Job 26:5-13

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 26:5-14

The truth received a great deal of light from the dispute between Job and his friends concerning those points about which they differed; but now they are upon a subject in which they were all agreed, the infinite glory and power of God. How does truth triumph, and how brightly does it shine, when there appears no other strife between the contenders than which shall speak most highly and honourably of God and be most copious in showing forth his praise! It were well if all disputes about... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:5

Dead things are formed from under the waters ,.... It is difficult to say what things are here meant; it may be understood of "lifeless" things, as Mr. Broughton renders it; things that never had any life, things inanimate, that never had at least an animal life, though they may have a vegetable one; and so may be interpreted of grains of corn, and which indeed die before they are quickened; to which both Christ and the apostle allude, John 12:24 ; and which, as they cannot grow without... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:6

Hell is naked before him ,.... Which may be taken either for the place of the damned, as it sometimes is; and then the sense is, that though it is hidden from men, and they know not where it is, or who are in it, and what is done and suffered there; yet it is all known to God: he knows the place thereof, for it is made, ordained, and prepared by him; he knows who are there, even all the wicked dead, and all the nations that forget God, being cast there by him; he knows the torments they... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:7

He stretcheth out the north over the empty place ,.... The northern hemisphere, which is the chief and best known, at least it was in the time of Job, when the southern hemisphere might not be known at all; though, if our version of Job 9:9 is right, Job seems to have had knowledge of it. Scheuchzer F21 Physic. Sacr. vol. 4. p. 724. thinks the thick air farthest north is meant, which expands itself everywhere, and is of great use to the whole earth. But if the northern hemisphere is... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:8

He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds ,.... The clouds are of his making; when he utters his voice, or gives the word of command, there is a multitude of waters in the heavens; and the vapours he exhales from the ends of the earth and forms them into clouds, and they are his chariots, in which he rides up and down in the heavens, and waters his gardens and plantations on earth; see Jeremiah 10:13 ; which may be said to be thick in comparison of the air, in which they are; otherwise... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:9

He holdeth back the face of his throne ,.... His throne is the heaven of heavens; the face of it, or what is before it, is the starry and airy heavens; this face of his throne is sometimes held back, or covered with clouds, that so his throne is so far from being visible, that even the face of it, or the outside or external appearance of it, is not to be seen, as follows: and spreadeth his cloud upon it ; and both he and his throne are invisible; clouds and darkness are round about... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:10

He hath compassed the waters with bounds ,.... Not the waters above the firmament, compassed by that, as if Job was contemplating on and discoursing about what is done in the heavens above; though the Targum seems to incline to this sense, paraphrasing the words, "he hath decreed that the firmament should be placed upon the face of the waters unto the end of light, with darkness;' but the waters of the sea, Job descending now to consider the waters of the great deep, and the wonderful... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:11

The pillars of heaven tremble ,.... Which may be understood either of the air, the lower part of the heavens, which may be thought to be the foundation, prop, and support of them, and is sometimes called the firmament, and "the firmament of his power", Psalm 150:1 ; and which seems to tremble when there are thunder and lightnings, and coruscations in it; or else the mountains, which, reaching up to the heavens, look as if they were the pillars and support of them; and are indeed said to be... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:12

He divideth the sea with his power ,.... As at the first creation, when the waters were caused to go off the face of the earth, and were separated from it; and the one was called earth, and the other seas, Genesis 1:9 ; or it may respect the division of those waters into divers seas and channels in the several parts of the world, for the better accommodation of the inhabitants of it, in respect of trade and commerce, and the more convenient supply of them with the various produce of... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 26:13

By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens ,.... The visible heavens, with the sun, moon, and stars, with which they are studded and bespangled, and look exceeding beautiful; and the invisible heavens, with angels, the morning stars, and glorified saints, who especially in the resurrection morn will shine not only like stars, but as the sun in the firmament of heaven; and the church, which is the heaven below, is garnished with Gospel ministers, adorned with the gifts and graces of the... read more

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