CHAP. VI. Job meets the arguments of Eliphaz in order. The first point which made Eliphaz doubt the integrity of Job, and on which his argument hinges, was the bitterness of spirit, the "wrath" which Job gave way to in his affliction. Job first addresses himself to this argument, 1-7.

2. grief] Or wrath, the same word which Eliphaz used in v. 2. The change of word in the A.V. obscures the force of the argument. Eliphaz regarded the wrath as indicating moral folly, Job answers that it is not out of proportion with his calamity. The word rendered calamity is peculiar, meaning an abysmal boundless misery. See Schultens on this verse and on Prov. xix. 13.

in the balances] The weighing of words and thoughts in scales is not an uncommon figure in classic writers, but it belongs to the remotest antiquity. In the Egyptian Ritual the day of weighing words is a common term for the day of judgment, as in chapter i.; and the vignette to the 125th chapter represents the weighing of the heart in the presence of Osiris. Todtenbuch,' 1. c.

3. For now it would be heavier] Or, for now it is heavier. Job speaks of his calamity, which can only be compared with the sands on the sea-shore, a proverbial expression for what cannot be counted or measured; see Prov. xxvii. 3; Ecclus. xxii. 15.

are swallowed up] This rendering is defensible (see note below), but the word more probably means "wander," or are idle (LΧΧ. τὰ ῥήματά μου ἐστὶ φαῦλα). Job admits that his words are blameworthy, but excusable as the overflowings of natural sorrow. See Note below.

4. drinketh up my spirit] The poison, which reaches the springs of life, drinks up the spirit, i.e. absorbs all power of thought: this is Job's real excuse for his vehemence. This translation may be correct; it is that of the ancient versions, LXX., Vulg., Syr., Ar., thus too Rosenm.; but modern commentators generally prefer, "whose poison my

spirit drinketh up." The use of poisoned arrows is mentioned frequently in classic authors, and appears to be of the remotest antiquity.

set themselves in array against me] Or, "are arrayed against me," "assail me in battle-array." This is a second defence; it accounts for the rebellious struggles, as instinctive movements of a soul assailed by a host of troubles. See Note below.

5. when he hath grass] Lit. "over grass," but the A.V. gives the true sense. Job argues that his words are but natural and instinctive expressions of feeling, like the sounds which are uttered by animals to denote their wants.

6. Both expressions in this verse are evidently proverbial. The meaning appears to be this. If that which is merely insipid and tasteless is naturally disliked, much more fied when the food offered is poisonous. is an expression of loathing and disgust justi

bably correct. It is defended by Dillmann. the white of an egg] The rendering is proIt has been objected that the Hebrews did not keep poultry before the Captivity, and that the word would not be used by the author of Job; but geese and ducks were kept by the Egyptians at the remotest period, and the egg of the ostrich was not likely to be thrown away by the nomads of Arabia: see note on xxxix. 15.

7. The things that my soul, &c.] Rather My soul refuseth to touch, they are as loathsome food to me. The translation

and meaning of the first clause are clear. Job cannot accept the poison, his soul recoils from it: the sense of the second clause is most probably, “the evils which have come upon me are like diseased or poisonous food," lit. as disease of my food. This means more than loathsome food-food contaminated, and full of disease, food at once disgusting and unwholesome: how then can I receive it without such expressions of grief, or wrath, as appear to Eliphaz proofs of sin and unpar

donable folly? The LXX. "as the stench of a Lion:" adopted by Merx.

8-10. Eliphaz had represented death as the last punishment, Job now declares that it is his only hope. This represents a critical point in the argument; he consoles himself with one thought, that he has not sinned against God; thus, as in all former trials, holding fast his integrity, and his allegiance to God. As yet there is no indication of a hope beyond death.

8. that I might have, &c.] The meaning is correctly expressed; lit. "would that my request were fulfilled, and that God would grant my desire."

10. The general connection is clear: some words are difficult, but the meaning may be more clearly expressed: So would it still be my comfort, and in the midst of my unsparing anguish would I exult that I have not denied (i.e. renounced) the words of the Holy One. This comfort is not merely, as some commentators take it, that death will end his troubles, but that to the last he has the consciousness of having kept the faith: the renderings "exult" instead of "harden," and "deny" instead of " conceal" are now generally admitted, as well as the connection of "will not spare" with the preceding word "sorrow." The words of the Holy One are the commands of God, however made known to man. A Hebrew would probably have written "the law of Jehovah." 11-13. Job rejects the hope suggested by Eliphaz, and will not listen to the possibility of restoration.

