:10, Job 20:9; Psa 37:10, Psa 37:36, Psa 73:18, Psa 73:19, Psa 92:7

TSK: Job 8:19 - this is the joy // out of the earth

this is the joy : Job 20:5; Mat 13:20, Mat 13:21

out of the earth : 1Sa 2:8; Psa 75:7, Psa 113:7; Eze 17:24; Mat 3:9

TSK: Job 8:20 - God // help the evil doers

God : Job 4:7, Job 9:22; Psa 37:24, Psa 37:37, Psa 94:14

help the evil doers : Heb. take the ungodly by the hand, Isa 45:1

TSK: Job 8:21 - he fill // rejoicing

he fill : Gen 21:6; Psa 126:2, Psa 126:6; Luk 6:21

rejoicing : Heb. shouting for joy, Ezr 3:11-13; Neh 12:43; Psa 32:11, Psa 98:4, Psa 100:1; Isa 65:13, Isa 65:14

TSK: Job 8:22 - clothed // come to nought

clothed : Psa 35:26, Psa 109:29, Psa 132:18; 1Pe 5:5

come to nought : Heb. not be, Job 8:18, Job 7:21

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

Poole: Job 8:5 - Seek unto God betimes

But, God hath spared thee, whom he might justly have destroyed with thy children, and thou art yet capable of his favour, if thou seek for it; and therefore cease from these causeless and unthankful complaints.

Seek unto God betimes Heb. rise early to seek him , i.e. if thou wouldst seek him speedily, early, and diligently. See Job 5:8 7:18,21 . But this may be understood of the time past; and this verse being connected with the next, may be thus rendered and understood, If thou hadst sought (for the future tense in the Hebrew is oft put for the past) unto God betimes , (as thou didst seem to do, Job 1:5 ) and made supplication to the Almighty; if withal thou hadst been pure and upright , i.e. if thy prayers had been accompanied with purity and uprightness of heart and life, they should have been heard and answered. But because thou didst regard iniquity in thy heart, therefore God would not hear and did not answer thy prayers, but answered thee with a curse instead of a blessing, as he useth to deal with hypocrites.

Poole: Job 8:6 - pure and upright // Awake for thee // The habitation // Of thy righteousness

If thou wert in truth what thou pretendest, and hast been thought by others, to be,

pure and upright i.e. of a sincere heart and blameless life towards God and men. But God’ s severe dealing with thee is an evident token, that notwithstanding all thy fair shows, thou art but a hypocrite and secret sinner. And this sense may seem to agree both with the same charge brought in against Job by Eliphaz, Job 4:6,7 , and with the following discourse, particularly with Job 8:13,20 . Or thus, If thou wouldst be pure and upright , i.e. if thou wouldst join reformation to thy supplication. And this sense may seem best to suit with the foregoing verse, according to the common translation.

Awake for thee i.e. bestir himself to help thee, as being his faithful friend and servant, whom he could not in honour or justice forsake; whereas now he shows a deep sleep, and wholly neglects thee, and turneth a deaf car to all thy prayers; which showeth what opinion he hath of thee.

The habitation i.e. the concerns of thy house and family; a usual metonymy.

Of thy righteousness either,

1. Which thou hast got and managed with righteousness; so he calls it by way of supposition; if it were so, God would prosper thee accordingly. But because thou dost not prosper, it gives us cause to suspect that thou hast got thy estate by fraud and oppression. Or,

2. Which thou shalt now manage with justice, and not wrongfully, as thou hast done.

Poole: Job 8:7

The sense is either,

1. Though thou hadst possessed but very little at first, yet God would have wonderfully blessed and increased thy estate; whereas now God hath brought thee down from a great estate almost to nothing; which is an evidence of his displeasure, and thy hypocrisy. Or,

2. Though the beginning of thy future fortunes, or though what thou hast left, be now very small, yet if thou dost repent and seek God, it shall vastly increase.

Poole: Job 8:8 - Of the former age // Prepare thyself to the search of their fathers

Of the former age i.e. of our predecessors, who had the advantage of longer life and more experience, besides more frequent revelations from God, than we have; who also will be more impartial judges of this cause than we may be thought to be. Inform thyself from them by the instructions which they left, either in word or writing, what their opinion was about the manner of God’ s dealings with men.

Prepare thyself to the search of their fathers do not slightly, but seriously and industriously, search the ancient records.

Poole: Job 8:9 - But of yesterday // Our days upon earth are a shadow

But of yesterday but lately born, and therefore have but little knowledge and experience, as it follows.

Our days upon earth are a shadow: this is meant either,

1. Of their lives in particular, which were far shorter than the lives of their ancestors, the patriarchs, whose long lives gave them opportunity to know and see the course of God’ s providence towards good and bad men, and the differing ends and issues of their lives. Or,

2. Of men’ s lives in general; which being very short, men’ s observation reacheth but to very few events in comparison of those which may be known by the records and testimony of all former ages.

Poole: Job 8:10 - Out of their heart

Assuredly they will inform thee that it is as we say.

Out of their heart not partially, but sincerely, speaking their inward thoughts; not rashly, but from deep consideration; not by hearsay from others, but their own knowledge and experience.

Poole: Job 8:11 - Without mire // The flag

Without mire i.e. if it be not in moist and miry ground. This and what follows he mentions as it were in the person of those ancients to whom he had referred him, of whom he saith that they would give him such instructions as these.

The flag or, the grass ; or, the meadow , as this word is used, Gen 41:2 , i.e. the grass of a meadow, But our translation seems the best, because it is compared with other herbs.

Poole: Job 8:12 - Yet in his greenness // Not cut down // Before any other herb

Yet in his greenness whereby it promiseth long continuance.

Not cut down though no man cut it down, it withereth of itself, and will save a man the labour of cutting or plucking it up. It gives not a man so much warning that he can cut it down in time, as other green herbs do, but suddenly withereth.

