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parison would after all have something frigid Ver. 23. The Almighty-we find Him about it, would be but ill suited to the present not. He ever remains for us One who is bepassage, and would agree but poorly with the yond our reach, both as regards the perception other intimations of the Old Testament touching of our senses and of our minds (comp. ch. xxiii. commercial geography, which locate the princi- 8), one pas oikav åпpóσirov) 1 Tim. vi. 17). pal mines of gold towards the south rather; [Who is great in power], but right and comp. ch. xxii. 24; xxviii. 1, 6, 16. The correct the fulness of justice (P-7, as in ch. rendering has already been indicated by the xxxiii. 19) He perverts not-i. e., with all LXX., who translate by véon xpvoavyovvтa, His incomprehensibleness He still continues ever following which Luther in a marginal gloss ex-righteous in His dealings-a proposition which plained the term to mean "fair weather like brings the discourse back to its starting-point pure gold" [and so E. V.]; and similarly Bren- (ch. xxxvi. 5). The phrase '731 DVD My intius, Cocceius, Starke, Rosenmüller, Umbreit, stead of 17, which is usual elsewhere, beArnheim, and Böttcher (Achrenl., p. 76), [Noyes, longs to the Aramaizing idioms of the discourses Bernard, Barnes, Good, Wemyss, Carey, Rodwell, Elzas, Renan], but with the subordinate of Elihu (comp. the Talmudic ; its nonvariation among themselves, that some of them occurrence elsewhere however does not necessiexplain the of the clear sunlight breaking tate that, in disregard of the Masoretic accents, we forth (Cocceius, etc., Umbreit), others of the should connect with Na in b, golden-shining clouds, as the covering of Jehovah in which case the objectless clause nay! appearing in the storm. The latter modification have to be rendered either-"He does not exerof this meteorological application of the word, in cise oppression" (Umbreit, Schlottmann, Kampfavor of which may be cited that other figurative hausen) [E. V. (He will not afflict"), Noyes, rendering of the word "gold " which we find in Conant, Barnes, Bernard, Elzas, Wordsworth, Zech. iv. 12, where gold is used for "pure oil" Good-who makes - subj.], or as a relative -must in any case be preferred, because the clause-"which He doth not oppress" (Stickel), sun itself could not be described as coming or after the reading _, "He answereth not, giveth no account of Himself" (LXX., Peshito, Rosenmüller, Hirzel, Vaihinger) [Lee, Carey, Renan, Rodwell]. The explanation of Hahn would seem more natural-"As regards right and the fulness of justice He doth therein no wrong."

, and because the explanation of this as meaning "by means of the north-wind," is altogether too precarious, and equally at variance with usage as Umbreit's translation"from heaven." The parallel passages produced by Schultens out of Arabic poets, in favor of the comparison of the sunlight with gold, as likewise the Latin expressions aurea lux, aureus sol, are however none the less pertinent for illustration (comp. "the golden sunlight" with us), for it still remains true that the sun is the source of the golden splendor, with which a portion of the thunder-clouds is wont to shine forth, when the storm breaks up, and the clouds begin to retire (comp. Brentius below in the Homiletic Remarks on the passage). Moreover according to this explanation the first member of the verse stands to the second in the relation of comparison and preparation. From the north, when the winds scatter the storm (in the direction of the south) there burst forth clouds of light shining with the brilliancy of gold, an emblem of the incomparable majesty and splendor (

comp. Ps. civ. 1) of the light in which God is

clothed. There is no reference to the ancient mythological conception of God's dwelling-place being in the north (such as Böttcher attributes to the passage), nor to Ezekiel's description of the chariot of cherubim as coming from the north. There may possibly have been certain meteorological causes of a local character, to ascertain which with certainty is beyond our power, which determined the poet to the choice of the expression D, which in any case has about it something singular, susceptible only of imperfect explanation, whether it be understood in a mineralogical, or a meteorological

sense.

