Job 5
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Commentaries
Excerpts gathered from published commentaries to ground the reading.
The reverence to be observed in attending Divine worship, Ecc 5:1-3. We should be faithful to over engagements, Ecc 5:4-7. The oppression of the innocent, 8. The king dependent on the produce of the soil, Ecc 5:9. Against covetousness, Ecc 5:10, Ecc 5:11. The peace of the honest laborer, Ecc 5:12. The evil effect of riches, Ecc 5:13, Ecc 5:14. Man cannot carry his property to the grave, Ecc 5:15-17. We should thankfully enjoy the blessings of God, Ecc 5:18-20.
Open source ↗ELIPHAZ' CONCLUSION FROM THE VISION. (Job 5:1-27) if there be any, &c.--Rather, "will He (God) reply to thee?" Job, after the revelation just given, cannot be so presumptuous as to think God or any of the holy ones (Dan 4:17, "angels") round His throne, will vouchsafe a reply (a judicial expression) to his rebellious complaint.
Open source ↗Call now, if there be any that will answer thee,.... That is, call upon God, which, if seriously, and not ironically spoken, was good advice; God is to be called upon, and especially in times of trouble; and invocation is to be made in faith, in sincerity, and with fervency, and to be accompanied with confession of sin, and repentance for it; and sooner or later God hears and answers those that call upon him; but Eliphaz suggests, that if Job did call upon him, it would be in vain, he would not hear him, he going upon the same maxim that the Jews did in Christ's time, "God heareth not sinners": Joh 9:31; or call upon him to give him an oracle from heaven, to favour him with a vision and revelation, and see if he could get anything that would confront and confute what he had delivered as coming that way; which, if it could be done by him, would appear to be a falsehood and an imposture, since one revelation from God is not contradicted by another: or else the sense is, "call" over the catalogue and list of good men that have been from the beginning of the world, and see if there be any that "answers to thee" (n), whose case, character, and behaviour, correspond with thee; if ever any of them was afflicted as thou art, or ever behaved with so much indecency, impatience, murmuring, and blasphemy against God, as thou hast done; that ever opened his mouth, and cursed the day of his birth, and reflected upon the providence and justice of God as thou hast, as if thou wert unrighteously dealt with: or rather, "call now", and summon all creatures together, angels and men, and get anyone of them to be thy patron, to defend thy cause, and plead for thee, to give a reply to what has been said, from reason, experience, and revelation: and shouldest thou obtain this, which is not lik…
Open source ↗1 Call now, - is there any one who will answer thee? And to whom of the holy ones wilt thou turn? 2 For he is a fool who is destroyed by complaining, And envy slays the simple one. 3 I, even I, have seen a fool taking root: Then I had to curse his habitation suddenly. 4 His children were far from help, And were crushed in the gate, without a rescuer; 5 While the hungry ate his harvest, And even from among thorns they took it away, And the intriguer snatched after his wealth. The chief thought of the oracle was that God is the absolutely just One, and infinitely exalted above men and angels. Resuming his speech from this point, Eliphaz tells Job that no cry for help can avail him unless he submits to the all-just One as being himself unrighteous; nor can any cry addressed to the angels avail. This thought, although it is rejected, certainly shows that the writer of the book, as of the prologue, is impressed with the fundamental intuition, that good, like evil, spirits are implicated in the affairs of men; for the "holy ones," as in Ps 89, are the angels. כּי supports the negation implied in Job 5:1 : If God does not help thee, no creature can help thee; for he who complains and chafes at his lot brings down upon himself the extremest destruction, since he excites the anger of God still more. Such a surly murmurer against God is here called אויל. ל is the Aramaic sign of the object, having the force of quod attinet ad, quoad (Ew. 310, a). Eliphaz justifies what he has said (Job 5:2) by an example. He had seen such a complainer in increasing prosperity; then he cursed his habitation suddenly, i.e., not: he uttered forthwith a prophetic curse over it, which, though פּתאם might have this meaning (not subito, but illico; cf. Num 12:4), the following futt., equivalent to imper…
Open source ↗A very warm dispute being begun between Job and his friends, Eliphaz here makes a fair motion to put the matter to a reference. In all debates perhaps the sooner this is done the better if the contenders cannot end it between themselves. So well assured is Eliphaz of the goodness of his own cause that he moves Job himself to choose the arbitrators (Job 5:1): Call now, if there be any that will answer thee; that is, 1. "If there be any that suffer as thou sufferest. Canst thou produce an instance of any one that was really a saint that was reduced to such an extremity as thou art now reduced to? God never dealt with any that love his name as he deals with thee, and therefore surely thou art none of them." 2. "If there be any that say as thou sayest. Did ever any good man curse his day as thou dost? Or will any of the saints justify thee in these heats or passions, or say that these are the spots of God's children? Thou wilt find none of the saints that will be either thy advocates or my antagonists. To which of the saints wilt thou turn? Turn to which thou wilt, and thou wilt find they are all of my mind. I have the communis sensus fidelium - the unanimous vote of the faithful on my side; they will all subscribe to what I am going to say." Observe, (1.) Good people are called saints even in the Old Testament; and therefore I know not why we should, in common speaking (unless because we must loqui cum vulgo - speak as our neighbours), appropriate the title to those of the New Testament, and not say St. Abraham, St. Moses, and St. Isaiah, as well as St. Matthew and St. Mark; and St. David the psalmist, as well as St. David the British bishop. Aaron is expressly called the saint of the Lord. (2.) All that are themselves saints will turn to those that are so, will choose the…
Open source ↗5:1 The angels (literally the holy ones), probably a reference back to 4:18, are called “holy ones” because of their proximity to God, not because they were morally perfect (15:15; Dan 4:14; 8:13; Zech 14:5).