Before any other herb i.e. sooner than other herbs, or in their presence, or they surviving; in which sense it seems to be said that Ishmael died in the presence of his brethren , Gen 25:18 ; the rest of the herbs looking upon it, and admiring this sudden change. For actions of sense and understanding are oft ascribed to lifeless creatures, both in Scripture and other authors.

Poole: Job 8:13 - Of all that forget God // The hypocrite’ s hope shall perish

Of all that forget God i.e. of wicked men, who are branded with this same character, Psa 9:17 50:22 ; or hypocrites, as the next words explain it, who are described by their first and fundamental miscarriage, which is, that they forget , i.e. neglect, forsake, and despise, (for so this phrase is commonly understood, as Deu 6:12 8:11 32:18 Jer 2:32 23:27 ) God , i.e. his presence, and commands, and worship, and providence; and therefore break forth into manifold sins. But by their paths he doth not understand the course of their actions, or manner of their living; but the events which befall them, called their paths objectively, because they are the paths of God, or the methods of his providence, or manner of his dealing with them. Now this may be accommodated to the foregoing similitude in this manner: Such is the prosperity of wicked men, because it wants the solid foundation of their piety, and of God’ s promise and blessing consequent thereupon, it quickly vanisheth into nothing.

The hypocrite’ s hope shall perish i.e. he shall lose what he hoped for ( hope being oft put for its object,) even uninterrupted and abiding felicity, and with it all hope of restitution.

Poole: Job 8:14 - A spider’ s web

i.e. Whose wealth and outward glory, which is the matter of his hope and trust , shall be cut off, i.e. suddenly and violently taken away from him. Whose hope shall be irksome or tedious to him , by the succession of earnest expectation and great disappointment.

A spider’ s web which though it be formed with great art and industry, and may do much mischief to others, yet is most slender and feeble, and easily swept down or pulled in pieces, and unable to defend the spider that made it. The application is obvious.

Poole: Job 8:15 - He // It shall not stand // He shall hold it fast

He either the spider, or rather, the wicked man signified by it,

shall lean upon his house i.e. he shall trust to the multitude and strength of his children and servants. and to his wealth, all which come under the name of a man’ s house in Scripture use.

It shall not stand i.e. not be able to uphold itself, nor him that trusted to it.

He shall hold it fast or, he shall take fast hold of it ; not to uphold it, but to strengthen and uphold himself by it, as it is in the former branch.

Poole: Job 8:16 - He // Is green // Before the sun // His branch // In his garden

He either,

1. The perfect man, here understood out of Job 8:20 , where it is expressed; or rather,

2. The hypocrite, of whom he hath hitherto treated, to whom this and the following verses very well agree; whom he before compared to a rush, and then to a spider’ s web, and now to a tree, which is of a more solid substance, and more durable; as if he said, As some wicked men are quickly cut off in the very beginnings of their prosperity, so there are others who seem to be more firmly grounded, and yet they also at last come to ruin.

Is green i.e. flourisheth in the world.

Before the sun either,

1. Publicly, and in the view of all men, who observe it with admiration, and applause, and envy: compare 2Sa 12:12 . Or rather,

2. Notwithstanding all the scorching heat of the sun, which quickly withers the rushes and herbs, of which he spake before, but doth only cherish and refresh the tree. And so doth many a wicked man secure himself, and thrive and prosper even in times of great danger and trouble, and in spite of all opposition.

His branch or, his branches ; the singular number for the plural; either,

1. Properly, and so this belongs to the description of a flourishing tree, by the spreading of its branches here, as by the depth of its root, Job 8:17 . Or,

2. Metaphorically, to wit, his children, which are here mentioned as additions, not only to his comfort, but also to his strength and safety.

In his garden a place where it is defended from those injuries to which the trees of the field are subject from men and beasts, and where, besides the natural advantages common to all trees, it hath peculiar helps from the art and industry of men, by whom it is watered and assisted as need requires. So he supposeth this man to be placed in the most desirable circumstances.

Poole: Job 8:17 - About the heap

About the heap to wit, of stones, which word may be here understood out of the latter branch of the verse, as is very usual in Scripture use. This circumstance of the tree is added to signify, either,

1. Its firmness and strength, that it was not in loose and sandy ground, which a violent wind might overthrow, but in solid and hard ground, within which were many stones, which its numerous and spreading roots embrace, folding and interweaving themselves severally about several stones. Or,

2. Its singular and extraordinary growth, in spite of all disadvantages and oppositions; that even stony ground, which is very prejudicial to trees, Mat 13:5 , doth not hinder its growth, but only add to its strength. So God and man seem to conspire, and all things concur, to secure and perpetuate this man’ s happiness. Some render the words, His roots are wrapped , or folded , or spread about , or beside, a spring , as the Hebrew gal sometimes signifies, as Jos 15:19 Son 4:12 , i.e. a moist ground, which is much to its advantage: see Psa 1:3 Jer 17:8 . Seeth he , i.e. the tree whose roots he last mentioneth, reacheth thither, spreadeth himself so far, takes the advantage of that place for the strengthening of itself. Seeing is oft put for enjoying, and is frequently attributed to lifeless things, by a known figure, called prosopopeia . The place , Heb. the house , which is oft used for a place; as 2Sa 6:17 1Ki 8:6 . Others render the words thus, he looketh upon the house of stones , i.e. made of stones for greater beauty and strength. He standeth proudly, and looketh boldly upon its owner’ s house, nigh unto which it is placed, even in his garden, as was said before.

Poole: Job 8:18 - If he // From his place // Then it // I have not seen thee

If he either God, who is the Saviour of good men, and the Destroyer of the wicked; or the owner; or any other man; for this is an indefinite speech, and may be taken passively and impersonally; which is very common in the holy text and language.

From his place in which he was planted.

Then it i.e. the place; to which denying him and seeing him are here ascribed figuratively, as we have oft seen.

