13 That it might take hold H270 of the ends H3671 of the earth, H776 that the wicked H7563 might be shaken out H5287 of it?
They are of those that rebel H4775 against the light; H216 they know H5234 not the ways H1870 thereof, nor abide H3427 in the paths H5410 thereof. The murderer H7523 rising H6965 with the light H216 killeth H6991 the poor H6041 and needy, H34 and in the night H3915 is as a thief. H1590 The eye H5869 also of the adulterer H5003 waiteth H8104 for the twilight, H5399 saying, H559 No eye H5869 shall see H7789 me: and disguiseth H5643 H7760 his face. H6440 In the dark H2822 they dig through H2864 houses, H1004 which they had marked H2856 for themselves in the daytime: H3119 they know H3045 not the light. H216 For the morning H1242 is to them even as H3162 the shadow of death: H6757 if one know H5234 them, they are in the terrors H1091 of the shadow of death. H6757
Their line H6957 is gone out H3318 through all the earth, H776 and their words H4405 to the end H7097 of the world. H8398 In them hath he set H7760 a tabernacle H168 for the sun, H8121 Which is as a bridegroom H2860 coming out H3318 of his chamber, H2646 and rejoiceth H7797 as a strong man H1368 to run H7323 a race. H734 His going forth H4161 is from the end H7097 of the heaven, H8064 and his circuit H8622 unto the ends H7098 of it: and there is nothing hid H5641 from the heat H2535 thereof.
If I take H5375 the wings H3671 of the morning, H7837 and dwell H7931 in the uttermost parts H319 of the sea; H3220 Even there shall thy hand H3027 lead H5148 me, and thy right hand H3225 shall hold H270 me. If I say, H559 Surely the darkness H2822 shall cover H7779 me; even the night H3915 shall be light H216 about me. H1157 Yea, the darkness H2822 hideth H2821 not from thee; but the night H3915 shineth H215 as the day: H3117 the darkness H2825 and the light H219 are both alike to thee.
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Job 38
Commentary on Job 38 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 38
In most disputes the strife is who shall have the last word. Job's friends had, in this controversy, tamely yielded it to Job, and then he to Elihu. But, after all the wranglings of the counsel at bar, the judge upon the bench must have the last word; so God had here, and so he will have in every controversy, for every man's judgment proceeds from him and by his definitive sentence every man must stand or fall and every cause be won or lost. Job had often appealed to God, and had talked boldly how he would order his cause before him, and as a prince would he go near unto him; but, when God took the throne, Job had nothing to say in his own defence, but was silent before him. It is not so easy a matter as some think it to contest with the Almighty. Job's friends had sometimes appealed to God too: "O that God would speak!' ch. 11:5. And now, at length, God does speak, when Job, by Elihu's clear and close arguings was mollified a little, and mortified, and so prepared to hear what God had to say. It is the office of ministers to prepare the way of the Lord. That which the great God designs in this discourse is to humble Job, and bring him to repent of, and to recant, his passionate indecent expressions concerning God's providential dealings with him; and this he does by calling upon Job to compare God's eternity with his own time, God's omniscience with his own ignorance, and God's omnipotence with his own impotency.
If, in these ordinary works of nature, Job was puzzled, how durst he pretend to dive into the counsels of God's government and to judge of them? In this (as bishop Patrick observes) God takes up the argument begun by Elihu (who came nearest to the truth) and prosecutes it in inimitable words, excelling his, and all other men's, in the loftiness of the style, as much as thunder does a whisper.
Job 38:1-3
Let us observe here,
Job 38:4-11
For the humbling of Job, God here shows him his ignorance even concerning the earth and the sea. Though so near, though so bulky, yet he could give no account of their origination, much less of heaven above or hell beneath, which are at such a distance, or of the several parts of matter which are so minute, and then, least of all, of the divine counsels.
Job 38:12-24
The Lord here proceeds to ask Job many puzzling questions, to convince him of his ignorance, and so to shame him for his folly in prescribing to God. If we will but try ourselves with such interrogatories as these, we shall soon be brought to own that what we know is nothing in comparison with what we know not. Job is here challenged to give an account of six things:-
Job 38:25-41
Hitherto God had put such questions to Job as were proper to convince him of his ignorance and short-sightedness. Now he comes, in the same manner, to show his impotency and weakness. As it is but little that he knows, and therefore he ought not to arraign the divine counsels, so it is but little that he can do, and therefore he ought not to oppose the proceedings of Providence. Let him consider what great things God does, and try whether he can do the like, or whether he thinks himself an equal match for him.