Open source ↗Original language
The Hebrew and Greek words behind this passage, with Strong's numbers — from openscriptures (CC BY-SA).
קָרָא (qârâʼ, H7121) — to call out to (i.e. properly, address by name, but used in a wide variety of… יֵשׁ (yêsh, H3426) — there is or are (or any other form of the verb to be, as may suit the connection) עָנָה (ʻânâh, H6030) — properly, to eye or (generally) to heed, i.e. pay attention; by implication, to respond;… קָדוֹשׁ (qâdôwsh, H6918) — sacred (ceremonially or morally); (as noun) God (by eminence), an angel, a saint, a… פָּנָה (pânâh, H6437) — to turn; by implication, to face, i.e. appear, look, etc.
Open source ↗כַּעַס (kaʻaç, H3708) — vexation הָרַג (hârag, H2026) — to smite with deadly intent אֱוִיל (ʼĕvîyl, H191) — (figuratively) silly קִנְאָה (qinʼâh, H7068) — jealousy or envy מוּת (mûwth, H4191) — to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill פָּתָה (pâthâh, H6601) — to open, i.e. be (causatively, make) roomy; usually figuratively (in a mental or moral…
Open source ↗רָאָה (râʼâh, H7200) — to see, literally or figuratively (in numerous applications, direct and implied,… אֱוִיל (ʼĕvîyl, H191) — (figuratively) silly שָׁרַשׁ (shârash, H8327) — to root, i.e. strike into the soil, or (by implication) to pluck from it פִּתְאוֹם (pithʼôwm, H6597) — instantly נָקַב (nâqab, H5344) — to puncture, literally (to perforate, with more or less violence) or figuratively (to… נָוֶה (nâveh, H5116) — (adjectively) at home; hence (by implication of satisfaction) lovely; also (noun) a home,…
Open source ↗בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… רָחַק (râchaq, H7368) — to widen (in any direction), i.e. (intransitively) recede or (transitively) remove… יֶשַׁע (yeshaʻ, H3468) — liberty, deliverance, prosperity דָּכָא (dâkâʼ, H1792) — to crumble; transitively, to bruise (literally or figuratively) שַׁעַר (shaʻar, H8179) — an opening, i.e. door or gate נָצַל (nâtsal, H5337) — to snatch away, whether in a good or a bad sense
Open source ↗קָצִיר (qâtsîyr, H7105) — severed, i.e. harvest (as reaped), the crop, the time, the reaper, or figuratively; also… רָעֵב (râʻêb, H7457) — hungry (more or less intensely) אָכַל (ʼâkal, H398) — to eat (literally or figuratively) לָקַח (lâqach, H3947) — to take (in the widest variety of applications) אֵל (ʼêl, H413) — near, with or among; often in general, to צֵן (tsên, H6791) — a thorn; hence, a cactus-hedge צַמִּים (tsammîym, H6782) — a noose (as fastening); figuratively, destruction שָׁאַף (shâʼaph, H7602) — to inhale eagerly; figuratively, to cover; by implication, to be angry; also to hasten חַיִל (chayil, H2428) — probably a force, whether of men, means or other resources; an army, wealth, virtue,…
Open source ↗אָוֶן (ʼâven, H205) — strictly nothingness; also trouble. vanity, wickedness; specifically an idol יָצָא (yâtsâʼ, H3318) — to go (causatively, bring) out, in a great variety of applications, literally and… עָפָר (ʻâphâr, H6083) — dust (as powdered or gray); hence, clay, earth, mud עָמָל (ʻâmâl, H5999) — toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind צָמַח (tsâmach, H6779) — to sprout (transitive or intransitive, literal or figurative) אֲדָמָה (ʼădâmâh, H127) — soil (from its general redness)
Open source ↗אָדָם (ʼâdâm, H120) — ruddy i.e. a human being (an individual or the species, mankind, etc.) יָלַד (yâlad, H3205) — to bear young; causatively, to beget; medically, to act as midwife; specifically, to show… עָמָל (ʻâmâl, H5999) — toil, i.e. wearing effort; hence, worry, wheth. of body or mind בֵּן (bên, H1121) — a son (as a builder of the family name), in the widest sense (of literal and figurative… רֶשֶׁף (resheph, H7565) — a live coal; by analogy lightning; figuratively, an arrow, (as flashing through the air);… עוּף (ʻûwph, H5774) — to fly; also (by implication of dimness) to faint (from the darkness of swooning) גָּבַהּ (gâbahh, H1361) — to soar, i.e. be lofty; figuratively, to be haughty
Open source ↗אוּלָם (ʼûwlâm, H199) — however or on the contrary דָּרַשׁ (dârash, H1875) — properly, to tread or frequent; usually to follow (for pursuit or search); by… אֵל (ʼêl, H410) — strength; as adjective, mighty; especially the Almighty (but used also of any deity) אֱלֹהִים (ʼĕlôhîym, H430) — gods in the ordinary sense; but specifically used (in the plural thus, especially with… שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… דִּבְרָה (dibrâh, H1700) — a reason, suit or style