I have not seen thee i.e. I do not know nor remember that ever thou wast planted here. He shall be so utterly extirpated and destroyed, that there shall be no footstep, nor name, nor memorial of him left there.

Poole: Job 8:19 - Out of the earth shall others grow

This is the joyful and happy issue of the flourishing course, state, and condition (which is frequently called a way) of this tree, or of the hypocrite, manifestly represented by it, and expressed Job 8:13 . It is a sarcasm or irony, and is to be understood contrariwise of his sad and unhappy end.

Out of the earth shall others grow i.e. out of the same earth or place shall another tree grow; which could not be if there had been but a stump of it left, though under ground. So it notes the total extirpation of the tree, and of the hypocrite, that his person and all his children and family shall be utterly extinct, and so a stranger shall come into his place, and enjoy the fruit of his labours. But the words are and may be otherwise rendered very agreeably to the Hebrew text, and out of other ground they (i.e. plants or trees, of which he is here speaking) shall grow , or others shall grow , or plants shall grow ; the noun being contained in the verb. So the sense is, This tree shall be rooted up, and the very ground of it so cursed, that nothing shall grow or thrive in it; but other ground shall be fruitful, and other trees that stood round about it shall stand still and flourish in their places. His design in all this is to prove Job to be a hypocrite, because he meets with their lot, which is total destruction.

Poole: Job 8:20

Heb. God will not despise or reject , i.e. he will not deny them his help, as appears by the opposite and following branch of the verse; he will not suffer them to be utterly lost. Help , i.e. deliver them out of their troubles. Hence it may seem that thou, O Job, art not a perfect or upright man, but an evil-doer. But this is certain, if for the future thy heart and way be not perfect, and thou dost not cease to do evil, thou wilt be utterly and irrecoverably lost; as, on the contrary, if thou dost repent and reform, he will help and deliver thee, and restore thee to thy former glory and happiness; which promise, though it be not here expressed, is sufficiently implied in the contrary threatening, as is evident from the following words, which plainly suppose it, and have a reference to it; such ellipses of contraries being not unusual in Scripture, as we shall see hereafter, especially in the Book of the Proverbs.

Poole: Job 8:21 - till he fill

And what I have said in general of all perfect men, shall be made good to thee, if thou be such a one; God will not forsake time, nor desist from doing thee good,

till he fill & c., i.e. God will give thee such abundant matter of rejoicing, that thy heart shall not be able to hold it, but it shall break out at thy mouth and lips.

Poole: Job 8:22 - They that hate thee // Of the wicked

They that hate thee that rejoice in thy calamities, shall be wholly covered with shame, shall be utterly confounded, when they shall observe thee, whom they have despised and insulted over, to be so wonderfully and surprisingly restored to thy former or a greater felicity.

Of the wicked either particularly of thy enemies, who dealt so unworthily and wickedly with thee; or more generally of all wicked men. Having showed what good God would do to the perfect man, he now declares the contrary portion of the wicked; and as he said that God would not help them, Job 8:20 , so here he adds, that God will bring not only them, but their house, i.e. their family and estate, to nought.

PBC: Job 8:13

1. Although temporary believers and other unregenerate men, may vainly deceive themselves with false hopes and carnal presumptions of being in the favor of God, and (in a) state of salvation, Job 8:13-14; Mt 7:22-23 which hope of theirs shall perish; yet such as truly believe in the lord Jesus, and love him in sincerity, endeavoring to walk in all good conscience before him, may in this life be certainly assured 1Jo 2:3; 3:14,18-19,21; 5:13 that they are in the state of grace; and may rejoice in the hope of the glory of god, which hope shall never make them Ro 5:2,5 ashamed. (from London Confession of 1689)

See PBtop: PERSEVERANCE AND PRESERVATION

Haydock: Job 8:6 - Peaceable

Peaceable. Justice and peace shall kiss. (Haydock) ---

Prosperity will attend the righteous. (Calmet)

Haydock: Job 8:9 - That

That. Hebrew, "because our days." (Haydock) ---

Baldad strives, in vain, to prove what nobody contested. But he does not come to the point, and shew that Job was guilty. Past histories might have informed him that the just are often persecuted, like Abel, Abraham, Jacob, and Joseph. (Calmet) ---

It is true, these were afterwards conforted in honour, except the first, who was slain, and better off in the other world. But Job might hope for the same treatment; and no man can be pronounced happy or miserable till his death. After a storm a calm frequently ensues; as Baldad might have seen verified in the person of his friend, if he had waited patiently, and not judged so peremptorily from equivocal arguments. (Haydock) ---

We must allow, however, that what he said had been generally true. (Houbigant)

Haydock: Job 8:11 - Sedge-bush

Sedge-bush, or flag. Hebrew achu; so called, because from one root many brothers (as it were) spring. Septuagint style it Greek: Boutomon, as it was usually "cut for oxen," Genesis xli. 2. (Parkhurst) (Haydock) ---

As plants die without suction, so do those who depart from God. (Menochius)

Haydock: Job 8:12 - Herbs // Sic transit gloria mundi

Herbs, for want of moisture. (Calmet) ---

Sic transit gloria mundi. (Haydock) ---

The prophets often compare the prosperity of the wicked to grass, (Psalm xxxvi. 2., and James i. 10.) and Baldad ranks Job with them.

