Job 4:1-21

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:4

Thy words have upholden him that was falling - That is, either falling into sin, or sinking under calamity and trial. The Hebrew will bear either interpretation, but the connection seems to require us to understand it of one who was sinking under the weight of affliction.The feeble knees - Margin, “bowing.” The knees support the frame. If they fail, we are feeble and helpless. Hence, their being weak, is so often used in the Bible to denote imbecility. The sense is, that Job, in the days of his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:5

But now it is come upon thee - That is, calamity; or, the same trial which others have had, and in which thou hast so successfully exhorted and comforted them. A similar sentiment to that which is here expressed, is found in Terence:Facile omnes, cum valemus, recta consilia aegrotis damus.And. ii. i. 9.It toucheth thee - That is, affliction has come to yourself. It is no longer a thing about which you can coolly sit down and reason, and on which you can deliver formal exhortations.And thou art... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:6

Is not this thy fear, thy confidence? - There has been considerable variety in the interpretation of this verse. Dr. Good renders it,Is thy piety then nothing? thy hopeThy contidence? or the uprightness of thy ways?Noyes renders it,Is not thy fear of God thy hope,And the uprightness of thy ways the confidence?Rosenmuller translates it,Is not in thy piety and integrity of lifeThy confidence and hope?In the Vulgate it is translated, “Where is thy fear, thy fortitude, thy patience, and the... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:7

Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished, being innocent? - The object of this question is manifestly to show to Job the inconsistency of the feelings which he had evinced. He claimed to be a righteous man. He had instructed and counselled many others. He had professed confidence in God, and in the integrity of his own ways. It was to have been expected that one with such pretensions would have evinced resignation in the time of trial, and would have been sustained by the recollection of his... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:8

Even as I have seen - Eliphaz appeals to his own observation, that people who had led wicked lives were suddenly cut off. Instances of this kind he might doubtless have observed - as all may have done. But his inference was too broad when he concluded that all the wicked are punished in this manner. It is true that wicked people are thus cut off and perish; but it is not true that all the wicked are thus punished in this life, nor that any of the righteous are not visited with similar... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:9

By the blast of God - That is, by the judgment of God. The figure is taken from the hot and fiery wind, which, sweeping over a field of grain, dries it up and destroys it. In like manner Eliphaz says the wicked perish before God.And by the breath of his nostrils - By his anger. The Scripture often speaks of breathing out indignation and wrath; Acts 9:1; Psalms 27:12; 2 Samuel 22:16; Psalms 18:15; Psalms 33:6; notes at Isaiah 11:4; notes at Isaiah 30:28; notes at Isaiah 33:11. The figure was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:10

The roaring of the lion - This is evidently a continuation of the argument in the preceding verses, and Eliphaz is stating what had occurred under his own observation. The expressions have much of a proverbial cast, and are designed to convey in strong poetic language what he supposed usually occurred. There can be no reasonable doubt here that he refers to men in these verses, for(1) It is not true that the lion is destroyed in this manner. No more frequent calamity comes upon him than upon... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:11

The old lion - The word used here, לישׁ layı̂sh, denotes a lion, “so called,” says Gesenius,” from his strength and bravery,” or, according to Urnbreit, the lion in the strength of his old ago; see an examination of the word in Bochart, Hieroz. P. i. Lib. iii. c. 1, p. 720.Perisheth for lack of prey - Not withstanding his strength and power. That is, such a thing sometimes occurs. Eliphaz could not maintain that it always happened. The meaning seems to be, that as the strength of the lion was... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:12

Now a thing - To confirm his views, Eliphaz appeals to a vision of a most remarkable character which he says he had had on some former occasion on the very point under consideration. The object of the vision was, to show that mortal man could not be more just than God, and that such was the purity of the Most High, that he put no confidence comparatively even in the angels. The design for which this is introduced here is, evidently, to reprove what he deemed the unfounded self-confidence of... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Job 4:13

In thoughts - Amidst the tumultuous and anxious thoughts which occur in the night. The Hebrew word rendered thoughts, (שׂעפים śâ‛ı̂phı̂ym), means thoughts which divide and distract the mind.From the visions of the night - On the meaning of the word visions, see the notes at Isaiah 1:1. This was a common mode in which the will of God was made known in ancient times. For an extended description of this method of communicating the will of God, the reader may consult my Introduction to Isaiah,... read more

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