A
NEW TRANSLATION
OF
JOB, ECCLESIASTES,
AND
TIHE CANTICLES,
WITH
INTRODUCTIONS, AND NOTES, CHIEFLY
EXPLANATORY.
BY GEORGE R. NOYES, D.D.,
HANCOCK PROFESSOR OF HEBREW, ETC., AND DEXTER LECTURER
IN HARVARD UNIVERSITY.
FIFTII EDITION,
Careful[g  \tbistb, ipit A 3~bbitional Rotes.
BOSTON:
AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATION.
1874.




Entered, according to Act of Congress, In the year 1867, bv
THE AMERICAN UNITARIAN ASSOCIATlON,
In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts.




CONTENTS.
PAGE
INTRODUCTION TO JOB...........       3
JOB................  37
INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES.........  103
ECCLESIASTES...............  125
INTRODUCTION TO TIIE CANTICLES........  141
TnE SONG OF SONGS (i. q. THE CANTICLES).... 171
NOTES ON  JOB...............  185
NOTES ON ECCLESIASTES.........  283
NOTES ON THE CANTICLES..........  329








'Tl'HE BO()K O)F JOB.








INTRODUCTION TO JOB.
THE work, which it is the design of the present volume to illustrate, is in many respects one of the most remarkable productions
of any age or country. It is, without doubt, in its general plan,
as well as in the rhythmical construction and high poetic character
of its language, the elaborate work of a skilful artist.  Deep
thought and long-continued study must have been united with
genius in its production. Yet has it, in a much higher degree than
most compositions, the freshness of an unstudied effusion of the
soul of the author; a soul full of the sublimest conceptions of
the Parent of nature and his glorious works, and of true and deep
sympathy with all that is great and amiable in the character, and
affecting in the condition, of man. The imagination of the author
seems to have ranged freely through every part of the universe,
and to have enriched itself from almost every department of nature and of art. Whether lie attempt to describe the residence
of Him "who maintaineth peace in his high places," or "the
land of darkness and the shadow of death; " the passions and pursuits of man, or the nature and features of the animal creation;
the phenomena of the air and the heavens, or the dark operations
of the miner, -he is ever familiar with his subject, and seems to
tell us what his eyes have seen and his ears have heard. And not
more remarkable are the richness and vigor of his imagination
than his power in representing the deep emotions and the tender
affections of the soul. Admirable, too, in a poem of so high antiquity, is the skill with which he makes all the delineations of the
human heart, and all the descriptions of external nature, subservi[3]




4                 INTRODUCTION       TO
cut to the illustration of one important moral subject; thus uniting
the attributes of the poet and philosopher. It is true that we
miss the perfection of Grecian art in the structure of the work of
a Hebrew poet who wrote more than a century before ZEschylus;
and his plan required him to set forth the general workings of the
human heart, rather than to delineate the nicer shades of human
character. It was in harmony with the ethical nature of the composition, that his characters should make speeches, rather than
converse. Yet no one can fail to perceive the unity of design
which pervades the work, and the adaptation of the various parts
of it to its completion.
The first place among the Hebrew poets has usually been assigned to Isaiah. But in what respect the Great Unknown, the
author of the Book of Job, can be regarded as inferior to any
Hebrew poet, or any other poet, unless perhaps we except Shakspeare, I am at a loss to conceive.  In comprehensiveness of
thought, and in richness and strength of imagination, he seems to
me to be unsurpassed; and in depth and tenderness of feeling
to be incomparable, when we consider that female loveliness constitutes no part of the interest of the work. Almost every Christian poet has felt his influence in respect both to thought and
expression. But to delineate the excellences and beauties of the
Book of Job is a task far beyond my capacity. They must be
understood and felt, rather than described.
There has been much discussion in former times, in regard to
the particular department of poetry and literature under which
the Book of Job should be classed. Undue importance has without doubt been attached to this question; and the scope and spirit
of the work have in a degree been lost sight of, in the eagerness
with which different writers have sought to establish its claim to
the appellation of epic or dramatic, or its place in a particular
department of poetical composition. The truth is, that there is
nothing which bears an exact resemblance to it in Grecian, Roman, or modern literature. It has something in common, not
only with different forms of composition, but with different
departments of literature. Those who have given it the appellation of an epic poem have applied to it a term the least
suited to its character, and the most unjust to its claims as




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                 5
a work of art. They have made unimportant circumstances, in
regard to its form, of more consequence than its substantial character, spirit, and design. Nothing can be more evident than the
fact, that to excite interest in the personal fortunes of Job, as
the hero of a poem, was not the principal design of the writer.
Still less was it his design to unfold characteristic traits in the
other personages introduced into the work. Some, indeed, have
discovered, as they supposed, striking characteristic traits in Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite; and have pointed out the different degrees of severity which
they exhibited towards their friend in his distress. It appears to
me that these writers have drawn largely on their own imaginations to make their'opinions probable. There is, no doubt, some
diversity in the manner and substance of the discourses of the
friends of Job. The author may have put the longest and best
speeches into the mouth of an inhabitant of a city so famous for
its wisdom as Teman; * and to Elihu, whom some regard as
thrust into the place he occupies by a later writer than the author,
he certainly assigns, at least in the beginning of Elihu's speech,
and in the preambles in chap. xxxiii. 1-9, 31-33, xxxiv. 2-4, xxxv.
2-4, the language of a young man who has made rather an extravagant estimate of his abilities and his consequence. But I seek in
vain for evidence that the author made it a principal object to
excite an interest in the actions or characters of the personages
whom he introduces. He had little dramatic power.
There is more plausibility in the views of those who have
regarded and named the Book of Job a dramatic poem. For,
undoubtedly, the character of Job has a tragic interest, and reminds
one of the most interesting characters of Grecian tragedy, suffering by the will of the gods or the necessities of fate, especially
the Prometheus Vinctus of JEschylus. In regard to its form,
there is something that resembles dialogue, -though the persons taking part in it make speeches rather than converse, -
and something that bears a distant resemblance to a prologue and
an epilogue. The author has also skilfully introduced into various parts of the work hints having reference to the final issue of
* Jer. xlix. 7.




6                 INTRODUCTION       TO
the fortunes of Job, similar to those which occur in the best of the
Greek tragedies, such as the CEdipus Tyrannus. (See chap. viii.
6, 7; xvi. 19; xix. 25, &c., compared with chap. xlii.)  Still,
to give the name of a drama or a tragedy to this production is to
give it a name from what is incidental to it, rather than from its
pervading spirit and prominent design. To call it a poem of any
kind fails to suggest the characteristic feature of the work, though
it contains poetry, which perhaps has never been surpassed.
If we have regard to the main design, the substance and spirit
of the work, we shall refer it to the department of moral or religious philosophy. It contains the moral or religious philosophy
of the time when it was produced. It is rather a philosophical
religious discussion in a poetical form than an epic or dramatic
poem. It is more nearly allied to the Essay on Man than to Paradise Lost, or Prometheus Vinctus. It is the effusion of the mind
and heart of the author upon a moral subject which has agitated
the human bosom in every age. Still, the author was a poet as
well as a religious philosopher. In the mode of presenting the
subject to his readers, he aimed, like other poets, to move the
human feelings by exhibitions of passion and scenes of distress,
and to please the taste by the sublime flights of his imagination.
He aimed to give the highest interest to his subject by clothing
his thoughts in the loftiest language of poetry, and arranging them
in the measured rhythm which is one of the characteristics of Hebrew poetry.
It might be interesting to analyze the pure religious doctrines
which the author held, and, with wonderful liberality for one of
the Jewish nation, ascribed to Arabians; but such an analysis is
hardly necessary in an introduction to the book. It seems particularly remarkable that he should ascribe Divine inspiration to
Eliphaz the Temanite. (See chap. iv. 12-21.)
The special subject of this unique production is the ways of
Providence in regard to the distribution of good and evil in the
world, in connection with the doctrine of a righteous retribution
in the present life, such as seemed to be contained in the Jewish
religion. It sets forth the struggJe between faith in the perfect
government of God, or in a righteous retribution in the present
life, and the various doubts excited in the soul of man by what it




THE BOOK      OF JOB. 
tfcel oi sees of human misery, and by what it knows of the prosperity of the contemners of God.  These doubts the author
expresses in strong and irreverent language from the lips of Job;
while the received doctrine of an exact earthly retribution, which
pervades the Jewish religion, is maintained and reiterated by the
personages introduced as the friends of Job.
The subject is one which comes home to men's business and
bosoms. Even under the light of Christianity, perhaps there are
few who have not in peculiar seasons felt a conflict between faith
in the perfect government of God, and various feelings excited in
their minds by what they have experienced or witnessed of human
suffering. The pains of the innocent, - of those who cannot discern their right hand from their left hand, - the protracted calamities which are often the lot of the righteous, and the prosperity
which often crowns the designs of the wicked, have at times excited wonder, perplexity, and doubt in almost every thoughtful
mind. We, as Christians, silence our doubts, and confirm our
faith, by what experience teaches us of the general wisdom and
benevolence of the Creator, by the consideration that affliction
comes from the same merciful hand which is the source of all the
good that we have ever enjoyed, by the perception of the moral
and religious influences of adversity, and especially by the hope
of the joy to be realized in a better world, which is set before
those who endure to the end. The apostle could say for the consolation of himself and his fellow-sufferers," For I reckon that
the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory which shall be revealed in us." And every Christian knows that the Captain of his salvation ascended to his throne
of glory from the ignominious cross.  The cross is the great
source of the Christian's consolation. But let us suppose ourselves to be deprived of those sources of consolation which are
peculiar to a disciple of Christ, and we may conceive of the state
of mind of the author of the Book of Job, upon whom the Sun of
righteousness had never dawned. Is it strange that the soul of a
pious Jew, who lived before "life and immortality were brought
to light through the gospel," should have been agitated by the
conflict between such a faith in temporal retribution as his religion
seemed to require, and the doubts and  urmurings excited by what




8                 INTRODUCTION        TO
he felt and saw of the calamities of the righteous, and witnessed
of the prosperity of the wicked? One of the most enlightened of
the Romans, when called to mourn the early loss of the children
of his hopes, was led, as he says, almost "to accuse the gods,
and to exclaim, that no Providence governed the world." An
Arabic poet, quoted by Dr. Pococke,* writes: -
Quot inteilectu praestantes in angustias rediguntur,
Et summe stolidos invenies prospere agentes 1
Hoc est quod animos perplexos relinquit,
Et egregie doctos Sadducaeos reddit.
" How many wise men are reduced to distress,
And how many fools will you find in prosperity!
It is this that leaves the mind in perplexity,
And makes Sadducees of very learned men."
We think that many have stated too strongly the argument for
the immortality of the soul, drawn from the apparent inequalities
of the present state. To maintain that there is little or no retribution in this part of the Creator's dominions appears to me not
the best way of proving that there will be a perfect one in another
part of them. Nor is such a representation true.  To a very
important extent, "we still have justice here." But the sentiments referred to above, respecting the limited retributions of the
present life, may serve to illustrate the mental condition of a pious
man of exalted genius, who appears to have had no conception,
or at least no belief, of a state after death that was desirable in
comparison with the present life.
In Ps. lxxiii. we have the thoughts which passed through the
mind of another upon the same subject: -
"Yet my feet almost gave way;
My steps had well nigh slipped:
For I was envious of the profane,
When I saw the prosperity of the wicked," &c.
Ps. xxxvii. may also be considered as being upon the same subject, and so likewise the Book of Ecclesiastes; though a more
sceptical spirit seems to pervade the latter than either of the
psalms above mentioned, or the Book of Job.
* Not. in Port. Mos. c. vii. Opp. p. 214.




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                 9
Such being the subject which filled the mind of the author of
this book, the question arises, how he has treated it, or what he
aimed to accomplish in regard to it. That in his own view he had
solved all the difficulties which embarrass the human understanding
in regard to the subject is not very probable. But that he proposed to establish some definite truths in relation to it, as well as
to inculcate the duty of entire submission to God, and unreserved
faith in him, is, I think, clear. I do not believe, with De Wette,
that he meant to leave the subject an utter mystery, and merely
to bring man to a helpless consciousness of his ignorance. The
prologue and epilogue, which this writer admits to be genuine, to
say nothing of the speech of Elihu, refute such an opinion. The
most prominent part of the author's design is, indeed, to enforce
the duty of unqualified submission to the will of God, and of reverential faith amid all the difficulties which perplex the understanding in relation to the government of God. But a part of it is also
to illustrate the truth, that moral character is not to be inferred
from outward condition (see chap. xxxiii. 19-28); that afflictions
are designed as the trial of piety, and as means for its advancement; and that they lead in the end to higher good than would
otherwise be obtained; and thus to assert eternal providence, and
justify the ways of God to man. And, while he enforces the duty
of entire submission to God, he incidentally intimates that unfounded censures and unkind treatment of a fiiend in distress are
more offensive to the Deity than those expressions of impatience
which affliction may wring frol the lips of the pious.*
The author aims to show, that, in the distribution of good and
evil in the world, God is sometimles influenced by reasons which
man can neither discover nor comprehend, and not solely by the
merit or demerit of his creatures; that the righteous are often
afflicted, and the wicked prospered: but that this course of providence is perfectly consistent with wisdom, justice, and goodness
in the Deity, though man is unable to discern the reasons of it;
that afflictions are often intended as the trials of piety and the
means of moral improvement; that man is an incompetent judge of
the I)ivine dispensations; that, instead of rashly daring to penes Chap. xlii. 7.
I*




10                INTRODUCTION       TO
trate or to censure the counsels of his Creator, it is his duty to
submit to his will, to reverence his character, and to obey his
laws; and that the end will prove the wisdom as well as the obligation and the happy consequences of such submission, reverence, and obedience.
In this view, I have taken the whole book, as we now have it,
to be genuine.  I think this supposition is attended with the
fewest difficulties. Those who discard the speech of Elihu, the
twenty-eighth chapter and part of the twenty-seventh, and the
prose introduction and conclusion, must give, of course, an account of it somewhat different. They imagine that by the exclusion of these portions they give greater unity to the composition.
But where did they learn that every poem must have perfect unity.
or even perfect consistency?
In order to accomplish the design, or express the views, which
I have exhibited, in such a manner that his work should possess
the highest interest for his readers, the author employs a form of
composition resembling that of the drama. He brings forward a
personage, celebrated probably in the traditions of his country
on account of the distinguished excellence of his character, and
the marvellous vicissitudes through which he had passed. In the
delineation of the character and fortunes of this personage, he
uses the liberty of a poet in stating every thing in extremes, or in
painting every thing in the broadest colors, that he might thus the
better illustrate the moral truth, and accomplish the moral purpose, which he had in view.
He introduces to the reader an inhabitant of the land of Uz,
in the northern part of Arabia, equally distinguished by his piety
and his prosperity.  He was pronounced by the Searcher of
hearts an upright and good man; and he was surrounded by a
happy family, and was the most wealthy of all the inhabitants of
the East.
If virtue and piety could in any case be a security against calamity, then must Job's prosperity have been lasting. Who ever had
more reason for expecting continued prosperity. the favor of men,
and the smiles of Providence? "But, when he looked for good,
evil came." A single day produces a complete reverse in his




THE BOOK      OF JOB.                 11
condition, and reduces him from the height of prosperity to the
lowest depths of misery. He is stripped of his possessions. His
children, a numerous family, for whom he had never forgotten to
offer to God a morning sacrifice, are buried under the ruins of
their houses, which a hurricane levels with the ground; and, finally,
he is afflicted, in his own person, with a most loathsome and dangerous disease. Thus the best man in the world has become the
most miserable man in the world.
The reader is made acquainted in the outset with the cause of
the afflictions of Job. At an assembly of the sons of God, -that
is, the inhabitants of heaven, -in the presence of the Governor
of the world, an evil spirit, Satan, the adversary or accuser in the
court of heaven, had come, on his return from an excursion over
the earth, to present himself before God, or to stand in readiness
to receive his commands. Jehovah puts the question to Satan,
whether he had taken notice of the model of human excellence
exhibited in the character of his servant Job, and sets forth the
praise of this good man in terms so emphatic as to excite the envy
and ill-will of that suspicious accuser of his brethren. Satan intimates that selfishness is the sole motive of Job's obedience; that
it was with views of profit, and not from sentiments of reverence
toward God, that he paid him an outward service; that, if Jehovah
should take away the possessions of him whom he believed so
faithful, he would at once renounce his service. " Doth Job fear
God for nought?" To establish the truth of what he had said in
commendation of his servant, Jehovah is represented as giving
permission to Satan to put the piety of Job to the test, by taking
away at once all his possessions and all his children. But the
evil spirit gains no triumph. Job remains true to his allegiance.
He sins not even with his lips. There is yet another assembly
of the heavenly spirits; and here the hateful spirit, the disbeliever in human virtue, persists in maintaining that it is the love of
life, the dearest of all possessions to man, which retains Job in
his allegiance.  Satan therefore is represented as having permission to take from Job all that can be called life, except the
mere consciousness of existence and the ability to express his
sentiments in the condition to which he is reduced, by the infliction of a most loathsome disease. And yet the good man, in this




12                INTRODUCTION       TO
lowest point of depression, is represented as remaining patient so
long, that when his wife, whom Satan appears to have spared to
him for no good purpose, tempts him to renounce his allegiance
to God, he calmly answers, " Shall we receive good at the hand
of God, and shall we not receive evil?" Thus far he did not sin
with his lips.
But when the fame of Job's sufferings had spread abroad, and
had drawn around him a company of his friends, who had left
their distant homes to sympathize with him in his calamities, he is
represented as giving vehement utterance to his long-repressed
impatience, and pouring out his complaints and doubts in rash
language, with which the reader would hardly be able to sympathize, were it not for the account which has been given of the
cause of his afflictions in the introductory chapters.
But the friends of Job, who of course are not acquainted with
the cause of his sufferings in the occurrences of the heavenly assembly, are thrown into amazement at the condition in which they
find their friend, and the expressions uttered by him whom they
had heretofore looked upon as a wise and good man. They are
silent while they witness only his dreadful sufferings; but, when
they hear the vehement and rash complaints which are extorted
from him by the severity of his distress, they refiain no longer
from expressing their sentiments respecting the cause of his calamities. They ascribe them to his sins. Thus commences a discussion
respecting the causes of human sufferings between Job and his
friends. They are represented as holding the doctrine of a strict
and perfect retribution in the present life; as maintaining that
misery always implies guilt; and hence, instead of bringing him
comfort and consolation, they accuse him of having merited his
misfortunes by secret wickedness. They exhort him to repentance, as if he were a great sinner suffering the just punishment
of his crimes.
Job repels their insinuations with indignation, and firmly maintains his innocence. He knows not why he suffers. He complains of severe treatment, and asserts that God afflicts equally
the righteous and the wicked. His friends are offended with the
sentiments to which he gives utterance, and undertake to vindicate
the conduct of the Deity towards him. They repeat with greater




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                13
asperity their charges of wickedness and impiety, and even go so
far as to accuse him of particular crimes. But the more they press
their accusations, the more confident is he in his assertions of his
innocence, or of the justice of his cause. He avows his conviction
that God will one day manifest himself as the vindicator of his
character. He appeals to him as the witness of his sincerity;
denies the constancy, and even the frequency, of his judgments
upon wicked men; and boldly asks for an opportunity of pleading
his cause with his Creator, confident that he should be acquitted
before any righteous tribunal. His friends are reduced to silence;
Bildad closing their remarks by a few general maxims respecting
the greatness of God and the frailty of man, and Zophar not undertaking to say any thing.
The spirit of Job is somewhat softened by their silence; and he
retracts some of the sentiments, which, in the anguish of his spirit,
and the heat of controversy, he had inconsiderately uttered.
" He proceeds with calm confidence like a lion among his defeated
enemies." He shows that he was able to speak of the perfections
of God, and to express all that was true in the positions of his
opponents, in a better style than any of them. He now admits,
what before he seemed to deny, that wicked men are often visited
by severe punishment. But from his main position he does not
retreat, that misery is not always the consequence of wickedness,
and that God has a hidden wisdom in regard to the distribution of
happiness and misery, which it is impossible for man to fathom.
He then proceeds with a melting pathos to describe his present
in contrast with his former condition, and to give a most beautiful picture of his character and life, very pardonable in one of
whom the reader knows what has in the prologue been said by the
Governor of the world before, the angels of heaven. From this
retrospect of his past life, he is led to renewed protestations of
his innocence, and of his desire to have his cause tried before the
tribunal of his Creator.
In this stage of the discussion, a new disputant is brought forward, probably for the purpose of expressing some thoughts of the
author on the design of afflictions, and for the purpose of forming
a contrast in respect to style and manner with the manifestation of
the Deity which follows. Elihu is represented as a young man




14                INTRODUCTION       TO
coming forward with an air of great confidence, though in words
he ascribes the burden with which his breast was laboring to the
inspiration of God. He does, indeed, bring forward some thoughts
on the moral influence of afflictions which had not been uttered by
the friends of Job; maintaining that, though they may not be the
punishment of past offences, nor evidence of guilt, they may operate as preventives of those sins which the best of men sometimes
commit, and as a salutary discipline for the correction of those
faults of which a man may be unconscious until his attention is
awakened by adversity. Thus he offers a more rational conjecture than the three friends of Job, in regard to the cause of his
afflictions; and, in fact, gives nearly the same account of it which
is regarded as true by the writer, and is implied in the prologue
and epilogue of the poem. Affliction, according to Elihu, is
designed for the moral benefit of the sufferer. His view of the
design of human sufferings is, therefore, nearer the Christian doctrine than that of any speaker in the book. Of course, like all
others, he fails of completely solving all the difficulties, which,
even under the light of the Christian dispensation, are connected
with the subject of the amount of evil which exists in the world,
and the distribution of good and evil in it, under the government of God.    Thus an appropriate place remains for the
sublime speech of the Deity relating to the unsearchableness of
his counsels and his ways.
Human wisdom, the learned wisdom of age, and the unbiassed
genius of youth, having now been exhausted upon the subject,
at length the Supreme Being himself is represented as speaking from the midst of a tempest, and putting an end to the controversy; the dignity of his introduction being rendered more
impressive by the self-confident egotism with which Elihu had commenced his part in the contest.
The Creator decides the controversy, to a certain extent, in
favor of Job. Jehovah does not, however, condescend to explain
to him the ways of his providence, or to reveal to him the reasons
which influence his conduct; but, in a series of forcible questions relating to the Divine operations in the realms of nature,
he convinces him of his inability to fathom the Divine counsels,
demonstrates the necessity of faith in a wisdom which he cannot




THE BOOK      OF JOB.                15
comprehend, produces in him a sense of his weakness and igtorance, and leads him to profound repentance on account of the
rashness of his language; and thus prepares the way for the final
vindication of his faithful servant. In a strain of sublime.rony,
he requests him, who had spoken with such confidence and boldness of the ways of God, to give an explanation of some of the
phenomena which were constantly presented to his view, - ol the
nature and structure of the earth, the sea, the light, and the animal kingdom. If he be unable to explain any of the common
phenomena of nature, how can he expect to comprehend the
secret counsels and moral government of the invisible Author
of nature?
But, having shown the reasonableness of entire confidence in his
unsearchable wisdom, and of submission to his darkest dispensations, the Supreme Judge does, in the main, decide the controversy in favor of Job. He declares that he had spoken that which
was right; that is, in maintaining that his misery was not the consequence of his guilt, or that character is not to be inferred from
external condition; and that the friends of Job had not spoken
that which was right in condemning him as a wicked man on account of his misery, or in maintaining that suffering always implies
guilt. (Chap. xlii. 7, 8.) The cause of Job's afflictions, which was
unknown to the disputants, has already been communicated to the
reader in the introductory chapters; namely, that they were appointed as a temporary trial of his virtue, in order to vindicate
the judgment of Jehovah concerning him, and to prove against
all gainsayers the disinterestedness of his piety. Finally, Jehovah
is represented as bestowing upon Job double the prosperity which
distinguished him before his affliction, and thus as compensating
him for the calamities he had suffered; thereby showing, for the
consolation of all who endure affliction, that the end of the good
man will prove that he was also wise.
If the general design of this wonderful production be such as
I have described, the question whether Job was a real or a fictitious character becomes almost too unimportant to be discussed.
Truth was illustrated and duty enforced by parable as well as by
history, in the teaching of him who spake as never man spake.




16               INTRODUCTION       TO
Certainly some of the circumstances of the life of Job have the
air of fiction, and may have been invented for the promotion of
the moral and religious design which we suppose the author to
have had chiefly in view.
That the sentiments of Job and of the different disputants, as
well as those which are represented as proceeding from the lips
of the Creator, must all be regarded as the effusions of the poet's
own mind, is also too plain to need argument. The whole structure and arrangement, thoughts and language, form and substance of the work, must all have proceeded from one and the
same mind.
The supposition, that so beautiful and harmonious a whole,
every part of which bears the stamp of the highest genius, was
the casual production of a man brought to the gates of the grave
by a loathsome disease, and of three or four friends who had
come to comfort him in his affliction, all of them expressing their
thoughts in the language of rhythm and poetry; that the Deity
was actually heard to speak half an hour from the midst of a
violent storm; and that the consultations in the heavenly world
were actual occurrences, -is too extravagant to need refutation.
On the other hand, it is anst prlt n against probability and against analogy
to suppose that no such person as Job ever existed, and that the
work has no foundation in fact. The etymological signification
of his name, persecuted, has a very slight bearing on the subject.
The epic and dramatic poets, ancient and modern, have usually
chosen historical rather than fictitious personages as their principal characters, as being better adapted to secure the popular
sympathy.  It is probable that tradition had handed down the
name of such a person as Job, distinguished for his piety and its
trials, his virtue and its reward. This tradition the poet used
and embellished in a manner adapted to promote the chief object
of his work.
A more important question, at the present day, relates to the
integrity of the work; whether we have it as it came from the
author, or whether various additions have been made to it in
later times.
The genuineness of the introductory and concluding chapters




THE BOOK      OF JOB.                17
in prose, of chap. xxvii. 7-xxviii., and of the speech of Elihu, has
been denied with great confidence by several German scholars,
upon what I cannot but regard as very insufficient grounds. Well
knowing the array of learned critics from whom I differ on this
question, I have some distrust in my own judgment. But I will
endeavor to examine with fairness the arguments which have been
adduced against the genuineness of the above-mentioned parts of
Job.
Against the prologue and epilogue it is urged, "that the perfection of the work requires their rejection, because they solve
the problem which is the subject of the work by the idea of trial
and compensation; whereas it was the design of the author to
solve the question through the idea of entire submission on the
part of man to the wisdom and power of God." Thus, from a
part of the work it is concluded what was the whole design of
the author, and then whatever is inconsistent with this supposed
design is rejected. But there is no necessity for the supposition
of such an entire unity of purpose as this objection supposes.
Much more probable is it, that the author designed not only to
establish the necessity of unhesitating faith and unwavering submission, but also to throw all the light in his power upon the
subject, considered as a problem for intellectual inquiry. If he
has not completely solved the question which forms the principal
subject of discussion, it does not follow that he did not undertake
to do it; or, at least, to remove from it all the difficulties which
he could remove.  If it were even admitted, which I do not
assert, that there is not a perfect consistency and unity in the
views of a poet writing upon a very deep subject, he would not
be the only one who has written inconsistently on the origin and
design of evil. What author has written with perfect consistency
on the principles of the government of the Infinite One? Would
it be reasonable to reject as ungenuine all those parts of Soame
Jenyns's work on the origin of evil which Dr. Johnson points out
as inconsistent with its main design, or with other parts of the
composition? It seems, indeed, singular, that a writer who has
made such pathetic complaints of human suffering without apparent cause should recur so easily to the doctrine of compensation,
which is contained in chap. xlii. But to deny, on this account, that




18               INTRODUCTION      TO
he wrote the latter, is arbitrary and absurd. Perhaps, in the one
case, the writer expressed what he felt to be true; in the other,
what he wished to be true, or what was in conformity with the
prevalent Jewish belief respecting Divine retribution. We have
a similar phenomenon in the Book of Ecclesiastes. But no one
has thought of rejecting large portions of this book.
Far more reasonable is it to gather the author's design from a
view of the whole work; especially as there is no inconsistency
in the supposition that he endeavored to clear up the difficulties
which the subject presents to the human understanding, as well
as to illustrate the necessity of the entire submission of the heart
to God's will.
Besides, the prologue is important, not only as containing, in
part, the writer's solution of the subject, but also as a preparation
for the reader in estimating the character and language of Job.
We could hardly sympathize with the imprecations with which he
commences, or with his irreverent language toward the Deity, or
even with his bold assertions of his own innocence, unless we
were assured upon higher authority than his own, that he was,
what he professed to be, an upright and good man. The whole
takes a far deeper hold upon our sympathy, when we know that
he who is in a state of such extreme depression, suffering reproach and condemnation from fallible men, has a witness in
heaven and a record on high, having received the praise of an
upright and good man from the Searcher of hearts before the
angels in heaven.
The objection to the genuineness of chap. xxvii. and xxviii. is,
that an apparent inconsistency exists between the language here
assigned to Job, and what he has uttered in chap. xxi. This
inconsistency is obvious, and was long ago observed by Kennicott. See. his note on chap. xxvii. 7. And, if the object of the
poet was to represent merely a persevering, unbending character
like the Prometheus of 2Eschylus, there might be some force in
the objection. But, if the design of the work be, as we have
represented it, to throw all possible light upon a moral subject, it
is well that Job should be represented as retracting what he had
uttered in the heat of passion, and admitting all that he could
admit with truth, and consistently with his main position, that he




THE BOOK      OF JOB.                19
was innocent, or that misery is not always a proof of guilt. The
great object of the poem is in fact advanced by such a course, and
by Job's anticipating in some measure, in chap. xxviii., the arguments of the Supreme Judge. All that Job admits is not really
inconsistent with what he says in chap. xxix., xxx., xxxi., and
does not bring the subject to a crisis too soon.
In regard to the speech of Elihu, it is objected, that it differs
in style from that of the other speakers; that it is weak, prolix,
studied, obscure; that it is distinguished from the genuine parts
of the book by the use of favorite expressions, and by reminiscences from the thoughts of some of the other speakers. That
there is some difference between the language of Elihu and that
of the other speakers is conceded, especially when he is represented as speaking of himself. But, when he has entered upon
the subject, his thoughts are as weighty and as well expressed
as those of the other speakers. The superiority of other parts
of the book to the speech of Elihu appears to me to be stated
by Davidson in very extravagant terms. I should be glad to be
informed why chap. xxxiv. 16-30, xxxvi. 5-33, and xxxvii. 1-24,
are not equal in poetic beauty and sublimity to many other parts
of the work. But the true answer is, that this difference was
designed; that a different style was assigned to Elihu by the
author. There is some difference of manner in the speeches of
the other adversaries of Job. It is more marked in the speech
of Elihu, because he was a young man. Youthful forwardness
was more inconsistent with Eastern feelings and manners than with
ours. (See chap. xxix. 8.) And it is not strange that the poet
should represent a young man appearing upon such an occasion
as giving indications of youthful confidence in matters of theology.
The author, however, soon forgets the character in which he is
representing Elihu, and speaks in his own vein.  It is evident
that he had very little power to delineate character, or to go out
of himself into the person of another.
It is rather evidence of skill in the poet, that he renders the
sublime manifestation and the impressive language of the Deity
more striking by contrasting with them the egotistic flourish and
self-confidence with which young Elihu commences his discourse,
and which he occasionally manifests in other parts of it. In




20                INTRODUCTION      TO
regard to favorite expressions, and the reminiscences of the language of the other speakers, I think they are circumstances of
very little importance.  They may, at any rate, be the result
of design, as part of the manner of Elihu; or they may be the
result of inadvertence.
It is objected, secondly, that the speech of Elihu weakens the
speeches of Job and of the Deity, in chap. xxix., xxx., xxxi.,
xxxviii., &c.; obscures the relation in which these stand to each
other; and, in part, anticipates the thoughts which that of the
Deity contains. We have already made some reply to this by
the observation, that the majesty of the Divine appearance is
heightened by contrast with the language of Elihu. It may be
observed, too, that all the speakers have more or less anticipated
the argument of the Deity, and could not well say any thing of the
Creator or his works without doing it. But, as a whole, the speech
of the Deity is remarkably distinguished from those of the other
speakers. As to the interruption of the connection between the
speech of Job and that of the Deity, it is not a very important
circumstance. Let it be conceded, for the sake of argument, that
the omission of the speech of Elihu would contribute to the perfection of the work, or that it is in itself somewhat inferior to
other parts of it. What then P Why is it assumed that this poem
must be a perfect production? Do not modern critics and reviewers imagine, that they can improve many of the productions
of genius by the addition of a part here, or the subtraction of
a part there? Some portions of " Paradise Lost" are inferior in
strength and majesty to others, and the inferiority of "Paradise
Regained" is generally recognized. But no one thinks of doubting their genuineness on this account. Besides, the author does
give in Elihu's discourse one view of the cause of human suffering which is not distinctly stated elsewhere. (See chap. xxxiii.
14-28.) He might be expected to give it. For the doctrine of
the beneficent design of affliction is found in parts of the Old
Testament older than the Book of Job.
It is objected, in the next place, that Elihu perverts the language of Job; a thing which would have been done only by a
person who was not the author of the work. To this it may be
replied, that though the particular passages, which Elihu pre



TIHE BOOK     OF JOB.                21
tends to quote, are somewhat misstated, yet he hardly ascribes to
Job more objectionable sentiments than he had elsewhere expressed, as in chap. xxi. Besides, it is not unnatural in a disputant,
especially a young one, to misapprehend a question, or to misstate the language of an opponent.
It is said, again, that Elihu receives no answer. I apprehend
that it was agreeable to Eastern feelings that such a forward
young man should receive no answer. At any rate, this objection
has little weight. For answers must come to an end at some
time or other. It is said also, that Job is mentioned by name
in the speech of Elihu, and not elsewhere. But surely so unimportant a circumstance, occurring in a speech where difference
of nianner was to be expected, affords very slight ground for
suspecting its genuineness.
Again, it is said, Elihu is not mentioned in the prologue and
epilogue. It is sufficient answer to this to say, that the author
thought it proper to have but three speakers in the principal part
of the debate, and to give a special introduction to Elihu in chap.
xxxii. His judgment on this point may not have been as good as
that of his modern critics; but I see not why we should alter the
plan of his book on this account. As to the fact that Elihu is not
mentioned in the epilogue, it may have been for the reason above
assigned for his receiving no reply from Job; or because nothing
occurred to the author which was particularly appropriate to be
said to him.
Lastly, it is asserted by Davidson, exaggerating what has been
adduced by Heiligstedt, that " expressions, word-forms, modes
of speech occur, for which others are as uniformly found in the
older work." If this broad statement were well supported, it
would undoubtedly form a strong argument against the genuineness of Elihu's speech. But the instances which he cites are
very far from sustaining it. In the first place, the whole bcok
contains peculiar forms inclining to the Aramoean, as has been
remarked by Gesenius,* De Wette,t and others, so that they
have referred the whole book to the Chaldee period.$  In its
* Gesch. d. Heb. Spr., ~ 33.  t Einleit., ~ 291.
t See Int., p. 26.




22                INTRODUCTION      TO
Aramnean character, generally, the speech of Elihu agrees with
the whole book. Secondly, the particular instances adduced by
Davidson are of very little weight. Thus 5_, knowledge, instead
of?Tl. But Elihu uses the latter word in chap. xxxiii. 3, and
xxxiv. 35. So that the same argument will prove the speech of
Elihu itself to have had two authors. It is not improbable that.V, my knowledye, was used for %.S?, for the sake of euphony.
Another instance is MI, used in the singular to denote youth.
But the word is not used in the plural in any part of the book.
Of course it proves nothing. It is also found in the singular in
Ps. Lxxxviii. 15.
Another instance is lo, but, in chap. xxxii. 8. But the word
is used in this sense in Ps. xxxi. 23, lxxxii. 7, and Isa. xlix. 4.
How this instance proves any thing, I am unable to see.
Another instance is 1.Y, said to be used for,_15, in chap.
xxxiv. 10. But the same form is found in Ps. vii. 4, liii. 2, and
Ezek. iii. 20. So one form of the root denoting iniquity is used
in Job v. 1, 6; and another, in xi. 29. Thus there is no reason
whatever why Elihu should not have used I5, or 1), at pleasure.
Another instance is the use of the singular l, to denote life,
in chap. xxxiii., instead of the plural ted, which occurs two or
three times in other parts of the book. It occurs, however, in
Ezek. vii. 13. As this is a familiar word, it must be admitted
that its constant use in the singular in the speech of Elihu is
something which could hardly be expected from the writer of the
other parts of the book. But stranger things than this are found
in writings all the parts of which are of undisputed genuineness.
I can by no means allow to this instance a conclusive force.
I have examined all the instances brought forward by Davidson, and cannot find any of them to be more conclusive against
the genuineness of Elihu's speech than the preceding. It seems to
me that they are of no great significance. Generally speaking,
an argument of this kind should be founded on very familiar
phrases, which a writer has frequent occasion to use, and which
he uses from habit. An author may use one word here, and




THE BOOK      OF JOB.                 23
another there, to express the same meaning, either for the sake
of variety or of euphony, or without any particular motive.
On the whole, if it were even admitted, what I have no inclination to deny, that the style of Elihu is so diverse from that of the
rest of the poem as to be somewhat remarkable, or not wholly
explained by what has been said, yet, when we consider the strong
presumption that such a work as the Book of Job would not be
tampered with by his countrymen, and especially by a poet of no
mean pretensions, I cannot help doubting whether there is sufficient reason for rejecting the passages under consideration. I
can well conceive of additions being made to annals or history.
It is also true that some whole compositions, or independent portions, of the Old Testament are ascribed to those who did not
write them. This was the case with many of the Psalms, Ecclesiastes, the Book of Daniel, and with several prophecies in the
Book of Isaiah. But this is a very different thing from introducing so large an addition into the midst of one poetical composition.
It is easy to conceive that compositions should be ascribed to
Homer, Virgil, Milton, Shakspeare, which they did not write.
But that one should undertake to make an interpolation of many
pages into the very midst of one of the best poems of either
of these writers, is much more improbable, both on account of
want of sufficient motive, the difficulty of executing the design,
and the obstacles in the way of the reception by his contemporaries
of such an interpolation. It appears to me that a Jew, and especially a Jewish poet, must have had too great a reverence for this
noble production to undertake to improve it by such an addition,
and that the early readers of the work would not have given it
a universal reception. While, therefore, I readily concede some
degree of inferiority, in parts of Elihu's speech, to other portions
of the book, in respect to poetic merit, I think it is not of so
very extraordinary and marked a nature, so different from what
occurs in the works of other poets, as to be unaccountable except
on the supposition of the spuriousness of the speech. I well
know what a weight of modern critical authority is against me
on this point. This consideration, I am free to acknowledge,
weakens, in what is partly a matter of taste, my confidence in
my own view of the subject, but does not destroy it. At any




24                INTRODUCTION      TO
rate, as the current of modern criticism is against the opinion
here expressed, I shall not regret, in a matter of very little
moment, to have stated the reasons for holding fast the integrity
of the book, even if they should be deemed unsatisfactory.
As to the country of Job, or, in other words, the scene of the
poem, there has been a diversity of opinion amongst distinguished
scholars. I was formerly inclined to adopt the opinion of those
who supposed it to be Idumsea. I now think, that Lam. iv. 21,
which at first view seems to favor this supposition, in fact indicates that the land of Uz was not a part of Idumsea, and that the
prophet speaks of the Edomites as having gained possession of a
country which did not belong to them. It appears to me, too,
that Jer. xxv. 20, is also'decisive of the question; else why does
the prophet speak of the kings of the land of Uz and of Edom, in
the next verse, as separate nations, to whom he was to extend the
cup of indignation?
I now think it more probable, that the land of Uz was in the
north-eastern part of Arabia Deserta, between Palestine, Idumsea,
and the Euphrates. Ptolemy speaks of a tribe in this region,
called'Ataarat, which may perhaps have been written'Avairat (see
Ilos. Cor. in Job, p. 30); and the Septuagint renders Uz,'Avairt.
This country would then be near the Chaldseans and Sabmans, by
whose incursions the property of Job is said to have been lost.
It is more properly entitled to the appellation of the East than
Idumsea, which was nearly south of Palestine. The beautiful
valley of Damascus, which Jahn supposes to have been the country
of Job, could hardly have been so extensive as to account for the
expression, " all the kings of the land of Uz," in Jer. xxv. 20.
A more interesting question remains to be spoken of; namely,
in what country and in what age did the author live?
I shall not enter into a discussion of the various conjectures
which have been offered in regard to the author of the book.
Why should we seek to form an opinion, where there are absolutely no data on which to ground it  To me it seems highly
probable, that the author of this incomparable production was one
of whom we have no records and no other remains. The opinions




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                 25
of those who have undertaken to name the author are widely
diverse. Lowth attributes it to Job himself; Lightfoot and
others attribute it to Elihu; some of the Rabbinical writers, as
also Kennicott, Michaelis, Dathe, and Good, to Moses; Luther,
Grotius, and Doderlein, to Solomon; while Warburton ascribes
it to Ezra.
Respecting the age in which the author lived, it might seem,
at first view, that some judgment could be formed on internal
grounds. But, in consequence of our imperfect acquaintance with
the state of civilization, knowledge, opinions, and manners in
ancient times, it is difficult to form a satisfactory opinion on the
subject.
Some eminent scholars, as Lowth, Eichhorn, and Ilgen, have
supposed that the author lived before the settlement of the Israelites in the land of Canaan. The principal argument in favor of
this opinion is the absence of allusions to the institutions, rites,
and ceremonies introduced by Moses, and to remarkable events in
the history of the Jewish nation. This argument would be more
satisfactory, if the characters, as well as the author, of the work,
had been Hebrews. But as they were Arabians, who had nothing
to do with the institutions of Moses, it is plain that a writer of
genius would not have been guilty of the absurdity of putting the
sentiments of a Jew into the mouth of an Arabian, at least so far
as relates to such tangible matters as institutions, positive laws,
ceremonies, and history. To me it seems that the author has
manifested abundant evidence of genius and skill in the structure
and execution of the work, to account for his not having given to
Arabians the obvious peculiarities of Hebrews who lived under
the institutions of Moses, at whatever period it may have been
written. Even if the characters of the book had been Hebrews,
the argument under consideration would not have been perfectly
conclusive; for, from the nature of the subject, we might have
expected as little in it that was Levitical or grossly Jewish as in the
Book of Proverbs or of Ecclesiastes, or in several of the Prophets. A poet may nominally belong to a church of forms and ceremonies, and yet give very little evidence of it in his compositions,
The argument for the Antemosaic origin of the book seems, there2




26                INTRODUCTION       TO
fore, wholly destitute of weight. On the contrary, we find a very
strong argument against that opinion in the abstruse nature of its
subject, and its speculative and philosophical spirit, which seem
to imply a stage of civilization and a state of society different
from what we suppose to have existed among the wandering
Jews to whom Moses gave the law upon Sinai. It is to be kept
in mind that the poet wrote for his contemporaries, and that
the spirit of the reader as well as of the writer must be reflected
from the work. It was agreeable to the spirit of Moses to say,
Thus saith Jehovah, Ye shall do this, and, Ye shall not do that;
and to accompany these commands and prohibitions with the most
terrible sanctions, rather than to indulge in such bold speculations
as are contained in this book.* A very different kind of poetry,
if any could have existed at that time, seems also to be proper to
the circumstances of the Jews in and before the age of Moses.
There is more uncertainty in regard to particular religious conceptions. Those respecting angels, contained in the following
verses, are supposed by De Wette to be inconsistent with those
of the Mosaic age: iv. 18; v. 1; xv. 15; xxi. 22; xxxiii. 23, &c.;
xxxviii. 7, comp. i. 7, ii. 2, &c. But it may be doubted whether
this argument is valid. The manners and condition of society
referred to or implied in some, at least, of the following passages,
adduced by De Wette, seem to point to a much later period of
Jewish history than the Antemosaic or the Mosaic age. It strikes
me as rather inconsistent with the simplicity of the patriarchal age,
that Job should be represented as the ruler or judge of a city,
chap. xxix. 7, 8, 9; that there should be an allusion to the written sentence of a judge, chap. xiii. 26; to the signing of a bill of
defence or complaint, to be brought into court, chap. xxxi. 35;
to the recording of facts in a register or book-roll, or upon tab.
lets of stone, chap. xix. 23, 24; to the custom of holding courts
in the gates of walled cities, chap. v. 4, xxix. 7; to desolate
cities, chap. xv. 28; to cities, chap. xxiv. 12, xxxix. 7; to various kinds of armor, chap. xx. 24, 25, and to the war-horse, chap.
xxxix. 21-25; to splendid palaces or tombs, chap. iii. 14; to the
deposition of kings, chap. xii. 18; to the laying-up of wealth in
See Exod. xx. 5.




THE BOOK     OF JOB.                27
the form of money, chap. xx. 15, xxii. 24, xxiii. 10, xxvii. 16,
xxxi, 24; and to mining operations, in chap. xxviii. These allusions may not be perfectly conclusive. Modern discoveries respecting the ancient Egyptian civilization lessen in some degree
their conclusiveness; but they certainly do not well harmonize
with our notions of the life and manners of the Hebrew patriarchs
before the time of Moses. They suggest to us a later age.
In regard to the age of Solomon, or the period which intervenes between Solomon and the captivity at Babylon, which is
assigned to it by some writers, there is no very decisive objection.
Even if the work is supposed to have a national object, or
to have been designed for the encouragement and consolation
of the Jewish people as a nation, while in a state of calamity,
there are several periods before the captivity when such a work
would have been appropriate; for instance, the period of Habakkuk, whose expostulation with the Deity, and what follows in his
prophecy, have a resemblance to the subject and sentiments
of the Book of Job. There is no necessity, however, for supposing the work to have a national object. If this had been the
case, I think it would have been made more distinctly to appear
by the author. The subject is one which the vicissitudes of
individual experience render as interesting and pertinent in the
highest period of national prosperity as at the lowest point of
national depression.
There is one consideration, however, which has inclined the
best Hebrew scholars, of late, to assign the period of the captivity at Babylon as the age of the author of Job; namely, the
Chaldaizing character of the language; for instance,?Y, to
answer, applied to one who begins a discourse. The plural form
of {,*7, 3..; Vt.'1j, the holy ones, applied to angels;,li2, xvi.
19; ta1, xiv. 20, xv. 24;'.r, xxi. 21, xxii. 3; st=, vii. 3; O,
not, xvi. 6 (comp. xxxi. 1);.2 for., xviii. 2; ln for jU, xli.
4; t as a prefix, xix. 29, &c.; 7t, to command. From these and
other instances, Gesenius, De Wette, and Umbreit have referred
the Book of Job to the time of the captivity; a period assigned to
it by Le Clerc, Warburton, Heath, Garnet, and Rabbi Jochanan




28                INTRODUCTION       TO
among the older critics. But from the few remains of Hebrew
literature which have come down to us, and our imperfect acquaintance with the history of the language, it follows, that it is by no
means certain that the words and forms above mentioned may not
have been in use in some parts of Judea before the time of the
captivity. tl as a prefix occurs in the Book of Judges. (See
vi. 17.)
The introduction of Satan, in the historical introduction in
prose, is certainly a strong argument against the high antiquity of
the work. For there is no mention of such a being, by the name
of Satan, in any of the Hebrew writings composed before the
exile in Babylon; and there is some reason, though not absolutely
conclusive, for believing that it was from the Chaldamns that the
Jews derived the conception of such a being. This argument, if
founded on correct premises, seems to be conclusive against the
high antiquity of the work. For it is hardly credible that the
Hebrews should have had the conception of an evil spirit before
the time of Moses, and that it should not once occur in the writings
which preceded the exile. But it may be doubted whether this
argument be conclusive against the supposition that the Book of
Job was written a short time before the exile. As to the opinion
of Schultens, Herder, Dathe, Eichhorn, and others, that the
Satan of the Book of Job was a good angel, it is now universally
rejected as untenable.
The question may be asked, whether the perfection of the work
is not inconsistent with the state of Hebrew literature during the
captivity. Notwithstanding the strong language of Bishop Lowth
on this point, I think it may justly be inferred from the psalms
composed during this period, and from the ungenuine Isaiah, that
this question should be answered in the negative. (See Ps.
cxxxvii.; also Isa. xl.-lxvi.)
On the whole, it appears to me that there are no data upon
which one can form a very confident opinion in regard to the precise age of the Book of Job. The latest period assigned for it
appears to me far more probable than the earliest, and indeed the
most probable; but that it may not have been written some time
between the age of Solomon and the captivity is more than any
one, who has surveyed the subject carefully, will with confidence




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                 29
assert. If a time of national distress is deemed probable, why
should not the period of the Assyrian invasion, or that which
followed it, have given birth to the work?
One more point remains to be considered; namely, the country
of the author of the Book of Job. For it has been maintained
that he was not a Hebrew, but an Arabian; and that the work is a
translation from the Arabic.
In opposition to this opinion, it is to be observed in the first
place, that there is no external evidence in favor of it. The work
is now found in Hebrew alone, in the collection of what remains
of ancient Hebrew literature; a collection which has been held
sacred by the Jews as far back as we can trace their sentiments
respecting it. Nor is there any history or tradition which intimates that the work ever existed in a different language.
It is found, too, in the sacred literature of a people peculiarly
proud of their religious prerogatives, and regarding with coldness or jealousy, and often with aversion or hatred, all other
nations. It is extremely improbable that any Jew would have
had the inclination to transfer the production of a heathen into
the Jewish literature, or that he would have been permitted to
do it.
In the next place, the work is not only in the Hebrew language,
but in the best style of Hebrew composition. The parallelism is
uniform and well sustained; the sentences are pointed; the style
is fresh and vigorous, and bears not, in its general characteristics,
the slightest mark of a translation.
In opposition, then, to the external evidence, and to the general style of the composition, what are the reasons which have
induced some distinguished men in modern times to regard the
work as the production of an Arabian, and as translated from the
Arabic?
They are, in the first place, the words, occurring in it more
frequently than in other books of the Old Testament, which are
regarded as Arabic in a Hebrew dress, or which may be illustrated
from the Arabic. But these words are very few in relation to the
whole work, and are not the less Hebrew because they may be
illustrated from the Arabic. With the exception of the few formus




30                INTRODUCTION        TO
which resemble the Aramean, the Book of Job is in as pure
Hebrew as any other part of the Scriptures. It appears to me
that the remark of Jahn is perfectly just and satisfactory in regard
to this topic: " It is not at all surprising, that in a lofty poem we
find many of the less common words and ideas, which the Hebrew, through the poverty of its literature, has lost; while they
have been preserved by the Arabic, the richest of the sister dialects." *
It has been said, that, if the author had been a Hebrew; more
of a Levitical or ritual character would have been found in the
book. This consideration seems to me to have a satisfactory
answer in what has been said in pp. 23-27 against the high
antiquity of the poem.
The other argument, in support of the opinion that an Arabian
was the author of the poem, is drawn from the various allusions
to Arabian manners and customs which are scattered through it.
In regard to this argument, there are two things to be observed.
First, we have reason to believe that the manners of the Jews, in
some parts of Palestine, very much resembled those of the Arabs.
As they sprang from the same stock, why should this not be the
case, except so far as the Jews were distinguished by their religious institutions P
We are apt to form our conceptions of the whole Jewish nation
from what we learn, in the Scriptures, of the inhabitants of cities,
of Jerusalem in particular. It is to be recollected that the Hebrews were originally and "essentially a nomadic people; their
fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, had ever been so; they were
emphatically Bedouins, removing with their flocks and herds from
place to place, as occasion might require. In Egypt they had
ever been shepherds, - their province of Goshen was adapted to
pasturage, and not to tillage; and now, when they had come out
into the deserts, with their flocks and herds, they were still the
nomadic race they had ever been, - a people resembling those by
whom these desert plains and valleys and mountains are possessed to this day."t It is not singular that the manners of
Jahn's Introduction, ~ 196.
t See Biblical Repository, No. VIII. p. 787.




THE BOOK     OF JOB.               31
Bedouins should have been in a measure retained by those
Hebrews who dwelt out of cities.
It follows from the preceding consideration, that the author of
Job, having determined to make his characters Arabians, and to
lay the scene of his work in Arabia, would find no difficulty in
suiting the manners and sentiments of his characters, and his
local allusions, to the scene which he had chosen; so that his only
difficulty would be to exclude from his work obvious references to
the Jewish history and religion. If, in addition to this, we suppose, what is perfectly reasonable, that the Hebrew philosopher
had, like Plato, travelled into Egypt and through Arabia for the
purpose of enriching his mind with all the knowledge of those
countries, I think we shall find no difficulty in the supposition,
that a Hebrew, of such genius and skill as are manifested in this
work, might have been the author of it. A recent commentator
on Job, Hirzel, has conjectured that the author was a Hebrew
captive, carried into Egypt by Pharaoh Necho. (See 2 Kings
xxiii. 29, &c.)
But this is not all. It seems to me, that though Arabian manners and scenes are the superficial characteristics of the work,
yet, in its general spirit, and in many less obvious characteristics,
the author has manifestly shown himself to be a Hebrew poet.
The very subject of the work is just what might have been expected to arrest the attention of a Hebrew philosopher, educated
in the religion of Moses. It is similar to that of other Hebrew
compositions, as has been observed before.* In fact, if we regard
the spirit and scope of the work, the remark of De Wette appears
not too strong, that it is Hebrew through and through.
There are also many particular sentiments which we know to
be appropriate to a Hebrew, possessing an acquaintance with the
Hebrew literature and religion, and which we do not know to
have been appropriate to an Arabian. Such are the following,
which are more or less satisfactory. Chap. ix. 5-9; xii. 10; xv. 7;
xxvi. 5, &c.; xxxviii. 4, &c.; — iv. 19; x. 9; xxvii. 3; -iv. 17,
&c.; viii. 9; ix. 2; xiii. 26; xiv. 4; xv. 14; xxv. 4, 6; -iv. 18;
v. 1; xv. 15; xxi. 22; xxxviii. 7;-xxxi. 26, 27;-vii. 7, &c.,
* Page 8




32                INTRODUCTION       TO
x. 21, &c.; xiv. 10, &c.; xvi. 22; xxx. 23; xxxviii 17. Add to
these the mention of the Jordan as an instance of a great stream
(chap. xl. 23), and the use of the name of Jehovah in the introduction and conclusion of the work. The sentiments and some
of the expressions which are contained in the preceding references are also common in other parts of the Scriptures. Some of
the sentiments may, it is true, havp been held by the Arabians in
common with the Hebrews; but we do not know it. The presumption, therefore, is, that they proceeded from one who was
familiar with Hebrew literature; that is, from a Hebrew.
The following instance of resemblance to passages in the
Psalms and Proverbs are also of weight with those who do not
believe that the work "is of very high antiquity, and translated
and incorporated into the Hebrew literature so early that the
authors of the Psalms and Proverbs borrowed from it. To me it
seems more probable, that these common thoughts and peculiar
expressions indicate only that the books in which they occur
belong to a common literature, the literature of the same nation.
Chap. v. 16, xxii. 19, comp. Ps. cvii. 42. Chap. xii. 21, 24, comp.
Ps. cvii. 40. Chap. xiii. 5, comp. Prov. xvii. 28. Chap. xv. 16,
xxxiv. 7, comp. Prov. xxvi. 6. Chap. xxii. 29, comp. Prov. xvi. 18,
xviii. 12, xxix. 23. Chap. xxvi. 5, comp. Prov. ii. 18, xxi. 16.
Chap. xxvi. 6, comp. Prov. xv. 11. Chap. xxvii. 16, &c., comp.
Prov. xxviii. 8. Chap. xxviii. 18, comp. Prov. viii. 11. Chap.
xxviii. 28, comp. Prov. i. 7.  t.', chap. v. 12, vi. 13, xi. 6, xii. 16,
xxvi. 3, xxx. 22, comp. Prov. ii. 7, iii. 21, viii. 14, xviii. 1.,t~t,
chap. vi. 2, xxx. 13, comp. Prov. xix. 13. 1~5q., chap. xxxvii.
12, comp. Prov. i. 5, xi. 14, and often.
On the whole, it appears to me that the internal evidence alone
makes it more probable that the author was a Hebrew than that
he was a foreigner; and, when we also add the external evidence in favor of this conclusion, there seems to be very little
room for doubt.
It may seem remarkable, that the author of a work, which, for
reach of thought, richness of imagination, depth and tenderness
of feeling, and skill in its plan and execution, surpasses any production of Hebrew literature which has come down to us, should




THE   BOOK    OF JOB.                  33
yet be unknown. But, when we consider the vicissitudes through
which the Jewish nation has passed, the wonder is that we retain
the work itself.
"But who," says the eloquent Herder, "shall answer our
inquiries respecting him to whose meditations we are indebted for
this ancient book, this justification of the ways of God to man,
and sublime exaltation of humanity; who has exhibited them,
too, in this silent picture, in the fortunes of an humble sufferer
clothed in sackcloth and sitting in ashes, but fired with the sublime inspirations of his own wisdom? Who shall point us to the
grave of him whose soul kindled with these divine conceptions,
to whom was vouchsafed such access to the counsels of God, to
angels, and the souls of men; who embraced in a single glance
the heavens and the earth; and who could send forth his living
spirit, his poetic fire, and his human affections, to all that exists,
from the land of the shadow of death to the starry firmament, and
beyond the stars? No cypress, flourishing in unfading green,
marks the place of his rest. With his unuttered name he has consigned to oblivion all that was earthly, and, leaving his book for
a memorial below, is engaged in a yet nobler song in that world
where the voice of sorrow and mourning is unheard, and where
the morning stars sing together.
"Or, if he, the patient sufferer, was here the recorder of his
own sufferings and of his own triumph, of his own wisdom, first
victorious in conflict, and then humbled in the dust, how blest
have been his afflictions, how amply rewarded his pains! Here,
in this book, full of imperishable thought, he still lives, gives
utterance to the sorrows of his heart, and extends his triumph
over centuries and continents. Not only, according to his wish,
did he die in his nest, but a phoenix has sprung forth from his
ashes; and from his fragrant nest is diffused an incense which
gives, and will for ever give, reviving energy to the faint, and
strength to the powerless. He has drawn down the heavens to
the earth, encamped their hosts invisibly around the bed of languishing, and made the afflictions of the sufferer a spectacle to
angels; has taught that God, too, looks with a watchful eye upon
his creatures, and exposes them to the trial of their integrity for
the maintenance of his own truth, and the promotion of his own
2*




34    INTRODUCTION       TO THE BOOK OF JOB.
glory.' Behold! we count them happy which endure. Ye have
heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord
[the happy end which the Lord appointed for him], that the
Lord is very pitiful and of tender mercy."' *
In regard to the use of this book, it is hardly necessary, after
what has been said of its character and design, to remind the
reader that the instruction which it contains is to be derived from
its general spirit and design as a whole, and not from particular
verses or passages. Job was censured by the Deity for the rashness of his language; and his friends were condemned by the same
unerring Judge, as not having spoken that which was right. If
we regard independent sentences or speeches, those uttered by
the friends of Job must be regarded as more consistent with the
Jewish revelation, and more respectful to God, than much of the
language of the afflicted sufferer. It was in the absoluteness of
the application of their general maxims that they were wrong; in
endeavoring to prove by them that Job was a bad man because
he was miserable; or, in general, that misery is a proof of guilt.
Perhaps the best lesson to be derived from the book is that which
is enforced in the speech of the Deity; namely, humility in view
of the limited vision of man, and submission to the will of God
in view of the unsearchableness of his wisdom.
CAMBRIDGE, Oct. 14, 1866.
* Herder's Spirit of Hebrew Poetry, Marsh's Translation, vol. i. p. 120.




SYNOPSIS.
I. HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION IN PROSE. CHAP. I., II.
II. CONTROVERSY IN VERSE. CHAP. III.-XLII. 7.
The speech of Job, in which he curses his birth-day, is suce
ceeded by(1) THE FIRST SERIES OF CONTROVERSY. CHAP. IV.-XIV.
1. Speech of Eliphaz. Chap. IV., V.
2. Answer of Job. Chap. VI., VII.
3. Speech of Bildad. Chap. VIII.
4. Answer of Job. Chap. IX., X.
5. Speech of Zophar. Chap. XI.
6. Answer of Job. Chap. XII., XIV.
(2) SECOND SERIES OF CONTROVERSY. CHAP. XV.-XXI.
1. Speech of Eliphaz. Chap. XV.
2. Answer of Job. Chap. XVI., XVII.
3. Speech of Bildad. Chap. XVIII.
4. Answer of Job. Chap. XIX.
5. Speech of Zophar. Chap. XX.
6. Answer of Job. Chap. XXI.
(3) THIRD SERIES OF CONTROVERSY. CHAP. XXII.-XXXI.
1. Speech of Eliphaz. Chap. XXII.
2. Answer of Job. Chap. XXIII., XXIV.
3. Speech of Bildad. Chap. XXV.
4. Answer of Job. Chap. XXVI.-XXXI.
(4) SPEECH OF ELIHU. CHAP. XXXII.-XXXVII.
(5) THE SPEECH OF THE DEITY, WHICH TERMINATES THE
DISCUSSION. CHAP. XXXVII.-XLII. 7.
III. THE CONCLUSION IN PROSE. CHAP. XLII. 7 TO THE END
[35]








JOB.
I.
Job's trial.-CHAP. I., II.
1   IN the land of Uz lived a man whose name was Job.
He was an upright and good man, fearing God and depart2 ing from evil. He had seven sons and three daughters.
3 His substance was seven thousand sheep, three thousand
camels, five hundred yoke of oxen, five hundred she-asses,
and a great number of servants; so that he was the greatest
of all the inhabitants of the East.
4   Now it was the custom of his sons to make a feast in
their houses, each on his day, and to send and invite their
5 three sisters to eat and to drink with them. And when
the days of their feasting had gone round, Job used to
send for them and sanctify them, and to rise up early in the
morning and offer burnt-offerings according to the number
of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have
sinned, and have renounced God in their hearts. Thus did
Job continually.
6   Now on a certain day the sons of God came to present
themselves before Jehovah, and Satan also came among
7 them. And Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou?
Then Satan answered Jehovah, and said, Prom wandering over the earth, and walking up and down in it. And
8 Jehovah said to Satan, Hast thou observed my servant
Job, that there is none like him in the earth, an upright
and good man, fearing God and departing from evil?
9 Then Satan answered Jehovah, Is it for nought that Job
10 feareth God? Hast thou not placed a hedge around him,
and around his house, and around all his possessions?
Thou hast prospered the work of his hands, and his
[371




38                       J 0B.                [CHAP. II.
11 herds are greatly increased in the land  But only put
forth thy hand, and touch whatever he possesseth, and
12 to thy face will he renounce thee. And Jehovah said to
Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; but upon
him lay not thy hand. So Satan went forth from the
presence of Jehovah.
13   Now on a certain day the sons and daughters of Job
were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's
14 house, when a messenger came to Job, and said, The oxen
were ploughing, and the asses feeding beside them, and
15 the Sabaans fell upon them, and took them away; the
servants also they slew with the edge of the sword; and
16 I only am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet
speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of
God hath fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the
sheep and the servants, and consumed them; and I only
17 am escaped alone to tell thee. While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans
made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and
carried them away; the servants also they slew with the
edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell
18 thee.  While he was yet speaking, there came also
another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house; and,
19 lo! there came a great wind from the desert, and smote
the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young
men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to
20 tell thee. Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and
shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and wor21 shipped; and said, Naked came I forth from my mother's
womb, and naked shall I return thither. Jehovah gave,
and Jehovah hath taken away; blessed be the name of
Jehovah! In all this Job sinned not, nor uttered vain
words against God.
1   Again there was a day when the sons of God came to
present themselves before Jehovah; and Satan came also
among them to present himself before Jehovah. And
2 Jehovah said to Satan, Whence comest thou? And Satan
answered Jehovah, and said, From wandering over the
3 earth, and walking up and down in it. Then said Jehovah to Satan, Hast thou observed my servant Job, that




CHAP. III.]             J B.                       39
there is none like him upon the earth, an upright and good
man, fearing God and departing from evil? And still he
holdeth fast his integrity, although thou didst excite me
4 against him to destroy him without a cause. And Satan
answered Jehovah, and said, Skin for skin, yea, all that a
5 man hath will he give for his life. But put forth now
thy hand, and touch his bone and his flesh, and to thy
6 face will he renounce thee. And Jehovah said to Satan,
Behold, he is in thy hand; but spare his life.
7   Then Satan went forth from the presence of Jehovah,
and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot to
8 his crown. And he took a potsherd to scrape himself
withal, and sat down among the ashes.
9   Then said his wife to him, Dost thou still retain thine
10 integrity? Renounce God, and die. But he said to her,
Thou talkest like one of the foolish women. What!
shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we
not receive evil? In all this, Job sinned not with his
lips.
11   Now three friends of Job heard of all this evil that
had come upon him, and came each one from his home;
Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and
Zophar the Naamathite; for they had agreed to come to
12 mourn with him, and to comfort him. And they lifted
up their eyes at a distance, and knew him not; then they
raised their voices and wept, and rent each one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven.
13 And they sat down with him upon the ground seven days
and seven nights, and none spake a word to him; for they
saw that his grief was very great.
II.
Job's complaint. - CHAP. III.
1   AT length Job opened his mouth, and cursed the day
2 of his birth. And Job spake and said:
3   Perish the day in which I was born,
And the night which said, "A man-child is conceived I"




40                      J B.                 [CIAP. II.
4 Let that day be darkness;
Let not God seek it from above;
Yea, let not the light shine upon it!
5 Let darkness and the shadow of death redeem it;
Let a cloud dwell upon it;
Let whatever darkeneth the day terrify it!
6   As for that night, let darkness seize upon it;
Let it not rejoice among the days of the year;
Let it not come into the number of the months!
7 0 let that night be unfruitful!
Let there be in it no voice of joy;
8 Let them that curse the day curse it,
Who are skilful to stir up the leviathan!
9 Let the stars of its twilight be darkened;
Let it long for light, and have none;
Neither let it see the eyelashes of the morning!
10 Because it shut not up the doors of my mother's womb,
And hid not trouble from mine eyes.
11   Why died I not at my birth?
Why did I not expire when I came forth from the womb?
12 Why did the knees receive me,
And why the breasts, that I might suck?
13 For now should I lie down and be quiet;
I should sleep; then should I be at rest,
14 With kings and counsellors of the earth,
Who built up for themselves — ruins!
15 Or with princes that had gold,
And filled their houses with silver;
16 Or, as a hidden untimely birth, I had perished;
As infants which never saw the light.
17 There the wicked cease from troubling;
There the weary are at rest.
18 There the prisoners rest together;
They hear not the voice of the oppressor.
19 The small and the great are there,
And the servant is free from his master.
20   Why giveth He light to him that is in misery,
And life to the bitter in soul,




CHAP. IV.]               JOB.                       41
21 Who long for death, and it cometh not,
And dig for it more than for hid treasures;
22 Who rejoice exceedingly,
Yea, exult, when they can find a grave?
23 Why is light given to a man from whom the way is hid,
And whom God hath hedged in?
24 For my sighing cometh before I eat,
And my groans are poured out like water.
25 For that which I dread overtaketh me;
That at which I shudder cometh upon me.
26 I have no peace, nor quiet, nor respite:
Misery cometh upon me continually.
III.
First speech of Eliphaz. - CHAP. IV., V.
1   THEN spake Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2   If one attempt a word with thee, wilt thou be offended?
But who can refrain from speaking?
3 Behold, thou hast admonished many;
Thou hast strengthened feeble hands;
4 Thy words have upheld him that was falling,
And thou hast given strength to feeble knees.
5 But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest;
It toucheth thee, and thou art confounded!,6 Is not thy fear of God thy hope,
And the uprightness of thy ways thy confidence?
7 Remember, I pray thee, who ever perished being innocent?
Or where have the righteous been cut off?
8 According to what I have seen, they who plough iniquity,
And sow mischief, reap the same.
9 By the blast of God they perish,
And by the breath of his nostrils they are consumed.
10 The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion,
And the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The fierce lion perisheth for lack of prey,
And the whelps of the lioness are scattered abroad.




42                       JOB.                  [CHAP. V.
12   A word was once secretly brought to me,
And mine ear caught a whisper thereof.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
14 A fear and a horror came upon me,
Which made all my bones to shake.
15 Then a spirit passed before my face,
The hair of my flesh rose on end;
16 It stood still, but its form I could not discern;
An image was before mine eyes;
There was silence, and I heard a voice:
17 " Shall mortal man be more just than God?
Shall man be more pure than his Maker?
18 Behold, he putteth no trust in his ministering spirits,
And his angels he chargeth with frailty.
19 What then are they who dwell in houses of clay,
Whose foundation is in the dust,
Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten!
20 Between morning and evening are they destroyed;
They perish for ever, and none regardeth it.
21 The excellency that is in them is torn away;
They die before they have become wise."
1   Call now, see if any will answer thee!
And to which of the holy ones wilt thou look?
2 Verily grief destroyeth the fool,
And wrath consumeth the weak man.
3 I have seen an impious man taking root,
But soon I cursed his habitation.
4 His children are far from safety;
They are oppressed at the gate, and there is none to
deliver them.
5 His harvest the hungry devour,
Carrying it even through the thorns;
And a snare gapeth after his substance.
6 For affliction cometh not from the dust,
Nor doth trouble spring up from the ground;
7 Behold, man is born to trouble,
As the sparks fly upward.
8   I would look to God,
And to God would I commit my cause,




CHAP. V.]               JO B.                     43
9 Who doeth great things and unsearchable;
Yea, marvellous things without number;
10 Who giveth rain upon the earth,
And sendeth water upon the fields;
11 Who placeth the lowly in high places,
And restoreth the afflicted to prosperity;
12 Who disappointeth the devices of the crafty,
So that their hands cannot perform their enterprises;
13 Who taketh the wise in their own craftiness,
And bringeth to nought the counsel of the artful.
14 They meet with darkness in the daytime;
They grope at noon as if it were night.
1.5 So he saveth the persecuted from their mouth;
The oppressed from the hand of the mighty.
16 So the poor hath hope,
And iniquity stoppeth her mouth.
17   Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth;
Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty
18 For he bruiseth, and bindeth up;
He woundeth, and his hands make whole.
19 In six troubles will he deliver thee;
Yea, in seven shall no evil touch thee.
20 In famine he will redeem thee from death,
And in war from the power of the sword.
21 Thou shalt be safe from the scourge of the tongue,
And shalt not be afraid of destruction, when it cometh.
22 At destruction and famine thou shalt laugh,
And of the wild beasts of the land shalt thou not be
afraid.
23 For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field;
Yea, the beasts of the forest shall be at peace with thee.
24 Thou shalt find that thy tent is in peace;
Thou shalt visit thy dwelling, and not be disappointed.
25 Thou shalt see thy descendants numerous,
And thine offspring as the grass of the earth.
26 Thou shalt come to thy grave in full age,
As a shock of corn gathered in its season.
27 Lo! this we have searched out; so it is:
Hear it, and lay it up in thy mind!




44                       JOB.                  [CHAP. VL
IV.
Answer of Job. - CHAP. VI., VII.
1   THEN Job answered and said:
2   0 that my grief were weighed thoroughly!
That my calamities were put together in the balance!
3 Surely they would be heavier than the sand of the sea;
On this account were my words rash.
4 For the arrows of the Almighty have pierced me;
Their poison drinketh up my spirit;
The terrors of God set themselves in array against me.; Doth the wild ass bray in the midst of grass?
Or loweth the ox over his fodder?
6 Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt?
Is there any taste in the white of an egg?
7 That which my soul abhorreth to touch
Hath become my loathsome food.
8   0 that I might have my request,
And that God would grant me that which I long for!
9 That it would please God to destroy me;
That he would let loose his hand, and make an end of me!
10 Yet it should still be my consolation,
Yea, in unsparing anguish I would exult,
That I have not denied the commands of the Holy One.
11 What is my strength, that I should hope?
And what mine end, that I should be patient?
12 Is my strength the strength of stones?
Or is my flesh brass?
13 Alas, there is no help within me!
Deliverance is driven from me!
14   To the afflicted, kindness should be shown by a friend;
Else he casteth off the fear of the Almighty.
15 But my brethren are faithless like a brook;
Like streams of the valley that pass away;
16 Which are turbid by reason of the ice,
And the snow, which hideth itself in them.
17 As soon as they flow forth, they vanish;
When the heat cometh, they are dried up from their place.




CRAP. VI.]               JO B.                      45
18 The caravans turn aside to them on their way;
They go up into the desert, and perish.
19 The caravans of Tema look for them;
The companies of Sheba expect to see them;
20 They are ashamed that they have relied on them;
They come to their place, and are confounded.
21 So ye also are nothing;
Ye see a terror, and shrink back.
22 Have I said, Bring me gifts?
Or, Give a present for me out of your substance?
23 Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand?
Or, Rescue me from the hand of the violent?
24   Convince me, and I will hold my peace;
Cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25 How powerful are the words of truth!
But what do your reproaches prove?
26 Do ye mean to censure words?
The words of a man in despair are but wind.
27 Truly ye spread a net for the fatherless;
Ye dig a pit for your friend.
28 Look now upon me, I pray you;
For to your very face can I speak falsehood?
29 Return, I pray, and let there be no unfairness;
Yea, return; - still is my cause righteous.
30 Is there iniquity on my tongue?
Cannot my taste discern what is sinful?
1   Is there not a war-service for man on the earth?
Are not his days as the days of a hireling?
2 As a servant panteth for the shade,
And as a hireling looketh for his wages,
3 So am I made to possess months of affliction,
And wearisome nights are appointed for me.
4 If I lie down, I say,
When shall I arise, and the night be gone?
And 1 am full of restlessness until the dawning of the day.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms, and clods of dust;
My skin is broken and become loathsome.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver's shuttle;
They pass away without hope.




46                      JOB.                 [CHAP..aI.
7 O remember that my life is a breath;
That mine eye shall no more see good!
8 The eye of him that hath seen me shall see me no
more;
Thine eyes shall look for me, but I shall not be.
9 As the cloud dissolveth and wasteth away,
So he that goeth down to the grave shall arise no more;
10 No more shall he return to his house,
And his dwelling-place shall know him no more.
11 Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12   Am I a sea, or a sea-monster,
That thou settest a watch over me?
13 When I say, My bed shall relieve me,
My couch shall ease my complaint,
14 Then thou scarest me with dreams,
And terrifiest me with visions;
15 So that my soul chooseth strangling,
Yea, death, rather than these my bones.
16 I am wasting away; I shall not live alway:
Let me alone, for my days are a vapor!
17 What is man, that thou shouldst make great account of
him,
And fix thy mind upon him?18 That thou shouldst visit him every morning,
And prove him every moment?
19 How long ere thou wilt look away from me,
And let me alone, till I have time to breathe?
20 If I have sinned, what have I done to thee, 0 thou
watcher of men!
Why hast thou set me up as thy mark,
So that I have become a burden to myself?
21 And why dost thou not pardon my transgression,
And take away mine iniquity?
22 For soon shall I sleep in the dust;
And, though thou seek me diligently, I shall not be




CHAP. VIII.]            J 0 B.                     47
V.
First speech of Bildad, the Shuhite. -CHAP. VIII.
1   THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
2   How long wilt thou speak such things?
How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong
wind?
3 Will God pervert judgment?
Or will the Almighty pervert justice?
4 As thy children sinned against him,
He hath given them up to their transgression.
5 tut if thou wilt seek early to God,
And make thy supplication to the Almighty, —
6 If thou wilt be pure and upright,
Surely he will yet arise for thee,
And prosper thy righteous habitation;
7 So that thy beginning shall be small,
And thy latter end very great.
8   For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age,
And mark what hath been searched out by their fathers;
9 (For we are of yesterday and know nothing,
Since our days upon the earth are but a shadow;)
10 Will not they instruct thee, and tell thee,
And utter words from their understanding?
11 " Can the paper-reed grow up without mire?
Can the bulrush grow without water?
12 While it is yet in its greenness, and is not cut down,
It withereth before any other herb.
13 Such is the fate of all who forget God;
So perisheth the hope of the ungodly.
t4 His confidence shall come to nought,
And his trust shall prove a spider's web.
15 He shall lean upon his house, and it shall not stand;
He shall lay fast hold on it, but it shall not endure.
16 He is in full green before the sun,
And his branches shoot forth over his garden;
17 His roots are entwined about the heap,
And he seeth the place of stones;




48                       JOB.                 [CHAP. IX.
18 When he shall be destroyed from his place,
It shall deny him, saying,'I never saw thee.'
19 Lo! such is the joy of his course!
And others shall spring up from his place."
20   Behold, God will not cast away an upright man;
Nor will he help the evil-doers.
21 While he filleth thy mouth with laughter,
And thy lips with gladness,
22 They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame,
And the dwelling-place of the wicked shall come to
nought.
VI.
Answer of Job. - CHAP. IX., X.
1   THEN Job answered and said:
2   Of a truth, I know that it is so:
For how can man be just before God?
3 If he choose to contend with him,
He cannot answer him to one charge of a thousand.
4 He is excellent in wisdom, mighty in strength:
Who hath hardened himself against him, and prospered?
5 He removeth the mountains, and they know it not;
He overturneth them in his anger.
6 He shaketh the earth out of her place,
And the pillars thereof tremble.
7 He commandeth the sun, and it riseth not,
And he sealeth up the stars.
8 He alone spreadeth out the heavens,
And walketh upon the high waves of the sea.
9 He made the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiads,
And the secret chambers of the South.
10 He doeth great things past finding out,
Yea, wonderful things without number.
11 Lo! he goeth by me, but I see him not;
He passeth along, but I do not perceive him.