Haydock: Job 8:14 - Him

Him, the hypocrite, or God. (Calmet) ---

Both shall one day condemn the ill use of riches. (Haydock)

Haydock: Job 8:15 - He

He. The spider, or rather the hypocrite, who will not be able to screen himself, by his possessions, from the wrath of God. (Calmet)

Haydock: Job 8:16 - Seemeth // Rising, ortu

Seemeth. Hebrew, "he is green before the sun" beat upon him. ---

Rising, ortu, for horto, (Haydock) as the Hebrew, &c., have "garden," (Menochius) with some Latin editions. He had compared the wicked to a rush without moisture. But the just is like a plant in a fine garden, which is not hurt by the sun beams. It will grow even among stones, (Calmet) and may be transplanted without danger, ver. 19. (Haydock) ---

The whole may be, however, a continuation of the former simile. The rush will presently be scorched, as if it were thrown among stones, and its place will know it no longer, ver. 18. (Menochius)

Haydock: Job 8:19 - Joy

Joy. Septuagint, "the catastrophe of the wicked, for another shall spring," &c. Haydock)

Gill: Job 8:5 - If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes // and make thy supplication to the Almighty

If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes,.... Here Bildad seems to think more mildly, and speak more kindly to Job, that though he had sinned, yet not in so gross a manner as his children, since he was spared, and they were not; and therefore if he would apply himself to God, and supplicate his grace and mercy, and live a godly life, it might yet be well with him, and he be restored to his former or to better circumstances; his sense is, that he would advise him, as Eliphaz had done before, Job 5:8; to seek unto God "by prayer", as the Targum adds, and of which it is explained in the next clause, and that he would do this "betimes", or "in the morning" ⁿ; which is a proper time for prayer, and was one of the seasons good men in former times made use of for that purpose; see Psa 5:3; or that he would seek him in the first place, and above all things, take the first opportunity to do it, without any procrastination of it, and that with eagerness and earnestness, with his whole heart and soul; for God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him, and those that seek him early shall find him:

and make thy supplication to the Almighty: not pleading any merit of his own, as deserving of any blessing on account of what he had done; but ask what he should as a favour, as a free gift, in a way of grace and mercy, as the word ^o signifies; call for the pity of the Almighty, as Broughton renders it.

Gill: Job 8:6 - If thou wert pure and upright // surely now // he would awake for thee // and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous

If thou wert pure and upright,.... By which he tacitly intimates that he was neither; though the character given of him is, that he was perfect and upright, feared God and eschewed evil, and which is confirmed by God himself, and even after he had been tried by sore afflictions. Bildad's meaning is, if he was pure in heart, and upright in his life and conversation, then things would be well with him. Men's hearts are naturally impure; no man is pure of himself, or can make his heart pure; nor is there any good man that is so pure as to be entirely free from sin; but such are pure in heart, who have clean hearts created, and right spirits renewed in them; or have new hearts and new spirits given them; have their hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and so keep the faith in a pure conscience; having their hearts purified by faith in the blood of Christ, whose blood cleanses from all sin; and in this sense Job was pure, having an interest in a living Redeemer, and in his blood, and a partaker of his grace; and that he was upright is before testified of him, though now called in question, an if being put upon it, as well as on the former, having in the course of his life walked uprightly, according to the will of God revealed unto him:

surely now; directly at once, without delay, as Sephorno interprets it; it need not be doubted of, verily so it would be:

he would awake for thee; who though he neither slumbers nor sleeps, yet seems to be asleep when he suffers his people to be afflicted, distressed, and oppressed, and therefore they cry unto him to awake to their judgment, and their cause; see Psa 7:8; the sense is, that he would stir up and exert himself, and show himself strong on his behalf, and appear to be on his side, and work deliverance and salvation for him; or awake his mercy, grace, and goodness, as some Jewish commentators ^p interpret it; that is, bestow his favours upon him:

and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous; which some understand of his body, the earthly house of his tabernacle, which if his soul was pure and upright that dwelt in it, might be called the habitation of righteousness; which, were this the case, would become healthful that was now covered with worms, and clods of dust: others interpret it of the soul, as Aben Ezra and Ben Gersom, the seat of righteousness, and of all the graces of the Spirit; which is in a prosperous condition when these graces are in lively exercise, and the presence of God, and the light of his countenance, and communion with him, are enjoyed; but rather his dwelling house in a literal sense, and all his domestic affairs, are here meant; and it is signified that all would be again in peace and prosperity, and he should enjoy great plenty of good things should he behave well; and here is a tacit intimation as if his habitation had not been an habitation of righteousness, but had been filled with the mammon of unrighteousness, with goods ill gotten, such as were obtained by rapine and oppression, and neither he nor his family righteous; a very unjust and iniquitous insinuation: the Targum paraphrases it, "and, shall make the beauty of thy righteousness perfect" ^q; but Job had a more beautiful righteousness than his own; his was but as rags, and neither pure nor perfect; even the righteousness of Christ, which is perfect and beautiful, and makes such so, that are arrayed with it; see Psa 50:2.

Gill: Job 8:7 - Though thy beginning was small // yet thy latter end should greatly increase

Though thy beginning was small,.... When, he first set out in the world; and which though it greatly increased, and he was the greatest man in all the east, yet Bildad suggests, should he behave well, that was comparatively small to what it would be with him hereafter; and which was fact, for he had double of what he before enjoyed; so Mr. Broughton renders the words, "and thy former state should be little to thy latter": or rather the sense and meaning is, "though thy beginning should be small" ^r; be it so that it is; or rather that though he should begin again in the world with very little, as indeed at present he had nothing to begin with, and when he did it was but with little; one gave him a piece of money, and another an earring of gold:

yet thy latter end should greatly increase; as it did, for the Lord blessed his latter end, and he had more than at the beginning, even double to what he had in his most flourishing circumstances; see Job 42:11, &c. Bildad seems to have spoken under a spirit of prophecy, without being sensible of it, and not imagining in the least that so it would be in fact; for he only affirms it on supposition of Job's good behaviour for the future, putting it entirely upon that condition, which he had no great expectation of it ever being performed.

