job-23:9-bsb

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

John Gill

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:9

On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him ,.... The northern part of the world, where his seat is, or the circle of the earth, says Bar Tzemach, and who has stretched out the north over the empty place, Job 26:7 . Jarchi's note is, when he created it, he did not make it the place of his throne: God works everywhere in a way of providence, but in some places more eminently than in others; the northern part of the world is observed to be more inhabited than the... read more

Adam Clarke

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 23:9

On the left hand, where he doth work - In these two verses Job mentions the four cardinal points of the heavens: the East, by the word קדם kedem , which signifies before; the West, by אחור achor , which signifies after, or the back part; the North, by שמאל semol , which signifies the left; and the South, by ימין yamin , which signifies the right. Such is the situation of the world to a man who faces the east; see Genesis 13:9 , Genesis 13:11 ; Genesis 28:14 . And from... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:1-17

Longing for the appearance of the delivering and justifying God. I. EXCLAMATION . ( Job 23:2-5 .) So bitter is his complaint, "his hand is heavy upon his groaning," i.e. he must force groan after groan out of himself. Oh that he knew where to find the judgment-seat of God, and that he might have the opportunity of pleading his cause! ( Job 23:3-5 ). He possesses still "faith and a good conscience," those best jewels of a Christian ( 1 Timothy 1:5 ), and can think of appearing... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:3-13

The true support under deferred judgment. In the bitterness of his complaint and the heaviness of his stroke, Job makes known his desire to appeal directly to God. In the impossibility of this his faith is more and more severely tested; but he reposes in an assurance that the Divine eye is upon him, and he is confident of a just and even merciful sentence. So does conscious integrity uphold the tried and suffering believer, over whom for the present the shadows of suspicion gather, although... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-9

Here Job returns to the complaint of verse 3. He cannot "find" God. God hides himself. It is in vain that he searches on every side. There is no manifestation, no open vision. Nothing, however, leads him to doubt God's existence, or even his presence where he is unperceived. "Job's conviction of God's absolute presence comes out most strongly when he feels that he cannot discern him" (Cook). read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-9

The unseen God. Job enlarges on the idea of his search for God and the efforts that he has vainly made to find him. God is still invisible; searching has not found him. I. THE PHYSICAL IMPOSSIBILITY OF SEEING GOD . There is more to be said for modern agnosticism than for eighteenth-century deism. Pure rationalism will not find God. Physical science cannot discover him. The animal is dissected, the metal is melted in the crucible, but the analysis reveals not Divinity. We... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-12

Job to Eliphaz: 2. A child of light walking in darkness. I. THE CHILD OF LIGHT . That Job was entitled to be so described will appear from a consideration of: 1 . The creed he professed. It is obvious that Job believed in: 2 . The character he maintained. Besides being an intellectual believer in God, Job was: (a) cheerfully, making God's way his way, like the Messianic Sufferer ( Psalms 40:7 , Psalms 40:8 ), and like Christ ( John 6:38 ); (b) perpetually,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:9

On the left hand, where he doth work; literally, in his workshop. There is an ellipse after "workshop" of some phrase like "I look for him." But I cannot behold him; rather, but I apprehend him not— I cannot as it were, lay my hand upon him ( LXX ; οὐ κάτεσχον ). He hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him ; literally, and I do not see him. read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 23:9

On the left hand - That is, in the North - at the left hand when the face was turned to the East. So the Chaldee, בצפונא - “on the North.” The other versions, the Vulgate, the Septuagint, the Syriac, Castellio, Luther, etc., render it “on the left hand.” The common term among the Hebrews for the “North” is צפון tsâphôn - (from צפן tsâphan - “to hide,” or “conceal”), meaning the hidden, concealed, or dark region, since the ancients regarded the North as the seat of gloom and darkness, (Homer,... read more

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

John Gills Exposition of the Bible Commentary - Job 23:9

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible - Job 23:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:1-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:3-13

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-9

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:8-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Job 23:9

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 23:9

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