CHAP. IX.]               JOB.                       49
12 Lo! he seizeth, and who can hinder him?
Who will say to him, What doest thou?
13 God will not turn away his anger;
The proud helpers are brought low before him.
14 How much less shall I answer him,
And choose out words to contend with him?
15 Though I were innocent, I would not answer him;
I would cast myself on the mercy of my judge.
16 Should I call, and he make answer to me,
I could not believe that he listened to my voice, -
17 He who falleth upon me with a tempest,
And multiplieth my wounds without cause!
18 Who will not suffer me to take my breath,
But filleth me with bitterness!
19 If I look to strength, " Lo! here am I " [saith he,]
If to justice, " Who shall summon me to trial?"
20 Though I were upright, yet must my own mouth con.
demn me;
Though I were innocent, He would prove me perverse.
2L Though I were innocent, I would not care for myself;
I would despise my life.
22   It is all one; therefore I will affirm,
He destroyeth the righteous and the wicked alike.
23 When the scourge bringeth sudden destruction,
He laugheth at the sufferings of the innocent.
24 The earth is given into the hands of the wicked;
He covereth the face of the judges thereof;
If it be not He, who is it?
25   My days have been swifter than a courier;
They have fled away; they have seen no good.
26 They have gone by like the reed-skiffs;
Like the eagle, darting upon his prey.
27   If I say, I will forget my lamentation,
I will change my countenance, and take courage,
28 Still am I in dread of the multitude of my sorrows;
For I know that thou wilt not hold me innocent.
29 I shall be found guilty;
Why then should I labor in vain?
30 If I wash myself in snow,
And cleanse my hands with lye,
3




50)                     JOB.                  [CIIAP. X.
31 Still wilt thou plunge me into the pit,
So that my own clothes will abhor me.
32 For He is not a man, as I am, that I may contend with
him,
And that we may go.together into judgment;
33 There is no umpire between us,
Who may lay his hand upon us both.
34 Let him take from me his rod,
And not dismay me with his terrors,
35 Then I will speak, and not be afraid of him:
For I am not so at heart.
1   I am weary of my life;
I will let loose within me my complaint;
I will speak in the bitterness of my soul.
2 I will say unto God, Do not condemn me!
Show me wherefore thou contendest with me!
3 Is it a pleasure to thee to oppress,
And to despise the work of thy hands,
And to shine upon the plans of the wicked?
4 Hast thou eyes of flesh,
Or seest thou as man seeth?
5 Are thy days as the days of a man,
Are thy years as the days of a mortal,
6 That thou seekest after my iniquity,
And searchest after my sin,
7 Though thou knowest that I am not guilty,
And that none can deliver from thy hand?
8 Have thy hands completely fashioned and made me
In every part, that thou mightst destroy me?
9 0 remember that thou hast moulded me as clay!
And wilt thou bring me again to dust?
10 Thou didst pour me out as milk,
And curdle me as cheese;
11 With skin and flesh didst thou clothe me,
And strengthen me with bones and sinews;
12 Thou didst grant me life and favor,
And thy protection preserved my breath:
13 Yet these things thou didst lay up in thy heart!
I know that this was in thy mind.




CHIAP. XI.]              J 0 B.                     51
14 If I sin, then thou markest me,
And wilt not acquit me of mince it.( L'y.
15   If I am wicked, - then woe unto me!
Yet if righteous, I dare not lift up my head;
I am full of confusion, beholding my affliction.
16 If I lift it up, like a lion thou huntest me,
And again showest thyself terrible unto me.
17 Thou renewest thy witnesses against me,
And increasest thine anger toward me;
New hosts continually rise up against me.
18   Why then didst thou bring me forth from the womb?
I should have perished, and no eye had seen me;
19 I should be as though I had not been;
I should have been borne from the womb to the grave.
20 Are not my days few? 0 spare then,
And let me alone, that I may be at ease a littl3 while,
21 Before I go - whence I shall not return --
To the land of darkness and death-shade,
22 The land of darkness like the blackness of death-shade.
Where is no order, and where the light is as darkness.
VII.
First speech of Zopnar the Naamathite. - CHAP. XI.
1   THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:
2   Shall not the multitude of words receive an answer?
Shall the man of words be justified?
3 Shall thy boastings make men hold their peace?
Shalt thou mock, and none put thee to shame?
4 Thou sayest, My speech is pure;
I am clean in thine eyes, [0 God!]
5 But 0 that God would speak,
And open his lips against thee;
6 That he would show thee the secrets of his wisdom, -
His wisdom, which is unsearchable!
Then shouldst thou know that God forgiveth thee many
of thine iniquities.




52                      JOB.                [CHAP. XII.
7   Canst thou search out the deep things of God?
Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?
8'Tis high as heaven, what canst thou do?
Deeper than hell, what canst thou know?
9 The measure thereof is longer than the earth,
And broader than the sea.
10 If he apprehend, and bind, and bring to trial,
Who shall oppose him?
11 For he knoweth the unrighteous;
He seeth iniquity, when they do not observe it.
12 But vain man is without understanding;
Yea, man is born a wild ass's colt.
13   If thou direct thy heart,
And stretch out thy hands, toward him;
14 If thou put away iniquity from thy hand,
And let not wickedness dwell in thy habitation, -
15 Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot;
Yea, thou shalt be steadfast, and have no fear.
16 For thou shalt forget thy misery,
Or remember it as waters that have passed away.
17 Thy life shall be brighter than the noon-day;
Now thou art in darkness, thou shalt then be as the
morning.
18 Thou shalt be secure, because there is hope;
Now thou art disappointed, thou shalt then rest in safety.
19 Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid;
And many shall make suit unto thee.
20 But the eyes of the wicked shall be wearied out;
They shall find no refuge;
Their hope is - the breathing forth of life.
VIII.
Answer of Job.- CHAP. XII., XIII., XIV.
1   THEN Job answered and said:
2 No doubt ye are the whole people!
And wisdom will die with you!




CHAP. XII.]              J OB.                     53
3 But I have understanding as well as you;
I am not inferior to you:
Yea, who knoweth not such things as these?
4 I am become a laughing-stock to my friend, 
I who call upon God, that he would answer me!
The innocent and upright man is held in derision.
5 To calamity belongeth contempt in the mind of one at
ease;
It is ready for them that slip with the feet.
( The tents of robbers are in prosperity,
And they who provoke God are secure,
Who carry their God in their hand.
7 For ask now the beasts, and they will teach thee;
Or the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee;
8 Or speak to the earth, and it will instruct thee;
And the fishes of the sea will declare unto thee.
9 Who among all these doth not know
That the hand of Jehovah doeth these things?
10 In whose hand is the soul of every living thing,
And the breath of all mankind.
11   Doth not the ear prove words,
As the mouth tasteth meat?
12 With the aged is wisdom,
And with length of days is understanding.
13 With Him are wisdom and strength;
With Him counsel and understanding.
14 Lo! he pulleth down, and it shall not be rebuilt;
He bindeth a man, and he shall not be set loose.
15 Lo! he withholdeth the waters, and they are dried up;
He sendeth them forth, and they lay waste the earth.
16 With him are strength and wisdom;
The deceived and the deceiver are his.
17 He leadeth counsellors away captive,
And judges he maketh fools.
18 He looseth the authority of kings,
And bindeth their loins with a cord.
19 He leadeth priests away captive,
And overthroweth the mighty.
20 He removeth speech from the trusty,
And taketh away judgment from the elders.




54                      JO B.               [cHAP.. XIIL
21 He poureth contempt upon princes,
And looseth the girdle of the mighty.
22 He revealeth deep things out of darkness,
And bringeth the shadow of death to light
23 He exalteth nations, and destroyeth them;
He enlargeth nations, and leadeth them captive.
24 He taketh away the understanding of the great men of
the land,
And causeth them to wander in a wilderness, where is no
25 They grope in the dark without light;        [path;
He maketh them stagger like a drunken man.
1 Lo! all this mine eye hath seen;
Mine ear hath heard and understood it.
2 What ye know, I know also;
I am not inferior to you.
3   But 0 that I might speak with the Almighty!
0 that I might reason with God!
4 For ye are forgers of lies;
Physicians of no value, all of you!
5 O that ye would altogether hold your peace!
This, truly, would be wisdom in you.
6   Hear, I pray you, my arguments;
Attend to the pleadings of my lips!
7 Will ye speak falsehood for God?
Will ye utter deceit for him?
8 Will ye be partial to his person?
Will ye contend earnestly for God?
9 Will it be well for you, if he search you thoroughly?
Can ye deceive him, as one may deceive a man?
0o Surely he will rebuke you,
If ye secretly have respect to persons.
11 Doth not his majesty make you afraid,
And his dread fall upon you?
12 Your maxims are words of dust;
Your fortresses are fortresses of clay.
13 Hold your peace, and let me speak:
And then come upon me what will!
14 Why do I take my flesh in my teeth,
And put my life in my hand?




CIIAr. XIv.]             J B.
15 Lo! he slayeth me, and I have no hope!
Yet will I justify my ways before him.
16 This also shall be my deliverance;
For no unrighteous man will come before hims
17 Hear attentively my words,
And give ear to my declaration!
18 Behold, I have now set in order my cause;
I know that I am innocent.
19 Who is he that can contend with me?
For then would I hold my peace, and die!
20   Only do not unto me two things,
Then will I not hide myself from thy presence;
21 Let not thy hand be heavy upon me,
And let not thy terrors make me afraid:
22 Then call upon me, and I will answer;
Or I will speak, and answer thou me.
23 How many are my iniquities and sins?
Make me to know my faults and transgressions.
24 Wherefore dost thou hide thy face,
And account me as thine enemy?
25 Wilt thou put in fear the driven leaf?
Wilt thou pursue the dry stubble?
26 For thou writest bitter things against me,
And makest me inherit the sins of my youth.
27 Yea, thou puttest my feet in the stocks,
And watchest all my paths;
Thou hemmest in the soles of my feet.
28 And I, like an abandoned thing, shall waste away;
Like a garment which is moth-eaten.
1   Man, that is born of woman,
Is of few days, and full of trouble.
2 He cometh forth as a flower, and is cut down;
He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.
3 And dost thou fix thine eyes upon such a one?
And dost thou bring me into judgment with thee?
4 Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean?
Not one.
5 Seeing that his days are determined,
And the number of his months, with thee,




56                      J 0 B.             [CCAP. XIV.
And that thou hast appointed him bounds which he cannot pass,
6 0 turn thine eyes from him, and let him rest,
That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day!
7   For there is hope for a tree,
If it be cut down, that it will sprout again,
And that its tender branches will not fail;
8 Though its root may have grown old in the earth,
And though its trunk be dead upon the ground,
9 Through the scent of water it will bud,
And put forth boughs, like a young plant.
10 But man dieth, and he is gone!
Man expireth, and where is he?
11   The waters fail from the lake,
And the stream wasteth and drieth up;
12 So man lieth down, and riseth not;
Till the heavens be no more, he shall not awake,
Nor be roused from his sleep.
13   0 that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world!
That thou wouldst conceal me till thy wrath be past!
That thou wouldst appoint me a time, and then remember me!
14 If a man die, can he live again?
All the days of my war-service would I wait,
Till my change should come.
15   Thou wilt call, and I will answer thee;
Thou wilt have compassion upon the work of thy hands!
16 But now thou numberest my steps;
Thou watchest over my sins.
17 My transgression is sealed up in a bag;
Yea, thou addest unto my iniquity.
18   As the mountain falling cometh to nought,
And the rock is removed from its place;
19 As the waters wear away the stones,
And the floods wash away the dust of the earth, —
So thou destroyest the hope of man.




CHAP. XV                 J 0 B.                     57
20 Thou prevailest against him continually, and he perisheth;
Thou changest his countenance, and sendest him away.
21 His sons come to honor, but he knoweth it not;
Or they are brought low, but he perceiveth it not.
22 But his flesh shall have pain for itself alone;
For itself alone shall his soul mourn.
IX.
Second speech of Eliphaz the Temanite. - CHAP. XV.
1   THEN answered Eliphaz the Temanite, and said:
2   Should a wise man answer with arguments of wind,
Or fill his bosom with the east wind?
3 Should he argue with speech that helpeth him not,
And with words which do not profit him?
4 Behold, thou makest the fear of God a vain thing,
And discouragest prayer before him.
5 Yea, thy own mouth proclaimeth thy iniquity,
Though thou choosest the tongue of the crafty.
6 Thy own mouth condemneth thee, and not I;
Thy own lips testify against thee.
7   Art thou the first man that was born?
Wast thou formed before the hills?
8 Hast thou listened in the council of God,
And drawn all wisdom to thyself?
9 What dost thou know, that we know not also?
What dost thou understand, that is a secret to us?
10 With us are the aged and hoary-headed;
Much older than thy father.
11 Dost thou despise the consolations of God,
And words so full of kindness to thee?
12   Why hath thy passion taken possession of thee?
And why this winking of thine eyes?
13 For against God hast thou turned thy spirit,
And uttered such words from thy mouth.
3-*




58                       JOB.                 [CHAP. XV.
14 What is man, that he should be pure,
And he that is born of woman, that he should be innocent?
15 Behold, He putteth no trust in his ministering spirits,
And the heavens are not pure in his sight;
16 Much less, abominable and polluted man,
Who drinketh iniquity as water.
17   Hear me, and I will show thee,
And that which I have seen will I declare;
18 Which the wise men have told,
And not kept concealed, as received from their fathers;
19 To whom alone the land was given,
And among whom not a stranger wandered.
20 "All his days the wicked man is in pain;
Yea, all the years, that are laid up for the oppressor.
21 A fearful sound is in his ears;
In peace the destroyer cometh upon him.
22 He hath no hope that he shall escape from darkness;
He is set apart for the sword.
23 He wandereth about, seeking bread;
He knoweth that a day of darkness is at hand.
24 Distress and anguish fill him with dread;
They prevail against him like a king ready for the battle.
25 Because he stretched forth his hand against God,
And bade defiance to the Almighty,
26 And ran against him with outstretched neck,
With the thick bosses of his bucklers;
27 Because he covered his face with fatness,
And gathered fat upon his loins,
28 And dwelt in desolated cities,
In houses which no man inhabiteth,
That are ready to become heaps.
29 He shall not be rich; his substance shall not endure,
And his possessions shall not be extended upon the earth.
30 He shall not escape from darkness,
And the flame shall dry up his branches;
Yea, by the breath of His mouth shall he be taken
away.
31   " Let not man trust in vanity! he will be deceived;
For vanity shall be his recompense.




CfHAP. XVI.]             JO B.                      59
32 He shall come to his end before his time,
And his branch shall not be green.
33 He shall shake off his unripe fruit like the vine,
And shed his blossoms like the olive-tree.
34 The house of the unrighteous shall be famished,
And fire shall consume the tents of bribery.
35 They conceive mischief, and bring forth misery,
And their breast deviseth deceit."
X.
Answer of Job.- CHAP. XVI., XVII.
1   BUT Job answered and said:
2   Of such things as these I have heard enough!
Miserable comforters are ye all!
3 Will there ever be an end to words of wind?
What stirreth thee up, that thou answerest?
4 I also might speak like you,
If ye were now in my place;
I might string together words against you,
And shake my head at you.
5 But I would strengthen you with my mouth,
And the consolation of my lips should sustain you.
6   If I speak, my grief is not assuaged;
And if I forbear, it doth not leave me.
7 For now He hath quite exhausted me;Thou hast desolated all my house!
8 Thou hast seized hold of me, and this is a witness against
me;
My leanness riseth up and testifieth against me to my face.
9 His anger teareth my flesh, and pursueth me;
He gnasheth upon me with his teeth;
My adversary sharpeneth his eyes upon me.
10 They gape for me with their mouths;
In scorn they smite me on the cheek;
With one consent they assemble against me.




60                      J 0 B.              [CHAP. XVII.
11   God hath given me a prey to the unrighteous,
And delivered me into the hands of the wicked.
12 I was at ease, but he hath crushed me;
He hath seized me by the neck, and dashed me in pieces;
He hath set me up for his mark.
13 His archers encompass me around;
He pierceth my reins, and doth not spare;
He poureth out my gall upon the ground.
14 He breaketh me with breach upon breach;
He rusheth upon me like a warrior.
15   I have sewed sackcloth upon my skin,
And thrust my horn into the dust.
16 My face is red with weeping,
And upon my eyelids is deathlike darkness.
17 Yet is there no injustice in my hands.
And my prayer hath been pure.
18 0 earth  cover not thou my blood,
And let there be no hiding-place for my cry!
19   Yet even now, behold, my witness is in heaven,
And he who knoweth me is on high.
20 My friends have me in derision,
But my eye poureth out tears unto God.
21 0 that one might contend for a man with God,
As a man contendeth with his neighbor!
22 For when a few years shall have passed,
I shall go the way whence I shall not return.
1   My breath is exhausted;
My days are at an end;
The grave is ready for me.
2   Are not revilers before me?
And doth not my eye dwell upon their provocations?
3 Give a pledge, I pray thee; be thou a surety for me with
thee;
Who is he that will strike hands with me?
4 Behold, thou hast blinded their understanding;
Therefore thou wilt not suffer them to prevail.
5 He who delivereth up his friends as a prey,The eyes of his children shall fail.




CHAP. XVIII.]            J 0 B.                      61
6   He hath made me the by-word of the people;
Yea, I have become their abhorrence.
7 My eye therefore is dim with sorrow,
And all my limbs are as a shadow.
8 Upright men will be astonished at this,
And the innocent will rouse themselves against the wicked.
9 The righteous will also hold on his way,
And he that hath clean hands will gather strength.
10 But as for you all, return, I pray!
I find not yet among you one wise man.
11   My days are at an end;
My plans are broken off;
Even the treasures of my heart.
12 Night hath become day to me;,-The light bordereth on darkness.
13 Yea, I look to the grave as my home;
I have made my bed in darkness.
14 I say to the pit, Thou art my father!
And to the worm, My mother! and, My sister!
15 Where then is my hope?
Yea, my hope, who shall see it?
16 It must go down to the bars of the under-world,
As soon as there is rest for me in the dust.
XI.
Second speech of Bildad the Shuhite. - CHAP. XVIIL
1   THEN Bildad the Shuhite answered and said:
2   How long ere ye make an end of words?
Urderstand, and then we will speak!
3 Why are we accounted as brutes,
And reputed vile in your sight?
4 Thou that tearest thyself in thine anger!
Must the earth be deserted for thee,
And the rock removed from its place?




62                       J O B.             [CHAr. xvIII.
5   Behold, the light of the wicked shall be put out,
And the flame of his fire shall not shine.
6 Light shall become darkness in his tent,
And his lamp over him shall go out.
7 His strong steps shall be straitened,
And his own plans shall cast him down.
8 He is brought into the net by his own feet,
And he walketh upon snares.
9 The trap layeth hold of him by the heel,
And the snare holdeth him fast.
10 A net is secretly laid for him on the ground,
And a trap for him in the pathway.
11 Terrors affright him on every side,
And harass him at his heels.
12 His strength is wasted by hunger,
And destruction is ready at his side.
13 His limbs are consumed,
Yea, his limbs are devoured by the first-born of death.
14 He is torn from his tent, which was his confidence,
And is borne away to the king of terrors.
15 They who are none of his shall dwell in his tent;
Brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation.
16 His roots below shall be dried up,
And his branches above shall be withered.
17 His memory perisheth from the earth,
And no name hath he in the land.
18 He shall be thrust from light into darkness,
And driven out of the world.
19 He hath no son, nor kinsman among his people,
Nor any survivor in his dwelling-place.
20 They that come after him shall be amazed at his fate,
As they that were before them were struck with horror.
21 Yea, such is the dwelling of the unrighteous man;
Such is the place of him who knoweth not God!




CHAP. XIX.]              JOB.                        63
XII.
Answer of Job. -CHAP. XIX.
1   BUT Job answered and said:
2   How long will ye vex my soul,
And break me in pieces with words?
3 These ten times have ye reviled me;
Without shame do ye stun me!
4 And be it, indeed, that I have erred,
My error abideth with myself.
5 Since, indeed, ye magnify yourselves against me,
And plead against me my reproach,
6 Know then that it is God who hath brought me low;
He hath encompassed me with his net.
7   Behold, I complain of wrong, but receive no answer;
I cry aloud, but obtain no justice.
8 He hath fenced up my way, so that I cannot pass,
And hath set darkness in my paths.
9 He hath stripped me of my glory,
And taken the crown from my head.
o0 He hath destroyed me on every side, and I am gone!
He hath torn up my hope like a tree.
11 He kindleth his anger against me,
And counteth me as his enemy.
12 His troops advance together against me;
They throw up for themselves a way to me,
And encamp around my dwelling.
13 My brethren he hath put far from me,
And my acquaintance are wholly estranged from me.
14 My kinsfolk have forsaken me,
And my bosom friends have forgotten me.
15 The foreigners of my house, yea, my own maid-servants,
regard me as a stranger;
I am an alien in their eyes.
16 I call my servant, and he maketh no answer;
With my own mouth do I entreat him.
17 My breath is become strange to my wife,
And my prayers also to my own mother's sons.




64                      J 0 B.               [CHAP. XX.
18 Even young children despise me;
When I rise up, they speak against me.
19 All my bosom friends abhor me,
And they whom I loved are turned against me.
20 My bones cleave to my flesh and my skin,
And I have scarcely escaped with the skin of my teeth.
21 Have pity upon me, O ye my friends! have pity upon me;
For the hand of God hath smitten me!
22 Why do ye persecute me like God,
And are not satisfied with my flesh?
23   O that my words were now written!
0 that they were marked down in a scroll!
24 That with an iron pen, and with lead,
They were engraven upon the rock for ever I
25 Yet I know that my Vindicator liveth,
And will hereafter stand up on the earth;
26 And though with my skin this body be wasted away,
Yet without my flesh shall I see God.
27 Yea, I shall see him my friend;
My eyes shall behold him, and not another:
For this, my soul panteth within me.
28   Since ye say, " How may we persecute him,
And find grounds of accusation against him?"
29 Be ye afraid of the sword!
For malice is a crime for the sword;
That ye may know that judgment cometh.
XIII.
Second speech of Zophar the Naamathite. - CHAP. XX.
1   THEN answered Zophar the Naamathite, and said:
2   For this do my thoughts lead me to reply,
And for this is my ardor within me.
3 I have heard my shameful rebuke;
And the spirit, from my understanding, answereth for me




CHAP. xx.]              J B.                       65
4   Knowest thou not, that from the days of old,
From the time when man was placed upon the earth,
5 The triumphing of the wicked hath been short,
And the joy of the impious but for a moment?
6 Though his greatness mount up to the heavens,
And his head reach to the clouds,
7 Yet shall he perish for ever, and be mingled with dust;
They who saw him shall say, Where is he?
8 He shall flee away like a dream, and shall not be found;
Yea, he shall disappear like a vision of the night.
9 The eye also which saw him shall see him no more,
And his dwelling-place shall never more behold him.
10 His sons shall seek the favor of the poor,
And their hands shall give back his wealth.
11 His bones are full of his youth,
But they shall lie down with him in the dust.
12   Though wickedness be sweet in his mouth,
Though he hide it under his tongue,
13 Though he cherish it, and will not part with it,
And keep it fast in his mouth,
14 Yet his meat shall be changed within him,
And become to him the poison of asps.
15 He hath glutted himself with riches,
And he shall throw them up again;
Yea, God shall cast them out of his body.
16   He shall suck the poison of asps;
The tongue of the viper shall destroy him.
17 He shall never see the flowing streams,
And the rivers of honey and milk.
18 The fruits of his toil he shall give back, and shall not
enjoy them:
It is substance to be restored, and he shall not rejoice
therein.
19 Because he hath oppressed and abandoned the poor,
And seized upon the house which he did not build;
20 Because he knew no rest in his bosom,
He shall not save that in which he delighteth.
21 Because nothing escaped his greediness,
His prosperity shall not endure.




66                      JOB.                [crAP. XXL
22 In the fulness of his abundance he shall be brought low;
Every hand of the wretched shall come upon him.
23 He shall, indeed, have wherewith to fill himself:
God shall send upon him the fury of his anger,
And rain it down upon him for his food.
24 If he fleeth from the iron weapon,
The bow of brass shall pierce him through.
25 He draweth the arrow, and it cometh forth from his body;
Yea, the glittering steel cometh out of his gall.
Terrors are upon him;
26 Calamity of every kind is treasured up for him.
A fire not blown shall consume him;
It shall consume whatever is left in his tent.
27 The heavens shall reveal his iniquity,
And the earth shall rise up against him.
28 The substance of his house shall disappear;
It shall flow away in the day of His wrath.
29 Such is the portion of the wicked man from God,
And the inheritance appointed for him by the Almighty.
XIV.
Answer of Job. -CHAP. XXI.
1   BUT Job answered and said:
2   Hear attentively my words,
And let this be your consolation.
3 Bear with me, that I may speak;
And after I have spoken, mock on!
4 Is my complaint concerning man?
Why then should I not be angry?
6 Look upon me, and be astonished,
And lay your hand upon your mouth!
6   When I think of it, I am confounded;
Trembling taketh hold of my flesh.
7 Why is it that the wicked live,
Grow old, yea, become mighty in substance?




ChAP. XXI]              J B.                       67
8 Their children are established in their sight with them,
And their offspring before their eyes.
9 Their houses are in peace, without fear,
And the rod of God cometh not upon them.
10 Their bull gendereth, and faileth not;
Their cow calveth, and casteth not her calf.
11 They send forth their little ones like a flock,
And their children dance.
12 They sing to the timbrel and harp,
And rejoice at the sound of the pipe.
13 They spend their days in prosperity,
And in a moment go down to the under-world.
14 And yet they say unto God, " Depart from us!
We desire not the knowledge of thy ways!
15 Who is the Almighty, that we should serve him?
And what will it profit us, if we pray to him?"
16   [Ye say,] " Lo! their prosperity is not: secure in their
hands!
Far from me be the conduct of the wicked!"
17 How often is it, that the lamp of the wicked is put out,
And that destruction cometh upon them,
And that He dispenseth to them tribulations in his anger?
18 How often are they as stubble before the wind,
Or as chaff, which the whirlwind carrieth away?
19 "But" [say ye] "God layeth up his iniquity for his
children."
Let him requite the offender, and let him feel it!
20 Let his own eyes see his destruction,
And let him drink of the wrath of the Almighty!
21 For what concern hath he for his household after him,
When the number of his own months is completed?
22   Who then shall impart knowledge to God, -
To him that judgeth the highest?
23 One dieth in the fulness of his prosperity,
Being wholly at ease and quiet;
24 His sides are full of fat,
And his bones moist with marrow.
25 Another dieth in bitterness of soul,
And hath not tasted pleasure.




68                      JOB.                [CHAP. XXII
26 Alike they lie down in the dust,
And the worms cover them.
27   Behold, I know your thoughts,
And the devices by which ye wrong me.
28 For ye say, "' Where is the house of the oppressor,
And where the dwelling-places of the wicked?"
29 Have ye never inquired of travellers,
And do ye not know their tokens,
30 That the wicked is spared in the day of destruction,
And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath?
31 Who will charge him with his conduct to his face,
And who will requite him for the evil he hath done?
32 Even this man is borne with honor to the grave;
Yea, he watcheth over his tomb.
33 Sweet to him are the sods of the valley:
And all men move after him,
As multitudes without number before him.
34 Why then do ye offer your vain consolations?
Your answers continue false.
XV.
Third speech of Eliphaz the Temanite. - CHAP. XXII.
1   THEN Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:
2   Can a man, then, profit God?
Behold, the wise man profiteth himself.
3 Is it a pleasure to the Almighty, that thou art righteous;
Or a gain to him, that thou walkest uprightly?
4 Will he contend with thee because he feareth thee?
Will he enter with thee into judgment?
5 Hath not thy wickedness been great?
Have not thine iniquities been numberless?
6 For thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother unjustly,
And stripped the poor of their clothing.
7 Thou hast given the weary no water to drink,
And withholden bread from the hungry.




CHAP. XXII.]              0 B.                     69
8 But the man of power, his was the land,
And the honorable man dwelt in it.
9 Thou hast sent widows away empty,
And broken the arms of the fatherless.
10 Therefore snares are round about thee,
And sudden fear confoundeth thee;
11 Or darkness, through which thou canst not see,
And floods of water cover thee.
12 Is not God in the height of heaven?
And behold the stars, how high they are!
13 Hence thou sayest, " What doth God know?
Can he govern behind the thick darkness?
14 Dark clouds are a veil to him, and he cannot see;
And he walketh upon the arch of heaven."
15   Wilt thou take the old way
Which wicked men have trodden,
16 Who were cut down before their time,
And whose foundations were swept away by a flood?
17 Who said unto God, " Depart from us!"
And, " What can the Almighty do to us?"
18 And yet he filled their houses with good things! —
Far from me be the counsel of the wicked!
19 The righteous see their fate, and rejoice;
And the innocent hold them in derision.
20 " Truly our adversary is destroyed,
And fire hath consumed his abundance!"
21   Acquaint now thyself with him, and be at peace:
Thus shall prosperity return to thee.
22 Receive, I pray thee, instruction from his mouth,
And lay up his words in thy heart.
23 If thou return to the Almighty, thou shalt be built up;
If thou put away iniquity from thy tent.
24 Cast to the dust thy gold,
And the gold of Ophir to the stones of the brook:
25 Then shall the Almighty be thy gold,
Yea, treasures of silver unto thee;
26 For then shalt thou have delight in the Almighty,
And shalt lift up thy face unto God.




70                      JOB.               [CHAP. XXIII.
27 Thou shalt pray to him, and he shall hear thee,
And thou shalt perform thy vows.
28 The purpose which thou formest shall prosper with thee,
And light shall shine upon thy ways.
29 When men are cast down, thou shalt say, "There is
lifting up!"
And the humble person he will save.
30 He will deliver even him that is not innocent.
The purity of thy hands shall save him.
XVI.
Answer of Job.- CHAP. XXIII., XXIV.
1   THEN Job answered and said:
2   Still is my complaint bitter;
But my wound is deeper than my groaning.
3 0 that I knew where I might find him!
That I might go before his throne!
4 I would order my cause before him,
And fill my mouth with arguments;
5 I should know what he would answer me,
And understand what he would say to me.
6 Would he contend with me with his mighty power?
No! he would have regard to me.
7 Then would an upright man contend with him,
And I should be fully acquitted by my judge.
8 But, behold, I go eastward, and he is not there;
And westward, but I cannot perceive him;
9 To the north, where he worketh, but I cannot behold
him;
He hideth himself on the south, and I cannot see him.
10 But he knoweth the way which is in my heart;
When he trieth me, I shall come forth as gold.
11 My feet have trodden in his steps;
His way I have kept, and have not turned asid, frspa
it.




CIVAP. XXIV.             JOB.                      71
12 I have not neglected the precepts of his lips;
Above my own law have I esteemed the words of his
mouth.
13   But he is of one mind, and who can turn him?
And what he desireth, that he doeth.
14 He performeth that which is appointed for me;
And many such things are in his mind!
15 Therefore I am in terror on account of him;
When I consider, I am afraid of him.
16 For God maketh my heart faint;
Yea, the Almighty terrifieth me;
17 Because I was not taken away before darkness came,
And he hath not hidden darkness from mine eyes.
1   Why are not times treasured up by the Almighty?
And why do not they who know him see his days?
2 They remove landmarks;
They take away flocks by violence, and pasture them.
3 They drive away the ass of the fatherless,
And take the widow's ox for a pledge.
4 They push the needy from the way;
All the poor of the land are forced to hide themselves.
5 Behold, like wild asses of the desert, they go forth to their
work;
They search for prey;
The wilderness supplieth them food for their children.
6 In the fields they reap the harvest,
And gather the vintage of the oppressor.
7 They lodge naked, without clothing,
And without covering from the cold.
8 They are drenched with the mountain showers,
And embrace the rock for want of shelter.
9   The fatherless are torn from the breast,
And the garment of the needy is taken for a pledge.
10 They go naked, without clothing,
And carry the sheaf hungry.
11 They make oil within their walls,
And tread the wine-vat, yet suffer thirst.




72                      JO B.               [CHAP. XXIV.
12 From anguish the dying groan,
And the wounded cry aloud;
And God regardeth not their prayer!
13   Others hate the light;
They know not its ways,
And abide not in its paths.
14 With the light ariseth the murderer;
He killeth the poor and needy;
In the night he is as a thief.
15 The eye of the adulterer watcheth for the twilight;
He saith, " No eye will see me,"
And putteth a mask upon his face.
16 In the dark they break into houses;
In the daytime they shut themselves up;
They are strangers to the light.
17 The morning is to them the very shadow of death;
They are familiar with the terrors of the shadow of death.
18 Light are they on the face of the waters;
They have an accursed portion in the earth;
They come not near the vineyards.
19   As drought and heat consume the snow waters,
So doth the grave the wicked.
20 His own mother forgetteth him;
The worm feedeth sweetly on him;
He is no more remembered,
And iniquity is broken like a tree.
21   He oppresseth the barren, that hath not borne,
And doeth not good to the widow.
22 He taketh away the mighty by his power;
He riseth up, and no one is sure of life.
23 God giveth them secuiity, so that they are confident;
His eyes are upon their ways.
24 They are exalted; - in a little while they are gone!
They are brought low, and die, like all others;
And like the topmost ears of corn are they cut off.
25 If it be not so, who will confute me,
And show my discourse to be worthless?




CHAP. xxvt.1             JOB.                       7s
XVII.
Third speech of Bildad the Shuhite. - CHAP. XXV.
1   THEN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and said:
2   Dominion and fear are with Him;
He maintaineth peace in his high places.
3 Is there any numbering of his hosts?
And upon whom doth not his light arise?
t How then can man be righteous before God?
Or how can he be pure that is born of woman?
5 Behold, even the moon, it shineth not;
And the stars are not pure in his sight.
6 How much less, man, a worm;
And the son of man, a reptile!
XVIII.
Answer of Job. - CHAP. XXVI.
1   THEN Job answered and said:
2   How hast thou helped the weak,
And strengthened the feeble arm!
3 How hast thou counselled the ignorant,
And revealed wisdom in fulness!
4 For whom hast thou uttered these words?
And whose spirit spake through thee?
5   Before Him the shades tremble
Beneath the waters and their inhabitants.
6 The under-world is naked before him,
And destruction is without covering.
7 He stretcheth out the north over empty space,
And hangeth the earth upon nothing.
s He bindeth up the waters in his thick clouds,
And the cloud is not rent under them.
9 He covereth the face of his throne,
And spreadeth his clouds upon it,
4




71                      J 0B.             [CHAP. XXVII.
10 He hath drawn a circular bound upon the waters,
To the confines of light and darkness.
11 The pillars of heaven tremble
And are confounded at his rebuke.
12 By his power he stilleth the sea,
Yea, by his wisdom he smiteth its pride.
13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens;
His hand hath formed the fleeing Serpent.
14 Lo! these are but the borders of his works;
How faint the whisper we have heard of him!
But the thunder of his power who can understand?
XIX.
Answer of Job to all three of his opponents. - CHAP. XXVII., XXVIII
1   MOREOVER Job continued his discourse, and said:
2   As God liveth, who hath rejected my cause,
And the Almighty, who hath afflicted my soul;
3 As long as my breath is in me,
And the spirit of God is in my nostrils,
4 Never shall my lips speak falsehood,
Nor my tongue utter deceit.
5 God forbid that I should acknowledge you to be just:
To my last breath will I assert my integrity.
6 I will hold fast my innocence, and not let it go;
My heart reproacheth me for no part of my life.
7 May mine enemy be as the wicked,
And he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous!
8 For what is the hope of the wicked, when God cutteth off
his web,
And taketh away his life?
9 Will he listen to his cry,
When trouble cometh upon him?
10 Can he delight himself in the Almighty,
And call at all times upon God?
11   I will teach you concerning the hand of God;
That which is with the Almighty I will not conceal.




CHAP. XXVIII.]           J B.                      75
12 Behold, ye yourselves have all seen it;
Why then do ye cherish such vain thoughts?
13 This is the portion of the wicked man from God, -
The inheritance which oppressors receive from the Almighty.
14 If his children be multiplied, it is for the sword;
And his offspring shall not be satisfied with bread.
15 Those of them that escape shall be buried by Death,
And their widows shall not bewail them.
16 Though he heap up silver as dust,
And procure raiment as clay, -
17 He may procure, but the righteous shall wear it,
And the innocent shall share the silver.
18.He buildeth his house like the moth,
Or like the shed which the watchman maketh.
19 The rich man lieth down, and is not buried;
In the twinkling of an eye he is no more.
20 Terrors pursue him like a flood;
A tempest stealeth him away in the night.
21 The east wind carrieth him away, and he perisheth;
Yea, it sweepeth him away from his place.
22 God sendeth his arrows at him, and doth not spare;
He would fain escape from His hand.
23 Men clap their hands at him,
And hiss him away from his place.
1   Truly there is a vein for silver,
And a place for gold, which men refine.
2 Iron is obtained from earth,
And stone is melted into copper.
3. Man putteth an end to darkness;
He searcheth to the lowest depths
For the stone of darkness and the shadow of death.
4 From the place where they dwell they open a shaft;
Forgotten by the feet,
They hang down, they swing away from men.
5 The earth, out of which cometh bread,
Is torn up underneath, as it were by fire.
6 Her stones are the place of sapphires,
And she hath clods of gold for man.




76                      JOB.              [CHAP. XXVII.
7 The path thereto no bird knoweth,
And the vulture's eye hath not seen it;
8 The fierce wild beast hath not trodden it;
The lion hath not passed over it.
9 Man layeth his hand upon the rock;
He upturneth mountains from their roots;
10 He cleaveth out streams in the rocks,
And his eye seeth every precious thing;
11 He bindeth up the streams, that they trickle not,
And bringeth hidden things to light.
12   But where shall wisdom be found?
And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man knoweth not the price thereof,
Nor can it be found in the land of the living.
14 The deep saith, It is not in me;
And the sea saith, It is not with me.
15 It cannot be gotten for gold,
Nor shall silver be weighed out as the price thereof.
16 It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
With the precious onyx or the sapphire.
17 Gold and crystal are not to be compared with it;
Nor can it be purchased with jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
For wisdom is more precious than pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
Nor can it be purchased with pure gold.
20   Whence then cometh wisdom?
And where is the place of understanding?
21 Since it is hidden from the eyes of all living,
And kept close from the fowls of the air.
22 Destruction and Death say,
We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.
23 God knoweth the way to it;
He knoweth its dwelling-place.
24 For he seeth to the ends of the earth,
And surveyeth all things under the whole heaven.
25 When he gave the winds their weight,
And meted out the waters by measure;




CHAP. XXIX.]             JOB.                       77
26 When he prescribed a law to the rain,
And a path to the thunderflash,27 Then did he see it, and make it known;
He established it, and searched it out.
28 But he said unto man,
Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
And to depart from evil is understanding.
XX.
Job's review of his past life. - CHAP. XXIX.-XXXI.
1   MOREOVER Job continued his discourse, and said:
2   0 that I were as in months past,
In the days when God was my guardian;
3 When his lamp shined over my head,
And when by his light I walked through darkness!
4 As I was in the autumn of my days,
When the friendship of God was over my tent;
5 When the Almighty was yet with me,
And my children were around me;
6 When I bathed my steps in milk,
And the rock poured me out rivers of oil!
7   When I went forth to the gate by the city,
And took my seat in the market-place,
8 The young men saw me and hid themselves,
And the aged arose and stood.
9 The princes refrained from speaking,
And laid their hand upon their mouth.
10 The nobles held their peace,
And their tongue cleaved to the roof of their mouth.
i1 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me;
And when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me.
12 For I delivered the poor, when they cried;
And the fatherless, who had none to help him.
13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon
me,
And I caused the heart of the widow to sing for joy.




78                       JOB.                [CHAP. xxx.
14 I clothed myself with righteousness, and it clothed itself
with me;
And justice was my robe and diadem.
15 I was eyes to the blind,
And feet was I to the lame;
16 I was a father to the poor,
And the cause of him I knew not I searched out;
17 And I broke the teeth of the wicked,
And plucked the spoil from his jaws.
18 Then said I, " I shall die in my nest;
I shall multiply my days as the sand.
19 My root is spread abroad to the waters,
And the dew abideth on my branches.
20 lMy glory is fresh with me,
And my bow gathereth strength in my hand."
21   To me men gave ear, and waited,
And kept silence for my counsel.
22 To my words they made no reply,
When my speech dropped down upon them.
23 Yea, they waited for me as for the rain;
They opened their mouths wide as for the latter rain.
24 If I smiled upon them, they believed it not;
Nor did they cause the light of my countenance to fall.
25 When I came among them, I sat as chief;
I dwelt as a king in the midst of an army, 
As a comforter among mourners.
1   But now they that are younger than I hold me in derision,
Whose fathers I would have disdained to set with the
dogs of my flock.
2 Of what use to me would be even the strength of their
To whom, old age is lost?                   [hands,
3 By want and hunger they are famished;
They gnaw the dry desert,
The darkness of desolate wastes.
4 They gather purslain among the bushes,
And the root of the broom is their bread.
5 They are driven from the society of men;
There is a cry after them as after a thief.




CHAP. XXx.]              J 0 B.                     79
6 They dwell in gloomy valleys,
In caves of the earth and in rocks.
7 They bray among the bushes;
Under the brambles are they stretched out.
8 An impious and low-born race,
They are beaten out of the land.
9 And now I am become their song;
Yea, I am their by-word!
10 They abhor me, they stand aloof from me;
They forbear not to spit before my face.
11 Yea, they let loose the reins, and humble me;
They cast off the bridle before me.
12 On my right hand riseth up the brood;
They thrust away my feet;
They cast up against me their destructive ways.
13 They break up my path;
They hasten my fall, -
They who have no helper!
14 They come upon me as through a wide breach;
Through the ruins they rush in upon me.
15 Terrors are turned against me;
They pursue my prosperity like the wind,
And my welfare passeth away like a cloud.
16   And now my soul poureth itself out upon me;
Days of affliction have taken hold of me.
17 By night my bones are pierced; they are torn from me,
And my gnawers take no rest.
18 Through the violence of my disease is my garment changed;
It bindeth me about like the collar of my tunic.
19 He hath cast me into the mire,
And I am become like dust and ashes.
20 I call upon Thee, but thou dost not hear me;
I stand up before thee, but thou regardest me not.
21 Thou art become cruel to me;
With thy strong hand dost thou lie in wait for me.
22 Thou liftest me up, and causest me to ride upon the
wind;
Thou meltest me away in the storm.
23 I know that thou wilt bring me to death,
To the place of assembly for all the living.




80                       JOB.                 [CHAP. XXXI
24- When He stretcheth out his hand, prayer availeth nothing;
When He bringeth destruction, vain is the cry for help.
25 Did not I weep for him that was in trouble?
Was not my soul grieved for the poor?
26 But when I looked for good, then evil came;
When I looked for light, then came darkness.
27 My bowels boil, and have no rest;
Days of anguish have come upon me.
28 I am black, but not by the sun;
I stand up, and utter my cries in the congregation.
29 I am become a brother to jackals,
And a companion to ostriches.
30 My skin is black, and falleth from me,
And my bones burn with heat.
31 My harp also is turned to mourning,
And my pipe to notes of grief.
1   I made a covenant with mine eyes;
How then could I gaze upon a maid?
2 For what is the portion appointed by God from above,
And the inheritance allotted by the Almighty from on
3 Is not destruction for the wicked,             [high?
And ruin for the workers of iniquity?
4- Doth He not see my ways,
And number all my steps?
s   If I have walked with falsehood,
And if my foot hath hasted to deceit,
6 Let him weigh me in an even balance;
Yea, let God know my integrity!
7 If my steps have turned aside from the way,
And my heart gone after mine eyes,
Or if any stain hath cleaved to my hand,
8 Then I may sow, and another eat;
And what I plant, may it be rooted up!
9 If my heart hath been enticed by a woman,
Or if I have watched at my neighbor's door,
10 Then let my wife grind for another,
And let other men lie with her!
11 For this were a heinous crime,
Even a transgression to be punished by the judges;




CHAP. XXxi.]             JO B.                     81
12 Yea, it were a fire that would consume to destruction,
And root out all my increase.
13   If I have refused justice to my man-servant or maidservant,
When they had a controversy with me,
14 Then what shall I do when God riseth up?
And when he visiteth, what shall I answer him?
15 Did not He that made me in the womb make him?
Did not one fashion us in the womb?
16   If I have refused the poor their desire,
And caused the eyes of the widow to fail;
17 If I have eaten my morsel alone,
And the fatherless hath not partaken of it;
18 (Nay, from my youth he grew up with me as with a
father,
And I have helped the widow from my mother's womb;)
19 If I have seen any one perishing for want of clothing,
Or any poor man without covering;
20 If his loins have not blessed me,
And he hath not been warmed with the fleece of my sheep;
21 If I have shaken my hand against the fatherless,
Because I saw my help in the gate,22 Then may my shoulder fall from its blade,
And my fore-arm be broken from its bone!
23 For destruction from God was - terror to me,
And before his majesty I could do nothing.
24   If I have made gold my trust,
Or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence;
25 If I have rejoiced, because my wealth was great,
And my hand had found abundance;
26 If I have beheld the sun in his splendor,
Or the moon advancing in brightness,
27 And my heart hath been Secretly enticed,
And my mouth hath kissed my hand, -
28 This also were a crime to be punished by the judge;
For I should have denied the God who is above.
29 If I have rejoiced at the destruction of him that hated me,
And exulted when evil came upon him;
4*




82                       JOB.              [CHAP. XXXU.
30 (Nay, I have not suffered my mouth to sin,
By asking with curses his life;)
31 If the men of my tent have not exclaimed,
" Who is there that hath not been satisfied with his meat?"
32 The stranger did not lodge in the street;
I opened my doors to the traveller.           [sion,
33 Have I, after the manner of men, hidden my transgresConcealing my iniquity in my bosom,
34 Then let me be confounded before the great multitude!
Let the contempt of families cover me with shame!
Yea, let me keep silence! let me never appear abroad!
35   0 that there were one who would hear me!
Behold my signature! let the Almighty answer me.
And let mine adversary write down his charge!
36 Truly I would wear it upon my shoulder;
I would bind it upon me as a crown.
37 I would disclose to him all my steps;
I would approach him like a prince.
38   If my land cry out against me,
And its furrows bewail together;
39 If I have eaten of its fruits without payment,
And wrung out the life of its owners,40 Let thorns grow up instead of wheat,
And noxious weeds instead of barley.
The words of Job are ended.
XXI.
Speech of Elihu. - CHAP. XXXII.-XXXVII.
1   So these three men ceased to answer Job, because he
2 was righteous in his own eyes.  Then was kindled the
wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel, the Buzite, of the
family of Ram; against Job was his wrath kindled, because he accounted himself righteous rather than God.
3 Against his three friends also was his wrath kindled, because they had not found an answer, and yet had con



rErAP. XXXII]            J 0B.                      83
4 demned Job. Now Elihu had delayed to reply to Job,
5 because they were older than himself. But when Elihu
saw that there was no answer in the mouth of these three
6 men, his wrath was kindled. Then spake Elihu, the son
of Barachel, the Buzite, and said:
I am young, and ye are very old;
Therefore I was afraid,
And durst not make known to you my opinion.
7 I said, "Days should speak,
And the multitude of years should teach wisdom."
8 But it is the spirit in man,
Even the inspiration of the Almighty, that giveth him understanding.
9 Great men are not always wise,
Nor do the aged always understand what is right.
10 Therefore, I pray, listen to me:
I also will declare my opinion.
11   Behold, I have waited for your words,
I have listened to your arguments,
Whilst ye searched out what to say;
12 Yea, I have attended to you;
And behold, none of you hath refuted Job,
Nor answered his words.
13 Say not, then, " We have found out wisdom;
God must conquer him, not man."
14 He hath not directed his discourse against me,
And with speeches like yours will I not answer him.
5 They were confounded! they answered no more!
They could say nothing!
16 I waited, but they spake not;
They stood still; they answered no more!
17 Therefore will I answer, on my part;
I also will show my opinion.
18 For I am full of matter;
The spirit within me constraineth me.
19 Behold, my bosom is as wine that hath no vent;
Like bottles of new wine, which are bursting.
20 I will speak, that I may be relieved;
I will open my lips and answer.




84                        JO B.              [ciAr. xxxM
21 I will not be partial to any man's person,
Nor will I flatter any man.
22 For I know not how to flatter;
Soon would my Maker take me away.
1   Hear, therefore, my discourse, I pray thee, 0 Job
And attend unto all my words 
2 Behold, I am opening my mouth;
My tongue is now speaking in my palate.
3 My words shall be in the uprightness of my hea;
My lips shall utter knowledge purely.
4 The spirit of God made me,
And the breath of the Almighty gave me life.
5 If thou'art able, answer me;
Set thyself in array against me; stand up!
6 Behold, I, like thee, am a creature of God;
I also was formed of clay.
7 Behold, my terror cannot dismay thee,
Nor can my greatness be heavy upon thee.
8   Surely thou hast said in my hearing,
I have heard the sound of thy words:
9 " I am pure, and without transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
0o Behold, He seeketh causes of hostility against me;
He regardeth me as his enemy.
11 He putteth my feet in the stocks;
He watcheth all my paths."
12 Behold, in this thou art not right; I will answer thee;
For God is greater than man.
13 Why dost thou contend with Him?
For he giveth no account of any of his doings.
14 For God speaketh once,
Yea, twice, when man regardeth it not.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
When deep sleep falleth upon men,
In slumber upon the bed;
16 Then openeth he the ears of men,
And sealeth up for them admonition;
17 That he may turn man from his purpose,
And hide pride from man.




CHAP. XXXIV.]            J 0 B.                    85
18 Thus he saveth him from the pit,
Yea, his life from perishing by the sword.
19   He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,
And with a continual agitation of his bones,
20 So that his mouth abhorreth bread,
And his taste the choicest food;
21 His flesh is consumed, that it cannot be seen,
And his bones, that were invisible, are naked;
22 Yea, his soul draweth near to the pit,
And his life to the destroyers.
23 But if there be with him a messenger,
An interpreter, one of a thousand,
Who may show unto man his duty,
24 Then will God be gracious to him, and say,
" Save him from going down to the pit:
I have found a ransom."
25 His flesh shall became fresher than a child's;
He shall return to the days of his youth.
26 He shall pray to God, and he will be favorable to him,
And permit him to see his face with joy,
And restore unto man his righteousness.
27 He shall sing among men, and say,
"I sinned; I acted perversely;
Yet hath he not requited me for it:
28 He hath delivered me from going down to the pit,
And my life beholdeth the light."
29   Lo! all these things doeth God
Time after time with man,
30 That he may bring him back from the pit,
That he may enjoy the light of the living.
31   Mark well, O Job! hearken to me!
Keep silence, and I will speak.
32 Yet if thou hast any thing to say, answer me!
Speak! for I desire to pronounce thee innocent.
33 But if not, do thou listen to me!
Keep silence, and I will teach thee wisdom!
1   And Elihu proceeded, and said:




8i                      J 0 B.             [cunr. XXXIv.
2   Hear my words, ye wise men!
Give ear to me, ye that have knowledge!
3 For the ear trieth words,
As the mouth tasteth meat.
4 Let us examine for ourselves what is right;
Let us know among ourselves what is true.
5   Job hath said, " I am righteous,
And God refuseth me justice.
6 Though I am innocent, I am made a liar;
My wound is incurable, though I am free from transgression."
7 Where is the man like Job,
Who drinketh impiety like water;
8 Who goeth in company with evil-doers,
And walketh with wicked men?
9 For he hath said, " A man hath no advantage,
When he delighteth himself in God."
10 Wherefore hearken to me, ye men of understanding!
Far be iniquity from God;
Yea, far be injustice from the Almighty!
11 For what a man hath done he will requite him,
And render to every one according to his deeds.
12 Surely God will not do iniquity,
Nor will the Almighty pervert justice.
13 Who hath given him the charge of the earth?
Or who hath created the whole world?
14 Should he set his heart against man,
Should he take back his spirit and his breath,
15 Then would all flesh expire- together;
Yea, man would return to the dust.
16   If thou hast understanding, hear this!
Give ear to the voice of my words!
17 Shall he, that hateth justice, govern?
Wilt thou then condemn the just and mighty One?
18 Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked;
Or to princes, Ye are unrighteous?
19 How much less to him that is not partial to princes,
Nor regardeth the rich more than the poor?
For they are all the work of his hands.




CHAP. xxxIV.]            JOB.                       87
20 In a moment they die; yea, at midnight
Do the people stagger and pass away,
And the mighty are destroyed without hand.
21 For his eyes are upon the ways of man;
He seeth all his steps.
22 There is no darkness, nor shadow of death,
Where evil-doers may hide themselves.
23 He needeth not attend long to a man,
That he may go into judgment before God;
24 He dasheth in pieces the mighty without inquiry,
And setteth up others in their stead.
25 Therefore he knoweth their works,
And in a night he overthroweth them, so that they are
destroyed.
26 On account of their wickedness he smiteth them,
In the presence of many beholders;
27 Because they turned away from him,
And had no regard to his ways,
28 And caused the cry of the poor to come before him;
For he heareth the cry of the oppressed.
29 When he giveth rest, who can cause trouble?
And when he hideth his face,
Who can behold him?
30 So is it with nations and individuals alike!
That the wicked may no more rule,
And may not be snares to the people.
31   Surely thou shouldst say unto God,
" I have received chastisement; I will no more offend;
32 What I see not, teach thou me!
If I have done iniquity, I will do it no more."
33 Shall he recompense according to thy mind,
Because thou refusest, or because thou choosest, and not
he?
Speak, if thou hast knowledge!
34 Men of understanding,
Wise men, who hear me, will say,
35 "Job hath spoken without knowledge,
And his words are without wisdom."
36 I desire that Job may be tried to the last,
For answering like wicked men.




88                       JOB.              [CHAP. XXXVL
37 For he addeth impiety to his sin;
He clappeth his hands among us,
And multiplieth words against God.
1   Moreover Elihu proceeded, and said:
2   Dost thou then think thir to be right?
Thou hast said, " I am more righteous than God."
3 For thou askest, " What advantage have I?
What have I gained, more than if I had sinned?"
4 I will answer thee,
And thy companions with thee.
5   Look up to the heaveD-, and see!
And behold the clouds, which are high above thee!
6 If thou sinnest, what doest thou against Him?  [him?
If thy transgressions be multiplied, what doest thou to
7 If thou art righteous, what dost thou give him?
Or what receiveth he at thy hand?
8 Thy wickedness injureth only a man like thyself,
And thy righteousness profiteth only a son of man.
9   The oppressed cry out on account of the multitude of
wrongs;
They cry aloud on account of the arm of the mighty.
10 But none saith, " Where is God, my Maker,
Who giveth songs in the night;
11 Who teacheth us more than the beasts of the earth,
And maketh us wiser than the birds of heaven?"
12 There they cry aloud on account of the ride of the
But he giveth no answer.                   [wicked;
13 For God will not hear the vain supplication,
Nor will the Almighty regard it;
z4 Much less when thou sayest thou canst not see him:
Justice is with him, - only wait thou for him!
15 But now, because he hath not visited in his anger,
Nor taken strict note of transgression,
16 Therefore hath Job opened his mouth rashly,
And multiplied words without knowledge.
1   Elihu also proceeded, and said:




CHAP. XXXVI.]            J 0 B.                     89
2   Bear with me a little while, that I may show thee!
For I have yet words in behalf of God.
3 I will bring my knowledge from afar,
And assert the justice of my Maker.
4 Truly my words shall not be false:
A man of sound knowledge is before thee.
5   Behold, God is great, but despiseth not any;
Great is he in strength of understanding.
6 He suffereth not the wicked to prosper,
But rendereth justice to the oppressed.
7 He withdraweth not his eyes from the righteous;
But establisheth them for ever with kings on the throne,
That they may be exalted.
8 And if they be bound in fetters,
And holuen in the cords of affliction,
9 Then showeth he them their deeds,
And how they have set him at defiance by their transgressions;
10 He also openeth their ears to admonition,
And commandeth them to return from iniquity.
11 If they obey and serve him,
They spend their days in prosperity,
And their years in pleasures.
12 But if they obey not, they perish by the sword;
They die in their own folly.
13   The corrupt in heart treasure up wrath;
They cry not to God, when he bindeth them.
14 They die in their youth;
They close their lives with the unclean.
15 But he delivereth the poor in their distress;
He openeth their ears in affliction.
16 He will bring thee also from the jaws of distress
To a broad place, where is no straitness;
And the provision of thy table shall be full of fatness.
17 But if thou art full of the judgment of the wicked,
Judgment and justice shall take hold of thee.
18 For if wrath be with him, beware lest he take thee away
by his stroke,
So that a great ransom shall not save thee!




90                      J 0 B.            [CIAP. XXXvuI.
19 Will he esteem thy riches?
No! neither thy gold, nor all the abundance of thy wealth.
20 Long not thou for that night
To which nations are taken away from their place.
21 Take heed, turn not thine eyes to iniquity!
For this hast thou chosen rather than affliction.
22   Behold, God is exalted in his power:
Who is a teacher like him?
23 Who hath prescribed to him his way-?
Or who can say to him, " Thou hast done wrong "?
24 Forget not to magnify his work,
Which men celebrate with songs.
25 All mankind gaze upon it;
Mortals behold it from afar.
26 Behold, God is great; we cannot know him,
Nor search out the number of his years.
27 Lo! he draweth up the drops of water,
Which distil rain from his vapor;
28 The clouds pour it down,
And drop it upon man in abundance.
29 Who can understand the spreading of his clouds,
And the rattling of his pavilion?
30 Behold, he spreadeth around himself his light,
And he clotheth himself with the depths of the sea.
31 By these he punisheth nations,
And by these he giveth food in abundance.
32 His hands he covereth with lightning;
He giveth it commandment against an enemy.
83 His thunder maketh him known;
Yea, to the herds, as he ascendeth on high.
1   At this my heart trembleth,
And leapeth out of its place.
2 Hear, 0 hear, the thunder of his voice,
And the noise which goeth forth from his mouth!
3 He directeth it under the whole heaven,
And his lightning to the ends of the earth.
4 After it the thunder roareth;
He thundereth with his voice of majesty,
And restraineth it not, when his voice is heard.




CHAP. XXXVII ]           J B.                       91
5 God thundereth with his voice marvellously;
Great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.
6 For he saith to the snow, " Be thou on the earth!"
To the shower also, even the showers of his might.
7 He sealeth up the hand of every man,
That all men whom he hath made may acknowledge him.
8 Then the beasts go into dens,
And abide in their caverns.
9 Out of the south cometh the whirlwind,
And cold out of the north.
10 By the breath of God ice is formed,
And the broad waters become narrow.
11 Yea, with moisture he burdeneth the clouds;
He spreadeth abroad his lightning-clouds.
12 They move about by his direction,
To execute all his commands throughout the world;
13 Whether he cause them to come for punishment,
Or for the land, or for mercy.
14   Give ear to this, O Job!
Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God!
35 Dost thou know when God gave commandment to them,
And caused the lightning of his cloud to flash?
16 Dost thou understand the balancing of the clouds,
The wondrous works of Him that is perfect in knowledge?
17 How thy garments become warm,
When he maketh the earth still by the south wind?
18 Canst thou like him spread out the sky,
Which is firm like a molten mirror?
19 Teach us what we shall say to him!
For we cannot set in order our words by reason of darkness.
20 Shall it be told him that I would speak?
Shall a man speak, that he may be consumed?
21   For now men do not look upon the light,
When it is bright in the skies,
When the wind hath passed over them, and made them
clear.
22 From the north cometh gold;
But with God is terrible majesty I




92                      J B.             [CHAP. XXXVII.
23 The Almighty, we cannot find him out;
Great is he in power and justice,
Abundant in righteousness; he doth not oppress.
24 Therefore let men fear him!
Upon none of the wise in heart will he look.
XXII.
Jehovah's reproof of Job.-CHAP. XXXVIII., XXXIX.
1   THEN spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and
said:
2   Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without
knowledge?
3 Gird up thy loins like a man!
I will ask thee, and answer thou me!
4 Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the
earth?
Declare, if thou hast understanding!
5 Who fixed its dimensions, that thou shouldst know it!
Or who stretched out the line upon it?
6 Upon what were its foundations fixed?
And who laid its corner-stone,
7 When the morning stars sang together,
And all the sons of God shouted for joy?
8   And who shut up the sea with doors,
When it burst forth as from the womb?
9 When I made the clouds its mantle,
And thick darkness its swaddling-band;
10 When I appointed for it my bound,
And fixed for it bars and doors;
11 And said, Thus far shalt thou come, and no farther,
And here shall thy proud waves be stayed!
12   Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning,
Or caused the day-spring to know its place,.3 That it should lay hold of the ends of the earth,
And shake the wicked out of it?




CHAP. XXXVIII.]          J B.                      93
14 It is changed as clay by the seal;
And all things stand forth as in rich apparel.
15 But from the wicked their light is withheld,
And the high-raised arm is broken.
16   Hast thou visited the springs of the sea,
And walked through the recesses of the deep?
17 Have the gates of death been disclosed to thee,
And hast thou seen the gates of the shadow of death?
18 Hast thou surveyed the breadth of the earth?
Declare, if thou knowest it all!
19   Where is the way to the abode of light?
And darkness - where is its dwelling-place?
20 That thou shouldst lead it to its boundary,
And that thou shouldst know the paths to its mansion!
21 Surely thou knowest; for thou wast then born!
And the number of thy years is great!
22   Hast thou visited the storehouses of the snow,
Or seen the treasuries of the hail,
23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble,Against the day of battle and war?
24   What is the way to where light is distributed,
And the east wind spread abroad upon the earth?
25 Who hath prepared channels for the rain,
And a path for the thunder-flash,
26 To give rain to the land without an inhabitant,
To the wilderness wherein is no man;
27 To satisfy the desolate and waste ground,
And cause the tender herb to spring forth?
28   Hath the rain a father?
Or who hath begotten the drops of the dew?
29 Out of whose womb came the ice?
And who hath gendered the hoar-frost of heaven?
30 The waters are hid as under stone,
And the face of the deep becometh solid.
31   Canst thou fasten the bands of the Pleiads,
Or loosen the chains of Orion?




94                       J OB.             [CHAP. xxXIx.
32 Canst thou lead forth the Signs in their season,
Or guide the Bear with her sons?
33 Knowest thou the ordinances of the heavens?
Hast thou appointed their dominion over the earth?
34 Canst thou lift up thy voice to the clouds,
So that abundance of waters will cover thee?
35 Canst thou send forth lightnings, so that they will go,
And say to thee, " Here we are"?
36 Who hath put understanding in the reins,
And given intelligence to the mind?
37 Who numbereth the clouds in wisdom?
And who poureth out the bottles of heaven,
38 When the dust floweth into a molten mass,
And the clods cleave fast together?
39   Canst thou hunt prey for the lioness,
Or satisfy the hunger of the young lions,
40 When they couch in their dens,
And lie in wait in the thicket?
41 Who provideth for the raven his food,
When his young ones cry unto God,
While they wander about without food?
1   Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock
bring forth?
Or canst thou observe when the hinds are in labor?
2 Canst thou number the months they fulfil,
And know the season when they bring forth?
3 They bow themselves; they bring forth their young;
They cast forth their pains.
4 Their young ones are strong; they grow up in the fields;
They go away, and return not to them.
5   Who hath sent forth the wild ass free?
Who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass,
6 To whom I have given the wilderness for his house,
And the barren land for his dwelling-place?
7 He scorneth the tumult of the city,
And heedeth not the shouting of the driver;
8 The range of the mountains is his pasture;
He seeketh after every green thing.




CHAP. XXXIX.]           JO B.                     95
9   Will the wild-ox consent to serve thee?
Will he pass the night at thy crib?
10 Canst thou bind the wild-ox with the harness to the furrow?
Or will he harrow the valleys after thee?
11 Wilt thou rely upon him because his strength is great,
And commit to him thy labor?
12 Wilt thou trust him to bring home thy grain,
And gather in thy harvest?
13   The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully;
But is it with loving pinion and feathers?
14 Nay, she layeth her eggs on the ground;
She warmeth them in the dust,
15 And forgetteth that the foot may crush them,
And that the wild beast may break them.
16 She is cruel to her young, as if they were not hers;
Her labor is in vain, yet she feareth not;
17 Because God hath denied her wisdom,
And hath not given her understanding.
18 Yet when she lasheth herself up on high,
She laugheth at the horse and his rider.
19   Hast thou given the horse strength?
Hast thou clothed his neck with his trembling mane?
20 Hast thou taught him to bound like the locust?
How majestic his snorting! how terrible!
21 He paweth in the valley; he exulteth in his strength,
And rusheth into the midst of arms.
22 He laugheth at fear; he trembleth not,
And turneth not back from the sword.
23 Against him rattle the quiver,
The flaming spear, and the lance.
24 With rage and fury he devoureth the ground;
He will not believe that the trumpet soundeth.
25 At every blast of the trumpet, he saith, Aha!
And snuffeth the battle afar off, -
The thunder of the captains, and the war-shout.
26  Is it by thy wisdom that the hawk flieth,
And spreadeth his wings toward the south?




96                        JOB.                  [CHAP. x
27 Doth the eagle soar at thy co'imand,
And build his nest on high?
28 He dwelleth and lodgeth upon the rock,
Upon the peak of the rock, and the stronghold.
29 From thence he spieth out prey;
His eyes discern it from afar.
30 His young ones suck up blood;
And where the slain are, there is he.
XXIII.
Jehovah's question and Job's reply. — CHAP. XL. 1-5.
1   MOREOVER Jehovah spake to Job, and said:
2   Will the censurer of the Almighty contend with him?
Will the reprover of God answer?
3   Then Job answered Jehovah, and said:
4   Behold, I am vile! what can I answer thee?
I will lay my hand upon my mouth.
5 Once have I spoken, but I will not speak again;
Yea, twice, but I will say no more.
XXIV.
Jehovah's continued reproof of Job.- CHAP. XL. 6- XLI.
6   THEN spake Jehovah to Job out of the whirlwind, and
said:
7   Gird up now thy loins like a man!
I will ask thee, and do thou instruct me!
8 Wilt thou even disannul my right?
Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayst be righteous?
9 Hast thou an arm like God's?
Or canst thou thunder with thy voice like him?
10 Deck thyself with grandeur and majesty,
And array thyself in splendor and glory!




CHAP. XLI.]             J 0 B.                     97
11 Send forth the fury of thy wrath!
Look upon every proud one, and abase him!
12 Look upon every proud one, and bring him low;
Yea, tread down the wicked in their place!
13 Hide them in the dust together;
Shut up their faces in darkness!
14 Then, indeed, will I give thee the praise,
That thine own right hand can save thee.
15   Behold the river-horse, which I have made as well as
He feedeth on grass like the ox.           [thyself;
16 Behold, what strength is in his loins!
And what force in the muscles of his belly!
17 He bendeth his tail, like the cedar,
And the sinews of his thighs are twisted together.
18 His bones are pipes of brass,
And his limbs are bars of iron.
19 He is chief among the works of God;
He that made him gave him his sword.
20 For the mountains supply him with food,
Where all the beasts of the field play.
21 He lieth down under the lote-plants,
In the covert of reeds, and in the fens.
22 The lote-plants cover him with their shadow,
And the willows of the brook compass him about.
23 Lo! the stream overfloweth, but he starteth not;
He is unmoved though Jordan rush forth even to his
mouth.
24 Can one take him before his eyes,
Or pierce his nose with hooks?
1   Canst thou draw forth the crocodile with a hook,
Or press down his tongue with a cord?
2 Canst thou put a rope into his nose,
Or pierce his cheek with a hook?
3 Will he make many entreaties to thee?
Will he speak soft words to thee?
4 Will he make a covenant with thee?
Canst thou take him for a servant for ever?
6 Canst thou play with him, as with a bird?
Or canst thou bind him for thy maidens?
5




98                      JOB.                 [cIIAP. XLI.
6 Do men in company lay snares for him?
Do they divide him among the merchants?
7 Canst thou fill his skin with barbed irons,
Or his head with fish-spears?
8 Do but lay thy hand upon him,Thou wilt no more think of battle!
9   Behold, his hope is vain!
Is he not cast down at the very sight of him?
10 None is so fierce that he dare stir him up;
Who then is he that can stand before me?
11 Who hath done me a favor, that I must repay him?
Whatever is under the whole heaven is mine.
12   I will not be silent concerning his limbs,
And his strength, and the beauty of his armor.
13 Who can uncover the surface of his garment?
Who will approach his jaws?
14 Who will open the doors of his face?
The rows of his teeth are terrible!
15 His glory is his strong shields,
United with each other, as with a close seal.
16 They are joined one to another,
So that no air can come between them.
17 They cleave fast to each other,
They hold together, and cannot be separated.
18 His sneezing sendeth forth light,
And his eyes are like the eyelashes of the morning.
19 Out of his mouth go flames,
And sparks of fire leap forth.
20 From his nostrils issueth smoke, as from a heated pot, or
caldron.
21 His breath kindleth coals,
And flames issue from his mouth.
22 In his neck dwelleth strength,
And terror danceth before him.
23 The flakes of his flesh cleave fast together;
They are firm upon him, and cannot be moved.
24 His heart is solid like a stone;
Yea, solid like the nether millstone.




CRAP. XLII.]             JOB.                       99
25   When he riseth up, the mighty are afraid;
Yea, they lose themselves for terror.
26 The sword of him that assaileth him doth not stand,
The spear, the dart, nor the habergeon.
27 He regardeth iron as straw,
And brass as rotten wood.
28 The arrow cannot make him flee;
Sling-stones to him become stubble;
29 Clubs are accounted by him as straw;
He laugheth at the shaking of the spear.
30   Under him are sharp potsherds;
He spreadeth out a thrashing-sledge upon the mire.
31 He maketh the deep to boil like a caldron;
He maketh the sea like a pot of ointment.
32 Behind him he leaveth a shining path;
One would think the deep to be hoary.
33 Upon the earth there is not his master;
He is made without fear.
34 He looketh down upon all that is high;
He is king over all the sons of pride.
XXV.
Job's entire submission to Jehovah. - CHAP. XLII. 1-6.
1   THEN Job answered Jehovah, and said:
2   I know that thou canst do every thing,
And that no purpose of thine can be hindered.
3 Who is he that darkeneth counsel by words withou
knowledge?
Thus have I uttered what I understood not;
Things too wonderful for me, which I knew not:
4 Hear thou, then, I beseech thee, and I will speak!
I will ask thee, and do thou instruct me!
5 I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear;
But now hath mine eye seen thee.
6 Wherefore I abhor myself,
And repent in dust and ashes.




100                     JOB.               [CHAP. XLI.
XXVI.
Jehovah's vindication of Job, and the happy issue of his trials.
CHAP. XLII. 7-17.
7   AND when Jehovah had spoken these words unto Job,
he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: "My wrath is kindled
against thee, and against thy two friends; for ye have not
spoken concerning me that which is right, as hath my ser8 vant Job. Take ye, therefore, seven bullocks and seven
rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer for yourselves
a burnt-offering, and my servant Job shall pray for you;
for to him alone will I have regard; that I deal not with
you according to your folly. For ye have not spoken
concerning me that which is right, as hath my servant
Job."
9   So Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and
Zophar the Naamathite, went and did as Jehovah com10 manded them; and Jehovah had regard to Job. And Jehovah turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his
friends, and Jehovah gave him twice as much as he had
11 before. Then came to him all his brethren, and all his
sisters, and all his former acquaintances, and ate bread
with him in his house; and condoled with him, and comforted him over all the evil which Jehovah had brought
upon him; and every one gave him a piece of money [a
kesita], and every one a ring of gold.
12   Thus Jehovah blessed the latter end of Job more than
the beginning; for he had fourteen thousand sheep, six
thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand
13 she-asses. He had also seven sons, and three daughters.
14 And he called the name of the first Jemima, of the second
15 Kezia, and of the third Kerenhappuch. And in all the
land were no women found so fair as the daughters of
Job; and their father gave them an inheritance among
16 their brethren. And Job lived after this a hundred and
forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four
17 generations. Then Job died, being old and satisfied with
days.




ECCLESIASTES.








