Job 9:26

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 9:25-35

Job here grows more and more querulous, and does not conclude this chapter with such reverent expressions of God's wisdom and justice as he began with. Those that indulge a complaining humour know not to what indecencies, nay, to what impieties, it will hurry them. The beginning of that strife with God is as the letting forth of water; therefore leave it off before it be meddled with. When we are in trouble we are allowed to complain to God, as the Psalmist often, but must by no means complain... read more

John Gill

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

They are passed away as the swift ships ,.... Those that are lightest built, and run swiftest. Bar Tzemach thinks such vessels as are rowed with oars are meant, which may be called "ships of will or desire" F2 אניות אבה "navibus desiderii", Mercerus, Drusius, Schmidt; so Ben Gersom. , as the words may be rendered, because they may be rowed at pleasure, and be carried to any place where and when a man thinks fit; whereas those that are not depend upon the wind, and that must be... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 9:26

As the swift ships - אבה אניות oniyoth ebeh . Ships of desire, or ships of Ebeh, says our margin; perhaps more correctly, inflated ships, the sails bellying out with a fair brisk wind, tide favorable, and the vessels themselves lightly freighted. The Vulgate has, Like ships freighted with apples. Ships laden with the best fruits - Targum. Ships well adapted for sailing - Arabic. Shipes that be good under sale - Coverdale. Probably this relates to the light fast-sailing ships on the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 9:1-35

Job, in answer to Bildad, admits the truth of his arguments, but declines to attempt the justification which can alone entitle him to accept the favourable side of Bildad's alternative. Man cannot absolutely justify himself before God. It is in vain to attempt to do so. The contest is too unequal. On the one side perfect wisdom and absolute strength (verse 4); on the other, weakness, imperfection, ignorance. guilt (verses 17-20). And no "daysman," or umpire, between them; no third party to... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 9:21-35

Job to Bildad: 4. The cries of a desparing soul. I. MAINTAINING HIS INNOCENCE . 1 . Attested by his conscience. "Though I were perfect;" or, better, "I am guiltless" (verse 21). Before God Job did not claim to be absolutely spotless, but merely to be free from such transgressions of the moral law as his friends insinuated he must have committed to render him obnoxious to those palpable tokens of Divine displeasure which had overtaken him. Against this, however, he protested as... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 9:25-26

The swift days. Job compares his days to what is swiftest-on earth, the running messenger; in the sea, the boat of reeds; in the air, the eagle darting down on its prey. We must not look for a difference in the suggestiveness of these several illustrations. Gathered from every region of existence, they give great emphasis to the one significant fact of the brevity of life. I. OUR DAYS ARE SWIFT IN COMPARISON WITH NATURE . The course of nature moves on slowly. Geology... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 9:25-35

Melancholy reflections. I. SELF - CONTEMPLATION IN REFERENCE TO THE PAST . His life has sped swiftly—like a courier, or the swift boat of the Euphrates or the Nile, or the swooping eagle ( Job 9:25 , Job 9:26 ), and without seeming prosperity. Here he perverts the history of the past; but memory as welt as reason is poisoned. II. IN REFERENCE TO THE FUTURE . ( Job 9:27 , Job 9:28 .) Hope has broken its wing. The effort to remove the gloom from his brow is... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 9:26

They are passed away as the swift ships ; literally, like the ships of reed. The allusion is probably to the frail reed vessels of the Egyptians, of which many ancient writers speak (see Theophrastus, 'Hist. Plant.,' 4.9; Pithy, 'Hist. Nat.,' 6.56; 13.11; Luean, ' Pharsalis,' 4.36, etc.). They were long, light canoes, formed generally of the papyrus plant, and propelled either by a single paddle or by a punting-pole. They were fiat-bottomed and broad, like punts, with a stem and stern... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 9:26

They are passed away as the swift ships - Margin, Ships of desire; or ships of Ebeh. Hebrew אבה אניה 'onı̂yâh 'êbeh. Vulgate, Naves poma portantes. Septuagint, “Is there any track left by ships in their passage?” The Chaldee renders it as the Vulgate, “Ships bearing good fruit;” that is, as such fruit was perishable, haste was required in order to reach the place of destination. Our translators were evidently perplexed by the word אבה 'êbeh, as appears by their placing two different phrases... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Job 9:26

Job 9:26. As the swift ships Hebrew, ships of desire; that is, such as are longed for, and long to be at their destined port, and crowd all the sail they can for that purpose. Or, as in the Chaldee paraphrase, ships loaded, pretiosis, with things of value; and are therefore named swift ships, because the more valuable the effects are, the more haste is made to return home for readier sale. The Hebrew may also be translated, ships of pleasure, which sail more swiftly than ships of... read more

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