Job 11 · Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
CHAPTER 11 FIRST SERIES. Job 11:1-20 . First Speech of Zophar. 2. Zophar assails Job for his empty words, and indirectly, the two friends, for their weak reply. Taciturnity is highly prized among Orientals ( Pr 10:8 , 19 ).
3. lies-- rather, "vain boasting" ( Is 16:6 ; Jr 48:30 ). The "men" is emphatic; men of sense; in antithesis to "vain boasting." mockest-- upbraidest God by complaints, "shall no man make thee ashamed?"
4. doctrine-- purposely used of Job's speeches, which sounded like lessons of doctrine ( De 32:2 ; Pr 4:2 ). thine-- addressed to God. Job had maintained his sincerity against his friends suspicions, not faultlessness.
6. to that which is!-- Rather, "they are double to [man's] wisdom" [Michaelis]. So the Hebrew is rendered ( Pr 2:7 ). God's ways, which you arraign, if you were shown their secret wisdom, would be seen vastly to exceed that of men, including yours ( 1Co 1:25 ). exacteth-- Rather, "God consigns to oblivion in thy favor much of thy guilt."
7. Rather, "Penetrate to the perfections of the Almighty" ( Job 9:10 ; Psa 139:6 ).
8. It-- the "wisdom" of God ( Job 11:6 ). The abruptness of the Hebrew is forcible: "The heights of heaven! What canst thou do" (as to attaining to them with thy gaze, Psa 139:8 )? know-- namely, of His perfections.
10. cut off-- Rather, as in Job 9:11 , "pass over," as a storm; namely, rush upon in anger. shut up-- in prison, with a view to trial. gather together-- the parties for judgment: hold a judicial assembly; to pass sentence on the prisoners.
11. ( Psa 94:11 ). consider-- so as to punish it. Rather, from the connection, Job 11:6 , "He seeth wickedness also, which man does not perceive"; literally, "But no (other, save He) perceiveth it" [Umbreit]. God's "wisdom" ( Job 11:6 ), detects sin where Job's human eye cannot reach ( Job 11:8 ), so as to see any.
12. vain-- hollow. would be-- "wants to consider himself wise"; opposed to God's "wisdom" (see on Job 11:11 ); refuses to see sin, where God sees it ( Ro 1:22 ). wild ass's colt-- a proverb for untamed wildness ( Job 39:5 , 8 ; Jr 2:24 ; Ge 16:12 ; Hebrew, "a wild-ass man"). Man wishes to appear wisely obedient to his Lord, whereas he is, from his birth, unsubdued in spirit.
13. The apodosis to the "If" is at Job 11:15 . The preparation of the heart is to be obtained ( Pr 16:1 ) by stretching out the hands in prayer for it ( Psa 10:17 ; 1Ch 29:18 ).
14. Rather, "if thou wilt put far away the iniquity in thine hand" (as Zaccheus did, Lu 19:8 ). The apodosis or conclusion is at Job 11:15 , "then shalt thou," &c.
15. Zophar refers to Job's own words ( Job 10:15 ), "yet will I not lift up my head," even though righteous. Zophar declares, if Job will follow his advice, he may "lift up his face." spot-- ( De 32:5 ). steadfast-- literally, "run fast together," like metals which become firm and hard by fusion. The sinner on the contrary is wavering.
16. Just as when the stream runs dry ( Job 6:17 ), the danger threatened by its wild waves is forgotten ( Is 65:16 ) [Umbreit].
17. age-- days of life. the noon-day-- namely, of thy former prosperity; which, in the poet's image, had gone on increasing, until it reached its height, as the sun rises higher and higher until it reaches the meridian ( Pr 4:18 ). shine forth-- rather, "though now in darkness, thou shall be as the morning"; or, "thy darkness (if any dark shade should arise on thee, it) shall be as the morning" (only the dullness of morning twilight, not nocturnal darkness) [Umbreit].
18. The experience of thy life will teach thee there is hope for man in every trial. dig-- namely, wells; the chief necessity in the East. Better, "though now ashamed ( Ro 5:5 , opposed to the previous 'hope'), thou shalt then rest safely" [Gesenius];
19. ( Psa 4:8 ; Pr 3:24 ; Is 14:30 ); oriental images of prosperity. make suit-- literally, "stroke thy face," "caress thee" ( Pr 19:6 ).