Gill: Job 8:8 - For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age // and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers

For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,.... With respect to the truth of what he had said, or should say; he does not desire Job to take his word for it, but inquire how it was in former times; by which it would appear, that when good men have been in affliction and trouble, and have behaved well under it, as became them, they have been delivered out of it, and have been afterwards in more flourishing and comfortable circumstances, as Noah, Abraham, Lot, and others; and that wicked men and hypocrites, though they have flourished for a while, yet destruction has sooner or later come upon them, and they have utterly perished, as the descendants of Cain, the builders of Babel, and the men of Sodom, and others; whereas good and upright men are never cast away by the Lord, no instance can be given of it; all which would appear, if inquiry was made into what had happened in the "former age" not the "first age", as the Septuagint version, the age or generation in which the first man and woman lived; for who were "their fathers", mentioned in the next clause? but the age or generation preceding that in which Job and his friends lived; and the knowledge of things done in that might with some application and diligence be more easily obtained:

and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers; of the fathers of the men of the former age, who lived in the age preceding that, and from whom their posterity had received the knowledge of many things by tradition, as they had received from their fathers that lived before them and so upwards; things being handed down in a traditionary way from father to son; and though these fathers were dead, yet, by their traditions that were preserved, they were capable of teaching and instructing men; and their sayings and sentiments deserved regard, and were had in much esteem; but yet being uninspired and fallible men, were not to be received without examination; for though truth is of the greatest antiquity, and to be revered on that account, yet error is almost as old as that; and therefore great care is to be taken how any thing is received purely upon the score of antiquity; and great pains, diligence, and circumspection, are necessary to a due search of the fathers, and coming at their sense and sentiments; and so as to distinguish between truth and error, and get a true knowledge of facts done in ancient times; such a search is to be made in like manner as one would search for gold and silver, and hidden treasures.

Gill: Job 8:9 - For we are but of yesterday // and know nothing // because our days upon earth are a shadow

For we are but of yesterday ^s,.... Which is not to be understood strictly of the day last past, but of a short space of time backward; and especially when compared with the antediluvian fathers, who lived the far greater part of them upwards of nine hundred years; otherwise Bildad and his two friends were men in years; Eliphaz says, that with them were the gray headed and very aged men, much older than the father of Job, and Elihu speaks of himself as a young man, and of them as very old; see Job 15:10,

and know nothing; which is not to be taken in an absolute sense, for they knew much of the things of nature, providence, and grace; they were men of great understanding in things natural, civil, and religious, as appears by their discourses; but in a comparative sense, or when compared with the long lived patriarchs, who through the length of their days had much time and opportunity to make their observations on things, to learn the arts and sciences, and improve themselves in all useful knowledge, human and divine; for which reason Job is sent to inquire of them; whereas they had been but a little while in the world, and knew but little, to whom might be applied that saying, as now to men since, "ars longa, vita brevis"; and they knew nothing as it is to be known, or perfectly, or in comparison of the saints in heaven; for they that know most here know but in part, see through a glass darkly; but in the other world they see face to face, and know as they are known. Moreover, Bildad might say this of himself and his friends, in a modest manner, having learned to know themselves, their weakness, and their folly; and the first and great lesson of wisdom is to become fools in men's own apprehension, in order to be truly wise, having the like sense of themselves as Agur had, Pro 30:2; see 1Co 3:18; or rather this might be said as being the sense of Job concerning them, who had a very mean and indifferent opinion of them; see Job 12:2; and therefore Bildad would not have him take their sense of things, but inquire of persons older and wiser:

because our days upon earth are a shadow; man's time is rather measured by days than by months and years, being so short; and these are called "days" on earth, to distinguish them from the days of heaven, which are one everlasting day, in which there is no night of darkness, either in a literal or figurative sense, and which will never end; but the days of this life are like a "shadow", dark and obscure; full of the darkness of adversity and trouble, as well as greatly deficient in the light of knowledge; there is nothing in them solid and substantial; the greatest and best things of this life are but a vain show; in heaven there is a better and more enduring substance: every thing is mutable and uncertain here; man is subject to a variety of changes in his mind and body, in family and outward estate and circumstances: and life itself is but a vapour, which appears a while and soon vanishes away; or rather like a shadow, that declines, is fleeting, and quickly gone; see 1Ch 29:15.

Gill: Job 8:10 - Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee // and utter words out of their heart

Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee,.... That is, the men of the former age, and their fathers before them, Job is directed to inquire of, and to prepare for a search into their records and traditions; from whom he might reasonably expect to be taught and told things that would be very instructive and useful to him in his present circumstances:

and utter words out of their heart? such as were the effect of mature judgment and long observation, and which they had laid up in their hearts, and brought out from their treasure there; and, with the greatest faithfulness and sincerity, had either committed them to writing, or delivered them in a traditionary way to their posterity, to be communicated to theirs; and which might be depended upon as true and genuine, being men of probity, uprightness, and singleness of heart; who declared sincerely what they knew, and spoke not with a double heart, having no intention to deceive, as it cannot be thought they would impose upon their own children; and therefore Job might safely receive what they uttered, and depend upon it as truth and fact; and what they said, as Jarchi observes, is as follows; or what follows Bildad collected from them, and so might Job, and think he heard them "saying", as Piscator supplies the text, what is expressed in the following verses, if not in their words, yet as their sense.

Gill: Job 8:11 - Can the rush grow up without mire // can the flag grow without water

Can the rush grow up without mire?.... No, at least not long, or so as to lift up his head on high, as the word signifies ^a; the rush or bulrush, which seems to be meant, delights in watery places, and has its name in Hebrew from its absorbing or drinking up water; it grows in moist and watery clay, or in marshy places, which Jarchi says is the sense of the word here used; the Septuagint understands it of the "paper reed", which, as Pliny ^b observes, grows in the marshy places of Egypt, and by the still waters of the river Nile:

can the flag grow without water? or "the sedge" ^c; which usually grows in moist places, and on the banks of rivers; this unless in such places, or if without water, cannot grow long, or make any very large increase, or come to maturity; so some ^d render it, "if the rush should grow up without", &c. then it would be with it as follows.