Vers. 23, 24 conclude the entire meditation on God's incomprehensibly great and wonderful operations.

will לא

Ver. 24. Therefore do men fear Him-i. e., men of the right sort, men as they should be, who live in accordance with the precepts of true wisdom (ch. xxviii. 28). The optative rendering of the Perf. (Umbr., Vaihinger, Stickel, Heiligstedt [Good, Lee, Noyes, Carey, Renan, Rodwell], etc.) is as unnecessary as the Imperative-"fear Him" is inadmissible, which would have been written instead T! (against Arnheim, Hahn). On the contrary the

Perf. is used here as in ch. xxxvi. 24, 25, to de-
note a public, universally recognized fact of ex-
perience. He doth not look on those who
are wise in their own conceit.---
lit. "all the wise of heart," i. e., those who
on the ground of their own heart (instead of on
to be wise, omnes qui sibi videntur esse sapientes
the ground of the fear of God) hold themselves
(Vulg.). The censorious element of the expres-
sion does not lie strictly in (comp. ch. ix. 4;
Prov. xi. 29; xvi. 21), but only in the contrast to
the notion of the fear of God expressed in a.
"Not to look on any one is, according to ch.
Xxxv. 13 b, to deem him worthy of no notice;
of no gracious well-wishing in his behalf. The
subject of this verb can be only God; if the con-
ceited were subj., and God the object (Vulg.,
Rosenmüller, Stickel) [Bernard, Carey] instead
of the text would read rather T. An
uncalled-for "disparagement of Job" (Dillmn.),
by no means lies in this closing sentence of
Elihu's discourses, but simply a final admonition
dissuading him from those presumptuous judg-
ments respecting God, and those presumptuous

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speeches against God, against which the polemic edge of these discourses had been principally turned, and that with entire justice. ["This is the sum of all that Elihu had to say that God was original and independent; that He did not ask counsel of men in His dealings; that He was great and glorious, and inscrutable in His plans; and that men therefore should bow before Him with profound submission and adoration. . . . Having illustrated and enforced this sentiment, Elihu, overwhelmed with the awful symbols of the approaching Deity is silent, and God is introduced to close the controversy." Barnes].

DOCTRINAL AND ETHICAL.

occur in the like combination nowhere in the Old Testament, and such as belong in truth to the profoundest utterances which the revealed literature of the Old Testament has produced in the attempt to solve the mystery of affliction before the coming of Christ.

In respect to the Second Part, however, we believe that we have shown:

(1) That the reflections in the sphere of physical theology therein contained, so far from deserving the reproach of lacking originality, form on the contrary a glorification of the majesty of God revealed in nature, which is most harmoniously adjusted in all its parts from beginning to end, poetically lofty and unique of its kind.

(2) That in particular the description of the terrors and beauties of the storm, exhibiting as it does in masterly combination beauties of its own, deserves to be placed beside the most elevated passages of the sort which the Old Testament literature has produced (e. g., Ps. xviii. Ps. xxix. etc.), or even surpasses them.

(3) That the independence of the description, as compared with the contents-similar in part —of Jehovah's discourse in ch. xxxviii. seq., is vindicated by the fact that its character is almost exclusively meteorological, being limited to the atmospheric phenomena of heat and moisture, and that its objects accordingly coincide only to a limited extent with those of the discourses which follow.

(4) That the supposition-which forces itself upon us with a necessity from which there is no escape that the magnificent description here given is continued throughout by the sight of an actual storm in the heavens, accompanied by an abundance of the phenomena of thunder and lightning, furnishes a still further and a weighty contribution to the evidence in favor of the originality of the section in relation to what follows.

The prejudice of modern critics against the contents and significance of Elihu's discourses in general has in many instances betrayed them into judgments immoderately harsh even in respect to this, the last and most glorious of the series. Dillmann, e. g., gives it as his opinion that "if the first part of this long discourse groups together the principal thoughts of Elihu, the second travels a path which the friends have already attempted (e. g., in ch. v., xi., xxv.); and | in the remainder of it is evidently based on passages of the discourses of God in chap. xxxviii. seq., the individual beauties of which in their contents and application are thereby in part anticipated. Forasmuch as Dillmann, as appears from his previous discussions, recognizes at the same time in these "principal thoughts of Elihu grouped together in the first part," little or nothing that is original, this opinion of his is as disparaging, not to say contemptuous, as it can well be. Elihu is thereby even in respect to the contents of this his final discourse, reduced to the position of a mere compiler, destitute of independence, who borrows the ideas and beauties of others, and without remarkable skill seeks to elaborate them for his own purpose. We believe that the detailed exegesis which we have (5) That, finally, the suggestive conclusion of given above, and particularly of this same fourth the whole, where the natural phenomena immediscourse, in which the point under considera-diately contemplated are symbolically referred tion has claimed thorough examination and treat--and that no less naturally than impressively ment from us, makes it unnecessary for us now to undertake a special refutation of this and similar objections. We believe that we have shown in respect to the reflections, predominantly ethical and theological, contained in the first part (chap. xxxvi. 5-21), that they repeat-touching the genuineness of this section, while edly set forth indeed the fundamental thought of these discourses, to wit, the idea of a remedial purifying and chastening influence of divinely ordained suffering on the pious; that they do this however in a way more impressive and soul-thrilling than any previous portion of the whole book; and that in particular the closing verses of this division (vers. 16-21) contain statements in respect to God's loving treatment in "alluring out of the jaws of distress," in respect to the danger of allowing oneself to be led away from God by the "heat" of suffering, and the greatness of the "ransom" to be paid by means of it, in respect to the insufficiency of our own strivings and conflicts and prayers for procuring salvation, in respect to the natural tendency of the heart to do and to utter vanity rather than to suffer patiently, such as