11. What is my strength] He feels that his strength is already exhausted.

that I should prolong my life] Lit. "that I should stretch out my spirit," i.e. look forward with patience. The A.V. is wrong, and the true meaning is clear, but we have no phrase exactly equivalent to the Hebrew. Shortness of spirit is rendered anguish'; Exod. vi. 9; cf. xxi. 4; see also Num. xxi. 4. Job sees no end to which he can possibly

look forward with any hope, save that of dissolution.

13. Is not my help in me? &c.] Lit. “is not my no-help in me?" Am I not helpless? And is not soundness driven out from me? The word rendered "wisdom" means the soundness of constitution, which alone could justify the hope of prolonged life; see note on ch. v. 12; this has been driven out by the terrors set in array against Job; see v. 4.

14-30. Job, having thus briefly disposed of the arguments urged by Eliphaz, takes up another position, and attacks his friends, first for their neglect of the first duty of friends, compassion for the afflicted, 14-21; and then for their failure in argument, accompanied by injustice and cruelty, which involve far deeper guilt than idle and hasty words wrung from a sufferer.

14. To him, &c.] This expresses the sense of the Hebrew, though not the full force of the words or the conciseness of the phrase, "To the afflicted from his friend pity;" the latter clause means either "should he forsake the fear of the Almighty," or "lest he forsake." This gives a satisfactory sense; friends should above all things soothe a man's feelings lest he be driven to desperation. The word for afflicted is very graphic, "melted down," "dissolved,” alluding, it may be, to the effect of the poisoned arrows, v. 4. See Note below.

15-21. The imagery of this passage is taken from a land intersected by ravines, deep wadys dry in summer, and filled suddenly after storms by torrents from neighbouring heights. This corresponds most exactly with the descriptions of the Hauran, in which there is no river flowing through the summer; whereas in winter (when these events took place, see note chap. i. 14) torrents rush with great impetuosity through cavernous ravines from the Jebel Hauran. See Ritter, 'Palestine,' p. 938.

15. the stream of brooks] The former word denotes the channel, the deep wady or ravine through which the brook or torrent rushes,

often with much noise and vehemence, soon passing away, and leaving only a heap of shingle. The simile is remarkably complete: when little needed the torrent overflows, when needed it disappears: in winter it does not fertilize, in summer it is dried up: nor is it merely useless; it deceives, alluring the traveller by the appearance of verdure, promising refreshment, and giving none. Such were the friends of Job with their noisy grief and vehement gesticulations, and the absence of genuine sympathy. Cf. Isa. lviii, 11.

pass away] Thus the Vv. and most commentators. Dillm. renders "which overflow." Merx follows the LXX., "they pass by me away."

16. blackish] The winter is generally sharp in the Hauran, when the deep channels are filled with dark turbid torrents.

is bid] A true and graphic expression for the dissolving snow.

17. they vanish] This expresses the sense better than the marginal rendering, "cut off," which is literally exact.

consumed] Or are dried up, lit. as in the margin, “extinguished,” so xviii. 5, 6.

18. The paths of their way] Modern commentators generally adopt a different rendering. With a slight change in the punctuation of the Hebrew the sense may be, "the caravans turn aside from their way, diverge, that is, from the regular track, in order to supply themselves with water from the wady, but finding it empty, they go up into the desert, and perish." To this it is objected (by Del.) that the mention of caravans is premature, and belongs to the following verse; and, on the other hand, the old interpretation adopted by our translators, and defended on critical grounds by able scholars, adheres closely to the text, and gives a true and forcible sense. The paths of their way are turned aside, i.e. the torrent winds a tortuous course, part of it is dried up at once, part finds its way into the desert, where it speedily evaporates and vanishes.

they go to nothing] This may be the true interpretation if the A. V. of the preceding words be retained; if, however, the word for paths be rendered caravans, these should be rendered, they go up into the desert or waste. The same word Tohu is used in

Gen. i. 2; Jer. iv. 23; see also xxvi. 7. It corresponds in meaning, and probably also in derivation, to Tih, the proper designation of the desert in which the Israelites wandered.

