Job 29

Notes

After another pause, Job proceeded in his spirited vindication of himself, saying, 2. O that God would re-establish me in my former prosperity of person, family, and estate, as in the days wherein he watched over and protected me! 3. When his blessing and favour directed and prospered me in all my affairs, and made me to pass untouched through all the troubles and inconveniences of life, and the various dangers, difficulties, and calamities which befel others around me. 4. When I was in the days of my ripe prosperity, and had the authority, the oracles, and secrets of God with me; 5. When God Almighty continued so kind to and familiar with me, and my children and servants were round about me; 6. When whithersoever I turned myself I abounded in all sorts of the choicest blessings; 7. When I took my seat in the places of judicature and concourse, 8. The young men stood in the most profound awe of me, and the aged stood up in reverence and ceased to speak. 9, 10. Nay, from a regard to my superior authority, princes, the most noble not excepted, refrained from speaking. 11. They who heard me judge in a cause pronounced me highly favoured of God, and richly endowed with his gifts and grace, and prayed for his distinguished blessings upon me: and they who observed my just procedure attested my pious, just, and blameless conversation; 12. Because I never failed to redress the grievances of poor, fatherless, and destitute persons who complained to me. 13. Many blessed me as the instrument of delivering them when they were upon the point of being ruined by false accusations; and I caused the widow's heart to sing with joy for her great and unexpected deliverances, and the favours which I granted her. 14. In all my sentences I fixed my attention on what was just and upright: and the decisions I gave were an honour to me. 15. I instructed, directed, and assisted such as could not manage their own affairs; and was ever ready to help and comfort such as could not help themselves. 16. I was a kind teacher, provider, and protector to the poor; and carefully inquired into their circumstances, as well as into their difficult and obscure pleas. 17. By proper punishments and restraints I rendered the wicked incapable of oppressing, and forced them to restore that which they had violently extorted. 18. Then I vainly imagined that, after a long life of amazing prosperity, I should die quietly in my own house among my children and friends; 19. That my remarkable happiness should certainly continue, as I had every mean of preserving and securing it; 20. That the honour and respect which I had from others, and my abilities and powers, should still continue with me; 21, 22. That men should still regard my advices and decisions with the profoundest respect; 23. That they should always be exceedingly desirous to hear my opinion and judgment on a point; 24. That, though I carried myself familiarly towards them, they should still stand in awe, and carefully avoid everything which might deprive them of my favour; 25. And that I should still be regarded as their principal director in their conduct, and affectionate comforter under their troubles.

N B. Ver. 20-25 may also be read in the past tense, as in our translation.

Ver. 7. [Seat. His seat for the administration of justice in the forum or market-place. C.——Not only in his own house, or on his own property among his own servants and retainers, was he respected and honoured; but even when he went to the city, and took his accustomed place in the public market, all men honoured him as a prince. P.]

Ver. 24. [If I laughed on them, they believed it not. 'If I smiled upon them they became not confident;' that is, my utmost familiarity never bred contempt; a result ever difficult to attain, and requiring the most exact tempering of affection with firmness, of condescension with dignity, and of rebuke with tenderness—a result of which polish may produce an imitation, while grace alone can exhibit the original. C.]

Ver. 25. [There is an amount of self-glorification in this passage which would be offensive in western society. The customs and feelings of the East, however, are very different from ours. Such language as this would not be considered egotistic when uttered by eastern magnates. P.]

Reflections.—What holiness, comfort, and honour God bestows upon all believers when it is for his glory and their good! But those who prosper in youth know little what dark and cloudy days may be in reserve for them. It is pleasant, however, to commemorate our early intimacies with God, and his kind protection of us, or communications of light, life, and comfort to our heart: and if they be lost, God allows us to pray for the restoration of our mercies, spiritual and temporal. Faith in God, and intimate fellowship with him, remarkably contribute to render men truly honourable and useful in this world. And it is comely in a state when judges are grave, solemn and impartial helpers to the poor, and terrors to the oppressors; and when people are modest, submissive, and grateful: but when men have great wealth at home, and are regarded as the oracle, the darling sovereign, and comforter of their country, how apt are they to suppose their felicity secured, and to forget the evil day!