-to God's mysterious operations in respect to Job, prepares the way for the final decisive solution of the whole problem (see especially ch. xxxvii. 21 seq.). The way in which this result is secured banishes the last remnant of doubt

at the same time it serves to corroborate the view of this whole Elihu-episode as an essential part of the poet's own artistic plan, and as having a close organic connection with ch. xxxviii. seq. In short we believe that we have shown that the descriptions of nature in the discourse before us may be ranked with the best and most original portions of Holy Scripture of that class. We believe that such a man as Alexander von Humboldt showed neither poor taste nor defective judgment in aesthetic criticism, when in the Second Part of his Cosmos (Vol. II., p. 414, Bohn's Scientific Library) he writes with reference to this very passage: "Similar views of the Cosmos occur repeatedly in the Psalms (Ps. lxv. 7 seq.; lxxiv. 15 seq.), and most fully perhaps in the 37th chapter of the ancient, if not anteMosaic Book of Job. The meteorological pro

sinful speaking against God, but beyond question the root, which lay still deeper, of these individual sinful outbreaks-the remainder of un

cesses which take place in the atmosphere, the formation and solution of vapor, according to the changing direction of the wind, the play of its colors, the generation of hail and of the roll-expiated sin, of inward impurity, not yet wholly ing thunder are described with individualizing accuracy; and many questions are propounded which we in the present state of our physical knowledge may indeed be able to express under more scientific definitions, but scarcely to answer satisfactorily. The book of Job is generally regarded as the most perfect specimen of the poetry of the Hebrews," etc.

removed by purification, from which he suffered, and the presence of which he had repeatedly acknowledged. The mission of Elihu, as appears with pre-eminent clearness from this last discourse of his, is none other than to prove the inseparable connection between those criminal utterances of the sorely-tried sufferer and their deeper ground in the moral nature, and at the 2. We are constrained to make an observation same time to prove the unavoidable necessity of in opposition to Delitzsch respecting the anthro- suffering for purification, even for the man who pological, ethical, and soteriological representa- is comparatively righteous. In other words tions of the First Part (and indeed of the whole Elihu sets forth the educational and remedial discourse, for the same representations appear value of the afflictions ordained by God for every also in the Second Part towards the end; see one who is visited by them, even for him who chap. xxxvii. 12 seq,, 19 seq.). When this com- appears to be most innocent. The course of his mentator, who is so highly esteemed on account discussion also rests on the doctrine of affliction, of his exegesis of this book, maintains (II., p. only that he affirms more urgently and empha307 seq.) that Elihu, as in his discourses gene-sizes more strongly the necessity of suffering for rally, so in this final discourse particularly, all grounded in the sinfulness of all that is done "takes up a position apart from the rest of the by the discourses of Jehovah. These rather lay book, in so far as he makes Job's sin the cause the chief emphasis on the unfathomableness of of his affliction; while in the idea of the rest of the divine purpose in decreeing suffering, as the book Job's affliction has nothing whatever to do also, in close connection with this, on the object with Job's sin, except in so far as he allows him- of suffering, which is to cultivate and to conself to be drawn into sinful language concerning firm the obedience, humility and truth of the God by the conflict of temptation into which the pious. In short, that which Elihu seeks to deaffliction plunges him"-we believe that we monstrate is that the significance of Job's sufmust reject as a one-sided representation this fering is predominantly that of chastisement and way of characterizing the distinction between purification; that to which the conclusion of the the solution of the great mystery of suffering whole poem points on the contrary is that its given by Elihu and that given by God, or taught significance is predominantly that of probation. by the whole poem. We must also charge with There is no absolute contrast, but essentially one-sidedness the statement which follows in im- only a difference of degree between the solution mediate connection with this, that it is only the of this problem which Elihu propounds, and the assumed "older poet" (i. e., the author of the final decision of Jehovah. The former contempoem as a whole omitting Elihu's discourses), plates the affliction laid by God on the pious and not Elihu, who discusses as his theme the more with reference to its final and supreme mystery of affliction, because it is the former purpose of salvation, or which is the same only who exhibits Job as suffering wholly with-thing-the former undertakes the solution of the out guilt, or even EveкEV Čikawovνng, whereas problem from a soteriological stand-point which Elihu "leaves sin and suffering together as in- is in part as yet that of the law, the latter from separable, and opposes the false doctrine of re- one that decisively approximates that of the tribution by the distinction between disciplinary New Testament. Comp. above, Introd. 10, chastisement and judicial retribution. We must ad 8. be permitted to doubt whether on Old Testament grounds a suffering purely on account of righteousness (which under the New Testament would be suffering purely on account of Christ, the genuine suffering of martyrdom) could have been anywhere conceived of, much less set forth with poetic elaboration. For the "evil thought and imagination of man's heart from his youth," together with the "secret faults" without number, and the "errors which cannot be understood"-all this was rooted too firmly and deeply in the consciousness of every thinker within the circle of the Old Testament revelation to admit

