Job 12:7-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:7-10

The testimony of the creature to the Divine government. Job again vindicates himself in presence of his accusing friends. He professes his knowledge to be as theirs, and he even points them to the lower animals to find wisdom from them. The very beasts of the earth, the fowls of the air, the fruitful field, the fishes in the deep, all tell the great truth—Jehovah reigns supreme. "In his hand is the soul of every living thing, and the breath of all mankind;" all proclaim the Almighty, all... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:7-10

Lessons of nature. I. NATURE REBUKES MAN 'S IGNORANCE . Job refers his friends to nature in a tone of reproach. They ought to have known what nature was proclaiming. There are two grounds for this rebuke. 1 . The wealth and fulness of nature ' s testimony to her Creator. Go where one may, nature is ready to speak for God. The beasts of the field, the fowls of the air, the creeping things on the ground, the fishes of the sea, all speak for the power and wisdom of their Maker.... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:7-12

The wisdom and tile power of God a truth universally known. It is not the peculiar possession of those fancied wise friends. It is a truth impressed on all nature and on the experience of man. I. APPEAL TO THE LIVING CREATURES . ( Job 12:7-10 .) The beasts, the birds of the air, the earth with all its living growths, the creatures of the sea,—all bear traces of his skill, all receive from him their life and sustenance, all are subject to his omnipresent power (comp. Psalms... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:8

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee . If the material earth be intended, the appeal must be to its orderly course, its summers and winters, its seedtime and harvest, its former and latter rains, its constant productivity, which, no less than animal instincts, speak of a single ruling power directing and ordering all things. If the creeping things of the earth, the reptile creation, be meant, then the argument is merely an expansion of that in the preceding verse. The instincts of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:9

Who knoweth not in all these ; or, by all these ; i.e. by all these instances. That the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? literally, the hand of Jehovah. The name "Jehovah does not occur elsewhere in the dialogue, though it is employed frequently in the historical sections ( Job 1:6-12 , Job 1:21 ; Job 2:1-7 ; Job 38:1 ; Job 40:1 , Job 40:3 , Job 40:6 ; Job 42:1 , Job 42:7-12 ). The writer probably regards the name as unfamiliar, if not unknown, to Job's... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 12:10

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing . A brief summary of what had been said in Job 12:7 , Job 12:8 , to which is now appended the further statement, that in God's hand—wholly dependent on him—is the entire race of mankind also. And the breath of all mankind ; literally, and the spirit of all flesh of man. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 12:7

But ask now the beasts - Rosenmuller supposes that this appeal to the inferior creation should be regarded as connected with Job 12:3, and that the intermediate verses are parenthetical. Zophar had spoken with considerable parade of the wisdom of God. He had said (Job 11:7 ff) that the knowledge of God was higher than the heavens, and had professed Job 12:6 to have himself exalted views of the Most High. In reply to this, Job says that the views which Zophar had expressed, were the most... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 12:8

Or speak to the earth, and it shall teach thee - Perhaps this appeal to the earth may mean, as Stuhlman supposes, that the same thing is shown in the productions of the earth, as in the case of fierce animals. Noxious weeds and useless plants are more thrifty than the plants which are useful and the growth of poisonous or annoying things on the earth illustrates the same thing as the dealings of God with people - that his dealings are not in accordance with the real nature of objects.And the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 12:9

Who knoweth not in all these - Who cannot see in all these the proofs of the same divine and sovereign agency? Who cannot see the hand of the same God and the same great principles of administration? The meaning of Job is, that the position which he defends is so plain, that it may be learned from the very earth and the lowest orders of animals which God has made.That the hand of the Lord hath wrought this - In this place the original word is יהוה yehovâh. On the meaning of the word see the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 12:10

In whose hand is the soul of every living thing - Margin, “Life.” The margin is the more correct rendering. The idea is, that all are under the control of God. He gives life, and health, and happiness when he pleases, and when he chooses he takes them away. His sovereignty is manifested, says Job, in the inferior creation, or among the beasts of the field, the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of heaven.And the breath of all mankind - Margin, “Flesh of man.” The margin is in accordance with the... read more

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