INTRODUCTION TO ECCLESIASTES.
FEW books of the Old Testament have given rise to greater
diversities of opinion than that which is called Ecclesiastes, or the
Preacher. In regard to its form and its spirit, its subject and
its meaning, its scope and design, its age and author, widely different opinions have been entertained, and defended with confidence and ingenuity. By different critics the author has been
regarded as an Epicurean, a Sadducee, a sceptic, a fatalist. By
others his chief aim is supposed to be to prove and maintain the
doctrines of the immortality of the human soul, and a future state
of retribution. Some of the ancient Jews, according to St. Jerome, entertained objections against this book, saying, that, " as
some books, which Solomon wrote, had been lost, this too ought
to be obliterated; because it asserted that the creatures of God
are vain, and regarded all things as worthless, and preferred meat
and drink and delicacies to every thing else; yet they said that
the twelfth chapter alone, which summed up all he had written
in the precept to fear God and keep his commandments, gave it a
sufficient claim to be placed among the sacred books." * So in
the Talmud we read, " Some of the wise men desired to hide,
135., that is, to forbid the public reading of, the book Coheleth,
because there were found in it words tending to heresy." t Others,
because his language was contradictory.
* See Comment. on Eccles. xii. 13, Jerome's Works, vol. ii. p. 787, edit.
Martianay.
t See Pesikta Rabbati, fol. 33, c. 1; Midrash, Cohel., fol. 311, c. 1; Vajikra Rab., ~ 28, fol. 161, c. 2; Tr. Schabb., fol. 30, c. 2.
[1031




104              INTRODUCTION TO
A consideration of the objections which have been made to the
book in ancient and modern times, and of the apparent contradictions which perplex the reader, seems to be demanded as a part of
the introduction to this book.
In regard to the class of composition to which the book belongs,
it seems to come nearest to what, in modern times, would be called
an ethical or moral essay. I do not, with some writers, regard it
as a poem, though parts of it run into the region of poetry, and
have a degree of rhythm in the construction. It is, however,
written with the freedom of poetry, without regard to logical connection of thought, and without any strict and regular plan kept
in view throughout.:Not that the work is wholly destitute of
method. There is, at any rate, a unity of subject pervading it
from beginning to end; interrupted, it is true, but not destroyed,
by digressions and the introduction of moral maxims. The author evidently throws out freely the thoughts which occur to him
on a general subject, rather than undertakes to prove any particular point, or to accomplish any precise plan, to which all the parts
should have a definite and intimate relation.
If I were to express the subject of the work in a single sentence,
which might serve as a titlepage to it, I should call it " THOUGHTS
ON THE VANITY OF HUMAN LIFE, INTERSPERSED WITH SUCH MAXIMS OF PRUDENCE, VIRTUE, AND RELIGION AS WILL HELP A MAN
TO CONDUCT HIMSELF IN THE BEST MANNER, AND TO OBTAIN TIIE
GREATEST AMOUNT OF IAPPINESS, IN HIS JOURNEY TItROUGII IT."
The main doctrine, or speculative view, of the author is the vanity
of human things, that is, of human striving, and of human fortunes
and experiences; and his most prominent practical precept is, that
men should enjoy the present blessings of life as they come, without anxiety and over-strenuous exertions relating to distant and
future good. But there are many observations, and many practical precepts of prudence, virtue, and religion, scattered through
the work, as having an independent value, and not having a particular and obvious relation to any general plan or design of the
author.
In regard to the objectionable sentiments and inconsistencies
which have been charged upon the Preacher, it appears to me that
much may be said in the way of explanation. One important (cn



ECCLESI &STES.                    105
sideration is the general character of the composition, which does
not aim at metaphysical accuracy of expression, or precise statements of doctrine or principles. The writer throws out thoughts
and views, which occur to him as the results of his various experience, without making at the time the limitations and qualifications
which a more careful and logical writer would have placed in immediate connection with the former. We are not, therefore, to
take all the thoughts which he expresses, while contemplating
things in certain points of view, as his final and settled convictions.
We are to consider whether, in the course of his essay, he has not
limited, or modified, former statements, if not formally and expressly, yet by solemn additional declarations, which in fact qualify
the former; whether, in the one case, he has not told us what he
thought when considering things under certain aspects, and, in the
other, what he believed on the whole, and taking all circumstances
into the account; whether, in the one case, he has not been stating
facts which perplexed his mind, and, in the other, expressed his
habitual faith in the religion of the Old Testament, to which he
clung notwithstanding these facts. It is very doubtfhl, however,
whether he intends to contradict, or has in fiact contradicted, any
one proposition which he has laid down, in the same sense and degree in which he asserted it.
It is probable that nothing advanced by the Preacher has given
greater occasion for the charge of inconsistency or contradiction,
than the sentiments which he expresses in relation to a retribution
for sin. The difficulty occasioned by his statements in relation to
this subject is the greater, if, as seems to be most probable, he
had not attained to faith in a life after death, or a future state of
retribution. The doctrine of a retribution after death affords the
easy solution of the difficulty, which satisfies many readers. But,
if the writer did not believe in the doctrine, we need a different
explanation of the facts. Some of the passages relating to this
subject are the following: In chap. viii. 14, 15, the Preacher
says, "There is a vanity which taketh place upon the earth, that
there are righteous men to whom it happeneth according to the
work of the wicked, and that there are wicked men to whom it
happeneth according to the work of the righteous. I said, This
also is vanity. Then I coimmiended joy; because nothing is good
5*



106               INTRODUCTION       TO
for a man, except to eat, and to drink, and to be joyful; for it is
this that abideth with him for his labor during the days of his life
which God giveth him under the sun." So, chap. ix. 2-5, "All
things [come to them] as to all. There is one event to the righteous and to the wicked; to the good, to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as
is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth [falsely], as he
that fears an oath. This is an evil among all things which take
place under the sun, that there is one event to all; therefore also
the heart of the sons of men is full of evil, and madness is in their
heart while they live, and afterward they go down to the dead.
For who is there that is excepted?  With all the living there is
hope; for a living dog is better than a dead lion. For the living
know that they must die; but the dead know not any thing, and
there is no more to them any advantage; for their memory is forgotten.... Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy
wine with a cheerful heart." Other passages of similar import
might be quoted; but these are sufficient.
On the other hand, we read, in chap. iii. 17, " Then I said in my
heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked. For there
shall be a time for every employment and for every work [to be
judged]." And in chap. viii. 12, 13, "But though a sinner do
evil a hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet surely I
know that it shall be well with them that fear God, that fear before him. But it shall not be well with the wicked; he shall be
like a shadow, and shall not prolong his days; because he feareth
not before God." And in chap. xi. 9, " Know that for these things
God will bring thee into judgment." And in chap. xii. 14, "For
God will bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing,
whether it be good, or whether it be evil." (See also chap. v.
3-7; vii. 17, 18; viii. 8.)
Now, the first remark, which may be made upon these seeming
inconsistencies respecting the doctrine of retribution for sin is,
that they are not peculiar to the Book of Ecclesiastes. We find
similar representations in the Psalms, in the Book of Job, and in
Habakkuk. (See Ps. Ixxiii.; Hab. i. 12-17.) The Book of Jou
contains strong representations of the prosperity of the wicked,
and the misery of the righteous; which representations the writei




ECCLESIASTES.                     107
reconciles with faith in a righteous retribution for sin, and that,
too, in the present world. That these representations are generally put into the mouths of different speakers is a mere matter of
form, adopted by the author in order to present different views
of the subject. But this is not always the case. Job himself is
made to utter sentiments apparently so diverse in chap. xxiv. and
xxvii., that some critics have made arbitrary alterations in the
text to meet the supposed difficulty. It is probable, therefore,
that the alleged inconsistency in the case of the Preacher is to be
explained in the same way as the passages referred to in the
Psalms, Job, and Habakkuk.
2. It is to be remarked, that the facts asserted by the Preacher
are, to a considerable extent at least, what we all know to be
true. Physical events do take place according to physical laws.
The sun rises on the evil and the good, and the rain descends on
the just and the unjust. When a tempest rages, it does not spare
the fields and dwellings of the righteous. When the pestilence
lays waste, it does not pass by the innocent and devout. If there
be any exaggeration in the Preacher's statements, if he places the
difficulties which occur to his mind respecting the moral government of God in a very strong light, this is to be referred to the
bold, unqualified way in which he expresses all his thoughts, and
to his desire to give a striking illustration of the vanity of human
things. He does not make his statements as deciding the question
against a retribution for sin, but only as presenting difficulties.
He is expressing thoughts which occurred to his mind at the time,
not giving his view on the whole. He is complaining that the
wicked escape for a long time, though he may yet have believed,
as he has expressly asserted, that judgment would at some time
overtake them. Notwithstanding the extent to which all things
happen alike to all, he may have believed in the doctrine of a righteous retribution, as established by the general consequences of
human actions, as required by the justice of God, and as certainly
contained in the religious books of his nation.
For it will be conceded by all, that the doctrine of a righteous
retribution in the present life is the doctrine of the Old Testament.
It is found throughout the Pentateuch and the Book of Proverbs.
It was firmly held by the Psalmists, by Habakkuk, and the author




108               INTRODUCTION        TO
of Job, notwithstanding the difficulties presented by the prosperity
of the wicked, and the sufferings of the righteous. Their faith in
retribution was not shaken by their observation, that "the ungodly prospered in the world, and increased in riches," while the
righteous "have been smitten every day, and chastened every
morning." They had faith, that, though "judgment against an
evil work was not executed speedily," the wicked " stood in slippery places;" and that in some way, and at some time, the ways of
transgressors would be found to be hard, and that, too, in this
world. Why, then, should we seek a solution of the difficulty in
Ecclesiastes different from that which is applicable to other writers
of the Old Testament P What more is necessary than to suppose,
that, in the one class of passages, the Preacher states his faith, and
the faith of his nation, in the doctrine of temporal retribution;
whilst, in the other class, he only states facts in regard to the temporary distribution of good and evil in the world, especially in regard to the occurrence of the same physical events to all without
distinction of character, which, though they perplex his mind and
occasion embarrassment, and impress it with the vanity of human
things, yet do not shake his faith. In the one case, he declares
what is true on the whole, in the long-run, and all things considered, and what may be expected fiom the eternal. justice of the
Almighty. In the other, he is stating what fell under lis own
observation and experience in a given time, and which occasioned
him so much embarrassment, that he exclaims, " Then I saw the
whole work of God, that a man cannot comprehend that which is
done under the sun; how much soever he may labor to search it
out, yet shall he not comprehend it; yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it."
We Christians believe in the moral government of God, and in
a retribution for sin to a certain extent in the present world,
though we are sometimes inclined to wonder that a surer and a
swifter punishment does not overtake evil-doers. We cannot deny
the facts which the Preacher has stated, and which, at first view,
seem inconsistent with his doctrines, however we might qualify the
statement of them. We think we bring those facts into more perfect harmony with our faith in the moral government of God by
extending the retributions of sin into the future world. The mind




ECCLESIASTES.                     109
of the Preacher may have been more embarrassed than that of the
Christian. It would be strange if it were not. He may not have
been so able to account for the phenomena of human life, as the
Christian, to whom life and immortality have been brought to light.
But his faith was not shaken, though his understanding was perplexed. He admits, like an honest man, all the difficulties of the
subject, and believes still, that though for a time the sinner goes
unpunished, yet that at some time, and in some way, he is brought
into judgment by the Supreme Ruler.
It is true that the Preacher does not limit and qualify all his
statements, like one who weighs all his words with the accuracy of
Bishop Butler. It is rather his manner to give bold, unqualified,
and, as it were, paradoxical statements of the results of his experience and observation, as well as of the course of conduct which he
thinks it advisable to pursue. But if. we make due allowance for
the style of the writer in this respect, and for his use of figurative
and hyperbolical language, we are not compelled to believe, notwithstanding his strong statements respecting the equal condition
of the righteous and the wicked, that doubt on the subject of
retribution was the prevailing habit of his mind.
It may appear singulai to some readers that I have spent so
much time on this topic, when the supposition, that the writer believed in a state of retribution after death, would afford so obvious a solution of the difficulty in question. But, in several notes
on various passages in the book, I have given reasons which make
it appear to my mind most probable that the Preacher had not
faith in a desirable future life, much less in a future state of retribution. It appears to me, that he has himself intimated that this was
not the way in which he viewed the subject. Thus, in chap. viii.
13, he says, " But it shall not be well with the wicked, neither shall
he prolong his days, which are as a shadow; because he feareth
not before God." I think, too, that if he had had faith in the doctrine of a retribution after death, it would have pervaded the whole
book. and given an entirely different complexion to it. The practical inferences, or recommendations, especially, which the Preacher
makes in view of the vanity, perplexities, and shortness of life,
would, it seems to me, have been entirely different, if he had entertained the Christian faith in immortality and retribution.  (See




110               INTRODUCTION       TO
chap. ii. 24; iii. 12, 13, 22; v. 18-20; vii. 14; viii. 15; ix, 7-10,
&c.) I have already mentioned the probability, that no other
solution of the difficulties in Ecclesiastes is to be sought, than that
which applies to the Book of Job, to Habakkuk, and to the
Psalms.
With regard to the Preacher's alleged tendency to fatalism, it
may be admitted that the sentiments of chapters first and second,
and of such passages as chap. iii. 14, vi. 10, vii. 13, if taken by
themselves, and pursued to their consequences, without regard to
other statements and sentiments contained in the book, may seem
to give some plausibility to the charge. But what author is not
liable to the same charge, if treated in the same way? Calvin,
Dr. Priestley, Dr. Emmons, might receive the same appellation.
Would not even the doctrine of our Saviour and of the Apostle
Paul, respecting the dependence of all things upon God and the
unlimited extent of the Divine providence, be liable to the same
charge? The Preacher has amply qualified his statements respecting the impotency of human exertion, and the inevitable course of
events, and the dependence of. all things upon God, by the doctrine of a righteous retribution, and by various passages, which
imply faith in human freedom and accountableness. In respect
to this point, as to others, we must keep in mind the characteristic
of the writer to give a strong, I might almost say paradoxical,
view of the condition of human things, which is immediately before
his mind. The necessary limitations and qualifications are not
given at the'time. At any rate, if some expressions indicate a
tendency to fatalism, it is certain that the Preacher was not
a fatalist.
It may, however, be admitted, that the author gives a stronger
view than any other Biblical writer of the circumscribed limits of
human efforts, and their subjection to a higher, established, inevitable course of things, or ordination of Divine providence, which
man can neither resist nor control. (See chap. iii. 1-15, especially
14, 15; vi. 10; vii. 13; ix. 1, 11.) The great theme of the book,
the vanity of human things, is made to consist chiefly of the vanity
of human effort or striving, as being either wholly fruitless, or
fruitless in relation to its express object. But, if we interpret the
language of the author by other parts of the book, we must come




ECCLESIASTES.                      ll
to the conclusion, that he by no means designs to encourage inactivity or neglect of our powers, but only an anxious, ambitious,
and over-strenuous pursuit of future and distant good. If, in one
passage, he asks, "What profit hath a man of all his labor?" he
says, in another, " Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy
might."  However strong is the writer's representation of the influence of a higher power over his concerns and actions, he has
enforced doctrines and duties which imply faith in human freedom
and accountableness. Nor has any one a right to charge him with
inconsistency, unless he is able to prove that the doctrines of the
Divine foreknowledge, providence, and government are inconsistent with human freedom and accountableness.
As to the opinion, that the author of Ecclesiastes was a Sadducee or sceptic, in the sense of settled unbeliever, it appears
to me to be unfounded. He had doubts, indeed; but he did not
abandon himself to them. He goes on with his speculations, till
he clears some of them up. It is true that he has not faith in a
future life of retribution. But this doctrine, it must be remembered, formed no part of the Jewish religion. In this respect, the
Preacher does not differ essentially from the author of the Book
of Job, and other writers of the Old Testament. He lived, indeed,
as is probable, at a later period, when the faith in a future life of
retribution may have begun to prevail; but he had had no authoritative assurance of it. It was a mere question of speculative
philosophy, when speculation on the subject commenced. (See the
note on chap. iii. 17, 19, 21; xii. 7.) As to the charge of Sadlduceeism, it is at least inconsistent with the author's alleged tendency to fatalism. For the Sadducees, according to Josephus,
"take away fate, and say there is no such thing, and that the
events of human affairs are not at its disposal; but they suppose
that all our actions are in our own power, so that we are ourselves the causes of what is good, and receive what is evil from our
own folly." *
As to the charge of Epicurism, if by this is meant that the
Preacher recommends self-indulgence, -that is, the pleasures of
sense, or pleasures of any kind, without regard to the obligations
* Whiston's Josephus, Antiq., xiii. 5, 9.




112                INTRODUCTION       TO
of duty and religion, - it appears to me that it is entirely false, as
I shall show in the notes upon those passages which have been supposed to justify it. The foundation of this opinion is a too literal interpretation of certain figurative and pointed expressions, in which
the author recommends a quiet enjoyment of the good that one
possesses, in contradistinction from excessive earnestness, anxiety,
and exertion after distant and future good. No sound moralist
will maintain, that the pleasures derived from the eye, the ear, or
even the palate, are to be regarded as sinful, and denounced as
Epicurean. The Preacher is careful to tell us, that a man cannot
have the quiet enjoyment of life, namely, "wisdom and knowledge and joy," except by "the gift of God to those who are good
in his sight," that is, who discharge the duties of morality and religion. (Chap. ii. 26.) It is idle to say that he recommends the
pleasures of sense as constituting a happy life without "wisdom
and knowledge and joy."
There are some other topics on which the Preacher has been
supposed to utter sentiments irreconcilable with each other, when
lie is, in fact, only giving the results of his various experience, and
speaking of the subject in different relations. Thus, he often
speaks in praise of wisdom, and of the advantages which it confers
on its possessor; whilst, in other passages, he gives an impressive
view of its insufficiency to guard its possessor from many of the
calamities and trials which flesh is heir to. There is no inconsistency here. He also uses the word in different senses. When he
says that " in much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increases
knowledge increases sorrow," he is speaking of mere speculative
kilowledge. His mleaning is, that the more one knows of the world,
the more he knows of its vanity, and that mere speculative knowledge cannot confer true satisfaction or happiness. In other passages, he commends that practical wisdom which enables its
possessor to avoid the consequences of folly.
In order to explain the seeming inconsistencies which have been
considered, the hypothesis has been advanced by some critics, such
as Herder and Eichhorn, who were never at a loss for an hypothesis
on any subject, that the Book of Ecclesiastes consists of a dialogue,
in which the speakers offer different sentiments on the subject under discussion. If our views are correct, strch an hypothesis is




ECCLESIASTES.                     113
unnecessary. But if the exigency for it were ten times greater
than it is, the difficulty of dividing and arranging the book, so as
to make it form a natural dialogue, is such, that the hypothesis
must be regarded as forced and arbitrary in the highest degree. It
has met with very little favor, and is too improbable to deserve a
particular examination.
The great fault of the interpreters of this book has been that of
ascribing to it more depth of thought, more logic, more method,
more consistency, greater definiteness of statement, and greater
particularity of design, than really belong to it. Stuart, though
not consistent, is liable to this charge. (See his Introduction,
p. 34.) The bold, indefinite, unprecise language of the author
has given great opportunity to the commentators of attaching
their thoughts to the writer's language, instead of extracting from
it his own thoughts. Thus, Desvoeux, in his Commentary, makes
the book contain a logical and well-arranged argument to prove
the immortality of the soul and a future state of retribution. Umbreit regards it as a philosophical inquiry relating to the summum
bonum, or chief good.*  Martin Luther says: " The nature and
design of this book is to teach us that we should with thankfulness
enjoy present things, and the creatures which God has abundantly
bestowed upon us, and not be anxious about the future; keeping
a tranquil, quiet spirit, and a mind full of joy, being contented
with the word' and works of God."t Jahn coincides in opinion
with Luther. " The author," says he, " does not dwell upon the
vanity and vexatiousness of human affairs more than upon an
agreeable use of the pleasures of life; and therefore his intention
evidently was to repress the restless and eager efforts of men,
which hurry them on in heaping up wealth, in securing pleasures,
and acquiring honors; and, at the same time, to instruct them not
to increase the troubles of life by denying themselves the enjoyment of harmless, though uncertain and fleeting, pleasures."I
On this opinion of Luther and Jahn, the remark may be made,
that it is just to a certain extent. The practical design which they
K* oheleth Scepticus de Summto Bono. Commnentatio philosophicocritica.
Gotting., 1820.
f Pref. in Ecclesiastem, in Opp. Lat., edit. Wittenb., tom. iv. p. 2.
$ Jahn's Introd. to O. T., ~ 212.




114               INTRODUCTION        TO
ascribe to the author was, without doubt, entertained by him; but
whether it ought to be regarded as the chief and special design of
the whole book may be doubted. On the contrary, the practical
recommendation of the Preacher, as stated by Luther and Jahn,
occurs in the book as an inference from the general view of the
vanity of human things which he undertook to illustrate.
Various other designs have been assigned to the author; among
which is that of Kaiser, who supposes the work to be an historicodidactic poem, in which the characters of the Jewish kings, from
Solomon to Zedekiah, are set forth and censured, so as to show
what was the cause of the ruin of the Jewish nation.*  The chief
objection to this theory is, that the author of the work has given
no intimation, directly or indirectly, of any such design.
There is also the theory of Ewald, who supposes the book to
have been written whenPalestine had become a province of Persia, and the Jews were suffering under the tyranny and violence
of the Persian satraps. In this state of things, some of them had
become weary of life and indifferent to all things; some plunged
themselves into pleasures; and some openly inveighed against
their oppressors, and thus exasperated their minds the more
against them. In such times, says Ewald,t the Preacher undertook to compose a book in which he exhorts his countrymen "to
bear present evils with patience, to be cautious and circumspect
in speech, and, above all, to fear God, who would at some time
bring all things into judgment and set all things right. He
exhorts them, therefore, not to sink under their calamities, but to
enjoy, with a grateful and cheerful mind, the goods which had been
placed within their reach."
The objection to this theory, too, is, that it is mere theory;
that, even if the book was written in the circumstances of national
distress which the writer supposes, of which, however, there is no
evidence, there is no such necessary allusion to national affairs as
this theory implies. There are no sentiments in the book which
* Koheleth, das Collectivum der Davidischen KInige in Jerusalem, ein
historisches Lehrgedicht iiber den Umsturtz des Judischen Staates. Erlangen, 1823.
I In his remarks on Ecclesiastes, appended to his work, Das Hohelied
Salomo's, iibersetzt, &c. Gbtting., 1826.




ECCLESIASTES.                     115
the vicissitudes of human life may not have led the author to
express in any circumstances of the Jewish nation. A similar
theory was proposed by Warburton, with reference to the Book of
Job, and with as little foundation.
The only proper way of coming at the truth in relation to this
subject is to consider the author as having designed to do what he
has actually done; not to ascribe to him any greater unity or
speciality of purpose than appears in his work; not to make the
thoughts on various topics, thrown off as they arose freely in
the mind of the author and connected by casual associations, the
parts of a logical argument, or the means of accomplishing an
elaborate plan, which may never have existed in his mind.
If we gather the design of the author from what he has done,
we must conclude that his purpose was to please, to instruct, and
to improve his readers, by making known to them his thoughts on
the vanity of human life. The illustration of this topic is, and is
regarded by the common reader, the prominent aim of the author.
"Vanity of vanities, vanity of vanities, au is vanity," is the beginning, the middle, and the end of the essay. It is the chain which
binds the whole together. And yet all parts of it do not conspire
merely to illustrate this one topic. Throughout the work are
interspersed advice and proverbial maxims respecting the conduct
of life and the discharge of duty in relation to man and God.
The author springs from one topic to another, to which he is
drawn by some casual association, pursues the latter for a time,
and then returns to the former. The vanity of human things
being regarded as the main doctrinal view of the author, the
general subject of the book, what Luther maintains to be its chief
design, may be regarded as his prominent practical inference;
namely, that men should, in the discharge of duty, enjoy with
gratitude the blessings of life as they come, without distressing
anxiety and over-strenuous exertions after distant and future good.
Yet the practice of virtue and the fear of God are enjoined as
of the first importance in regard to the enjoyment of such happiness as may be attained in a world of vanity; and while the young
and the old are encouraged to enjoy life as it passes, and to lose
none of its pleasures through a spirit of asceticism, or of anxiety
and ambition about the distant and the future, yet only such an




116               INTRODUCTION       TO
enjoyment of the good things of life is recommended as is consistent with the constant remembrance of the Creator, and of the
judgment which is appointed for all.
That the preceding account of the subject and design of the
book is correct, may appear from a more particular analysis of it,
and from the commentary which follows it.
The principal thought is first laid down, that all is vain and
unprofitable. (Chap. i. 1, 2.)  This view the Preacher illustrates,1. By the wearisome, ever-recurring changes which are taking
place without bringing to pass any thing new, or leading to
any new result which is adapted to give satisfaction to the
mind of man. (Ver. 4-11.)
2. By the dissatisfaction attending the pursuit of wisdom or
knowledge. (Ver. 12-18.)
3. By the unsatisfactoriness of the pleasures of life and of strivings after them, even when united with the pursuit of knowledge and philosophy. (Chap. ii. 1-11.)
4. The author then compares the pleasures of knowledge and
the pleasures of sense with one another, and passes judgment on them; and recommends it as the best course which
a man can pursue, in order to make the best of a vain world,
to give up anxious cares about distant objects and perplexing
subjects, and to enjoy with a tranquil, contented, cheerful
mind the blessings of life, as he goes along in its paths.
(Chap. ii. 12-26.)
5. The vanity of human things is illustrated by their established
changes and periods, their fixed course, all things having
their limits and time appointed by a higher power than man's.
Hence the folly of anxiety, and the vanity of over-strenuous
exertion, since man cannot alter the fixed and established
course of things; and hence the wisdom of taking things as
they come, and making the best of them, in obedience and
submission to the Divine will, which controls and disposes
all things. (Chap. iii. 1-15.)
6. The vanity of human things is illustrated by the prevalence of
injustice and violence among men, and the resemblance




ECCLESIASTES.                     117
of man to brutes in respect to hardships and death. Hence,
too, the Preacher derives the conclusion, that it is best to
take a cheerful enjoyment of the good things of life, without
anxious cares respecting the future. (Chap. iii. 16-22.)
7. The vanity of human things is next illustrated by reference to
the sufferings of the oppressed; the envy which is excited
toward the prosperous; the evils of avarice and of solitude;
the evils attendant on royalty, arising from the infirmities
of its possessor and the fickleness of the people. (Chap. iv.)
Then follow some proverbial maxims respecting the worship
of God (chap. v. 1-7); then proverbs recommending the
quiet pursuit of agriculture, in preference to the agitating,
avaricious pursuit of wealth (8-17). These are followed by
the advice before given; namely, to enjoy the good things of
life as they come, without anxiety or wearisome efforts after
distant and future good (18-20).
8. The vanity of human things connected with wealth hoarded up
without being enjoyed or used (chap. vi. 1-6), and with
insatiable desires (7-9). Then follows an obscure passage,
apparently intended to illustrate the vanity of human things
(10-12).
9. Then follows a series of maxims and precepts respecting the
guidance, support, and consolation of men in their passage
through life, recommending righteousness and piety, with
occasional remarks on the vanity of human things, such as
the vanity of striving after wisdom, the certainty of death,
&c. (Chap. vii. 1-viii. 13.)
10. Then follows a new illustration of the vanity of human things,
drawn from the prosperity of the wicked and the sufferings
of the righteous, and the impossibility of comprehending the
ways of Providence; closing with the practical exhortation,
which he has given so many times before, to a quiet and
cheerful enjoyment of life, while life lasts, as "his portion,"
as "all that abideth with him of his labor," without indulging in vain grief for what cannot be helped, or in the anxious,
restless pursuit of that which cannot be attained, or which,
when attained, yields no satisfaction. "Go thy way," says
he, after giving the most melancholy picture of life which he




118              INTRODUCTION      TO
has yet presented, " eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy
wine with a cheerful heart; for now is God pleased with
thy works. Let thy garments be always white, and let not
fragrant oil be wanting upon thy head. Enjoy life with the
wife whom thou lovest, all the days of thy vain life, which
he hath given thee under the sun, all thy vain days."(Chap. viii. 14-ix. 10.)
11. A new illustration of the vanity of human life, drawn from
the circumstances, that success does not always answer to a
man's strength, wisdom, or other advantages; and that wisdom, with all its benefits to the public, often brings but little
consideration to its possessor. Then follow various proverbial maxims, showing the advantages of wisdom and prudence, and the evil of rulers unfit for their station; and
designed to regulate the conduct in private and public.
This section closes with a recommendation of liberality to
the poor, and of diligent exertion in our appropriate pursuits, without an over-anxious solicitude respecting the issue
of our labors. (Chap. ix. 11-xi. 6.)
12. The Preacher now exhorts to a cheerful enjoyment of life as
it passes, and the putting away of care and sorrow, in view
of that portion of life's vanity which consists in the evil
days of old age, and of the long period of darkness in
prospect. (Chap. xi. 7-xii. 8.) Then follows a repetition
of the chief truth which has been illustrated in the work,
namely, the vanity of human things; and the final recommendation of the Preacher, as the conclusion of the whole
discourse, and the duty of every man; namely, "to fear
God and keep his commandments." (Chap. xii. 9-14.)
From this view of the contents of the Book of Ecclesiastes, it
may be inferred that the author was a man of wisdom, virtue, and
religion, according to the light which he had. He was not a
fatalist, or a sceptic, or an Epicurean, in any offensive sense of
those terms. He may be regarded as of a free, speculative, and
somewhat sceptical turn of mind, but still holding fast the fundamental principles of the Jewish faith. If he had doubts, they
related to subjects upon which he found no certain light in the




ECCLESIASTES.                     119
religion of his fathers and his country. If he recommended
the enjoyment of life, it was such an enjoyment as was consistent
with virtue and religion. A deep sense of religion is evidently
habitual to him, notwithstanding the difficulties which perplexed
his understanding. He has a living faith in a wise and benevolent
God, and a righteous government of the world, though the principles of this government are regarded by him as being beyond the
comprehension of man.
On the other hand, it may be conceded that he has given a
more melancholy view of human life than is consistent with the
spirit of Christianity, or of a comprehensive philosophy. Many
Christians have taken just such a melancholy view of human life,
and like no hymn better than the one beginning, "I would not
live alway." But the Preacher had never heard the glad tidings
of great joy to all people. The light of the Sun of Righteousness
had not arisen upon his mind.
It may be admitted, too, that the subject of enjoyment occupied
a more prominent place in the mind of the author than in the
mind of Jesus Christ. A higher, more disinterested, more devoted
spirit pervades the teachings of Him who spake as never man
spake than we can find in any of the writings of the Old Testament. The Christian is taught to do his duty, and let enjoyment
take care of itself. " Seek first the kingdom of God and his
righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you," is the
language of him who came to perfect the law. I do not mean
that-the Book of Ecclesiastes contains any particular precept
absolutely inconsistent with the Sermon on the Mount. But in
respect to its tone, spirit, and the prominence it gives to certain
topics, it must be allowed to be far behind it. A spirit of selfsacrifice for the good of others is certainly not so congenial to the
mind of the author as to the mind of Christ.
Finally, if it be conceded that the Preacher expresses occasional doubts, where Paul or John would be rejoicing in hope and
confidence, this should not lead us to give the ancient Hebrew
essayist the name of Sadducee, sceptic, or Epicurean, but rather
to thank God, who has raised up Jesus to show us the nature and
design of our present existence, and "to bring life and immortality to light."




120               INTRODUCTION       TO
Perhaps it may be well to say a few words on the authorship
of Ecclesiastes, though, in a work of its didactic character, this is
not a very important question. That by "the Preacher, the son
of David," in chap. i. 1, is denoted Solomon, there can be no
doubt. But this by no means proves that Solomon was the author
of the composition; but only that the author, whoever he was,
adopted the plan of introducing into the book one so celebrated
throughout the East for wisdom and for prosperity as Solomon,
for the purpose of giving weight to the sentiments which are put
into his mouth. In adopting this plan, it is not probable that he
intended to deceive his contemporaries, but only to make use of a
literary fiction, such as is common in modern times; a fiction
which is not very carefully supported. The prevalent belief, it is
true, has been that Solomon was the author of the book. The
first commentator, so far as I know, who called the received
opinion in question, was the accomplished scholar and jurist,
Hugo Grotius. " I think," says he, "the work is not a production of Solomon, but one written in the name of that king, as
being led by repentance to the composition of it. It contains
many words which cannot be found, except in Ezra, Daniel, and
the Chaldee paraphrasts." In expressing his opinion, Grotius,
with his usual sagacity, has mentioned by far the strongest argument in its support; namely, the characteristics of the language of
Ecclesiastes, especially those which give it an Aramamn complexion.
These are so scattered throughout the work, that it is sufficient to
refer the Hebrew scholar to the whole Hebrew original.. He
cannot read the first chapter of it, without having strong doubts
whether it was written by the principal author of the Book of
Proverbs.*
The Book of Proverbs, if not wholly composed by Solomon,
must be regarded, to a great extent, as his production, and
undoubtedly belongs to his age, to the flourishing period of the
Hebrew language and literature. But whoever will proceed from
* For an enumeration of the peculiarities of the language of Ecclesiastes,
the critical reader is referred to De Wette's Introduction to the Old Testament, or to a still more complete view of them in Knobel's German Commentary, pp. 60-75.




ECCLESIASTES.                    121
the perusal of the Proverbs of Solomon to that of the Book of
Ecclesiastes must receive from the diction of the latter a strong
conviction that it is not only the production of a different author,
but of a later age. In fact, there has been no greater opposition to this opinion than was to be expected from the natural
prejudice in favor of the received tradition. The best scholars
since the time of Grotius, who have given attention to the subject,
have adopted his opinion. Even the Romanist, Jahn, who is very
slow to adopt an opinion not in accordance with the tradition of
the church, is unable to resist the evidence against the opinion that
Solomon was the author of Ecclesiastes. Such critics as Dathe,
Doderlein, and Pareau are of the same opinion. Dathe observes,
that "D6derlein and Eichhorn have established their point by
arguments so weighty, that none except very stubborn defenders
of ancient traditions can deny it." *
Even Professor Stuart, in his recent work on the canon of the
Old Testament (p. 139), admits, though the admission is hardly
consistent with the general argument of his book, that "the
diction of this book differs so widely from that of Solomon in
the Book of Proverbs, that it is difficult to believe that both came
from the same pen. Chaucer does not differ more from Pope,
than Ecclesiastes from Proverbs. It appears to me, when I read
Coheleth, that it presents one of those cases which leave no room
for doubt, so striking and prominent is the discrepancy."
Knobel, the author of one of the best critical commentaries on
Ecclesiastes with which we are acquainted, says, "No point in
the criticism of the Old Testament is better established than that
Ecclesiastes was not written by Solomon, but in a later age."
More recently, Hitzig and Heiligstedt agree in the same conclusion. It ought to be mentioned, however, that there are those
who maintain a different opinion. Whoever wishes to see the
arguments on the other side of the question may find them
well stated in a preliminary dissertation to Ecclesiastes, by George
Holden, London, 1822. They will not pass for much with those
who are in the habit of weighing, rather than of counting, arguments.
* Jobus, Ecclesiastes, &c., a Dathio, p. 358.
6




122               INTRODUCTION       TO
There are also other considerations, which, though they may
not be in the highest degree conclusive when standing alone, yet
confirm the conclusion drawn from the diction of Ecclesiastes.
It appears to me, that the English reader may perceive, in the
general style, character, and topics of the book, reasons for
supposing that it came from another author than that of the
Book of Proverbs. The style of the latter is concise, terse,
elevated; that of the former is quite diffuse, vague, prosaic.
The instruction of the one is preceptive and positive, having no
reference to speculative doubts; that of the other is in the way
of philosophic discussion, presenting the different aspects in which
a subject may be viewed, and what, on the whole, is to be regarded as the truth.
There are several topics, introduced into the book, which seem
not very appropriate to the reign of Solomon, and which, if they
had been so, that wise monarch might have been expected to pass
over in silence. Among these are the complaints of the oppression of unjust rulers (chap. iii. 16; iv. 1), of the extortions of
provincial magistrates (chap. v. 8), and of the elevation of inferior men to high stations (chap. x. 5-7). In fact, whenever the
author speaks of kings and governors, he speaks in the tone of a
subject rather than a king; of an observer, rather than of a holder,
of kingly power. (See iv. 13-16; v. 8, 9; viii. 2-5; ix. 13-18;
x. 4-7, 16-20.)
The fiction, according to which the sentiments of the book are
put into the mouth of Solomon, is so unskilfully sustained, that it
appears to be only a fiction. If the book were written by Solomon, why does he say, "I was king"? A living king would be
more likely to say, "I, the king," &c. Why should Solomon say
to his contemporaries that he was king in Jerusalem.? Before the
separation of the ten tribes, it was a superfluous expression. No
one had been king in Samaria. Especially, why should he say
that he had gained greater wisdom than all his predecessors at
Jerusalem (chap. i. 16), when he had only one predecessor in that
city; namely, David.  All these expressions, however, might
easily have escaped from an author not careful to maintain a
literary fiction. In chap. i. 16, ii. 9, 15, 19, Solomon is represented as praising his own wisdom, and relating his own experi



ECCLESIASTES.                     123
ence in a manner not very natural to a real, living person.
Finally, the author, in chap. xii. 9, seems to drop the fiction, and
to speak of Solomon in the third person.
It is much more difficult to form a confident opinion as to the
time wh6n the Book of Ecclesiastes was written, than it is to
decide that it belongs to a much later age than that of Solomon.
From the Aramsean complexion of the language, from the religious
and literary character of the book, and from its spirit and tone, as
being suited to times of calamity and oppression, one may feel
considerable confidence that it was written after the return of the
Jews from the exile at Babylon; and there seems to be nothing
to object to the prevalent opinion of the German critics, such as
De Wette, Knobel, and Ewald, who date the composition of it
near the fall of the Persian monarchy, or at the beginning of the
Macedonian domination under Alexander; that is, about three
hundred and thirty years before the Christian era. But it may
have been written somewhat later. The occurrence of two words
of Persian origin, Vl'l and bt'd, in chap. ii. 5, viii. 11, in connection with the arguments which have been mentioned for the
late origin of the book, seems to favor this supposition. There
are no reasons of any weight for supposing the Jewish canon of
Scripture to have closed before this period. We are inclined,
however, to adopt the date above mentioned, rather from the
absence of more valid arguments in favor of any other opinion,
than from the conclusiveness of the reasons urged in its support.*
As to the opinion which has been advanced, that traces of an
acquaintance with Grecian philosophy are found in Ecclesiastes,
we can only say that we have not been able to discern them.
Whoever wishes for a list of the commentators on Ecclesiastes
will find one long enough to satisfy him in Rosenmiller's Introduction to this book. Of those which he has not mentioned, I have
seen-An Attempt to illustrate the Book of Ecclesiastes, by the
Rev. George Holden, M.A., London, 1822; Uebersetzung des
Koheleth nebst grammatisch exegetischem Commentar, von Moses
Heinemann, Berlin, 1831; and Commentar fiber das Buch Kohe* See Davidson's Int. to 0. T., ii. p. 356, &c.




124     INTRODUCTION        TO  ECCLESIASTES.
leth, von August Knobel, Leipzig, 1836. In preparing this edition, I have also, on the more important passages, consulted the
Commentaries of Hitzig, Heiligstedt, Stuart, and Ginsburg (London, 1861). A few changes in the version, and some additional
notes, have been made.
CAMBRIDGE, Nov. 14, 1866.




ECCLESIASTES.
1   THE words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in
Jerusalem.
2   Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vani3 ties, all is vanity. What profit hath a man by all his labor
4 with which he wearieth himself under the sun? One
generation passeth away, and another generation cometh;
5 while the earth abideth for ever. The sun riseth, and the
sun goeth down, and hasteneth to the place whence it
6 arose. The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth
about to the north; round and round goeth the wind, and
7 returneth to its circuits. All the rivers run into the sea,
yet the sea is not full; to the place whence the rivers
8 come, thither they return. All words become weary; man
cannot express it; the eye is not satisfied with seeing, nor
the ear filled with hearing.
9   The thing that hath been is that which shall be, and
that which hath been done is that which shall be done;
10 and there is no new thing under the sun. Is there any
thing of which one may say, " Behold, this is new"?
11 It was long ago, in the times which were before us. There
is no remembrance of former things, and of things that
are to come there shall be no remembrance to those who
live afterwards.
12   I, the Preacher, was king over Israel at Jerusalem.
13 And I gave my mind to seek and to search out with wisdom concerning all things which are done under heaven;
an evil business, which God hath given to the sons of
[1251




126                ECCLESIASTES.              [CHAP. I.
14 men, in which to employ themselves. I saw all the
things which are done under the sun; and, behold, it was
15 all vanity, and striving after wind. That which is crooked
cannot be made straight, and that which is wanting cannot
16 be numbered. I communed with my heart, saying, " Behold, I have gained more and greater wisdom than all who
have been before me at Jerusalem; yea, my mind hath
17 seen much wisdom and knowledge." And I gave my
mind to know wisdom, and to know senselessness and folly;
18 I perceived that this also is striving after wind. For in
much wisdom is much vexation, and he that increaseth
knowledge increaseth sorrow.
1   I said in my heart, " Come, now, I will try thee with
mirth; therefore enjoy pleasure!" But, lo! this also
2 was vanity. I said of laughter, "It is mad;" and of mirth,
3 " What availeth it? " I thought in my heart to strengthen
my body with wine, and, while my heart cleaved to wisdom, to lay hold on folly, till I should see what was good
for the sons of men, which they should do under heaven
4 all the days of their life. I made me great works. I
5 builded me houses; I planted me vineyards. I made me
gardens and parks, and planted in them fruit-trees of every
6 kind. I made me pools of water, with which to water the
7 grove shooting up trees. I got me men-servants and
maid-servants, and had servants born in my house. I had
also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than all
8 who were in Jerusalem before me. I heaped me up also
silver and gold, and the wealth of kings and of provinces.
I got me men-singers and women-singers, and the delight
of the sons of men, a chosen woman and chosen women.
9 So I became greater than all that were before me in Jeru10 salem. My wisdom also remained with me. And whatever mine eyes desired I kept not from them; I withheld
not my heart from any joy. For my heart rejoiced by
means of all my labor, and this was my portion from all
11 my labor. Then I looked upon all the works which my
hands had wrought, and upon all the labor which I had
toiled in performing; and, behold, it was all vanity, and
striving after wind, and there was no profit under the
sun.




CHAP..]           EC C LE I A STES.              127
12   Then I turned myself to behold wisdom and senselessness and folly. For what can the man do that cometh
after the king? even that which hath been already done.
13 I saw, indeed, that wisdom excelleth folly, as far as light
14 excelleth darkness. The wise man's eyes are in his head,
but the fool walketh in darkness; yet I perceived also that
15 one event happeneth to them all. Then I said in my heart,
"As it happeneth to the fool, so it happeneth to me.
Why, then, became I wiser than others?" Then I said in
16 my heart, " This also is vanity." For there is no remembrance of the wise man more than of the fool for ever;
for in the days to come shall all have long been forgotten;
17 and, alas! the wise man dieth, as well as the fool. Therefore I hated life, because what is done under the sun
appeared evil to me. For all is vanity, and striving after
18 wind. Yea, I hated all my labor which I had performed
under the sun, because I must leave it to the man that
19 shall be after me. And who knoweth whether he shall
be a wise man or a fool? Yet shall he be lord of all
the labor with which I have wearied myself, and in which
I have shown myself wise under the sun. This also is
vanity.
20   Therefore I turned to give up my heart to despair in
regard to all the labor with which I had wearied myself
21 under the sun. For there is a man whose labor has been
with wisdom and knowledge and skill; yet to a man who
hath not labored for it must he leave it as his portion.
22'This also is vanity and a great evil. For what hath man
of all his labor, and the striving of his spirit, with which
23 he wearieth himself under the sun? For all his days are
grief, and his occupation trouble; even in' the night his
24 heart taketh no rest. This also is vanity. There is nothing better for a man than to eat and drink, and let his soul
enjoy good in his labor. But this, as I have seen, cometh
25 from the hand of God. For who can eat, or hasten there26 unto, more than I? For to a man who is good in his sight
God giveth wisdom and knowledge and joy; but to the
sinner he giveth the wearisome business of gathering and
heaping up, to give it to him who is good before God.
This also is vanity, and striving after wind.




128               ECCLESIASTES.              [CHA. III.
1   For every thing there is a fixed period, and an appointed
2 time to every thing under heaven: — A time to be born,
and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up
3 what is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal A time
4 to breaking down, and a time to build up. A time to weep,
and a time to laugh. A time to mourn, and a time to
5 dance. A time to cast stones asunder, and a time to gather
stones together. A time to embrace, and a time to refriain
6 from embracing. A time to seek, and a time to lose. A
7 time to keep, and a time to cast away. A time to rend,
and a time to sew. A time to keep silence, and a time to
8 speak. A time to love, and a time to hate. A time of
9 war, and a time of peace. - What profit hath he who laboreth from that with which he wearieth himself?
10   I have seen the business which God hath given to the
11 sons of men to exercise themselves therewith. God maketh
every thing good in its time; but he hath put the world
into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not the
work which God doeth, from the beginning to the end.
12 I know that there is nothing better for a man than that
13 he should rejoice and enjoy good his life long. But when
a man eateth and drinketh, and enjoyeth good through all
14 his labor, this is the gift of God. I know that whatever
God doeth, that shall be for ever. Nothing can be added
to it, and nothing taken from it; and God doeth it that
15 men may fear before him. That which is, was long ago;
and that which is to be, hath already been; and God recalleth that which is past.
16   Moreover, I saw under the sun that in the place of justice there was iniquity; and in the place of righteousness,
37 iniquity. Then said I in my heart, " God will judge the
righteous and the wicked For there shall be a time for
every matter and for every work.
18   I said in my heart concerning the sons of men, that God
will prove them, in order that they may see that they are
19 like the beasts. For that which befalleth the sons of men
befalleth beasts: one lot befalleth both. As the one dieth,
so dieth the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and
a man hath no pre-eminence above a beast; for all is van20 ity. All go to one place; all are from the dust, and all




CHAP. IV.]         ECCLESIASTES.                  129
21 turn to dust again. Who knoweth the spirit of man,
whether it goeth upward, and the spirit of a beast, whether
22 it goeth downward to the earth? And so I saw that there
is nothing better than that a man should rejoice in his
labors; for that is his portion. For who shall bring him
to see what shall be after him?
1   Then I turned and saw all the oppressions which take
place under the sun; and, behold, there were the tears
of the oppressed, and they had no comforter; and from
the hand of their oppressors there was violence, and they
2 had no comforter. Therefore I praised the dead, who
have been long ago dead, more than the living, who are
3 yet alive. Yea, better than both of them is he who hath
not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work which is
done under the sun.
4   And I saw all labor, and all success in work, that for
this a man is envied by his neighbor. This also is van5 ity, and striving after wind. The fool foldeth his hands
6 together and eateth his own flesh. Better is a hand full
of quietness, than both hands full of weariness and striving after wind.
7   Then I turned and saw other vanity under the sun.
8 There is one who is alone, and no one with him; yea, he
hath neither son nor brother; yet is there no end to all his
labor, and his eye is not satisfied with riches. " For whom,
then [saith he], do I labor and deprive myself of good?"
9 This also is vanity; yea, it is an evil thing!  Two are
better than one, because they have a good reward for
o0 their labor. For if they fall, the one will lift his fellow
up; but woe to him who is alone when he falleth, and hath
11 not another to help him up! Again, if two lie together,
then they have heat; but how can one be warm alone?
12 And if an enemy prevail against one, two shall withstand
him; and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.
13   Better is a child poor but wise, than a king old and
14 foolish, who will no more be admonished. For out of prison
comreth forth such a one to reign; for in his own kingdom
15 he was born a poor man. I saw that all the living, who
walk under the sun, were with the child who stood up in
16 his stead. There was no end to all the people before
6*




130                ECCLESIASTES.               [CHAP. v.
whom he went forth; yet they that come afterwards shall
not rejoice in him. This also is vanity, and striving after
wind.
1   Look well to thy feet, when thou goest to the house of
God, and draw nigh to hear, rather than to offer sacrifice
2 as fools. For they consider not that they do evil. Be
not hasty with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be swift
to utter any thing before God. For God is in heaven,
and thou upon earth. Therefore let thy words be few.
3 For a dream cometh with much bustle, and a fool's voice
4 with a multitude of words. When thou vowest a vow to
God, delay not to pay it; for he hath no pleasure in fools.
5 Pay that which thou hast vowed. Better is it that thou
shouldst not vow than that thou shouldst vow and not pay.
6 Suffer not thy mouth to bring punishment on thy flesh, and
say not before the angel, " It was a mistake." Wherefore should God be angry on account of thy voice, and
7 destroy the work of thy hands? For in a multitude of
dreams is a multitude of vanities; so also in a multitude
of words; but fear thou God!
8   If thou seest oppression of the poor, and justice and
equity perverted in a province, be not alarmed at the matter. For over the high there is a higher, who watcheth,
9 and there is one higher than they all. An advantage to a
10 land in all respects is a king over cultivated ground. He
that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver; and
he that loveth riches shall have no profit from  them.
11 This also is vanity. When goods increase, they are increased that eat them; and what advantage hath the owner
12 thereof, save the beholding of them with his eyes? Sweet
is the sleep of a laboring man, whether he have eaten little
or much; but the repletion of the rich will not suffer him
13 to sleep. There is a sore evil which I have seen under the
14 sun, -riches kept by the owner thereof to his hurt. For
those riches perish by some calamity, and, if he have a
15 son, there is nothing in his hand. As he came forth from
his mother's womb naked, so shall he go away again, as
he came, and shall take away nothing of his labor which
16 he may carry in his hand. This is also a sore evil, that,
in all points as he came, so shall he go. And what profit




CIAP. VI.]         ECCLESIASSTES.                 131
17 is there to him who toileth for wind?  Also all his cays
he ate in darkness, and had much grief and anxiety and
18 vexation. Behold, what I have seen is, that it is good and
proper for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of
all his labor which he taketh under the sun all the days
19 of his life, which God giveth him; for it is his portion. To
whatever man also God hath given riches and wealth, and
hath given him to enjoy them, and to take his portion, and
20 to rejoice in his labor; this is the gift of God. For he
will not much remember the days of his life; for God
answereth him with the joy of his heart.
1   There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and
2 it lieth heavy upon men; a man to whom God hath given
riches, wealth, and honor, and nothing is wanting to him
of all which he desireth, yet God giveth him not to taste
thereof; but a stranger enjoyeth it. This is vanity, yea,
3 a grievous evil. Though a man have a hundred children,
and live many years, and though the days of his years be
many, if his soul be not satisfied with good, and he have
no burial, I say that an untimely birth is better than he.
4 This, indeed, cometh in nothingness, and goeth down into
5 darkness, and its name is covered with darkness; it hath not
seen the sun, nor known it; yet hath it rest rather than
6 the other. Yea, though he live a thousand years twice
told, and see no good, - do not all go to one place?
7   All the labor of man is for his mouth, and yet his de8 sires are not satisfied. For what advantage hath the wise
man over the fool? What advantage hath the poor, who
9 knoweth how to walk before the living?  Better is the
sight of the eyes than the wandering of the desire. This
also is vanity, and striving after wind.
10   That which is was long ago called by name; and it was
known that he is a man, and that he cannot contend with
1 Him who is mightier than he. Seeing there are many
things which increase vanity, what advantage hath man
12 [from them]? For who knoweth what is good for man in
life, in all the days of his vain life, which he spendeth as a
shadow? For who can tell a man what shall be after him
under the sun?




132               ECCLESIASTES.              [CHAP. VII.
1   A good name is better than precious perfume, and the
2 day of one's death than the day of his birth. It is better
to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of
feasting; for that is the end of all men; and the living
3 will lay it to heart. Sorrow is better than laughter; for
by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.
4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but
5 the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better
for a man to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the
6 song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot,
7 so is the laughter of a fool. This also is vanity. Surely
the gain of oppression maketh a wise man foolish, and
8 a gift corrupteth the understanding. Better is the end of a
thing than its beginning. Better is the patient in spirit than
9 the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry;
10 for anger resteth in the bosom of fools. Say not, "What
is the cause that the former days were better than these? "
11 For thou dost not inquire wisely concerning this. Wisdom
is as good as an estate? yea, it hath an advantage over it
12 for them that see the sun. For wisdom is a defence, and
money is a defence. But knowledge hath the advantage.
13 For wisdom giveth life to them that have it. Consider
the work of God! Who can make straight that which
14 he hath made crooked? In the day of prosperity be joyfill; but look for a day of adversity! for this also, as well
as the other, hath God appointed, to the end that a man
should not find out any thing which shall be after him.
15 All this have I seen in my days of vanity. There are
righteous men who perish in their righteousness, and there
16 are wicked men who live long in their wickedness. Be
not righteous overmuch; neither make thyself over-wise!
17 Why shouldst thou destroy thyself?  Be not overmuch
wicked; neither be thou a fool! Why shouldst thou die
18 before thy time? It is good that thou shouldst take hold
of this; yea, also, from that withdraw not thy hand. For
19 he that feareth God shall escape all those things. Wisdom strengtheneth the wise more than ten mighty men
20 who are in the city. Truly there is not a righteous man
21 upon the earth who doeth good and sinneth not. Give no
heed to all the words which are spokel, lest thou hear thy
22 servant curseL thee!  For many tiies thine own heart




CHAP. VIII.]       ECCLESIASTES.                  133
knoweth also that even thou thyself hast cursed others.
23 All this have I tried by wisdom.  I said, "I will be
24 wise;" but it was far from me. That which is far off
and exceeding deep, who can find it out?
25   I applied my mind earnestly to know, and to search,
and to seek out wisdom and intelligence, and to know
26 wickedness and folly, yea, foolishness and madness. And
I found more bitter than death the woman whose heart is
snares and nets, and her hands bands. He that pleaseth
God shall escape from her; but the sinner shall be caught
27 by her. Behold, this have I found, saith the Preacher,
28 putting one thing to another to find knowledge. That
which my soul hath hitherto sought, and I have not found,
is this: a man among a thousand I have found, but a
29 woman among a thousand have I not found. Lo, this only
have I found, that God made man upright, but they have
sought out many devices.
1   Who is like the wise man, and who knoweth the explanation of a thing?  A man's wisdom   brighteneth his
countenance, and the harshness of his face is changed.
2 I counsel thee to keep the king's commandment, and that
3 on account of the oath of God. Be not in haste to depart
from his presence; persist not in an evil thing; for what4 ever pleaseth him, that he doeth. For the word of the
king is powerful; and who can say to him, "' What doest
5 thou?" tIe that keepeth the commandment shall experience no evil; and the heart of the wise man hath regard
6 to time and judgment. For to every thing there is a time
and judgment. For the misery of man is great upon him.
7 For no one knoweth what shall be; for who can tell him
8 how it shall be? No man hath power over the spirit to
retain the spirit, and no man hath power over the day of
death; and there is no discharge in that war; and wickedness shall not deliver those that are guilty of it.
9   All this have I seen, and I have given heed to all things
that are done under the sun. There is a time when man
10 ruleth over man to his hurt. And so I saw the wicked
buried, while the righteous came and went from the holy
place, and were forgotten in the city. This also is vanity.
11   Because sentence against an evil work is not executed




134               ECCLESIASTES.               [CHAP. Ix.
speedily, therefore doth the heart of the sons of men be12 come bold within them to do evil. But though a sinner
do evil a hundred times, and have his days prolonged, yet
surely I know that it shall be well with them that fear
13 God, that fear before him. But it shall not be well with
the wicked: he shall be like a shadow, and shall not prolong his days, because he feareth not before God.
14   There is a vanity which taketh place upon the earth,
that there are righteous men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked, and that there are
wicked men to whom it happeneth according to the work
15 of the righteous. I said, "This also is vanity!"  Then
I commended joy; because nothing is good for a man
under the sun, except to eat and to drink and to be joyful; for it is this that abideth with him for his labor
during the days of his life which God giveth him under
the sun.
16   When I applied my mind to know wisdom, and to see
the business which is done upon the earth, - that one
17 seeth no sleep with his eyes by day or by niu'Lt, - then I
saw the whole work of God, that a man ca:nnot comprehend that which is done under the sun; hov much soever
he labor to search it out, yet shall he not comprehend it;
yea, though a wise man resolve to know it, yet shall he
not be able to comprehend it.
1   For I gave my mind to all this, even to search out all
this, that the righteous and the wise and their works are
in the hand of God, and yet neither his love nor hatred
2 doth any man know. All is before them. All [cometh to
them] as to all. There is one event to the righteous and to
the wicked; to the good, to the clean, and to the unclean;
to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not; as
is the good, so is the sinner; he that sweareth, as he that
3 feareth an oath. This is an evil among all things which
take place under the sun, that there is one event to all;
therefore also the heart of the sons of men is full of evil,
and madness is in their heart while they live, and after4 ward they go cown to the dead. For who is there that is
excepted? With all the living there is hope; for a living
5 dog is better than a dead lion. For the living Loow that




CIAP. X.]          ECCLESIASTES.                  135
they shall die; but the dead know not any-thing, and
there is no more to them any advantage, for their memory
6 is forgotten. Their love also, and their hatred, and their
envy, is now perished; neither have they a portion any
more for ever in any thing which taketh place under the
sun.
7   Go thy way, eat thy bread with joy, and drink thy wine
with a cheerful heart; for long since hath God been
8 pleased with thy works. Let thy garments be always
white, and let not fragrant oil be wanting upon thy head.
9 Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest, all the days
of thy vain life which he hath given thee under the sun,
all thy vain days. For this is thy portion in life, and in
thy labor with which thou weariest thyself under the sun.
10 Whatever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might!
For there is no work nor device nor knowledge nor wisdom in the under-world, whither thou goest.
11   I turned and saw under the sun, that the race is not to
the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor yet bread to the
wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men
of knowledge; but time and chance happen to them all.
12 For man knoweth not his time. As fishes that are taken
in a destructive net, and as birds that are caught in a
snare, so are the sons of men snared in a time of distress,
when it falleth suddenly upon them.
13   This also have I seen; even wisdom under the sun, and
14 it seemed great to me. There was a little city, and few
men within it; and a great king came against it, and
15 besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it. Now
there was found within it a wise poor man; and he, by
his wisdom, delivered the city; yet no man remembered
16 that same poor man. Then said I, "Wisdom is better
than strength;" and yet the poor man's wisdom is des17 pised, and his words are not heard. The quiet words of
the wise are sooner heard than the shouting of a foolish
18 ruler. Wisdom is better than weapons of war. But one
1 offender destroyeth much good. Dead flies make the oil
of the perfumer loathsome and corrupt; thus doth a little
2 folly weigh down wisdom and honor. A wise man's mind
3 is at his right hand; but a fool's mind is at his left. Yea,




136                ECCLESIASTES.             [CHAr. XI.
even when the fool walketh in the way, his understanding
faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.
4   If the anger of a ruler rise up against thee, leave not
5 thy place! for gentleness pacifieth great offences. There
is an evil which I have seen under the sun; an error
6 which proceedeth from a ruler. Folly is set in many high
7 stations, and the noble sit in a low place. I have seen
servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants on
8 foot. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso
9 breaketh down a wall, a serpent shall bite him. Whoso
removeth stones shall be hurt therewith, and he that
10 cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. If the iron
be blunt, and one do not whet the edge, then must he put
forth more strength; but an advantage for giving success
11 hath wisdom. If a serpent bite before he is charmed, then
12 there is no advantage to the charmer. The words of a
wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool are
13 his destruction. The beginning of the words of his mouth
is folly, and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.
14 A fool also multiplieth words, though no man knoweth
what shall be; and who can tell him what shall be after
15 him? The labor of the foolish man weaieth him, because
16 he knoweth not how to go to the city. Woe to thee, O
land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes feast in the
17 morning! Happy thou, O land, when thy king is a noble,
and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for
18 drunkenness! By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and by the slackness of the hands the house leaketh.
19 A feast is made for laughter, and wine makes merry; but
20 money answereth all things. Curse not the king; no, not
in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bed-chamber!
for a bird of the air shall carry the voice; and that which
hath wings shall tell the matter.
1   Cast thy bread upon the waters; for after many days
2 thou shalt find it. Give a portion to seven, yea, to eight;
for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth.
3 When the clouds are full of rain, they empty upon the
earth; and when a tree falleth to the south or the north,
4 in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He
that watcheth the wind will not sow, and he that gazeth
B upon the clouds will not reap. As thou knowest not the




CHAP. XII.]       ECCLESIASTES.                   137
way of the wind, nor how the bones are formed in the
womb of her that is with child, so thou canst not know
6 the work of God, who doeth all things. In the morning
sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thy hand!
For thou knowest not whether this shall prosper, or that,
or whether both of them shall be alike good.
7   Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for
8 the eyes to behold the sun. Yea, though a man live many
years, let him rejoice in them all, and let him think of
the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that
9 cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth,
and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and
walk in the ways of thy heart, and in the sight of thine
eyes! but know thou, that for all these things God will
l0 bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from
thy heart, and put away evil from thy body! for childhood
and youth are vanity.
1   Remember, also, thy Creator in the days of thy youth,
before the evil days come, and the years draw nigh, of
which thou shalt say, "I have no pleasure in them;"
2 before the sun, and the light, and the moon, and the stars
3 become dark, and the clouds return after the rain; at the
time when the keepers of the house tremble, and the
strong men bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows
4 are darkened; when the doors are shut in the streets,
while the sound of the mill is low; when they rise up at
the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music are
5 brought low; when also they are afraid of that which is
high, and terrors are in the way, and the almond is despised, and the locust is a burden, and the caper-berry is
powerless; since man goeth to his eternal home, and the
6 mourners go about the streets; — before the silver cord
be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be crushed, or
the bucket broken at the fountain, or the wheel shattered
7 at the well, and the dust return to the earth as it was, and
the spirit return to God who gave it.
8   Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher; all is vanity!
9   Moreover, because the Preacher was' wise, he still
taught the people knowledge; yea, he considered, and
10 sought out, and set in order, many proverbs.   The




138               ECCLESIASTES.              [CHAr. XII.
Preacher sought to find out acceptable words, and to write
11 correctly words of truth.  The words of the wise are
as goads; yea, as nails driven in are the words of mem12 hers of assemblies, given by one shepherd. And, moreover, by these, my son, be warned! To the multiplying
of books there is no end, and much study wearieth the
13 flesh. Let us hear the end of the whole discourse! Fear
God and keep his commandments! For this is the duty
14 of every man. For God will bring every work into the
judgment which there is upon every secret thing, whether
it be good, or whether it be evil.




THE CANTICLES,
OR
THE SONG OF SONGS,
BY SOLOMON.








INTRODUCTION TO THE CANTICLES.
THE title of this book could not have been prefixed to it by its
author. The Song of Songs is undoubtedly an instance of the
Hebrew superlative, meaning the finest or most beautiful of songs.
It is, moreover, improbable that the title implies a comparison of
the work with other poetry written by Solomon. The meaning
of the person who gave the book its title was, that it contained
the most beautiful of songs, and that Solomon was its author.
The first and most interesting question that presents itself in
relation to this work is, What is its subjectP If the Song of
Songs had been found in any book except the Bible, I presume
there would have been great unanimity in answering the question.
It would be said that.few compositions existed, every line of which
revealed so fully the subject occupying the mind of the author.
It would be said that one sentiment pervaded the whole, and
that that sentiment was love. In fact, there is now no dispute
respecting the subject of the book, so far as it can be expressed
in a single word. It is allowed by all to be love, reciprocal love.
The question is, What kind of love is here represented? Is it
spiritual, or is it sentimental love; that is, the love of the sexes,
as represented in poetry? Is it that love which exists between
God and man, or Christ and the Church; or that which exists
between man and woman?
Since the time of Origen, the opinion has prevailed, that the
work is designed to set forth the mutual love of Christ and the
Church. This distinguished allegorist exerted his great talents,
as we are informed by St. Jerome,* in illustrating the book. In
his other works, says he, Origen surpassed other men; in this he
* Opera, tom. ii. p. 807, edit. Martianay.
[141]




142               INTRODUCTION        TO
surpassed himself; so that in him may seem to have been fulfilled
that which is said, " The king has led me to his chamber." The
unbounded influence of Origen gave the allegorical interpretation
prevalence in the Church; so that, when Theodore of Mopsuestia,
a man of great learning and talent, defended the literal sense of
the Canticles, he was excommunicated for this and other causes
after his death, by an assembly of fanatical bishops and monks,
the second council of Constantinople, in the year 553.*
Since the time of the condemnation of Theodore, the prevalent
belief of Christendom has been, that the book contains a representation of the mutual love of Christ and the Church. This
would seem to be the most general view at the present day, if
we may judge of the opinion of the Christian Church by what is
expressed in the popular commentaries. It is contained in the
captions to the chapters in the common version.
Among the modern Jews, too, the allegorical sense of the book
has prevailed, according to which it has been supposed to set
forth the dealings of God with the Jewish people. Thus, the
Targumist on this book applies it to Jehovah and the Jewish
nation, in their journeyings from Egypt to the land of Canaan.
As the mystical interpretation of this book commenced and
advanced with the general prevalence and progress of the allegorical mode of interpretation, so it has declined in proportion as
that mode of interpretation has been understood to be without
foundation. Since the time of Grotius, the prevailing opinion of
the learned critics who have examined the work has been, that the
subject of it is not spiritual or religious love, but that which
exists between man and woman.
The peculiar view of Grotius has found few supporters. He
supposes the book to contain a dialogue between newly married
persons, in which very gross ideas are veiled by decent expressions.t But since his time, -that is, since the principle of inter* See Rosenmiilleri Historia Interpretationis, vol. iii. pp. 251 and 262.
t "Est bapLordv (i.e. garritus conjugum inter se) inter Salomonem et
filiam regis Egypti, interloquentibus etiam choris duobus, tur juvenum tur
virginum, qui in proximis thalamo locis excubabant. Nuptiarum arcane
sub honestis verborum involucris hic latent; quae etiam causa est cur Hebrsei
veteres hunc librum legi noluerint, nisi a jam conjugio proximis."




THE   CANTICLES.                  143
pretation has been generally acknowledged, that language can
have no other meaning than that which exists in the mind of the
writer, - the mystical sense has been given up by most critics on
the Continent, and by many in England; such as Michaelis, Herder, Eichhorn, D6derlein, Dathe, Seiler, Jahn, De Wette, Umbreit, Ewald, Heiligstedt, Hitzig, and many others. In England,
the distinguished Methodist, Adam Clarke; the Calvinistic dissenter, John Pye Smith; and the Biblical translator, Dr. Boothroyd, who is also an Orthodox dissenter, - have also abandoned
the mystical explanation.
There are those, however, in modern times, who yet hold fast
the allegorical interpretation.  Among these is the Romanist
Hug, who supposes the book to be of a political nature. Under
the image of a spouse, as he thinks, is set forth a part of the ten
tribes, which, being left in their country after the destruction of
Samaria, sought to be re-united to the Jewish nation under the
reign of Hezekiah. The Jews, represented by the brothers of
the Shulamite, are unwilling that the union should take place.
Rosenmiiller adopts the theory, that the work sets forth the
love of Solomon for wisdom. It is not a little remarkable,
however, that while Rosenmiiller avows this to be his view in
the introduction to his commentary on the book, he makes not
the slightest allusion to it in the commentary itself, extensive as
it is.
In England, Bishop Percy and John Mason Good avow their
belief in the mystical interpretation. Like Rosenmiiller, however,
they do not apply their theory to the interpretation of the book,
but comment upon it as if the literal were the only sense.
In this country, the old notion, that the book sets forth the
mutual love of Christ and the Church, is probably the most prevalent. But Professor Robinson, in his Bible Dictionary, adopts
the view, that the subject of the book is the mutual love of Jehovah and the Jewish nation.
Professor Stuart, of Andover, has also avowed his faith in the
mystical exposition of the Canticles, in his hasty work on the
canon of the Old Testament. He has adopted the view, that
the subject of the book is the relation of God to the individual
soul, and the aspirations of the soul to be united to the Creator.




144               INTRODUCTION       TO
I might mention several other theories. But it would answer
no good purpose, as I do not intend to examine them one by one,
in order to show which is the most, or the least, tenable. I
believe that there is not the slightest foundation for any one of
them; that not one of them can be accepted, without setting at
defiance all just views of the nature of language, and all solid
principles of interpretation.
The decisive objection, which applies in nearly an equal degree
to all these theories, is, that there is no mention, or even intimation, in the work itself, of that which they make its great and
principal subject. These interpreters tell us, that the work expresses the mutual love of Jehovah and the Hebrew nation, or of
Christ and the Church, or of God and the individual soul. In
opposition to this, it is enough to say, that it is mere fancy; that
there is not the slightest allusion to God, to Christ, to the Church,
or to the soul of man as related to God, in the whole book. The
only persons introduced into it are human. There is not a sentence, or part of a sentence, which, according to the common use
of language, expresses any religious idea. This with me is the
decisive consideration. The author has in no way indicated that
he uses language in any but the obvious and usual sense. In all
allegory, it is necessary that the principal subject should be in
some way indicated. If allegory is a long-continued comparison,
it is necessary that the author should decidedly make known to
us the subject compared. But in the Book of Canticles this is
not the case. The principal subject, as understood by the allegorists, does not appear in it. The book is all comparison, and
nothing to be compared; all illustration, and nothing to be illustrated. The thing to be illustrated comes from without, -from
the mind of the interpreter, arbitrarily imposing a sense on the
author's words in consequence of some imagined necessity, which
is wholly independent of any thing in the work itself. In the
parable of the Prodigal Son, who would have known that it was
intended to illustrate the disposition of God towards men, unless
our Saviour had indicated such an application of it? So in the
allegory of the Vine which came out of Egypt, it is expressly
stated, "The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of
Israel." So every writer of common sense, who makes use of




THE   CANTICLES.                   145
metaphor, comparison, or allegory, will in some way indicate the
principal subject to be illustrated. But it is not pretended that
the author of the Canticles has done this. The only just conclusion, then, is, that he has not made use of allegory; that he designed his language to be understood in its common and obvious
sense.
It has been said, in favor of the mystical interpretation, that in
other writers of the Scriptures language similar to that in the Canticles is used; that Jehovah is called the husband of his people,
and the people represented as a faithless wife. Now, without
stating at present how small is the resemblance between the
Canticles and the comparisons just referred to, there is one
obvious difference which deprives this reference to such comparisons of any force as an argument. It is, that the subject
compared is always prominent in those illustrations of the Hebrew prophets. Thus, in Isa. liv. 5, "Thy Maker is thy husband;
Jehovah of hosts is his name." Such illustrations, therefore, if
they resembled the language in the Canticles much more than they
do, would only show how its language might have been, not how it
is, used. Because an adulterous woman, in the writings of the
prophets, represents the Jewish people in their rebellion against
Jehovah, it surely does not follow that every woman or maiden in
the Scriptures does, or may, denote the Jewish people. Because a
tender husband sometimes denotes a compassionate God in relation to his people, it surely does not follow that every husband or
lover in the Scriptures denotes the Supreme Being. Because the
Church is compared to a chaste virgin, it does not follow that
every virgin denotes the Church. Before we can admit that any
writer intends to denote the Supreme Being by such expressions, he
must himself indicate it by express declaration or intelligible implication, as the prophets have done in the cases to which reference
has been made. Now, the author of the Canticles has not intimated to us in any way, that in his songs he had in view any
other characters than man and woman, or any other kind of love
than human or sentimental love. We have no right, then, to go
beyond this meaning. Those who have adduced this illustration
from the prophets have at best only shown what might be, not
what is. There is no part of the Old Testament, or at least no
7




146               INTRODUCTION       TO
difficult part, which may not be allegorized with as much reason
as the Canticles.
But, in the second place, I deny that the language of the
prophets, in the cases referred to, is at all analogous to that
of the Canticles. Those passages in the prophets which set
forth the ingratitude of the house of Israel to Jehovah under the
image of a wife faithless to a tender husband, are wholly unlike
any thing in the Book of Canticles. In the former, the Supreme
Being always appears as Jehovah, the most holy governor of the
world, the comparison being used incidentally to illustrate his
own conduct or that of his people. In the latter, we find only
lovers and maidens; the praise of personal beauty and passionate
expressions of love; lovers conversing with each other, placed in
different scenes, eating, drinking, sleeping, embracing, running,
climbing, visiting gardens, feeding flocks; in fine, all that is
usually found in erotic poetry. Who can fail to perceive the
difference between such representations and any views which
the sublime Hebrew prophets give of the character and conduct
of God?
It seems to me wholly inconsistent with the reverence for
Jehovah which existed in the Hebrew mind, that one of their
writers should compose such a book as Canticles to illustrate the
feelings which should exist between man and his Creator. It is a
monstrous supposition. There is nothing in the Hebrew literature
to justify it. Who is there among us that would dare to use much
of the language of the Canticles in reference to the high and lofty
One that inhabiteth eternity? Had not the Jews as great a
reverence for the venerable name as Christians? Let us conceive
of the author of the fortieth chapter of Isaiah —after he had
spoken of the Supreme Being as having "measured the waters in
the hollow of his hand, and meted out the heavens with his span,
and gathered the dust of the earth into a measure, and weighed
the mountains in scales, and the hills in a balance," as the Being
"before whom all nations are nothing, and accounted less than
nothing and vanity" — as addressing himself to his devotions.
Would he have commenced with, " Let him kiss me with one of
the kisses of his mouth; for thy caresses are better than wine"?
Would he have applied to the Supreme Being the language, "My




'THE   CANTICLES.                  147
beloved spake and said unto me,'Rise up, my love, my fair one,
and come away' "? Would Solomon, who, in his prayer at the
dedication of the temple, used the sublime language, "Behold,
the heaven, even the heaven of heavens, cannot contain thee,"
have addressed his Creator in the language, "The voice of my
beloved! Behold, he cometh, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills. Like a gazelle is my beloved, or a young
hind," &c.? I might proceed with interrogations of this kind;
but there is language in the Canticles which I could not apply to
the Infinite Spirit in the manner required by the mystical theory,
without feeling guilty of blasphemy.
In support of the mystical interpretation of the Canticles,
reference has been made to the pantheistic mysticism of the religious sect called Sufis, which has long existed in the East, and
especially to the songs of Hafiz, a Persian writer of the fourteenth
century, who has been supposed to teach mystic religious doctrines under the images of love, wine, &c. But it is doubtful
whether Hafiz himself attached a religious meaning to many of
his songs. It is certain, that most of them relate only to sentimental love. Umbreit, who appears to have given considerable
attention to the subject, says, "The love-poems of Nisami,
Leila and Medschnun, and Jussuf and Suleicha, have been explained allegorically, although, according to the evident intention
of the poet, they require a literal interpretation."* Sir William
Jones observes, "It has been made a question, whether the
poems of Hafiz must be taken in a literal or in a figurative sense;
but the question does not admit of a general and direct answer:
for even the most enthusiastic of his commentators allow that
some of them are to be taken literally." t The " ConversationsLexicon," or "Encyclopaedia Americana," which may be supposed
to represent the opinion of the learned in Germany, says, "The
songs of Hafiz were collected into a divan, after his death, which
was published complete (Calcutta, 1791) and translated into German by the celebrated Orientalist, Von Hammer (2 vols. Stuttgard, 1812-1815).  The'poems of Hafiz are distinguished for
* See Umbreit's Lied der Liebe, p. 5.
] Asiatic Researches, vol. iii. p. 172.




148                INTRODUCTION       TO
sprightliness and Anacreontic festivity. He is not unfrequently
loud in praise of wine, love, and pleasure. Some writers have
sought a mystic meaning in these verses. Feridoun, Sururi, Sadi,
and others, have attempted to explain what they supposed to be
the hidden sense."
Before what appear to be love-songs in any nation can afford
any confirmation of a mystical sense in the Canticles, it must be
shown that there are some intimations in them that their sensual
expressions are designed as images of spiritual things. If this
cannot be shown, it is reasonable to conclude that they have no
allegoric meaning.  But if there are in them decided intimations of a spiritual meaning, then they are unlike the Song of
Solomon.
In the literature of several nations, an allegorical sense has
been given to the productions of distinguished poets by their admirers. The Iliad of Homer, the songs of Hafiz, and the Canticles ascribed to Solomon, have met with the same fortune. From
the allegorical use of them made in an age subsequent to that in
which they were written, we cannot infer what was the original
design and meaning of either.
I have no disposition to deny, however, that among the productions of the Sufi poets are found poems in which sensual
images are used for the purpose of expressing devotional feelings.
This might be expected from the obscene symbols of the Sufi
religion, as described by Tholuck. " Voluptatem ex unione [i.e.
cum Deo] captam, turpem   adsciscentes figuram, assimilaverunt
cum coitu maris et feminse, prseeuntibus Indis quorum in Upnekhato, t. i. p. 241, conjunctio mystica cum Deo comparatur cum
concubitu mulieris praedilectae, inter quem nulla in mariti animo
firma cogitatio permaneat aut imaginationis species, sed universae
sensuum animique vires immersae sint in suavissimam jucunditatis
commotionem." *
I do not profess a thorough acquaintance with these writings.
But, having examined the specimens found in the writings of Sir
William Jones, and in Tholuck's Selections t from the mystic poets
* Tholuck's Ssufismus, p. 94.
t Blithensammlung aus der Morgenlindischen Mystik, von F. A. G.
Tholuck. Berlin, 1825.




THE   CANTICLES.                    119
of the East, I am convinced that none of them bear much resemblance to the Canticles. They are'evidently productions of a
different nature, and connected with a religion as different firom
the Jewish as darkness from light.
Among the specimens most favorable to the opinion of those
who form their judgment of the nature of a Hebrew poem from
the productions of mystic Sufi pantheists or the songs of Mahometan dervishes, are the two given by Mr. Lane in his work on the
"Modern Egyptians,"' contained in the Library of Entertaining
Knowledge. These specimens I shall quote entire for the satisfaction of the reader, the more especially because they appear to
have had great influence on the mind of Professor Stuart, and are
quoted by him as the principal support of the opinion which he
adopts, that the Canticles "express the warm and earnest desire
of the soul after God, in language borrowed from that which characterizes chaste affection between the sexes."
" The durweesh," says Mr. Lane,* "pointed out the following
poem as one of those most common at zikrs, and as one which was
sung at the zikr, which I have begun to describe. I translate it
verse for verse, and imitate the measure and system of rhyme of
the original, with this difference only, that the first, third, and fifth
lines of eacl stanza rhyme with each other in the original, but not
in my translation:"' With love my heart is troubled,
And mine eyelid hindereth sleep:
My vitals are dissevered,
While with streaming tears I weep.
My union seems far distant:
Will my love e'er meet my eye?
Alas! did not estrangement
Draw my tears, I would not sigh.
By dreary nights I'm wasted:
Absence makes my hope expire:
My tears, like pearls, are dropping;
And my heart is wrapt in fire.
Whose is like my condition?
Scarcely know I remedy.
Alas! did not estrangement
Draw my tears, I would not sigh.
* Modern Egyptians, vol. ii. p. 195.




150                INTRODUCTION         TO
0 turtle-dove! acquaint me,
Wherefore thus dost thou lament?
Art thou so stung by absence?
Of thy wings deprived and pent?
He saith, " Our griefs are equal;
Worn away with love, I lie."
Alas! did not estrangement
Draw my tears, I would not sigh.
O First and Everlasting!
Show thy favor yet to me;
Thy slave, Ahh'mad El-Bek'ree*
Hath no Lord excepting thee.
By Ta'-ha',t the great prophet!
Do thou not his wish deny.
Alas! did not estrangement
Draw my tears, I would not sigh.'"
"I must translate a few more lines," says Mr. Lane, "to show
more strongly the similarity of these songs to that of Solomon;
and, lest it should be thought that I have varied the expressions,
I shall not attempt to render them into verse. In the same collection of poems sung at zikrs is one which begins with these
lines:"' 0 gazelle from among the gazelles of El-Yemlen!
I am thy slave without cost:
O thou small of age, and fresh of skin!
O thou who art scarce past the time of drinking milk!'
" In the first of these verses, we have a comparison exactly
agreeing with that in the concluding verse of Solomon's Song;
for the word which, in our Bible, is translated a'roe' is used
in Arabic as synonymous with ghaza'l (or a gazelle); and the
mountains of El-Yem'en are'the mountains of spices.' This
poem ends with the following lines:"'The phantom of thy form visited me in slumber;
I said, " O phantom of slumber! who sent thee? "
He said, " He sent me whom thou knowest;
He whose love occupies thee."
* The author of the poem.     t A name of Mahomet.




THE   CANTICLES.                   151
The beloved of my heart visited me in the darkness of night;
I stood, to show him honor, until he sat down.
I said, " O thou my petition, and all my desire!
Hast thou come at midnight, and not feared the watchmen?"
He said to me, "I feared; but, however, love
Had taken fiom me my soul and my breath."'
Compare the above with the second and five following verses of
the fifth chapter of Solomon's Song."
Now, as to the first of these religious love-songs of the Mahometan dervishes, whatever slight resemblance it may have to any
part of the Canticles, it differs essentially from any of them in the
circumstance, that the Supreme Being is expressly introduced as
the object of worship. Without this essential circumstance, no
one could tell whether it were originally composed for a love-song,
or a religious hymn expressing a longing for a union of the soul
with God, according to the Sufi philosophy and religion.
In the second poem, quoted by Mr. Lane, it is to be regretted
that he did not quote the whole of it. For I can by no means
admit the circumstance that it was sung by the dervishes in their
morning devotions to be conclusive in regard to the original design
of the hymn. Mr. Lane expressly tells us, in a note, that he
found the last six lines inserted, with some slight alterations, as
a common love-song, in a portion of the "Thousand and One
Nights," printed at Calcutta, vol. i. p. 425; Lane's Translation,
ii. p. 349. Whether the whole was originally composed as a
love-song or a devotional hymn does not appear from the parts of
it which Mr. Lane gives us. If, in the parts omitted, there is any
clear reference to the Deity, it is unlike any of the Canticles. If
there is no such reference, the meaning of the hymn is too doubtful
to allow any inference to be drawn from it. For we might as well
allow the singing of Dr. Watts's version of the Canticles to be an
argument for their original design, as to admit the singing of the
mystic dervishes to be an evidence of the original design of the
hymns, which they sung.
Before making some general remarks on this whole subject of
attempting to show the character of the Canticles by reference to
the pantheistic poetry of the Mahometan Sufis, it may be well
to mention that reference has been made even to the poets of Hin



152                INTRODUCTION       TO
dostan for the same purpose; especially to the Gitagovinda,* the
production of a celebrated Hindoo poet, named Jayadeva. This
appears to be a mystical poem, designed to celebrate the loves of
Crishna and Radha, or the reciprocal attraction between the Divine
goodness and the human soul. Now, whatever may be the resemblance between the Gitagovinda and the Canticles in some of their
imagery, there is this essential difference, that, in the former,
Crishna was tle chief incarnated god of the Hindoos; and that
there are in it references to other gods, and to various superstitions
of the Hindoo mythology, whilst in the Canticles there is no reference to any but human characters. Besides, the author of the
Gitagovinda clearly intimates its religious character in the conclusion of the poem.
We have seen, then, that there are material differences between
the Canticles and the religious love-songs to which reference has
been made. But, supposing the resemblance to be much greater
than it is, those mystical songs do not in any essential respect resemble the Canticles more than they do the odes of Anacreon, or
some of the eclogues of Virgil, and the idyls of Theocritus. And
it is not easy to see why the resemblance does not prove the religious character of the odes of Anacreon as much as that of the
Canticles.
But, after all, the great objection remains to any conclusion
drawn from the pantheistic mystic poets, whether of Persia or
India, whether Mahometans or Hindoos; namely, that their productions are founded on a religion and philosophy entirely different from the Jewish. The Canticles are productions of a different
country, and separated from any of the songs of the Sufi poets by
an interval of nearly two thousand years. The Jewish religion
* It may be found appended to Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the
Canticles. Also in the Asiatic Researches, vol. iii.
t " Crishna continues to this hour the darling god of the Indian women.
The sect of Hindoos, who adore him with enthusiastic and almost exclusive
devotion, have broached a doctrine which they maintain with eagerness, and
which seems general in these provinces; that he was distinct from all the
Avatars, who had only an ansa or portion of his divinity; while Crishna was
the person of Vishnu himself in a human form." - Sir W. Jones, in Asiatic
Researches, vol. i. p. 260.




THE   CANTICLES.                   153
has nothing in common with the pantheistic mysticism on which
those songs are founded. There is nothing in the Old Testament
of a similar character. If any productions similar to those mystical
love-songs had existed in the religious literature of the Hebrews,
undoubtedly we should have found some of them in the Book of
Psalms, which comprises compositions from the age preceding that
of David to a period long after the return of the Jews from the
captivity at Babylon. But in the most fervent psalms, the fortysecond for instance, nothing of the kind is found. Neither is any
thing similar to these mystic songs ascribed to the Jewish sects, as
described by Josephus and Philo. Nothing of the kind is laid to
the charge of the Essenes. It is needless to say that nothing approaching to a like character is found in the New Testament.
Nothing similar is discovered even in the allegorical paraphrase of
the Targumist* on the Canticles. All those religious love-songs
are founded on the Sufi religion, or rather religious philosophy,
which, whether it was borrowed from India, as Von Hammer supposes, or arose independently among the Mahometans, according
to the opinion of Tholuck,t has no connection with, or resemblance
to, the Jewish. It is as different from the latter as darkness from
light. The argument, therefore, which is drawn from the mystical
songs of the Mahometan devotees for ascribing a mystical character
to the Canticles is without foundation.
To me also it appears singular, that any one should think it to
be for the honor of the book, or of the Jewish religion, or of the
Bible, to regard the Canticles as designed to be a book of devotion, a guide to the Jews in the expression of their religious feelings to their Creator. If it be regarded as a specimen of the erotic
poetry of the Hebrews, it will be treated with indifference by most
readers, and consequently do them no harm. But, if regarded as
an inspired model and help for devotion, its direct tendency is injurious to morals and religion. That such is its tendency, when
so understood, is too plain to need argument. Even Professor
Stuart, who professes to believe it an inspired composition, de* The Targum on Solomon's Song may be found translated, appended to
Dr. Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Canticles.
t Tholuck's Ssufismus, etc., cap. ii.
7*




154               INTRODUCTION        TO
signed "to express the warm and ardent desire of the soul after
God," is compelled by his moral feelings to express the strangely
inconsistent opinion, that "it is the safer and better course to place
the Canticles, as the Jews did, among the t.1', or books withdrawn from ordinary use;" and, again, that those who neglect to
read the book " are to be commended rather than blamed."* He
attempts, indeed, to show that what would be dangerous to us in
the Western world might be safe for the Orientals, on account of
the secluded state in which females were kept among them. But
it is not easy to see why sensual imagery should have less influence
on the imagination and feelings of an Oriental on account of any
difference between Eastern and Western society, or why the language of love-songs, used as the vehicle of devotion, should have
less influence to corrupt and debase the religion of an Asiatic than
of an American. It seems to be at least probable, that what could
not with decency be sung in a mixed assembly in this country was
never designed by-Heaven to be sung or said as a religious exercise in any country. On general principles, I should suppose that
the safety was on the side of the colder temperament of the Western world, and that the freer social intercourse between the sexes
in the West was less likely to inflame the imagination and the passions than that guarded seclusion of females through which they
are presented to the mind only as objects of sensual love.
It may be that some of the Sufi devotees sing their religious
love-songs with devotional feelings. But that the tendency of
such a mode of worship is bad is almost self-evident. No one can
be surprised when Professor Tholuck, who in general gives the
most favorable aspect of the Oriental mysticism, informs us concerning the dissoluteness and sensuality of the dervishes and
Sufis, whose devotional exercises consist of language and images
borrowed from sensual love, "Proinde, si que dissolutiors vitae,
quin etiam veneris promiscur criminationes adversus Derwischios
elt Ssufios factse sunt, earum  me repellendarum  equidem baud
parem crederem."t)
* Stuart on the Canon, &c., p. 381.
t See Tholuck's Ssufismus, sive Theosophia Persarum Pantheistica, etc.,
Berlin, 1821. p. 88.