19. The troops] The caravans. The but little, if at all, in meaning; but in the word "companies" in the next clause differs copious vocabulary of the desert it is probable the different words may indicate some differences in the mode of travelling adopted by different tribes. Tema and Sheba may represent travellers from opposite quarters, some strangers to the district, others familiar with it; all perish alike when drawn out of their way by the false appearance of water. Tema was a tribe in the northern district of the Arabian desert, descended from Tema, a son of Ishmael. Gen. xxv. 15; Isai, xxi. 14; Jer. XXV. 23. The caravans of the Ishmaelites were in constant communication with Egypt; see Gen. xxxvii. 25. On Sheba see note on ch. i. 15.

20. were ashamed] Bitter disappointment is frequently expressed by words denoting shame, which includes the notion of ungrounded confidence: the ashamed to have been misled, as Job was ashamed to have calculated upon comfort from his friends.

caravans

were

probably correct; the sense is clear, "ye are 21. ye are nothing] This translation is come to nought, like the dried-up torrent.” The reading followed by our translators is defended by the generality of modern critics. The rendering in the margin follows the Masoretic reading, which seems to be purely conjectural.

breaking up" of my state. casting down] Or, ye see a ruin, lit. "a

22, 23. A bitter irony, implying that he might have been foolish had he counted upon substantial help, but that it was impossible to foresee that his friends would withhold the simple boon of pity, costing neither money

nor exertion.

22. a reward for me] Or, a present on my account; that is, a gift, such as was customary in order to procure an advocate, or even to influence a judge: a bribe, however, would be too strong an expression, since the gift might be offered to one representing the interests of an injured family.

24. Teach me] Job demands that since his friends have neither helped nor comforted him, they should at least convince him of error, pointing out in what his assumed guilt consisted. Eliphaz had inferred his folly, or sin, from the fact of his wrath; see ch. v. 2. With that accusation Job has already dealt, and now calls for more substantial reasons. and I will hold my tongue] I will be silent; cf. xxxiv. 31—33.

25. arguing] Or, "reproving." Job uses the same word twice; what is it that ye reprove who reprove me? What is the point at which your accusation is aimed? What does your reproving prove?

26. Do ye imagine] Or, propose. Is it your object merely to reprove my words? The next clause should be rendered, but the words of the despairing are for the wind. Words wrung from a man in such a condition had, as Job would argue, no bear ing upon the question of his guilt: they followed, and could not therefore have provoked, the visitation, and were after all merely uttered to the wind, borne away by it and leaving no trace, at the worst idle and meaningless.

27. Yea, ye overwhelm] Rather, Even on the orphan would ye cast lots. The meaning appears to be, "ye are pitiless as creditors who take the children of a debtor after his death" (see 2 K. iv. 1), casting lots for their several shares. The expression is not uncommon in reference to captives, Joel iii. 3; Nahum iii. 10. LXX. éváλλ€σðe, and

dig a pit] The rendering is defensible (thus Rosen., Ges.); but the word most probably means "traffic," i.e. "make gain over a friend," turning his misery to profit, as an occasion for uttering wise saws, and thus ministering to your own self-righteousness.

28. Now, &c.] Or, And now do but look at me; for I surely shall not lie to your face. The expression is thoroughly characteristic of Job, conscious of his integrity, and believing that no one could look at him stedfastly and distrust him.

29. let it not be iniquity] Or, let there not be iniquity (unfairness and dishonesty) in your judgment. The latter clause is rendered literally, according to the Masoretic reading, and may mean, try me over and over again, and you will but find me guiltless in the matter. The Cethib, however, has, " And my answer-still there is righteousness in it;" a reading which gives a sense well adapted to the context.

words, which alone you condemn, are not 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue?] i.e. the open to the charge of iniquity; that charge rather applies to the unfair accuser.

my taste] Or, "my palate," as in the margin. The meaning is, my sense of right and wrong is not so far perverted that I cannot discern what is absolutely wicked.

perverse things] Or, "wickedness;" the Hebrew word, which occurs frequently in the Psalms, denotes utter and absolute wickedness: wickedness that causes destruction. Dillmann, however, is probably right in rendering the word "calamity," as in v. 2.

3, 4, 14, and 27. same sense in Æthiopic. The meaning "heated" proposed by Schultens, and accepted by Davison, is not justified by the Arabic which gives a better sense, afflixit, or mœrore afflictus est.