HOMILETICAL AND PRACTICAL.

discourse, the anthropological-ethical and the
In a homiletic respect both divisions of the
physico-theological, present, much that is in-
aim of the practical expositor to exhibit vividly
structive and stimulating. It will be one chief
and with proper care the reciprocal influence of
both elements in treating of such passages as ch.
xxxvi. 5, 16, 22 seq.; xxxvii. 5, 12 seq.,
19 seq.,

22 seq.

Particular Passages.

of the possibility of separating oneself in any Chap. xxxvi. 5seq. ZELTNER: Although God measure from this all-embracing sinfulness and is the Most Mighty One, His wisdom and goodguilt which attaches to all who belong to our ness do not permit that He should reject and race. Moreover the actual issue of the action condemn any one without cause, by virtue of a of the poem in ch. xlii. shows clearly enough bare unconditional decree. His righteousness that the idea that "Job's suffering had nothing vindicates itself alike with the evil and the whatever to do with Job's sin," was not that of pious. And although in the case of the pious apthe poet. That for which Job is there obliged pearances indicate that He has forsaken them, the to repent in dust and ashes is not simply his hour never fails to come at last when He brings

forth their cause, and establishes their right, so that they behold with pleasure His grace.-v. GERLACH: Whereas Elihu has previously set forth the retribution of God's righteousness, which without fail overtakes the wicked, so now he here sets forth His gracious fatherly guidance of His servants. He does not cast them off at once on account of their missteps, for He is also "mighty in strength of heart," i. e., His wisdom penetrates all things; He knows therefore how by wondrous ways to lead them to the right goal. Chap. xxxvi. 8 seq. BRENTIUS: If kings or princes, whether in liberty or in captivity and chains, will not despise the instruction of the Lord, but will rather submit to Him when He admonishes them of those things which are right, and chastises them by affliction, and repent of their wickedness, then shall they find the Lord favorable to them, and ready to forgive whatever iniquities they had before committed. . . . Of this you have an example in Manasseh.-V. ANDREAE: If in the present condition of things in the world the pious must at times languish in misery, this is in order that they may persistently endure in the right way, which conducts them to that blessed goal. He who rebels against these divine methods of treatment, will thereby only forfeit the blessing which is ever consequent upon such suffering.

storm, and all the more at such a time pray to Him and fear Him as the true God. . . . În a heavy thunder-storm every one should humble himself before God, and cry to Him, beseeching Him to take us and ours into His gracious protection.-WOHLFARTH: Although we no longer, like the ancients, find a sign of the personal and visible nearness of God in the fearfully beautiful natural phenomenon of a storm, but would fain explain this (completely?) by the laws of nature, it declares to us nevertheless the God of power, wisdom, and goodness, and disposes us to the worship of Him, who gave to nature her laws. . . . If by its terrors the storm first of all declares to us God's majesty, and with earnest warning points us to the day of judgment, when mighty princes will tremble like the least of their subjects, it at the same time declares to us the wisdom and goodness of the Most High.*

Chap. xxxvii. 16 seq. WEIM. BIBEL: God's works and wonders, which lie in nature and which come to pass daily, are rightly perceived and learned only by believers, for it is they who by the contemplation of such works are aroused to give praise to God.-CoCCEIUS: If in other matters, which happen every day, man is not summoned by God to act as His umpire and counsellor, and if no one can demand that this should be done, nor presume to murmur against such an arrangement, it is just that man should not require of God that the reason of the divine administration in this world should in like manner be made known to him, but that he should acquiesce in it whether he understands it or not, that he should trust God's word, and in patience await His blessing.