THE   CANTICLES.                   155
On the injurious effect of a religious use of the Canticles, the
testimony of Dr. Adam Clarke, who as a travelling Methodist
preacher had great opportunities for observation relating to the
subject, is as follows. Speaking of those who attach a spiritual
meaning to the book, he says: "Their conduct is dangerous;
and the result of their well-intentioned labors has been of very
little service to the cause of Christianity in general, or to the
interests of true morality in particular. By their mode of interpretation, an undignified, not to say mean and carnal, language
has been propagated among many well-meaning religious people,
that has associated itself too much with selfish and animal affections, and created feelings that accorded little with the dignified
spirituality of the religion of the Lord Jesus. I speak not from
report; I speak from observation and experience, and observation
not hastily made. The conviction on my mind, and the conclusion
to which I have conscientiously arrived, are the result of frequent
examination, careful reading, and close thinking at intervals, for
nearly fifty years; and, however I may be blamed by some and
pitied by others, I must say, and I say it as fearlessly as I do
conscientiously, that in this inimitably fine, elegant Hebrew ode
I see nothing of Christ and his Church, and nothing that appears
to have been intended to be thus understood; and nothing, if
applied in this way, that, per se, can promote the interests of
vital godliness, or cause the simple and sincere not to know
Christ after the flesh. Here I conscientiously stand: may God
help me." *
Indeed, the history of religion in all ages and in all countries
is full of examples of the danger that excited religious feeling
may unite itself with sensual feelings, and express itself in sensual
images. Witness the representations of some of the Hindoo
gods, and the religious rites of various heathen nations. Even in
Christendom, hymns have been sung as religious, which fall
below any heathen addresses to Phallus or Priapus. In proof of
this may be adduced the obscene language used by the early
Moravians, in their hymns and other acts of worship. Examples
of language of this kind, indecent beyond conception, are quoted
* See his Introduction to the Song of Solomon.




156                INTRODUCTION        TO
by Rimms, * in his writings relating to the Mioravians. Fortunately, these sincere but misguided Christians were taught by
their assailants to correct their dangerous error. But let it be
generally believed that the Canticles were inspired and designed
"to express the warm and earnest desire of the soul after God,"
and we shall be likely to have the error of the early Moravians
repeated in all its disgusting offensiveness. Its direct influence
will be to debase religion and promote immorality. Let it not be
said there is no danger, in a community in which Millerism and
Mormonism have found so many proselytes.
The opinion, then, that the Canticles were designed as helps
to the soul in its devotions, is more discreditable to the book
itself, to the Scriptures, and to the Jewish religion, than that which
regards them as relics of the amatory poetry of the Hebrews.
That which is noxious is more discreditable than that which is
merely indifferent. The odes of Anacreon, while they are read in
our schools as amatory poetry, have but little influence of any
kind. But if they were taught as helps to devotion, to be repeated
day after day as religious exercises during one's whole life, the
effect would be very different.
One other argument has been urged of late in favor of the
mystical interpretation of the Canticles, which I should think
unworthy of notice, were it not for the respectability of those
who offer it. It is drawn from the difference of opinion, in regard
to the object, plan, and design of the Canticles, among those who
reject the allegorical interpretation. But this difference of opinion
relates not to the general character of the book, or to the meaning
of its language, but to the author's special plan and design. It is
not strange that there should have been a difference of opinion on
these points, since no special object or plan may have existed in
the author's mind. But, after all, there is no greater difference of
opinion in regard to the Canticles than in regard to Ecclesiastes,
Job, and some other books of the Old Testament. And this
argument, if it proves any thing, proves that we may fasten an
allegorical sense upon any difficult passage or book of the Bible.
* See Rimius's History of the lMoravians, &c., Tracts, vols. i. and ii.
(London, 1754). See also Southey's Life of Wesley, vol. i. pp. 188 and 387.




THE   CANTICLES.                   157
Besides, for every two different opinions expressed by those who
reject the mystical sense of the Canticles, it will be very easy to
find four expressed by those who hold it.
Why, then, says the friend of the allegorical interpretation
of the Canticles, is the book found in the Scriptures, if it has not
a religious meaning or a moral value? This, after all, is, I apprehend, the only argument which has much real weight even with
the allegorists. The book is found in the Scriptures; therefore it
cannot be understood in its obvious sense; therefore it must have
an allegorical sense; and, since the author has not said or intimated what the religious sense of his words is, the reader must
supply it for him.
Now, suppose that we were wholly unable to answer the question, how an amatory poem, or a collection of amatory poetry,
came into the Jewish canon of the Scriptures. Is our ignorance
on a point like this a reason for assigning to a man's words a
sense which was never in his mind, and which, according to the
usage of the language in which he wrote, and of the authors of
the same nation, in his own age, or before or after his time, his
words are not adapted to express?
No one knows, or has good reason to believe, what individuals
or body of men made the collection of the writings of the Old
Testament. Of course, we do not know on what judgment, if
any, the admission of a writing into this collection rests.  For
aught we know, all the Hebrew works extant at a particular time
may have been included in the collection. The incredible and
contradictory Jewish traditions on the subject all go to show that
absolutely nothing is known respecting it.*  One may find abundance of conjecture and of strained inferences relating to it, but
no genuine history. The Book of Canticles, then, if placed in
the collection of Hebrew literature by an act of judgment, may
have been placed there by those who supposed it a production,
possessing much poetic beauty, of a person so celebrated throughout the East as Solomon. Much uncertainty exists in regard to
the time when the books of the Old Testament began to be
* See De Wette's Introduction to the Old Testament, ~ 14, and his
references.




158               INTRODUCTION        TO
regarded as holy writings. That they were so regarded when
this book was added to the number cannot be proved. It may
then have been regarded as only a collection of national writings;
of all that was esteemed valuable in Hebrew literature. That a
great part of the Old Testament has a religious character may be
accounted for by the predominant religious spirit of the Jews, and
the existence of their theocratic institutions.
Or, if we suppose the collector or collectors to have regarded
the collection of the Hebrew writings as possessing a moral or
religious character when the Canticles were introduced into it,
why may not the book have been regarded by them as having a
good moral tendency in its literal sense; as designed to recommend monogamy, as some modern expositors suppose; or as
designed to show "the reward of fidelity and constancy in affairs
of the heart," as others imagine; or that its object was to prove
"that love, as the freest and fairest gift of the heart, can no more
be destroyed than called forth by outward power," as a third
class has maintained; or that the author's design was the general
one of setting forth "the pleasures of virtuous love"? These or
other reasons may have influenced the collector or collectors
in giving it a place in the volume afterwards held sacred by the
Jews, without supposing that it possessed a religious or mystical
character.
But, even supposing that the allegorical interpretation prevailed at so early a period as that of the completion of the canon
of the Jewish Scriptures, and that the Canticles were admitted
into it by those who regarded it as an allegory expressive of religious ideas, it by no means follows that such is the fact. There
is abundant reason for distrusting the judgment as well as the
information of the collectors of the books of the Old Testament.
Witness the false captions to many of the Psalms, the confused
state of the prophecies of Jeremiah, the mode in which the
prophets were arranged, the ascription to Isaiah of much which
he could not have written, in the judgment not merely of rationalists, but of the most Orthodox critics. If he or they who placed
the Canticles in the Old Testament, hundreds of years after it was
written, regarded it as a religious or even an inspired book, tbis
is not a sufficient reason why we should so regard it.




THE CANTICLES.                     159
In respect to the mere question, whether the book was contained in the Jewish canon, that is, whether it was generally
received by the Jews as a part of their sacred writings for'nearly
two hundred years before the Christian era, I entirely agree with
those who regard it as canonical. But whether any book has in
reality a claim on my faith or practice depends on very different
considerations from that of its general reception, whether by the
Jewish nation or the Christian Church. I must satisfy myself,
first, whether the writer ever laid claim to Divine authority; and,
if he did, whether he gave any proof of his claim, internal or
external. If I admit the authority of the Church, that is, of a
majority of it, as settling conclusively what I am to receive as of
Divine authority, I must admit the authority of the Church in
other matters, and adopt the creed of Romanism at once. The
Church, that is, the majority of the Church, the Roman Church,
regards the books commonly called apocryphal as canonical.
Such is the decree of the Council of Trent.
The only way in which a critical and historical inquirer can
satisfy himself as to the Divine authority of any book of the Old
or the New Testament is to take it up separately, and consider
what it claims to be, and how far its claims are supported by
internal and external evidence, and then accept it for what it is.
If in the Canticles, for instance, we find no mention of God, of
duty, or of the destination of man, no doctrine of any kind requiring the faith, or duty requiring the practice, of mankind, let us
take the book for what, according to the received use of language, it purports to be,-a collection of amatory songs; and
award to it, as a work of taste, that portion of praise to which we
consider it entitled. This would seem to be all that duty requires
of us.
There are some, it is true, who maintain that Jesus Christ and
his apostles have given the sanction of Divine authority to the genuineness and inspiration of all the books contained in the Jewish
canon. In regard to the particular question which I have been
discussing, I might urge that the Canticles are nowhere alluded to
in the New Testament, as would naturally have been the case if
they had been regarded as setting forth the mutual love of Christ
and the Church, or of Jehovah and the Jewish people, or of God




160               INTRODUCTION       TO
and the human soul. But I have no faith in the proposition, that
Jesus Christ meant to extend his authority and approbation to all
that was contained in the Jewish.canon in his time. I do not
believe that it was a part of his mission, even if it were within the
compass of his knowledge, to decide questions of criticism and
interpretation more than of astronomy or geology, or the causes
of disease. He referred to the books of the Old Testament, just
as he used the phraseology concerning demoniacs, according to the
received opinions of the Jews. If he held these opinions himself,,he did not inculcate them upon others. lte had ample work to
employ all his time during his short ministry on earth, in establishing, as God's prophet, the fundamental doctrines of his religion,
without entering into controversy with the Jews ofi matters of criticism and interpretation. If his mission was to settle, by Divine
authority, all the various questions which have arisen in regard to
the character, criticism, and meaning of the Old Testament, then
one object of his coming into the world was to set bounds to criticism, the inevitable consequence of which would be to put a stop
to that mental improvement and that exact knowledge which are
the result of criticism. For it is idle to pretend that we have a
right to study the Old Testament critically, unless we have a right
to judge of its contents according to the laws of critical and historical investigation. I cannot believe that the design of Christ's
coming into the world was to put a stop to any scientific investigation. Nothing, it appears to me, is more likely to promote the
cause of scepticism than attempts to restrain historical and critical
inquiry by dint of authority, whatever the authority may be.
From the references made by our Saviour to the Old Testament, we may conclude that in his view it contained much that
is Divine. But that he intended to sanction all that is contained
in it, or to settle critical questions in regard to the genuineness
and authority of every book in it, is in the highest degree improbable. The arguments which have been adduced to support such a
proposition fall very far short of their aim. How could he who
gave the command, "Love your enemies, bless them that curse
you, and pray for them that despitefully use you and persecute
you," have supposed that the barbarous extermination of the
Canaanites was by express Divine command? Or how could'he




THE   CANTICLES.                   161
who died praying for his enemies, "Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do " have sanctioned the horrible imprecations in the hundred and ninth Psalm, or other passages of the
Old Testament having a similar character? (See also Matt. xix.
8, 9; vii. 31-34, 38, 39.)
These views, or those which have a similar bearing on the Old
Testament, have been expressed by divines of different denominations. The late Dr. Arnold, of the Church of England, whose
praise as a scholar and a Christian is high wherever the English
language is spoken, regarded it as perfectly consistent with the
acknowledgment of the Divine authority of Christ to pronounce
the Book of Daniel a forgery.*  One of the most distinguished
orthodox dissenting divines in England, after expressing the opinion that the Song of Songs is " a pastoral eclogue, or a succession
of eclogues, representing, in the vivid colors of Asiastic rural
scenery, with a splendor of artificial decoration, the honorable
loves of a newly-married bride and bridegroom, with some other
interlocutors," writes thus: "It is, I deeply feel and acknowledge, an awful thing to appear to go in contravention to the generally assumed position, that our Lord and his apostles recognizedthe writings received as sacred by the Jews at that time as the
exclusive and entire canon. But I humbly request that it may be
considered what is meant by the term canon or rule; and whether
that meaning can be attached to a composition which has not in
it a sentence, or a single word, possessing the nature of a rule,
directory, standard, or prescription whatsoever, in reference to
facts or doctrines or precepts, or any thing at all of a religious
kind, except upon a plan of translating its terms and ideas into
another kind of subjects, of which not the shadow of intimation is
given in the composition itself, and against which I am bound
to protest, as destructive of the certainty of language, and by
inevitable consequence inflicting a deep injury upon the records
of revealed truth. If we cannot depend upon the definite and
constant meaning of words and references of sentences as drawn
out by honest philology, we may as well shut our books, resign
ourselves to impious indifference, or fall back into the bosom of
* See Arnold's Life and Writings, Letter 218, p. 369, Amer. edit.




162               INTRODUCTION       TO
the pretended infallible Church. When I reflect upon the difficulties, using the mildest term, which arise from an endeavor
to convert passages containing matter merely genealogical, topographical, numerical, civil, military, - fragments of antiquity, domestic or national, presenting no character whatever of religious
matter,-into a rule of faith and manners, I feel it impossible
to accept the conclusion; I can find no end to my anxiety, no
rest for my faith, no satisfaction for my understanding, till I
embrace the sentiment, that the qualities of sanctity and inspiration belong only to the religious and theological element, which
is diffused through the Old Testament; and that, where this
element is absent, where there is nothing adapted to communicate'doctrine, reproof, correction, or instruction in righteousness,'
nothing fitted'to make the man of God perfect, thoroughly furnished unto every good work,' - there we are not called to acknowledge any inspiration, nor warranted to assume it. Thus,
I regard as inspired Scripture all that refers to holy things, all
that can bear the character of'oracles of God; and admit the
rest as appendages, of the nature of private memoirs or public
records, useful to the antiquary and the philologist, but which
belong not to the rule of faith or the directory of practice. To
this extent, and to this only, can I regard the sanction of the
New Testament as given to the inspiration of the Old. In other
words, the quality of inspiration, forming the ground of faith and
obedience, inheres in every sentence, paragraph, or book, which,
either directly or by implication, contains religious truth, precept,
or expectation. This, I humbly think, leaves us every thing that
a Christian can wish for; and it liberates us from the pressure
of difficulties which have often furnished the enemies of revealed
truth with pretexts for serious objections. Inspiration belongs to
religious objects; and to attach it to other things is to lose sight
of its nature, and misapply its design."*
To other theories, which assign a mystical meaning to the Canticles, some of the arguments which I have used against the view
adopted by Professor Stuart apply with equal, others with less,
* Scripture Testimony to the Messiah, by John Pye Smith, D.D. London, 1837. p. 53, &c.




THE   CANTICLES.                   163
force. All of them are liable to the decisive objection, that they
are in opposition to the received use of language. At a time when
all the books of the Scriptures were interpreted in the allegorical
mode, as by the Church fathers, it was a matter of course that the
Canticles should be treated in the same way. But now that just
principles of interpretation have been applied to the explanation
of most parts of the Bible, it is time to give up attempts to allegorize the Canticles. To the popular theory, that Christ and the
Church are denoted, may be urged the additional objection, that
there is not in the book the least appearance of prediction. It
implies throughout a state of things then existing or past. This
theory is also, if possible, more arbitrary, and more completely
destitute of support from the use of language and the state of
religious knowledge among the contemporaries of the writer, or
among the Jews before the time of Christ, than any one of the
principal theories which have been mentioned. Against this view,
too, it may be justly urged that the book is nowhere alluded to in
the New Testament. If the subject of it had been supposed to be
Christ and the Church, it is reasonable to suppose that allusions
to it would have been very frequent, both in the Gospels and
Epistles.
Since, then, there is no reason for supposing a mystical religious meaning in the Canticles, and since their whole tenor and
complexion are in opposition to such a meaning, the book must
be interpreted according to the received use of language. Thus
interpreted, its principal subject, as all will admit, is the reciprocal affection between the sexes, as set forth in poetical representation. There may be some doubt as to the relation in which
the parties stood to each other, whether in that of lovers before
marriage, or in that of the head of the harem to one of its members, or in that of husband and wife. That the last supposition
is not true throughout seems to be obvious from the general character of the representation, as well as from particular passages.
It is also not analogous to similar compositions by writers of other
countries to suppose the affection of married life to be the subject
of the work.
We have, then, in the Canticles the remains of the amatory or
erotic poetry of the Hebrews. Whether the book is to be regarded




164                INTRODUCTION       TO
as one whole, a regular dramatic poem, or as a collection of several amatory songs or idyls, is a question which may be considered
as somewhat doubtful. Without going into a full discussion of the
subject, I adopt the latter opinion, which was the opinion of Richard Simon, Herder, Doderlein, Eichhorn, De Wette, Sir William
Jones, and Dr. Good, -for the reason that there is not sufficient
evidence in favor of a general plan or course of dramatic action.
Those who have maintained the other opinion have been obliged
to make some very arbitrary suppositions, and to draw largely on
their own imaginations, in order to make out any plausible course
of action, or any general design which the writer intended to accomplish, or has accomplished. I have supposed the book to consist of twelve songs.
Thus, while Bossuet and Percy suppose the work to be a pastoral drama, designed to celebrate the marriage of Solomon with
the daughter of the king of Egypt, several of the most recent of
the German writers* on the book suppose that it is designed to
set forth the praise of true love in humble life, and how an innocent
country maiden resisted all the arts of King Solomon to seduce
her from her faith to her shepherd lover. Respecting the first of
these theories, it may be remarked that there is very little in the
book which seems suited to the occasion of royal nuptials; that
there are no allusions to Solomon which imply that he was the subject of the composition, except in chap. iii. 6-11, and perhaps
chap. i. 9-ii. 7; and that there is too much of rural life in it to be
suited to the scene of a royal court. The objection to the second
theory is, that it comes more from the imagination of the interpreter than from the language of the author. Dr. Good remarks:
" The Song of Songs cannot be one connected epithalamium, since
the transitions are too abrupt for the wildest fights of the Oriental
muse, and evidently imply a variety of openings and conclusions;
while, as a regular drama, it is deficient in almost every requisite
that could give it such a classification: it has neither dramatic
* Lied der Liebe, das alteste und schinste aus dem Morgenlande. Uebersetzt und asthetisch erklirt von Friedrich Wilhelm Carl Umbreit. Heidelberg, 1828.
Das Hohelied Salomo's iibersetzt, etc., von Dr. Georg Heinrich August
Ewald. Gottingen, 1826.




THE   CANTICLES.                   165
fable nor action, neither involution nor catastrophe; it is without
a beginning, a middle, or an end. To call it such is to injure it
essentially; it is to raise expectations which can never be gratified, and to force parts upon parts which have no possible connection." *
Having thus given the view which seems to me most probable,
I admit that there are some indications of unity in the Canticles,
such as the refrains in chap. ii. 7; iii. 5; viii. 4; and the recurrence
of similar thoughts or expressions in various parts of the book.
There are also some indications that the work possesses a dramatic
character, being designed, however, only to be read, not to be
acted. This is undoubtedly the most prevalent opinion in regard
to the book. The subject and design of it, according to most of
those writers who adopt this opinion, may be stated as follows: A
country maiden, called the Shulamite, who had engaged her affections to a shepherd lover, and who was perhaps betrothed to
him, has been carried to the interior of Solomon's palace. This
monarch tries to win her affections by praises, blandishments, and
entreaties, but without success. She is constant and faithful to her
lover in humble life, and rejects all the overtures of royalty. She
is constantly thinking of her beloved, declaring her attachment to
him, and desiring to return to the place where he is. After Solomon had tried in vain to alienate her affection from the shepherd
and fix it upon himself, she is set free from the harem, and hastens
to rejoin her beloved shepherd in the country. The design is said
to be, to set forth the praises of fidelity in love, or the praises of
that love which is only to be preserved by innocence and virtue.
Respecting the number of sections, or acts, scenes, and speakers, there has been, as might be expected, a wide difference of'
opinion among those who assign to the whole book a dramatic form,
as one poem. Renan has gone farthest in reducing it to the form
of a modern drama in five acts, and the appropriate scenes. Dr.
Davidson's analysis of the book,t which, considered as a mere theory, is as satisfactory as any which has been given, is, with a few
slight abbreviations, as follows: -
* See Preface to his Translation of the Canticles.
f Introduction to the 0. T., vol. ii. p. 389-392.




166                  INTRODUCTION TO
"The poem may be divided into six sections: -
"1. (Chap. i. 2-ii. 7.)-After the inscription, the Shulamite appears in the
royal tent in the country into which she had been carried, still clothed in her
rustic robes, but thinking only of her absent shepherd-lover. The court
ladies attendant on the king look curiously at her, on account of the swarthy
color of her face; but she informs them that it was caused by exposure to
the sun; for her brothers had obliged her to keep their vineyards. Continuing her soliloquy after this, she asks her lover, as if she were already free,
where she may find him. The ladies bid her go and feed her sheep (i. 1-8).
Solomon now steps forward, praising her beauty, and promising to adorn
her with a beautiful chain (i. 9-11). But she praises her beloved, and is insensible to the monarch's words. She then implores the women around her
to grant her leisure to think of her friend (i. 12-14, Shulamite; 15, Solomon;
16, 17-ii. 1, Shulamite; ii. 2, Solomon; ii. 3-7, Shulamite).
"2. (ii. 8-iii. 5.)-Here the place is not changed; but the time is supposed to be considerably prior to that in ii. 7. The Shulamite refers to the
occasion of her being first separated from her beloved, who invited her out
into the fields in the spring. The fifteenth verse gives the words of her
brothers, which led to the separation. She consoles herself, however, with
the inseparableness of their hearts, bidding him hasten to her side (ii. 8-17).
"The espoused one now relates a dream which she had respecting her lover,
saying that she had sought but did not find him; that she had risen up and
gone through the streets (of Shunem); and when she met with the watchmen
of the city, and asked them if they had seen her beloved, they had hardly
passed by her when she laid hold of him, and took him to the house of her
mother (iii. 1-5).
" 3. (iii. 6-v. 1.) — Solomon is now described returning to Jerusalem from
his royal castle in the country, with great pomp and splendor. The people
admire the magnificent palanquin in which the Shulamite is conveyed (iii.
6-11). Wishing to procure her favor by his flatteries, the monarch praises
her gracefulness, and greatly desires to gain the love of one so beautiful (iv.
1-7). In iii. 6-11, spectators looking at the procession from the country are
supposed to speak. Solomon is represented as having all preparations made
for his marriage. He is crowned, but she is not. He appears resolved to
overcome her inclination.
" The language of iv. 1-7 is sufficient to show that Solomon is the speaker
here, not the shepherd-lover. The latter, who is suddenly introduced, assures
her that he would attempt every thing to rescue her from her perilous position.  le then praises her chastity, fidelity, and modesty; employing the
figure of an enclosed garden (iv. 8-15).
" The Shulamite replies in iv. 16; and the shepherd responds in v. 1, giving
utterance to his delight in her charms. The poet addresses them both:'Eat, O friends! Drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved!'
"4. (v. 2-vi. 3.)- The Shulamite relates a dream she saw respecting her




THE    CANTICLES.                        167
shepherd to the court ladies. The purport of this was, that he came to her
dwelling at night, and asked her to let him in. At first she was reluctant to
do so; but when he put his hand through the window, and begged more
earnestly that he might be admitted, she rose up and opened the door, but
found him gone, and called him in vain. In seeking him, she met with the
watchmen of the city, who wounded and shamefully treated her. She then
beseeches these ladies, that, if they found her friend, they would tell him how
sick of love she was. When they ask what his attractions are more than
those of an ordinary lover (v. 9), the Shulamite describes his personal appearance and beauty. After the description, the daughters of Jerusalem inquire
whither he is gone (vi. 1), professing their willingness to go with her to seek
him out. She answers that he has gone to his garden, and declares that their
affection is mutual and inseparable.
"5. (vi. 4-viii. 4.)- Solomon now appears and addresses the Shulamite in
flattering terms, affirming that he prefers her to all his wives and concubines.
In vi. 10 he cites the encomium of the court ladies upon her. The Shulamite
explains how she had fallen in with the royal cortege; at the sight of which
she was at first frightened, and hastened away, till by the advice of the court
ladies she remained (vi. 13), and so came to be seen'by the king, who
tries to induce her to love him, and therefore celebrates her beauty (vi.
4-vii. 9).
" The Shulamite declaring that she is wholly devoted to her bridegroom,
and so showing that she steadfastly resists all the arts of Solomon, speaks to
her shepherd as if she were already free, inviting him to go to the country
with her, and enjoy the pleasures of life there. She wishes that he were a
brother to her, that she might manifest her attachment to him in public, introduce him into her mother's house, and give him the most delicious drinks.
Then, exhausted with the strength of her affection, she wishes for the presence and embraces of her lover, and beseeches the court ladies not to attempt
to turn away her affection from him (vii. 10-viii. 4).
" 6. (viii. 5-14.) - The shepherd is supposed to have been at the palace; and
Solomon, finding her proof against his allurements, had set her free. In company with the bridegroom, she returns to her native place, and visits the
apple-trees where they had first pledged their vows. Speaking of her virtue
and innocence as things invincible to temptation, she reminds her brothers
of what they had said about her preserving or losing her chastity before she
was marriageable. In alluding to her temptations, she says, that though
Solomon was a very rich man, having a most valuable vineyard, yet that she
despised all his possessions, content to preserve her innocence. In conclusion, the shepherd, with his companions, requests of her a song. With this
she complies, as she sits in her garden invisible, and repeats the words she had
already sung (ii. 17):'Make haste, my beloved; and be thou like to a roe,
or to a young hart, upon the mountains of spices.' The mountains of separation exist no longer: mountains, fragrant with spices, take their place."




168               INTRODUCTION        TO
Parts of this theory appear to me to imply immense improbabilities; as seems to be conceded by Dr. Davidson, if the existing
arrangement of the Hebrew text came from the author. How incongruous, for instance, is chap. viii. 8-10, in its present position,
with a dramatic plot of which the sister there mentioned is the
heroine! It is like laying the foundation after the house is
built.
As to the number of speakers in the Canticles, regarded as consisting of separate songs, I have indicated in the margin those
which seemed to me to be required. If any reader thinks that
more speakers are necessary, he can supply them according to his
taste.
That this book, whether consisting of one dramatic poem or of
several separate songs or poems, proceeded from one author, is now
so general an opinion of the best critics, that it is not necessary
to discuss the subject. Whether this author were Solomon admits
of greater doubt. When we consider how many of the inscriptions
in the Book of Psalms are at variance with their contents, we cannot attach much importance to the title of this book. The diction,* in its Aramsean character, varies so much from that of the
Proverbs, that many modern critics have, with great reason, concluded that it proceeded from a different author. There are also
passages which do not well harmonize with the supposition that
Solomon was the author; such as chap. i. 4, 5; iii. 6-11; vii. 5;
viii. 11, 12. If Solomon is censured in the book, according to the
dramatic theory, of course he could not have been the author.
On the other hand, there seem to be several allusions to the circumstances and historical relations of the age of Solomon, or that
immediately succeeding it. (See i. 4, 5, 9, 12; iii. 7, &c.; iv. 4; vi.
4, 8, 9; viii. 11, 12.) The spirit and character of the poetry seem
also to agree well with the most flourishing period of Hebrew literature. The peculiar diction is supposed by De Wette to be
susceptible of explanation by maintaining that these songs were
preserved orally in the mouths of the people, and were thus in
some measure altered. Others seek an explanation of this peculiarity in the province of Palestine, to which the writer may have
* On this topic, see the Introductions of Jahn, De Wette, or Davidson.




THE   CANTICLES.                   169
belonged. Either of these suppositions appears to me more probable than that the author wrote long after the Captivity, and transferred himself back to the age of Solomon. I therefore suppose
the Canticles to have been written by some Jewish poet, either in
the reign of Solomon or soon after it.
For a list of interpreters of the Canticles, see the introduction
to this book in Rosenmiiller's Scholia. Of those which he has not
mentioned, I have seen the translations and notes of Bishop Percy,
Thomas Williams, and John Mason Good. In this edition, I have
also had access to the translations and commentaries of Heiligstedt,
Hitzig, and Renan.
CAMBRIDGE, Jan. 10, 1867.








THE SONG OF SONGS.
~1 ~     The Song of Songs, which is by Solomon.
I.
An innocent country maiden, in a company of ladies of Jerusalem, is
anxious to see her lover. - CHAP. I. 2-8.
2   [M] O THAT he would kiss me with one of the kisses
of his mouth!
For thy love is better than wine.
3 Because of the savor of thy precious perfumes,
(Thy name is like fragrant oil poured forth,)
Therefore do the virgins love thee.
4 Draw me after thee; let us run!
The king hath led me to his chambers!
We will be glad and rejoice in thee;
We will praise thy love more than wine.
Justly do they love thee!
5   I am black, but comely, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem,
As the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.
6 Gaze not upon me because I am black,
Because the sun hath looked upon me!
My mother's sons were angry with me;
They made me keeper of the vineyards;
My vineyard, my own, have I not kept.;
7 Tell me, thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest
thy flock,
Where thou leadest it to rest at noon;
For why should I be like a veiled one by the flocks of thy
companions?
[171]




172            THE SONG OF SONGS,               [CHAP. I
8   [Lad.] If thou know not, 0 thou fairest among women,
Trace thou thy way by the tracks of the flock,
And feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents!
II.
Conversation between a lover and maiden.- CHAP. I. 9.-II. 7.
9   [Lov.] To the horses in the chariots of Pharaoh
Do I compare thee, my love!
10 Comely are thy cheeks with rows of 4ewels,
Thy neck with strings of pearls.
11 Golden chains will we make for thee,
With studs of silver.
12   [M.] While the king reclineth at his table,
My spikenard sendeth forth its fragrance.
13 A bunch of myrrh is my beloved to me;
He shall abide between my breasts.
14 My beloved is to me a cluster of henna-flowers
From the gardens of Engedi.
15   [Lov.] Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art
fair!
Thine eyes are doves.
16   [M.] Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, lovely;
And green is our bed.
17 The cedars are the beams of our house,
And its roof the cypresses.
1 I am a rose of Sharon,
A lily of the valleys.
2   [Lov.] As the lily among thorns,
So is my love among the daughters.
3   [Il.] As the apple-tree among the trees of the forest,
So is my beloved among the sons.
In his shadow I love to sit down,
An I his fruit is sweet to my taste.




CHAP. II.]     THE SONG     OF SONGS.              173
4 He hath brought me to his banqueting-house,
And his banner over me is love.
Strengthen me with raisins,
5 Refresh me with apples!
For I am sick with love.
6 His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraceth me!
7   [Lov.] I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem,
By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field,
That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till she please!
III.
The maiden's meeting with her lover in the vineyard. - CHAP. II. 8-17.
8   [CM] THE voice of my beloved!
Behold, he cometh,
Leaping upon the mountains,
Bounding upon the hills.
9 Like a gazelle is my beloved,
Or a young hind.
Behold, he standeth behind our wall;
He is looking through the windows;
He glanceth through the lattice.
0o My beloved speaketh, and saith to me,
" Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away!
11 For, lo, the winter is past,
The rain is over and gone;
12 The flowers appear on the earth;
The time of the singing of birds is come,
And the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;
33 The fig-tree is spicing its green fruit;
The vines in blossom give forth fragrance.
Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away!
14 0 my dove, that art in the recesses of the rock,
In the hiding-places of the steep craggy mountain,
Let me see thy face,
Let me hear thy voice!
For sweet is thy voice,
And thy face lovely."




174            THE SONG      OF SONGS.          [cuA. III.
15 Take ye for us the foxes,
The little foxes that spoil the vines;
For our vines are now in blossom.
16 My beloved is mine, and I am his;
He feedeth among the lilies.
17 When the day breathes, and the shadows flee away,
Come again, my beloved, like a gazelle, or a young hind,
Upon the craggy mountains.
IV.
The maiden's search for her lover.- CHAP. III. 1-5.
1   [l2.] UPON my bed, in the night,
I sought him whom my soul loveth; 
I sought him, but found him not.
2 I will arise now [said I], and go about the city;
In the streets and the broad ways will I seek him whom
my soul loveth;
I sought him, but found him not.
3 The watchmen who go about the city found me;
" Have you seen [said I] him whom my soul loveth?"
4 I had but just passed them,
When I found him whom my soul loveth;
I held him, and would not let him go,
Till I had brought him into my mother's house,
Into the apartment of her that bore me.
s   [Lov.] I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem!
By the gazelles, and by the hinds of the field,
That ye stir not up, nor awake my love, till she please.
V.
A song relating to Solomon; or, The conducting of a spouse of Solomon, or
of a maiden beloved by him, to his palace. - CHAP. III. 6-11.
6   WHO is this that cometh up from the wilderness,
Like pillars of smoke,
Perfumed with myrrh and frankincense,
With all the powders of the merchant?




CHAP. IV.]     THE SONG OF SONGS.                  175
7 Behold, the carriage of Solomon!
Threescore valiant men are around it,
Of the valiant men of Israel.
8 They all wear swords,
Being skilled in war.
Every one hath his sword girt upon his thigh,
On account of danger in the night.
9 King Solomon made for himself a carriage
Of the wood of Lebanon.
1o The pillars thereof he made'of silver,
The railing of gold,
The seat of purple,
Its interior curiously wrought by a lovely one of the
daughters of Jerusalem.
i1 Go forth, 0 ye daughters of Zion!
And behold King Solomon
In the crown with which his mother crowned him,
In the day of his espousals,
In the day of the gladness of his heart.
VI.
Conversation between a lover and maiden. - CHAP. IV. - V. 1.
1   [Lov.] BEHOLD, thou art fair, my love! behold, thou
art fair!
Thine eyes are doves behind thy veil;
Thy locks are like a flock of goats
Which lie down on mount Gilead;
2 Thy teeth are like a flock of shorn sheep,
Which come up from the washing-place,
Of which every one beareth twins,
And none is barren among them;
3 Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet,
And thy month comely.;
Thy cheeks are like a divided pomegranate behind thy
veil;
4 Thy neck is like the tower of David,
Built for an armory,
In which there hang a thousand bucklers,
All shields of mighty men;




176            THE SONG     OF SONGS.         [CHAI. IV
5 Thy two breasts are like two young twin gazelles,
That feed among the lilies.
6 When the day breathes, and the shadows flee away,
I will betake me to the mountain of myrrh
And the hill of frankincense.
7 Thou art all fair, my love;
There is no spot in thee!
8 Come with me from Lebanon, my spouse,
With me from Lebanon!
Look from the top of Amana,
From the top of Senir and Hcrmon,
From the dens of the lions,
From the mountains of the leopards.
9 Thou hast taken captive my heart, my sister, my spouse;
Thou hast taken captive my heart with one of thine eyes,
With one chain of thy neck.
10 How sweet is thy love, my sister, my spouse!
~How much more precious thy caresses than wine,
And the fragrance of thy perfumes than all spices!
11 Thy lips, O my spouse! drop the honeycomb;
Honey and milk are under thy tongue,
And the fragrance of tRy.garments is as the fragrance of
Lebanon.
12 A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse;
A spring shut up, a fountain sealed;
13 Thy plants are an orchard of pomegranates, with choicest
Henna and spikenard,                         [fruits,
14 Spikenard and saffron,
Sweet cane and cinnamon,
With all trees of frankincense;
Myrrh and aloes,
With all the chief spices;
15 A fountain of the gardens,
A well of living water,
A stream that floweth from Lebanon!
16   [l-] Awake, O north wind, and come, thou south I
Blow upon. my garden,
That its spices may flow out!
May my beloved come to his garden,
And eat his pleasant fruits.




CHAAP. v.]      THE  SONG    OF SONGS.               177
[Zov.] I am come to my garden, my sister, my spouse!.
I gather my myrrh with my balsam,
I eat my honeycomb with my honey,
I drink my wine with my milk.
Eat, 0 friends!
Drink, yea, drink abundantly, my loved companions!
VII.
The maiden's search for her lover by night, and praise of his beauty.
CHAP. V. 2.-VI. 3.
2   [M.] I SLEPT, but my heart was awake;
It was the voice of my beloved, who was knocking:
"Open to me, my sister, my love,
My dove, my perfect one!
For -my head is filled with dew,
And my locks with the drops of the night."
3 "I have taken off my vest [said I];
How shall I put it on?
I have washed my feet;
How shall I soil them?"
4 My beloved put in his hand by the hole of the door,
And my heart was moved for him.
5 I rose up to open to my beloved,
And my hands dropped with myrrh,
And my fingers with self-flowing myrrh, upon the handles
of the bolt.
6 I opened to my beloved;
But my beloved had withdrawn himself, and was gone.
I was not in my senses while he spake with me!
I sought him, but could not find him;
I called him, but he gave me no answer.
7 The watchmen that go about the city found me;
They smote me, they wounded me;
The keepers of the walls took away from me my veil.
8 I charge you, O ye daughters of Jerusalem!
If ye should find my beloved, -
What will ye tell him? -
That I am sick with love.
8*




178            THE SONG OF SONGS.              [CHAP. v
*9   [Lad.] What is thy beloved more than another beloved,
0 thou fairest among women 
What is thy beloved more than another beloved,
That thus thou dost charge us?
10  [iL] My beloved is white and ruddy,
The chief among ten thousand.
11 His head is as the most fine gold;
His locks waving palm-branches,
Black as a raven;
12 His eyes are doves by streams of water,
Washed with milk, dwelling in fulness;
13 His cheeks are like a bed of balsam,
Like beds of spices;
His lips are lilies
Dropping self-flowing myrrh;
14 His hands are gold rings set with chrysolite;
His body is wrought-work of ivory, overlaid with sapphires;
15 His legs are marble pillars, resting on pedestals of fine
gold;
His aspect is like Lebanon,
Majestic like the cedars;
16 His mouth is sweetness;
His whole being, loveliness.
This is my beloved,
This my friend,
0 ye daughters of Jerusalem!
1   [Lad.] Whither is thy beloved gone, thou fairest among
women?
Whither hath thy beloved betaken himself?
That we may seek him with thee.
2   [11] My beloved is gone down to his garden,
To the beds of balsam,
To feed in the gardens,
And to gather lilies.
3 I am my beloved's, and my beloved is mine;
He feedeth among the lilies.




CHAP. vI.]     THE SONG     OF SONGS.              179
VIII.
The lover's praise of the object of his attachment. - CHAP. VI. 4-9.
4   BEAUTIFUL art thou, my love, as Tirzah,
Lovely as Jerusalem;
But terrible as an army with banners.
5 Turn away thine eyes from me!
They overpower me 
Thy locks are like a flock of goats,
Which lie down upon Gilead.
6 Thy teeth are like a flock of sheep,
Which come up from the washing-place,
Of which every one hath twins,
And none is barren among them.
7 As a divided pomegranate
Are thy cheeks behind thy veil.
8   Threescore are the queens, and fourscore the concubines,
And the maidens without number.
9 But my dove, my undefiled, is the one;
She is the incomparable one of her mother,
The darling of her that bore her.
The daughters saw her, and blessed her;
The queens and concubines, and they praised her.
IX.
Conversation between a lover and maiden. - CHAP. VI..10 - VIII. 4.
10   [Lov.] WHO is this that looketh forth like the morning,
Fair as the moon, bright as the sun,
And terrible as an army with banners?
11. [1.] I went down into the garden of nuts,
To see the green plants of the valley,
To see whether the vine blossomed,
And the pomegranates budded,




180            THE SONG     OF SONGS.        [CHAP. VYL
12 Or ever I was aware,
My soul had made me like the chariots of the prince's
[train.
13   [Lad.] Return, return, 0 Shulamite!
Return, return, that we may look upon thee!
[i.] Why should ye look upon the Shulamite,
As upon. a dance of the hosts?
1   [Lov.] How beautiful are thy feet in sandals, 0 prince's
daughter!
The roundings of thy hips are like neck ornaments,
The work of the hands of the artificer;
2 Thy navel is like a round goblet, that wanteth not the
spiced wine;
Thy belly like a heap of wheat, inclosed with lilies;
3 Thy two breasts are like two young twin gazelles;
4 Thy neck is as a tower of ivory;
Thine eyes are like the pools at Heshbon, by the gate of
Bath-rabbim;
Thy nose is as the tower of Lebanon, which looketh toward
Damascus;
5 Thy head upon thee is like Carmel,
And the hair of thy head like purple;
The king is captivated by thy locks.
6 How fair, how pleasant art thou, love, in delights!
7 This thy stature is like the palm-tree,
And thy breasts like clusters of dates.
8 I will go up, say I to myself, upon the palm-tree;
I will take hold of its boughs,
And thy breasts shall be as clusters of the vine,
And the fragrance of thy nose like apples,
9 And thy mouth like the best wine[..] - that goeth down smoothly for my beloved,
Flowing over the lips of them that sleep.
10 I am my beloved's,
And his desire is toward me.
11   Come, my beloved, let us go forth into the country;
Let us lodge in the villages!




CHAP. vIII.]   THE SONG OF SONGS.                 181
12 Then will we go early to the vineyards,
To see whether the vine putteth forth,
Whether its blossom openeth,
And the pomegranates bud forth;
There will I give thee my love!
13 The love-apples give forth fragrance;
And at our doors are all kinds of precious fruits, new and
old:
I have kept them for thee, my beloved!
1   0 that thou wert as my brother,
That sucked the breast of my mother!
When I found thee abroad, I might kiss thee;
And for it no one would deride me.
2 I will lead thee, and bring thee into my mother's house,
that thou mayst teach me;
I will give thee spiced wine to drink, and the juice of my
pomegranates.
3 His left hand is under my head,
And his right hand embraceth me.
4   [Lov.] I charge you, 0 ye daughters of Jerusalem!
That ye stir not up, nor awake my love,
Till she please!
X.
Chorus of ladies, maiden, and lover. -CHAP. VIII. 5-7.
[Lad.] WHO is this that cometh up from the wilderness,
Leaning upon her beloved?
[M.] Under the apple-tree I awakened thee;
There thy mother brought thee forth;
There she that bore thee brought thee forth!
0 set me as a seal upon thy heart,
As a seal upon thine arm!
For love is strong as death;
True love is firm as the grave:




182            THE SONG OF SONGS.             [CIAP. VIII.
Its flames are flames of fire,
The fire of Jehovah.
7 Many waters cannot quench love,
Nor can floods drown it.
Would a man give all the wealth of his house for love,
It would be utterly contemned.
XI.
A conversation of two brothers about their sister, with her remarks.
CHAP. VIII. 8-12.
8   [Br.] WE have a sister who is yet young;
She is yet without breasts.
What shall we do with our sister,
When she shall be spoken for?
9 If she be a wall,
We will build upon it a silver tower;
If she be an open gate,
We will inclose her with planks of cedar.
10   [Sis.] I am a wall, and my breasts like towers;
Therefore am I become in his eyes as one that findeth
[peace.
11   Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon;
He let out the vineyard to keepers;
Every one was to bring a thousand shekels of silver for
its fruit.
12 My vineyard is before my eyes.
Be thine the thousand, 0 Solomon!
And two hundred to the keepers of its fruit!
XII.
The lover sent away. A fragment. —CHAP. VIII. 13, 14.
13   [Lov.] THOU that dwellest in the gardens!
Friends listen to thy voice;
Let me hear thee!
14   Fly, my beloved! like a gazelle, or a young hind,
Upon the mountains of spices.




NOTES.








NOTES ON JOB.
I.
IN the first two chapters is contained a brief account of the excellent
character and flourishing condition of Job; —of the afflictions decreed in
heaven to be sent upon him, and the design of those afflictions, namely, to
prove the disinterestedness and firmness of his integrity and piety;- of
the actual occurrence of these afflictions, and of Job's conduct under
them;- and of the visit of three of his friends to mourn with him and
comfort him.
The character of this introduction, so far as it relates to the upper
world, is thus given by Scott: " This is not history, but a piece of allegorical scenery. The noble instruction which it veileth is, that God governs the
world by the instrumentality of second causes, that the evils of human life
are under his direction, and that the afflictions of good men are appointed
by him for the illustration of their virtue, and for advancing, by that
means, the honor of religion."  The learned Mr. Poole also observes:
" You must not think that these things were really done;... but
it is only a parabolical representation of that great truth, that God, by his
wise and holy providence, doth govern all the actions of men and devils to
his own ends." Considered as a part of the whole work, the design of
these chapters is to suggest the subject of discussion, and, in part, to
illustrate it; and also to dispose the reader to a favorable opinion of Job
See introduction, p. 18.
Ch. I. 1. - Job. The most probable meaning of the name is persecuted,
harassed. See Ges. ad verb.
3.- three thousand camels. The Arabs used these animals in war, in
their caravans, and for food. One of their ancient poets, whose hospitality
grew into a proverb, is reported to have killed yearly, in a certain month,
ten camels every day, for the entertainment of his friends. Scott, from
Schultens and Pococke. We have here the description of the wealth of an
Arab ruler, or chief, similar to those who at the present day are called
Emirs.
[185]




186                          NOTES.
4. -each on his day: i e. on the day in which it fell to him in couise
to give a feast.
5. - sanctify: by ablutions and other observances. See Exod. xix. 10,
14; Josh. vii. 13.- renounced God in their hearts: i. e. been unmindful
of him, dismissed him from their thoughts, or withheld the reverence and
homage which are his due. It is hardly credible that Job suspected his
children of cursing God. He was only apprehensive lest the gayety of a
festival had made them forget God, and neglect his service and worship.
The term  13. generally signifies to bless. It was the term of salutation
between friends at meeting and parting. See Gen. xxviii. 3, xlvii. 10. In
the latter use of it, it corresponded to the English phrase to bid farewell
to, and like that, came to be used in a bad sense for to renounce, to abandon, to dismiss from  the mind, to disregard. It may imply disregard,
neglect, renunciation, or abhorrence, according to the connection in which
it is used. XciQev in Greek, and valere in Latin, are used in the same way.
Thus Eurip. Med. 1044.: Ov' rj' ytYy' XawizQo  iovEt'itaTa. And Cicero,
in a letter to Atticus (VIII. 8.), in which he complains of the disgraceful
flight of Pompey, applies to him a quotation from Aristophanes: o:oRAu
XatlQLv lztwv rT, xa4., bidding farewell to honor, he fled to Brundusium.
Another instance of this use of valere is in Ter. And. IV. 2. 14.: Valeant,
qui inter nos dissidium volunt. Also in Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. 44. near the
end: Deinde si maxime talis est Deus, ut nulla gratia, nulla hominum
caritate teneatur, valeat!
6. - sons of God: i. e. the angels. See ch. xxxviii. 7; Dan. iii. 25, 28.
- Satan. There has been a question whether by the person denominated Satan in this chapter is denoted the malignant spirit, the enemy of
God and man, otherwise called the Devil; or one of the sons of God, a
faithful, but too suspicious, servant of Jehovah.
This latter opinion has been defended by some critics, because they
could not easily account for the presence of the Devil in heaven amongst
the angels of God, and for his free conversation with Jehovah; by others,
because they regarded the belief in the Devil as having had no existence
amongst the Jews until their return fmm the Babylonish captivity, and,
consequently, as inconsistent with their opinion of the high antiquity of
the book. But the disposition ascribed to Satan in the narrative is not
very consistent with this view. Nor Ne there any strong argument to show
that a belief in evil spirits may not bhi ve arisen among the Jews at least a
short time before the captivity, in consequence of their intercourse with
foreigners. Satan appears, in this.passage, in the office indicated by his
name, that of the adversary, the accu."r, the office uniformly ascribed to
him by the later Jews. See Zech. iii. 1 2; Rev. xii. 10. See also Christian
Examiner, for May, 1836, p. 236. It is observed by Rosenmiiller, that
in the life of Zoroaster,(see Zendavesta, by J. G. Kleukner, vol. iii. p. 11,)




JOB.                            187
the prince of the evil demons, the angel of death, called Engremeniosh, is
said to go about the earth for the purpose of opposing and injuring good
men.
1. - will he renounce thee. The phrase is stronger here than in verse
5. It imports an utter and public renunciation of religion as a vain thing.
Scott.
15. -Sabeans: inhabitants of Sheba, a country of Arabia Felix, abound
ing in spices, gold, and precious stones. 1 Kings x. 1, &c.; Is. lx. 6; Ps.
lxxii. 10, 15.
16.-fire of God: i. e. lightning; which has a similar appellation in
Eurip. Med.,14:
AL, a't' Lci ov Ke(faXas +Xo08 ovpay i
Bath.
Alas! alas! May the fire of heaven
Strike through my head!
17. - Chaldeans: a fierce and warlike people, who originally inhabited
the Carduchian mountains, north of Assyria, and the northern part of
Mesopotamia, portions of whom settled in Babylonia and founded a mighty
empire. They are described in Hab. i. 6-11.
20. —rent his mantle, and shaved his head.  The custom of rending the
mantle, as an expression of grief, is said to prevail at the present day in
Persia, and, like that of shaving the head, to have been common amongst
several nations of antiquity. Herodotus (II. 26) remarks, that the latter
was the practice of all nations except the Egyptians, in cases of mourning.
21.-my mother's womb: i. e. the womb of the earth, the universal
mother; for he speaks of returning thither. The same figure is found in
several languages. See Cic. de Nat. Deor. II. 26.- blessed be the name,,c. Here the contrast is observable between the object of Satan, which
was to induce Job to renounce God, and the issue of the temptation, in
which Job blesses God.
Ch. II.. II.  S/fin for skin,,rc.  This is a proverbial expression, importing, as is generally supposed, that any man will give the skin or life
of another, whether animal or man, to save his own. The observation of
Satan will then imply that Job gave up all, without complaint, from the
selfish fear of exposing his own life to danger.  Others understand the
term "skin" to denote "the life."  The proverb will then be, "Life for
life "; i. e. Nothing is so precious as life. All other calamities are light,
compared with those which -threaten one's own life. Others, like for like,
i. e, what a man holds as dear as his skin, i. e. his life, he will give for his
life..
7. It is generally supposed that Job was afflicted with that species of
leprosy called elephantiasis, the elephant disease; so called from its covering the skin with dark scales, and swelling the mouth, legs, and feet to




188                         NOTES.
an enormous size, although the body at the same time is emaciated. See
Deut. xxviii. 35. The pain is said not to be very great, but there is a
great debility of the system, and great uneasiness and grief. See Jahn's
Archaeology, ~ 189.
9. Renounce God, and die: i. e. since you must die. Since your
exemplary piety has been of no use to you, give it up; renounce God; desist from your idle prayers and praises, and look to death as the only termination of your miseries, the only fruit of your virtue which you will
ever receive. Schultens. See i. 5, and the note.
But, perhaps, the common meaning of the verb.p3, to bless, has some
claim to consideration. According to this rendering, Job's wife ironically
exhorts him to go on blessing God, since he received such precious returns
for it. Bless God, and die: i. e. Bless God ever so much, thou wilt die
after all. I am inclined to believe, however, that the term means here
what it does in the nearly connected passages, ver. 5 and 11.
10. In all this Job sinned not with his lips. The author repeats this
circumstance a second time, in order to excite the attention of the reader
to what follows, viz., the conduct of Job with respect to his reverence for
the Deity, and the changes which accumulated misery might produce in
his temper and behavior. Accordingly we find that another still more severe trial of his patience yet awaits him, and which, indeed, as the writer
seems to intimate, he scarcely appears to have sustained with equal firm-ess; namely, the unjust suspicions, the bitter reproaches, and the'violent
altercations of his friends. Lowth.
11. - Temanite. Teman was one of the principal cities of Edom, or
Idumea, distinguished for its wise men. See Jer. xlix. 7; Obad. 8, 9.
Amos. i. 12. - Shuhite. Shuah, a son of Abraham by Keturah, was
sent by him into the East country. Gen. xxv. 2, 6. From him may have
descended the Shuhites. Gesenius observes that the country of the
Shuhites was not improbably the same with the  xx'az;alt of Ptolemy, 5,
15, eastward of Batanea. -J\Vaamathite an inhabitant of Naamah, a
place whose situation is unknown. It could not be the same which is mentioned in Josh. xv. 41.
12, 13. When they saw him, at the distance at which they could formerly recognize him without difficulty, disease had so altered his appearance, that at first sight they knew him not. The expression of his grief
resembles, in several circumstances, that of Achilles, when informed of the
death of Patroclus. Iliad, xviii. 21 - 27.
Seven days was the customary time of mourning among the Orientals.
See Gen. 1. 10; 1 Sam. xxxi. 13; and Ecclesiasticus, xxii. 13. " Seven days
do men mourn for him that is dead."  It is not meant that they remained
in the same place and posture for the space of seven days, but that they
mourned with him during that time, in the usual way. - and none spake




JOB.                           189
a word to him. Poole remarks that the meaning probably is, that no one
spake a word to him about his afflictions, and the causes of them. But as
this is not in the text, it seems more probable that the seven days' silence
is only a poetical or oriental exaggeration, designed to express the profound amazement of the friends of Job, on account of the condition in
which they found him. It may be compared with Ch. xlii. 12, 13, 14.
II.
AT the end of the seven days of mourning, when no hopes of recovery
from his afflicted condition were entertained by Job, and not a word of consolation had been offered by his friends, he unburdens his heart in the
strongest language of complaint, lamentation, and despair. He curses the
day of his birth, and longs for death, as the only refuge from his miseries.
The poet has secured the sympathy of the reader in favor of Job by the
introductory chapters upon the cause of his afflictions, and by the declaration of Jehovah, that he was "an upright and good man;" so that in this
place, and throughout the poem, we are more inclined to pity him for his
afflictions than to censure him for his irreverent language.
Ch. III. 2. -spake. The verb TP,1, used of a person beginning to speak,
appears, says Gesenius, to be peculiar to the later Hebrew.
3. —the day, s-c. The birth of a son was one of three great occasions
of festivity among the Arabians. The other two were the birth of a foal
of a valued race, and the rising up of a poetical genius in any of their
tribes. When an Arabian gave his daughter in marriage to a person whom
he approved, he used the benediction, "Facilis sit tibi partus, et masculos
parias, non fceminas!"  Pococke. Spec. Hist. Arab. pp. 160, 337. — And
the night, S-c.: i. e. which was privy to my conception; a bold personification, as in verse 10, and xxx. 17. The Arabic poets delight to personify
the day and the night in this way, as is shown by various quotations in
Schultens ad loc. See also Burder's Oriental Customs, No. 490.
4.-seek it. This is the primary meaning of the word /nT, and admits
of a good explanation. The poet seems to conceive of the day as sunk
beneath the horizon, or in the deep waters by which he supposed the earth
to be surrounded. He prays that God may not seek it, and bring it from
its dark abode. The secondary meaning, regard, care for, though perfectly
allowable, is less poetic.
5.- shadow of death: i. e. thick darkness; or, a black and dark shadow,
like that of the dead. — redeem it: i. e. resume their dominion over it,
excluding the light.  Thus the common meaning of t. gives a highly




190                           NOTES.
poetical sense to the line. - whatever darkens the day: lit. obscurations
of the day. By obscurations of the day, I suppose he understands eclipses,
dreadful storms, &c. Less probably, deadly heats of the day: i. e. intolerable sultriness, which causes pestilence. Some writers suppose that
there is a reference here to the poisonous wind Samum, or Samiel, which is
feared in the hottest months of summer. But it appears from the testimony of modern travellers that the injurious effects of this wind have been
very much exaggerated. See Robinson's Calmet, Art. Wind. Otherwise, the bitterness, or the misfortunes of the day; D being considered only
as the particle of emphasis, as it is often used.
7.  0 let that night be unfruitful! i. e. May there be no births in that
night! See Ch. xxx. 3, and the note. -no voice of joy: i. e. on account
of the birth of a son. See note on verse 3.
8.  Who are skiljfl to stir up the leviathan! In all other parts of the
sacred writings, in which the word prv9  occurs, it denotes an animal.
T T.
Nearly all the ancient versions, and nearly all the modern critics, consider
it as the name of an animal here. It seems to be a common name to denote
monstrous animals of different kinds, as a huge serpent, the crocodile, &c.
Here it may denote a monstrous serpent. In Ch. xli. 1, the crocodile. See
Ges. ad verb. The verse probably refers to a class of persons who were
supposed to have the power of making any day fortunate or unfortunate,
to control future events, and even to call forth the most terrific monsters
from impenetrable forests, or from the deep, for the gratification of their
own malice, or that of others. Balaam, whom Balak sent for to curse
Israel, affords evidence of the existence of a class of persons who were
supposed to be capable of producing evil by their imprecations. See
Numb. xxii. 10, 11. Job calls upon the most powerful of these sorcerers
to assist him in cursing the day of his birth.
9. JVeither let it see the eyelashes of the morning! This is the literal
version, and contains an image too beautiful to be thrown away. So Soph.
Antig. 104.:
IcTav,9r g n't-T Ca /QVaJag
lqfV9~rjs  vUl', Wl aQl
ataifcg (5,rpacQoo,.4tQxatWV Vr7EQ QIewEQWVv FoAovoa.
So in Milton's Lycidas:
--  " ere the high lawns appeared
Under the opening eyelids of the dawn,
We drove afield,"
The sun, when above the horizon, is called by the poets the eye of day:
hence his earliest beams, before he is risen, are the eyelids, or eyelashes, of




JOB.                            191
the morning. Schultens observes, that the Arabian poets compare the sun
to an eye, and attribute eyelashes to it. See ad loc.
12.  Why did the knees receive me? Why did the officious midwife
receive me, and lay me upon her lap, and not suffer me to fall to the
ground and perish? Or it may refer to the father, as it was usual for him
to take the child upon his knees as soon as it was born, and thus to
declare that it was his own, and that he intended to bring it up. Gen. 1.
23. See Jahn's Archaeol. ~ 161.
14. Who built up for themselves - ruins! i. e. splendid palaces, or,
perhaps, tombs, destined soon to fall into ruins. See Is. xliv. 26. In the
form of expression, the line is similar to Hab. ii. 13; Jer. li. 58.
That nations shall labor for fire,
And kingdoms weary themselves for nought.
i. e. for that which shall be burnt up, &c. Otherwise, The repairers of
desolated places; a circumstance mentioned to show their wealth, grandeur
and glory. See Is. Iviii. 12, lxi. 4; Ezek. xxxvi. 10.
20. The name of the Supreme Being is often omitted in this book, and
the pronoun made to supply its place.   In such cases the pronoun is
printed, in this version, with a capital letter. This corresponds to the
custom in Scotland, where they say, " May His will be done!"  "May
His name be praised! " without an antecedent to the pronoun. So in
Scott's Black Dwarf, near the end of Chap. VII.:
"     O, my child, before you run on danger let me hear you but say,' His
will be done! "
" Urge me not, mother- not now."  He was rushing out, when, looking
back, he observed his grandmother make a; mute attitude of affliction. He
returned hastily, threw himself into her arms, and said, "Yes, mother, I
ran say,' His will be done!' since it will comfort you."
"May He go forth - may He go forth with you, my dear bairn: and 0,
may He give you cause to say, on your return,' His name be praised!' "
23. -from whom the way is hid, &c.: i. e. who knows not which way
to turn himself; who can see no way of escape from the miseries, which,
in the latter clause of the verse, are represented as surrounding him, as
with a high wall or hedge.
24. - my sighing cometh before Ieat: i. e. it cometh on when I begin to
eat, and prevents my taking my necessary nourishment. So Juv. Sat. xlii.
211.:
Perpetua anxietas, nec mensse tempore cessat.
25. for that which I dread, 4^c. I understand this as referring to continual fears caused by the disease, which fears are said not to be greaterthan fhis actual miseries. See- note on ii. 7, where uneasiness and grief are',aid to be caused by the disease.




192                          NOTES.
III
IN the fourth and fifth chapters, Eliphaz, one of the three friends who had 
come to comfort Job, is represented as constrained by his intemperate
language to express those sentiments, and vent those suspicions, which the
view of his miserable condition had suggested, and which, from pity and
delicacy, had been hitherto suppressed. The inhumanity of Eliphaz and
the other friends of Job, which by many is thought unnatural, serves to
introduce and help forward the discussion of the moral question which it
was the main design of the poem to illustrate.
He reproves Job's impatience, and exhorts him not to give way to grief
and despondency, but to put in practice those lessons which he had so
often recommended to others. He then advances the doctrine which he and
his friends maintain throughout the poem, that misery implies guilt; and
insinuates that the wickedness of Job was the cause of his present afflictions. Ch. iv. 2-11.   In support of his views he brings forward a
revelation which he professes to have formerly received in a vision. This
revelation asserts the exceeding imperfection of human virtue, the absolute
rectitude of God, and the impiety of arraigning the justice of his moral
government. The oracle itself is therefore excellent. It is the application
of it in which Eliphaz is mistaken. He has erroneous notions of what the
justice of God requires. He supposes that it implies that all suffering
must be the punishment of sin; and he seems to condemn Job not only
for his actual complaints, but also for not regarding and acknowledging
his afflictions to be the merited punishment of his transgressions. 12- 21.
In the fifth chapter he is more direct, as well as more severe, in his
censures, and exhorts Job to humble himself before God, and repent of his
sins. He assures him that, by such a course, he may regain his former
prosperity.
Ch. IV. 5. But now it, i. e. calamity, 3'c.
6. Is sot thyfear,'c. These words may be understood as a friendly
admonition to Job to recollect his religious principles, and to support himself by the clearness of his conscience. On the other hand, they may import that no good man would fall into despair under affliction, as he had
done. There is an appearance of art in this ambiguity. Scott.
As the substantive verb is understood, some critics prefer to render it
thus:
Was not thy fear of God thy hope?
And the uprightness of thy ways thine expectation?
i. e. Did not thy piety and integrity spring from the hope of reward,.
from a regard to thine own interest, rather than from the love of God?
So Mercier, and Castalio, whose version is,




JOB.                           193
Nimirum tantum religionis, quantum expectationis;
Quantum spei, tantum habebas integritatis morum.
This corresponds with the question of Satan, " Is it for nought that Job
feareth God? "
7, 8. These expressions, also, may be understood as a consolatory argument to confirm the hope which conscious integrity should inspire: " Good
men are sometimes chastised severely for their crimes, but not destroyed;
calamities which end in destruction are the portion of the wicked only."
On the other hand, his meaning may be: "Calamities like yours being
the lot of wicked men only, some wickedness of yours must needs have
brought these calamities upon you." Here, then, we have another instance of artful ambiguity. Scott.
10. Unjust and rapacious men are in Scripture frequently called lions.
See Ps. xxxiv. 10; lviii. 6.
19.  Who crumble to pieces, as if moth-eaten! Lit. They crumble
them to pieces, as the moth a garment. So Ros., who remarks, after
Schultens and Noldius, that the particle'193? often has the meaning, as,
like, tanquam. Thus, 1 Sam. i. 16, " Regard not thy servant as a daughter of Belial." The Sept. has it, oaTib; rqobnov, and the old Vulg., tanquam
tinea; the Vulg., sicut a tinea. Comp. ch. xiii. 28; Is. i. 9, li. 8.
20. Between morning and evening, 4c. The meaning is, They live
scarcely a single day. See Ex. xviii. 14; Isa. xxxviii. 12. It is not the
frequent occurrence of death in the course of a day, but the shortness of
man's life, that is meant to be expressed. So Pindar, Pyth. viii. 135.:'ET7auClEQol. Tr Ni rtS; TI 61' oi rSg;
zi.LaE iocCQ'a'9qo07roe.
Beings of a day! What is man? What is he not?
He's the dream of a shadow!
-and none regardeth it. The destruction of mankind by death is not regarded, or minded, by the rest of the creation. This is only a rhetorical
way of representing how insignificant a creature man is, compared with
the higher orders of beings.
Ch. V. 1. See if any one, 4c. i. e. will take thy part, and advocate
thy cause.
— to which of the holy ones wilt thou look? i. e. whom amongst the
heavenly host wilt thou persuade to be thine advocate, or to take thy part,
in a controversy with the Almighty? The words call and answer are
used in this judicial sense in ch. xiii. 22, xiv. 15, and in other places.
Another less probable meaning is that of Grotius and others, who suppose
that Eliphaz, having triumphantly produced a"divine revelation in support
of his views respecting the conduct of Job, calls upon him to bring for9




194                          NOTES.
ward something of the same kind in his defence, if he could, - to call and
see if any of the heavenly spirits would answer him, and give a revelation
in his favor.
2. Verily grief destroyeth thefool. Grief and wrath hasten the destruction of the foolish man, either by preying upon his spirits, or by drawing
down upon him severe punishment from the Almighty. His sufferings are
the fruit of his own criminal passions. The terms foolish and weak are
often, in Scripture, applied to impious and wicked men.
3. -I cursed his habitation. This may mean, I predicted his downfall
See Gerard's Inst., ~ 882. Or, I actually witnessed the sudden ruin of
his fortunes, and pronounced his habitation accursed.
4. - at the gate: i. e. in the courts of justice, which used to be held at
the gates of cities. See Jahn's Archteol., ~ 247.
5. -the thorns: i. e. the hedge of thorns.
6. For affliction cometh not,.c. The meaning appears to be, The
afflictions of life are not to be ascribed to chance, or to merely natural
causes, but to the will of Heaven.
7. Behold, man is born to trouble: i. e. men are born under a law, or
with a constitution, which subjects them to sorrow as soon as they become transgressors. Bishop Patrick's paraphrase is, " God hath made it
as natural for man to suffer, (having offended him,) as it is for the sparks
to fly upward."  J.V.'3., sons of flame, or of lightning, may denote
sparks, or birds swift as lightning. As birds have not been mentioned, the
former seems the closest rendering.
15. - oppressed. This version is obtained by altering the points VrInD
(from the sword) to 1irin, hophal participle from Zni. This amendment' r: IV                    - 
of the text is adopted by Durell, Michaelis, Dathe, Doederlein, Eichhorn,
and others.
16. - iniquity stoppeth her mouth: i. e. unrighteous and insidious oppressors are confounded and struck dumb, when they see their schemes
frustrated, and find themselves entangled in the snares which they have
laid for others. See Ps. cvii. 41, 42.
23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field: i. e. thou
shalt be secure from injury from the stones in walking, journeying, &c
See Ps. xci. 11, 12. Dr. Shaw observes: "The custom, which still continues, of walking either barefoot or with slippers, requires the ancient
compliment of bringing water, upon the arrival of a stranger, to wash
his feet." -" The feet, being thus unguarded, were every moment liable
to be hurt and injured; and from thence perhaps the danger, without the
divine assistance, which ever protects us from the smallest misfortunes,
of dashing them against a stone, Ps. xci. 12, which perhaps may further
illustrate that difficult text, Job v. 23, of being in league with the stones




JOB.                            195
of the field."  Shaw's Travels, &c. Vol. 1. p. 428. Or, Thy field shall be
fiee from stones, which would make it barren.
24. -tent. There is some doubt whether and, should be rendered tent,
according to its primary meaning, or house, habitation, its secondary meaning. For in ch. xxix. 7, and other passages, Job is represented as dwelling
in a city. - and not be disappointed.  Lit. miss; used of slingers, Judg.
xx. 16: i. e. thou shalt find all thy household affairs in such a condition
as meets thy best wishes and expectations. 1]3 here rendered thy dwelling,
may denote thy fold or pasture. It occurs in the Scriptures in both senses.
But as it is parallel with tent, and occurs in verse third of this chapter in
the sense of habitation, I prefer the latter sense here.
IV.
IN reply to the harsh censures and insinuations of Eliphaz, Job justifies
the boldness of his complaints by the severity of the afflictions which extorted them from him. Ch. vi. 2- 13. He complains of the unkindncssof
his friends in pronouncing him guilty because he was miserable, and in
coming to him with reproaches instead of consolations. 14 - 23.  He requests them to treat him with fairness; to examine his case, and not to condemn him on account of his miserable condition. 24 - 30. He proceeds to
speak of the miseries and of the shortness of human life, from which he
passes to his own -condition, and expostulates with the Deity upon the
greatness of his afflictions, and their long continuance. Ch. vii.
Ch.  rI. 2. —my grief: i. e. my distress or my affliction.  He wishes
that his afflictions, together with the distress of mind caused by them,
might be put into one scale, and weighed against the sand of the sea in
the other.  This is only a poetical way of saying that they were insupportable.
3. -rash. See Ges. Lexicon, upon l?.
-r T
4. For the arrows. His distress, arising from his other afflictions as well
as his disease, is compared to that of a person shot with poisoned arrows.
He exaggerates his distress by the circumstance that these arrows are hurled
by the arm of the Almighty.
5. Doth the iild ass bray, Ac. As the lower animals do not complain by
braying and lowing, when they have plenty of food, so neither should I
complain, were it not for the insupportable weight of my afflictions.




196                          NOTES.
6. Can that which is unsavory, S4c. Men usually complain of their
food, when it is unsavory; but how much greater reason have I to complain, when I am obliged to bear those afflictions at the very thought of
which I used to shudder! Some critics, however, suppose that he here
lashes Eliphaz for his harangue on the blessings of patience, and characterizes his discourse as insipid, impertinent, and disgusting. - white of an
egg. It may be that the term nlninl which occurs not elsewhere in the
Scriptures, rather denotes purslain, an herb which was proverbial for its
insipidity among the Arabs, Greeks, and Romans. The literal meaning
will then be, Is there any taste in purslain saliva? a contemptuous
expression for purslain broth. But as the comparison is more expressive
to the English reader according to the common version, and has the
support of the Rabbins and Targums, I retain it.
7. WThat my soul, ~fc. In order to justify this rendering, which in
sense is that of the Common Version, it is not necessary to decide whether
there is an ellipsis of the relative vih or not; or whether such an ellipsis is an allowable iliom of Hebrew Grammar, or not. It is certainly most
probable that,'il refers to the calamities or sufferings, expressed in
verses 2- 4. My version sufficiently expresses this reference without adding anything which is not implied in the connection.
9. - let loose his hand. Lit. loosen his hand, which, when inactive, is
figuratively regarded as bound, and when exerted, as set free. - make
an end of me! a metaphor, which seems to be borrowed from the practice
of a weaver, who cuts off the web, when it is finished, from the thrum,
by which it was fastened to the beam.
10. - I would exult: lit. leap.'ID occurs only once in the Scriptures,
except as a proper name. I now prefer the rendering exult, as better
supported by tradition, and rather better suited to the parallelism and the
connection, than the former rendering, be consumed, lit. burn. The Sept.
has it i.;A!ilv; the old Latin, saliebam; the Chald. exultarem. It is
also supported by a similar word in the Arabic. See Ges. Lex. in verb.
11.-.ind what mine end, that I should be patient? i. e. How distant
mine end? How long have I to live? Or, since my end, threatened by my
disease, is so near, why should I not prefer to die at once, and invoke
destruction, rather than bear continued calamities with patience? Am I
not so much exhausted, and brought so near my end, as to have reason to
be impatient?
13. D,1 is used as an adverb of exclamation in this and other passages.
See Ges.   In the Vulg. ecce f For the rendering deliverance, see Ges
So the Sept., sosEau de an'!eovi =EoToTSr. Arab. salus.
14. Else:    The particle 1 is so rendered in the common version, in




JOB.                            197
Ps. li. 16: Thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it. - he: i. e.
the friend who does not show kindness to the afflicted.
15-20. But my brethren, 4c. This simile is exquisitely beautiful,
considered as a description of a scene of nature in the deserts of Arabia.
But its principal beauty lies in the exact correspondence of all its parts to
the thing it is intended to represent. The fulness, strength, and noise of
these temporary streams in winter answer to the large professions made to
Job in his prosperity by his friends. The drying up of the waters, at the
approach of summer, resembles the failure of their friendship in his
affliction. And the confusion of the thirsty caravans, on finding the
streams vanished, strongly illustrates his feelings, disappointed as he was
of the relief he expected in these men's friendly' counsels.  Scott.
Schultens observes that the Arabs compare a treacherous friend to one
of these torrents, and hence say, " I put no trust in the flowing of thy
torrent;" and, "0 torrent, thy flowing subsides."  -that pass away;
Com. xi. 16.
16.- the ice: i. e. which melts on the hills and flows into them.
- hides itself in them: i. e. melts and flows into them. - Scott observes that
these streams are first formed by the autumnal rains. The warmth and
rains of the spring, melting the ice and snow on the mountains, increase
them. They then rush down into the valleys, in a large body of turbid
water, and assume the appearance of deep rivers. The beds of these
winter rivers are also called torrents. Bishop Pococke saw several of them
perfectly dry, in his journey to Mount Sinai in the month of April. See
Pococke's Description of the East, Vol. I. pp. 139 -141.
17. -flow forth: i. e. as soon as the snowwater is exhausted, the
streams disappear. The contrast is between streams from natural perennial fountains, and those which proceed from torrents of melted snow and
ice.
18. The caravans, 4c.: i. e. The caravans turn aside to them with the
expectation of finding a supply of water, but are disappointed, and obliged
to pursue their journey without a supply in the desert, where they perish
with thirst. Thus it agrees, in its general meaning, with the following
verses  - go up into the desert: which, like the sea, seems to rise to him
that beholds it.
20. - their place: i. e. the place or channel of the streams, where they
flowed before they were dried up.
21. - terror; i. e. my terrible sufferings.
22. -a present: i. e to the judge, to secure his good-will by a bribe.
25. - what do your reproaches prove? i. e. what guilt do they convict
me of?
26. Do ye mean, to censure words? i. e. Do ye think it reasonable to
carp at mere words, extorted from me by extreme misery? You ought to




198                          NOTES.
consider that a man in the extremity of misery utters many inconsiderate
expressions, which ought not to be severely censured, but rather laid tb
the account of human infirmity, and regarded as idle wind.
27.  Truly ye spread, fc. The expressions in this verse are proverbial,
and refer to the cruelty of his friends in bringing unfounded charges
against his moral character.
28. Look now upon me, Ipray you. He may be understood literally,
as requesting them to look in his face, and see if he betrayed any signs of
falsehood or guilt; or figuratively, as requesting them to be more favorable to him, and to give him a hearing; to judge from his appearance
whether he was false or guilty.
29. Return, ic.: i. e. to the discussion.
30. Is there iniquity, 4c.: i. e. Is there any falsehood or wickedness in
what I have said, or am about to say? Have not I the capacity of distinguishing right from wrong, and truth from falsehood, as well as yourselves; and if I had said or done anything wrong, should I not be
conscious of it?
Ch. VII. 1. Is there not a war-service.  The word M3Y is rendered
warfare, in Is. xl. 2, in the common version. The Vulg., Syr., and Arab.
render it so in this verse. But the expression has particular reference to
the hard and wearisome service which the military life required, and to
the longing of the soldier to see the end of it.
5. My flesh, 4'c. Maundrell, describing ten lepers whom he saw in
Palestine, says: "The whole distemper, indeed, as it there appeared, was
so noisome, that it might well pass for the utmost corruption of the human
body on this side the grave."  Maundrell's Journey, p. 252, &c.  Amer.
edit.
7. 0 remember, 4-c. He here turns to the Deity, and pleads the shortness of life as a reason why he should be relieved from his sufferings. In
fer. 9, 10, he urges, for the same reason, the certainty that he should not
return to life.
8. Thine eyes shall look for me. See note on ver. 22.
9. - the grave. Lit. to sheol, the underworld.
12. Jm I a sea, 4.c. He complains that God treated him as though he
were some furious tyrant, whom only the most severe inflictions could
restrain from exceeding the bounds of justice, and spreading destruction
among mankind. " Am I as fierce and dangerous as the raging sea, or as
some strong and ungovernable sea-monster, both of which must be restrained by great exertions, and watched with unceasing vigilance, lest
they should spread destruction and death?"  Michaelis thinks that by
the ea Job meant the Nile, which, when it riseo beyond a certain height,




JOB.                            199
becomes an inundation, and causes immense damage. Schultens quotes
Arabsjah, an Arabic poet, who calls Tamerlane " a vast sea, swallowing up
everything. "  Burder observes: " Crocodiles are very terrible to the inhabitants of Egypt; when, therefore, they appear, they watch them with
great attention, and take proper precautions to secure them, so that they
may not be able to avoid the deadly, weapons afterwards used to kill them.
To these watchings and those deadly after-assaults I apprehend Job
refers. "
15. - rather than these my bones.  Lit. rather than my bones i. e.
than the wretched skeleton, which is nearly all that is left of me.
16. Icam wasting away. The Hebrew word, thus rendered, is translated melt away, in the common version, in Ps. lviii. 7. The Arab., according to Walton, is, Jam viribus defectus sum.
17, 18. Job suggests that it was beneath the character of the infinite
God to bestow so much time and attention, and such vigilant inspection,
upon so insignificant a being as man; and this for no other purpose than to
mark and punish all his defects and failures.
19. - look away from  me: i. e. turn away thine angry countenance
from me, or cease to afflict me. So xiv. 6. " This is a metaphor drawn
from combatants, who never take their eyes off from their antagonists."
Schultens. - till I have time to breathe. I have substituted this for the
proverb, which is literally rendered in the common version, and which has
been retained in Arabia to the present day, by which they understand,
"' Give me leave to rest after my fatigue."  There are two instances
(quoted  by  Schult. in loc.) in Hariri's JV'arratives, entitled the
Assembly. One is of a person who, when eagerly pressed to give an account of his travels, answered with impatience, " Let me swallow down
my spittle, for my journey hath fatigued me." The other instance is of a
quick return made to one who used that proverb; " Suffer me," said the
person importuned, " to swallow down my spittle; " to which his friend
replied, " You may, if you please, swallow down even the Tigris and
Euphrates;" that is, You may take what time you please.  Burder.
20. If I Iave sinned, ic.: i. e. " Suppose, for a moment, that I have
sinned, yet as I can have done thee no injury, as my sins cannot have
affected thy safety or happiness, I see not why I should be treated with
such severity, and even set up for a mark at which thou mayst shoot thine
arrows." The particle Ox, if, is often understood. The Sept. has supplied
it here: El' y~J /aQroz',. So the Arab. and Syr. See Ges. Gram. ~ 152. 4. -
what have I done to thee? i. e. what injury have I done to thee? The verb
utiy signifies to do an injury, in Exod. xiv. 11; Gen. xix. 8, xx ii. 12. This
T T
sentiment agrees better with the context, and is also found in ch. xxxv. 6.- O
thou watcher of men! i. e. O thou that watchest men strictly, and markest




200                          NOTEIS.
all their sins. The word is undoubtedly used in an invidious sense, and
not merely to express the general truth that God takes notice of human actions. See ver. 12, and xiv. 16. Dr. Kennicott renders it, O twou spy
upon men! The word'T;, inspector, is rendered watchman, in2 Kings
xvii. 9, in the common version; and in ch. xxvii. 18, of this poem, it denotes the watchman of a vineyard. The Sept. has it, 6o bta.rtEvoq Zov vov
-')1v crv&Qnwr. The same sentiment is expressed in ch. x. 6, xiii. 27, and
elsewhere. The word might be rendered preserver, in another connection,
since a person sometimes watches a thing for its preservation; but not
properly here, where the Deity is represented as the avenger of sin. - So
that I have become a burden to myself? The Sept. renders the two last
lines,
Why hast thou set me up for thy mark,
And why have I become a burden to thee?
The Hebrew copy, from which they translated, had t?, instead of t73.
The Masorites also place this amongst the eighteen passages which they
say were altered by transcribers. In this case the reading preserved by
the Sept. may have been altered by some transcriber who supposed the
sentiment which it conveyed to be irreverent to the Deity. But, as the received text is supported by all the versions except the Sept., and by all the
Hebrew manuscripts hitherto examined, it may be retained, notwithstanding the intrinsic probability that the Sept. has preserved the true reading.
22. Soon shall I sleep in the dust. He urges the shortness of the term
of life which yet remained to him, as a reason why he should be relieved
from his afflictions; and he intimates, in the latter clause of the verse,
that death would, as it were, put it out of the power of the Deity to favor
him, should he relent and be inclined to mercy, since he should be no
longer in existence. So Castalio explains it: " Nisi mihi in hac vita benefacias et condones, non erit post mortem locus."  So Poole: "( When thou
shalt diligently seek for me, that thou mayst show favor to me, thou wilt
find that I am dead and gone, and so wilt lose thy opportunity. Help,
therefore, speedily."
V.
IN chapter eighth, Bildad, another of Job's professed friends, comes forward as a disputant, interrupting him in his discourse, and reproving
him with severity for the boldness of his language in regard to his afflictions, and for his firm protestations of his innocence, as if he had thereby
called in question the justice of the Deity. He holds the opinion that, under the government of a being infinitely wise and good, afflictions cannot
take place, unless for the purposes of vir.dic'ive justice. Hence he asserts




JOB.                            201
that the children of Job had perished on account of their wickedness;
although he had no grounds for the assertion, but that of their ruin. He
tells Job that if he were in reality the devout and upright man he professed to be, he would again be restored to prosperity. He quotes a pass.ge from an ancient poem, representing by striking images the miserable
condition of the wicked, and holds out to Job the hope of the renewed
favor of God, as the reward of repentance.
These exhortations to repentance, addressed, as they were, to one whom
Jehovah had pronounced an upright and good man, are to be regarded as
an indirect mode of charging him with perverseness and guilt. Thus it
appears that Bildad agrees with Eliphaz in the opinion that misery is a decisive proof of wickedness.
Ch. VIII. 2. —like a strong wind?    The same figure is found in
Aristoph. Ran. 872.:  Tv(pgsyao 7 x(Eliiev n7,QaoxEvLETraL' J. tempest of
words is preparing to burstforth.  So in Sil. Italicus, XI. 581.:
- qui tanta superbo
Facta sonas ore, et spumanti turbine perflas
Ignorantum aures.
6. - thy righteous habitation: i. e. the abode where thou shalt dwell, a
righteous man. Bildad insinuates, says Schultens, that the dwelling of
Job had hitherto been the abode of wickedness.
7. So that thy beginning shall be small: i. e. thy former prosperity
shall appear small, compared with that which thou shalt hereafter enjoy,
if thou art pure and righteous. So the Sept., "Earat ra uiv n7ot)ra ov
2L7ya. So Castalio,.Jdeo ut fuerit tua prior conditio tenuis, prae ut
posterior amplificabitur. Thus the poet puts into the mouth of Bildad a
reference, undesigned on his part, to what is afterwards recorded to have
taken place in the fortunes of Job: " Jehovah blessed the latter end of
Job more than the beginning."  xlii. 12. Bildad had no prophetic anticipation of this, but merely utters a general promise, naturally suggested
ny the subject; while the writer intended that it should refer to the subsequent history of Job. The skill of the poet is manifested in this way in
several passages, and reminds one of the admirable use made of this expedient to give interest and pathos to their compositions by the most celebrated Greek dramatists, as by Sophocles, for instance. in his (Edipus
Tyrannus.
11.-paper-reed:   n-ruvqoc, Sept. See Ges. We are entertained here,
saIys Mr. Scott, with a specimen of the manner of conveying moral instructions in the oldest times of the world. They couched their observations in
pithy sentences, or wrapped them in concise similitudes; and cast them
into metre to fix them in the memory. Bp. Lowth mentions the words of
Lamech to his two wives, (Gen. iv. 23, 21,) as the oldest example of this
kind on record.
9,.