Gill: Job 8:12 - Whilst it is yet in its greenness // and not cut down // it withereth before any other herb

Whilst it is yet in its greenness,.... Before it is come to its full height, or to a proper ripeness; when as yet it has not flowered, or is about it; before the time usual for it to turn and change; it being without moisture, water, or watery clay, will change:

and not cut down; by the scythe, or cropped by the hand of man:

it withereth before any other herb; of itself; rather sooner than such that do not require so much moisture; or in the sight and presence of them, they looking on as it were, and deriding it; a poetical representation, as Schultens observes: next follows the accommodation of these similes to wicked and hypocritical men.

Gill: Job 8:13 - So are the paths of all that forget God // and the hypocrite's hope shall perish

So are the paths of all that forget God,.... Who forget that there is a God; he is not in all, and scarce in any of their thoughts, and they live without him in the world; who forget the works of God, of creation and providence, in which there is a glorious display of his being and perfections; who forget the benefits and blessings of his goodness they are every day partakers of, and are not thankful for them; and who forget the word, worship, and ordinances of God, and follow after and observe lying vanities, idols, and the works of men's hands, and worship them, being unmindful of the rock of their salvation: now such men, as well as the hypocrites in the next clause, are like bulrushes and flags, or sedge, being unfruitful, useless, and unprofitable; and, for their sensuality and worldly mindedness, standing in the mire and clay of an unregenerate state, and of carnal and worldly lusts; and though, especially the latter, may carry their heads high in a profession of religion, and make a fair show in the flesh while it is a time of outward prosperity with them, but when tribulation arises on the account of religion, they are presently offended, and apostatize; being destitute of the true grace of God, and having the root of the matter in them, they wither of themselves; they soon drop their profession in the view of all good men, comparable to herbs and green grass, which abide in their verdure, when the other are gone and are seen no more:

and the hypocrite's hope shall perish; who are either the same with those before described, who, being in prosperous circumstances, forget the God of their mercies they make a profession of, like Jeshurun of old, or different persons, as Bar Tzemach thinks, the former designing open profane sinners, these secret ones, under the appearance of good men: an "hypocrite" is one whose inside is not as his outside, as the Jews say; who is outwardly righteous, but inwardly wicked; has a form of godliness, but not the power of it; a name to live, but dead; that makes a show of religion and devotion, attending the worship and ordinances of God in an external way, as if he had great delight in him and them, when his heart is removed far from him: and such have their "hope", for the present, of being in the favour of God, and of future happiness, which is founded on their outward prosperity their esteem among men, and more especially their external righteousness, and profession of religion; but this will "perish", even both the ground of their hope, the riches and righteousness, which come to nothing, and the hope that is built thereupon sinks into despair; if not in life, as it sometimes does, yet always at death, see Job 11:20; Bildad seems to have Job in view here, whom he esteemed an hypocrite.

Gill: Job 8:14 - Whose hope shall be cut off // and whose trust shall be a spider's web

Whose hope shall be cut off,.... The same thing as before, expressed in different words, and repeated for the certainty of it; signifying that it should be of no manner of use, should be wholly lost, and issue in black despair: the word has the signification of loathing, and is differently rendered, either, "whom his hope shall loathe" ^e or, "who shall loathe his hope" ^f; he shall fret and tease, and vex himself that he should be such a fool to entertain such a vain hope, or to place hope and confidence in such vain things, finding himself most sadly disappointed:

and whose trust shall be a spider's web; or "a spider's house" ^g; and such its web is to it; having made it, it encloses itself in it, and dwells securely: very fitly is the hope and confidence of an hypocrite compared to a spider's web, which is a very nice and curious piece of workmanship, as are the outward works of righteousness, done by hypocrites they are wrought out and set off to the best advantage, to be seen of men; yet very slight and thin, and will bear no weight; such are the best works of carnal professors; they make a fine appearance, but have no substance, do not flow from principles of grace, nor are done in the strength of Christ, or to the glory of God; are but "splendida peccata", as one calls them, and fall infinitely short of bearing the weight of the salvation of the soul: as the spider's web is spun out of its own bowels, so the works of such persons are wholly of themselves; they are their own, done without the grace of God and spirit of Christ; and such webs are not fit for garments, are too thin to cover naked souls; insufficient to shelter from divine wrath and vengeance; cannot bear the besom of justice, one stroke of which will sweep them all away; and though they may think themselves safe enclosed in them as in a house, they will find themselves in the issue wretchedly mistaken; for there is no shelter, safety, and security, in such cobwebs; there is none but in Christ and his righteousness.

Gill: Job 8:15 - He shall lean upon his house // but it shall not stand // he shall hold it fast // but it shall not endure

He shall lean upon his house,.... Either the spider or the hypocrite, or the hypocrite as the spider; that is, that which is the ground of his confidence, which is as the spider's house, on that he shall depend, either on his riches and outward prosperity, which he promises himself a long continuance of, and from whence he concludes himself to be high in the favour and good will of God; or on his works of righteousness, his outward profession of religion, attendance on external worship, and a round of duties performed by him; in these he trusts, on these he depends, in such webs he enwraps himself, in such a house he dwells, and imagines himself safe; which is only making flesh his arm, leaning upon a broken reed, and building an house upon the sand: the Septuagint version is, "if he prop up his house", by repeated outward acts of religion:

but it shall not stand: whether it be riches, these are uncertain things, of no continuance; there are no riches durable but the unsearchable riches of Christ and his grace; or whether it be a man's own righteousness, which he endeavours to establish, or "make to stand", as the phrase is in Rom 10:3; but in vain; it is but a sandy foundation to build on; or the hope and confidence laid upon it is like a house built on the sand, and, when rain falls, floods come, and winds beat upon it, it falls; and great is the fall of it, Mat 7:26,

he shall hold it fast; as the worldling does his wealth, his gold and his silver; but it is snatched out of his hand by one providence or another, or however at last death obliges him to part with it; and the self-righteous man holds fast his righteousness, it is his own, he is fond of, an house of his own building, and cannot bear to have it demolished; an idol of his own setting up, and to take it away is to take away his gods; and what has he more? wherefore he holds it as fast as he can, and will not let it go till he can hold it no longer; or, "he shall fortify himself in it" ^h, as in a castle or strong hold, which he thinks impregnable, yet will soon and easily be battered down by divine justice:

but it shall not endure; gold perishes, riches come to nought, wealth is no enduring substance, nor is a man's righteousness lasting; only Christ's righteousness is everlasting; true grace endures to eternal and issues in it; but external gifts, speculative and rational knowledge, and a mere profession of religion, fail, cease, and vanish away.