Chap. xxxvii. 21 seq. BRENTIUS: The true light, which is God, cannot be seen, neither does it present itself to eyes of flesh. We see indeed a certain splendor of the clouds, we see the light of the sun, when the clouds are scattered by the winds, we see also gold coming from the North; i. e., we see the clouds, resplendent as with gold, and bright serenity, proceeding from the North. All these are spectacles from which the pious mind rises to the praise of the great and terrible God; and as the heavens declare the glory of God, so men from the divine works may recognize and glorify the true God.-UMBREIT: The comparison here given is incomplete, but may easily be understood, and may be more particu larly set forth thus: As the sunlight, when it suddenly bursts forth from behind a thick veil of clouds, dazzles and blinds men's eyes, so also would the hidden majesty of God, if once it were revealed in all its glory to mortal man, veil his vision with darkness.

Chap. xxxvi. 22. OECOLAMPADIUS: The invisible things of God indeed are known from those things which are seen, but all the knowledge which is attainable to us now is imperfect. We see afar off, and in darkness, and through a glass, having a better knowledge of what God is not than of what He is. We are not able to search out His judgments, but we know Him to be the Most High, and the Incomprehensible One. However much accordingly philosophers may dispute about the way in which snow, rain, lightning, thunderbolts are produced, they are nevertheless wholly ignorant by what decree of God they are brought into being. It is other wise however that our theologian [Elihu] discourses concerning the secrets of nature. He does it in order that in them the righteousness of God may be observed, showing kindness to some, afflicting others. But by God's appointment all things are ordered for good to those who are good, at the same time that all creatures work evil to those who are evil. ANDREAE: The same storm which on the one side is sent upon the lands for punishment and destruction is at the same time appointed on the other side to bless them abundantly, and to make them fruitful. Thus even the severest judgments of God are ever to be regarded as at the same time a source out of which divine grace distils forth. Chap. xxxvii. 1 seq. CRAMER: Thunder, light- *There is much on these points of practical utility accom. ning, and storms, are to be our open-air preach-panied indeed by much which scientifically considered is uners, and preachers of repentance.-They are Theology, by Scheuchzer (Physica Sacra, I., c, 12), Schmidt tenable, absurd, and curious, in the older works on Natural God's regalia, and emblems of His divine ma-(Bibl. Physicus, p. 112 seq.), J. A. Fabricius (Pyrotheologie, jesty.-STARKE: When God thunders, He, as it were, speaks to us in wrath (Ex. xx. 19). God would have us recognize Him even out of the

oder anweisung zur Erkuntniss Gottes aus Betrachtung des Feuers, as an Appendix to Will. Derham's Astrotheologie, etc., Hamburg, 1765); P. P. Ahlwardt, (Brontotheologia; Betrachtungen über Blitz und Donner, Gresswald, 1745), etc.

The Third Stage of the Disentanglement.

CHAPTER XXXVIII. 1-XLII. 6.

JEHOVAH'S DISCOURSE.-The aim of which is to prove that the Almighty and Only Wise God, with whom no mortal man should dispute, might also ordain suffering simply to prove and test the righteous: (Second Half of the positive solution of the problem.)

CHAP. XXXVIII. 1-XL. 5.

First Discourse of Jehovah (together with Job's answer):

With God, the Almighty and Only

Wise, no man may dispute. Chap. XXXVIII. 1–XL. 5.

1. Introduction: The appearance of God; His demand that Job should answer Him.

1

CHAP. XXXVIII. 1–3.

Then the Lord answered Job out of the whirlwind, and said:

2 Who is this that darkeneth counsel

by words without knowledge?

3 Gird up now thy loins like a man;

for I will demand of thee, and answer thou Me!

2. God's questions touching His power revealed in the wonders of creation.

CHAP. XXXVIII. 4-XXXIX. 30.

a. Questions respecting the process of creation:

VERS. 4-15.

4 Where wast thou, when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.

5 Who hath laid the measure thereof, if thou knowest?

or who hath stretched the line upon it?

6 Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened?

or who laid the corner-stone thereof:

7 when the morning-stars sang together,

and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

8 Or who shut up the sea with doors,

when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?

9 When I made the cloud the garment thereof,

and thick darkness a swaddling-band for it;

10 and brake up for it my decreed place,

and set bars and doors,

11 and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves be stayed?

12 Hast thou commanded the morning since thy days; and caused the day spring to know his place;

13 that it might take hold of the ends of the earth, that the wicked might be shaken out of it?

14 It is turned as clay to the seal;

and they stand as a garment.

15 And from the wicked their light is withholden, and the high arm shall be broken.

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