202                          NOTES.
17. - heap. I now prefer this rendering, as favored by the parallelism,
and by its connection with the verb entwined. - Alnd he seeth the place of
stones: i. e. taketh deep root in the earth. Thus the verse denotes the
flourishing, and apparently durable, condition of the wicked man. So
Mercier, Doed., Ges. See Ps. i. 3, xxxvii. 35; Jer. xvii. 8.
18. The particle tD, translated if in the common version, is often
used for emphasis, or asseveration, and, according to the connection, may
be rendered, truly, indeed, yea, yet, behold! lo! &c., or occasionally
omitted. See Noldius in verb.
19. -from his place. Lit.from the earth or soil from which the tree
was removed. Thus others shall fill the place and enjoy the wealth of the
wicked man who is taken away. See xxvii. 16, 17, and Eccles. ii. 18. So
Merc., Ros. But Dathe and Eichhorn, and another shall spring up in
his place! i. e. other wicked men, not deterred by his dreadful fate, shall
take his place, and follow his example.
21. Instead of yi, it is better to alter the point, and read.-.  So
Houb., Michaelis, De Wette.
VI.
IN reply to Bildad, who had charged him with virtually denying the justice of God, Job remarks that he knows full well the greatness and holiness of God, and the weakness and sinfulness of man; intimating that he
does not pretend to be fiee from the infirmities and sins which are common
to the human race. But these, in his view, are incident to the best of
men, so that no one can answer to one charge of a thousand in a controversy with God. Admitting this, however, it by no means follows that
one whom God pleases to afflict is a wicked man; or, that he is a great sinner who suffers great affliction. Ch. ix. 1-3. He maintains that in the
distribution of happiness and misery God is an absolute sovereign, influ
enced by no consideration but that of his own inscrutable and irresistible
will; that his afflictions, therefore, ought not to be attributed to the justice of God, but rather to be ranked with those acts of Providence which
confound all our reasonings. 4 - 14. He says, that though he is conscious
of no guilt which should draw down upon him the afflictions which he suffered, yet he will not attempt to defend himself before the majesty of God;
that he is weak; that the contest is unequal; that, were his cause ever so
just, he could not hope to prevail; that, though he is conscious of innocence, he would not enter into a controversy with God in order to save his
life. 15-21.  (It may be observedl here, that. when Job asserts his innocenje, he does not lay Icl;im tno entire freedom froma fatult. I-e means on:y




JOB.                            203
that he is innocent of the charges of secret crimes brought against him by
his friends; that he is free from uncommon guilt, which his friends held
to be the cause of his great misery; that he is, in fine, a sincere, upright
man.)   He affirms that misery, far from being a proof of uncommon guilt,
is equally the portion of the righteous and of the wicked. 22 - 24. Passing
to the contemplation of his own misery, he asserts that his righteousness
avails him nothing; that his cause cannot be brought to a fair trial; and
that the majesty and power of God reduce him to silence. 25 - 35. Then
with great earnestness and pathos he expostulates with the Deity on account of his severity to the work of his own hands, continues to assert his
innocence, and urges the shortness of the term of life which yet remained
to him, as a reason why he should be relieved from his miseries.  Ch. x.
In regard to apparent inconsistencies in the language of Job, it may be
observed here that he is represented as agitated by various contending emotions. Fear and hope, despair and confidence, the spirit of submission and
of bold complaint, by turns have possession of his mind; and, as either
predominates, it gives, of course, a character to his language. Truth in
the exhibition of opposite feelings and passions requires some inconsistency
in language and sentiment. Disregard of this obvious truth led Dr. Kennicott to propose some alterations of the text, which, if adopted, would greatly injure the poem.
Ch. IX. 3. If he choose: i. e. If God choose to mark strictly the sins of
which all men are guilty, and accuse them of these sins; or, if man
choose to enter into controversy with God.
5. He remLoveth the mozuntains, and they know it not. This is a Heb.
idiom, meaning, He removeth them suddenly or unexpectedly; as it were,
before they, i. e. the mountains, are aware of it. So in Ps. xxxv. 8, where,
in the Hebrew, the expression " at unlawares " is " le him not know."
Schultens remarks that the same idiom occurs frequently in the Koran.
6. -the pillars thereof. The earth is represented as an edifice, supported by pillars, resting on foundations, having a corner-stone, &c. See
ch. xxxviii. 4 - 6. Earthquakes seem to make these pillars tremble. According to the same mode of conception respecting the earth, it is represented as standing forever, Ece. i. 4, and as reeling like a drunkard, and
moving like a hammock, in Is. xxiv. 20.
7. IHe commandtth, d c. Some suppose the allusion is to the effects of
an eclipse; others, to those of a continued storm, as in Acts xxvii. 20;
and others, that he asserts that light and darkness depend upon God; that,
if he forbid, the sun and the stars cease to shine.  To seal sup, or to shut
up as with a seal, I suppose to be a figurative expression, denoting great
or total obscuration. Tite expression to seal lup is used with great latitude
of signification. See ch. xxxiii. 16, xxxvii. 7.




204                          NOTES.
8.- spreadeth out,;c. Comp. Is. xl. 22. Otherwise, boweth downl the
heavens. See Ps. xviii. 9-15. This latter version would denote the
descent of black, heavy clouds, in a great storm. - walketh upon the
ligh waves. The Egyptian hieroglyphic for what was not possible to be
lone was a man walking on the water. Burder.
9. - the Bear, Orion, and the Pleiads. The Hebrew names are Ash,
Chesil, and Chimah. See note upon ch. xxxviii. 31, 32. - secret chambers
Pf the South: i. e. the remotest regions of the South, the constellations of
which are invisible to the inhabitants of the northern hemisphere.
12. seizeth: as a lion his prey.
13. God will not turn away his anger: i. e. on account of any opposition which may be made to it, Dei irrevocabilis ira est. Castalio.
15. -I would not answer him. The word is used in a judicial sense,
and means, I would not undertake to make my defence.
16. Should Icall, and he make answer to me. The words  ip and nJm
are supposed by Schultens, and by most critics since his time, to be used
in a judicial sense. Si in jus vocarem, ut actor, et responderet mihi compellatus, seque sisteret. If, as plaintiff, I should summon him to trial,
and he should make answer, and consent to stand as defendant, I could
scarcely believe it; for although I am conscious of uprightness, yet, from
the severe afflictions under which I suffer, I have reason to conclude that
he will act no other part towards me than that of an absolute sovereign
who will give no account of his doings.
19. If I look to strength.  Lit. If to, or concerning, the strength of
the mighty: i. e. if it be a question of strength, &c. See Jer. xlix. 19, 1.
44. If we adopt the various reading, found in the Sept. and Syr., 1 instead
of', we may translate,
If I look to strength, lo, he is strong!
If to justice, who shall summon him to trial?
Thus Dathe and Eichhorn render the verse.
20, 21. Though I were upright, 4-c. The meaning probably is, Though
I am conscious of no guilt, and though my cause is just, yet were I as
pure as an angel, I should not be able to sustain myself, and make good
my defence before the brightness of the divine majesty; notwithstanding
the testimony of my conscience, I would give up all care for myself, every
effort to preserve my life, rather than enter into a vain controversy with a
Being infinitely above me, so superior in strength.
22. It is all one. The meaning may be either, All things are now
alike to me; I am indifferent as to what may happen to me; or, It is all
one whether a person be righteous or wicked, so far as his fortune is concerned. Some suppose, however, that KR'n-nrF-   should be rendered, He is




JOB.                            205
the one; unicus esl: i. e. He is unlike all others; he stands alone; he is
bound by no rules, and gives no account of his matters. Comp. ver. 32.
24.- covereth the face of the judges. Either, God treats them as condemned malefactors, overwhelming them with calamities, disgrace, and
ruin, Job himself being one example of this melancholy truth. Scott.
See 2 Sam. xv. 30; Esth. vii. 8; Jer. xiv. 3. Is. xxii. 17; Mark xiv. 65.
Thus the meaning of the verse will be, God commonly advances wicked
men to honor and power, and casts down men of true worth and virtue
fiom their seats. Or. to cover theface of the judges may have the same
meaning as the phrase, to blind their eyes, so that they are partial, unjust, and oppressive. - If it be not he, who is it? So the Sept.,?i Jr';e
adros ioT-r, ts ialv; If it be not God who doeth the strange things which
I have mentioned, who is it that doeth them?
25. My days have been swifter than a courier,'c. Time and enjoyment, that are succeeded by great misery, appear as an instant that is
past. The depth of his present affliction makes him forget his former
prosperity, and to say that he had seen no good during his life. "The
common pace of travelling in the East is very slow. Camels go little more
than two miles an hour. Those who carried messages in haste moved very
differently. Dromedaries, a sort of camel which is exceedingly swift, are
used for this purpose; and Lady M. W. Montague asserts that they far
outrun the swiftest horses. Lett. II. 65. There are also messengers who
run on foot, and who sometimes go an hundred and fifty miles in less than
twenty-four hours; with what energy then might Job say,' JMy days are
swifter than a courier!' Instead of passing away with a slowness of motion like that of a caravan, my days of prosperity have disappeared with a
swiftness like that of a messenger carrying dispatches."  Harmer.
26. - reed-skiffs: i. e. " boats or skiffs made of the papyrus of the Nile,
in common use among the Egyptians and Ethiopians, and famous for their
lightness and swiftness. Thus Pliny, xiii. 11, Ex ipso quidem papyro
navigia texunt; vi. 56, Etiam nunc [naves] in Britannico oceano vitiles
corio circumsnta sunt; in Nilo ex papyro, et scirpo, et arundine. And
Lucan. Pharsal. iv. 136, Conseritur bibula Memphitis cymba papyro.
Ileliodorus, IEthiop. x. 460, speaks of such boats, noo9-lotg ^ i xCaUo)um)
i.o,;!(u;1' oc, as having been very swift, 6;v)oiczu',cr. They may be
compared in this respect to Indian canoes."
27, 28. If I say, S-c.: i. e. If I resolve within myself that I will cease
complaining, and endeavor to be more cheerful, I find all such endeavors
vain; for if my griefs be suspended for a short time, yet my fears continue, for thou, O God, wilt not clear my innocence, by removing those
afflictions which make them judge me guilty of some great crime. Poole.
29. Ishall be found guilty, 4c.: i. e. Whether I be holy or wicked, if
I dispute with thee, I shall be found guilty. Why then should I trouble




206                          NOTES.
myself with clearing mine innocency? Poole. Or, I must pass for a
wicked person; I am treated as such by God, and condemned by man.
All my labor, therefore, to clear myself will be to no purpose.
80. If I wash,'c. By washing himself,'c., and cleansing his hands,
S-c., he asserts the purity of his heart, and innocence of his life. Thus
Zophar understood him: " Thou sayest,' My speech is pure; I am clean
in thine eyes.' "  The Psalmist also declares his own integrity in terms
somewhat similar: "1  have cleansed my heart in vain, and washed my
hands in innocency."  Ps. lxxiii. 13.
31. Still wilt thou plunge me, 4.c. The meaning is, that his calamities
would cause him to be looked upon by all his intimate friends as an
abominable wretch, smitten of God, and accursed. No protestations of innocence, no appeals, no defence whatever, could overcome that prejudice
against him. — my own clothes. This circumstance is added, I imagine,
as a heightening of the image of impurity; to represent more strongly tile
infamy with which his character was blackened by his overthrow. Scott.
32. For He is not, c.: i. e. He is infinitely superior to me in majesty
and power, so that I cannot venture to contend with him: i e. to debate
my cause with him, or to answer his allegations against me; neither can
we go together into judgment: i. e. meet each other face to face, and plead
upon equal terms before a superior and indifferent judge.
33. Who may lay his hand upon us both: i. e. who may have authority
and power to control either of us who shall exceed the limits of propriety
in the controversy, and also to oblige us to stand to his decision.
34. -his rod: i. e. my present afflictions. -1his terrors: i. e. the
terror of his maj?sty and power.
35. - and not be afraid of him: i. e. as an opponent in a judicial controversy. I should not fear but that I should be able to make good my
cause, and prove my innocence. - For I am not so at heart: i. e. as to
have any reason to fear the result of debating my cause with him upon
equal terms. So Schult., Le Clerc, Ros.  otr ye' avfsM.,71TEa,Li futiavw
Stixeor  Sept.: I am not conscious to myself of unrighteousness. But
this is paraphrastic.
Ch. X. 2.- Do not condemn me: i. e. Do not pronounce me guilty andl
punish me with such severity, without showing me wherein I have offended,
and what I have done to deserve my sufferings.
4-7. Hast thou eyes, &c.: i. e. Seest thou as imperfectly as man? or
does thy life pass away as swiftly as that of a man? One might suspect this
fiom thy searching after sins in me so thoroughly and so suddenly; i. e.
from thy inflicting upon me such heavy blows and in such quick succession,
to bring me to a confession of sin. Um1breit.




JOB.                            207
8. Have thy hands completely fashioned, 4c. His argument now is,
that it looks like caprice to bestow great skill and labor on a work, and
then on a sudden, and without just cause, dash it in pieces. This is what
he meant also in verse 3, "Is it a pleasure to thee...to despise the
work of thy hands? "  Scott.
9. 0 remember, 4c. Here he pleads the common mortality. He must
soon die, as all other men; what occasion then for so much torture to dispatch him?  Scott.
10 - 12. The argument in these verses is taken from God's creating and
providential goodness towards him, as not being consistent with his present
treatment of him.  Scott.
13. Yet these things thou didst lay up in thy heart. By these things he
means his calamities; and insinuates that God had given him being with
a secret purpose to make him miserable; and had advanced him so high
in order to render his fall the more terrible. Scott. - in thy mind: lit.
with thee; a phrase repeatedly used in this book, and in other parts of
Scripture, to denote what was in the mind of God, i. e. what was his intention, or purpose. See ch. xiv. 5, xxiii. 14; Ps. 1. I1; John xvii. 5.
15. If I am wicked, as my friends suppose me, then am I indeed undone! yet though I am righteous, I derive no benefit from it. It is all
one, whether I am good or bad.
16. - like a lion thou huntest me. The allusion, in this and the following verse, is to that manner of hunting the lion, wherein the hunters,
armed with spears and javelins, formed themselves in a ring about the
beast, and threw their weapons at him one after another. By this image
Job represents, in lively colors, the violent and rapid succession of his
calamities. Scott. Another explanation, and perhaps the best, is, Thou
huntest me, as a furious lion pursues his prey; but, whereas the lion
tears his prey speedily, and so ends its torments, thou renewest my calamities again and again.
17. Tlwou renewest thy witnesses: i. e. thy judgments — my afflictions,
which my friends regard as an evidence of wickedness. -. Jew hosts: lit.
changes and a host, by the figure hendiadys, for hosts constantly recruited.
01r, chang:s may mean afflictions; and the sense may be, a host of afflict;ons. According to the former rendering, new hosts figuratively denote
miseries constantly succeeding each other.  Exercitus immutas contra
me. Arab. and Syr.
18, 19.  Why then, f-c. But. for thine agency I should have perished,
unseen and unknown, and have avoided my present misery and disgrace.
So in Euripides, Troad. 637, Andromache utters similar sentiments.
20..Are not my days few? 4-c.: i. e. My life is short, and hastens
&pace to an end. Do not then continue my afi:ctions to the last moment




208                          NOTES.
of my existence. Let the very short term of life, which remains to me, be
a season of rest and enjoyment.
21, 22. Before Igo - whence Ishall not return, -  -c. These verses
contain a description of sheol, or hades, the under-world, the place of all
the dead. So Sen. Herc. Furens, 861.:
Stat chaos densum, tenebreque turpes,
Et color noctis malus, ac silentis
Otium mundi, vacueeque nubes.
Sera nos illo referat senectus!
Nemo ad id sero venit, unde nunquam,
Cum semel venit, potuit reverti.
VII.
IN the eleventh chapter, Zophar the Naamathite, the third of Job's
friends, comej forward in reply to him. He censures him with severity, as
guilty of using vain, arrogant, and irreverent language in his bold protestations of his innocence, and in his loud complaints of unkind treatment
from the Almighty. 1-4. He speaks of the unfathomable counsels and
infinite knowledge of the Deity, and, like his predecessors in the controversy, intimates plainly that the sufferings of Job were the punishment of
wickedness which the Deity had seen in him, and of which he might easily
convict him. 5-12. He assures him that, if he would put away his
wickedness, he might hope to regain his former prosperity; at the same
time threatening him with severe judgments if he should continue in his
sins. 13 - 20.
Ch. XI. 3. Shall thy boastings: i. e. thy false assertions respecting thine
innocence, and concerning the ways of Providence.
4. Thou sayest,.lMy speech, or discourse, is pure: For thou pretendest
not to have offended in word or deed, and that God himself can find no
reason to condemn thee. Patrick. See ch. x. 7.
6. His wisdom, w;hich is unsearchable! This rendering expresses the
sense, whether we regard D.4  as signifying complicated, intricate, or
double, i. e. manifold.'See Ges. in verb.- God forqiveth thee many of
thine iniquities. With Ros. and Ges., I take rtti] in the sense to forget.. -
God causeth thee toforget of thine iniquities, i. e. forgiveth a part of them,
7. - the deep things of God? See 1Dn in Ges. Secretum: Dei, Arab.
Inquisitionem Dei, Syr.




JOB.                            209
8. Deeper than hell: i. e. than sheol or hades, the place of the dead
without distinction of character. See note upon ch. xxvi. 6.
10. If he apprehend, and bring to trial. The judgments of God upon
the wicked are here represented by figurative language drawn from the
arrest, imprisonment, and trial of a criminal. The word  ipjl, rendered
and bring to trial, means, literally, and gather together, as in the common
version; it refers to the ancient custom of gathering an assembly of the
people for the trial of a criminal. See Prov. v. 14; Ezek. xvi. 39, 40,
xxiii. 46. -  Who shall oppose him? i. e. Who shall, by entering into an
argument with the All-wise, defend the criminal with any prospect of
delivering him? or, Who shall by force deliver a criminal from his hands?
11. He seeth iniquity, when they do not observe it. The words pt13Ji' 71
have been explained in a great variety of ways. I suppose the verb
to refer, by an enallage of number, to the unrighteous, in the preceding
line, or to man understood; and that the meaning is, that God sees iniquities of which the thoughtless and wicked person who commits them
has no knowledge. In this, as in the next verse, I suppose Zophar to make
general remarks with particular reference to the case of Job, who had so
boldly asserted his innocence. Another mode of understanding the line,
which has perhaps equal claims with that which I have adopted, is that of
Cocceius: He seeth iniquity, though he attend not to it: i. e, without an
effort of attention; without looking carefully for it.
12. But vain man is without understanding,'c. 331'. seems to be
used in a privative sense, as the word is used in Piel in Cant. iv. 9:
" Thou hast deprived me of my heart;" as it were Thou hast hearted
me. It has been said that there is no instance in which the privative
signification of Piel is transferred to Niphal.  But, in the last edition of his lexicon, Gesenius observes that in Arabic there are instances in
which other forms of the verb are used in the same way. It is therefore
probable that a similar usage prevailed in the Hebrew, although from
the paucity of its remains no other instance occurs. Schultens and Dathe
render,
Let then vain man be wise,
And the wild ass's colt become a man.
According to this version, the wild ass's colt is used figuratively for a
perverse and obstinate man.
15. Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot. He describes the
happy change of his condition by its effects in his countenance; contrasting his present dejected face, sullied and disfigured by terror, grief, and
tears, with the look he shall then assume, erect, firm, and clear as the




210                          NOTES.
polished mirror. lie may refer to the words of Job, x. 15, " Idare not
lift up my head." Scott.
17. JV'ow thou art in darkness. So Mere., Schult., Ges. Ch. x. 22;
Amos iv. 13. The Chald. has it, Obscuritas tenebrarum quasi lux matutina erit. The Syr., Et caligo sicut aurora erit.
18. Thou shalt be secure, -c.: i. e. Thou shalt feel secure that thy
prosperity will be permanent, on account of the bright hopes which present
themselves. — JVow thou art disappointed, 4c. The Sept. has it, i;z 6
AE^riu;Yatl (pQ)or'zloS Uv ayavEtiatut a ti 1ij11.
19. Thou shalt lie down, arc. A metaphor borrowed from flocks lying
down in the pastures. As in Ps. xxiii. 2, " He maketh me to lie down in
green pastures."
20. But the eyes of the wicked shall be wearied out: i. e. by anxiously
looking for relief from their miseries. -  Their hope is - the breathing
forth of life: i. e. They expect no deliverance from their miseries, but in
death. Or, Death shall be the issue of their hopes.
VIII.
JOB begins his reply to Zophar, and his other friends, with a severe
sarcasm upon the airs of superiority which they had assumed; and complains that he had become the object of their contempt, for no other reason
than his miserable condition. Ch. xii. 1- 5. He reasserts his opinion respecting the point in dispute, maintaining that the worst of men, far from
receiving the punishment which they deserve, often live in the enjoyment
of ease and prosperity. 6. They had spoken to him of the wisdom and
power of God, as if he were entirely ignorant on the subject. Hence he is
led to say that what they had advanced on this topic is trite and obvious;
and to discourse upon the power and providence of God, in a style of
eloquence well suited to make them ashamed of their pretensions to superior intelligence. This discourse may be designed to illustrate generally
the power and wisdom of God, as contrasted with the weakness of man; and
also to show that, in the distribution of good and evil. God acts from his
sovereign will and pleasure alone, and not, as the opponents of Job contended,
from a regard to the merit or demerit of men; that he treats the righteous
and the wicked alike; and consequently, that nothing which he or they
might advance on the subject of the wisdom and power of God could prove
him guilty, or that his misery was the punishment of his sins. 7 - xiii. 2.
He longs to transfer his cause from partial and misjudging man to the
omniscient and righteous Judge, confident that, if he could have an opportunity of pleading his cause before him, he should not fail to vindicate his




JOB.                            211
innocence. 3. He accuses his friends of partiality and injustice; of
taking part against him from selfish motives and a slavish fear of God's
power, rather than from honest conviction and a disinterested regard to God's
honor. 4-11. With the most earnest protestations of innocence, the most
fervent appeals to the Deity in regard to the justice of his cause, and the
most pathetic description of his sufferings, he closes ch. xiii. He then
proceeds to give an affecting view of the miseries of human life, especially
insisting upon the shortness of it, as a reason why man should be exempted
from constant and extraordinary sufferings. xiv. 1-6.  He complains
that man's condition is worse than that of the vegetable creation; since
the plants, when the hand of death has apparently been upon them, come
forth again with renovated beauty; but that to pass from a life of wretchedness to the never-ending sleep of death is a condition too hard to be
borne. He intimates that, if he had the hope of a second life, he might
be encouraged to bear with patience his heavy load of afflictions, in the
hope that, at some future time, a favorable change in his condition might
take place. But not entertaining this hope, he implores the Deity to grant
him a trial, so that his true character may appear before he dies; and
earnestly expostulates with the Deity on account of his dealings towards
him. 7-22.
This chapter, as well as many passages scattered through the poem,
renders it highly probable, either that Job had no belief in the resurrection of the dead, or in a future state of existence equally desirable with the
present life; or that the author of the poem excluded from it all regard to
a future state, as inconsistent with its general plan and design. It con
tains several assertions of man's ceasing to exist, so far as real desirable
life is concerned. It is true, that, if we make some allowance for the language of strong emotion in which he expresses himself, we may suppose
that he had some vague notions of the existence of the disembodied spirit,
in a half-conscious, inactive state, in the interior of the earth, such, for
instance, as prevailed among the ancient Greeks, but more gloomy and less
definite; an existence wholly undesirable, and offering no equivalent for
the loss of present enjoyments and of the present life. See ch. x. 21, 22,
and the note. It is almost impossible for the human soul to conceive that
its consciousness will be wholly lost. See note on xiv. 22. The separate
existence of the soul seems also to be implied in the distinction which is
made between sheol and the grave; the former being represented as a vast
subterraneous cavern, where all the spirits of the dead dwell together.
The belief in some sort of existence of the soul after death seems also to be
implied in the credit which the ancient Hebrews gave to the art of
necromancy   See 1 Sam. xxviii. 3-10. But the language of this chapter appears to be wholly inconsistent with the supposition that Job had any
expectation of a desirable existence after death. It was reserved for the




212                          NOTES.
Prince of life, the author and finisher of our faith, to bring the glad
tidings of great joy to the aching hearts of men - to bring life and immortality to light.
Some critics have endeavored to lessen the force of Job's express denials
of a future life, in this chapter, by the remark that he only meant that he
could not hope to live again in the present world; but that he might still
have believed that he should exist hereafter in a better world. I admit
that a second life in this world was what he intended to deny; but I
think it was because he was sceptical in regard to a happy state of existence
after death. Heaven he evidently regards as the abode of Jehovah and
his angels alone; and hades, or the under-world, as a place of gloom and
horror. If, as he asserts, the hope of living again in this world would
have afforded him consolation and comfort under his afflictions, then surely
the hope of a happier state of being than the present life might have
afforded him still greater comfort and consolation. How can it possibly be
accounted for that he should sink into despair, because he could not hope
to enjoy the doubtful good of living again in this world of sin and misery,
whilst at the same time he believed in the existence of a world of happiness and purity, to which the righteous were to be admitted? See note
upon ch. xix. 25. In ch. x. 21, 22, we have a description of the place
where Job expected to be after death.
Ch. XII. 2. - the whole people? i. e. ye have engrossed all the wisdom
in the world, and all others are mere brutes or fools!
4. 1, who call upon God, that he would answer me? i. e. I, who am
so conscious of my uprightness, that I am not afraid to appeal to God, and
to desire that my cause may be brought to trial, and that the Deity would
bring his charges against me, and show me the reasons of my afflictions;
the words call and answer, or at least the latter, being used in a judicial
sense, as in ix. 16, xiii. 22, xxiii. 5, xxxi 35. Castalio and Dathe, however, give the same translation as the preceding, but understand the words
in their common acceptation, which is less suited to the connexion.
6. Who carry their God in their hand: i. e. Who trust to their strength
nd their weapons, and have no regard to the Supreme Being. See Hab.
i. 11, and note.
7-9. These verses are probably to be regarded as a continuation of
verse 3; the intermediate verses being parenthetical. In reference to the
discourse of Zophar, who had spoken, with considerable parade, of the
wisdom of God, and had affected to consider Job as ignorant of it, or as
having called it in question, he remarks that what Zophar wished to teach
him was so obvious that it might be learned from the lower animals. They
made it evident, by their properties, actions, and modes of life, that God
created the world by his iisdiom, and that he governed it with absolute




JOB.                            213
dominion; so that it was not necessary to ascend to heaven, or to go down
to the under-world, to obtain such knowledge. See xi. 7-9. Others suppose
the meaning to be, that, in the distribution of happiness and misery, God
is so far from having a regard to moral distinctions, that even of the
lower animals the mischievous and rapacious fare well, while the useful
and gentle meet with harsh treatment from man, or are the prey of the
rapacious of their own kind.
9. - among all these: i. e. these irrational creatures, which are represented in the preceding verses as teaching, declaring, 4-c., and in this verse
in the way of poetical exaggeration, as knowing the wisdom and power of
the Deity, which they so plainly declare. It is said that " with the Hindoos, he who refuses instruction, and will not be convinced, is told to ask
the cattle." Or, in reference to the second exposition of verses 7 - 9, these
things may refer to such things as are referred to in ver. 6. See Is. xxii.
11. Otherwise - hath made these things: i. e. the heaven and earth and
all things therein, to which Job may be supposed to have directed the attention of his hearers by the motions of his hands, or of his eyes. So
Schult. and Cocc. Thus Job declares that the wisdom of God is so plain,
that all nature, as it were, feels and acknowledges it; but he means to
deny that this has anything to do with the question of his guilt or innocence.
11, 12. Doth not the ear, 4c.: i. e. As the palate distinguishes the
sweet from the bitter, so the ear, or rather the mind by the ear, discerns
truth and falsehood in discourse; and wisdom is the attribute of age and
experience. The connection and application of these proverbial maxims are
by no means so clear as their general meaning. It is probable that he
means by them to censure his friends for not hearing and weighing his
observations with more attention, candor, and impartiality, instead of
despising and rejecting them at once.
14. Lo! he pulleth down, 4c. None can repair what He tears down,
whether houses, castles, or cities. - He bindeth, 4c: i. e. None can
extricate the man whom he casts into difficulties and straits. Patrick.
See ch. xxxvi. 8.
15. Lo! he withholdeth the waters: whether from the clouds or springs.
-and they are dried up. The waters may be said, in a popular sense, to
be dried up, when they cease to exist in their fountains, and when the
heavens seem to be changed into brass, and the earth into iron, according
to the expression in Deut. xxviii. 23. - He sendeth them forth. This
clause describes an inundation, such as might happen, in Job's country,
from the torrents caused by too great an abundance of rain. Scott.
16. The deceived and the deceiver. A proverbial expression, says
Gesenius, denoting every description of men. -are his: i. e. all alike
depend upon him for their powers; the subtle and the weak are alike subject to his control, and subservient to the purposes of his providence.




214                           NOTES.
17. He Icadeth counsellors away captive. Statesmen, who promised
themselves success and victory, as the result of their plans, he disap.points
and leads into captivity; and judges he deprives of their peculiar attribute,
reason or discernment. Or judges may denote rulers, whom he infatuates,
and leads to the adoption of measures which end in their own ruin.
18. He looseth, &c.: i. e. He dethroneth kings, and leadeth them,
bound in chains, into servitude. So Mer., Schult., Ges.   But Dathe
renders the verse,
He looseth the girdle of kings,
And he encircleth their loins with a belt:
i. e. He takes away their authority, and he invests them with it. But
usage does not favor this explanation, as Ros. observes. See Gen. xlii
24; Judg. xv. 13; Ps. cxlix. 8.
19. And overthroweth the mighty: i. e. the mighty men of war, in battle.
20. He sealeth up the lips: lit. He taketh away the lips. - the trusty:
i. e. persons of tried wisdom and long experience, to whom the people are
wont to repair for advice.
21. And looseth the girdle of the mighty. As the Orientals wore long and
flowing robes, they were unfit for fighting, or for any kind of active service,
until they had girded up their loins. Hence to loose the girdle of a person is to take away his strength, or power of resisting an enemy. Schultens and others suppose the girdle to be a badge of office, and that to loose
it means to deprive those who wore it of their dignity and honors.
22. He revealeth deep things out of darkness. Some understand this as
a general remark, setting forth the infinite knowledge and power of God,
who can bring to light the most secret things; as in Matt. x. 26. So
Mere. Others suppose particular secrets are referred to, such as plots,
conspiracies, or the deep-laid plans of princes. Others, the hidden designs
of God himself, which in course of time are brought to light.
24, 25. He talkeh away, 4c.     Divine infatuation of the governing
powers is here described in forcible language and striking resemblances.
In their confusion, mistakes, perplexity, and distress, they resemble
persons who have lost themselves in the Arabian solitudes, without a path,
without a waymark, without a light to guide them; and their irresolution
and unstable counsels are like the reeling motions of a drunken man.
Scott.
Ch. XIII. 4. -forgers of lies: i. e. in maintaining that great afflictions are peculiar to the wicked; and that I am guilty because I am
miserable.




0oB.                           215
8. WVill ye be partial to his person? i. e. Will ye utter falsehoods from
partiality to him? The phrase to receive or accept persons was probably
borrowed from the practice of corrupt rulers or judges, who received or
admitted to their presence those who came with gifts, and favored their
cause.
9. Will it be well for you, if he search you thoroughly? i. e. If he
eearch you thoroughly, will he not find that your condemnation of me has
sprung not so much from honest conviction, as from the selfish desire of
winning his favor?
11. Doth not his majesty make you afraid? i. e. Is it not a slavish
fear of what God can do to you that induces you to condemn me without
proof?
14. Why do I take my flesh in my teeth? nD-~J. "To take the flesh in
the teeth," and " to put the life in the hand," evidently mean "to risk
the life," as what is carried in the teeth or the hand is liable to be
dropped. See 1 Sam. xxviii. 21; Ps. cxix. 109. The meaning is, Why
do I risk my life by asserting my integrity before God, unless because I
am fully conscious of it?
15. - I have no hope! This is the literal rendering of the received
text. The common version adopts the various reading ji, in him, instead
of that of the text?7, not. I prefer the latter, as the more difficult
reading, and yet quite as well suited to the context, and to the general
plan of the book.
16. This also shall be my deliverance. An opportunity of appearing
before God, and pleading my cause, will lead to my deliverance, i. e. to
my vindication from the charges of wickedness and guilt which have been
brought against me. - For no unrighteous man will come before him:
i. e. For I shall not go before him an unrighteous man. Others suppose the
meaning to be, My readiness to appear before God, and to plead my cause
before him, ought to be considered a proof of my innocence; for no unrighteous man would dare to do it.
18. - that I am innocent: i. e. that my cause is just; or, that I am innocent of the charge of gross wickedness, which is alleged against me as
the cause of my calamities.
19. -contend with me: i. e. maintain the cause successfully against
me.
22. Then call upon me, &.c. These expressions import that he aimed to
dispute his cause, not merely before God as a judge, but with God as a
party. Scott.
26 For thou writest: A judicial term, referring to the custom of writing
the sentence of a person condemned, i. e. decreeing his punishment. See
Ps. cxlix. 9; Jer. xxii. 30; John xix. 22. So the Greeks used the ex



216                          NO ES.
pression yQo(fpaoul lxtiv; and amongst the Arabs a writing is a term
commonly used for a judicial sentence.
27. Thou watchest all my paths: i. e. all the paths by which I might
escape. The allusion is to a prisoner who is not only fettered, or in the
stocks, but closely watched by sentinels. - Thou hemmest in the soles of
my feet: i. e. by a trench, beyond which thou wilt not suffer me to pass;
i. e. thou hast stopped my way. See xix. 8;-Lam. iii. 8, 9.
28. A.nd I: lit. And he. Upon this change of persons in the Hebrew,
see Ges. Heb. Gram. ~ 217.; Storr's Observ. ~ 23. The Greek idiom, by
which riSc C'oStL is used for i11o, has some resemblance to it.
Ch. XIV. 1. — born of woman: This is said in conformity with the
Oriental sentiments in regard to the inferiority of the female sex, in
ancient and modern times. See ch. xv. 14, xxv. 4.
3../nd dost thou fix thine eyes upon such an one? This expression
denotes, in Zech. xii. 4, to look angrily at another. Scott. It refers here
probably, to vigilant inspection for the sake of discovering faults. - And
dost thou bring me into judgment with thee? i. e. Dost thou treat me as a
criminal, and decree against me severe punishments?
4. Who can produce a clean thing from an unclean? He now pleads
for lenity on account of the natural weakness of man's moral powers.
Who can expect so frail and weak a being as man to be without faults?
Who can expect frail man to be as pure as an angel? Vitiis sine nemo
nascitur.
6. That he may enjoy, as a hireling, his day! i. e. That he may enjoy
his term of life, at least to that degree in which the hireling enjoys his
term of service. The Sept. favors this mode of translating the verse:'l_,to(ra hn2' cairoi0, I'ra  v/a1(ftl, zat sEooxcij' aC'roV TOV Siovl', cant  6
oOr0ogs. Otherwise, Until he shall, as a hireling, have completed his day.
To complete or accomplish is a less common meaning of,l1, but not
without support. See Lev. xxvi. 34, 41, 43; 2 Chron. xxxvi. 21; Is. xl.
2. Others render, Until, as a hireling, he shall rejoice in his day: i. e.
the day of his death. Let him be exempt from afflictions during the common short term  of human life, until, weary and worn with service, he
shall rejoice in the day of his death, as a hireling rejoices in the day of his
release from service.
7- 12. Compare the well-known passage of Moschus. Epitaph. Bion. 105.
The meanest herb we trample in the field,
Or in the garden nurture, when its leaf,
At Winter's touch, is blasted, and its place
Forgotten, soon its vernal buds renews,




JOB.                           217
And, from short slumber, wakes to life again.
Man wakes no more!- man, valiant, glorious, wise,
When death once chills him, sinks in sleep profound,
A long, unconscious, never-ending sleep. Gisborne
See also in Dr. Beattie's Hermit:'T is night, and the landscape is lovely no more;
I mourn, but, ye woodlands, I mourn not for you;
For morn is approaching, your charms to restore,
Perfumed with fresh fragrance, and glittering with dew.
Nor yet for the ravage of winter I mourn;
Kind nature the embryo blossom will save;
But when shall spring visit the mouldering urn?
O when shall it dawn on the night of the grave?
10. -and he is gone! trll. This word means to be so entirely prostrated, overthrown, or weakened, as not to be able to recover. Man, when
dead, has no strength or vital principle remaining in him, by Which he can,
like a tree that is felled, return to life. A more literal rendering, such as
pass away, waste away, is, by English usage, synonymous with death.
Gesenius renders it, dahin ist, it is all over with him.
12. Till the heavens be no more: i. e. Never. For things unchangeable and eternal are in Scripture compared in duration to the heavens. See
Ps. Ixxii. 5, 17, lxxxix. 29, 36, 37, cxlviii. 6; Jer. xxxi. 35, 36. Dr.
Good supposes that the phrase refers to a definite period, that of the general resurrection. But this supposition is inconsistent with Scripture usage
and with the context, and is not countenanced by the most respectable of
those critics who suppose the general resurrection to be referred to in ch.
xix. 25.
13. 0 that thou wouldst hide me in the under-world! i. e. in sheol or
hades. Schultens takes great pains to show that Job, by this expression,
does not wish for death, but only to be shut up alive in hades. But if we
understand him to wish for a temporary death, the connection of this verse
with the 14th will be closer. Under the influence of passionate emotion
he expresses the thought, that, if he were by death removed out of the
sight of the Deity for a time, his wrath might subside, like man's resentment, which time and the absence of the object of it weaken or extinguish.
14. If a man die, can he live again?  Here he checks his wish for
death by a question which is equivalent to a negation. A man once dead
cannot live again. Else, or if it were so, I might have strength and
patience to endure all my present afflictions, until my change should come,
1. e. until I should be relieved from my hard service by new recruits, or
from my wearisome station by a fresh guard; i. e. until a favorable
10




218                         NOTES.
change in my condition should take place. Or, war-service may relate to
his wished-for residence in the lower world, ver. 13, and his change to his
restoration to the upper world, when his character should be vindicated, and his happiness restored. The poet probably means here to make
another allusion to the actual history of Job in the close of the poem.
15. Call-upon me, and Iwill answer thee! So Le Clerc, Schultens, Ros.,
De Wette. Unable to bear the thought of going out of the world under such
a load of infamy, and having no hope of coming back into it again to clear
his innocence, he earnestly begs of God to relent towards his creature, and
to bring him to immediate trial. The terms call and answer ought surely
to be taken in the same judicial sense as in ch. ix. 16, xiii. 22, xxxi. 14;
the former denoting the action of bringing the complaint; the latter, the
part of the defendant in replying to it. Scott.
16, 17. As a contrast to the regard which he pleaded for in the foregoing
verse, and as a reason for his urging an immediate trial, he here sets forth
the severity with which God treats him now.
16. - thou numberest my steps: i. e. thou makest strict inquiry into my
actions, that thou mayst find out all my errors, and punish them.
- Thou watchest over my sins: i. e. Thou watchest for my haltings or
miscarriages, as if thou wert glad of an occasion to punish me. Poole.
17. My transgression is sealed up in a bag: i. e. as writings, money,
or other choice things, that they may be safely kept, and brought forth
upon occasion, and that not one of them may be forgotten or lost. See
Hos. xiii. 12. " The money, that is collected together in the treasuries of
eastern princes, is told up in certain equal sums, put into bags, and
sealed."  Chardin.  - thou addest unto my iniquity.   Either, thou
addest one sin to another, the sins of my youth to those of my riper age, so
as to swell the number laid up against me, and thus to increase my punishment; or, thou makest my iniquity greater than it is. Geseniur
renders it, perhaps correctly, (see in the Hebrew, xiii. 4; Ps. cxix. 69,)
thou inventest (falsehood) unto mine iniquity: i. e. thou chargest me with
iniquityfalsely. The rendering which I have adopted may be considered
as a milder way of expressing the same idea. It is that of the old Geneva
version, i. e. the English version made in the time of queen Elizabeth;
which, in several passages of this poem, is more correct than the common
version.' The Chald. has it, accumulas super iniquitates meas.
19. So thou destroyest the hope of man: i. e. the hope of living again
after death.
22. But his flesh shall have pain, fc. By a bold, but not unnatural
personification, the dead man in his grave is represented as conscious of
his own miserable condition, and of that alone. He knows not of the
miseries of his living relatives, but his body consumed by worms feels its
own pain, and the soul in the underworld mourns its own sad condition.




JOB.                           219
IX.
ELIPHAZ begins his reply to Job with bitter sarcasms and reproaches.
He censures particularly the assertions of Job respecting the indiscriminate distribution of happiness and misery, as tending to undermine
religion, and to encourage men in the neglect of prayer. He says that the
assertion of such opinions is sufficient evidence of his guilt. Ch. xv. 1- 6.
He then lashes him severely for pretending to understand the ways of God
better than those who were his elders; and for his passionate complaints
concerning God's dealings toward him. He repeats, for his admonition,
the substance of the oracle which he had brought forward in his former
discourse. 7 - 16. He proceeds to give, as a quotation from an ancient
poem, a highly wrought description of the misery which in various ways
pursues the wicked man. The drift of the whole is to vindicate Providence,
to condemn Job as an object of divine wrath on account of his wickedness,
and to terrify him, if possible, into a confession of his guilt. 17 - 35.
Ch. XV. 4. And discouragest prayer before him. Literally, lessenest
prayer. The meaning is, that Job, by maintaining that God treated the
righteous and the wicked alike, sapped the very foundations of religion;
since, in that case, the wicked would have nothing to fear, and the righteous nothing to expect,from him.
5. Though thou choosest the tongue of the crafty. He gives this invidious turn to Job's protestations of innocence, prayers, and appeals to God;
which he represents as an artful address to the passions of his hearers, in
order to blind their judgment, and deceive them into a favorable opinion
of his piety.
7. Jrt thou the first man, 4c.: i. e. Hast thou lived ever since the
creation of the world, and treasured up the experience of all ages in th
own breast, that thou speakest so arrogantly, and with such contempt o
other men? Poole.
8. Hast thou listened in the council of God: i. e. in such a council as
is described in the first and second chapters of this poem, where the
angels are represented as assembled around Jehovah for the purpose o
giving an account of their ministry, and of receiving orders respecting
the government of the world. Eliphaz sarcastically inquires, whether,in
consequence of being admitted into God's council, he, of all men in the
world, is acquainted with his purposes. For wisdom seems here, as in ch.
xxviii., to have special, though not exclusive, reference to the wisdom or
purposes of God, by which he governs the world. For the rendering
drawn all wisdom, see Ges. Thes. ad y1.
-V




220                           NOTES.
11. — consolations of God. Eliphaz may here refer to the oracle, ch. iv.
17-21. — words so full of kindness: So Cocc., Schult., Ges.  By their
consolations, and words of kindness, he means their distant intimations of his
guilt, their warnings insinuated in the way of examples, and their exhortations to confession and amendment. Scott.
12. - winking of thine eyes. To wink with the eyes, according to Hebrew
usage, denoted arrogance, haughtiness, and contempt. See Ps. xxxv. 19i
Prov. vi. 13.
19. To whom alone, Sac.: i. e. the ancient inhabitants of Arabia, who
had not been corrupted by intercourse with foreigners. It was no modern
or imported doctrine, but that which prevailed amongst the earliest and
best inhabitants of the country. Le Clerc. Eliphaz here speaks like a genuine Arab, whose pride is in his tongue, his sword, and his pure blood.
U(mnbreit.
20. Yea, all the years that are laid up for the oppressor: i. e. he is in con[tant fear of death. He is not secure of his life for a moment, his guilty
dacience continually conjuring up fears of assassination or violence of.-ria kind. He is in the situation of Dionysius of Sicily:
Districtus ensis cui super impia
Cervice pendet, non Siculae dapes
Dulcem elaborabunt saporem;
Non avium citharseque cantus
Somnum reducent.
Hor. Carm. III. i. 17.
With this description of the condition of the wicked compare that of Juvenal, Sat. xiii. 192.
21. In peace the destroyer cometh upon him. Schultens and others understand this, When there are no signs of invasions, insurrections, or plots
against him, his disturbed imagination is continually presenting destruction
to him. Post equitem sedet atra cura.
22. -darkness: a common metaphorical expression for calamity. His
tiespair of escaping some unhappy end, assassination for instance, is des.criecd here.  Schult. — set apart, S-c.: i. e. destined to a violent death.
So, in substance, the Sept., v'raerrKat yap ryj'r de Xelpacs ra-Lrpov.
26. And ran against him with outstretched neck: i. e. with his neck stooping
and stretched out, the attitude of a combatant running upon his adversary.
- With the thick bosses of his bucklers. Schultens has shown that to turn the
boss of one's buckler against a person is a proverbial expression among the
Arabs, meaning to become his deadly enemy. These metaphors drawn from
the single combat, which was much in practice in the ancient wars, are
intended to express the most daring impiety, atrocious violation of God's
laws, and contempt of his vindictive justice.




JOB.                           221
27. Because he covered his face with fatness. This is a graphical description of a luxurious and licentious person.
30. -darkness: i. e. ruin, destruction.  -his branches: i. e. his
wealth, power, glory, all with which he was adorned, as a tree'with its
branches. — by the breath of His mouth: i. e. of God's mouth. The destruction of the wicked man seems to be represented under the image of a
tree destroyed by a burning wind, (see note upon ch. iii. 5,) or by lightning; or torn up by a tempest sent by the Deity. See ch. iv. 9; Ps. xviii.
15; Is. xi. 4.
31. -vanity. The term vanity has two meanings, and therefore well
represents the original. " In the first line of the verse it denotes wickedness;
in the second, the consequences of wickedness, or misery.
X.
THE speech of Eliphaz was admirably fitted to carry on the design of the
poem, by irritating the passions of Job, and inflaming his discontent with
the ways of Providence. In his reply he gives a pathetic representation of
the inhumanity of his friends, and of his other severe afflictions. He then
makes the most solemn protestations of innocence, and expresses an
earnest desire that his cause may be tried, and his innocence vindicated,
before he goes the way whence he shall not return. Ch. xvi. He dwells
upon nearly the same topics in ch. xvii., and ends his reply with the
strongest expressions of grief and despair.
Ch. XVI. 4. - string together: lit. tie together; nectere verba.  Some
prefer the rendering, make a league with words: i. e. raise a host of
words.
7. For now He,'c.: i. e. God, whom he addresses in the next line.
8. Thou hast seized hold of me: r',Dnpi. See oh. xxii. 16, and Ges.
Lex.. The meaning of both clauses of the verse is, that the afflictions of
Job made his friends believe that he was a bad man.
9. His anger-: i. e. God's. The image is drawn from a wild beast
tearing the flesh of a person whom he is pursuing. -My adversary: i. e.
God. See ch. xiii. 24, xix. 11. — sharpeneth his eyes: i. e. darts piercing looks at me, or looks upon me with fierce and sparkling eyes.
10. They gape: i. e. My friends, the instruments of God's anger.
- they assemble: i. e. like conspirators, to effect my ruin.
15..Jnd thrust ny horn. See Ges. Rosenmiiler supposes the metaphor to be borrowed from some strong and noble animal lying dead, with
03`'~"''"""^"t           ~"




222                         NOTES.
its horn thrust into the ground; and that the meaning is, My wealth,
power, and glory are prostrate in the dust. See Deut. xxxiii. 17; Ps.
lxxv. 5.
16. -deathlike darkness. See note on ch. iii. 5.
18. 0 earth, cover not thou my blood. He compares his accumulated
miseries to blood unjustly shed, and prays that his injuries may not be
concealed from man or Heaven, nor remain unavenged. - And let there
be no hiding-place for my cry? i. e. May nothing hinder my cry for
redress from ascending to heaven! See ch. xix. 7. In the height of his
emotion he forgets that it is God who hath laid him low.
19. Jnd he that knoweth me:,nd, lit. my witness: I paraphrase it to
* TT
avoid repetition. The Sept. has it, 6 ovvlarvoQ  ov, probably for the same
reason. Cranmer's Bible, And he that knoweth me is above in the height.
21. 0 that one might contend: i. e. in a judicial controversy. His
meaning is, that if the Deity would bring his charges against him, he
should be able to clear himself, and vindicate his integrity. See ch.
xvii. 3.
Ch. XVIL. 3. Give a pledge, 4c. The terms in this verse are obscure,
on account of our ignorance of the ancient forms of trial. Job seems
again to challenge the Deity to enter into a judicial contest with him in
regard to the uprightness of his character; and desires the Deity to give
a pledge that he would not avail himself of his almighty power in the
contest, but deal with him upon fair and equal terms, so that the cause
might be decided according to strict justice, and without regard to the rank
of the parties concerned. -  Who is he that will strike hands with me?
i. e. Who, by the usual form of striking hands, will agree with me to be
surety for thee? See Prov. vi. 1, xvii. 18, xxii. 26.  This challenge, says
Mr. Poole, savors of too much boldness and irreverence to God; yet seeing Job expresses the same desire, almost in the same manner, in ch. ix.
32, 33, and is sharply reproved by God for contending with him, in xl. 2,
I see no inconvenience in ascribing the same thing to him here.
4. Therefore thou wilt not suffer them to prevail: i. e. to gain the
victory in this contest. Thou wilt rather pronounce me innocent, and
censure them.
5. He that delivers up his friend as a prey. pDn1, for a prey. So
used in Gen. xiv. 24; 1 Sam. xxx. 24.
6. -their abhorrence; p.., from the Chald. ltn, to spit out.  ZCl
7hnrl7v aiTot y.tc'ac. Sept.
8. - at this: i. e. at seeing so good a man oppressed with such a heavy
load of afflictions.  —.lnd the innocent,..: i. e. the innocent will




JOB.                            223
resolutely oppose the wicked, when he judges the worse of piety because of
my affictions. Patrick.
10. - return: i. e. to the debate.
11. Even the treasures of my heart: i. e. what most occupied my
heart.
12. JWight hath become day to me: i. e. I have sleepless nights. I am
as much awake by night as by day. -   The light bordereth on darkness:
i. e. The day seems very short. The daylight seems to go as soon as it is
come.
13. Yea: nx, a particle of asseveration. Hos. xii. 11; Prov. xxiii. 18.
See Ges. ad verb. -I have made my bed in darkness: i. e. the darkness
of the grave. I shall soon lie down in the grave, the only place in which
I can expect repose.
14. I say to the pit, y-c. By these strong expressions he intimates how
near he believed himself to be to death. I have already made so near an
alliance with death, that my father and mother and nearest kindred are
nothing so near to me as the grave and worms. Others suppose him to
express a strong desire of death in this verse.
16. - bars of the under-world: Sheol, the gates of which are fastened
by massive bars, so that those who have entered it cannot return. See ch.
xxxviii. 17; Is. xxxviii. 10; Ps. ix. 13, cvii. 18. Some render,.n solitudes
or wastes, with less probability. See Hos. xi. 6. When together there is
rest,.c. Otherwise, Y(a, we shall descend together into the dust! i. e. I
and my hopes shall be buried in the same grave. So the Sept., i 6, o9 vaori,, inl X(ol"Toe x.artujaolut!E9a. This is a figurative way of saying that
all his expectations would end in misery, death, and corruption; or that
these were all he had to expect.
XI.
IN the eighteenth chapter Bildad again comes forward, full of resentment against Job, on account of the low estimation in which he held their
discourses. He accuses him of pride and arrogance. He reasserts the
general doctrine, maintained by the friends of Job, that misery implies
guilt, by giving a highly wrought description of the calamities which,'as
he contends, are the portion of the wicked.  This description contains
some particulars closely adapted to the circumstances of Job, and was,
without doubt, designed to intimate that Job must resemble in character
those whom he so much resembled in condition.




224                          NOTES.
Ch. XVIII. 2. How long ere ye make, &c. Though the pronoun is in the
plural, there can be little doubt that Job is the person addressed. - Under.
stand: i. e. Consider and weigh our arguments.
3. He refers to what Job had said in ch. xvii. 4, 10.
4. Thou that tearest thyself: lit. He teareth, fc. This is a common
Hebrew idiom. See ch. xii. 4, xvi. 7, xvii. 10, xxxii. 15, xli. 9.-Must the
earth be desertedfor thee? 4'c. When the Orientals would reprove the pride
or arrogance of any person, it is common for them to desire him to call to
mind how little and contemptible he and every mortal is, in these or similar
apophthegms:
What though Mohammed were dead?
His Imams (or ministers) conducted the affairs of the nation.
The universe shall not fall for his sake;
The world does not subsist for one man alone.
Lowth, Lect. 84.
Most critics, however, suppose the verse to have a more definite meaning.
" These are proverbial forms of speech for altering what is fixed and unchangeable. The meaning is, if I mistake not, that God must give up his
moral kingdom among men, or violate the immutable laws of justice by
which it is administered, if such a man as Job escaped punishment. This
interpretation makes an easy transition to the other part of the discourse,
which is designed to prove that, by an unchangeable rule of Providence,
the signally wicked shall signally perish." Scott.
5. Behold, the light: -the flame, 4c. These metaphors denote, in
general, splendor, prosperity, glory, or festivity. There is an allusion, in
the latter clause of the verse, to what the Arabian poet calls the fires of
hospitality; these were beacons lighted upon the tops of hills by persons
of distinction among the Arabs, to direct and invite travellers to their
houses and tables. Hospitality was their national glory; and the loftier
and larger these fires were, the greater was the magnificence thought to be.
See Pococke in Carm. Tograi, p. iii. A wicked rich man, therefore, would
affect this piece of state from vanity and ostentation. Another Arabian
poet expresses the permanent prosperity of his family almost in the very
words of our author: " Neither is our fire, lighted for the benefit of the
night-stranger, extinguished."  Hamasa, p. 473. Scott. See also the
note on ch. xxxi. 17.
6. - lamp: He refers to the lamp which hung from the ceiling of the
apartment. The Arabs are fond of this image. Thus they say: (6 Bad
fortune hath extinguished my lamp; " and concerning a man whose hopes
are remarkably blasted; "He is like a lamp, which is immediately extin
guished if you let it sink into the oil." See Schult.




JOB.                            225
7. His strong steps shall be straitened: i. e. Instead of advancing freely
and firmly, in a wide path, he shall be reduced to the necessity of going
timidly, in a narrow way, full of obstacles, where there is great danger of
stumbling. This is a very common metaphor in Oriental poetry to denote
the loss of power, prosperity, &c., as Schultens has shown by numerous
quotations.  Strong steps are free, firm, unimpeded steps.
11. Terrors are here represented as allegorical persons, like the Furies
in the Greek poets.
13. His limbs: ifl;'in13: lit.  The limbs of his skin: i. e. of his
body. - the first-born of dealth: i. e. the most terrible death.
14. - the king of terrors. This is probably to be regarded as a poetical personification of death, considered as a resident of the underworld,
comp. xxx. 23. It is not to be considered as a mythical person. For there
are in the Hebrew writings no clear traces of a king of Hades, corresponding to the king of the infernal regions in Grecian and Roman mythology.
-Otherwise, Terror pursueth him like a king.    But the rendering
"pursueth" does not appear to have sufficient support from usage.
15. Brimstone is scattered upon his habitation: i. e. it is destroyed, like
Sodom and Gomorrha, by fire and brimstone from heaven. Grotius, Le
Clere, Schult., and Ros. think that lightning is referred to both in this
passage and in Gen. xix. 24; Dent. xxix. 23; Ps. xi. 6. Pliny says,
(Hist. Nat. xxxv. 15,) Fulmina et fulgura quoque sulphuris odorem habent
ao lux ipsa eorum sulphurea est. And Persius, Sat. ii. 24, 25.:
-  At sese non clamet Jupiter ipse?
Ignovisse putas, quia, cum tonat, ocyus ilex
Sulphure discutitur sacro, quam tuque domusque?
--   graves halantes sulphuris auras.
Lucret. VI. 222.
Bildad may refer to the circumstance that a part of Job's property was
consumed by lightning. Ch. i. 16.
18. iand driven out of the world: i. e. He is not conducted out of life,
as Plato expresses it, with funeral pomp, by a numerous train of relatives
and citizens, but is cast out of human society like a malefactor, and thrown
under ground with infamy and execration. Scott.
(10)




226                          NOTES.
XII.
JOB begins his reply to the harsh and passionate invective of Bildad with
pathetic complaints of the inhumanity of his friends, in regarding his
afflicted condition as unquestionable evidence of guilt. He maintains that
his sufferings are not to be charged upon himself, but upon God, who had
overwhelmed him with calamities, though he had done nothing to deserve
them, and though he had often desired to be brought to trial. Perceiving
that the representation of his misery had no effect upon his hard-hearted
friends, he suddenly turns from them, and expresses the earnest desire
that all which he had said in his defence might be recorded upon some lasting monument, so that posterity, at least, might do him justice; or that it
might remain uneffaced till the event should justify it. But his consciousness of innocence does not allow him to stop here. He is not satisfied
with the tardy justice which posterity may render to his memory; and he
gives utterance to the firm and triumphant conviction, that, low as he is
reduced by sorrow and disease, he shall yet live to see the Deity stand up
in his favor, and vindicate him from the unfounded charges which have
been brought against him. He also warns his friends that the time will
come, when they shall be put to shame for their injustice and cruelty toward him.
Ch. XIX. 2. - break me in pieces: a metaphor drawn from the pounding of kernels in a mortar, or from breaking rocks in pieces by repeated
blows of the hammer.
4..My error abideth with myself: i. e. I alone shall bear the consequences of my error.
Mihi dolebit, non tibi, siquid stulte fecero.
Plaut. Mensech. ii. 3.
5 - my reproach: i. e. my calamities, which bring reproach and disgrace upon me.
7. Behold, I conplain of wrong. He certainly means wrong or violence
done to him by God. This language is extremely harsh, and utterly inexcusable. It is, however, nothing more than what he had already said in
effect, in ch. ix. 17, x. 3, xvi. 18. Indeed if such rash speeches as these
had not come from his lips, whlt ground would there have been for




JOB.                            227
those cutting reproaches in xl. 8: " Wilt thou even disannul my judgment?   Wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayst appear righteous?"
Scott.
9..lnd taken the crown from my head: i, e. deprived me of all my
dignity and honors. See Prov. iv. 9.
10. - Iam gone: i. e. I am near death. See x. 21, xiv. 20; Geu. xv.
2; Ps. xxxix. 13.  -like a tree: which, being plucked up by the roots,
does not grow again.
12. His troops, f;c. He represents his calamities by metaphors drawn
from the siege of a city.
15. -foreigners, 4c.: or sojourners: i. e. servants not born in his
house; or, perhaps, clients, persons who looked to him for protection;
persons connected with his family, but not residing under his roof.
Schultens says that the same word is used by the Arabian poets to denote
the dependents of a great man, who are adopted into his family and taken
under his protection. But the first meaning seems to agree better with
the connection.
17. My breath is become strange, fc. i. e. My wife denies me her
company on account of my offensive breath and sores. Otherwise, JMy
spirit is become a stranger: i. e. I am, become a stranger. - children
of my own mother: lit. children of my womb: i. e. of the same womb
from which I came.
20..lid I have scarcely escaped with the skin of my teeth. A proverbial
expression, denoting the utmost emaciation from disease.
22. Why do ye persecute me like God? i. e. without giving any reason
or account of your conduct, accusing me of crimes without proof, and
condemning me without trial. - Jlnd not rest satisfied with my flesh:
i. e. with the consumption and torment of my whole body, but add to it
the vexation of my spirit, by your grievous reproaches and calumnies.
Or, according to Schultens, Why are ye not satisfied with the reproaches
and slanders with which ye have already tormented me?      Schultens
remarks that to eat the flesh of another is an Arabian phrase for calumniating him. One of their poets has the line, " I am not addicted to slander,
nor am I one who devours the flesh of his friend. "  Another, speaking of
his calumniator, says, " Who worries my flesh, and yet has not satisfied
his avidity."  The phraseology is taken from a wild beast rending his
prey.
23. 0 that my words: i. e. all my discourses, all that I have said in my
defence, my protestations of innocence, my appeals to God, &c., so that
all ages may be able to judge between me and my accusers, and to know
the justice of my cause.
24. - and with lead: i. e. infused into the letters engraven in the
rock, in order to make t'.ema pl ln an leg-ible. See Jer. xvii. 1.




228                           NOTES.
25 - 27. The design of this passage appears to be the same with that of
xvi. 19, where Job exclaims, " My witness is in heaven, and he that
knoweth me is on high; " and of the numerous passages in which he desires and prays that his cause may be brought to trial, and that the Deity
may pronounce judgmeht respecting the integrity of his character. This
design is, to express, in a striking manner, the depth and sincerity of Job's
conviction of his own innocence. So strong and clear is the testimony of
his conscience in his favor, that what has heretofore been the object of his
ardent wishes and prayers is now become the object of his confident expectation; and he expresses the firm persuasion that God will be the
vindicator of his integrity from the charges of his friends; that he will
stand up on the earth, as a judge, and decide the cause in his favor; that
though his body be wasted away to a mere skeleton, yet without his flesh, i. e.
in his emaciated state, he shall see God, interposing in his favor and taking
his side in the controversy. I have, in this edition, preferred to give the
sense without to j, as the particle is used in xi. 15, xxi. 9. The rendering of the Common Version " in my flesh" may be defended, as to its
sense, by taken In in its usual meaning of from, and understanding Job
to say that he, looking out from his flesh, should see God. Whichever
rendering be preferred, the expectation of Job refers to a time before his
death.
It appears more consistent with Job's character, and with the design
of the poem, to suppose that the main object of his confident expectation was, not restoration to general prosperity, but the vindication of his
character from false imputations. He has the conviction that a just and
good God will yet make it appear that his misery is no proof of his guilt.
Throughout the poem he seems to regard all other evils light, in comparison with the loss of character; and to desire not so much deliverance from
misery, as from the imputation of guilt; and thus he refutes the insinuation of Satan, that his piety was founded in selfish motives.
Whether Job connected the recovery of his health, and his restoration to
general prosperity, with the vindication of his character by the Deity, it is
not very important to decide.  One objection to this supposition appears to
be very futile. Job could not have hoped for recovery from his disease, or
for restoration to prosperity, say some critics; for he had said, more than
once, that he had no hope, and that he was near his grave. As if a
person, who is represented as agitated by the most violent and opposite
emotions, could be expected to be consistent in his sentiments and language. What can be more natural than that Job, in a state of extreme
depression, arising from  the thought of his wronigs, the severity of his
afflictions, and the natural tendency of his dlsease, ehould express himself
in the language of despair, and yet that he should be animated, soon after,




JOB.                           229
by conscious innocence, and the thought of God's justice, goodness, and
power, to break forth into the language of hope and confidence?
But, for the reasons before mentioned, it is probable that the main, if
not the sole, object of Job's confident expectation was the vindication of
his character by the Deity. The writer, however, without doubt, intended
that the whole passage should have relation to the concluding part of the
poem, where the Deity is represented as appearing and vindicating the
character of Job by calling him four times his servant; by rebuking his
calumniators, and pardoning them through his intercession; by declaring
that he, and not his friends, had spoken that which was right, i. e. in
regard to the question whether misery was a proof of guilt; and by
giving him temporal blessings in two-fold greater abundance than before
his affliction. This interposition of the Deity appears to have been kept
in view by the writer throughout the poem, and thus the mind of the
reader is prepared for it.
Of the objections to the supposition that Job here expresses his confident
expectation of a resurrection to a life of happiness, a few will be briefly
mentioned. They are entirely independent of the question, what was the
general belief of the Hebrews in regard to the state of the soul after
death. The author of the poem may have been more sceptical than
others.
1. The supposition is inconsistent with the general design of the poem,
and with the course of argument. The belief in a future state of retribution would have, in some measure, solved the difficulty respecting the
afflictions of the good, and the prosperity of the wicked. But no one of
the speakers alludes to it in the course of the poem. If it be a declaration of that doctrine, it is a single independent declaration of it, in a
work, in which, from the nature of the subject, it might have been expected
to occur upon every page.
2. It is inconsistent with the connection of the discourse. Zophar,
who replies to Job, makes no allusion to it, but goes on to assert the
temporal miseries which are the portion of the wicked and of their children. So, too, verses 23 and 24 lose their force, if we suppose the state
after death to be referred to in the passage.
a, It is inconsistent with several express declarations of Job in other
parts of the poem. See ch. vii. 7, 8, x. 20 - 22, xiv. throughout, and xvii.
11 - 16. When he wishes for death, he speaks of it as the termination of
his miseries, and not as the introduction to a life of happiness. Ch. iii.
It is, moreover, too much to suppose that the influence of feeling would
have led him to deny so important a doctrine, had he believed in it. Under
the influence of opposite emotions, one may be expected to express
different opinions respecting his condition, prospects, &c, but not to deny
so important an article of his faith. -So goud; man as Jolb wnul naturally




230                           NOTES.
have been led, in his affliction, to cling the more closely to the doctrine of
a future life of happiness, had he believed in it; or rather, had he been
represented by the poet as believing in it.
4. It is not urged as a topic of consolation by either of the three friends
of Job, nor even by Elihu, who acts the part of an umpire in the controversy, and who gives a more philosophical account than either of the
speakers of the design of afflictions. Nor is it alluded to by God himself
in the decision of the controversy.
5. The Jewish commentators, who sought for every shadow of proof of
the doctrine of a future life in the Old Testament, do not consider this as
one of the passages by which it is supported. The same remark applies to
most of the Greek fathers. Chrysostom speaks expressly of Job as " a
righteous man, who knew nothing of the resurrection." Ep. ii. ad Olymp.,
&c.   The supposition that this doctrine is contained in the passage
derives its chief support from the mistranslation or misapplication of
certain expressions in it. See also the prefatory remaiks to ch. xii., xiii.,
xiv.
6. Ewald, in his notes on the passage, being convinced that it cannot
refer to the resurrection of the dead, brings forward a new hypothesis,
namely, that Job's hope is in the happy existence of the disembodied
spirit after death; the immortality of his soul in Sheol, the underworld.
To us this view seems still more contrary to the expressed opinions of the
whole book, than that which supposes a reference to a resurrection of the
body. It is liable to the preceding objections to a bodily resurrection, and
is more specially contradicted by the author's representation of the state
of the disembodied soul in Sheol. We have already stated, p. 123, that
the author of Job entertained the common belief of the Hebrews in a certain future existence of the soul in Sheol. But it was as a mere shade of
its former existence in the upper world. It was without hope. xiv. 19,
xvii. 11 -16, xxi. 26, and had a mere consciousness of existence, without
activity or enjoyment. x. 21, 22, xiv. 11 -14. So in Ps. vi. 5.'- In Sheol,
who can give thee thanks?"  Is. xiv. 10. "Art thou also become weak as
we? "
No doubt it would be agreeable to every Christian interpreter to find the
doctrine of a blessed immortality beyond the grave in every anciert book.
But why believers in Christ should wish to force it into books where it
does not exist, it is not easy to perceive.
25. -my Vindicator: nays. This term, in its primitive sense, was
applied to the person whose duty it was to maintain the rights, interests,
and reputation of a near relative, either by repurchasing his mortgaged
inheritance, by marrying his widow, and saving his family from extinction,
by redeeming him   from servitude, or by avenging his blood. In this
passage it is liguratively applied to the Deity, as taking the part and




JOB.                           231
vindicating the character of Job against the cruel treatment and false
accusations of his friends. It is elsewhere applied to the Deity in the more
general sense of a deliverer from calamities of any kind. The term
redeemer might be retained, as a figurative expression for a deliverer
from reproach and calumny; but it would be less intelligible than the
term vindicator, and more likely to be misapplied. That there is no
allusion to Christ in the term, nor to the resurrection to a life of happiness
in the passage, has been the opinion of the most judicious and learned
critics for these last three hundred years; such as Calvin, Mercier,
Grotius, Le Clerc, Patrick, Warburton, Durell, Heath, Kennicott, Doederlein, Dathe, Eichhorn, Jahn, De Wette, Heiligstedt, Hirzel, and many
others. -.lnd will stand up: i. e. appear or interpose to decide the controversy. Ps. xii. 5, "For the sighing of the needy now will I arise,
(or stand up,) said the Lord."  xliv. 26, " Arise, (or stand up,) for our
help, and redeem us."  xciv. 16; Jer. ii. 27. - hereafter, or, at last;
or, at length; tandem, Dathe; postremo, Cast.; posthcec, Doed. inptq  is
used adverbially,: or L being omitted. See Is. viii. 28, xxx. 8; Numb. ii.
31; 1 Sam. xxix. 2; Prov. xxix. 11, xxxi. 25. The rendering of the
common version is entirely unsupported by usage.  — on the earth.
Sf3y-7J. See ch. xxxix. 14, xli. 25. Lit. upon dust. Possibly the exT v*
pression dust is emphatic, as contrasted with heaven, the usual residence
of the Creator.
26. Aind though with my skin this body be wasted away. So Ros.,
Eich., and De Wette. Or, the pronoun nrT may agree with n'f, and the
line be rendered, And after this skin, or body, of mine is wasted away.
According to either rendering, the meaning will be, Although I should be
reduced by disease and sorrow to a still lower condition than I am at
present. The rendering which Gesenius adopts in his Thesaurus does not
strike me favorably: A/nd after my body is wasted away, this - supply
shall happen. The expression wasted away does not imply the death of
Job, but only that he should be extremely reduced by disease;- without
my flesh, i. e. reduced to a skeleton.
27. - my friend: %, lit. for me, or on my side. It is so rendered in
Ps. cxxiv. 1, " If it had not been the Lord, who was on our side," &c.and not another,Lc. i. e. in my absence, after I am dead. An emphatic
expression of Job's confidence that before his death he should see the
favor of God. - For this my soul panfeth within me: lit. my reins are
consumed: i. e. with desire to see that happy day. So Patrick, Dathe,
Ros., De Wette, Ges. See Ps. lxxxiv. 2, cxix. 81, 82, cxliii. 7.
28. AJnd find grounds of accusation agaiist him? So the Sept. and
Vulr. So Los. and Ges.




232                         NOTES.
XIII.
ZOPHAR, not softened by the earnest and pathetic appeals of Job, nor
convinced by his solemn protestations of innocence, but rather provoked
by the impressive warning with which he had closed his last discourse,
proceeds to portray, by new images and striking examples, the calamities
which in all ages had been the lot of the wicked. He infers that Job resembles those in character whom he resembles in condition.
Ch. XX. 10. His sons shall seek the favor of the poor: i. e. the poor
whom their father had plundered, and who may require satisfaction or
reparation. Or it may mean, generally, that they shall be so much
reduced as to seek the good-will and assistance of the most destitute and
abject; a stronger expression than if he had merely said that they should
become poor. It is placing them below poverty itself. - And their hands:
i. e. the hands of the children of the oppressor: lit. his hands. The
singular pronoun is in Hebrew not unfrequently thus used. So Deut. xxi.
10, "When thou goest forth against thine enemies, and God gives him
into thine hand."  See Gesenius' Gram. ~ 143.
11. His bones are full of youth: i. e. of youthful vigor. So Ges.
The same word is used in ch. xxxiii. 25; Ps.lxxxix. 45. The meaning is,
He shall be cut off in his youth - in the fulness of his strength. So the
Sept. The Syr. and Arab. have it marrow. The Chald., strength.
12. Though wickedness, 4'c.  The wickedness in which he takes so
much pleasure is avarice, with its accompanying crimes, oppression, injustice, and cruelty. The pleasure which a depraved mind has in the indulgence of its criminal inclination is compared to an epicure's enjoyment
of some delicious morsel.
14.  Yet his meat shall be changed within him: i. e. changed into something of an opposite nature as from sweet to bitter, from nutritious to
poisonous. His meat is riches acquired by oppression; but it is poisoned.
A curse is connected with iniquitous acquisition. This is the poison of asps
to him, even the Divine vengeance. Scott.
15. He hath glutted, Sc. The original word is very forcible. The
metaphor included in it is drawn from a ravenous beast devouring his
prey, denoting great voracity. -  ind he shall throw them up again: as
an epicure does that which he has drunk or swallowed with greediness and
delight. The sudden loss. of his ill-gotten wealth, and the intolerable
anguish of his mind in sufnerIng sueoh loss, are in;oi,-el in tlis strong




JOB.                            233
metaphor. The curse or vengeance of God will bring this punishment;
God shall cast them out of him.
16. He shall suck the poison of asps. That which he greedily swallowed,
as pleasant nutriment, shall be as destructive to him as the poison of asps.
17. -rivers of honey and milk.      These are Oriental emblems of
abundance and felicity. The wicked man shall not have that secure and
permanent enjoyment of the good things of this life which he expected, or
which is promised to the good.
18.  It is substance to be restored.  See Ges. upon;1'1ni.  So Do
Wette.:
20. Because he knew no rest, -c: i. e. because his cupidity was insatiable.
21. Because nothing escaped his greediness: i. e. his rapacity. So
Heath, Ros., and De Wette. - His prosperity shall not endure. JNron
durabit bonum   ejus.  Syr.  J\ihil permanebit de bonis ejus.  Vulg.
ovCx &r,',o, ( aiTOU r Aya-9a. Sept.
22. Every hand of the wretched: i. e. Every blow or wound which cometh
upon the wretched. So in ch. xxiii. 2, "My wound is deeper," Ac., is, in
the original, ilgy hand is deeper, A-c.; the instrument being used for the effect.
Omnis dolor. Vulg.'ravo-a aVdyKr. Sept.
23. He shall, indeed, have wherewith to fill himself. This is said
sarcastically. The next line shows what sort of food he was to have.
-for his food. irtqin.B. So Schult., Ges., and Ros. See Ps. xi. 6.
Similar images occur in the Koran. Thus: Qui occultant quod Deus
revelavit, illi non edent in ventribus suis nisi ignem.
24. He fleeth, S;c. This was probably a proverbial expression, like
that in Latin, Incidit in Scyllam, cupiens vitare Charybdim.
26. — is treasured up for him: lit. is hidden, or laid up, for his
treasures. See Rom. ii. 5. —A fire, not blown: i. e. not kindled by man,
but sent from heaven: i. e. lightning.
27. The heavens shall reveal his iniquity: i. e. by lightning, for instance, such as destroyed the herds of Job, or by storms of wind, such as
destroyed his children. -.nd the earth shall rise up against him: i. e.
when wild beasts, venomous serpents, or bands of robbers shall destroy
his substance.




