Chapter 8:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Esther Psalms
Job 8
Concise Complete
Bildad reproves Job. (1-7) Hypocrites will be destroyed.
(8-19) Bildad applies God's just dealing to Job. (20-22)
Verses 1-7 Job spake
much to the purpose; but Bildad, like an eager, angry disputant, turns it all
off with this, How long wilt thou speak these things? Men's meaning is not taken
aright, and then they are rebuked, as if they were evil-doers. Even in disputes
on religion, it is too common to treat others with sharpness, and their
arguments with contempt. Bildad's discourse shows that he had not a favourable
opinion of Job's character. Job owned that God did not pervert judgment; yet it
did not therefore follow that his children were cast-aways, or that they did for
some great transgression. Extraordinary afflictions are not always the
punishment of extraordinary sins, sometimes they are the trials of extraordinary
graces: in judging of another's case, we ought to take the favorable side.
Bildad puts Job in hope, that if he were indeed upright, he should yet see a
good end of his present troubles. This is God's way of enriching the souls of
his people with graces and comforts. The beginning is small, but the progress is
to perfection. Dawning light grows to noon-day.
Verses 8-19 Bildad
discourses well of hypocrites and evil-doers, and the fatal end of all their
hopes and joys. He proves this truth of the destruction of the hopes and joys of
hypocrites, by an appeal to former times. Bildad refers to the testimony of the
ancients. Those teach best that utter words out of their heart, that speak from
an experience of spiritual and divine things. A rush growing in fenny ground,
looking very green, but withering in dry weather, represents the hypocrite's
profession, which is maintained only in times of prosperity. The spider's web,
spun with great skill, but easily swept away, represents a man's pretensions to
religion when without the grace of God in his heart. A formal professor flatters
himself in his own eyes, doubts not of his salvation, is secure, and cheats the
world with his vain confidences. The flourishing of the tree, planted in the
garden, striking root to the rock, yet after a time cut down and thrown aside,
represents wicked men, when most firmly established, suddenly thrown down and
forgotten. This doctrine of the vanity of a hypocrite's confidence, or the
prosperity of a wicked man, is sound; but it was not applicable to the case of
Job, if confined to the present world.
Verses 20-22 Bildad
here assures Job, that as he was so he should fare; therefore they concluded,
that as he fared so he was. God will not cast away an upright man; he may be
cast down for a time, but he shall not be cast away for ever. Sin brings ruin on
persons and families. Yet to argue, that Job was an ungodly, wicked man, was
unjust and uncharitable. The mistake in these reasonings arose from Job's
friends not distinguishing between the present state of trial and discipline,
and the future state of final judgment. May we choose the portion, possess the
confidence, bear the cross, and die the death of the righteous; and, in the mean
time, be careful neither to wound others by rash judgments, nor to distress
ourselves needlessly about the opinions of our fellow-creatures.
Chapter 8:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 Esther Psalms
Genesis
Exodus
Leviticus
Numbers
Deuteronomy
Joshua
Judges
Ruth
1 Samuel
2 Samuel
1 Kings
2 Kings
1 Chronicles
2 Chronicles
Ezra
Nehemiah
Esther
Job
Psalm
Proverbs
Ecclesiastes
Song of Solomon
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Lamentations
Ezekiel
Daniel
Hosea
Joel
Amos
Obadiah
Jonah
Micah
Nahum
Habakkuk
Zephaniah
Haggai
Zechariah
Malachi
Matthew
Mark
Luke
John
Acts
Romans
1 Corinthians
2 Corinthians
Galatians
Ephesians
Philippians
Colossians
1 Thessalonians
2 Thessalonians
1 Timothy
2 Timothy
Titus
Philemon
Hebrews
James
1 Peter
2 Peter
1 John
2 John
3 John
Jude
Revelation