Gill: Job 8:16 - He is green before the sun // and his branch shooteth forth in his garden

He is green before the sun,.... Which some understand of the rush or flag, of which a further account is given, as setting forth more fully the case of wicked men and hypocrites; but to either of these do not agree the situation of it in a garden, the shooting forth of its branches, and the height of it, and its striking its roots deep in stony places: Cocceius interprets it of the "herb" or grass before which the flag withers, Job 8:12; but the same objections, or most of them, lie against that also; rather, from the description of it, a tall large tree is designed, to which hypocrites in their most flourishing circumstances are compared, and yet come to nothing, Psa 37:35; that is "green" in its leaves, and looks beautiful, so they in a profession of religion, which is like green leaves without fruit; they make in it a fair show in the flesh, take up and him the lamp of a profession, and retain it bright and fair for a time; or, like a tree full of sap, or "juicy" ⁱ; or, as Mr. Broughton renders it, "juiceful"; denoting, not a fulness of the spirit and his grace, or of faith, hope, love, &c. and of righteousness and goodness, but of, outward prosperity, having as much as heart could wish, and great plenty of good things laid up for many years: and this tree is said to be green and juicy "before the sun"; either in the presence and through the influence of it, as hypocrites flourish, even in a religious way, while the sun of prosperity shines upon them, and no longer; or openly and publicly, in the sight of all men, as this phrase is used, 2Sa 12:11; and as such men do, in the view of all men, professors and profane, doing all they do to be seen of men, and before whom they are outwardly righteous, and reckoned good men; or, "before the sun" rises, as the Targum and Aben Ezra, so hypocrites flourish, before the sun of persecution arises and smites them, because of their profession, and then they drop it; see Mat 13:6,

and his branch shooteth forth in his garden; or "over" ^k it; and branch may be put branches, which in a flourishing tree spread themselves to cover a considerable piece of ground: Mr. Broughton renders it, "and his suckers sprout over his orchard"; all which may denote the increase of a wicked man, in his family, in his wealth and substance, and particularly in his posterity, which are as branches and suckers from him; and Bildad, if these are his own words, may have respect to Job, and to his large substance and number of children he had in his prosperity, when he had an hedge set about him, and was enclosed as in a garden: and whereas the church of God is sometimes compared to a garden, Son 4:12; it agrees very well with hypocrites, who have a place there, and are called hypocrites in Sion, where they have a name, and flourish for a while: many interpreters, both Jewish ^l and Christian ^m, interpret this, and what follows, of truly righteous and good men under afflictive providences, who notwithstanding continue, and are not the worse, but the better for them; their leaf of profession is always green, and withers not; and that "before the sun", even of adversity and affliction; and though that beats upon them, and smites them severely, they are like green olive trees, or the cedars of God, full of sap, full of the grace of God, and continually supplied with it; and so patiently endure temptation and affliction, bear the heat and burden of the day, and are not careful in the year of drought; see Son 1:6; such are planted in the garden and house of the Lord by himself and shall never be rooted up; where their branches spread, and they grow in grace, and in the knowledge of all divine things, and are filled with the fruits of righteousness.

Gill: Job 8:17 - His roots are wrapped about the heap // and seeth the place of stones

His roots are wrapped about the heap,.... The heap of stones where the tree stands; it strikes its roots among them, and implicates and twists them about them, and secures itself and grows up notwithstanding them: and this expresses the seeming stable state and condition of hypocrites for a season, who not only flourish, but seem to take root; and who maintain their ground amidst some difficulties; this fitly agrees with and describes such hearers of the word, and professors of religion, comparable to the seed sown on stony ground, Mat 13:5,

and seeth the place of stones; or, "the house of stones" ⁿ; a house built of stones, high and stately; yet this tree rises higher than that, overtops and overlooks it; and is represented as viewing it thoroughly, or looking down upon it, and all around it, being so high and so spreading; the Targum renders it, implicateth the house of stones; "platteth", as Mr. Broughton, or twists about them, and so many of the Jewish writers; but this seems to be designed in the former clause: all this suits very well with good men, whose "roots are wrapped about the fountain" ^o; as the words may be rendered; about the love of God, in which they are rooted and grounded, and are like trees planted by rivers of water, the river of divine love, which refreshes, revives, and makes them fruitful; and about Christ, the fountain of gardens and well of living waters; in whom they are rooted and built up, increase, flourish, and are established; and though they are among stones, and attended with many difficulties, yet they abide and surmount all; believe in hope against hope, and see and enjoy, yea, even dwell in the house of stones, the church of God, built on a rock, against which the gates of hell cannot prevail.