234                         NOTES.
XIV.
THE opponents of Job had persisted in maintaining that great calamities
were a proof of uncommon guilt; that they were the portion of the
wicked, and of them only. This position Job overthrows, by adducing
instances of impious men who pass their lives in ease and prosperity, enjoy
a comfortable old age, and are favored with an easy death. Ch. xxi. 6 - 15.
They might object, that the fear of reverses must mar the enjoyment of
the guilty; but he contends that such reverses happen so seldom, that
the bad have not more reason to fear them than the good. 16 - 18. They
might say that the children of the impious man suffered, if he did not;
but he asserts, with justice, that this is no punishment to the offender who
is numbered with the dead. 19- 21 He maintains, that, of two persons
of the same character, one might be seen enjoying uninterrupted prosperity, and the other suffering misery without cessation; and that both came
to the same end. 22-26. Perceiving by their looks that they were not
satisfied, but still regarded his miserable condition as evidence of his guilt,
he appeals to the testimony of travellers, who would mention instances of
great oppressors who had escaped in a time of general destruction, and
died a peaceful death; who had been buried with great pomp, and had
had so splendid a monument erected to their memory that they almost
seemed to flourish and live again in their very tombs. 27 - 34.
Ch. XXI. 2..nd let this be your consolation: i. e. I will regard your
candid attention as an equivalent for those consolations which I had reason
to expect from you.
4. Is my complaint concerning man? The preposition 7 means of or
concerning, in Gen. xx. 13, and elsewhere. See Ges. He seems to intimate that he had not so much reason to complain of man or of his friends,
as of the severe afflictions which he received from God, whilst so many
wicked men enjoyed prosperity. -  Why then should I not be angry?
dia-l o07 9OvcuO9-io!oa; Sept. He seems to consider the fact that his
misery was sent upon him by God, notwithstanding his endeavors to please
him, as a sufficient reason for his impatience and complaints.
5. Look upon me, 4'c. Silent astonishment, instead of censure, should
be the effect of beholding a man of integrity and piety in my afflicted
condition, while so many contemners of God, and oppressors of his creatures, are happy in life and fortunate in death.
6.  When I think of it: i. e. of what follows, viz., the prosperous
condition of the wicked.




JOB.                             235
12. They sing, c..t     i, scil. 7p, attollunt vocem. See Is. xlii. 2.
13. A.nd in a moment, ~c. This assertion is opposed to Zophar's representation of the terrible death of such men, in ch. xx. 24, 25. See also
ch. xviii. 12, 13. This is that sudden and easy death, in a green old age,
without pain, without lingering sickness, and while their families are
flourishing around them, which Tiresias predicts to Ulysses in the shades:
" Death shall come to thee from the sea. It shall be a gentle death. It
shall come when thou art subdued by a happy old age, and thy people
about thee are happy." Odyss. xi. 133, &c. Scott. So Suetonius, after
describing the death of Augustus, says: Sortitus est exitum  facilem, et
qualem  semper optaverat.   Nam  fere, quoties audisset cito ac nullo
sruciatu defunctum quempiam, sibi et suis Evduaraolav similem (hoc enim et
verbo uti solebat) precabatur. Life of Augustus, ~ 99.
16. Thou sayest, 4c. There can be no doubt that, in the first line, at
least, of this verse, Job refers to the sentiments advanced by his opponents,
and probably in both. Some suppose that the first line is ironical; and
that, in the second, Job expresses his abhorrence of wickedness, notwithstanding the prosperity which often accompanies it.
17. How often happens it, <4c. This question is equivalent to the
assertion that the wicked are seldom in adversity and misery. It is thus
an answer to the assertion in the preceding verse.
21. -is completed: i. e. according to Cocceius, is reckoned in full
tale: i. e. when he has lived out the whole term of human life.
22.  Who t.en shall impart knowledge to God, 4c. Shall we be so bold
as to instruct God how to govern the world, and to tell him that he is not
just, unless he punish the wicked when we expect it? He judges the
highest beings, and therefore surely knows how to govern us. He that
rules the world of spirits surely knows how to manage the little concerns
of mankind.
24. His sides,'c. Otherwise, His pastures are full of milk. See
Ges. upon l      atJp. Latera ejus plena adipe. Arab. and Syr.  rhu d;'yxzra
avrov ni.,',tl doraTro. Sept.  Viscera ejusplena suntadipe. Vulg.
28. For ye say, 4c. Although these questions relate to tyrannical
princes in general, and to other wicked men in high stations, they are intended to be applied to Job's overthrow in particular. His adversaries
still insisted that destructive calamities are the usual portion of the wicked;
and that, such calamities being his portion, there was wanting no other
evidence of his guilt. But the testimony of travellers, as he tells them,
shows the falsity of their premises, and therefore of the conclusion drawn
from them. Scott.
30. That the wicke. is spared in the day of destruction: i. e. when
destruction comes upon other men. So Merc, Schult, Pat., Ros., and




236                          NOTES.
Ges. - And that he is borne to his grave in the day of wrath. See ver.
32, and x. 19. He dies a natural, peaceful death.
32. Even this man, &c. He is too powerful to be called to account by
man, and, not meeting with chastisement from God, he goes to the grave
with all the honors of interment usually paid to personages of the highest
rank. Scott. - Yea, he still watches over his tomb. So Dathe, Ros.,
Eichhorn, and De Wette. He enjoys, as it were, a second life upon his
tomb, in the honors paid to his memory, his splendid monument, and the
fame he leaves behind him. sal atJ inl r, o!tl,,',yqer',7t1;,av.  Sept.
Et super congeriem vigilabit.  Chald. Et in congerie mortuorum vigilabit. Vulg.
33. - the sods of the valley, 4c. These words also seem to suppose
that the person who is buried may partake, in some respects, of the prosperous state of the tomb which contains him. See the note on ch. xiv.
22. Such an idea seems to have been indulged by Sultan Amurath the
Great, who died in 1450. " Presently after his death, Mahomet his sonne,
for feare of some innovation to be made at home, raised the siege, and returned to Hadrianople: and afterwards with great solemnitie buried his
dead body at the west side of Prusa, in the suburbs of the citie, where he
now lieth, in a chappell without any roofe, his grave nothing differing
from the manner of the common Turks; which, they say, he commanded
to be done, in his last will, that the mercie and blessing of God (as he
termed it) might come unto him by the shining of the sunne and moone
and falling of the reine and dew of heaven upon his grave." Knolles'
Hist. of the Turks, p. 332. Burder's Oriental Customs, No. 507. - Jnd
all men, fc. In going down to the grave, he does but share the common
lot of mortals. Innumerable multitudes have gone thither before him,
and the succeeding generations of men shall follow him to the same place
of assembly for all the living. Others suppose a funeral procession to be
referred to.
XV.
HERE begins the third series of controversy. Eliphaz, unable to refute
the reasoning in Job's last discourse, founded as it was on undeniable facts,
proceeds to misrepresent his sentiments, and even to charge him with particular crimes. He begins with an attempt to expose to ridicule Job's complaints respecting his afflictions, his assertions of his innocence, and his
appeals to the Deity, as if he had set up arrogant claims upon the divine




JOB.                           237
justice, and had demanded a reward for his goodness. Ch. xxii. 1- 5.
He goes on to assert that Job's wickedness, and not injustice on the part
of the Deity, was the cause of his misery, and charges him with a variety
of enormous crimes. 6- 11. Ie also accuses him of having adopted the
corrupt principles of those impious men, who, in former times, had
perished by a flood, and warns him not to pursue their course, and thus
incur their punishment. 12-20. In conclusion, he exhorts him to repentance, and gives a splendid picture of the prosperity to which he might
look as a reward. 21 - 30.
Ch. XXII. 2. Behold, the wise man profiteth himself. Comp. xxxv.7.
Prov. ix. 12. Whatever wisdom or goodness a man has, he has the benefit
of it, not God.
4.  Will he contend, 4-c.? i. e. in a judicial controversy. Is he afraid
that his character will suffer by thy complaints, unless, in obedience to thy
citation, he submit to a trial, and argue his cause before some tribunal?
7. Thou hast given, t-c. Among the Eastern nations hospitality was,
and still is, regarded as a duty of the most sacred obligation.
8. But the man of power had the land: i. e. The rich were always
welcome to Job; his house was open to them, and his land before them,
while the poor were driven away from his house and territories. Or perhaps it is a more general proverbial expression, denoting the partiality
and honor with which Job regarded the great and powerful. Or the
meaning may be, Through your connivance, or influence, the great were
sure to gain their cause, when they set up a claim to the land of the poor.
9..1nd broken the arms: i. e. thou hast taken away all their support.
All the ancient versions render K3T, in the second pers. sing., which
T'..
makes it probable that 3'mn- was formerly in the text.
10, 11. - snares. This was a common metaphor for danger and destructive calamities; as darkness and floods of water for overwhelming
misery.
12- 20. What Job had said, in the preceding chapter, of the general
impunity and prosperity of the wicked, was matter of fact. But this
calumniator misrepresents his discourse, as a denial of a divine providence
grounded on most absurd notions of the Supreme Being, as though he
were limited in his presence, and could not see what passeth in our world.
-The immense distance of heaven, the habitation of God, is represented
by its being far above the stars. Scott.
13. Can he govern behind the thick darkness? Can he see, through
the thick clouds, the crimes that are committed on earth, and thus inflict
the punishment which they merit?




238                           NOTES.
14. Jlnd he walkceth upon the arch of heaven: i. e. He is at an immense
distance from the earth, and wholly occupied in the concerns of the
heavenly world. So Lucretius, Lib. It. 646.
15.  Wilt thou take the old way, 4c.: i. e. Are you willing to adopt
the principles of those impious men who lived in the time of the deluge?
16. - cut down. Lit. seized, hurried away.
17. By describing the impiety of these men in the very terms used by
Job in ch. xxi. 14, 15, he confronts their exemplary destruction to Job's
assertion of the impunity and felicity of such characters~ Scott.
18. - counsel: i. e. purposes, plans, &co
24. Cast to the dust thy gold, ic o- i. e. When thou shalt regard gold as
of no account, and cease to place thy dependance upon earthly treasure,
as thou hast done, and shalt place thy trust upon God alone, then, &c,
27.  dind thou shalt perform thy vows: i. e. Thou shalt obtain those
blessings for which thou didst make thy vows, and accordingly perform
them.
28. Snd light shall shine upon thy ways: i. e. Thou shalt have
success and prosperity in all thy pursuits.
29.  When men are cast down, <4c. The meaning probably is, When
men are in affliction, or in low circumstances, such shall be the efficacy of
thy prayers, that God will raise them up.
30. - him that is not innocent. The particle "x, rendered island in
the common version, is used as a negative in 1 Sam. iv. 21. It is so
rendered here, in the Chald., and by Le Clerc, Ros., Ges., and De Wette.
The same sentiment is found in Gen. xviii. 24; Ezek. xxii. 30; Jer. v. 1.
Ros. also observes, that it may be designed to refer to ch. xlii. 8, &c.,
where it appears that Jehovah forgave the friends of Job on account of
his intercession. See the note on cho viiL 7.
XVL.
Tuis reply of Job is the effusion of a mind agitated by various strong
emotions; by deep grief, ch. xxiii. 2; by an earnest desire to argue his
cause with God, since he could obtain neither justice nor mercy fronm his
friends, 8 - 7; by distress, that he could not obtain his desire, 8, 9; by
consolation in the testimony of his conscience, 10 -12; and by consternation and despair, arising from the thought of God's absolute dominion,
and the immutability of his designs, 13- 17. Having in some measure




JOB.                           239
relieved his mind by the foregoing effusions, he makes one effort more to
convince his adversaries by reasoning with them. He denies the constancy,
and even the frequency, of the judgments of God upon wicked men. He
produces a catalogue of enormous crimes, such as theft, oppression of the
poor, murder, adultery, and tyranny, at which, as he thinks, the Governor of the world seems to connive, by forbearing to punish the authors of
them; by suffering them to flourish during life, and to be fortunate and
happy in the time and circumstances of their death. Ch. xxiv.
Ch. XXIII. 2. - my wound: lit. my hand: i. e. the hand of God upon
me.
3. 0 that I knew, 4c. He desires to go before the tribunal of God, as
a man, whose character has been assailed, may demand a trial at an
earthly bar.
6  Would he contend, 4c.? i. e. He would not overawe me, or put me
down, by his superior power, but would rather listen to what I might offer
in my defence. -would have regard: DiVS, 131 being understood. See
iv. 20, xxxiv. 23.
7. Then would an upright man, -c. He speaks of himself in the
third person.
8, 9. These words are designed to express, not the mere invisibility of
the Deity, but the earnest desire of Job, conscious, as he was, of his in
nocence, to obtain some visible manifestation of the Deity, and to expostu
late with him, face to face, upon his unmerited sufferings. Scott. The
Hebrews, like some other of the Oriental nations, in speaking of the
different quarters of the heavens, regarded themselves as facing the East,
the rising sun. Backward would then be West; the left, North; and the
light, South. See Ges. Thes. ad n'in.  -where he worketh: Some
suppose that God is represented as working in the places northward from
Job, because mankind were there most numerous, and most attentive in
observing the works of God. But may there not here be an allusion to
an opinion, which is known to have prevailed amongst the ancient eastern
nations, that in the farthest regions of the north was a high mountain,
corresponding to the Olympus of the Greeks, where was the seat or
peculiar residence of God, or the Gods? See Is. xiv. 13; Ezek. i. 4, and
the notes, and the dissertation on the subject of the Oriental opinion above
referred to, appended to Gesenius's Comment. on Isaiah, vol. IIL p. 316.
10. But he knoweth, 4c. But my consolation is, that God seeth my
heart and my conduct. - he ti.-' me: i. e. he examineth and proveth
my character,
12. Above my own law: i. e. above what my own desires dictated.
14. He performeth, 4-c.: i. e. without regard to my expostulations,




240                          NOTES.
pleadings, and protestations, he proceeds to inflict upon me what he had
purposed to inflict. Comp. ch. x. 13, 14. - such things: i. e. proceedings
of God's providence, as dark and unaccountable as his dealings toward
me.
17. - darkness: i. e. affliction, misery.
Ch. XXIV. 1. Why are not times, 4c.- days: i. e. such as those of the
deluge, the destruction of Sodom, &c. days of God are days when he
manifests himself in retribution or judgment for sin. Why are not the
wicked visited with signal punishments, which the righteous may recognise as such? For the meaning given to Ar, see Is. xiii. 22; Jer. xxvii.
7; Ezek. xxx. 3; Ecc. ix. 11, 12.
2. - and pasture them. They are so shameless, that they pasture, in
public view, the flocks which they have stolen from the helpless.
4. -from the way. The proud rich men push the poor from the way,
when they meet, and oblige them to retreat, as it were to hide themselves.
5. -they go forth to their work: i. e. the poor and needy, of the preceding verse, who go forth to their daily toil of seeking such roots and
vegetables as the woods and mountains afford for their miserable subsistence. So Cocceius and Schultens, who refer to Ecclesiasticus xiii. 19.
6. - the harvest: lit. his harvest, referring to oppressor, in the next
line.
7. Dr. Shaw tells us that in Arabia Petrmea the day is intensely hot,
and the night intensely cold.  Travels; p. 488. 4to.  Scott.
8. And embrace the rock. This exactly agrees with what Niebuhr says
of the modern wandering Arabs, near Mount Sinai, Voyage en.Jrabie,
tom. I. p. 187.: "Those who cannot afford a tent spread out a cloth
upon four or six stakes; and others spread their cloth near a tree, or
endeavor to shelter themselves from the heat and the rain in the cavities
of the rocks."  Burder.
10, 11. So Addison, in his Letter from Italy:
The poor inhabitant beholds in vain
The reddening orange and the swelling grain;
Joyless he sees the growing oils and wines,
And in the myrtle's fragrant shade repines;
Starves, in the midst of nature's bounty curst,
And in the loaden vineyard dies for thirst.
12. JAnd God regardeth not their prayer!'DI, for E'7 a ", to lay
~.      * - -  *.
to heart, to regard. Ps. 1. 23. And, by altering the points,,lt7, folly,
te




JOB.                            241
becomes n~Jn, a prayer; which is the reading of two manuscripts,
and of the Syriac version.  So Doed. and Dathe.   Others, And God
regarded not the wickedness.
13.  Others hate the light, -c.: lit. These, i. e. the following,.re
among those who hate, 4-c. So Mere. This is a description of criminals
who practise their deeds of violence and injustice under the protection of
darkness.
14.  With the light, c.: i. e. Very early, by day-break. Micah ii. ],
Wo to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds! in the
light of the morning they practise it."
15. AJld putteth a mask upon hisface. So Juv. Sat. viii. 144.:
--- si nocturnus adulter
Tempora Santonico velas adoperta cucullo.
16. In the daytime they shut themselves up. See Ges. upon Dnn.
t(opaytua,, suv-rog. Sept.
17. The morning, which discovers their evil deeds, is as terrible and
hateful to these criminals as the shadow of death, or the grossest darkness,
is to other people. - They are familiar with: i. e. They like and desire
the terrors of midnight darkness: i. e. midnight darkness which is terrible
to others. So Mere., Poole and Ros.
18. Light are they, S-c.: This line expresses the speed with which he
is hurried away as a retribution for his crimes, like a light substance, or
a stream; or the speed with which the person escapes after the commission
of a crime. - accursed portion, *c.: i. e. They dwell in desert and uncultivated places. - the vineyards: i. e. the abodes of civilized men,
lest they be apprehended. The explanation of this and the following
difficult verses is that adopted by Mercier, Patrick, and Ros.
20. And iniquity,   -c. i. e. The unrighteous man is destroyed as
completely as a tree, which, once broken or cut down, cannot grow again.
21. He oppresseth the barren, 4-c. He adds affliction to one who has no
children to help her, and who is already afflicted with that which in those
days was regarded as a curse and reproach.
22. He taketh away: i. e. destroyeth. See Ps. xxviii. 3; Ezek. xxxii.
20. He riseth up: i. e. against the mighty, and every one of them fears
for his life. Ros.
23. God giveth: lit. He giveth. See note on ch. iii. 20. - And his eyes
are upon their ways: i. e. God seems to smile upon them and prosper
them in all their enterprises.
24. They are exalted, -c. The complaint is, 1. that the wicked are
11




242                          NOTES.
advanced to great preeminence; 2. that they are favored with a death
quick and easy, which is preceded by no reverse of their prosperity, is
brought on by no disease, and is embittered by no sharp and lingering
pains. This indulgent circumstance is happily illustrated by the beautiful
simile which closes the period. Scott.
XVII.
THE short reply of Bildad, in the twenty-fifth chapter, asserts, in a
lofty strain, the awful majesty, supreme dominion, and infinite perfection
of the Deity. Hence he infers the excessive arrogance of justifying one's
self before God, and impeaching the rectitude of his government. His
remarks are directed against the conduct of Job in calling upon God for a
trial, and in using arguments which seemed to call in question God's
justice. He does not attempt to answer the assertions of Job, in the last
chapter, respecting the prosperity of the wicked. These were founded on
facts which could not be denied, and which could not be explained on the
principles of Job's opponents. It is, therefore, probable that the poet
assigned this last feeble effort to Bildad, merely in order to give occasion
to the triumph of Job in the chapter following.
Ch. XXV. 2. He maintaineth peace in his high places: i. e. He ruleth
all the inhabitants of heaven in peace and harmony. Ch. xxi. 22.
S. - his hosts? i. e. the stars, as is probable from the parallel line; or
his angels. See Dan. iv. 35. - And upon whom doth not his light arise?
Some suppose that this line is intended to set forth the glory of God in
general, as manifested in the universal diffusion of light; as, in ch.
xxxvi. 30, he is said to spread around himself his light, and, elsewhere,
to cover himself with light, as with a garment, and to dwell in the light
which no man can approach unto. Others, that it expresses the omniscience of God; that it represents his light as penetrating everything, and
making everything known. Others, that his light here denotes his sun.
5. Behold, even the moon, f-c. So the Vulg., Ecce, luna etiam non
splendet. Comp. Is. xxiv. 23.




JOB.                            243
XVIII.
JOB begins his reply with sarcasms upon his last opponent, as havir g
offered nothing relevant to the subject in dispute. He then endeavors to
show that, if the question related to the power and perfections of the
Deity, he could speak in as lofty a style as his opponents of the effects of
the divine power in heaven, earth, and the regions under the earth. His
purpose is to show that his confident assertions of his innocence are by no
means inconsistent with the most exalted views of the wisdom and power
of the Governor of the world; that he adores the perfections of God, and
yet denies that his misery is a proof of his guilt.
Ch. XXVI. 2. -the weak. There has been a doubt to whom this
ironical expression is to be applied; whether to Job, to the other two
opponents of Job, or to the Deity. From the connection, verse 4, and
from the design and tenor of the whole chapter, it seems most probable
that Job refers to himself.
4. For whom, 4c.: i. e. Do you think me ignorant of the perfections
of God, that you address me on the subject with such a magisterial air?
or By whom, i. e. by whose aid, &c. -And whose spirit spake through
thee? i. e. To what extraordinary inspiration canst thou pretend?
5.- the shades: i. e. ghosts, departed spirits, the inhabitants of Hades,
or the under-world, whom the ancient Hebrews conceived of as without
strength and with little sensation, mere shadows of what they once were 
el'JwXa xa!t6rrw,. See Ps. lxxxviii. 10; Prov. ii. 18, ix. 18, xxi. 16; Is
xiv. 9, 10, xxvi. 14, 19. - tremble: i. e. at the majesty and power o,
God. The verb 7Fn is often used in this sense, and iL so rendered in the.
common version, in Hab. iii. 10. - the waters, ac.: i. e. the seas and al;
the monsters that inhabit their lowest depths.
6. The under-world - Destruction. These are different words, expressing the same thing, viz. the abode of departed spirits, which was
supposed to be a vast cavern, far in the interior of the earth. See thb
passages referred to in the preceding note, and JJhn's Arch'eology, ~~ 203
and 207. With this description of the Hebrvw poet, compare the passage
on the same topic, quoted by Longiiuf from Homer, a. oi0o cf unrivalled
sublimity. Iliad, xx. 61.
7   He stretcheth out the'ori7s *. c. the northern hemisphere, or the




244                          NOTES.
whole visible heaven, like a canopy or tent. Is. xl. 22. - upon no hing:
i. e. without anything to support it.
And earth self-balanced from her centre hung.
8. He bindeth, Hc.: i. e. He collecteth the waters into the clouds, as
it were, in bottles or vessels, which do not let them fall until he is pleased
to send them, drop by drop, upon the earth.
9. - the face of his throne: i. e. the clear sky, which is sometimes
covered with clouds. Is. Ixvi. 1, " The heaven is my throne."
10. IIe hath drawn a circular bound, t4c. The ancients seem to have
believed that only the northern hemisphere enjoyed the light of the sun,
and that all below the horizon was in perpetual darkness. They also
supposed that the earth was surrounded by water, upon which the concave
of heaven seemed to rest, and hence the idea of a circular bound, drawn,
as it were, by compasses at the extreme verge of the celestial hemisphere,
where the light was supposed to end, and the darkness to begin. See
Virg. Georg. I. 247.
11.  The pillars of heaven tremble. Some suppose that the mountains
of the earth, upon which the sky seems to rest, are intended; but it is
more probable that the vault of heaven is represented as an immense
edifice, supported on lofty columns, like a temple. - his rebuke: i. e.
thunder, lightning, and tempestuous winds, which were supposed to be
tokens of God's displeasure.
12. - he smiteth its pride: i. e. he restrains its rage, and turns a
storm into a calm. So Is. li. 15.
13. - the fleeing Serpent: i. e. the fugacious, fugitive serpent; an
epithet borrowed from the living serpent, but referring to the constellation
of the great Serpent or Dragon in the Northern hemisphere. The reader
will remark the coincidence of this epithet with the word elabitur in
Virgil, Georg. I. 244.
14. Lo! these are but the borders of his works: i. e. We are acquainted only with the surface and outlines of the works of God. - Howfaint
the whisper, 4-c.: i. e. How very little do we know concerning the divine
operations! - But the thunder of his power. By this expression I understand the higher exertions of his power, as opposed to its ordinary operations, with which we are in some measure acquainted. The meaning thus
will be, that what is known of God's works is to that which is unknown
as a whisper to a peal of thunder. Others suppose that the thunder of
his power means the loudest and most terrible thunder. But it is not
probable that he referred to literal thunder, as a special mystery among
the works of God.




JOB.                            245
XIX.
THE three friends of Job now give up the discussion. Bildad, his last
opponent, had said but a few words, and those in the manner of a retreating adversary. He had also been triumphantly driven, as it were, from his
ground by Job. Zophar, therefore, is represented as thinking it prudent
to make no reply. From this discomfiture of his opponents, Job, taking
courage, goes on to express his feelings and views, in a more calm, but
not less decided manner than before. He begins with a renewed and
solemn declaration of his innocence, and expresses the most resolute
determination to assert it against all who may call it in question, to the
very last moment of his life. Ch. xxvii. 2- 7. On account of what he
had said of the prosperity of the wicked, his opponents had accused him
of approving them, and of envying their condition. He therefore expresses his abhorrence of a vicious character, and speaks of the satisfactions arising from virtue and piety, to which the wicked man is a stranger.
8-10. He had all along maintained, in opposition to his friends, that
this world is not the scene of a regular distribution of good and evil; that
virtue is often oppressed, and vice triumphant; and that the greater part of
wicked men go unpunished, grow old in ease and affluence, and at length
die in peace. But now, having reduced his opponents to silence, he
frankly owns that there are some examples of divine vengeance, such as
they had asserted; that the evils which sometimes, though not always, as
they contended, are the consequences of guilt, are sufficient to deter him
from envying the condition of the wicked, and from following their evil
courses.  11 - 23.  The inconsistency of Job is only apparent, proper
allowance being made for strong expressions elicited by the heat of controversy. He concedes not his main position, viz., that the innocent often
suffer. He holds fast his innocence, and will not let it go. He admits not
the main conclusion of his opponents, viz., that human suffering always
implies guilt, or that he is wicked because he is a sufferer. His present
deliberate position is, that, as the virtuous do suffer, there is some
mysterious cause of human suffering besides the vices of men. while he
admits the correctness of the representations of his opponents respecting
tlle ordinary consequences of sin. Thus the dispute is brought to a crisis.
Without this concession, compromise, or apparent inconsistency in the
language of Job, there could have been no end to discourses on the miseries
of sin, on the one hand, and the prosperity of the wicked, on the other,




246                         NOTES.
The difficulty, therefore, which has puzzled so many critics, and led Dr.
Kennicott to propose an important alteration in the text, proves to be a
necessary part of the plan of the profound and ingenious author of the
book.
The subject of the next chapter is wisdom: i. e. that high, absolute
Divine wisdom, which formed the plan, and directs all the concerns,of
the Universe. Job had allowed, in the former chapter, that God makes
examples of some wicked men. He had maintained, in ch. xxi., that
others equally guilty escape with impunity. He had also asserted, in ch.
ix. 22, that general calamities involve the best and the worst men in one
common destruction.   These are perplexing appearances.  Hence his
thoughts are naturally led up to those impenetrable counsels which direct
all this seeming confusion. The powers of the human mind have made
surprising discoveries in natural things. Man has penetrated the bowels
of the earth, and surmounted the greatest obstacles for the purpose of
obtaining the treasures hidden in those regions of darkness. But all the
riches of the world cannot purchase, nor the highest genius and industry
of man attain, the knowledge of the whole plan of Providence in the
administration of the world, or the reasons for which he sometimes sends
calamities upon individuals.  Only He can comprehend the whole to
whom are known all his works from the beginning. The inference is, that
instead of prying into mysteries which he cannot understand, the duty of
man is to adore his Maker, and obey his commandments. This is the
wisdom proper to man.
Ch. XXVII. 2. - who hath rejected my cause: i. e. who hath refused
me justice.
4. - deceit: i. e. the deceit of confessing guilt, of which he is not
conscious.
6. I will hold fast, 4c. I will continue to assert it, or I will not
acknowledge that I am guilty. I will be as tenacious of it as a good
soldier is of his shield. The original term for hold fast is the same as
that used in Ps. xxxv. 2, in connection with a shield. - My heart, 6c.
Ov] yao aut'votca'avrTc Tona nuaea?. Sept. JVeque enim reprehendit me
cor meum in omni vitd med. Vulg.
8. - cutteth off his web, 84c. This metaphor seems to be drawn from
the weaver, who, when his web is finished, cuts it off from the thrum by
which it was fastened to the beam. See vi. 9; and Is. xxxviii. 12.
Otherwise, when he hath gotten plunder. - taketh away his life. lit.
draweth out his life: i. e. as a sword from its sheath. Schnurrer conjectures that 7  si is contracted for'Alt, in which case the meaning will
be, demandeth his life.




JOB.                            247
12. - vain thoughts: i. e. such as they had expressed, when they main.
tained that suffering was a sure proof of guilt, or that Job was suffering
the punishment of a grossly wicked man, such as he goes on to describe.
See the introductory remarks to this chapter.
13. The passage from this verse to the end of the chapter presents a
difficulty; since, at first view, Job seems to renounce his former sentiments, and to adopt those of his opponents. One method of explaining
it, satisfactory to me, is given in the introduction to this chapter.
14. - it isfor the sword: i. e. they shall be slain in war.
15. - shall be buried by Death: i. e. they shall have no grave-digger
but Death; or, they shall be unburied. See Jer. xvi. 4. Others render it,
shall be brought to the grave by the pestilence. 9UiracTro sometimes has
this meaning in the Apocalypse.
16. Alnd procure raiment as clay. It was the custom of the ancients
to lay up raiment in their treasuries as well as gold and silver. So Virgil
of Messapus, AEn. ix. 26.:
Dives equrm, dives pictaY vestis et auri.
It is customary through all the East, says Sir J. Chardin, to gather together immense quantities of furniture and clothes; for their fashions
never alter.
18. - like the moth. The house and family of the oppressor shall not
be more durable than the slight fabric which the moth makes in a garment,
and which is destroyed when the garment is moved or shaken. See Dr.
Harris's Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 297. -  Or like the shed, 4.c.: which
was made for the watchman of a garden, whose business it was to defend
the fruit from birds and beasts while it was ripening, and which was
taken down when the fruit was gathered. See Is. i. 8. Niebuhr, in his
Description of Arabia, p. 139, says, " In the mountains of Yemen they
have a sort of nest in the trees, where the Arabs sit to watch their fields
after they have been planted. But in the Kehama, where there are but
few trees, they build a light kind of scaffolding for this purpose." Mr.
Southey opens the fifth part of his Curse of Kehama with a similar
allusion, quoted by Dr. Good:
Evening comes on: arising from the stream,
Homeward the tall flamingo wings his flight;
And where he sails athwart the setting beam,
His scarlet plumage glows with deeper light.
The watchman, at the wished approach of night,
Gladly forsakes the field, where he, all day,
To scare the winged plunderers from their prey,
With shout and sling, on yonder clay-built height,
Hath borne the sultry ray.




248                           NOTES.
19. The rich man lieth down: i. e. dies. -and is not buried: lit. not
gathered: i. e. as the slain are gathered in battle for burial. -In the twinkliny of an eye he is no more: lit. He openeth his eyes, and is no more. So Merc.,
Ges., and Ros.
Ch. XXVIII. 2. And stone is melted into copper. So Pliny, Nat. Hist.
xxxiv. 1, 22, and xxxvi. 27, 66: iEs fit ex lapide aeroso, quem vocant Cadniam; et igne lapides in ms solvuntur.
3. Man putteth an end to darkness: i. e. The darkest recesses of the
earth are made light by torches, carried thither by man. -For the
stone of darkness.  Schultens supposes the centre of the earth to be
denoted by this expression. Others, the metallic ore in the darkest parts
of the earth.
4. From the place where they dwell:'-   tF. Following Schultens,
who assigns to 1A a meaning from the Arabic, I formerly rendered these
words, From the foot of the mountain. The present rendering is according
to the common meaning of the Hebrew terms. Gesenius supposes the expression to be elliptical for ti ~  W   ti D.tn, lit. From there where one
dwells: i. e From the surface of the earth, the abode of man. This corresponds vith the last line of the verse, they swing away from men. -a
shaft: i.,. a passage leading into a mine. - Forgotten by the feet: i. e.
unsupported by the feet. They do not descend by their feet, but arc let
down b? ropes or baskets.
5. -torn up, (&c.: i. e. Effects are produced by man, in excavating the
earth, similar to those produced by subterranean fires. So Pliny: Persequiriur omncs ejus (terre) fibras, vivimusque super excavatam.... Imus in
viscera ejus, et in sede Manium opes queerimus, tanquam parum benigna
fertilique, quaqua calcatur [perhaps, secatur). Hist. Nat. xxxiii. 1.
7. The path thereto: i. e. to the place of sapphires, gold ore, &c. Verses
7 and 8 are probably designed to illustrate the intrepidity of man in penetrating these dangerous regions of darkness. The most far-sighted birds
could not see them, or find their way to them. The most daring beasts of
prey would not venture into them.  Vulture: I think it better to rely on the
Sept. and other ancient versions as to this meaning, than on uncertain
etymological conjecture.
9. Mlan layeth his hand, &c. This and the following verses describe the
immense labor and difficulty of working a mine. Man overcomes every
obstacle which nature has placed in his way.
10. Ie cleaveth out stretlams, tic. This was done either for the purpose of
drawing off the water which impeded their operations, or of washing the
impure ore.




JOB.                            249
11. -bindeth up the streams, 4c.: i. e. the water which trickles down
the shaft of the mine.
12. But where shall wisdom be found?   Having given an imposing
view of the powers of man in regard to natural things, he proceeds to
ive as emphatic a representation of his inability to fathom the counsels of
God, or to understand the reasons which direct him in the government of
the world, particularly in the distribution of happiness and misery.
13. Maan knoweth not the price thereof: i. e. He hath no means or
ability to obtain it.
21..dAnd kept close from the fowls of the air: i. e. The residence of
wisdom is beyond the flight of the swiftest and strongest birds. This is
saying, in a poetical and perhaps a proverbial manner, that this wisdom
is not to be found within the limits of our world. Scott.
22.   Destruction and Death: i. e. the under-world, Hades. - We
have heard a rumor, 4c.: i. e. It is at such an immense distance from us,
that we have only heard a rumor respecting it.
23. God knoweth the way to it: i. e. God only knoweth the reasons of
his dispensations to men.
27. - and make it known: i. e. to his angels. Or, He made his
wisdom visible in his works,
28. - that is wisdom: i. e. The wisdom of man does not consist in
the knowledge of the reasons of the divine government, but in piety and
holiness.
xx.
JoB now returns to his own case, as a striking illustration (f the mys.
terious ways of Providence, of which he had spoken in the last chapter.
Ilis aim is to show that all his pleadings and complaints were well founded.
lie beautifully (c-cants upon his former prosperity, ch. xxix., and
exhibits the striking contrast between it and his present affliction and debasement, ch. xxx. Lastly, in answer to the unfounded insinuations and
false charges of his friends, he relates the principal transactions of his
past life, asserts his integrity, as displayed in the discharge of all his
duties relating to God and man, a-'d aTaain appeals to the omniscience and
justice of God in attestation of his sincerity.  Ch1. xxxi.  Loutih.
uln




250                          NOTES.
Ch. XXIX. 3.    When his lamp shone over my head. The houses of
Egypt, according to Maillet, are never without lights in the night-time. If
such were the ancient custom, not only of Egypt, but of the neighboring
countries of Judea and Arabia, it will strongly illustrate this passage.
Mr. Scott, however, thinks that there is probably an allusion to the lamps
which hung from the ceiling in the banqueting rooms of the wealthy
Arabs. - walked through darkness.  liere is reference probably to the fires,
or other lights, which were carried before the caravans in their night-travels
through the deserts. The extraordinary favor of God and his protecting
care are denoted by the metaphors in both parts of this verse.
4. The autumn of my dags, i. e. the ripeness, the maturity of my
age. Comp. the Greek ocOUQa. Or autumn may refer to the time of hins
greatest outward prosperity; of the ripest fruits of life.
60  When I bathed, -c.: i. e. When streams of milk met me, as it were,
wherever I went. Olive groves and abundance of cattle made the principal wealth of the Arabs.   The best olives grew   upon the rocky
mountains. Hence the bold figures by which the Arabs express a condition of uncommon felicity. See Deut. xxxii. 13, 14. Scott.
7. - to the gate: i. e. the forum, or place where the courts were held.
- Jnd took my seat,'-c. "Job here speaks of himself as a civil magistrate, who had a seat erected for him to sit upon whilst he was hearing
and trying causes; and this was set up in the street, in the open air,
before the gate of the city, where great numbers might be convened, and
hear and see justice done. The Arabs, to this day, hold their courts of
justice in an open place under the heavens, as in a field, or a marketplace."  Barder's Oriental Customs, No. 515.
8. The younsg men,,e-c. Savary, in his Letters on Egypt, Vol. I. p.
149, says, 6' The children are educated in the woman's apartment, and do
not come into the hall, especially when strangers are there.  Young
people are silent when in this hall; if men-grown, they are allowed to
join the conversation; but when the Sheik begins to speak, they cease,
and attentively listen. If he enters an assembly, all rise; they give bim
way in public, and everywhere show him esteem and respect." -./nd
the aged arose and stood. This is a most elegant description, and exhibits
most correctly the great reverence and respect which was paid, even by
the old and decrepit, to the holy man in passing along the streets, or when
he sat in public. They not only rose, which in men so old and infirm was
a great mark of distinction, but they stood; they continued to do it,
thoughlth the attempt was so difficult. Lowth.
14. I clothed,sy/self, f-c. i. e. I wats clothed with righteousness, as
with a o Tr'lvmCit ]vithuntt, an11J it whullvy ftiled ie witi I. I wa. a.ltoether




JOB.                           251
righteous within and without. This meaning is made probable by the
paronomasia of the'Hebrew, and also by such expressions as Judges vi.
34. "The spirit of Jehovah put on Gideon." By altering the vowel
points so as to change the conjugation from kal to hiphil, one might sustain
the rendering of the common version. - robe and diadem. A proverb
still in use among the Arabs is, " Knowledge is a diadem to a young
person, and a chain of gold about his neck."    Scott, referring to
Schultens.
18. -I shall die in my nest. Schultens remarks that the image is
taken from the eagle, who builds his nest on the summit of a rock.
Security is the point of resemblance intended. See ch. xxxix. 27, 28;
Numb. xxiv. 2; Obad. ver. 4.
19. My root is spread,,c. A tree planted by the rivers of waters,
and bringing forth its fruit in its season, is a beautiful emblem of prosperity. See Ps. i. 3. The dews, which fall very plentifully in the night,
contribute greatly to the nourishment of vegetables in those hot climates
where they have scarcely any rain during the summer. Scott.
20.  My glory is fresh. A flourishing evergreen was the image in the
preceding verse, and is carried on in this. - And my bow gathers strength
in my hand. By the state of the weapons commonly used, the Orientals
express the condition, as to strength or weakness, prosperity or adversity,
of the person who uses them. See Gen. xlix. 23, 24. The figure is very
common in Arabic poetry, as may be seen in Schultens' note upon this
verse.
22.  When my speech dropped down upon them. So Deut. xxxii. 2,
" My doctrine shall drop as the rain."  So Homer speaks of Nestor's
eloquence, Iliad, I. 249.:
Toi mrtl a;tn ylhtoaqg tAiro y2vxitv VesE1 acVild
Words, sweet as honey, from his lips distilled. Pope.
So also Milton, Par. Lost, II. 112.:
-     though his tongue
Dropt manna, &c.
23. They waited, 4-c.: i. e. They waited for my opinion with the same
eager desire with which the husbandman doth the showers after he hath
sown his seed; they gaped for it, as the thirsty earth doth for the latter
rain to plump the corn. Patrick.  Among the Egyptians, the heavens
pouring down rain or dew was the hieroglyphic of learning and instruction. Bu.rdrr.
24. If I smiled ttpon them., they belleved it not. The reverenc in




252                          NOTES.
which I was held was so great, that, if I laid aside my gravity and was
familiar with them, they could scarcely believe that they were so highly
honored; my very smiles were received with awe. - JVor did they cause
the light of my countenance to fall. In the Scriptures to lift up the light
of the countenance means to show favor. The opposite expression, therefore, to cause the light of the countenlance to fall, must mean to provoke
displeasure by unbecoming behavior; to bring a cloud upon the countenance.
25.  When I came among them: lit.    chose their way; the particle
DX being understood. Or rather it is a common idiom of the Hebrew to
omit the conditional particle, just as when in English one puts the verb before the pronoun. Smiled I upon them, then they believed it not.  Came
I among them, then I sat,'fc.
Ch. XXX. 1. -younger than I. The veneration paid to the aged by
the Orientals quickened their sensibility with respect to contempt and indignities offered by the young.
2. Of what use, -c.: i. e. If I have a mind to employ them, they are
so reduced and enfeebled by their wretched condition as to be incapable of
rendering me service. Old age, 4c.: i. e. who are so much emaciated by
famine, as to have no hope or prospect of old age.
3. — famished: IDl, primarily, hard; and is applied to a dry,
stony soil; and hence it denotes, barren, dry, emaciated, according to the
connection. It occurs in ch. xv. 84, and Is. xlix. 21. - The darkness of
desolate wastes: more literally, Darkness, wasting, and desolation; or,
The night of wasting and desolation. See note on ch. iii. 7. See Mere.
or Ges. upon tit2.
4. -purslain. It is most probable that it denotes the plant atriplex
halimus, or sea-orach, or purslain, which Dioscorides describes as a kind
of bramble without thorns, the leaves of which used to be boiled and
eaten. It has a saltish taste. nl.n is a denominative from nfn, salt.
So we have in English salad, and in French, German, Italian, salade,
salat, insalata.  See Harris's Nat. Hist. of the Bible, p. 285. — the
broom.   This is a plant abounding in the desert and sandy plains of
Egypt and Arabia. Its root is very bitter. See Ros.
8. - beaten: i. e. driven out with blows.
10. - spit before my face. The association between spitting and shame
is such now in the East that we can scarcely conceive of it. Monsieur
d'Arvieux tells us, " The Arabs are sometimes disposed to think, that,
when a person spits, it is done out of contempt; and they never do it
before their superiors."  But Sir J. Chardin's MS. goes much farther.




JOB.                             253
Ite tells us, in a note on Numb. xii. 14, that " spitting before any one, or
spitting upon the ground in speaking of any one's actions, is, through the
East, an expression of extreme detestation."  It was probably all that the
law required in Dent. xxv. 9. In3n  often denoting before one, in one's
presence. See Josh. xxi. 44, xxiii. 9; Esth. ix. 2. See Harmer's Observ.
ch. xi., obs. xcviii.
11. They let loose the reins, and humble me. They insult and afflict me
without restraint, and in an unbridled manner. Thus the meaning is the
same as that of the other clause of the verse.
12.- the brood. The youth are thus called by way of reproach. They
cast up against me their destructive ways. The metaphor is drawn from the
advance of a besieging army against a city.
13. They break up my path: i. e. They oppose all my plans, and hinder
me from taking any course for my relief or benefit. - They that have no
helper! Schultens has shown that the phrase, one who has no helper, was
proverbial amongst the Arabs, and denoted a worthless person, or one of the
lowest class. It is probably so used here.
15. They pursue my prosperity: i. e. They come upon me with unrelenting violence, destroying my peace. The image is borrowed from a person
buffeted by a violent storm.
16. -poureth itself out upon me. So in Ps. xlii. 4. In our language we
say that one is dissolved in grief. The foundation of the metaphor is, that
in excessive grief the mind loses, as it were, all consistence. The Arabians
style a fearful person one who has a watery heart, or whose heart melts away
like water.
17. - mny gnawers: i. e. my gnawing pains. Et qui'me comedunt non
dormniunt. Vulg.
18. - is my garnment changed: i. e. his skin which was affected by the
leprosy, so that he cou'd scarcely be recognised. Some, however, suppose
the meaning to be that his outer garment, the mantle, had become close
like the tunic. Schultens renders it, it (pain) hath become my garment.
IHe has shown that it is a common metaphor in Arabic poetry. It agrees
well with the parallel clause. - like the collar of my tunic.    The
allusion probably is to that kind of Eastern tunic which was seamless, and
all ofa piece, and had an opening at the top, with a sort of collar which
was fastened close around the neck. Comp. Exod. xxviii. 32.
19. - Iam become like, ~c.: i. e. more like a mass of inanimate matter
than a living man. See ch. ix. 31, and note.
20. I stand up. Standing being the usual posture of prayer amongst the
Hebrews, to stand, or stand up, is sometimes used for to pray, as Grotius
remarks in his note on Matt. vi. 5. See Gen. xviii 22; Jer. xv. 1. Scott




254                          NOTES.
22. Thoe lIftest me up, tic. He represents his miseries under the image
of a person caught up into the air by a tempest, and driven like stubble, or
like a cloud, by the wind. - Thou meltest me away: i. e. my strength of body
and mind. Thou leavest nothing solid or firm in me. Some think this to
be a continuation of the metaphor in the first clause, referring to a cloud,
which, having been driven about by the wind, melts away and disappears.
-in the storm: or more literally, the rattling, or clashing, or noise of tlhe
tempest. With considerable hesitation I have concluded to adopt this rendering, proposed by Stuhlmann, in his Translation published in Hamburg,
1804, as being on the whole more probable than any of the various meanings assigned to the Hebrew in ancient or modern versions. It is obtained
by altering the vowel points so as to read Il-ijtn, and regarding this as
equivalent to nY,"'J, or n.]gin, which is found in the plural in xxxv. 29,
referring to the noise, rattling, or clashing of Jehovah's tabernacle, and
xxxix. 7 referring to the shoutings of the driver, and in Is. xxii. 2 to the
tumult of a multitude, and in Zech. ix. 7 to shouts of joy, As to the omission of the R, which this rendering supposes, it occurs often in Job.
See xxii. 29, xxxi. 35, xxxiii. 17, xxxiv. 36, xxxix. 7. A considerable
number of modern Hebraists, such as Ewald, Heiligstedt, Hirzel, Schlottman, and others have adopted this rendering.  If it be liable to objections, are not other renderings liable to greater?  The rendering of the
Common Version- my substance, or the similar rendering — my safetymy strength, Arc. involves the unusual construction, Thou meltest me away
as to substance or safety, and besides is not in accordance with the preceding figure.
24. For a defence of this rendering, see Ros., and Ges. Lex. upon,..
It is also adopted by De Wette.
26. But when I looked, S-c. He expected to be made happy all his life,
through the divine benediction, on account of his charity and other virtues;
but, instead of that, he was made most miserable.
27. JMy bowels boil, &Sc. These expressions, in their literal meaning, describe the violent inward heat caused by his inflammatory disease. They
may likewise include the ferment of his mind ever since his afflictions came
upon him. The heart and the reins, in the Oriental figurative style, dr-notc
the thoughts and passions. Scott.
29. I am black, but not by the sun. His disease had made his complexion
as swarthy as that of the poor laborers in the field, who are exposed to the
scorching sun in tlat hot climate; and so sharp were his pains, that he was
obliged to shriek out, even in a public assembly.
29. I am become a brother to jackals: i. e. I am like the jackal with
respect to his mournfal cries. Dr. Shaw observes that jackals make a




JOB.                            255
hideous howling in the night. Dr. Pococke observes, in his note upon
Micah i. 8, "The ancient Syriac describes it by a word, which, in that
language, as their own authors tell us, signifies a kind of wild beast,
between a dog and a fox, or a wolf and a fox, which the Arabians call,
from the noise they make, Ebn.wi, or wawi, and our English travellers
and other Europeans, by a name borrowed from     the people of those
countries, where they are more known than in Europe, jackales, which,
abiding in the fields and waste places, make in the night a lamentable
howling noise, insomuch that travellers, unacquainted with them, would
think that a company of people, women or children, were howling one to
another, as none that have travelled in those parts of Syria, &c., can be
ignorant. This translation seems to carry more reason with it than the
rendering it dragons; because of the hissing of dragons, as of other
serpents, we hear and read, but nowhere in any creditable author of their
howling, or making such a noise as may be called wailing, or like to it."
See also th in Ges. Lex., and Harris's Nat. Hist. p. 113. - Jnd a companion to ostriches. Companion is used like brother in the preceding line,
to denote resemblance. See Ges. upon,'. "During the lonesome part
of the night," says Dr. Shaw, " they (the ostriches) make very doleful and
hideous noises; which would sometimes be like the roaring of a lion; at
other times it would bear a nearer resemblance to the hoarser voice of
other quadrupeds, particularly of the bull and the ox. I have often heard
them groan as if they were in the greatest agonies."  Shaw's Travels,
Vol. II. p. 348. 8vo.
30. -is black, and falleth from   me: lit. is black from  upon me.
Construct. Praeg.
31.  My harp, &c.     These were probably proverbial expressions,
denoting a change from happiness to misery.
Ch. XXXI. The apology of Job in this chapter, says Mr. Scott, which
turns chiefly on his behavior in private life, is not the effusion of vanity
and self-applause. It is, in regard to his antagonists, necessary selfdefence and solid refutation. Yet I think, from its connection with the
foregoing account of his sufferings, and from verses 35- 37, his favorite
design evidently is to show that God had multiplied his wounds withouv
cause. In this view he is chargeable with justifying himself more than
God; that is, with making his own cause to be more just than that of
Providence. If we except this fault, however, the picture which he has
drawn is a masterly piece of moral painting. Nothing can be more
finished and amiable than the character here represented. It is an
exemplificat on of the most disinterested virtue, inspired and ennobled by




.256                          NOTES.
the most rational and exalted piety. In short, this apology may be justly
styled a fine epitome of morality and religion.
1. How then, 4-c.: or, That I would not, fc.
6. Let him weigh me, ~-c. Some suppose this verse to be parenthetical,
and that the imprecation in verse 8 relates to verse 5, as well as to verse
7. Others, that this verse includes a tacit imprecation: Let him weigh
hme, -'c., and if I am found guilty, May he do so to me, and more also!
7. -from  the way: i. e. of rectitude. - Or if any stain: i. e. any
unjust gain. If I have taken the property of others by fraud or violence.
The Sept. renders the clause, If I have touched gifts with my hands: i. e.
taken bribes.
9. - a woman.   A woman here means a married woman. It stands
opposed to a maid in verse 1, and is rendered wife in ver. 10. - watched,
4'c., to see when the husband was absent, and when there was an opportunity for committing adultery.
10. Then let my wife grind for another: i. e. let her be his abject
slave. The ancients ground their corn with hand-mills. This was the
work of female servants. See Ex. xi. 5; Is. xlvii. 2; Matt. xxiv. 41.
* 12.  Yea, it were afire, 4'c. The conmmission of such a crime would
have provoked God to send destruction, like a consuming fire, upon my
family and estate. See Ps. lxxxiii. 14.
14. - riseth up: i. e. as a judge, to inquire into and punish the sins of
men.
16. Or caused the eyes of the widow to fail: i. e. If I refused her the
relief which she implored of me with earnest eyes.
17. Have I ealen my morsel alone?   " No sooner was our food prepared, whether it was potted flesh, boiled with rice, a lentil soup, the red
pottage, Gen. xxv. 30, or unleavened cakes, served up with oil or honey,
than one of the Arabs, after having placed himself on the highest spot of
ground in the neighborhood, calls out thrice with a loud voice to all their
brethren, the sons of the faithful, to come and partake of it, though none
of them were in view, or perhaps within a hundred miles of them."
Sharo's Travels, Vol. I. p. xx. Burckhardt informs us that in Kerek, a
city in Arabia, " when a stranger enters the town, the people almost come
to blows with one another, in their eagerness to have him for their guest;
and there are Turks who every other day kill a goat for this hospitable
purpose."
18. -helped the widow: lit. assisted her, the antecedent being in verse
16.
21. Because I saw my help in the gate: i. e. When, on account of
my influence in the courts of justice, I could commit any act of injustice
with impunity.
22..dd my fore-arm, c.c. There is a striking gtranleur in this im



JOB.                             257
precation on the arm that was lifted up to threaten an orphan in a court
of justice.  Scott. -from  its bone: i. e. from the upper arm, to which it
was appended.
26. If I have beheld, d&c. See Dent. iv. 19. Sabaism, or the worship
of the heavenly bodies, was doubtless the most ancient species of idolatry.
The Arabs went early into it. They adored the sun and moon, the planets,
and the fixed stars. See Encyclop. Amir.Art.  Sabaism.
27. And my mouth have kissed my hand.    Kissing the idol was an act
of religious homage.  The Mahometans, at the present day, in their
worship at Mecca, kiss the black stone, which is fastened in the corner of
the Beat-Allah, as often as they pass by it, in their rapid walks round that
sacred building. If they cannot come near enough to kiss it, they touch
it with their hand, and kiss that. This seems to be a remnant of the
ancient idolatry, though not practised as such by them. The heavenly
bodies, being at too great a distance for a salute of the mouth, their worshippers substituted kissing their own hands in place of that ceremony.
Scott. Minutius Felix (De Sacrif., cap. 2, ad fin.) remarks, that, when
Caecilius observed the statue of Serapis, " according to the custom of the
superstitious vulgar, he moved his hand to his mouth, and kissed it with
his lips."
32.  The stranger, 4c. See note on ver. 17.
33. -after the manner of men. See Is. viii. 1; Ps. Ixxxii. 7. Otherwise, Have I, like Adam, hidden my transgressions.
34. I have followed Schultens, Dathe, and Scott, in rendering this
verse in the imprecatory form. Some confine the imprecation to the last
line of the verse.
35 - 37. Job here renews the wish, which he had expressed in ch. xvii.
3, and elsewhere, that God would enter into judgment with him. He is
convinced that the result of a trial would be honorable to him. " Bolder
words than these Job had not uttered in the whole dispute. These provoked Elihu to renew the debate, and these are the expressions for which
the Almighty chiefly reprimanded him, in ch. xl. 2, 8, taking little or no
notice of the rest." JMichaelis.
35. - signature, lit. This is the name of the Hebrew letter n, which
has the form of a cross in the Phoenician Alphabet, and on the coins of
the Maccabees. See in Stuart's Grammar the Hebrew coin-letter. This
mark, or cross, was used, probably, to denote the name of the person who
used it, when he was unable to write his name. Hence it denotes a subscription to a writing of complaint or defence, or, by metonymy, the
writing itself, as in this passage. I should understand it here a bill of
d-fence, rather than of complaint, as Ges. explains it. Job hardly goes
so flir as to offer to bring a bill of complaint against God. It is more
probable that he offers a bill of defence, and invites the Deity to answer




258                         NOTES.
him, i. e. to refute what he has said in his defence, if he can, and to bring
what charges he can against him. — And let mine adversary, c.: i. e.
Let the Almighty, as adversary or opponent in court, charge me with any
sins on account of which I suffer my extraordinary afflictions.
36. Truly I would wear it upon my shoulder, 4-c.: i. e. Instead of
being ashamed of it, or endeavoring to conceal it, I would wear it as an
ornament about my person. I would glory in it, as affording me the long
desired opportunity of vindicating my character.
37. - all my steps: i. e. the whole course of my life. - I would approach him like a prince: i. e. with confidence and cheerfulness, as being
conscious of innocence, and not as a self-condemned malefactor, as I am
regarded by my friends.
38 - 40. It is not improbable that these verses have accidentally been
transferred from their original place in the chapter, and that the speech
of Job ended with verse 37. The natural place for the passage, according
to modern ideas of arrangement, would be after verse 23 or 25.
38. - cry out against me: i. e. to God for vengeance, because I have
obtained it from its rightful owners by fraud or violence. See Gen. iv. 10;
Hab. ii. 11. - bewail together: i. e. of my injustice in keeping the land
dishonestly acquired.
39. - without payment: i. e. without paying the price which I promised
to give the owner of the land. Or, without paying the laborers their
wages. - A.nd wrung out the life of its owners: Literally, caused the life
of the owners to breathe forth: i. e. by depriving them of their land;
drained their life-blood, as we should say. The common version gives the
literal meaning of the words. But the expression is probably hyperbolical,
meaning to inflict great distress.
40. - noxious weeds:'IitmK, from ttiM, to have a bad smell. So the
r  v
Chald.
XXI.
WITH chapter thirty-second commences a new division of the poem, the
design of which seems to be to prepare the way for the appearance of the
Deity in the latter part of it. A new speaker is introduced, of whose
extraction, and of whose motives for renewing the debate, an account is
given in the first five verses. In the last chapter Job had triumphantly
closed his defence against the accusations of his friends, and they are




JOB.                            259
now represented as renouncing the discussion with him, " because he
was righteous in his own eyes; " that is, because he contended that he
had been guilty of no wickedness which could call down upon him the
heavy vengeance of God. Elihu now steps forward, as a sort of mediator,
or arbiter in the controversy.  lHe expresses his dissatisfaction with
both parties; with Job, " because he had pronounced himself righteous,
rather than God," that is, because he had defended so vehemently the
justice'of his own cause, that he seemed in some measure to arraign the
justice of God; and with the three friends "' because they had not found
an answer, and yet had condemned Job;" that is, they had concluded, in
their own minds, that Job was impious and wicked, although they had
nothing specific to object against his assertions of his own innocence, or
upon which they might safely ground their accusation.
Elihu professes, after a slight prefatory mention of himself, to reason
with Job, unbiassed either by favor or resentment. He therefore reproves
Job from his own mouth, because he had attributed too much to himself;
because he had insisted too strongly upon his freedom from guilt and depravity; because he had presumed to contend with God, and had not
scrupled to insinuate that the Deity was hostile to him. He asserts that it
is not necessary for God to explain and develop his counsels to men; that
he takes many occasions of admonishing them, not only by visions and
revelations, but also by the visitations of his providence, by sending
calamities and diseases upon them, in order to repress their arrogance, and
turn them from those evil purposes which would end in their ruin. He
seems to regard afflictions, not as punishment for past offences, nor as
evidence of a guilty character; but rather as preventives of those sins
which the best men sometimes commit, and as salutary discipline for the
correction of those faults of which a man may be unconscious, until his
attention is awakened by adversity. Ch. xxxiii. He next rebukes Job,
because he had pronounced himself innocent, and affirmed that God had
acted inimically, if not unjustly, towards him. He brings forward various
considerations to show that the Governor of the world can do nothing inconsistent with justice and benevolence. From these considerations he
infers the duty of a man in Job's situation. Ch. xxxiv. He then objects
to Job, that, from the miseries of the good and the prosperity of the
wicked, he has falsely and perversely concluded that there is no advantage
to be derived from the practice of virtue. On the contrary, he affirms,
that, when the afflictions of the just continue, it is because they do not
place a proper confidence in God, ask relief at his hands, patiently expect
it, nor demean themselves before him with becoming humility and submission. This observation alone, he adds very properly, (xxxv. 4,) is at
once a sufficient reproof of the contumacy of Job, and a full refutation of
the unjust suspicions of his friends. Ch. xxxv. Lastly, he explains the




260                         NOTES.
purposes of the Deity in chastening men, which are, in general, to prove
and amend them, to repress their arrogance, to afford him an opportunity
of exemplifying his justice upon the obstinate and rebellious, and of showing favor to the humble and obedient. He supposes God to have acted in
this manner towards Job; on this account he exhorts him to humble himself before his righteous Judge, to beware of appearing obstinate or contuinacious in his sight, and of relapsing into a repetition of his sin. He
entreats him, from the contemplation of the divine power and majesty, to
endeavor to retain a proper reverence for the Almighty, and to submit to
his mysterious allotments. Ch. xxxvi., xxxvii. To these frequently intermitted and often repeated admonitions of Elihu, Job makes no reply.
Lowth. Bouillier observes that Elihu did not hit upon the precise cause
of Job's afflictions, though he gave a more rational conjecture than the
three friends of Job. Thus one purpose of the poet is answered, viz. that
of showing, that it is better to submit to the wisdom of Providence than
curiously to pry into it
Ch. XXXII. 2. Then was kindled the wrath. These expressions do
not mean that he was in a passion. They are the strong Oriental manner
of denoting high disapprobation. At most, they signify no more than a
becoming warmth. Scott. - Elihu... the Buzite. We know nothing
more of Elihu than is here mentioned. Buz was the second son of Nahor,
the brother of Abraham; and the city of this name, probably derived
from the same family, is mentioned in Jer. xxv. 23, in conjunction with
Dedan, which we know to have been in Idumaea. Good.
4. - till Job had spoken: Supply, and his three friends.
8. - the spirit in man. By supposing alh' to mean the divine spirit,
so as to be synonymous with the inspiration of the Almighty, in the other
clause of the verse, the parallelism is preserved, and a sense well suited
to the connection afforded. Having said, in the preceding verse, that he
had expected to find wisdom in age and in experience, he now intimates
that he is disappointed; that he finds that wisdom is not the attribute of
age or station; that it is the gift of God; and that what is denied to the
great and the aged may be found in a youth. The expressions, the
spirit, and the inspiration of the Almighty, may denote the divine gift of
natural genius and endowments, or extraordinary illumination from the
Father of lights. The connection seems to be in favor of the latter sense
here. The ancients used to ascribe all extraordinary endowments to divine:
assistance. Thus in Homer, a person is wise by the assistance of Minerv;a,
&c. Milton has a similar sentiment in the preface to the Reason of Church
Government, urged against Prelaty: " And if any man think I undertake a task too difficult for my years, I trust, through the supreme en



JOB.                            261
lightening assistance, far otherwise; for my years, be they few or many,
what imports it? So they bring reason, let that be looked on."  Some
render the verse thus:
There is, indeed, a spirit in man;
But it is the inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding.
13.  God must conquer him, not man: i. e. Do not excuse your ceasing
to reply, by alleging that the wisest course which can be taken with Job
is to leave him to be humbled by God, as being too obstinate to be re
claimed by man. So Scott, though not with the best taste,
Say not, "'T is wisdom that we leave to God
To humble this stiff sinner with his rod! "
Otherwise, God hath thrust him down, not man: i. e. Say not thatye have
gone to the root of the matter, and proposed an unanswerable argument
against Job, and proved him to be a bad man, by the assertion that his
misery is inflicted by a just God. So Mere.
14..ind with speeches like yours will I not answer him.    Their
speeches were levelled against his whole moral character, aiming to prove
him a wicked man from the similarity of his sufferings to those of notoriously wicked men. Elihu takes another course. He limits his censure
to Job's answers in this dispute. He fixes upon some of the most obnoxious passages, such as seemed to betray too high conceit of his own virtue,
want of respect to God, and dishonorable sentiments of Providence, and
takes occasion from these passages to vindicate the divine goodness, equity,
and justice. Scott.
15. They were confounded! 4c. Elihu here ridicules the friends of
Job, because they were unable to answer him. Some suppose that Elihu
here addresses an audience who were listening to the discussion, and desires them to observe the confusion of the three friends. There is no
objection to this explanation, except that it is unnecessary. For the third
person is often used for the first or second in Hebrew poetry, and particularly when censure or contempt is expressed. See ch. xiii. 28, xviii.
4, xli. 9.
18.  The spirit within: i. e. My soul, which is full of ardor, and
powerfully impelled to make known my views.
19. Like bottles of new wine: literally, new bottles. These bottles,
being made of skin, were liable to burst, when they had become old, and
were filled with new wine. See Mat. ix. 17.
21. I will not be partial, 4c.: i. e. I will deliver my sentiments with
freedom and impartiality.
22. - take me away: i. e. destroy me.




262                         NOTES.
Ch. XXXIII    3. -- knowledge purely: This may mean that he utters
what he knows sincerely, or that he gives a true view of the subject.
4. The spirit of God made me, jc.: i. e. I am thy fellow-creature, dependent like thee upon God, and therefore fit to discourse with thee upon
equal terms.
6. Behold, I, like thee, am a creature of God. Lit. I, like thee, am
by God, i. e. created by God. This meaning accords with that of the
parallel claise. He intimates that Job might engage him upon equal
terms, having nothing to fear but the strength of his arguments.
7. Behold, my terror, ic.: i. e. You are in no danger of being confounded by the terror of my appearance, or of being borne down by the
weight of my authority. In order to see the force of this declaration, we
must call to mind the bold challenge of Job in ch. ix. 34, 35, xiii. 20 - 22.
9. 1 am pure, and without transgression. Job had not used these
very expressions, but he had used others equivalent to them, in ch. ix.
30, x. 7, xiii. 23, xvi. 17.
10. Behold, he seeketh causes of hostility against me, fC. See Gcs.
upon n'M3, and Ros. He refers to the language of Job in ch. xiii. 24,
25, xiv. 16, 17, xix. 11.
11. He putteth myfeet, 3c. See ch. xiii. 27.
12. Behold, in this thou art not right: i. e. Your language to the
Deity is wholly inexcusable. It is inconsistent with the reverence which
is due to so great a Being. - God is greater than man. " This is one
of those expressions which imply much more than is expressed. There is
a kind of ironical castigation in it. As if he had said, " You talk to God
as an equal; but methinks he is somewhat superior to us."  Scott.
13.  Why dost thou, 4c. To convince Job how culpable his behavior
is, Elihu argues that it is irreverent and fruitless. God, says he, will
never stoop to defend his measures against murmurers, nor will he communicate the reasons of them to those who cavil at his dispensations.
Scott.
14. For God speaketh, 4c.    He alleges another argument against
striving with God. There is no just cause for it. God has sufficiently
manifested his goodness and care of mankind, by the methods which he
takes to show them their duty, to recover them from their wanderings,
and thereby to save them from destruction. Scott.
16. - sealeth up, 4c.: i. e. secretly admonishes them.
17.  Ind hide pride from  man.   Pride may comprehend insolence
towards God and towards man. But I apprehend that Elihu had his eye
on the former; and that he glances at Job's too high opinion of his own
rectitude and merit, which gave rise to his complaints against God.
Scott.




JOB.                            263
18, 22. -his life - his soul. These words denote the person himself,
and are equivalent to the personal pronoun he. See Stuart's Gram. ~ 186.
22. - the destroyers: i. e. angels of death, or the instruments or causes
of death generally.
23. - a messenger, an interpreter:,Y'      n. Some render these
words a mediating angel, so called from being the medium of communication between God and man. As Satan is represented as going round -the
earth, and accusing the pious before God, it is said to be natural that
good angels should be employed on errands of mercy. This may be the
true meaning. But as a prophet or religious teacher is often called by
this name, (see Eccl. v. 6; Hag. i. 13; Mal. ii. 7,) and is the usual person employed for the instruction of men, it is most probable that such a
person is denoted here. Elihu may refer to himself, and to the office
which he was then performing towards Job. Throughout his speech he is
represented as thinking very highly of himself, and I am persuaded that
he was thinking of himself here. - an interpreter: i. e. a teacher, one
who makes known the will of God. -one of a thousand: i. e. a rare
person, one well qualified to be a religious monitor. See Eccl. vii. 28.
— his duty: i. e. what reason and religion require of a man in his situa,
tion; repentance, submission, and prayer to God for pardon. In Cranmer's Bible, to show him the right way. The instruction is supposed to
be effectual, as appears from the following verses.
24. - and say, Save him: i. e. he shall be saved. - I have found a
ransom: i. e. I am satisfied with his repentance; he has been sufficiently
humbled by his afflictions. Whatever is a means of averting punishment,
or of procuring deliverance from evil, and conciliating the divine favor, is
termed in Scripture a ransom, or atonement. The intercession of Moses
and the act of Phineas are so called, and here the sick man's repentance.
See Ex. xxxii. 30; Numb. xxv. 13. So Ecclesiasticus xxxv. 3, " To
depart from wickedness is a thing pleasing to the Lord; and to forsake
unrighteousness is a propitiation " (it:laoac!t).
26. -to see hisface, fc.: i. e. to enjoy his favor. The expression is
borrowed from  Oriental ideas respecting kings and great men; to be
admitted into whose presence, or to see whose faces, was esteemed a mark
of favor. a privilege. - J.nd restore unto man his innocence: i. e. regard
and treat him as innocent.
27. He shall sing. See Ges. upon  t/i.
29.  2ime after time: lit.  Twice and thrice. The Sept. renders it,
6Sovds'rQoc, three ways, referring to three ways in which men are said to
be admonished, viz. by dreams, ver. 15, by sickness, ver. 19, and by a
religious teacher, ver. 23.




264                         NOTES.
Ch. XXXI V. 6. - I an m7rale a liar: i e. I am regarded as a wicked
man on account of my misery, notwithstanding my innocence. See ch.
xvi. 8. - My wound, fc. See ch. ix. 17.
8.  Who goeth in company, bc.: i. e. Who speaks like the wicked
men, who call Providence in question.
"Marmoreo tumulo Licinus jacet, at Cato nullo;
Pompeius parvo. Quis putet esse Deos? "
9. J man hath no advantage, &c. Job had not used this language;
but in ch. ix. 22, and ch. xxi., he had expressed nearly the same sentiment.
13.  Who hath given him the charge, &c. Elihu's first argument, to
prove that God cannot be unjust, is taken from his independence. Were
God a subordinate governor, he might be tempted to commit injuries, to
gratify the avarice or resentment of his superior. Scott.
14. Should he set his heart against man: i. e. Should he deal severely
with him. His second argument is from the divine benevolence. If God
were unjust, revengeful, and cruel, the earth would be a dreadful scene
of universal desolation. So in Wisdom of Sol. xi. 24-26, " For thou
lovest all things that are, and abhorrest nothing which thou hast made;
for never wouldst thou have made anything, if thou hadst hated it. And
how could anything have endured, if it had not been thy will; or been
preserved, if not called by thee? But thou sparest all; for they are thine,
O Lord, thou lover of souls!"  Others render the line, If he had regard
for himself alone.
17. Shall he, that hateth justice, govern? The argument is similar to
that of Abraham, " Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right? " Gen.
xvii. 25. If God were unjust, there would be nothing but disorder and
confusion in the world.
19. HJw much less, 4fc. So Wisdom of Sol vi. 7, 8, " For he who is
Lord over all shall fear no man's person, neither shall he stand in awe of
any man's greatness; for he hath made the small and great, and careth
for all alike. But a sore trial shall come upon the mighty."
20. - yea, at midnight, 4c. The allusion seems to be to some capital
city overthrown by an earthquake. - and pass away: i. e. into the grave.
-without hand: i. e. by no human hand; by the invisible power of God.
See Lam. iv 6; Dan. ii. 34.
23. He needeth not attend long to a man: lit.'He doth not fix his
miild long upon a man; i:.3 being understood after  Dtn'. So Ges.,
Dathe, and Ros. The circumstance is mentioned to illustrate the omniscience of God, and the suddenness with which he often inflicts punishment. He, in whose sight all things are naked and open, has no need of




JOB.                           265
a long and formal examination into a man's character before he proceeds
to punish him.
21. - without inquiry: i. e. without judicial investigation, such as must
be resorted to by men.
26. In the presence, &c.: lit. In the place of spectators.
28..And caused, 4c. Others render, So that he (God) caused the cry
of the poor to come upon them.
29.  lind wohen he hideth his face, who can behold him? i. e. When he
withdraws his favor, who can expect or obtain help from him?
31, 32. It is observed by Scott that the petition and confession, which
Elihu recommends to Job, would be highly improper for one who knows
himself to be guilty of heinous crimes, but highly fit for a person who,
though good in the main, has reason to suspect somewhat amiss in his
temper and conduct, for which God is displeased with him. It appears
plainly that Elihu did not suppose Job to be a wicked man, suffering for
his oppressions, bribery, inhumanity, and impiety, with which his three
friends had charged him.
33. - and not he: lit. and not I; by Mimesis. See Glass. p. 315;
Stuart's Gram. ~ 212; ch. xviii. 4; xxxv. 3.
36, - i. e. that he may not'cease to be tried with afflictions, until he is
humble or penitent.
Ch. XXXV. 2. I am more righteous than God. Job had not used
these words; but this was the amount of his complaints against God, and
his justification of himself. See ch. ix. 30-35, x. 15.
8. He had already brought the charge contained in this verse, in ch.
xxxiv. 9. But there he censured the complaint of Job, as an arraignment of the justice of God. Here it is considered as implying that God
was under obligation to him. The charge is, that Job had in effect said:
I have been more just to God than he hath been to me. I have discharged
my duty to him, but have not met with a proper return from him. My
innocence hath been of no advantage to me. Elihu replies, first, that so
great a Being cannot possibly be hurt by the sins, or benefited by the
services, of men; and, secondly, that our vice and virtue can harm or
profit our fellow-mortals only. Scott.
4. - thy companions: i. e. those who entertain the same unworthy
sentiments of God and his providence.
5. Look up to the heavens, 64c. This is a sublime sentiment in a plain
dress. One view, says he, of the magnificent scenery of the lofty sky will
extinguish all low conceptions of its almighty Author. It will strike the
mind with a vast idea of his infinite superiority to all other beings, and of
the impossibility of his gaining or suffering by the good or bad behavior
of his reasonable creatures. Scott.
12




266                          NOTES.
9. The oppressed cry out, ~c. He now passes to another topic, viz.
Job's complaint of God's disregard of the numerous oppressions committed
in the world, the authors of which he suffers to escape with impunity.
Elihu replies, that when God avenges not the oppressed it is owing to their
want of piety. He neglects them, because they neglect him. They murmur, but they do not pray. They are clamorous, but they are not humble.
This seems an oblique hint to Job that the continuation of his sufferings
was owing to his unsubmitting behavior. Scott.
10.  Who giveth songs in the night. Songs are thanksgivings to God
for deliverance. The term night metaphorically denotes affliction, as in
ch. xxxiv. 25.
14. Much less: i. e. shalt thou be heard. He alludes to the'complaints
of Job in ch. xxiii. 8, &c. - Jistice is with him, 6-c.: i. e. Although
thou complainest that God does not appear to thee for thy deliverance, yet
be assured that thy cause is known to him, and that thou shalt receive
justice from him, if thou wilt only commit thyself to him.
15. transgressions. See Ges. upon i   s3. ncZaQrwLcu a, Sept. and Theodotion; naCarezrtcaT, Symmachus; scelus, Vulg.      Dr. Durell thinks
Li3. to be a corruption for yti.3. Some suppose that he refers to the
transgressions of Job by this expression, particularly to his irreverent
speeches, &c. Others, that he refers to the transgressions of the wicked,
which Job had asserted to be committed with impunity.
Ch. XXXVI. 3. I will brinf my knowledge from      afar: i. e. from
remote times, places, and things. I will not confine my discourse to thy
particular case, but will justify God by declaring his great and glorious
works of creation and providence, both in heaven and earth, and his
manner of dealing with men in other parts and ages of the world. Poole.
4. AJ man of sound knowledge. Elihu refers to himself, and means
that he is unbiassed by prejudice, and will not seek to baffle Job by
sophistical arguments.
5. — but despiseth not.any. He may refer to Job's expressions in ch.
x. 3, &c.
12. -  the sword: i. e. the sword of divine justice.
13. - treasure up wrath. This may mean that they retain anger, or
persevere in the exercise of angry feelings, or that they treasure up the
wrath of God against them. See Rom. ii. 5. -when he bindeth them:
i. e. bringeth affliction upon them. See verse 8.
14. with the unclean.,       Se Ges. See d verb.
20. -that night: i. e. the night of death. He warns him   against
impatient wishes for death, and murmuring against God.
21. But let thy sufferings teach thee caution, and make thee afraid to




JO.                          267
go on to provoke offended justice; for thou hast done it too much already,
in choosing rather to accuse divine Providence than to submit patiently to
his chastisements. Patrick.
22.  Who is a teacher like him?'    a lo a-Tr xuz' uv rov,v'0aT,?s;
Sept. Et nallus ei similis ir legislatoribus. Vulg. The object of the
remaining portion of Elihu's discourse appears to be to convince Job of
his ignorance of the ways of Providence, by his ignorance of the works of
creation, and to humble him for finding fault with what he did not and
could not understand.
24.: -his work: i. e. that which he does in the natural world, according to the following description. - celebrate with songs. f^,n. See ch.
xxxiii.; 27. de quo cecinerunt viri. Vulg. quod laudaverunt viri justi.
Chald. See Schult. and Ges.
27. - draweth up the drops of water: i. e. by means of the sun, which
changes water into vapor, and causes it to ascend into the air. - Which
distil rain: i. e. These minute particles of water, drawn up by the sun
in the form of vapor,form, or, more literally, pour out, rain.
29..nd the rattling of his pavilion: i. e. the thunder.  By his
pavilion, or tabernacle, the clouds are intended. See Ps. xviii. 11.
30. -his light. See Ps. civ. 2. - And he clolheth himself wzth the
depths of the sea: i. e. which he draws up to heaven, and forms into the
dark clouds which are his habitation. l'by is to be supplied from the preT T
ceding line.  Comp. ver. 32. Otherwise, And he covereth the bottom of
the sea: i. e. with darkness. The power of God in the highest and the
lowest regions is denoted.
31. By these: i. e. the clouds, rain, &c.
33. His thunder, jc.   Lit. His noise maketh known concerning
him, Yea, to the herds concerning him, who ascendeth on high.  i. e.
the thunder proclaims God even to the herds as he ascends in the tempest
This rendering adopted by Ges., Hitzig, and De Wette, seems closer to th
original than any previous one.  Though not entirely satisfactory, i
may be accepted as the most probable.
Ch. XXXVII. 1. At this, i. e. the thunder, lightning, &c., of which
he was speaking.
2. Hear, 4c. Some suppose, that, while Elihu was speaking, thunder
is represented as being heard, and the tempest as begun, from which the
Deity was about to address Job.
4. And restraineth it noot: i. e. The lightning.
7. He sealeth up, fc.: i e. The labors of the field are interrupted in
consequence of these heavy and continual rains, and the husbandmen
remain at home, with their hands, as it were, in their bosom. - men whom.




