Job 23

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 23

This chapter begins Job's reply to Eliphaz. In this reply he takes no notice of his friends, either because he saw it was to no purpose or because he liked the good counsel Eliphaz gave him in the close of his discourse so well that he would make no answer to the peevish reflections he began with; but he appeals to God, begs to have his cause heard, and doubts not but to make it good, having the testimony of his own conscience concerning his integrity. Here seems to be a struggle between flesh... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 23:1-7

Job is confident that he has wrong done him by his friends, and therefore, ill as he is, he will not give up the cause, nor let them have the last word. Here, I. He justifies his own resentments of his trouble (Job 23:2): Even to day, I own, my complaint is bitter; for the affliction, the cause of the complaint, is so. There are wormwood and gall in the affliction and misery; my soul has them still in remembrance and is embittered by them, Lam. 3:19, 20. Even to day is my complaint counted... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 23:8-12

Here, I. Job complains that he cannot understand the meaning of God's providences concerning him, but is quite at a loss about them (Job 23:8, 9): I go forward, but he is not there, etc. Eliphaz had bid him acquaint himself with God. ?So I would, with all my heart,? says Job, ?If I knew how to get acquainted with him.? He had himself a great desire to appear before God, and get a hearing of his case, but the Judge was not to be found. Look which way he would, he could see no sign of God's... read more

Matthew Henry

Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary - Job 23:13-17

Some make Job to complain here that God dealt unjustly and unfairly with him in proceeding to punish him without the least relenting or relaxation, though he had such incontestable evidences to produce of his innocency. I am loth to think holy Job would charge the holy God with iniquity; but his complaint is indeed bitter and peevish, and he reasons himself into a sort of patience per force, which he cannot do without reflecting upon God as dealing hardly with him, but he must bear it because... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23

INTRODUCTION TO JOB 23 This and the following chapter contain Job's reply to the last oration of Eliphaz; in this he first declares his present sorrowful estate and condition, Job 23:1 ; wishes he knew where to find God, as a judge sitting on a throne, before whom he might lay his cause, and plead it, and have his judgment and final decision passed upon it; when he doubted not but he would deal favourably with him, and both admit him and strengthen him, to plead his own cause, and would... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:1

Then Job answered and said. In reply to Eliphaz; for though he does not direct his discourse to him, nor take any notice of his friends; yet, as a proof of his innocence, against his and their accusations and charges, he desires no other than to have his cause laid before God himself, by whom he had no doubt he should be acquitted; and, contrary to their notions, he shows in this chapter, that he, a righteous man, was afflicted by God, according to his unchangeable decrees; and, in the next,... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:2

Even today is my complaint bitter ,.... Job's afflictions were continued on him long; he was made to possess months of vanity; and, as he had been complaining ever since they were upon him, he still continued to complain to that day, "even" after all the comforts his friends pretended to administer to him, as Jarchi observes: his complaints were concerning his afflictions, and his friends' ill usage of him under them; not of injustice in God in afflicting him, though he thought he dealt... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:3

O that I knew where I might find him ,.... That is, God, who is understood, though not expressed, a relative without an antecedent, as in Psalm 87:1 ; Jarchi supplies, and interprets it, "my Judge", from Job 23:7 ; and certain it is Job did desire to find God as a judge sitting on his throne, doing right, that he might have justice done to him: indeed he might be under the hidings of God's face, which added to his affliction, and made it the heavier; in which case, the people of God are... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:4

I would order my cause before him ,.... Either, as a praying person, direct his prayer to him, and set it in order before him, see Psalm 5:3 ; or else as pleading in his own defence, and in justification of himself; not of his person before God, setting his works of righteousness in order before him, and pleading his justification on the foot of them; for, by these no flesh living can be justified before God; but of his cause, for, as a man may vindicate his cause before men, and clear... read more

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:5

I would know the words which he would answer me ,.... Being a God hearing and answering prayer, who always hears, and sooner or later answers the petitions of his people in his own way; and which when he does, they know, take notice, and observe it: or then he should know the reason why the Lord contended with him, and what were his sins and transgressions, which were the cause of his afflictions; things he had desired to know, but as yet had no answer, see Job 10:2 ; and understand... read more

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