Gill: Job 8:18 - If he destroy him from his place // then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee

If he destroy him from his place,.... If the sun when he is risen strikes the tree with such vehement heat that it withers and utterly perishes from the place where it grew; or roots it up, so the Targum and Nachmanides; or, if God destroys the hypocrite from his place, or he is by one means or another removed out of the garden, the church, being detested and rejected by good men; or from all his worldly enjoyments, his honour, credit, and esteem with men, which are all precarious, fickle, and inconstant; or out of the world, being cut down as a cumber ground:

then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee; that is, either the tree shall deny that it ever was planted in such a place, or rather the place shall deny that the tree ever was planted there; the sense is, that it shall be so utterly destroyed, that neither root nor branch shall be left, nor anything to show that it ever grew there; its place shall know it no more, see Job 7:10; or God shall deny the hypocrite, and say he never saw him nor knew him; he never belonged to him, nor was under his care; he never looked upon him with a look of love, grace, and mercy; he never had any delight and pleasure in him, nor regarded him as one of his; he was no tree of his planting, watering, and keeping, see Mat 7:23; this seems most difficult to accommodate to a good man, and those who carry it that way seem to be most puzzled with this; some render it, "shall he be swallowed?" or, "shall anyone in, allow him up?" ^p destroy or root him out of his place? none shall: the root of the righteous cannot be moved, nor they from that; not from the everlasting love of God, in which they are rooted, nor from Christ, in whom they are fixed: others understand this of the digging up of a tree, and transplanting it to another place, where it grows as well, or better; and so the people of God, though they have many stripping providences, and are removed from place to place, and from one condition to another, so that their former state and place know them no more; yet all things work together for their good.

Gill: Job 8:19 - Behold, this is the joy of his way // and out of the earth shall others grow

Behold, this is the joy of his way,.... Of the state and condition of the hypocrite, who, while he is in outward prosperity, exults and rejoices, but his joy is but short, it is but for a moment, Job 20:5; and this is what it comes to at last, and issues in, even entire destruction from his place; which, because it may seem strange and wonderful, and is worthy of notice and consideration, as well as to express a certainty of it, the word "behold" is prefixed; though this also is understood, by some, of good men who have much spiritual joy in their present state and condition, be it what it will; they have joy and peace in believing, even joy unspeakable, and full of glory; they have joy in the Lord, and in his ways in which they walk, when they have trouble in the world; they rejoice and even glory in tribulation, and are cheerful be they where they will, though removed from their native place and country; and especially this will be their case when they are transplanted from earth to heaven, the better and heavenly country:

and out of the earth shall others grow; in their room and stead; where the tall flourishing tree once stood, but now utterly destroyed, other trees should grow; signifying, either the children of the hypocrites and wicked men, that should spring up in their place and imitate them, and come to the same end; or rather such as were strangers to them, that should inherit their substance and estates; and it may be good men that should succeed them, and come into the possession of all their wealth, even such as were before in mean circumstances, and so may be said to come "out of the earth": it may be rendered, "out of another dust" or "earth shall they grow" ^q; signifying, that the wicked should be utterly destroyed, they and theirs; and that such as were of another family, and as it were of another earth and country, should stand in their place; see Job 27:16; this may be interpreted of good men, who, though they die, others are raised up in their stead; God will have a seed to serve him as long as the sun and moon endure; though they are forced to fly from their native place, being persecuted, to strange cities, or removed into the heavenly regions, yet God raises up others to till up their places, and oftentimes out of other families, even of the ungodly, to support his cause and interest; and understanding the whole of truly righteous persons seems best to connect the sense with the following words.

Gill: Job 8:20 - Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man // neither will he help the evil doers

Behold, God will not cast away a perfect man,.... A sincere, upright, good man; one that is truly gracious; who, though he is not "perfect" in himself, yet in Christ; and though not with respect to sanctification, which is as yet imperfect in him, yet with respect to justification, being perfectly justified by the righteousness of Christ, and all his sins pardoned for his sake: such an one God will never "cast away"; not out of his sight, being engraven on the palms of his hands, nor out of his heart's love; or will not "loath" ^r him, as the Targum, or reject him with abhorrence and contempt; he will not cast him out of his covenant, which is ordered in all things and sure; nor out of the hands of his son, where he has put him, and from whence none can pluck; nor out of his family, where the son abides for ever; or so as to perish eternally, this would be contrary to his love, to his foreknowledge, and to his covenant; so far is he from it, that he has the greatest regard for such, delights in them, admits thereto nearness to himself, sets them as a seal on his heart, keeps them as the apple of his eye, and preserves them safe to his kingdom and glory:

neither will he help the evil doers; meaning, not everyone that does evil, or sins, but such who live in sin, make a trade of sinning, are frequent and constant in the commission of it; such God will not help, or "take by the hand" ^s, in order to deliver from evil, as Gersom observes; to help them out of mischief and trouble their sins have brought upon them; or to strengthen them, support and uphold them, in their present circumstances, and much less so as to admit them to fellowship and communion with him: these words, with what follow, are Bildad's conclusion upon the sayings and sentiments of the ancients, which may be supposed, and are thought by some, to end at the preceding Job 8:19.

Gill: Job 8:21 - Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing.

Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. Directing himself to Job; and suggesting, that if he was a perfect, sincere, and upright man. God would not cast him away utterly, but help him out of his present circumstances, and restore him to prosperity; and not leave him until he had filled his heart with so much joy, that his mouth and lips, being also full of it, should break forth in strong expressions of it, and in the most exulting strains, as if it was a time of jubilee with him; see Psa 126:2; but Bildad tacitly insinuates that Job was not a perfect and good man but an evil doer, whom God had cast away and would not help; and this he concluded from the distressed circumstances he was now in; which was no rule of judgment, and a very unfair way of reasoning, since love and hatred are not to be known by outward prosperity and adversity, Ecc 9:1. Bar Tzemach interprets "laughing" as at his own goodness, and "rejoicing" as at the evil of the wicked.

Gill: Job 8:22 - They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame // and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to naught

They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame,.... The Chaldeans and Sabeans, who had plundered him of his substance, when they should see him restored to his former prosperity, beyond all hope and expectation, and themselves liable to his resentment, and under the displeasure of Providence: the phrase denotes utter confusion, and such as is visible as the clothes upon a man's back; see Psa 132:18,

and the dwelling place of the wicked shall come to naught; or, "shall not be" ^t; shall be no more; be utterly destroyed, and no more built up again; even such dwelling places they fancied would continue for ever, and perpetuate their names to the latest posterity; but the curse of God being in them, and upon them, they come to nothing, and are no more: thus ends Bildad's speech; Job's answer to it follows.