268                          NOTES.
he hath made: lit. men of his work. - may acknowledge him; or may
have knowledge; viz. of their dependence upon the mighty power of God;
or, that it is he who commands the snow, &c.
9. -the South: lit. the secret chamber. See ix. 9.
10. - breath of God. The air seems to have been regarded as put in
motion by the breath of God, and hence this appellation is given to the
wind, here a cold wind. When the ice is formed, the water is regarded as
contracted; or what remains of it is brought into a narrower compass.
But some regard the parallelism of this verse as antithetical, and suppose
the meaning to be that the breath of God forms ice by cold winds, and
dries up the waters by hot winds, like the Simoon.
12.  They move about: i. e. The clouds, rain, lightning, &c.
13.  Orfor the land: i. e. what is necessary, in the course of nature,
for fertilizing the earth.
16. - the balancing of the clouds: i. e. how the clouds are suspended
in the air in such a variety of forms, and are not borne to the ground by the
weight of water which they contain. From our ignorance of the works of
nature, Elihu infers our incapacity of judging of the divine counsels. The
same kind of reasoning is pursued in the Essay on Man:
Presumptuous man! the reason wouldst thou find,
Why formed so weak, so little, and so blind?
Ask of thy mother earth, why oaks were made
Taller or stronger than the weeds they shade;
Or ask of yonder argent fields above,
Why Jove's satellites are less than Jove.
18. -firm  like a moltens mirror. It must be recollected that mirrors
in ancient times were made of metal highly polished. It may be asked,
what conception the author of Job entertained respecting the sky, which
~led him to describe it as firm like a molten mirror. It has been thought
that in the book of Genesis the firmament, or blue vault of heaven, is
represented as a solid surface, in which the stars are fixed at equal distances from the earth. The chief support of that opinion is, I think, to be
derived not so much from the Hebrew term itself, as from the circumstance that a body of waters, like a sea or ocean, seems to be represented
as resting upon the firmament, which God made. Comp. Ps. cxlviii. 4.
The Hebrew term J']'p, firmament, may denote a solid body, as it were,
hammered out, or, secondarily, any substance spread out. See Ges. Lex.
ad verb.
19.  Teach us, &c. This seems to be addressed to Job ironically, by
way of reproof for his presumption; as if he had said, We should like to
learn from you, you are so well acquainted with the character and pur



JOB.                            269
poses of God, in what manner we should address him or discourse with
him. — darkness: i. e. the darkness of our minds, or of the subject,
or both.
20. If I should speak,,c.: i. e. Will any one venture to repeat to him
my discourses, if I undertake to complain of the ways of Providence? If
any one should carry my complaints to his ear, he would certainly be destroyed for his rashness.
21. If the splendor of the firmament, illuminated by the sun, is too
bright for man to behold, how can he endure the glorious majesty of its
Author 
22. From the North cometh gold. This is the literal rendering;'and,
as the ancients regarded the regions of the North as the peculiar place for
gold, Herod. III. 116, Plin. Nat. Hist. 6, 11, 33, 4, we need not seek a
figurative sense, however well such a sense might meet the connection.
It is rather harsh to use gold to denote golden brightness: harsher still to
make the North denote the Northern hemisphere, or sky.  The idea is
that men can find out where gold is even in the most distant regions, and
procure it; but cannot comprehend God, or endure his majesty. Comp.
ch. xxviii.
23. The Almighty, Tc. This sentiment seems to be the conclusion of
the whole discourse in vindication of God. We know but very little of his
nature and designs, and it is wrong to censure what we do not understand
in his dispensations; especially, since we have abundant proof of his justice and goodness. -he doth not oppress: otherwise, he giveth no account
of his doings,,cc. Instead of ^I7y, some ancient and valuable manuscripts
read;,71W. See xxxiii. 13.
24. Upon none of the wise in heart will he look: i. e. who confide too much
in their wisdom.  I prefer the present rendering of this ambiguous line,
because it better suits the parallelism. Otherwise, Whom none of the wise
in heart can behold: i. e. they cannot endure the brightness of his majesty.
See Ros. ad loc.
XXII.
WHILST Elihu was yet speaking, Jehovah himself is represented as interposing, and addressing Job from the midst of a tempest. He does not,
however, at first, address him in the language of encouragement and approhation, which Job's consciousness of integrity had led him to anticipate.
Job had defended a good cause in an improper manner. The design of
this discourse of the Almighty is, therefore, to reprove his complaints re.




270                          NOTES.
specting the ways of Providence; to bring him into a proper temper of
mind, and thus to prepare the way for his final vindication.  Jehovah
does not condescend to explain or vindicate the ways of his providence,
but aims to convince Job of his inability to judge of them. He requires
him, who had spoken so rashly of the divine counsels, to give an explanation of some of the works of nature which are constantly presented to his
view; of the nature and structure of the earth, the sea, the light, and the
animal kingdom. If he were unable to explain any one of the most common phenomena of nature, it followed that he was guilty of great presumption in finding fault with the secret counsels and moral government of God.
He then pauses for an answer from Job.
Ch. XXXVIII. 2.- that darkeneth counsel: viz. my counsels or purposes, i. e. speaketh of them in an obscure, erroneous, and improper manner. Gesenius supposes that to darken is a metaphorical expression for to
censure.
7.  When the morning-stars, Ac.  It was the custom to celebrate the
laying of the corner-stone of an important building with music, songs,
shouting, &c. See Zech. iv. 7; Ezra iii. 10, 11. Hence the morning-stars
are represented as celebrating the laying of the corner-stone of the earth.
They are called morning-stars on account of the greater brightness which
they have just before the dawn. Some suppose that morning-stars denote
angels, and that the expression has the same meaning as sons of God in the
next line.
12. Hast thou, in thy life, given charge to the morning, A-c. The transition
fiom the sea to the morning is not so abrupt as it appears. For the ancients supposed that the sun sets in the ocean, and at his rising comes out
of it again. The morning and day-spring seem to mean the same thing;
and the regularity of the appearance of the morning in the east is here referred to.
13. That it should lay hold, t-c. The first light of the sun, as it strikes
upon the verge of the horizon, is represented as laying hold of the ends of
the earth, and shaking the wicked out of it, as dust from a sack; light being
hostile to thieves and malefactors of every kind, as darkness is favorable to
them. See ch. xxiv. 14 - 17.
14. It is changed, pc.: i. e. The earth, which in the darkness of night is
a mere blank, but which, when illuminated by the sun, exhibits a great variety of beautiful objects, and appears like sealing-clay which has received the
stamp of the seal. - And all things stand forth as in rich apparel. See Cocc.
Comment., and Ges. upon  -JlI.. Otherwise, And they (the morning and
day-spring) cone forth as a garment upon it.
15. — their light is wiihheld. Darkness is the light of the wicked, i. e.
that which enables them  to accomplish their evil designs.  Thus the




JOB.                            271
strength and courage of the wicked are prostrated by the light, which
discovers their evil practices.
17. - gates of death: i. e. of hades, the under-world.
19, 20. For similar conceptions see Hesiod, Theog, 748.
24. - light: i. e. the light of the rising sun, which, in a moment, as it
were, pervades and illuminates the whole hemisphere.
27. The word     ybD probably denotes growth, not bud, and may be
omitted in the connection. Literally, Jind cause the growth of the tender
herb to spring forth.
31. -fasten the bands, <fc. Here niYJqy   is supposed to be by metathesis the same as ni.nyo, from'lt, to tie, to bind. In support of this rendering, Ges. observes that the Asiatic poets often speak of the band of the
Pleiades. The Sept. has it, &E^Ol,   IHEiLUog' and the Chald.,''Tti, chains.
-the Pleiads (in Hebrew, Chimah: i. e. a heap, a term corresponding
to what we call a cluster) are a constellation in- the sign Taurus, and make
their appearance early in the spring; hence they were called by the Romans Vergilice. - Orion (Chesil, in Heb., i. e. the fool,or impious one)
made its appearance early in the winter, and was considered the precursor
of storms and tempests, and is hence called by Virgil nimbosus Orion..En. I. 535. According to the rendering sweet influences, as in the common version, the meaning is, Canst thou forbid the sweet flowers to come
forth, when the Seven Stars arise in the spring? or open the earth for the
husbandman's labor, when the winter season, at the rising of Orion, ties
up their hands? Patrick. But the purport of the questions evidently is
to ask Job whether his power could do what is actually done by the
Almighty.
32. - the Signs. nl'TIUP, equivalent to nit.T, lodgings, viz. of the sun,
in the twelve successive months of his course; thus denoting the twelve
signs of the zodiac. - the Bear with his sons. Bear is not the literal
meaning of the Hebrew,i, which rather denotes a bier, which is the
name given by the modern Arabians to the constellation of the Great
Bear. They also call the three stars in its tail daughters of the bier. Here
these three stars are called sons. See.Jiebuhr's Description of Arabia,
pp. 113, 114.
33. - ordinances of the heavens: i. e. the laws regulating the places,
motions, and operations of the heavenly bodies. — their domniazon: i. e.
the influence which they have in producing the changes of the seasons.
36. The transition from the phenomena of the heavens to the mind of
man appeared so great, that in the first edition I departed, with others,
from the usual meaning of the words, rendering this verse, Who hath im



272                         NOTES.
parted understanding to clouds, and given to meteors intelligence? the words
being supposed to denote the regularity of the clouds in coming and
going, and affording the due proportion of rain to the earth. I now regard
the rendering clouds and meteors far too uncertain to be adopted.  For
nin5 plainly denotes reins, in Ps. li. 8. Besides, if we suppose the reference to be to the mind of Job in particular, the intelligence with which
he was able to see and admire all the phenomena which had been recounted,
the transition will not appear so very violent. See Ges. Lex. ad verb.
nino and'~i3.
37. Who numbereth the clouds, &c. The collecting and arrangement of
the clouds are expressed by a metaphor taken from a civil or military enrolment. See Ps. cxlvii. 4; 2 Sam. xxiv. 10.' The clouds are metaphorically
called bottles, as containing rain.
38. -flows into a molten mass: i. e. when, on account of the copious rains,
the dry dust melts, as it were, into one mass.
41. -the raven. Bochart observes that the raven expels his young from
the nest as soon as they are able to fly. In this condition, being unable to
obtain food by their own exertions, they make a croaking noise; and God is
said to hear it, and to supply their wants.
Ch. XXXIX. 1. -wild goats: i. e. the ibex or mountain-goat. It is,
no doubt, the same kind of goat as that described by Burckhardt, in his
Travels in Syria, p. 571: "As we approached the summit of the mountain, (St. Catherine, adjacent to Mount Sinai,) we saw at a distance a
small flock of mountain-goats feeding among the rocks. One of our Arabs
left us, and by a widely circuitous route endeavored to get to the leeward
of them, and near enough to fire at them; he enjoined us to remain in
sight of them, and to sit down in order not to alarm them. He had nearly
reached a favorable spot behind a rock, when the goats suddenly took to
flight. They could not have seen the Arab; but the wind changed, and
thus they smelt him. The chase of the beden, as the wild goat is called,
resembles that of the chamois of the Alps, and requires as much enterprise
and patience."
3. - their pains: i. e. their young, which cause their pains.
5. The following account of the wild ass is given in Robinson's Calmet,
on the authority of the Russian professors, Pallas and Gmelin: " These
animals inhabit the dry and mountainous parts of the deserts of Great Tartary, but not higher than about lat. 48~. They are migratory, and arrive
in vast troops to feed, during the summer, in the tracts to the east and
north of the sea of Aral. About autumn they collect in herds of hundreds, and even thousands, and direct their course southward towards
India, to enjoy a warm retreat during the winter. But they more usually




JOB.                           273
retire to Persia, where they are found in the mountains of Casbin, and
where part of them remain the whole year.... They assemble in troops
under the conduct of a leader or sentinel, and are extremely shy and vigilant. They will, however, stop in the midst of their course, and even
suffer the approach of man for an instant, and then dart off with the
utmost rapidity. They have been at all times celebrated for their swiftness. Their voice resembles that of the common ass, but is shriller."
"Xenophon says, Cyrop. Lib. I., that he has long legs, is very rapid in
running, swift as a whirlwind, having strong and stout hoofs.... Martial
gives the epithet handsome to the wild ass,' Pulcher adest onager,' L.
xiii., Epig. 100; and Oppian describes it as'handsome, large, vigorous,
of stately gait, and his coat of a silvery color, having a black band along
the spine of his back; and on his flanks patches as white as snow.' Mr.
Morier says,' We gave chase to two wild asses, which'had so much the
speed of our horses, that, when they had got at some distance, they stood
still and looked behind at us, snorting with their noses in the air, as if in
contempt of their endeavors to catch them.' " Robinson's Calmet.
&. -the wild-ox: t"I, reem. Otherwise, the rhinoceros. See Harris's
Nat. His. p. 421. According to others, the wild oryx. But it is probable,
from the nature of the description, that an animal of the beeve kind is
intended; i. e. one which appears, from its form and strength, to be
qualified to do the business of the tame ox. So the wild ass is, by implication, compared with the tame, in verse 7. In other passages where it
occurs, it is parallel with animals of the beeve kind, and is mentioned as
having horns, whereas the rhinoceros has but one short one. See Numb.
xxiii. 22, xxiv. 8; Deut. xxxiii. 17; Ps. xxii. 21, xxix. 6, xcii. 10; Is.
xxxiv. 7. For other arguments, see a long and highly satisfactory article
in Robinson's Calmet.
13. The wing of the ostrich moveth joyfully. For an excellent description of the ostrich, see Harris's Nat. His. p. 818. Dr. Shaw observes: "When I was abroad, I had several opportunities of amusing
myself with the actions and behavior of the ostrich. It was very diverting to observe with what dexterity and equipoise of body it would play
and frisk about on all occasions. In the heat of the day, particularly, it
would strut along the sunny side of the house with great majesty. It
would be perpetually fanning and priding itself with its quivering, expanded wings, and seem, at every turn, to admire and be in love with its
own shadow. Even at other times, when walking about, or resting itself
on the ground, the wings would continue their fanning and vibrating
motions, as if they'vere designed to mitigate and assuage that extraordinary heat wherewith their bodies seem to be naturally affected." -But
is it with loving piinion and feathers? This is the m(st literal meaning,
and nnow most generl':lly received by colimmentators on1 Jcb. The allusion
12*




274                          NOTES.
is to the stork, which was called the affectionate or loving bird on account
of her extreme devotedness to her young. She was called avis pia by
the Romans. But because pia is a good representative of the Hebrew
ni'tDn, it does not follow that pious is; as some translators render it.
The point of the allusion is, that the ostrich, which resembles the stork
so much in the structure of her body and the color of her wings, should yet
be destitute of affection for her young.
14. - she layeth her eggs on the ground. The verb  Tyr)n here means,
I suppose, to commit to or to deposit upon, not to abandon in.  The
meaning is, that the ostrich, instead of building her nest on some high
rock or tree, like other birds, deposits them upon the ground, where they
are exposed to the view of every traveller, and the foot of every wild beast.
- She warmeth them in the dust. I do not understand the meaning to be,
that she abandons her eggs, to be hatched by the "warmth of the sun
heating the sand or dust; but rather that she broods over them in so exposed a place. The fact is, that the ostrich usually sits upon her eggs as
other birds do; but then she so often wanders, and so far, in search of
food, that frequently the eggs are addle by means of her long absence from
them. To this account we may add, when she has left her nest, whether
through fear, or to seek food, if she light upon the eggs of some other
ostrich, she sits upon them and is unmindful of her own. The Arabian
poets often allude to this peculiarity of the ostrich. The following is
quoted from Nawabig by Schultens:
There are, who, deaf to nature's cries,
On stranger tribes bestow their food;
So her own eggs the ostrich flies,
And, senseless, rears another's brood.
"Notwithstanding the stupidity of this animal," says Dr. Shaw, "its
Creator hath amply provided for its safety, by endowing it with extraordinary swiftness, and a surprising apparatus for escaping from its enemy.' They, when they raise themselves up for flight, laugh at the horse and
his rider.' They afforded him an opportunity only of admiring at a distance the extraordinary agility, and the stateliness, likewise, of their
motions, the richness of their plumage, and the great propriety there
was in ascribing to them   an expanded, quivering wing.    Nothing,
certainly, can be more entertaining than such a sight; the wings, by
their rapid but unwearied vibrations, equally serving them for slils and
oars; while their feet, no less assisting in conveying them out of sight,
are no less insensible of fatigue."  Travels, 8vo. Vol. II. p. 343.
" The surprising swiftness of the ostrich is expressly mentioned by
Xenophon in his Anabasis; for, speaking of the desert of Arabia, he




JOB.                            275
states that the ostrich is frequently seen there; that none could take
them, the horsemen who pursue them soon giving it over; for they escaped
far away, making use both of their feet to run, and of their wings,
when expanded, as a sail to waft them along."  Robinson's Calmet.
In regard to the proverbial stupidity of the ostrich, Dr. Slaw observes,
that, in addition to her neglect of her young. " she is likewise inconsiderate and foolish in her private capacity, particularly in the choice of
food, which is frequently highly detrimental and pernicious to it; for she
swallows everything greedily and indiscriminately, whether it be pieces of
rags, leather, wood, stone, or iron. When I was at Oran, I saw one of
these birds swallow, without any seeming uneasiness or inconveniency,
several leaden bullets, as they were thrown upon the floor, scorching hot
from the mould."   Shaw's Travels,' 8vo. Vol. II. p. 345.
16. She is cruel, &c. " On the least noise or trivial occasion," says
Dr. Shaw, " she forsakes her eggs, or her young ones, to which perhaps
she never returns; or if she does, it may be too late either to restore life
to the one, or to preserve the lives of the others. Agreeably to this
account, the Arabs sometimes meet with whole nests of these eggs undisturbed; some of them are sweet and good, others are addle and corrupted;
others, again. have their young ones of different growth, according to the
time, it may be presumed, they have been forsaken of the dam. They
often meet with a few of the little ones, no bigger than well-grown
pullets, half-starved, straggling and moaning about, like so many distressed orphans for their mother."  Travels, 8vo. Vol. II. pp. 344, 345.
This want of affection is also recorded in Lam. iv. 3. - Her labor, 6-c.:
i. e. in laying her eggs. The ostrich is naturally a timid bird, but it is
here said that she feareth not: i. e. she has no affectionate fear for her
young; she abandons her nest without fears of what may happen to it.
17. - hath denied her wisdom. The Arabs have the proverbial expression,.More foolish than an ostrich.
18. - lifteth herself up: i. e. lifteth up her head and body, and spreadeth her wings, in order to escape the pursuer.  The expression does not
imply that her feet quit the ground.
19. - horse. The whole description refers to the horse as he appears
in war.- Hast thou clothed his heck with his trembli2g mane? I am
now convinced that the rendering thunder is untenable. The neck of the
horse must be regarded as clothed with what is addressed to the sense of
sight. It is not a natural metaphor to represent the neck as clothed with the
sound of neighing which comes from the mouth. The noise made by the
horse is referred to in another line. pI7T'I denotes trembling, quivering,
and is used poetically to denote the mane of a horse, which appears to
quiver on the neck of a hiOgh-bred one on account of its fatness, or which
is erect and trembles in the exiltement of runnilng. So the mane of a




276                           NOTES.
horse or lion is in Greek called 0oj'1. See Ges. Lex. ad,3In. Some suppose trembling to denote that which causes trembling in the spectator,
i. e. terror. But this is harsh, and wholly against the usus loquendi in
Hebrew. Umbreit renders the line, Hast thou clothed his neck with loftiness? supposing the word,IDyn to be formed from the Chald. Dyn, equivalent to the Hebrew 0.l'. But this is conjecture.
20. How majestic his snorting! how terrible! There may, at first view,
appear something ludicrous in speaking of the majestic snorting of a
horse. But let one conceive of the war-horse, and suppose, moreover, that
he has, or will, come against him in war, and the associations will be different. It is to be recollected, too, that the horse was peculiarly an object
of terror to the Hebrews, on account of their ignorance of horsemanship.
See Is. xxxvi. 8, and the note. Jeremiah says, ch. viii. 16,
From Dan is heard the snorting of their horses,
At the sound of the neighing of their steeds the whole land
trembleth.
See Virg. Georg. III. 85, &c. 2En. XI. 496.
24. - he devoureth the ground. This expression is still used in Arabia
to denote prodigious swiftness. See also Virg. Georg. III. 143. He will
not believe, fc., i. e. he is so full of joy when he hears the sound of the
trumpet that he scarcely trusts his ears. Comp. ix. 16; xxix. 24.
26. — towards the south. Most of the species of hawks are said to be
birds of passage. The instinct which teaches such birds to know the
proper time for migrating in search of food, or of a warmer climate, or
both, is probably referred to.
29 — discern itfrom afar. See Iliad, xvii. 674:
-CO T' a'sXo g,'0v 6ha Te (cpatoiv'Ov'rTaTrov 6d'ieo0  iEat vovqavlewv,rTejTVov.
As the bold bird, endued with sharpest eye
Of all that wing the mid aerial sky.  Pope.




TOB.                           277
XXIII., XXIV.
THE Almighty is now represented as pausing, and demanding of Job an
answer to his questions, and inviting him to defend his cause. But the
admonitions of Elihu and of the Almighty have produced their proper
effect; Job is impressed with the most profound reverence of the majesty
of God; he has lost that boldness and presumption with which he once
challenged the Almighty to a controversy; and he acknowledges his weakness, and the rashness of his complaints, and bold appeals to God. But
to make his submission and penitence more complete and impressive, the
Almighty is represented as addressing him in a still severer tone of reprehension. In reference to his boldness in desiring to enter into a controversy with him, the Deity challenges him to emulate a single exertion
of the Divine power. He adds the description of the river-horse and the
crocodile, by which his power is strikingly illustrated. From the whole
discourse it follows, that it is better for man to submit without murmuring
to the will of so great a Being, than to contend with him, and require him
to give an account of his doings.
Ch. XL. 15. - the river-horse. This animal is usually mentioned by
the ancients in connection with the crocodile, which is supposed to be
denoted by the leviathan. The description seems to apply to the riverhorse rather than to the elephant, in several particulars, which are well
stated by Herder.*  " In general, the description is undoubtedly that of
an animal whose usual resort is the river, since it is introduced, as something singular, that he eateth grass like the ox, that tie mountains bring
him forth food, and the beasts of the field play around him. He sleeps
among the reeds, and lies concealed among the marshes on the shore of the
river, which clearly does not suit a description of the elephant. He goes
against the stream, as if he would drink up the river with his enormous
mouth, a character not well fitting a land-animal. His strength too is in
his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly, where, on the contrary,
the elephant is weakest. He that made him has furnished him with a
sword; for the sharp-pointed and projecting tusks of the hippopotamus
may be considered his weapons; and the language applies better to these
than to the weapons of the elephant. Since, moreover, the name behemoth
* Spirit of Hebrew Poetry, Vol. I. p. 107, Marsh's Translation.




.278                          NOTES.
itself is probably the Egyptian name of this animal, p-ehe-mouth, (riverox,) here modified, as all foreign words were by the Hebrews and Greeks,
to suit their own forms, and since, in company with the crocodile, it is
placed apart from the land-animals, which also are arranged in a separate
discourse by themselves, and represented, as all creatures of the watery
realm are by the Orientals, as something foreign and monstrous, it seems
to me that this opinion has at least a balance of probabilities in its favor.
and will soon become the prevailing one."  See Robinson's Calmet, Art.
Behemoth, where is an interesting description, extracted from the Travels
of Riippell, the German naturalist, of the capture of one of these animals,
which measured from the snout to the end of the tail fifteen feet; and his
tusks from the root to the point, along the external curve, twenty-eight
inches. See also, in Dr. Shaw's Travels, Vol. ii. p. 294, or Montfaucon's
Antiquities, Vol. vii. p. 476, an engraving of the mosaic pavement at Prseneste, in which the river-horse and crocodile are placed in company, the
former being in the midst of reeds and fens, and plants, which correspond
to the descriptions of the Egyptian lotus.
17. - like the cedar.  " The tail of the hippopotamus, although short,
is thick, and may be compared with the cedar for its tapering, conical
shape, and its smoothness, thickness, and strength. But although it is
thick, short, and very firm, yet he moves and twists it at pleasure; which
is considered, in the sacred text, a proof of his prodigious strength."
Scheuchser.
19. - his sword. This refers to the long, bending teeth of the animal,
with which he, as it were, mows the grass. The iQ.vtl, i. e. the sickle, or
scythe, was ascribed to this animal by some of the ancient Greek writers.
Thus Nicander, Theriac. ver. 566, quoted by Ros.:
"H i'Trrov, zOv NEsiRO  ViiE  UV (aRYLO9S-oc Y
BoziEt, aoeQoi' v SE zOai%;v I7;tLEIa t  et )rrQIv.
In the next verse the reason of his being furnished with it is given, viz.
that, although he was an aquatic animal, he procured his food, not from
the rivers, but from the grassy mountains.
21. It has been doubted whether DtlY denotes the lote-tree, Rhamnles
lotus, Linn., or the lote-plant, the Egyptian water-lily, which grows in
the water, or in places overflowed by water. See note on ver. 15, and.
Wilkinson's Customs and Manners, &c. Vol. III. p. 71.
23. - Jordan: i. e. a river as large as the Jordan; for the river-horse
could not have lived upon the Jordan. Undoubtedly, the author understood, that, like the crocodile, he was found upon the Nile. He mentions
the Jordan as an insta,-i;e of a great river; and it seems to be an argu



JOB.                            279
ment that the writer was a native of Palestine, and vrote for those who
were familiar with the Jordan, that he mentions it as an instance of a
great stream. The overflowing of it would not frighten the river-horse,
because he was amphibious.
Ch. XL.. 1.   the crocodile. See note on ch. iii. 8. The crocodile is
here described in the hyperbolical style of Eastern poetry. See Harris's
Nat. Hist., p. 245. The following description of the crocodile is from
Shaw's Zoology, Vol. III. p. 184: " The crocodile, so remarkable for its
size and powers of destruction, has in all ages been regarded as one of the
most formidable animals of the warmer regions. It is a native of Asia
and Africa, but seems to be most common in the latter; inhabiting large
rivers, as the Nile, the Niger, &c., and preying principally on fish, but
occasionally seizing on almost every animal which happens to be exposed
to its rapacity. The size to which the crocodile sometimes arrives is prodigious; specimens being frequently seen of twenty feet in length; and
instances are commemorated of some which have exceeded the length of
thirty feet. The armor, with which the upper part of the body is covered
may be numbered among the most elaborate pieces of Nature's mechanism.
In the full-grown animal it is so strong and thick as easily to repel a
musket-ball. The whole animal appears as if covered with the most
regular and curious carved work. The mouth is of vast width, the gape
having a somewhat flexuous outline, and both jaws being furnished with
very numerous, sharp-pointed teeth. The number of teeth in each jaw is
thirty or more, and they are so disposed as to alternate with each other,
when the mouth is closed. The legs are short, but strong and muscular.
In the glowing regions of Africa, where it arrives at its full strength
and power, it is justly regarded as the most formidable inhabitant of the
rivers. It lies in wait near the banks, and snatches dogs and other
animals, swallowing them instantly, and then plunging into the flood, and
seeking some retired part, where it may be concealed, till hunger again
invites it to its prey." - Or press down, Cc.: i. e. Canst thou put a cord
into his mouth, so as to draw him with it as with a bridle? See Ges. upon
2. - a rope - a ring: i. e. by which he might be fastened to the land,
after he was caught.
5. -for thy maidens: i. e. for their amusement.
6. -lay snares for him?.c.: i. e. Do the fishermen in company catch
him, and sell him like fish?
8.  Thou wilt no more think of battle: i. e. thy first attack on the
monster will have such an issue, that thou wilt not dare to try a second.
9. Behold, his hope: The thirdl person for the seooLA.  The meaning is,




280                          NOTES.
Thy hope (of taking him) is vain. See ch. xxxii. 15, and note. See also
Glass. Phil. Sac. pp. 318, 647. Ed. Dath.
13.- his garment: i. e. his skin. - his jaws: lit. his double bridle,
which his jaws resembled.
1 5. -shields: i. e. scales.
1. - eyelashes of the morning.  This may happen, says Schultens,
when the crocodile lifts his head above water in the night. His staring
eyes, which are the first object that strikes the beholder, may then be compared to the dawning light. The eyes of the crocodile are said to be small.
But, as Bochart observes, they are so remarkable, that, when the
Egyptians would represent the morning by a hieroglyphic, they painted a
crocodile's eye.
19-22.'Here the crocodile is described as in pursuit of his prey on
land. His mouth is then open, his blood inflamed, his breath thrown out
with prodigious vehemence, like volumes of smoke, and heated to such a
degree as to seem a flaming fire. Strength and Terror are represented as
animated beings, the one seated on his neck, and the other bounding
before -him.
20. - heated: Lit. blown up.
23. -flakes: i. e. the pendulous parts of his flesh.
26. - doth not hold: i. e. will not pierce him and remain fixed in him,
but is repelled and beaten back by the excessive hardness of his skin.
30. - potsherds.  His scales are compared to'fragments of broken
earthen vessels. -thrashing-sledge. ra1n. His outer skin, or coat of
mail, is represented as rough and pointed like a thrashing-sledge. This
was an instrument for rubbing or beating out grain upon the thrashingfloor. It consists of three or four rollers of wood, iron, or stone, made
rough, and joined together in the form of a sledge or dray; and is drawn
by oxen over the grain in order to separate the kernels from the ear.
See Ges. ad verb.
32. -shining path: viz. the white foam which he stirs up in his
passage through the water.
34. He looketh down, Cc.: i. e. Although a reptile, he is not afraid of
the fiercest wild beasts.




JOB.                            281
XXV., XXVI.
JOB is now represented as impressed with a deep sense of his presumption and irreverence in his former discourses, and expressing his penitence
in the strongest terms of self-condemnation. The way is thus prepared
for the vindication of the integrity and piety of Job by the Deity, and
consequently for the decision of the question which had been the great
subject of controversy.  The Almighty decides that the friends of Job
had not spoken that which was right, in contending that the misery of Job
was inflicted by God as the punishment of his sins; and that Job had
spoken the truth, in maintaining that no man's character can be ascertained by his external condition. He confirms his decision by restoring him
to his former prosperity.
Ch. XLII. 3. Who is he, 4c. This is repeated from ch. xxxviii. 2,
where the question is asked by the.Deity. As if Job had said, Alas! who
is it, as thou sayest, that hideth, &c. I am the presumptuous man.
4. Iwill ask thee, Sc. I will no more dispute and endeavor to contend with thee wvith the pride of an equal, but inquire of thee with the
humility of a scholar. The words which Jehovah had spoken to Job by
way of challenge, ch. xxxviii; 3, and xl. 7, Job uses in the spirit of deep
submission.
5. - hearing of the ear- eye seen. This may mean only, that Job
had a much more perfect knowledge of the Deity than before, as knowledge which is gained by seeing is proverbially more accurate and thorough
than that which comes to us by the report of others. It is said that
Jehovah spake from the whirlwind, but no visible form is mentioned.
6. - I abhor myself: i. e. on account of my former rash speeches
respecting thee. The general meaning will not be altered if we supply
"it " instead of myself as the object of the verb.
7. - ye have not spoktn concerning me that which is right, as hath my
servant Job. This language is to be understood comparatively, for Job
has just been censured for rashly complaining of the ways of God; and it
is to be understood relatively, i. e. with reference to the main subject of
discussion. They had not spoken right, in maintaining that misery is




2S2                    NOTES    ON.JOB.
always a proof of guilt, and in condemning an apparently upright and
good man, merely because he was afflicted. They had not spoken so well
in supporting such a proposition, and in heaping. unmerited reproach upon
a good man, as Job had in denying the proposition, and in maintaining
his innocence. See Introduction, p. 15.
10. - turned the captivity, 4c.: i. e. delivered him from his distress,
and restored to him his former prosperity.
11. -a kesita - a ring of gold: i. e. as tokens of regard. This probably denoted a lump of silver of a certain weight. Gesenius, from a
comparison of Gen. xxxiii. 19, xxiii. 16, supposes it to be about 4 shekels.
14. The names of Job's daughters have reference to their loveliness;
Jemima denoting dove, or, as some suppose,fair as the day; Kezia, cassia;
and Kerenhappuch, horn of beautiful paint, i. e. beautiful as those whose
persons are adorned to the utmost extent.
15. - among their brethren. This, being contrary to custom, is mentioned for the purpose of showing the extent of Job's wealth, as well as
the excellence of his daughters. See Numb. xxvii. 8.




NOTES ON ECCLESIASTES.
1. THE term Ecclesiastes is the Greek translation of the Hebrew
{iH,>  Koheleth, which is the title of the book. The word Preacher
conveys the meaning of the original as well as any English term.
The Greek rendering, Ecclesiastes, is the more literal, as the Hebrew
noun is derived from a verb signifying to call together, to assemble; and
the secondary meaning, preacher, comes from the purpose for which the
assembly is called, namely, to be addressed. As no son of David was
king at Jerusalem except Solomon, there can be no reasonable doubt
that he is designated as the Preacher, in reference to the contents of
the book which is here ascribed to him. As to the feminine form, Koheleth, it is supposed by Hitzig, First, and others, to have been originally
applied to wisdom, regarded as calling around her the lovers of instruction, as in Prov. i. 20, viii. 1, ix. 1, and transferred to Solomon as the
embodiment of wisdom. Gesenius regards the term, thus put in the
feminine, as a name denoting office, according to a common Hebrew
idiom. The former view is not so satisfactory as it would have been if
any instance had been adduced in which wisdom was actually called
Koheleth. I leave the matter doubtful.
In ch. i. 2-11, the Preacher announces the principal subject of his
book, the vanity of human things, and illustrates it by the unprofitableness of human striving and labor, ver. 3; and by the instances of perpetual change and wearisome vicissitude in the natural world, while
nothing new is brought to pass, and no rest is attained. In endeavoring to illustrate the idea, that the mind of man receives no satisfaction
from his labors and experiences, the writer seems to impart his own
feelings to inanimate nature, and to represent it as wearying itself with
incessant change, without effecting any thing new; as it were, without
satisfying itself, or gaining any thing by its labors. All is perpetual
[283]




284                        NOTES.
change, wearisome labor, and no rest. The sea is not made full by the
streams, and the mind of man is not satisfied by all which it learns or
enjoys in the world.
Knobel regards the reference to the sun, the wind, and the streams
as designed to show the fruitlessness of human efforts, in consequence
of the unchangeableness of nature's operations, and the impossibility
of man's altering what is fixed by an established law of nature. But
the author seems to describe, not the constancy of nature, but of her
changes. Besides, the mere constancy of outward nature does not
seem to present a strong reason against human striving in general,
but only against striving in opposition to natural laws.
2. Vanity of vanities; i.e., mere vanity, extreme vanity.
8. What profit; i.e., what advantage which can compensate him
for his labor, and leave a balance in his favor 2 Or, what advantage
which he would not have had without anxious and laborious striving'?
4. One generation, &c. Some connect this verse with the preceding
one, supposing it to illustrate the vanity of human exertions, from the
consideration that man at death must leave the results of them. It
appears to me more natural to suppose, that the writer adduces the fact
of the continually changing generations of men as an illustration of the
vanity of human things.
7. - to the place, &c.; i.e., by subterraneous passages and channels,
or by evaporation and rain, they return to the fountains and streams. It
is mentioned as an instance of the vanity of human things, that the
waters, when they have arrived at the sea, where they had so much
desired, as it were, to arrive, hasten back to their springs, where again
they do not rest, but return again to the sea. " Thus all things in the
world are movable and mutable, and subject to a continual toil and
toss, constant in nothing but inconstancy, still going, never resting."
8. All words become weary. This is the most literal rendering,.and
most probable from the connection. Otherwise, All things are flll of
labor; all other things, as well as the sun, the wind, and the streams,
are in perpetual motion and wearisome agitation. There is no rest to
material things, and no satisfaction to the mind of man. - express it;
i.e., the subject of the preceding and following verses, namely, the perpetual changes of things without novelty or improvement.
9. The thing that hath been, &c. The writer seems to regard it as an
additional illustration of the vanity of human things, that, while there
is perpetual change, there is no novelty; that there is a perpetual recurrence of the same things. The passage seems to express the feeling
of satiety and disgust with which human life is sometimes regarded.




ECCLESIASTES.                        285
The following passage from Seneca, Epist. XXIV., is quoted by Rosenmiller to illustrate these verses: "Quosdam  subit eadem faciendi
videndique satietas, et vitme non odium, sed fastidium; in quod prolabimur, ipsa impellente philosophia, dum dicimus: Quousque eadem?
Nempe expergiscar, dormiam, satiabor, esuriam, algebo, estuabo; nullius rei finis est; sed in orbem nexa sunt omnia; fugiunt ac sequuntur.'Diem nox premit, dies noctem; estas in autumnum desinit, autumno
hyems instat, quse vere compescitur. Omnia transeunt, ut revertantur; nihil novi video; nihil novi facio. Fit aliquando et hujus rei
nausea. Multi sunt qui non acerbum judicent vivere, sed superfluum."
10. It hath been, &c.; i.e., if any one supposes any thing which takes
place to be new, he is deceived. For it certainly has occurred long
before.
11.- no remembrance. A reason seems to be assigned here why
some esteem things new which are really old; namely, ignorance of
ancient times, want of records of the past.
12-18. Having illustrated his declaration, that all was vanity, by
general arguments, drawn from the phenomena of the world, the author now represents Solomon as appealing to his own experience as an
additional illustration of what he had said. And, first, from ver. 13 to
the end of the chapter, he aims to show how vain and unsatisfactory
are the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge. The fame of Solomon
for wisdom makes his example a striking illustration of the sentiment
which it is brought to illustrate.
13. - an evil business, &c.; i.e., a source of pain and vexation.
Knowledge seems to be thus represented, 1. On account of the labor
and weariness which attend its pursuit, ch. xii. 12; but, 2. chiefly,
on account of the perplexing, imperfect, painful subjects of contemplation which it presents to the mind, ver. 14, 15. Dr. South, in his
Sermon on the Evils of Knowledge, observes: "Knowledge is the
parent of sorrow from its very nature, as being the instrument and
means by which the afflicting quality of the object is conveyed to the
mind; for, as nothing delights, so nothing troubles, till it is known.
The merchant is not troubled as soon as his ship is cast away, but as
soon as he hears of it. The affairs and objects that we converse with
have most of them a fitness to afflict and disturb the mind. And, as the
colors lie dormant and strike not the eye till the light actuates them
into a visibility, so those afflictive qualities never exert their sting, till
knowledge displays them, and slides them into the apprehension."
But if good predominates over evil in the universe, (and who can doubt




286                        NOTES.
it?) then knowledge, regarded in this light, must be the source of more
pleasure than pain."
14. - all the things, &c.; i.e., I saw that all human pursuits, all the
business in which men engage, and all the objects from which they expect happiness, were vain, unsubstantial, incapable of yielding satisfaction to the mind. In fact, the desire and endeavor to catch and
possess something so intangible and unsubstantial as air represent the
vanity of human actions and pursuits. - striving afterwind. This rendering is preferred by Gesenius, De Wette, Rosenmiller, and Knobel.
(Comp. ver. 17, and, in the Hebrew, ch. ii. 22; iv. 16.)
15. The design. of the proverbial expressions in this verse seems to
be to assign a reason why human striving should be vain, and human
pursuits should be so incapable of affording satisfaction; namely, the
perverseness of human nature, and the imperfections of human things.
As that which is by nature crooked cannot by human endeavors be
straightened; as the vine, for instance, cannot be made to grow up
straight, like the poplar; and as that which is naturally wanting to any
thing cannot be supplied by human exertion; for instance, as man
cannot be made to possess wings, like a bird, or more than two hands
or two feet; so there are incongruities, discords, imperfections in hllman life and the course of human things, which are irremediable, and
render it impossible for man to find complete satisfaction. Hence, the
knowledge of the things that are done under the sun gives pain.
17. - senselessness and folly; i.e., to observe senseless and foolish
conduct, and its consequences.
18. See the note on ver. 13. Henry closes his notes upon this chapter with the following good remark: "Let us not be driven off from
the pursuit of any useful knowledge, but put on patience to break
through the sorrow of it; yet let us despair of finding true happiness
in this knowledge, and expect it only in the knowledge of God, and
the careful discharge of our duty to him. He that increases in heavenly wisdom, and in an experimental acquaintance with the principles,
powers, and pleasures of the spiritual and divine life, increases joy, such
as will shortly be consummated in everlasting joy."
Ch. II. 1-26. Not having found happiness, or the chief good, in
the pursuit and acquisition of knowledge, Solomon is represented
in this chapter as seeking it in the pleasures of sense, united with the
pursuits of knowledge or philosophy. The result of this pursuit, 1-11.
He then compares wisdom and folly, and, while asserting the infinite
superiority of the former, yet perceives its insufficiency in regard to the




ECCLESIASTES.'287
attainment of happiness. For the wise man and the fool have a common lot, and a fool often enjoys that for which a wise man fatigues
himself, 12-23. He then recommends the tranquil, contented, cheerful enjoyment of life's blessings, without anxiety and care about distant objects and perplexing subjects, 24-26.
2. It is mad; i.e., it is an indication of madness; more appropriate
to a madman than to a rational being. -  What' availeth it? i.e., what
good does it do? what happiness does it confer? At first view, there
may appear some inconsistency between this and ver. 24. But here
the author is speaking of the pleasure which is pursued and striven
for; but, in ver. 24, of that which comes unsought.
3. - strengthen, &c. So Gesenius. If, with Fiirst in his Lexicon,
we suppose'p2t to mean to bestow protracted care upon, or to nurse,
the sense will be nearly the same. - while my heart cleaved to wisdom.
(Comp. ver. 9.) Some suppose the meaning to be, that he was wise
in the choice of pleasures, and in the degree to which he pursued them.
I rather think the meaning to be, that he united the pursuits of wisdom or philosophy with the pleasures of the senses. - see what was.
good, &c.; i.e., till I should find out by trial whether that supreme good
which men ought to propose to themselves and prosecute in life consisted in the pleasures of sense; i.e., in pleasures derived from objects
addressed to the senses.
6. - pools of water. "At about an hour's distance to the south of
Bethlehem are the pools of Solomon. They are three in number,
of an oblong figure, and are supported by abutments. The antiquity
of their appearance entitles them, Dr. Richardson thinks, to be considered as the work of the Jewish monarch." Modern Traveller.
(See more in Bush's Illustrations ad loc.)  Maundrell observes:
" As to the pools, it is probable enough they may be the same with
Solomon's; there not being the like store of excellent spring-water to
be met with anywhere else throughout all Palestine. But, for the gardens, one may safely affirm, that, if Solomon made them in the rocky
ground which is now assigned for them, he demonstrated greater power
and wealth in finishing his design, than he did wisdom in choosing the
place for it."  Travels, p. 151, Amer. edit. - the grove that produceth
trees; young plantations, or perhaps nurseries, may be intended.
8. - a chosen woman, and chosen women. The words thus rendered
do not elsewhere occur. From their probable derivation, as well as
from the circumstance that the harem is nowhere alluded to as a
source of pleasure, if not here, we think we have given the words their




288                        NOTES.
true meaning. The singular probably refers to the queen, and the
plural to the king's other wives and his concubines. (See Gesen. ad
verb. UTS.)
T *
10. - my portion, &c.; i.e., the present temporary enjoyment of
them was all the benefit I could expect or receive from all my labors.
There was no permanent, abiding good.
11. All that he did was performed with labor and preserved with
anxiety; and, above all, the pleasure arising from it was transitory.
After the freest enjoyment of what is called pleasure, he felt the inward
thirst and torment still.
12. Having tried what satisfaction was to be found, first in knowledge and then in the pleasures of sense, he here compares these two
sources of happiness one with another, and passes judgment upon
them. - cometh after the king; i.e., succeeds me in this inquiry or trial
respecting happiness. No mere private man can be expected to have
a larger experience than so great a king, or be better able to form a
judgment respecting the subject of which he is treating. - already
done, i.e., in the way of experience and discovery as to what is true
good.
14. - in his head; where they ought to be, in order that he may
guard against danger or foresee advantages. The eyes of the fool are,
as it were, in his heels, or in the ends of the earth (Prov. xvii. 24), so
that he is likely to stumble or fail of advantages. - one event, &c.; i.e.,
both are subject to rany of the same calamities, and especially to death
and oblivion.
15. - wiser than others; i.e., to what purpose have I taken so much
pains to acquire wisdom. - This also is vanity; i.e., Although wisdom
excels folly, yet it is liable to the charge of vanity, since it has no
power to secure its possessor from many of the calamities to which
the fool is subject.
18. -leave it; i.e., what was obtained by my labor, my possessions.
24. - to eat and drink, and let his soul enjoy good in his labor. The
drift and meaning of this language is very different from that of ch.
ii. 1, &c. It is no Epicurean indulgence, no addiction to the mere
pleasures of sense, which the author here pronounces to be the best
course a man can pursue in order to make the best of a vain world.
But, in opposition to the anxious and strenuous pursuit of wisdom or
pleasure or wealth, he advises to give up anxious cares for distant
objects and about perplexing subjects, and to enjoy, with a tranquil,




ECCLESIASTES.                       289
contented, cheerful mind, the blessings of life, as he goes along. And
this tranquil, contented, cheerful spirit, he says, is the gift of God, i.e.,
"to those who are good in his sight," ver. 26; i.e., it cannot be had
without religion and virtue. This is an important sentiment of the
book, and recurs repeatedly as the result of the author's meditations
upon life. (See ch. iii. 12, 13, 22; v. 18-20; vii. 14; viii. 15; ix. 7-10;
xi. 9.) From a comparison of these passages, together with ch. v.
1-7, and the whole of ch. xii., it is manifest that it is not mere sensual or selfish indulgence which the author commends as the best thing
which a man can attain in a world of vanity, but only such a cheerful,
joyful participation of present blessings as is consistent with the
thought of God and retribution, or with obedience to the commands
of the Creator. The cheerfulness and the joy which he commends is
in opposition to anxious cares about the future or about unavoidable
evils, or to the ambitious, eager pursuit of distant good.
25. For who can eat, &c. The meaning seems to be, that Solomon, from  his large experience, could tell as well as any one
whether "to eat and drink, and let one's soul enjoy good in his
labor," did or did not come from the hand of God; whether those
who were not "good in his sight" could have such enjoyment.
Instead of more than I,:.t.'rrl might be translated except I;
i.e., I who have labored for it. - who can hasten [thereunto], &c.
The plain and common meaning of h&rn is to hasten, and hence to
be eager. It is elsewhere used to qualify another word. (See Ps.
xxii. 20; cxix. 60.) I cannot find that in the later, more than in the
ancient Hebrew, it means to enjoy one's self, or to enjoy pleasure, as Stuart and others have it. Buxtorf, in his Lex. Chaldaicum et Talmudicum, says that it means simply to perceive, and that the noun tnln denotes the five senses. But to perceive pleasure or enjoyment is another
thing. The conjectural reading,..3M. in place of I3m7, as making the
meaning to be, who can eat, &c., without him, i.e., without God, is unnecessary, and therefore inadmissible.
26. For- Godgiveth, &c. " For this is a blessing which God reserves
for him whom he loves; whose sincere piety he rewards with wisdom
to judge when, and with knowledge to understand how, he should
enjoy and take the comfort of all that he hath; especially with inward
joy, satisfaction of heart, and tranquillity of mind, in this favor of God
to him, whereby the troublesome affairs of this life are tempered and
seasoned: but he delivers up him that regards not God to the most
13




290                        NOTES.
cruel tormentors, which are his unsatiable desires and anxious cares2
with busy labors and incessant pains to increase his estate without end,
and to heap up vast treasures, which God disposes afterward to those
who approve themselves to him in a pious, just, and charitable life,
with contented minds." Patrick. - good in his sight, &c. That this
refers to the moral character is evident, not only from its contrast with
kt;iln which usually means sinner, and never simply odious or offensive;
but also from vii. 26, and especially viii. 12, 13, where the same two
characters are contrasted, and where [qIn, sinner, is defined by.' }Z.YP, evil-doer, and contrasted with those who fear God. (See also
ix. 2.) To say with Stuart, following Hitzig, that "good in his sight"
here means " one who is regarded with favor," seems to me quite
arbitrary. - This also is vanity; i.e., to the sinner, to get riches for
those for whom he never designed them. Some suppose the meaning
to be, that "to eat and drink, and enjoy good from all his labor,"
(ver. 24), is "vanity, and striving after wind."  This seems to me
harder than to refer it to a subordinate part of the sentence, as I have
done.
Ch. III. 1-15. The design of this passage seems to be to show
the vanity of human efforts and anxieties respecting the future, in consequence of the fixed course and established, unavoidable changes of
human things. A higher power than man's controls human efforts
and destinies. Hence, a quiet enjoyment of life is recommended as
true wisdom.
1. - a fixed period, &c. - appointed time. This does not mean a fit
season, an appropriate time, when men may and ought to do the things
therein mentioned, and which, if neglected, will not again recur. For
this meaning will not apply to several of the subjects which are enumerated in the following verses. What, for instance, is the appropriate
time to kill or to hate? The author is speaking, I conceive, not of afit
time, an appropriate, opportune season, but of a necessary change, a period that must recur. Every thing remains but for a time. Every condition soon passes away. Nothing is stable and enduring. The
thought is somewhat similar to that which is contained in the proverbial expression, that " all things have their day."
3. - to kill. In ver. 1, natural death was spoken of; here, that
which comes by violence, as by robbers, assassins, or by course of law,
or by accident. - to break down, &c. At one time, buildings are de.




ECCLESIASTES.                       291
stroyed in war, or by hurricanes, floods, or conflagrations; at another,
new edifices are erected in their place.
4. - to weep, &c. There are changes in life, such as sickness, loss
of relations, &c., moving us to tears, which are succeeded by others
effacing the memory of trouble, and leading to joy. - to mourn, &c.
This may be distinguished from weeping, as being a formal, public
expression of grief, as dancing is of joy.
5. - to cast stones asunder; as in the case of edifices, fortifications,
&c., which fall into ruin; or they are brought together for building
new walls, &c. - to embrace, &c.; i.e., a time when we embrace our
friends after a long absence, and a time when they are again absent
from us. Or, possibly, a time when we live in friendship with any
one, and a time when, by change of pursuits or character, we become
estranged from him.
6. - to keep, &c.; i.e., from attachment to the object, or expectation of benefit from it. - to cast away; i.e., as worthless.
7. - to rend; as in great and sudden grief, as Gen. xxxvii. 29; Joel
ii. 13. - to sew; i.e., when the grief is over; or, perhaps, making new
garments on some occasion of joy. - silence; when men will keep
silence through grief, sickness, &c.
8. - to love. Love is often followed by hatred.
9. What profit, &c. What can his utmost efforts to obtain good
or avoid evil avail, while there is such a system of vicissitude and
change by the appointment of Providence?
10. - the labor; i.e., the labor of the human mind in endeavoring
to explore the ways of God in the government of the world, and the
appointment of the various vicissitudes of human life.
11. - maketh every thing good in its time. The meaning seems to be,
that every thing which takes place in the course of providence, by
Divine appointment or permission, is right; so that, all things considered, it could not have been done better, ver. 14; and would appear
so, if viewed in relation to its season, tendencies, and relations —
" And spite of pride, in erring reason's spite,
One truth is clear, Whatever is, is right."
- but. For this use of the Hebrew particle, see ch. iv. 16. - but
he hath put the world into the heart of man, so that he understandeth not, &c.
The translation and interpretation of this passage are attended with
much difficulty; first, on account of the ambiguity of the Hebrew term
~tb, rendered world, and, secondly, on account of the Hebrew negative
particles; whether both have their separate force, or whether they




292                        NOTES.
unite their force to form one negative. The Hebrew term, in all othet
instances in which it occurs in the Scriptures, denotes duration, indefi
nite duration, whether past or future, and sometimes eternal duration;
but in the Chaldee and Rabbinic usage, the world, worldly things, like the
Greek ai3v, in Eph. ii. 2; Heb. i. 2; xi. 3 (see also Buxtorf's Lex.
Chald. et Talm., especially on ajt); i.e., things which exist in a
given period of duration, more or less definite. If we suppose this
rendering correct, and that there is but one negation in the sentence,
according to the Common Version, which I follow, the meaning will be,
that, according to the same idiom by which he is said to harden the
heart of Pharaoh, God has put the cares, or the love, of the world into the
hearts of men; so that they cannot discern the propriety and the beautiful harmony of his dispensations, and cannot understand the whole
that he does in his providence from beginning to end, but only a part
of it. Others give to the term 0>g a signification more nearly allied
to the common meaning, and render the passage, And God hath put
futurity or duration into the heart of man; i.e., the capacity of looking
back upon the past, and forward into the future, except that he cannot
understand the work which God doeth fi-om the beginning to the end; i.e., God
has given man the capacity of looking back upon the past and forward
into the future, but not in such a measure or degree that he can understand the work of God from beginning to end. This seems to me to
be strained, to make eternity mean a capacity to look into eternity. Others
resort to the Arabic, making 0a    mean understanding or reason;
translating, " He hath put intelligence in their heart, without which no
man can find out the work which God doeth from beginning to end."
So Stuart and Fiirst, following Hitzig. But to this there are two
objections, of which the first is decisive with me. 1. There is a great
abundance of words in Hebrew to denote intelligence, insight, reason'Why, then, should the writer use an Arabic word? 2. Though I am
not such a reader of Arabic as to be able to affirm that t:~5 never
means reason or intelligence in that language, I can say that there is no
such meaning assigned to it in Freytag's Lexicon; but only that of
learning, art, and science, in the objective sense, as the science of physics, theology, &c. (See Freytag, iii. p. 213.) As to the double negative contained in l  Tic x.7, every one knows the general rule in
Hebrew to be, that two negatives strengthen the negation. (See
Gesen. Grammar, ~ 152.) It seems to me that Hitzig's remarks are




ECCLESIASTES.                      293
by no means conclusive against the construction which I have adopted,
being that of the Common Version and of most scholars. Besides, the
translation of Hitzig and Mr. Stuart gives a sentiment in opposition to
the current of the whole book and of other writers of the Old Testament. According to these critics, the meaning is, that without intelligence or reason " no man can find out the work which God doeth from
beginning to end."  Surely it needed no Solomon to tell us that. But
is it the doctrine of the Preacher, or of the Book of Job, or of any
sacred writer, that with reason "a man can find out the work that God
doeth firom beginning to end "? (See viii. 17, already cited; i. 17, 18; iv.
1-3; Job xxxvii.; xxxviii.) The main design of the passage, whichever explanation may be adopted, is illustrated by ch. viii. 17: " Then
I saw the whole work of God, that a man cannot comprehend that
which taketh place under the sun: how much soever he labor to search:
it out, yet shall he not comprelend it; yea, though a wise man resolve
to know it, yet shall he not be able to comprehend it."
12. - enjoy good. (Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note.)
13. -gift of God; i.e., "to him that is good in his sight. (See the
note on ch. ii. 24.)
14. - whatever God doeth. The context seems to require this to be
understood as referring to the course of things under the Divine government, rather than to the works of creation. It sets forth the perfection and uniformity of his conduct in the government of the world.
-for ever; i.e., is unalterable. Patrick has given a good paraphrase of
the verse: "It is not only very foolish and vain, but a great plague, to
be discontented that things go otherwise than we desire; for certain it
is, God hath settled them by such an eternal and immutable law, in
that course and order before described, ver. 1-3, &c., in which nothing
is superfluous, nothing wanting, that it is not in the power of man to
make the least alteration one way or other; therefore we must alter
ourselves, and not murmur that we cannot change the course of things,,
which God hath thus immovably fixed, not to make us miserable, by
fretting at it, but happy, by reverent submission to the Divine government, and humble patience under those troubles which we cannot honestly avoid, and a due care not to offend the Divine majesty, whose
will shall be done, one way or other, if not by us, yet upon'us."
15. - recalleth that wohich is past; i.e., he repeats it; makes the
future resemble the past, and substantially the same with it, so that
there shall be' nothing new under the sun." " This alone is sufficient
to silence all our unprofitable, as well as undutiful, complaints about
that which hath always been and ever will be. For we, in this present




294                       NOTES.
age, are subject to no other laws than those by which God hath governed the world fiom the beginning; nor will the next produce any
other method than that wherein he hath already proceeded: but,
though that which succeeds thrusts out what went before, it brings the
very same things about again, as constantly as spring and fall, summer and winter, return in their seasons." Patrick.
16-22. The vanity of human things is illustrated in this passage
from the prevalence of injustice, and the resemblance of men to brutes
in respect to hardships and death. Hence the usual inference of the
writer, that man should lead a quiet, cheerful life, without anxiety concerning the unknown future.
16. - in the place of justice; i.e., where justice ought specially to
be, where rulers or judges professed to administer justice. The meaning may, however, be more general, referring to justice between man
and man. The fact to which he refers seems to be introduced as a
new instance of the vanity of human things.
17. - a time; i.e., of judgment. - hath he appointed. This rendering is obtained merely by changing the diacritic point, reading
i for 16. (Comp. ch. xii. 14; xi. 9; Dan. vii. 9, 10; Job xix. 29 )
It is a question whether the judgment or retribution here spoken of
was expected by the writer to take place in the present or in the future
world. From the context, ver. 18-21, and from other passages in the
book, I think it most probable that the present life was exclusively in
his view. The passage in Daniel, above referred to, is a good illustration of a time of judgment; for undoubtedly it relates to a judgment in
the present world. So the Book of Job, ch. xix. 29, contains mention of a judgment, although the plan and the contents of that work
exclude the idea of a retribution after death. If the Preacher had held
a belief in a state of retribution after death, his faith must have been
manifested in other parts of the work, and applied to the solution of
the doubts and difficulties relating to the course of human things which
perplexed him. It seems to me certain that, if the Preacher had believed in a future state of righteous retribution, he could never have
written such a book as this. "Life and immortality were brought to
light by the gospel." The phrase, zill judge the righteous and the wicked,
means will acquit and deliver the righteous, and condemn and punish
the wicked.
19. - one spirit in them; i.e., the spirit of life. (Comp. ch. viii.
8; xii. 7; Judges xv. 19; 1 Sam. xxx. 12; Ezek. xxxvii. 8; Hab. ii.
19.) Sometimes this vital spirit is called the spirit or breath of God, as
having been imparted by him, breathed by him into the nostrils of




ECCLESIASTES.                        295
men, and as returning to him again. (See Job xxvii. 3.) In Job
xxxiv. 14, he is said to take back his spirit, when men die. (Comp. Ps.
civ. 29, 30.) From a comparison of the preceding references, it will
appear, that, according to Hebrew usage, the return of the spirit to
God denotes simply death, and not a return to a state of happy existence
with God after death.
21. - whether it goeth upward, &c. This is the rendering of the
Septuagint and all the ancient versions, as also of the Geneva Version,
and of Luther. It appears to agree better with the Hebrew idiom, and
with the connection, than that of the common version. The term spirit
in this verse is the same in the original as in ver. 19, where it is said
that one spirit is in men and brutes. In both cases, I understand it as
denoting the animal or vital spirit. It seems to me improbable, that,
in a sentence so closely connected with ver. 19, there should be any
change in the meaning of the term spirit, especially as it is here applied to brutes as well as to men, and as the spirit of all mankind, the
bad as well as the good, seems to be spoken. of in comparison with that
of brutes. The Preacher seems to me to express a doubt, whether man,
whom he represents to be like the brutes in many respects, differs from
them in this, that the spirit of men ascends upward, or returns to God,
and that of brutes goes downward, or mingles with dust. I do not understand him to refer to the personal, conscious immortality of either;
for, in ver. 19, he says, " One lot befalls both. As the one dies, so
dies the other. Yea, there is one spirit in them, and a man has no preeminence above a beast."  The doubt is, whether the vital spirit of
man is more honorably disposed of after death than that of a brute.
In ch. xii. 7, it is true, he positively affirms that the spirit of man
" shall return to God." But it is not very probable that he doubts here
what he affirms there. The doubt is, whether any different disposition
is made of the soul of a man and that of a brute; whether the latter
may not go upward as well as the former. The foregoing exposition
of the passage seems to be confirmed by the inference which is drawn
from it in ver. 22. If the writer had believed that man was distinguished from beasts by a destiny to an immortal, conscious, desirable
existence, and to a state of righteous retribution, and had, as many
suppose, intended to express his surprise that so few regarded, as the
writer did, the different destiny of the spirits of men and brutes, would
his inference from the passage have been exactly what it is in ver.
22? Is not this inference rather drawn from what the writer considers
as the resemblance of man to the brutes in all the points in which he
compares them? It ought not to appear strange to any one, that the




296                        NOTES.
writer did not believe in doctrines which had never been revealed tc
him or to his countrymen.  The other mode of understanding the
verse is expressed in the paraphrase of Patrick: "As for the spirit,
which makes all the difference between the beasts and us, that is invisible; and where shall we find a man, especially among those great
persons spoken of before, who seriously considers it, and believes that
the souls of all mankind go to God that gave them, to be judged by
him, whereas the souls of beasts perish with them?"  If we were to
allow that who knows may here denote who considers or regards, the verse
as thus expounded seems to be quite inconsistent with the writer's
train of thought. (See the note on ch. xii. 7.)
22. And therefore, considering that such is the vanity of human
life, and that man in his condition and his end so much resembles the
brutes, "I was confirmed in my former opinion," ch. ii. 23, "that it
is best for a man herein also to imitate the beasts, by enjoying freely
the good things God has blessed him withal, and taking all the comfort he can find in them at present, without solicitous care about the
fiture; for this is all he can be sure of: lie shall not enjoy that hereafter which he makes no use of now; much less, when he is dead, can
he be brought back again to take any pleasure in the fruit of all his
labors, or see what becomes of them." Patrick. (See the note on
ch. ii. 24.)
Ch. IV. In this chapter, the author goes on to illustrate the vanity
of human things, or the obstacles which prevent a tranquil and happy
life, by referring to the sufferings of the oppressed; to the envy which
is excited towards the prosperous; to the evils of avarice and of solitude; and those which attend royalty, arising from the infirmities of
its possessor and the fickleness of the people.
1. Then I turned; i.e., from the preceding subject of contemplation
and remark to that which follows.
2, 3. (Comp. Job iii. 11-23.)
4. This also is vanity; namely, that an industrious and successful
man should meet with envy and obloquy instead of good-will and
applause.
5. - eateth his own flesh. This may mean that the fool is so tormented with envy, that he is, as it were, consumed or devoured by it.
So, Ov OvtObv KcTi6&v, Hom. II. vi. 202: "Quisnam illic homo est, qui
ipsus se comest, tristis, oculis malis?" (Plaut. Trucul. ii. 7, 36.) Gesenius observes that such a man is called by the Arabs a devozrer of
himself; but he does not, as he ought, produce the proof of this asser



ECCLESIASTES.                       297
tion. Another meaning of the verse may be, that the fool, perceiving
that diligence is attended with envy, goes to the opposite extreme of
folding his hands and doing nothing, and thus is reduced to such poverty, that he is ready to eat his own flesh through extremity of hunger. This seems better suited to the connection.
6. Better, &c.; i.e, in reference to ver. 4, "Better is a moderate
estate, gotten honestly with moderate diligence, and enjoyed handsomely with perfect contentment, than the greatest treasures, gotten
by oppression or with infinite toil, and enjoyed with anxious thoughts
and fretting cares, and exposing a man either to the hatred or the envy
of others." P]atrick.
7-12. In these verses is described the vanity of avarice, especially
in one who lives in solitude, and has no near friend to whom he may
leave his wealth. The state of solitude is then contrasted with the
advantages of social and married life.
8. [saith he]. The ellipsis of these words, for the sake of vivid representation, is not very unusual. The miser who is without descendants
is represented as speaking.
9. - good reward; i.e., profitable "results. By mutual counsel and
assistance they effect much more than they could separately.
12. - threeJbld cord, &c. No more than a bundle of arrows or
sticks; though each single thread, arrow, or stick may easily be
broken.
13. Better, &c. The author draws a new illustration of the vanity
of human life from the contempt of royalty, when mental vigor is
wanting in the possessor of it, and from the general uncertainty and
inconstancy of popular favor towards kings.
14. - out of prison; i.e., from a very low condition, as was not uncommon in the despotisms of the East, and has not been uncommon in
modern times. - such a one; i.e., one poor but wise. -for in his own
kingdom, &c.; i.e., that in which he afterwards reigned.
15. - with the child; i.e., following him, paying their court to him,
worshipping the rising rather than the setting sun.  -in his stead;
i.e., instead of the old and foolish king, ver. 13.
16. - went forth; i.e., as a leader. - nzot rejoice in him; i.e., by reason of the love of novelty, the flattery of human hopes, and other circumstances, they will be as weary of the successor, though a wise and
worthy prince, as their parents were of his foolish predecessor.
Ch. V.-XII. The remainder of the book is chiefly preceptive,
rather than speculative. The author seems to be giving his advice as
13*




298                        NOTES.
to the way in which we may best pass through the life of vanity which
he has described.
1. Look well to thy feet, &c.; i.e., Walk circumspectly. Make sure
and straight steps. Engage in the services of religion with attention,
seriousness, deliberation, and sincerity. The metaphor seems to be
drawn from the condition of one who is walking in a very slippery
path, in which more than ordinary care is necessary to keep him from
falling. The expression will thus be similar to that of taking heed to
one's ways. Some, however, suppose the metaphor to be drawn from
the impropriety of entering the houses of the great with dirty feet;
others, from the practice of putting off the shoes on entering a sacred
place. - to hear. To hear is often used in the sense of to obey. (See
1 Sam. xv. 22.) In this place, it denotes to obey the law which is read,
rather than simply to hear it, though the latter is implied. - asfools;
who offer splendid oblations as substitutes of piety and obedience.
This does not imply that the writer regards the offering of sacrifice as
itself folly, but only irreverent sacrifice, with no desire " to hear" or
obey.
2. - wzords befew. As you would not, if admitted to the presence
of a king, use many words, words which are not weighed and chosen,
much less should you multiply words, without care, thought, and reverence, in the presence of him who is higher than the highest.
3. - with much bustle; i.e., thoughtless and profitless activity. This
rendering of the verse is strictly literal; and the meaning is, that as a
dream is attended with, sets forth, or brings forward, many thoughtless
and trifling matters, so a fool utters many thoughtless and trifling
words. (Comp. ver. 7.) The objection to the common version is, 1.
-That it requires too much to be supplied; and, 2. That it neglects the
studied antithesis of the original. It makes business the cause of the
dream; but the multitude of words is not the cause, but the consequence, of folly. In the Hebrew idiom, to conme with is often used to
denote to bring forward, to set forth. Ps. Ixvi. 13, Ixxi. 16, where I will
come with thy mighty deeds, means, I will set forth, celebrate, thy mighty
deeds.
4, 5. (Comp. Numb. xxx. 2, &c.; Deut. xxiii. 21, 22.)
6. - to bring punishment, &c. So Hitzig, according to a Hebrew
idiom, which is common in the noun. (Comp. in the Hebrew, Isa.
xxix. 21.) The mouth, by uttering inconsiderate or false vows, might
bring punishment on the body, on the whole man. - before the angel;
possibly before the priest, regarded as the messenger of God, the announcer of his will. (See Mal. ii. 7.) It may be, however, that there




ECCLESIASTES.                         299
is reference to some angel, supposed to preside over the temple.
(Comp. "angel of the Church" in Rev. iii.) See Christian Examiner for November, 1838, pp. 210, 211. - It was a mistake; i.e., I
made a mistake; I acted foolishly and inconsiderately in making such
a vow, and therefore hope God will excuse me from paying it. - the
work of thy hands; i.e., the product of the work of thy hands, thy
estate.
7. -fear thou God; i.e., manifest thy fear of God by abstaining
from rash and inconsiderate vows.
8. - alarmed at the matter; as though injustice would be finally triumphant, and sentence would never be executed against the evil work.
-a higher, who watcheth; i.e., over subordinate magistrates there is a
higher, or the king, who will call them to account; and over them all
is God, who will bring every work of the king as well as of the subject, into judgment.
9. - a king over cultivated ground; i.e., one who does not make his
country desolate and barren by oppression. So the Sept. paaOievg roD
aypov eipyacusvov. C:: denotes tilled, in Ezek. xxxvi. 9, 24 Deut.
xxi. 4. (See Fiirst's Lex.) The rendering adopted by me in the former edition, " honored by the land," seems to be not sufficiently sanctioned by Hebrew usage.
11. - that eat them. "The more meat, the more mouths. The
more men have, the better house they must keep; the more servants
employ, the more guests entertain; the more give to the poor, and the
more will they have hanging on them; for where the carcass is, the
eagles will be. What we have more than food and raiment, we have
for others; and then what good is there to the owners themselves, but
the pleasure of beholding them with their eyes? And a poor pleasure
it is; an empty speculation is all the difference between the owners
and the sharers." Henry.
" P. What riches give us, let us then inquire;
Meat, fire, and clothes. B. What more? P. Meat, clothes, and fire.
Is this too little? would you more than live?"
Pope's Moral Essays, Epist. iii. 79.
--  Congestis undiqne saccis
Indormis inhians, et tanquam parcere sacris
Cogeris, aut pictis tanquam gaudere tabellis."
Hor. Sat i. 1, 70
44 On every side the numerous bags are piled,
Whose hallowed stores must never be defiled
To human use; while you transported gaze,
As if, like pictures, they were formied to please."




300                          NOTES.
12. -repletion; i.e., of his stomach with various delicacies, more
than can be digested. This is the literal rendering. Some, however,
understand abundance of wealth, which brings cares and fears.
"An vigilare metu exanimem, noctesque diesque
Formidare malos fures, incendia, servos,
Ne te compilent fugientes; hoc juvat? horum
Semper ego optarim pauperrimus esse bonorum."  Id. 76.
" But, with continual watching almost dead,
House-breaking thieves, and midnight fires to dread,
Or the suspected slave's untimely flight
With the dear pelf; if this be thy delight,
Be it my fate, so Heaven in bounty please,
Still to be poor of blessings such as these."
Francis's Translation.
13. - to his hurt; by exposing him to danger from thieves, as represented in the last quotation from Horace; or, by causing mental distress when he loses them, as described in the next verse.
14. - in his hand. There seems to be no consideration which decides conclusively whether his refers to the father, who, by calamity,
is deprived of the power of leaving any thing to the son for whom he
endured all his labors, or whether it refers to the son, who has nothing
in his possession after his father's death. I incline to the former supposition.
15. These things, indeed, do not always happen; but it is at least
certain, that, though he died possessed of all that he has acquired, yet
he cannot carry one farthing away with him. (See Job i. 21; 1 Tim.
vi. 7.) So Propertius, 1. iii, Eleg. 3, vs. 13, 14:" Haud ullas portabis opes Acherontis ad undas,
Nudus ab inferna, stulte, vehere rate."
16. -for wind; i.e., for riches, which are empty and unsatisfying,
uncertain and transitory, which no man can retain more than he can
wind. (Comp. Prov. xxiii. 5.)
17. - he ate in darkness; i.e., lived in disquietude, vexation, and
fear.
18. (See the note on ch. ii. 24.) - his portion; i.e., the use and enjoyment of one's possessions is all that can be truly called his own;
all the good which he can receive from them.
19. -gift of God; i.e., to the good man.  (See ch. ii. 26.)
20. - will not much remember, &c. He does not torment himself
with useless grief about the past misfortunes of his life, which he can.




ECCLESIASTES.                        801
not remedy, nor with vain anxiety about future ones, which he cannot
avoid. - answereth him with; i.e., bestows upon him joy, as it were,
in answer to his desires. Otherwise, occupieth him with, &c.
Ch. VI. 1-6. The folly and misery of avarice; of hoarding, without enjoying or using.
1. - lieth heavy. (See viii. 6.) - God giveth him not to taste, &c.;
on account of his avaricious mind, his temper ever anxious about the
future, his disposition to neglect the present use and enjoyment of his
wealth.
3. - his soul be not satisfied with good; i.e., if he have not a cheerful,
contented mind, if he do not enjoy his property, &c. - and he have no
burial; either because the strangers to whom his property is left have
grudged him the expense of a decent burial, or because he has died
in foreign lands, or drowned in a foreign sea, whither he had gone
in quest of wealth. How much importance the Hebrews attached to
a decent burial appears from Isa. xiv. 19, 20; Job xxvii. 19; Ps.
lxxix. 2.
4. - cometh in nothingness; i.e., the abortion has no real existence as
a human being. - goeth cown into darkness; i.e., is immediately buried,
put out of sight. - its name is covered, &c.; i.e., no mention is made
of it.
6. - and see no good, &c.; i.e., enjoy no good, have no enjoyment
of the good things of life. - to one place; i.e., the grave. And if they
who live long have no enjoyment of life, it follows that they who die
soonest have the most rest. " Omnes eodem cogimur." (Hor. Carm.
ii. 3, 25.)
" Serius aut citius sedem properamus ad unam;
Tendimus hue omnes; hlec est domus ultima."
Ovid. Metam. x. 33, 34.
7. -for his mouth, &c. Although all that a man can get by his
labors is food necessary for the support of life (see ch. v. 11, and the
note), yet such is the vanity of the world and the folly of mankind,
that the desires of men are insatiable.
8. For whut advantage, &c. The most natural meaning of this verse
seems to be this: Since the support of life, or meat, clothes, and fire,
is the chief advantage of wealth, what advantage has the wise man
over the fool, or what advantage has the poor man who knows how to
walk before the living, i.e., who is ingenious, enterprising, knowing
how to gain the favor of the rich over the poor man who is destitute
of these advantages, who does not know how to walk before the living?




302                        NOTES.
For the most foolish, and the most ignorant and rude of the poor, can,
by the labor of their hands, find bread to fill their mouths, &c.
9. - sight of the eyes, &c.; i.e., the enjoyment, the making the best,
of what is present is'better than the wandering of the soul after things
at a distance, and affecting a variety of imaginary gratifications which
usually end in vexation.
10. That which is; i.e., relating to man. - was long ago called b/g
name. The meaning of this sentence is not very obvious. It seems,
however, to intimate that the condition and fortunes of every man are
known and appointed by the Almighty; that they depend more upon
an established course of things than upon his personal striving. (Comp.
ch. iii. 1-9.) Hence the folly of excessive exertion and anxiety.
Others suppose the meaning to be, Man is frail, earthy, mortal, according to the name Adam, which God gave him when he formed him
out of the dust; Adam being supposed to denote earth. (Gen. ii. 7.)
11. - increase vanity, &c. Ver. 11 and 12 seem to be added as a
conclusion of all that he has said respecting the toil, care, and anxiety
which what are called the good things of this life bring with them.
(Comp. ver. 8 and the note.)
12. - after him under the sun; i.e., he knows not who shall possess
his acquisitions, or whether the future owners of his possessions will
use or abuse them. Whence it follows, that it is best for a man to live
a tranquil, unambitious life, agreeably to ver. 7-9. (See ii. 18; iii.
22; xii. 14.)
Ch. VII. 1-VIII. 13. The design of this portion is to give certain proverbs or precepts for the guidance, consolation, or support of
men in their passage through the world, whose vanity he has described, and continues to set forth by incidental remarks. The general purport of these precepts is to inculcate the necessity of regulating
our thoughts, dispositions, desires, even to an extent which may seen
paradoxical to the mass of mankind, and conforming them to the course
of things, or the appointments of the Creator. For precepts, just, comprehensive, and complete, having a certain resemblance to those of the
Preacher, see the Sermon on the Mount.
1. - precious perfumle; such as was used in the East, as a part of
personal comfort, elegance, and dress. " The custom of anointing with
oil or perfume was also common among the Greeks and Romans, especially the anointing of guests at feasts and other entertainments."
(See Potter's Grec. Ant., vol. ii. p. 385; Adam's Rom. Ant., p. 144;
Hor. Od., ii. 7, 11; iii. 29; Joseph. Ant., xix. 4, 1, and 9, 1; Iliad, xiv.