Open source ↗עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application גָּדוֹל (gâdôwl, H1419) — great (in any sense); hence, older; also insolent אַיִן (ʼayin, H369) — a non-entity; generally used as a negative particle חֵקֶר (chêqer, H2714) — examination, enumeration, deliberation פָּלָא (pâlâʼ, H6381) — properly, perhaps to separate, i.e. distinguish (literally or figuratively); by… מִסְפָּר (miçpâr, H4557) — a number, definite (arithmetical) or indefinite (large, innumerable; small, a few); also…
Open source ↗נָתַן (nâthan, H5414) — to give, used with greatest latitude of application (put, make, etc.) מָטַר (mâṭar, H4306) — rain פָּנִים (pânîym, H6440) — the face (as the part that turns); used in a great variety of applications (literally and… אֶרֶץ (ʼerets, H776) — the earth (at large, or partitively a land) שָׁלַח (shâlach, H7971) — to send away, for, or out (in a great variety of applications) מַיִם (mayim, H4325) — water; figuratively, juice; by euphemism, urine, semen חוּץ (chûwts, H2351) — properly, separate by awall, i.e. outside, outdoors
Open source ↗שׂוּם (sûwm, H7760) — to put (used in a great variety of applications, literal, figurative, inferentially, and… מָרוֹם (mârôwm, H4791) — altitude, i.e. concretely (an elevated place), abstractly (elevation, figuratively… שָׁפָל (shâphâl, H8217) — depressed, literally or figuratively קָדַר (qâdar, H6937) — to be ashy, i.e. darkcolored; by implication, to mourn (in sackcloth or sordid garments) שָׂגַב (sâgab, H7682) — to be (causatively, make) lofty, especially inaccessible; by implication, safe, strong;… יֶשַׁע (yeshaʻ, H3468) — liberty, deliverance, prosperity
Open source ↗פָּרַר (pârar, H6565) — to break up (usually figuratively), i.e. to violate, frustrate מַחֲשָׁבָה (machăshâbâh, H4284) — a contrivance, i.e. (concretely) a texture, machine, or (abstractly) intention, plan… עָרוּם (ʻârûwm, H6175) — cunning (usually in a bad sense) יָד (yâd, H3027) — a hand (the open one (indicating power, means, direction, etc.), עָשָׂה (ʻâsâh, H6213) — to do or make, in the broadest sense and widest application תּוּשִׁיָּה (tûwshîyâh, H8454) — support or (by implication) ability, i.e. (direct) help, (in purpose) an undertaking,…
Open source ↗לָכַד (lâkad, H3920) — to catch (in a net, trap or pit); generally, to capture or occupy; also to choose (by… חָכָם (châkâm, H2450) — wise, (i.e. intelligent, skilful or artful) עֹרֶם (ʻôrem, H6193) — a stratagem עֵצָה (ʻêtsâh, H6098) — advice; by implication, plan; also prudence פָּתַל (pâthal, H6617) — to twine, i.e. (literally) to struggle or (figuratively) be (morally) tortuous מָהַר (mâhar, H4116) — properly, to be liquid or flow easily, i.e. (by implication); to hurry (in a good or a…
Open source ↗פָּגַשׁ (pâgash, H6298) — to come in contact with, whether by accident or violence; figuratively, to concur חֹשֶׁךְ (chôshek, H2822) — the dark; hence (literally) darkness; figuratively, misery, destruction, death,… יוֹמָם (yôwmâm, H3119) — daily מָשַׁשׁ (mâshash, H4959) — to feel of; by implication, to grope צֹהַר (tsôhar, H6672) — a light (i.e. window); dual double light, i.e. noon לַיִל (layil, H3915) — properly, a twist (away of the light), i.e. night; figuratively, adversity
Open source ↗Cross-references
Other passages the community most often connects to this one. Tap to read.
If God puts no trust in His holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in His eyes,
If God puts no trust in His servants, and He charges His angels with error,
“Be silent before Me, O islands, and let the peoples renew their strength. Let them come forward and testify; let us together draw near for judgment.
Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, To the saints in Ephesus, the faithful in Christ Jesus:
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us.
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellence in whom all my delight resides.
In the camp they envied Moses, as well as Aaron, the holy one of the LORD.