ECCLESIASTES.                        303
171.) The same custom is still prevalent in the East. Tavernier says,
that "among the Arabs olive-oil is regarded as a very agreeable present. When any one offers it to them, they immediately take off their
turban, and anoint their head, face, and beard, raising their eyes to
heaven at the same time, and exclaiming,'Thanks be to God."' (Iosenmil. A. ii. N. Morgenland, vol. iv. p. 117.) - day of one's death.
Since life is so full of vexation and misery, it is a more desirable thing
for a man to go out of it than to come into it, although it is the practice of almost all mankind to celebrate their own or children's birthdays
with solemn feasts and rejoicings, and their deaths with all expressions
of sorrow.
2. -for that; i.e., death. In Schultens's Anthologia, &c., is the following sentiment of an Arabic poet:When thou hearest lamentations for the dead, be there!
But, if thou art invited to a feast, beware! "
See Ros. ad loc.
4. The heart of the wise, &c.; even when their bodies are absent.
There is no inconsistency between this remark and those passages
which inculcate the enjoyment of the present; because by the enjoyment of the present the writer means not sensual or riotous pleasure,
but the grateful use of the good which Heaven sends, in opposition to
excessive striving and anxiety about the future.
5. - song ofjbols; i.e., the music, songs, and jests of merry companions, which are commonly regarded as delightful.
6. - crackling of thorns; which make a great noise and blaze, as if
they would produce a mighty heat, but leave the water as cold as they
found it. - laughter of a fool; i.e., quickly passing away, doing no
good, but rather terminating in a sad silence.
7. - the gain of oppression. From speaking of fools, the Preacher
is led to a particular instance of folly, namely, the grasping at unjust
gain, bribes, &c., which take away from wise men their judgment and
reason. (Comp. Exod. xxiii. 8; Deut. xvi. 19; Prov. xv. 27.)
8. Better is the end. If this verse is connected in sense with the preceding, the meaning is, that the end of the practice of bribery will show
that he who takes it is not a gainer by it. But as there is often no connection between one proverb and the preceding, the meaning may be
general, that we cannot judge well of things till they are brought to a
conclusion. Some things, which are pleasant and promising at first,
end in ruin; and some things, difficult and painful at first, have a
happy termination. -patient in spirit; who quietly waits for the end




304                        NOTES.
of things. - proud in spirit; pride being the chief cause of impatience. Or this last'line may be understood more generally.
9. - anger resteth; i.e., dwells, has its abode; is ever at hand on all
occasions.
10. In this verse the Preacher condemns a querulous, repining
spirit, which indulges itself in unavailing wishes that it had lived in
what it regards the good old times, instead of accommodating itself to
the present state of things. Perhaps complaints eveif against the Governor of the world may be referred to. This spirit has been common
in all ages. (Comp. Hor. Ars Poet., 173.)
"' Difficilis, querulus, laudator temporis acti
Se puero, censor castigatorque ninorum."
The notion of the superiority of former ages is still prevalent in the
East. " The Hindoos have four ages, which nearly correspond with the
golden, silver, brazen, and iron ages of the Western heathen. In the
first age, called Kretha, they say the corn sprang up spontaneously,
and required no attention; in the second, named Treatha, the justice
of kings and the blessings of the righteous caused it to grow; in the
third, called Tuvara, rain produced it; but in this, the fourth age,
called Kally, many works have to be done to cause it to grow.' (ur
fathers,' say they,' had three harvests in the year: the trees also gave
an abundance of fruit. Where is now the cheapness of provisions?
the abundance of fish? the fruitful flocks  the rivers of milk  the
plenty of water'? Where the pleasures? Where the docility of animals? Where the righteousness, the truth, and affection? Where
the riches, the peace, the plenty? Where the mighty men? Where
the chaste and beautiful mothers, with their fifteen or sixteen children?
Alas, alas! they are all fled."' (Roberts's Illustrations ad loc.)
11. - as good, &c.; it is as desirable to possess wisdom as to inherit a fortune; yea, even more so. - that see the sun; i.e., that live.
12. -giveth life, &c.; literally, vivifieth; i.e., makes them flourishing, contented, happy. So the noun life is used in Prov. iv. 22, 23;
xii. 28, and many other places. "It marvellously supports, revives,
and comforts the souls of those who are owners of it, under all the
evils which it could not help them by honest means to avoid." Pat
rick.
13. From the praise of wisdom the Preacher passes to the principal
exercise of it, namely, the contemplation of the providence of God.
- the work of God; i.e., what God doeth; i.e., in the circumstances and
events which we witness. We are instructed in this verse to regard




ECCLESIASTES.                        30O
our condition as appointed by God, and to suit our minds to it; for we
cannot bring things to our minds, and therefore it is best to strive to
conform our minds to our condition, whether it be one of prosperity or
adversity.
14. - be joyful. (See the note on ch. ii. 24.) — look for a day of
adversity. So I translate, because I doubt whether the verb "ti,
which literally means to see, is ever used to denote what we understand
by the term consider. It would be against the author's views to recommend anxiety about the future; but it is not anxiety to remember in
the (lay of prosperity that it may not always last. We are the better
prepared to endure the storm when it comes, if we remember that
sooner or later it will come to all. - what shall be after him; i.e., God
has ordained that prosperity and adversity shall succeed each other in
the course of men's lives, so that they cannot foresee what shall take
place in the future, or after they have left the world, and thus may live
in constant dependence upon God, and submission to his will. (Comp.
vi. 12.)
15. All this; i.e. All that I have mentioned, and am about to mention. - my days of vanity; i.e., my vain life. - in their r ihteousness;
or, by their righteousness. The meaning. assigned to ver. 15, 16, and
17, by Patrick, in his paraphrase, seems to me as probable as any:
" It seems very hard that a just man's integrity should not be able to
preserve him, but he is therefore perhaps destroyed because he is better than others, when a wicked man escapes, nay, is countenanced and
encouraged, or suffered to prolong his days in (and perhaps by) his
wickedness. But besides other things which may be replied to this
(as that good men are sometimes removed from, and wicked reserved
unto, future evils), it must be noted also, that some pious men are
more strict and rigid than they need be, and not so prudent as they
ought to be, but necessarily expose themselves to danger. And therefore it is good advice, in order to a safe and quiet passage through this
life, to be temperate in thy zeal, and not to overdo, either by extending thy own duty beyond the divine commandment, or by correcting
the inveterate vices of others, and opposing the vulgar opinions too
severely or unseasonably, whereby they are only exasperated and enraged, but not at all amended; for why should a man bring a mischief
upon himself without any benefit unto others? And, on the other side,
let not impunity tempt any man to presume to grow so enormously
wicked and foolish as to embrace and follow the lewdest opinions; for
this may awaken the public justice against him, even for the common




306                        NOTES.
safety; or the divine vengeance, nay, his own excessive wickedness,
may cut him off before he come to the natural term  of his life."
Rosenmiiller supposes these precepts to have particular reference to
judges and rulers in the administration of laws. But this supposition
does not seem to be supported by verse 17.
18. - take hold of this; i.e., the counsel about avoiding wickedness
and folly, ver. 17. -from that; i.e., the advice in ver. 16. - escape,
&c. For R=1 with the accusative, see Gen. xliv. 4; Exod. ix. 29, 33;
i-T
Amos iv. 3   The rendering shall make his tway, i.e., order his life,
which Stuart adopts from Hitzig, seems to me more forced than the
somewhat unusual construction which it aims to avoid.  To walk
means to order the life; but to come out has not this meaning. - all
those things; i.e., the extremes which have been mentioned, and their
evil consequences.
21. Give no heed, &c. Lord Bacon, as quoted by Patrick ad loc.,
thus remarks on this verse: " It is a matter almost beyond belief, what
disturbance is created by unprofitable curiosity about those things that
concern our personal interest; that is, when we make a too scrupulous
inquiry after such secrets, which, once disclosed and found out, do but
cause a disquiet of mind. and nothing conduce to the advancing of our
designs. For, first, there follows vexation and disquiet of mind;
human affairs being so full of treachery and ingratitude, that, if there
could be procured a magical glass in which we might behold the
hatreds and whatsoever malicious contrivances are anywhere raised
up against us, it would be better for us if such a glass were forthwith
thrown away and broken in pieces. For things of this nature are like
the murmurs of the leaves of trees, which in a short time vanish!
Secondly, This curiosity loads the mind too much with suspicions and
ungrounded jealousies; which is the most capital enemy to counsels,
and renders them inconstant and involved. Thirdly, The same curiosity doth sometimes fix those evils which otherwise of themselves
would pass by us and fly away. For it is a dangerous thing to irritate
the consciences of men; who, if they think themselves to lie undiscovered, are easily changed for the better; but, if they perceive themselves to be detected, drive out one mischief by another. And therefore it was deservedly esteemed the highest wisdom in Pompey the
Great, that he instantly burnt all Sertorius's papers, unperused by himself, or suffered to be seen by others."-" Be not solicitous or inquisitive to know what people say of thee: if they speak well of thee, it
will feed thy pride; if ill, it will stir up thy passion." Henry.




ECCLESIASTES.                        307
23. - it was far from me; i.e., I fell far short of the perfection of
wisdom to which I aspired.
24. -far off, &c.; i.e., perfect wisdom, a knowledge of the reasons
of all that occurs in the world. (Comp. ch. i. 13.)
25. - wickedness and folly, &c. Otherwise, to know wickedness as
folly, and folly as madness. This could scarcely be said to be the purpose, though it would be the certain result, of diligent investigation.
The result of the Preacher's investigation seems to be in the next
verse.
27. - to find out knowledge; perhaps, the computation, result, or conclusion.
28. - is this; namely, a wise and virtuous woman. This is spoken
in conformity with the Oriental notions of the female sex. (See Job
xiv. 1, and the note.)
29. - God made man upright. That man is used in the collective
sense, denoting all mankind, including especially the men and women
who are just before mentioned, is evident from the plural verb, they
have sought out. - devices; i.e., perverse and evil pursuits. Jerome
remarks on this passage: "Ne videretur communem hominum damnare naturam, et Deum auctorem facere mali, dum talium conditor est
qui malum vitare non possint, argute precavit, et ait, bonos nos a Deo
creatos; sed quia libero sumus arbitrio derelicti, vitio nostro ad pejora
labi, dum majora quaerimus, et ultra vires nostras varia cogitamus."
Ch. VIII. 1. - brighteneth his countenance; i.e., enlivens it, makes
it cheerful and mild, beaming kindness. (Comp. Ps. lxxx. 3, 7, 19.)
2. - oath of God; i.e., the oath of allegiance to the king, which you
called God to witness.
3. - to depart from his presence; i.e., in dislike or discontent, quitting his service or obedience. - persist not, &c. Less probably, stand
not up; i.e., show no resentment, on account of a grievous word.
4. - powerful; i.e., he has instruments enough to execute all he
commands, and there is none to call him to account for his conduct.
5. - time and judgmnent. Most modern interpreters translate time
and manner; i.e., a wise man will attempt to correct what he sees to be
wrong in government, only at a fit time and in the best way. He will
not be rash and violent in opposition to the powers that be. The passage thus has a good meaning. But it is doubtful whether this signification, manner, be justified by the usage of the term  t-'hj in the
Scriptures. In this book it has a different sense in all other passages




308                        NOTES.
in which it occurs. The word time seems also to be used in a peculiar
way. Thus, in ch. iii. 17, "For there shall be a time for every employment and for every work." Here the connection seems to require
us to understand a time of judgment. So, in ch. ix. 12, " Man knoweth
not his time;" i.e., the time when calamity or death shall come upon
him. So, in Job xxiv. 1, the term denotes the time when one may
experience the evil consequences of imprudence, rashness, or misconduct. Judgment, it is well known, often denotes retribution or
punishment.
6. For to every thing there is a time and judgment; i.e., time when the
consequences of it shall be experienced, and retribution take place.
(See the note on the preceding verse.) Otherwise, time and manner,
in the sense above referred to. - the misery, &c. Otherwise, the
wickedness, &c.
8. We need not seek for any closer connection of this verse with
the preceding than to suppose it an illustration of human misery, mentioned in ver. 6, or of man's ignorance of the future, in his being unable
to predict the day of his death. - the spirit; i.e., his vital spirit,
breath of life. (See ch. iii. 19.) Otherwise, the wind. — discharge,
&c.; in the conflict between life and death, all must engage, and all be
subdued.
9. - to his hurt; i.e., to the injury and oppression of the governed.
Man oppresses his fellow-man.
10. - the wicked buried; i.e., I saw those who deserved infamy obtaining an honorable burial. The Hebrews held the burial of the dead
to be a subject of the utmost importance. To be cast out unburied
was considered as in the highest degree ignominious and terrible.
(Isa. xiv. 19, 20; Jer. vii. 33, xxii. 19.) - came and went from the holy
place; i.e., came into life and went out of it, from the sacred city of
Jerusalem, or perhaps from the royal palace. The verb signifying
to go, in Hebrew, as in the Greek, English, and other languages, is
often used as a euphemism to denote death. - wereforgotten; i.e., did
not receive that place in the memory of their fellow-citizens which
their virtues deserved. (Comp. Isa. lvii. 1.) The sentiment of the
verse I understand to be similar to that in ver. 14. In regard to the
rendering, the righteous, literally, they who did right, the Hebrew word
)5 means right, or so, according to the connection. (Comp. Numb.
xxxvii. 7; 2 Kings vii. 9.) Those who prefer the latter rendering
will regard the whole verse as relating to the wicked. It will then
refer to ill-gotten or ill-used honor and power. They who possess




ECCLESIASTES.                        309
the highest degrees of either will soon come to the grave and be forgotten.
11. Because sentence, &c.; i.e., of retribution, punishment. (Comp.
ch. xii. 14.) The sentiment of this verse is of universal application
in regard to evil-doers, but probably refers in this place more particularly to tyrants.
12. - and have his days prolonged; i.e., in or by his wickedness.
(Comp. ch. vii. 15.) Or, though no evil happen to him for a long
time. The verse evidently refers to retribution in this life, as appears
from the next verse.
13. - shall not prolong his days; i.e., he-shall come to a sudden and
violent end. (Comp. Prov. x. 27; Ps. lv. 23.) Some understand this
verse as an imprecation, in order to avoid a seeming inconsistency between it and the last. But the wicked may have his days prolonged
for a time, and yet come to an untimely end. (Comp. pp. 105-109.)
Ch. VIII. 14-IX. 10. In this section the Preacher goes on to
illustrate the vanity of earthly things, as exhibited in the apparently
equal prosperity of the righteous and the wicked, and the difficulty of
understanding the Divine proceedings in the affairs of the world. He
repeats and farther illustrates these ideas, and proceeds to recommend
the present enjoyment of life's blessings as wiser than to live in anxiety
about distant good, or perplexity about the mysteries of human affairs.
(See p. 117.)
14. On the consistency of this sentiment with the preceding verses,
see pp. 105-109.
15. Then I commended joy, &c. Some understand this as the cavil
- of an objector, but without reason. The meaning is, Since a man has
so little power over his condition, since he can understand so little of
the reasons upon which the outward condition of the righteous and
the wicked is allotted, it is best for him not to perplex and torment
himself about:these seeming disorders of the world, but to live in
cheerfulness and tranquillity, freely enjoying the present good things
which are allotted him, without anxious cares respecting the distant
future, or painful efforts to discover the reasons of the Divine proceedings. (Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note.) -it is this that abideth with
him, &c.; i.e., the use and enjoyment of what a man obtains by his
labor is all that can properly be called his own. Whatever estate,
possession, &c., he may acquire will be left to others. The use and
enjoyment only are his own.
16. - to know, wisdom, and to see the business, &c.; i.e., to advance




310                        NOTES.
myself in wisdom, and to observe the vain and wearisome labors of
men. I suppose that wisdom, in this verse, refers particularly to a
knowledge of the causes and reasons of the Divine proceedings; and
that to see the business which is done is pursued for the purpose of finding
out the work of God, as mentioned in the next verse, and the mysteries
of his government of the world. - doth one see sleep with his eyes. The
restless, anxious activity of men in general is denoted. Some translate, doth it, i.e., the mind, see sleep with its eyes; but this seems to be too
harsh a metaphor.
17. - the whole work of God; i.e., the method and reasons of his proceedings in administering the affairs of the world; why, for instance,
he sufftrs the wicked to prosper and the virtuous to be oppressed, as in
ver. 9, 14. This the Preacher maintains to be beyond the comprehension of man. - is done, namely, by God in his providence.
Ch. IX. 1. - in the hand of God. This phrase denotes sometimes,
to be in the power of God; sometimes, to be under his protecting care. Both
senses are applicable here. - yet neither his love nor hatred doth any man
know; i.e., from the good or bad outward condition of a man it cannot
be determined whether God loves or hates him. - all is before them;
reserved in the dark, uncertain future.
2. All [cometh to them] as to all; i.e., to the righteous as to all other
men. "For there is no certain and constant distinction made between
one man and another in the distribution of things in this world; but
they all fare alike, especially in public calamities. A righteous man, for
instance, perishes in a battle as well as the wicked; he that keeps
himself pure and undefiled dies in a pestilence as well as the filthy and
unclean; he that worships God in sincerity and truth suffers by
storms, shipwrecks, and inundations, &c., as well as a profane person
or a hypocrite: and, on the contrary, a blasphemer of God, nay, a perjured wretch, prospers and thrives as much as he that dreads the holy
name of God, and dare not rashly, much less falsely, take it into his
mouth."  Patrick. The rendering of Stuart, "all are like to all,"
does not well accord with the meaning of CR~IZ, literally, according to
what, that which, is to all. In regard to the seeming inconsistency of
the Preacher, see the Introduction (pp. 105, 106, &c.). - to the clean, and
to the unclean. There is probably reference here to legal purity or impurity, according to the statutes of the Mosaic code. Of the difficulty
in regard to the Divine government arising from the facts which he
here states, the author proposes no solution. He says expressly, that




ECCLESIASTES.                      311
he cannot find out or comprehend the work of God in regard to it.
The solution which occurs to the mind of the Christian does not appear
to have occurred to him. He seems rather to deny a future life in the
following verses, namely, 5 and 6. A Christian, stating such facts,
would naturally be led to speak of a retribution after death, and to
excite his readers to look to it, as a motive to perseverance in welldoing, and a relief to his doubts or difficulties relating to the government of God. The only inference which the author seems to draw
from the perplexing facts which he states is, that it is best to give up
all anxiety about such dark and difficult subjects, and to enjoy the
good things of life while they last. From what the writer asserts, and
from what he omits in the first ten verses of this chapter, it seems very
doubtful whether he had any belief in a desirable future life, or a state
of retribution after death. Some writers among the Jews and Christians have supposed these verses to be spoken in the character of an
impious Epicurean. But there seems to be no ground for this supposition. The writer is speaking of what he himself searched out (ver. 1),
and not of what an objector might say. On the difficulty presented
by this passage and similar ones, in relation to the mode in which the
author reconciles the sentiments contained in it with his own doctrine
of retribution as elsewhere expressed, " that it shall be well with them
that fear God," and that " it shall not be well with the wicked," and
that "God will bring every work into the judgment, which there is
upon every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil,"
ch. viii. 12, 13; xii. 14, -see the Introduction (pp. 105-109).
3. - madness, &c.; i.e., great wickedness. The sentiment of the
verse is the same as that in ch. viii. 11. - and afterward; i.e., after
the vicissitudes of life. - they go down to the dead. This may be added
to illustrate the vanity of human things, or to illustrate the sentiment,
that a common lot happens to the righteous and the wicked; both being
under the necessity of going down to the dead.
4. For who is there that is excepted; i.e., exempted from death.
- there is hope. However miserable may be a man's condition while
living, he has this advantage over the dead, that he can hope for a
change for the better. (Comp. Job vii. 6-10.)
5. - know that they shall die. They know that they must die, and
of course they know and feel that they are alive, and may have much
enjoyment before death arrives. - advantage; i.e., from their possessions, &c., all of which are left to their heirs. -for their memory is
forgotten; i.e., so far are they from having any enjoyment of their pos,
sessions, that it is altogether forgotten by their successors that such
persons ever lived.




812                         NOTES.
6. - which taketh place tnder the sun. Some have erroneously supposed that this expression is used in contradistinction to another world,
in which the dead might have a portion. But the phrase is not used
in this emphatic sense. Thus, in ch. i. 9, the author says, " There is
no new thing under the sun." (See also ch. ii. 18.) When I consider
that this description of death, as the end of man's activity, faculties,
feelings, and enjoyments, is made without any qualification; that it
follows the statement of the mysterious conduct of Providence in allotting the condition of the righteous and the wicked; and that, instead
of being followed by any reference to a fiture life, by way of encouragement to the virtuous, or of terror to the wicked, or of explanation
of the Divine proceedings, it makes the certainty of death only a motive
for enjoying the present life, while it lasts, -it is very difficult for me
*to believe, that the doctrine of a desirable future life, or of a retribution
after death, was a part of the faith of the Preacher. (See the caption
to Job xii.)
7. Go thy way, &c. "And therefore, shaking off both all anxious
cares, and also all perplexing thoughts about God's providence (ver. 1),
excite thyself by the remembrance of death to a cheerful enjoyment
of those good things present which thou justly possessest; use them,
while thou hast them, with a well-pleased, contented, nay, joyful
mind."  Patrick. (Comp. ch. ii. 24, and the note.) -for long since
hath God been pleased with thy works; i.e., with thy labors, and given
them success; and, by giving you the means of cheerful enjoyment,
shown his intention that you should use them.
8. - garments be always white. This is an exhortation to cheerfulness and joy; as it was the custom for the rich and powerful to robe
themselves in white cotton, especially on festival days. (See Jahn's
Archaeology, ~ 119; also Esther viii. 15; Rev. iii. 4, 5; vi. 11. See
also Hor., Sat. ii. 2, 60.)
" ile repotia, natales, aliosve dierum
Festos albatus celebret."
-fragrant oil; which it was the custom of the Hebrews to pour upon
their heads on days of rejoicing and festivity. (See Isa. Ixi. 3; Amos
vi. 6; Ps. xxiii. 5.)
9. Enjoy life with the wife whom thou lovest. " Seek for such a wife as
thou canst love; and, when thou hast her, delight thyself in her company, with such unalterable kindness as may help to sweeten the
afflictions to which we are subject."  Patrick. - thy portion; the enjoyment of what you obtain by your labor is all that you can call your




ECCLESIASTES.                       313
own. You can take nothing with you when you go down to the grave.
(See cll. viii. 15.) "Here is a new proof that this is not the speech
of voluptuaries; for they love not to be confined to a wife, as the
Preacher here advises this happy man to be; making her his partner
in all the joys and comforts he hath, as she will be in his grief and
sorrows."  Patrick.
10. - thy hand findeth to do; i.e., what thou hast opportunity and
ability to do at present, without scheming and anxiety respecting the
future. Here the Preacher makes it evident, that he does not persuade
men to an idle and sensual life, but only to a sober enjoyment of their
blessings in an industrious prosecution of their vocations.
Ch. IX. 11-XI. 6. The Preacher now adduces a new illustration
of the vanity of human life in the circumstances, that success does not
always answer to a man's strength, wisdom, and other advantages;
and that wisdom, with all its benefits to the public, often brings but
little consideration to its possessor. He adds various proverbs showing
the advantages of wisdom and prudence. He speaks of the evil oii
rulers unfit for their stations, and gives various maxims for the regulation of conduct in private and public. This section closes with a
recommendation of liberality to the poor, and diligent exertion, without
an over-anxious solicitude respecting the issue of ourlabors.
11. - nor favor to men of knowledge; i.e., the esteem and respect of
mankind are not always gained by the wise. Sometimes neglect,
envy, and hatred are their portion. - time and chance. In this connection the author has in mind a time of misfortune, an unfortunate
chance or occurrence. Lord Bacon, as quoted by Patrick, remarks
upon the maxim, "Faber quisque fortunae sum, "Every man makes
his own fortune," that we ought to look upon it as "an insolent and
unlucky saying, except it be uttered as an hortative or spur to correct
sloth. For otherwise, if it be believed as it sounds, and a man enters
into a high imagination that he can compass and fathom all accidents,
and ascribes all successes to his own drift and reaches, and the contrary to his errors and slippings, it is a profane speech; and it is commonly seen, that the evening fortune of that man is not so prosperous
as of him that, without slacking his industry, attributeth much to
felicity and providence above him."
12. - knoweth not his time. We need not confine this remark exclusively to the time of one's death. It more probably refers to the time
of any misfortune or calamity. Some understand it in the sense of
suitable time or opportunity; evicatpiav.
14




314                        NOTES.
13. - even wisdom; i.e., I have observed the nature and effects of
wisdom, and estimated its exceeding value.
15. - yet no man remembered, &c.; i.e., no man thought of him after
the danger was past. Thus the remark in ver. 11 is illustrated, that
favor is not always to the wise.
17. - are sooner heard; i.e., in times of danger and distress, though
they may be disregarded in times of prosperity. -foolish; literally,
who is amnog fools. So in Ps. cxviii. 7, the literal rendering is, Jehovah
is among my helpers; i.e., Jehovah is my helper. (See Gesen. Lex. on the
preposition!.)
18. But one offender; i.e., against the rules of wisdom and prudence,
as the connection seems to require. One man, by his rashness and
imprudence, may bring ruin, not only upon himself, but upon many,
even upon whole nations.
Ch. X. 1. - nauseous; more strictly, fetid. - a little folly. The
Preacher seems in this verse to intend. to illustrate the evil which a
foolish man may occasion to the cause in which he is engaged. He is
a marplot, and often does more mischief than many wise counsellors
can remedy. Otherwise, a little folly in the wise man destroys tile
fruits of his own wisdom, and ruins his reputation. The rendering of
the Common Version, which has no better support from the Hebrew
than mine, is less agreeable to the connection.
2.- wise man's mind; literally, heart, which was regarded as the seat
of the mind by the Hebrews, as the brain is by the moderns. - at his
right hand; i.e., he can use his mind to some purpose, can exercise a
ready judgment on every occasion; as men in general can readily and
efficiently use their right hand, but not their left.
3. - walketh in the way. I should understand this literally of the
gait, behavior, and talk of a person, as he, passes through the streets.
-saith, &c.; i.e., by his behavior, that he is himself a fool. Otherwise, saith of every one, &c., he thinks and declares that all are fools
except himself.
4. - leave not thy place; i.e., in anger and discontent. Do not abandon his service hastily and rashly, but continue in the faithful and quiet
discharge of the duties of thy station. (Comp. ch. viii. 3.) - great
offences; i.e., such as he supposes thou hast committed against him.
Let not, therefore, a false opinion of implacability make thee desperate, and draw thee into rebellion.
5. -from a ruler; in appointing unworthy and incapable persons




ECCLESIASTES.                       315
to places of honor and power; or in suffering them to rise to such
places.
6. -set in many high stations; i.e., raised to honorable stations.
- the noble; in character, birth, and advantages of possessing wisdom,
which it is here presumed that they have used. " Many kings," says
Grotius, " suspect those who are distinguished for nobility or wisdom
or wealth."  "Aliena illis virtus formidolosa est," "The virtue of
others is feared by them."  Sallist.
7. - servants upon horses; i.e., slaves who had been raised from their
servile condition to such eminent stations, that they rode upon horses.
Riding upon horses was regarded as the privilege of the higher ranks
in the East. (See Jer. xvii. 25; Ezek. xxiii. 23.) -princes; i.e.,
persons of high rank and former opulence, who have been depressed
by the injustice of the ruler. It has been observed by several writers,
that persons of high rank and opulence in the East, at the present day,
are distinguished from their inferiors by riding on horseback when they
go abroad; while those of meaner stations, if not on foot, are obliged
to content themselves with the ass or the mule.
8. He that diggeth a pit, &c. The proverbs which follow (to ver.
20) have been supposed to be cautions against sedition and rebellion
against kings, having reference to ver. 4. But such an application of
them is rather forced and arbitrary. It seems more probable that they
are general maxims for the wise conduct of life, in the midst of the
vanities and dangers of the world, which the Preacher has described.
(See Prov. xxvi. 27,) - breaketh down a wall; i.e., with the design of
stealing fruits. - a serpent; such as is usually found in hedges. The
proverb shows the evil consequences of dishonesty to him that practises it.
9. Whoso removeth stones, &c.; i.e., from their earth-bed great stones,
for the handling of which their strength is insufficient. The design of
both the proverbs in this verse is to show that rash and imprudent
men, who engage in difficult and dangerous undertakings, often injure
themselves thereby. - cleaveth wood, &c. This proverb amounts to
the same thing with the common one, that it is dangerous to meddle
with edge-tools.
10. If the iron be blunt, &c. " This is sufficient to show how unprofitable all our endeavors are without true judgment. For as a rusty tool,
though managed by the strongest man, is so far from effecting his desires that it only tires his arm, unless he file and whet it to recover its
edge; so all the power in the world rather hurts than advantages him
that has it, unless it be guided and directed by prudence." Patrick.
(See ch. ix. 16, 18.)




316                        NOTES.
11. If a serpent bite, &c. This proverb is in commendation of wisdom. As the poison of the serpent is avoided only by the utmost care
and circumspection, so is it with the dangers arising from intercourse
with men. It is equivalent to the common one, that an ounce of pre.
vention is worth a pound of cure. It is too late to begin to enchant
when the poisonous bite is given. Perhaps there may be reference to
the avoiding of danger from the powerful by turning away their wrath
wih conciliating language. (See the next verse.) - the charmer, literally, the lord of the tongue, has in this case no advantage from his art,
but rather severe injury. (Comp. Sirach xii. 13; Ps. lviii. 4, 5; Jer.
viii. 17.) For some very remarkable accounts given by travellers in
Egypt and tile East, respecting the power which certain persons possess of charming serpents, and depriving them of the power of poisoning by music and other means, see Robinson's Calmet, art. " Inchantments."
12. - gracious; i.e., mild, kind, agreeable, and thus conciliate favor;
while those of the fool are harsh and offensive, and bring evil upon
him.
13. The beiinning, &c.; i.e., All his talk, from beginning to end, is
folly, and he proceeds from bad to worse, from folly to rage, which ends
in mischief to himself or to others.
14. - multiplieth words, &c. The Preacher seems to allude to the
folly of those great talkers who speak with confidence of their intentions and plans for the future, or who are fond of predicting what will
happen in time to come. - what shall be after hirn. This phrase seems
to mean, what shdll happen to him inzfiture. (Comp. vi. 12, viii. 7.)
15. - knoweth not how to go to the city. This language probably had
the emphasis and point of a proverb. To go to the city is an instance of
what ought to be familiar and well known. The meaning is, that the
foolish man, in his labors and pursuits, is like a traveller ignorant of
the road, who, in going to a city, takes difficult, troublesome, or
dangerous circuits, which bring him  no nearer to the end of his
journey.
16. - king is a child. This may be understood literally, as setting
forth the evils of having a child for a king. But I should rather understand it of a king resembling a child in disposition, character, and
conduct; one who gives himself up to amusements, and neglects the
weighty concerns of government. Rosenmiiller quotes from the Arabic
Anthology a similar proverb: " The blow of an axe upon the head is
lighter than the government of one of the young colts." -feast in the
morning. Jahn, in his Archaeology, ~ 145, says, " Not only the inhabi



ECCLESIASTES.                        317
tants of the East generally, but the Greeks and Romans also, were in
the habit of taking a slight dinner about ten or eleven o'clock of our
time, which consisted of fruits, milk, cheese, &c. Their principal meal
was about six or seven in the afternoon." Hence, to eat, i.e., to feast,
in the 71orning was regarded as intemperance, and as consuming the
time which ought to be devoted to affairs of government. (Comp.
Isa. v. 11; Acts ii. 13-15.)
17. - a noble; i.e., resembles those who are truly noble in disposition and character, according to a well-known Hebraism.
19. - money answereth all things; i.e., procures, supplies, all things.
From the condemnation of idleness the Preacher passes to the commendation of that which is procured by diligence, i.e., money; affirming that, while of other good things one procures one advantage and
another another, money procures all. So Hor., Epist. i. 6, 36:" Scilicet uxorem cum dote, fidemlque, et amicos,
Et genus, et formam, regina pecunia donat."
20. There is probably no allusion here to the custom of sending letters by pigeons, as some suppose. The idea is, that the king will get
intelligence of what is said against him in some unknown and unsuspected way, as if a bird of the air was passing by the window and carried it. There are in English the proverbs, "Hedges have ears;" and
The walls will speak."
Ch. XI. 1. Cast thy bread upon the waters. There can be little doubt
that this verse is a recommendation of liberality in giving to the needy;
but, respecting the explanation of the proverb, there are different opinions. Some suppose the allusion is to the planting of corn or rice upon
wet places, or such as are even covered with water, which yield an
abundant harvest. The objection to this is, that, if there be an allusion to any custom of this kind, it would not be practised without the
confident expectation of a harvest; in which case the precept would
relate to industry rather than to generosity. Besides, the language is,
" Cast thy bread," &c., not thy grain. It may not be amiss to observe,
that the cakes of the Hebrews were thin and light, such as would float
for a time on the water. "The cakes when made were round, and
nine or ten inches in diameter. The unleavened cakes were not
thicker than a knife, but the leavened were as thick as a man's little
finger. Hence they were not cut with a knife, but broken." (Jahn's
Archaeology, ~ 140.) Thus the meaning of the proverb may be, Bestow thy gifts with the utmost liberality, even upon those who, by reason of their ingratitude or their extreme poverty, may seem to be as




318                        NOTES.
unlikely to make any returns to thee as the water upon which it might
be cast. Win the good-will of all, even of the lowest, by acts of kindness. You may receive a return from them; if not, you will be rewarded by God. Rosenmiiller observes that the Arabs have a similar
proverb: "Do good; throw bread into the water; it will one day be
repaid thee." The Turks have borrowed it from the Arabs, with a
slight alteration: "Do good; throw bread into the water; even if the
fish does not know, yet the Creator knows it."
2. - a portion; i.e., a part of thy good things or provisions. - to
seven, &c.; i.e., to many, not limiting your beneficence, except by your
ability. (Comp. Mic. v. 5.) - thou knowest not what evil, &c.; i.e.,
some calamity may strip thee of thy property, and make thee an object
of charity, when thou mayst receive aid from some one of those whose
good-will thou hast secured by thy beneficence.
3. When the clouds, &c. As both clauses of this verse seem designed
to express the same thought, the meaning seems to be, that calamities,
referred to in the preceding verse, will certainly come; that they cannot be prevented by any foresight, or remedied by human care; and
that what cannot be cured must be endured. When the cloud is full,
the rain will fall, without regard to our wishes; and where the tree
has fallen, there it will stay, whether we like it or not. (Comp.
ver. 6.)
4. - watcheth the wind, &c. This proverb may imply a recommendation not to be overscrupulous in the exercise of charity. But it is,
perhaps, more probable that it relates to human conduct. in general,
in relation both to business and duty. He that is deterred from any
undertaking by every appearance of hazard or inconvenience will never
accomplish any thing; as he that will not sow till the wind comes from
exactly the right quarter may let the seed-time pass by; and lie that
will not reap because he is afraid of every cloud that threatens rain
may lose his harvest.
5. - the way of the wind; i.e., whence it comes and whither it goes.
(Comp. John iii. 8.) Both of the images in this verse are designed to
set forth the incomprehensibility of Providence, or the uncertainty how
God will order the course of things, what evil he will send, or what
good, whether storms or sunshine, rain or drought, or whether life
itself will be continued. The inference seems to be, that we are to be
active in duty and business, and leave events to the care of Providence.
6. - whether this shallprosper, or that; i.e., that which is sown early,
or that which is sown late. (See the note on ver. 4 and 5.)




ECCLESIASTES.                        319
Ch. XI. 7-XII. 8. In this portion of the book the Preacher passes
to a new topic, and exhorts to a cheerful enjoyment of life while it
lasts, in the participation of pleasures which in their nature and degree
are consistent with the thought of retribution and the remembrance of
the Creator. The consideration of the long night of death and the
grievous infirmities of age are urged as a reason for dispelling anxiety
and sorrow while the opportunity for enjoyment lasts. (Comp. ch. ii.
24, and the cnte.)
7. - the light, &c.; i.e., life is dear to all. To see the light, to behold the sun, is figurative language for to live.
8. - let him rejoice in them all; i.e., let him not indulge in anxiety
and gloom, but take all the enjoyment whicl life can give, since it is the
only opportunity for enjoyment. (Comp. iii. 12.) - the days of darkness; i.e., the long night of death which succeeds life. (Comp. Job x.
21; Ps. lxxxviii. 12.) All that cometh is vanity. The connection seems
to show the meaning to be, All the future, after the present life is
closed, is vanity or nothingness. (Comp. ch. ix. 4-6.)
9. Rejoice, 0 youln mnan! in thy yonth; i.e., in the time of thy youth.
This verse is commonly understood in an ironical sense, like tile language of Elijah to the priests of Baal, " Cry aloud, for he is a god."
But from the connection in which the verse stands, and from a comparison of it with other passages in the book, in which the writer
recommends present ejoyment, in opposition to anxious care, as a man's
only portion in the midst of the vanities and uncertainties of life, it is
far more probable that the exhortation is serious. (See ch. ii. 10, 24;
iii. 12, 13, 22; v. 18; vi. 9; vii. 14; viii. 15; ix. 7-9.) So the verse is
understood by Jerome, Martin Luther, Bishop Patrick, and other interpreters. The Preacher regards the season of youth as the peculiar
season of enjoyment; but he would have all the pleasures of youth consecrated by the remembrance of the Creator, being innocent in their
nature, and pursued only to such an extent as,is consistent with the
Creator's laws, and with the retribution which attends the violation of
them. The expression, " Walk in the ways of thy heart and in the
sight of thine eyes," to one accustomed to the Christian sentiment of
faith in a future life, would seem at first to be used in an ironical sense.
But it is susceptible of a good one, namely, Pursue such things as will
gratify your desires and delight your senses; and the necessary qualification is immediately added, namely, that the pursuit of enjoyment
is to be in consistency with the thought of judgment or retribution from
God; that he will bring us into judgment in relation to the virtuous
use or sinful abuse of our blessings. The laws of the Creator, and the




320                        NOTEi.
penalties or consequences annexed to their violation, are to be kept in
mind. In Numb. xv. 39, "to seek after one's own heart, and one's
own eyes," is used in express opposition to "remembering the commandments of the Lord," and of course should have no influence
on the explanation of these phrases when used in a different connection.
10. - sorrowofrom thy heart,- evil from thy body. The connection, as
well as such passages as ch. ix. 7-9, and others referred to in the preceding note, seems to require us to understand the verse as an exhortation to banish anxiety and sorrow from the mind, and from the body
whatever is painful or noxious; in other words, to recommend a cheerful enjoyment of life, from the consideration, that the season of youth
is transitory, passing away like a vapor.
Ch. XII. 1. Remember, &c. This sentiment is to be connected with
what goes before. Youth is not only the season of enjoyment, but of
religion. In that interesting period of life, cheerfulness and joy are to
be cherished, the pleasures of life are to be enjoyed, sorrow and pain
are to be banished; but the whole conduct in relation to these things
is to be regulated by the remembrance of the Creator, of the intimate
relation in which the creature stands to him, of the blessings which he
has received from him, of the duties which he owes to him, and of the
judgment appointed by him, into which he is to be brought.
2. In ver. 1, the Preacher has exhorted the young to remember the
Creator in the peculiar season of their enjoyments and capacities, which
is also the season of their temptations, before the troubles and infirmities of age should arrive. He now proceeds to give, in figurative or
what may be called enigmatical language, a more particular description
of the troubles, decays, and infirmities of old age. - sun, and the light,
&c. I do not understand this of the dim-sighltedness of men, which
is alluded to in the next verse. The images in this verse rather set
forth the gloom and sadness which belong to old age, when every
thing looks dark and cheerless. - and the clouds return ca2er the rain;
i.e., when one trouble seems to tread upon the heels of another, causing continual sadness; when after the rain no sunshine succeeds, but
only perpetual clouds.
3. Here the decay and infirmities of the human body in age are compared to a house decayed and falling into ruin. (Comp. Job iv. 19;
2 Cor. v. 1.) - keepers of the house; i.e., the arms, which guard the body
from injury, defend it from assault, supply it with food, &c., and which
are subject to weakness and trembling in age. - strong  en; i.e., the




ECCLESIASTES.                        321
thighs and legs, on which the body rests for support, but which in old
men become feeble, bent in walking, and unfit for their office. - and
the grinders cease. The image is drawn from grinding by the hand'
mill, which was performed by Hebrew servants in the house. (Exod.
xi. 5.) - cease; i.e., cease to grind. It represents the teeth of the
aged man, which are too few to discharge their office of preparing the
food for the stomach. - those that look out of the windows; i.e., the eyes,
which look through the cavities of the head in which they are placed,
as it were through the windows of a house. They are said to be
darkened, in reference to the dimness of sight common to the aged.
(Comp. Gen. xxvii. 1; xlviii. 10.)
4. - when the doors are shut in the streets, &c. Some understand this
literally of the doors of the old man's habitation, in reference to his
remaining at home. But it seems best to understand it allegorically
of his lips, which are elsewhere in the Scriptures called doors. (See
Job xli. 14; Mic. vii. 5.) - sound of the mill, &c. The, mill seems
to denote the inner part of the mouth, which gives forth a low sound
when the old man speaks. The meaning is, that the old man seldom
opens his mouth to speak, as his voice is weak and faint. - rise up at
the voice of the bird. The aged man's restlessness or difficulty of enjoying sound and long sleep is here described; he is awaked by the earliest chirping of birds in the morning, and so compelled to rise. The
pronoun they, which I have used for he or one, to make it conform to
the following verses, is implied in the previous description of old age.
The rendering, " it riseth to the voice of the bird," seems to me much
less probable. - all the daughters of music; all songstresses, all the
women who sing, or perhaps all musical voices, sounds, or songs.
-are brought low; i.e., sound low, are not heard by him, in consequence of his deafness. So old Barzillai, in 2 Sam. xix. 35, says,
"Can I hear any more the voice of singing men and singing
women "
5. - they are afraid of that which is high; i.e., on account of their
weakness, or short breath, or dizziness, they are afraid to ascend stairs,
hills, &c. - and terrors are in the way; i.e., terrors for them. They
are afraid of walking in a common way, lest they should stumble, or
meet with some accident. - and the almond is despised; i.e., so rich
and delicate a fruit as the almond is rejected by the toothless old man.
Others, with the Common Version, the almond-tree shall flourish; referring to the white hairs of the old man. This does not agree so well
with what follows; and, besides, it is said that the blossoms of the
almond-tree are not white, but rose or flesh-colored. (See Pliny, Hist.
14*




322                       NOTES.
Nat. 16, 25.) - and the locust is a burden; i.e., the locust, which was
a common food with the Orientals, and which may have been regarded
as of easy digestion, cannot be eaten or digested by the old man. The
locust would hardly be mentioned as an instance of a very light thing
resting upon the old man. It would be a disagreeable thing, at least,
lighting upon any one. - and the caper-berryfails; i.e., to excite appetite, or other natural desire. See Gesen. Lex. ad verb., who refers to
Plutarch, Quaest. Symp. 6, 2, and to Pliny, Hist. Nat. 13, 23, ib. 20,15,
as showing that the caper-berry was regarded by the ancients as a
provocative of appetite and lust. The translation caper-berry is supported by the Sept., Vulg., and Syr. Versions. The Common Version
expresses the sense, but not the literal meaning. - since man goeth,
&c.; i.e., the aged man is on the point of being carried to the grave,
his everlasting home (comp. Tob. iii. 6), with the usual mourning
solemnities. By moturners may be understood not only the relatives,
but such hired mourners as are mentioned in Jer. ix. 17, Amos v. 16,
upon which see the note.
6. - before the silver cord be snapped asunder, and the golden bowl be
crushed. From plain language the Preacher now returns to that which
is allegorical, setting forth the decline and loss of the vital powers in
man by new images. The exhortation, "Remember thy Creator," is
to be regarded as repeated at the beginning of this verse. The metaphor, by which loss of life is denoted; is borrowed from a lamp suspended from a ceiling by a silver cord. The golden bowl is the bowl
or reservoir of oil, from which it is distributed into the branches, in
which the wicks are placed from which the light proceeds. (See
Zech. iv. 2, and the note; Job xxix. 3, and the note.) The cord by
which this golden bowl or reservoir of oil is suspended being decayed
with age, giving way, and so suffering the bowl of oil to fall upon the
floor and be broken, and thus extinguish the lamps, affords a striking
image of the breaking-up of the human machine, and the extinction of
its life, which, by a very common metaphor, is said to be suspended upon
a brittle thread. We need not inquire what internal part of the body
is denoted by the silver cord or the golden bowl; whether by the
former is denoted the spinal marrow, the nerves, the veins, or arteries;
or whether by the golden bowl is denoted the heart, the brain, &c., or
by tlhs bucket the lungs; since it is extremely doubtful whether the
Preacher refers to either. The general image presented by the breaking of the lamp, and of the silver cord which held it up, sufficiently
illustrates the extinction of life. - or the bucket broken at the fountain,
or- the wheel broken at the well. By the fountain here is denoted a place




ECCLESIASTES.                       323
from which the water could be obtained only by being drawn up by a
bucket; an earthen one indeed, and used for carrying water as well as
drawing it, but originally for drawing it, as appears from the derivation of the Hebrew term. The water could not be procured when the
bucket and the wheel, by which the water was drawn from the well by
a line and bucket appended to it, were broken. Water-wheels are still
used in the East: Niebuhr has given a picture of one in his Description
of Arabia. Indeed, water-wheels are not unconmmon in this country.
By the images of the broken bucket and wheel, in consequence of which
no water could be procured, are set forth the decay and dissolution of
the human body through age, by reason of which the life cannot
be retained in it. Some have undertaken to point out what internal
part of the body was denoted by the bucket, the fountain, the wheel,
and the cistern. I do not think the Preacher intended such a particular application of the terms; but any one can conjecture as he
pleases.
7. - and the dust, &c. This is the most literal rendering; and being
the translation of the Hebrew conjunction 1. - and the spirit return to
God who gave it. (See the notes on ch. iii. 19, 21.) In those notes I have
given reasons for the supposition, that by spirit the author understands
the vital spirit, which was breathed into man by the Almighty when
lie had formed him out of dust, and not the soul, considered as having
a conscious and desirable personal existence. In view of the considerations presented in those notes, it seems improbable that tlis verse
expresses the doctrine of the immortality of the conscious soul in a
state of retribution. It is more probable that the expression has the
same meaning as in Job xxxiv. 14, 15: -
"Should he set his heart against man,
He would take back his spirit and his breath,
Then would all flesh expire together;
Yea, man would return to the dust."
This conclusion is strengthened by the verse which follows. When
the Apostle Paul proclaims the Christian doctrine, that this corruptible
shall put on incorruption, and this mortal shall put on immortality, lie
adds, " 0 death! where is thy sting? O grave! where is thy victory?"
If the Preacher had expressed a similar sentiment, would he have
added in the very next verse, Vanity of vanities,'all is vanity? If by
the return of the spirit to God he had understood what a Christian
would now express by the language, would no joy have been awakened by e the thought?  ould he not have made use of tile doctrine for
consolation, in a discourse upon the vanity of earthly things? Would




324                        NOTES.
the only way in which he spoke of the return of the spirit to God be
that of regarding it as the consequence of the breaking-up of the human
system, the last act of the sad drama of life, rather than as the commencement of a happier existence? A review of the passages in which
the Preacher alludes to the condition of man after death is, on the
whole, inconsistent with his faith in a retributive immortality of the
conscious soul. In ch. iii. 18-21, he complains of the sad condition of
man, in that the same lot befalls him which befalls the brutes, the body
of each returning to the dust out of which it was formed; and in ver. 21
lie asks, "Who knoweth the spirit of man, whether it goeth upward,
and the spirit of a beast, whether it goeth downward to the earth?"
This is the rendering which the Hebrew idiom demands. It seems to
imply that some had maintained there was a different residence for the
spirit of a man after death from that which was allotted to brutes, but
that the writer doubted the correctness of the opinion. In the next:
verse the same doubt is repeated: "For who shall bring him to see.
what shall be after him?"  In ch. vi. 12, the writer expresses the
same doubt in nearly the same words. In ch. viii. 6-9, the Preacher;
reminds the wicked of a day of judgment which he cannot escape;;
but he evidently has in view retribution on earth. In ch. ix. 4-6, we.
have another strong expression of the writer's views, which can hardly
be reconciled with faith in the soul's immortality in a state of conscious
retribution. The frequent recurrence of his doubts on this subject, and
the practical exhortations which are founded on them, indicate that he
had no faith in such an immortality of the soul. In ch. xi. 9 and xii.,
14, it is most consistent with the tenor of the whole book to regard the
judgment spoken of as occurring in the present world. It is also to be
observed, that language similar to that of the verse on which we are
commenting is used by the ancient philosophers, who had no belief in
the soul's conscious immortality. Thus Lucretius,  who, in lib. iii.
418, &c., argues at great length that the soul is mortal like the body, -
says, lib. ii. 999, &c.: -
" Cedit enim retro, de terra quod fuit ante,
In terras; et, quod missum est ex metheris oris,
Id rursum coeli relatum templa receptant."
"For that which was from the earth goes back to the earth; and that
which was sent from the regions of the air, being conveyed back, is
again received into the temples of heaven." (See also the interesting
passages from Greek writers quoted by Le Clerc ad loc.) Similar expressions might be used by Orientals, who now hold the doctrine of
tile absorption of the soul into the Deity. I do not mean to intimate,




ECCLESIASTES.                       325
however, that Ecclesiastes held this mystical doctrine of absorption.
(See the note on ch. iii. 19.) I adduce the passage merely to show
that the return of the spirit to God, its author, does not necessarily imply a conscious, much less a retributive, immortality. It would give
any one pleasure, without doubt, and perhaps strengthen his faith, to
find the doctrines of the Christian revelation anticipated by the Hebrew
writers and by all other writers; but no good is permanently gained
by disguising or sacrificing the truth. More worthy of a man and a
Christian is it to mark the providence of God in the progress of religious knowledge.
Ch. XII. 9-14. This epilogue, on account of the character of its
sentiments, is supposed by some critics to have been added to the bookby a later writer than the author. But there does not appear sufficient
ground for such a supposition. Knobel regards ver. 14 as referring to
a retribution in a future life, and therefore inconsistent with the general sentiment of the book. On this account he rejects it as spurious.
But, if we consider the broad and indefinite mode of expression which
is characteristic of the Preacher, and have regard to the other passages in which he refers to a judgment for evil-doers, there will be
no difficulty in supposing that he refers, in ver. 14, to temporal retribution.
11. - are as goads; i.e., they have the same power to stimulate
men to the acquisition of wisdom and the practice of virtue as the
goad has to excite the dull ox to put forth more strength, or to go
in the right track. -as nails driven in; i.e., they make a deep and
abiding impression, stick as fast in the mind as nails or pegs when
driven into boards and beams. Roberts informs us that such expressions are common in Hindostan. It is said, " The words of that judge
are quite certain; they are like the driven nails."-" I have heard all
he has to say, and the effect on my mind is like a nail driven home."
— " What a speaker! all his words are nails; who will draw them out
again "  (See Roberts's Illustrations ad loc.) - members of assemblies; literally, lords or masters of assemblies. So, in Judges ix. 51, the
Common Version correctly translates, "they of the city," where the literal rendering would be " masters of the city."  So Joshua xxiv. 11,
"the men of Jericho," instead of "the masters of Jericho."  These
assemblies were probably composed of the most wise and learned men
of a place, who met together to discuss questions of religion, morals,
philosophy, &c. Perhaps they had some connection with synagogues..
The Jewish doctors of the temple, among whom Jesus was found by




326                        NOTES.
his parents, may give us an idea of them. (See Lightfoot, Hor. Heb.
et Talmud., on Matt. iv. 23, and De Synagogis.)  Otherwise, masters,
i.e., makers, of collections. - given by one shepherd; i.e., teacher. The
words of the wise, or members of assemblies, such as are uttered by
such members among themselves, are said to be given, i.e., spoken, or
written and published, by one teacher, like the Preacher or the author
of the book of Ecclesiastes, i.e., one who feeds the people with knowledge, as a shepherd feeds his flock. (Comp. Prov. x. 21.) Some suppose that, by one shepherd, God, the inspirer of wisdom, is intended.
12. To the multiplying of books, &c. The design of this sentiment
probably is to urge men to be satisfied with a few good books of the
wise, whose words are as goads and driven nails, rather than to perplex
themselves with reading many books or making new ones. Dr. Channing has a similar sentiment in his Lectures on the Elevation of the
Laboring Portion of the Community: " We need not many books to
answer the great ends of reading. A few are better than many; and a
little time given to a faithful study of the few will be enough to quicken
thought and enrich the mind." " Few of the books read among us
deserve to be read. Most of them have no principle of life, as is
proved by the fact that they die the year of their birth. They do not
come from thinkers, and how can they awaken thought "
13. - the end. This word is used literally, where it elsewhere
occurs in this book. (Ch. iii. 11; vii. 2.) The meaning may be thus
expressed: My discourse has come to an end. I have nothing more to
say except this, the most important thing which can be said, Fear God,
&c. - of every man. Others translate, the whole of man; i.e., his whole
business or duty. But such-a form of expression is hardly met with
in Hebrew, or in other languages.
14. - into the judgmnent, &c. (See the notes on ch. iii. 19, 21; ix. 2;
xii. 7.) To those who are familiar with the Christian doctrine of retribution after death, the Preacher may seem to allude to it here. A
Christian could mean nothing else by such an utterance. But, for the
reasons which have been given in the notes referred to, it is far more
probable that he refers to retribution in this world. (Comp. iii. 17;
viii. 5, 6; xi. 9; Isa. ii. 12; iii. 14; xxvi. 8; lxvi. 16; Jer. xxv. 31;
Ezek. xvii. 20; xx. 35; xxxviii. 22; Ps. i. 5; vii. 8; ix. 4, 8, 19; xxxv.
23; 1. 4; cxliii. 2; Job xiv. 3.) So Luther understood it. "H-e does
not speak of the last judgment, but according to Scripture usage, and
generally, of any judgments whatever, whether those by which heretics
are judged and destroyed, or any other ungodly men." (See Luther's
Comment. in loc. Opera, vol. iv. p. 46, edit. Wittenb.) - which there




ECCLESIASTES.                        327
is upon. Upon is the strict rendering of the Hebrew i:. I doubt
whether it will bear the rendering together with in this or a similar connection. It is true, on the other hand, that the omission of the relative,
ItC, is rather hard.
V1-;








NOTES ON THE CANTICLES.
CH. I. 2-8. This song seems to set forth the desire of an innocent
country maiden to see her shepherd lover, whom she prefers to follow
with his flocks rather than to dwell in the abodes of royalty. I do not
see how ver. 7, " Tell me where thou feedest," can be reconciled with
the supposition, that Solomon, or any king, was the object of the
maiden's attachment. It seems rather to be her desire to escape
from the palace, and to be with the humble shepherd, tending his
flocks.
2. - one of the kisses; literally, from the kisses; i.e., with one or some
of those peculiar kisses which come from his mouth. Sept. 9t2qaTro
lie airb 0',ZIarTv, &c. - thy love; i.e., as it is expressed in kisses,
caresses, love-tokens, &c. The word is in the plural in the Hebrew.
The change of person, by which the absent object of affection is addressed as present, belongs to the vividness of poetic representation,
and is probably more common in Hebrew than in other poetry. - better than wine. The Eastern poets, and even those of Greece, make a
frequent use of this comparison. (See Bion, Idyl. A. 49.) The stanza
in the song of Ben Jonson is well known:"Drink to me only with thine eyes,
And I will pledge with mine;
And leave a kiss within the cup,
And I'll not ask for wine."
3. - savor, &c. The fondness of the Orientals for fragrant odors
in connection with their dress is well known. (Comp. Ps. xlv. 8;
cxxxiii. 2; Prov. vii. 17; Amos vi. 6; Lane's Arabian Nights, vol. i.
405, 536.) But, as the lover is represented as a shepherd in ver. 7, the
savor of his perfumes may be a figurative expression, denoting the
acceptableness of his person. - thy name. In the Hebrew there is a
resemblance in sound between the words signifying name and fragrant
[3291




330                       NOTES.
oil, D5 and  h'3, which forms what is called in Hebrew grammar a
paronomasia, and accounts for the remark on the name of the lover.
The meaning is, that such is the reputation of the lover, or the regard
in which he is held, that the very mention of his name is as grateful as the fragrance of perfumes just poured forth. (Comp. Eccles.
vii. 1.)
4. Draw me, &c. The maiden seeks some encouragement from the
lover, or aid in her flight from the king, who had taken her to his
harem. - we will praise, &c. The maiden speaks of herself and her
female companions.
5. - of Kedar; the name of an Arabian tribe, probably so called
from being descended from Kedar, the son of Ishmael (Gen. xxv. 13).
The tents of the Bedouin Arabs are said by many travellers, quoted by
Harmer, Observ. xxiii., to be still covered with black goat's-hair cloth.
D'Arvieux says, "The Arabs have no other lodgings but their tents,
which they call houses. They are all black, of goat's-hair canvas,
which the women weave and spin too." (Travels in Arabia, ch. xii.
p. 181.) - curtains of Solomon; i.e., of Solomon's tent. That persons
of distinction often made use of tents for pleasure may be seen in
Harmer's Observations, xxviii. Such tents were often very splendid
and costly. (See Robinson's Calmet, art. " Tent.") In regard to the
comparison, the meaning evidently is, that the maiden is black as the
tents of Kedar, but comely as the curtains of Solomon. Harmer
quotes from D'Arvieux, Voy. dans la Palest., p. 214, a passage which
illustrates the injury to her beauty which the maiden had suffered by
exposure to the sun: "The princesses and the other Arab ladies, whom
they showed me from a private place of the tent, appeared to me
beautiful and well-shaped: one may judge by these, and by what they
told me of them, that the rest are no less so. They are very fair,
because they are always kept from the sun. The women in common
are extremely sunburnt, besides the brown and swarthy color which
they naturally have." (See Harmer's Outlines, &c., ad loc.)
6. Gaze not, &c. Addressed to the, daughters of Jerusalem, i.e., the
ladies who were in company with her, who are supposed to look with
wonder upon her presumption, or to assume looks of surprise and
doubt. - my mother's sons; i.e.; my step-brothers. -my vineyard,
my own, &c.; i.e., my most valued possession, my personal beauty, has
been impaired by watching the vineyard of others.
7. - like a veiled one. This is the literal rendering and best supported by usage. It is in the margin of the Common Version. Sept.
7reptl6a2o,uievy. A veiled one denotes a harlot. (See Gen. xxxviii. 15.)




THE    CANTICLES.                     331
The maiden expresses her fears, lest, if she should be obliged to go
about seeking her lover, unacquainted with the place where he was
pursuing his business, she might be taken for a harlot. The custom
of reposing in the shade during the heat of noonday is thus referred to
by Roberts, a missionary in Hindostan: "Before noon, the shepherds
and their flocks may be seen slowly moving towards some shady tree,
where they recline during the heat of the day." The custom was not
confined to the East. Thus, Virgil, Georg. iii. 331:"Estibus at mediis umbrosam exquirere vallem,
Sicubi magna Jovis antiquo robore quercus
Ingentes tendat ramos, aut sicubi nigruim
Ilicibus crebris sacra nemus accubet umbra."
8. If thou know not; i.e., where he is to be found, take care to feed
thy kids by the tents of the shepherds, and he will readily be found
there with his flock. In the simple style of pastoral poetry, the preparation for a meeting of the lovers at noon with their flocks is of sufficient importance to form the conclusion of the idyl.
9. To the horses, &c. It seems to me that  t:: may be regarded
as a collective noun with 4 paragogic, as in Lam. i. 1; Isa. i. 21.
Otherwise, To my horse, or horses.. In this comparison the resemblance
is founded on the splendor of the bride's dress and ornaments, as much
as on her personal beauty. (See the next verse.) On this comparison
Harmer remarks: " If we may believe Maillet, the horses of Egypt are
remarkable for their beauty and stateliness, and are sent, as presents of
great value, to the great men of Constantinople; but that strangers cannot procure them, and that he, himself, though consul-general, could
obtain permission to transport only two of them; and that it appears
from the Old- Testament- they were not less valuable anciently, being
eagerly sought for by the kings of Syria. (2 Chron. i. 17.) On the
other hand, I would remark, that the Eastern people are excessively
attached to their horses, particularly the Arabs, who are fond of them
as if they were children. D'Arvieux, in particular, gives a diverting
account of the affectionate caresses an Arab used to give to a mare of his
he had sold to a merchant at Rama. When-he came to see it (which
was very frequently), he would weep over it for tenderness, kiss its
eyes, and, when he departed, go backwards, bidding it adieu in the
most tender manner." It is also observed by Williams, that "the
Easterns, so highly valuing their horses, spare no: expense to ornament
them with the most costly trappings of gold, enriched with pearls
and precious stones; and it is- very observable that the Arabian and




332                        NOTES.
Turkish ladies decorate themselves in a very similar manner, wearing
rows of pearls or precious stones round the head-dress and descending
over their cheeks; gold chains, also, upon their necks and bosoms."
(Williams ad loc.) In Wilkinson's Manners and Customs of the
Ancient Egyptians (vol. i. p. 106), is a plate representing a royal
chariot and horses. From the graceful appearance of the horses, and
their gay and rich ornaments, one may conclude that the comparison
of an Oriental lady in full dress to the horses in a royal chariot was not
unnatural. Wilkinson says (vol. i. p. 355), "On grand occasions,
the Egyptian horses were decked with fancy ornaments: a rich-striped
or checkered housing, trimmed with a broad border and large pendent
tassels, covered the whole body; and two or more feathers, inserted in
lions' heads or some other device of gold, formed a crest upon the
summit of the headstall."  Theocritus, speaking of Helen, makes a
comparison somewhat similar, but less direct (Idyl. 18, 30), - ipart
Oeaaaob ir'roC.
10. - thy cheeks. In Robinson's Calmet (p. 270) may be seen a
representation of the dress of an Eastern lady, which illustrates this
verse. " The Persian ladies," says Olearius (Reisebescreib., p. 588),
" make use ofotwo or three rows of pearls, which are not worn there
about the neck, as in other places, but round the head, beginning on
the forehead and descending down the cheeks and under the chin, so
that their faces seem to be set in pearls." D'Arvieux also describes
the Arab women as wearing pieces of gold coin hanging down the
sides of the face; and adds that they have chains of gold about their
necks, which hang down their breasts. (La Roque, Voy. dans la
Palest., p. 219. See Harmer's Outlines, &c., p. 206.)
12. While the king reclineth, &c.; literally, is in his circle; i.e., of
friends. It is customary for the immediate attendants of an Oriental
ruler to stand in a segment of a circle at a small distance before their
lord, as he is seated in the corner of the divan. 1 Sam. xvi. 11, " We
will not sit down" is literally, "We will not surround." It would
seem to be too harsh a figure to suppose my spikenard to mean "my
personal charms and graces," though such a supposition is favored by
the next verse. (See ch. iv. 12, 16.)
13. A bunch of myrrh; which was probably suspended from the neck
by an elegant chain, as being the most fragrant of perfumes. " There
was some inconsistency," says Gesenius, "in the accounts of the
myrrh-bearing tree, until Ehrenberg discovered and described it. It
is now called balsamodendron myrrha." The myrrh is a substance distilling in tears from a tree growing in Arabia, which tears harden into




THE   CANTICLES.                    333
a bitter, aromatic gum, which was highly prized, and used in incense.
- abide; he shall be cherished as the most fragrant perfume, which is
constantly in the bosom. It is not so agreeable to the use of language
to understand a bunch of the leaves or blossoms of the myrrh-tree to
be denoted; for, in ch. v. 5, mention is made of the self-flowing myrrh,
i.e., that which distils from the tree in its season, when it is not cut
or punctured.
14. - henna-flowers. This flower is the Lawsonia iners of Linnseus.
The Arabic name of this plant is alhenna, or, without the article,
henna. The best description of it is given by Sonnini, who has also
furnished an engraved representation of it. (See Voy. dans la Haute
et Basse Egypte, tom. i. pp. 291-302.) "The henna is a tall shrub,
endlessly multiplied in Egypt; the leaves are of a lengthened, oval
form, opposed to each other, and of a faint green color. The flowers
grow at the extremity of the branches, in long and tufted bouquets.
In truth, this is one of the plants the most grateful to both the sight
and the smell. The gently deepish color of its bark; the light green
of its foliage; the softened mixture of white and yellow with which the
flowers, collected into long clusters like the lilac, are colored; the red
tint of the ramifications which support them,- form a combination of
the most agreeable effect. These flowers, whose shades are so delicate, diffuse around the sweetest odors, and embalm the gardens and
the apartments which they embellish. They accordingly form the
usual nosegay of beauty; the women take pleasure in decking themselves with these beautiful clusters of fragrance, in adorning their
apartments with them, in carrying them to the bath, in holding them in
their hand, -in a word, in perfuming their bosom with them." (See
also Shaw's Works, vol. i. p. 113, &c.) It is by the powder obtained
from the dried leaves of the henna, and diluted in water, that the Orientals tinge their nails and other parts of the body with a reddish or
deep orange hue. (See Lane's Modern Egyptians, vol. i. p. 54; Robinson's Calmet, art. " Camphire.") - Engedi; a city near the Dead
Sea, fertile in vines and palm-trees. (Pliny, Nat. Hist., v. 17.)
15. - are doves. This rendering is rather more in conformity with
grammatical usage, and is that of the Septuagint Version. It is
adopted by Hodgson, Ewald, and others. That of the Common Version
is, however, allowable. The comparison has reference to the brightness, beauty, and quick motion of the dove. So in ch. vii. 4, " Thine
eyes are like the pools at Heshbon." So in the Gitagovinda, part vii.,
as in Clarke's Commentary, " His passion was inflamed by the glances
of her eyes, which played like a pair of water-birds with blue plumage,




334                        NOTES.
that sport near a full-blown lotos on a pool in the season of dew." In
the same poem the eyes are frequently compared to blue water-lilies.
And near the end occurs the sentence, "Whence the antelopes of
thine eyes may run down and sport at pleasure."
17. - cedars, &c. They were not in a house, but a grove, where
the trunks and spreading heads of the cedars and the cypresses are
poetically called the beams and the roof of their chamber. Thus Milton, describing Adam's bower: -
" The roof
Of thickest covert was inwoven shade,
Laurel and myrtle, and what higher grew
Of firm and fragrant leaf."  Par. Lost, iv. 692.
Ch. II. 1. - the rose. As the name meadow saffron would be fatal to
the poetic beauty of the verse, I have retained the Common Version,
rose, although it is probable that a flower of the crocus species is
denoted, namely, Colchicum autumnale, or meadow saffron, a bulbous
plant, with large and delicate flowers of white and violet. (See
Gesen. Thes. on tizrn. The maiden does not mean to extol her
personal charms, but rather to represent her beauty as nothing
extraordinary. The flower arises immediately from the bulb, upon
a long, naked tube. A description of the plant, with a colored
representation of both the bulb and flower, may be seen in Woodville's Medical Botany, vol. iv. p. 759.
3. -apple-tree. The corresponding word in Arabic denotes not
only the apple, but orange, quince, citron, peach, and apricot trees.
The Hebrew word may have been used in the same general sense.
But perhaps the apple, though not so beautiful and fragrant as the
citron-tree, may have had a poetic value from the comparative rarity
which Forskall ascribes to it. An apple-tree, loaded with fruit among
the barren trees of the wood, would be a sufficient foundation for the
comparison. H. B. Tristram, in his Travels in the East, London, 1866',
p. 600, gives some weighty, but not decisive, reasons for supposing that
the apricot, rather than the apple, tree is denoted here. - shadow.
It is to be recollected that shade is an essential article of Oriental
luxury.  Dr. Pococke tells us, "when he was at Sidon he was
entertained in a garden, in the shade of some apricot-trees, and the
fruit of them was shaken upon him."    (Description of the East,
vol. ii. p. 95.)
4. - banqueting-house; literally, house of wine. (Comp. Esth. vii. 8.)
There seems, however, to be good reason for the opinion of D6derlein,
who understands the expression, to lead to his banqueting-house, in a fig



THE    CANTICLES.                    335
urative sense, as denoting that the beloved is, as it were, intoxicating
the maiden with love. Compare a similar metaphor in Isa. xxix. 9;
li. 21.  So Umbreit, Gesenius, and Rosenmiller, "Experiri me
fecit dilectus meus, quam suavis sit." The verse following seems to
favor this explanation. House of wine may, however, denote vineyard.
- banner over me, &c.; i.e., I follow the banner or standard of love
which my beloved holds up before me, as soldiers follow the standard
of their commander and never desert it. - Strengthen me with raisins;
or, more strictly, raisin-cakes. They are mentioned, in 2 Sam. vi. 19,
and 1 Chron. xvi. 3, as delicacies with which the weary and languid
are refreshed; also, in Hos. iii. 1, as offered in sacrifice. The meaning cakes is expressed in most of the ancient versions.
6. His left hand. In this situation the spouse is represented as
reclining upon a divan, where she falls into a quiet slumber, supported
by her beloved.
7. - by the gazelles. It is common for different classes to swear
by. that which is most dear to them, -the warrior by his sword, the
prophet by his soul, &c.; so the daughters of Jerusalem are adjured
by what is dear to them, namely, beauty, as it is manifested in the
gazelles and the hinds. The Hebrew term denoting the gazelle originally denoted splendor or beauty; and the animal is used by the Arabs,
as well as the Hebrews, as the emblem of what is extremely elegant
and beautiful. To be said to have the eyes of a gazelle is the highest
compliment that can be paid to an Eastern lady. (See Gesen. on.2..) - nor, awake, &c. "In the East," says Roberts, "it would be
considered barbarous in the extreme to awake a person out of his
sleep. How often, in going to the house of a native, you are saluted
with,'Nittera-kulla-karar,' i.e,,'He sleeps.' Ask them to arouse him;
the reply is,' Koodatha,' i.e.,'I cannot.' Indeed, to request such a
thing shows at once that you are a griffin, i.e., a new-comer.'Only
think of that ignorant Englishman: he went into the house of our
chief, and, being told he was asleep, made such a noise as to awake
him, and then laughed at what he had done."'
8. The voice of my beloved, &c. Some suppose that these and the following words were the substance of a dream, which the fair one had in
the sleep mentioned in the last verse; but it is a mere supposition,
and not very probable. As there is no connection between the train
of thought in this passage and the close of the last chapter, we conclude
that it forms a distinct idyl: or song. It adds to the liveliness of the
description, that the fair one is represented in a listening attitude, hearing the voice of her beloved before he appears in sight.




336                         NOTES.
9.- gazelle, &c. "These animals are elegantly formed, active,
restless, timid, shy, and astonishingly swift, running with vast bounds,
and springing or leaping with surprising elasticity. They frequently
stop for a moment in the midst of their course to gaze at their pursuers, and then resume their flight."  (See Robinson's Calmet, art.
"Antelope.")
12. - time of the singing, &c. As the word  ~.1 denotes cutting or
pruning, as well as singing, most of the ancient versions understand the
line, " The time for pruning the vines has come."   Gesenius also
adopts this rendering. But the common rendering is favored by the
parallelism, the voice of the turtle, i.e., the turtle-dove, &c., also by the
circumstance that there is an allusion to the vine in the next verse.
As to the objection, that'~, where it denotes singing elsewhere in
the Old Testament, refers to the artificial singing of men, the answer
is, first, that the singing of birds is not often referred to in the Old
Testament by any expression; secondly, if it does usually denote the
artificial singing of men, the term may yet be used in a figurative sense
by a poet to denote the singing of birds. Nothing is more common in
English poetry; for instance, "wood-notes wild," "the cock's shrill
clarion."  - turtle, &c. The turtle-dove is mentioned as a bird of passage (Jer. viii. 7). Forskall, the companion of Niebuhr, mentions it as
one of the birds of passage which appear at Alexandria about the end
of April or beginning of May. (See his Descriptio Animal., p. 9.)
13. - is spicing, &c. The Hebrew term rt=rn is used in Gen. 1. 2,
T: T
3, 26, to denote the embalming of a dead body; hence it seems to me
more probable that it denotes here to fill with rich, fragrant juice, rather
than, generally, to ripen. So Rosenmiiller, Umbreit, and De Wette.
14. 0 my dove, &c. Here the wild dove, which hides itself from
birds of prey, or from the approach of man in cliffs of rocks, is used as
an emblem of the fair one, unwilling to leave her house to meet her
lover. (See Jer. xlviii. 28; Hom. II., xxi. 494; Virg. ZEn., v. 213.)'Qa re ireta,
"H 15a O' VTr' ipVlcof coiK2Ov eia Eraro nT'rpv,
X7y  6v o' paov ov' pa, ye duueva ataiuov ijev.
Qualis spelunca subito commota columba,
Cui domus et dulces latebroso in pumice nidi," &c.
15. Take ye for us the foxes, &c. The maiden having come forth to
enjoy the spring, the vineyards, &c., it is natural for her now to give
directions to have the vineyard made as pleasant as possible by the




THE    CANTICLES.                      337
removal of noxious animals. A similar allusion to foxes is found in
Theocritus, Idyl. v. 112:Mtas)W rT( dSaavKFPICovS 6U9i)reKaf, al ra MibcvoC
Aiet QotrocaaL Ta 7roOeaTrepa aayioovrat.
" I hate those brush-tailed foxes, that each night
Spoil Mycon's vineyards with their deadly spite."
— now in blossom. Sept. KVrpipova. So Gesenius, Umbreit, and Ewald.
(Comp. ver. 13 and vii. 12.)
16. -he feedeth, &c. The Hebrew verb nVI has the same ambiguity as the English feed. It may mean to feed a flock, as in ch. i. 7,
or it may mean to feed one's self. I am inclined to understand it of
feeding a flock. Perhaps the flock may have been in an enclosure
in the garden or park. It is a recommendation of the beloved to
the maiden, that he is a gentle shepherd feeding his flock among the
lilies.
17. When the day breathes. This is understood by many of the
morning; but the more recent commentators, as Gesenius and Rosenmuller, refer it to sunset or the evening. This is most probable; for
a grateful, cool breeze is said to spring up at that time. At that time,
too, the shadows flee away, i.e., continually lengthen themselves, till
they are lost in the darkness of the night. So, Gen. iii. 8, the cool,
literally, the breeze, of the day seems to be in contrast with the heat of
the day, ch. xviii. 1, So here, after the still sultry heat, the day is
said to breathe.  The particle U3, here translated when, seems to be
equivalent to  t5 CY, ch. i. 12. -craggy mountains; literally, mountains of division; i.e., by a well-known Hebraism, mountains divided or
cut up, cleft, &c. So the Sept. 6p7 KOtUoTUSrV, mountains of cavities.
Ch. III. 1. This is evidently the beginning of a new song. There
seems to be no appearance of a dream; and in ancient times a dream
was regarded of so much importance, that the author would have
mentioned it if he had intended to describe one here. As to any
thing inconsistent with probability or propriety, which some have
alleged in favor of its being understood as a dream or as an allegory,
it appears to me that the author would not be more likely to violate
probability or propriety in a poetic dream or in an allegory than in
the ordinary products of his imagination.
8; Have you seen him, &c.  It is a natural circumstance, that the
maiden takes it for granted that all the world knows the object of her
attachment, though she does not mention his name.
15




338                        NOTES.
4. - into my mother's house, &c. Rosenmiiller says, "It is improbable that a modest female among the Hebrews would do such a thing,
and therefore it is to be understood allegorically."  But it is as improbable that a Hebrew poet would represent a modest female as doing
what is improper for an allegorical purpose, as for any other. The
passage is, indeed, obscure; but the supposition of allegory does not
make it clearer. Hodgson remarks on this verse: " It hath been supposed that this poem was written by Solomon on his marriage with
the daughter of Pharaoh. But this passage seems to prove that the
person here married was not Pharaoh's daughter; for, if she had been
Pharaoh's daughter, her mother's house would have been in Egypt:
whereas this scene lies at Jerusalem; for in the next line she addresses
the daughters of Jerusalem, and desires them not to disturb her sleeping husband."
Ch. III. 6-11. The design of this song is commonly supposed to
be that of describing a nuptial procession, in which the bride of Solomon is led to the palace, in company with himself, in his sedan or
carriage. According to the theory of one dramatic poem, Solomon is
riding with the Shulamite.
6. Who is this, &c. The poet speaks, or perhaps a choir of the
daughters of Jerusalem. - from the wilderness. ~".'Z   denotes, not
merely a desert, but what we call the country in distinction from the
city. (See Gesen. Lex.)  Otherwise, from the wilderness may denote
that the person was coming from the direction of the wilderness.
- pillars of smoke. It is commonly supposed, that the slender and
graceful form of the bride, gradually increasing in tallness as she came
nearer, is compared to the light and beautiful column of smoke which
ascends from a burning censer of incense. Mercier observes that "it
is a tradition of the Jews, that the smoke of incense should go up
perpendicularly, and that artists were called from Alexandria to
make the smoke of incense ascend as straight as possible."  He
does not give his autlority. But, as the sedan of Solomon is mentioned in the next verse, is it probable that the bride was on foot? Is
it not more probable that the dust caused by the approach of the sedan
and its attendants is compared to columns of smoke? Or might not
the pillars of smoke actually ascend from censers borne in front of the
procession? " The use of perfumes at Eastern marriages is common,
and upon grand occasions very profuse. Not only are the garments
scented, till, in the Psalmist's language, they smell of myrrh, aloes,
and cassia, but it is customary for virgins to meet and lead the proces



THE   CANTICLES.                     339
sion with silver-gilt pots of perfumes; and sometimes even the air
around is rendered fragrant by the burning of aromatics in the windows of all the houses in the streets through which the procession is
to pass. In the present instance, so liberally were these rich perfumes
burnt, that at a distance a pillar or pillars of smoke arose from them;
and the perfume was so rich as to exceed in value and fragrancy all
the powders of the merchant." Williams. Nothing is said of the
bride. It is possible, then, that Solomon alone may have been in
the carriage. -powders; i.e., aromatic powders.
7. - carriage; i.e., a kind of open vehicle, now usually called a
palanquin, in which the great men of the East are carried, sometimes
upon elephants or camels, and at other times on men's shoulders.
Niebuhr says a palanquin, completely ornamented with silver, covered
with rich stuffs, and suspended on a handsome bamboo, will cost about
two hundred pounds sterling. (Travels, vol. ii. p. 410.)
10. The railing. The back and side railing, on which to lean or
recline. - by a lovely one. (See ch. ii. 7, iii. 5.) So Ewald.
11. - in the crown, &c. It was usual with many nations to put
crowns or garlands on the heads of new-married persons. The Mishna
informs us that this custom prevailed among the Jews; and it seems,
from the passage before us, that the ceremony of putting it on was
performed by one of the parents. Among the Greeks, the bride was
crowned by her mother, as appears from the instance of Iphigenia, in
Euripides, ver. 894. "In the Greek Church in Egypt," says Maillet,
"tle parties are placed before a reading-desk, on which is the book of
the Gospels, having two crowns upon it of flowers, cloth, or tinsel.
The priest, after benedictions and prayers, places one on the bridegroom's, the other on the bride's, head, covering both with a veil."
(See Rosenmiiller, Alten und Neues Morgenland, vol. iv. p. 196. Selden's Uxor Hebraica, lib. ii. cap. 15.)
Ch. IV. -V. 1. This canticle seems to include ch. iv. and the first
verse of ch. v. It appears to contain a lover's praise of his mistress,
and her replies.
1. - behind thy veil. So Hafiz: " Thy cheeks sparkle even under thy
veil." Sir W. Jones's Works, vol. i. p. 453. Another Persian poet
says, "It is difficult to gaze upon the sun without the medium of a
cloud. View, therefore, O Saieb! the lovely face of thy mistress
through her veil."  Orient. Coll., vol. ii. p. 23. -flock of goats, &c.
Her hair was black and thick, like a flock of goats showing itself on
the top of a mountain to one in the distance below.




340                        NOTES.
2. - teeth; fbr whiteness, brightness, fulness, and soundness, they
are compared to a shorn flock just coming clean from the washingplace.
3. -divided pomegranate; which, in its prime, says Rosenmiller,
has a beautiful red color, i.e., when cut in two, equalling or surpassing
that of the rose. So Camoens, Lusiad, Cant. ix. 59, translated by
Mickle: -
"The pomegranate of orange hue,.
Whose open heart a brighter red displays
Than that which sparkles in the ruby's blaze."
4. - the tower of David; which was probably built of white marble,
high and elegant. Upon the outside of towers it was the custom to
hang shields, probably as a terror to enemies. (See Ezek. xxvii. 10,
11.) To the splendid shields and arms with which the tower of David
was adorned, are compared the necklaces and jewels which adorned
the neck of the maiden.
5. - gazelles. (See the note on ch. ii. 7.) Probably the reference
is to their general beauty and loveliness.
6. - day breathes, &c. See the note on ch. ii. 17. - mountain of
myrrh, &c. It is said of Pompey the Great, that, when he passed over
Lebanon and by Damascus, he passed through sweet-smelling groves
and woods of frankincense and balsam.   Florus, Epitome Rerum
Rom., lib. iii. c. 6: "Per nemora illa odorata, per thuris et balsami
sylvas." This quotation is brought to show, not that the bride was
actually on a hill of myrrh, &c., but that such hills of myrrh and
incense were supposed to exist, and might afford a subject for comparison. The bride seems to be here compared, as respects her general charms, to a mountain of myrrh, &c., to whom the lover says he
will return as the antelope flies to the mountain.  So Ewald. So
some of the Eastern poets represent angels as having bodies of amber
and musk   Thus the poet Assadi says, "Feridoun and Farrakh were
not angels; their bodies were made neither of amber nor musk; it
was their justice and liberality that made them celebrated." (See
Harmer's Outlines, p. 290.) Grotius, who is followed by Dr. Good,
supposes the comparison to be somewhat more definite, referring to
her bosom alone: "Sic vocat mammas ob suavissimum odorem."
Grot. The meaning may be, however, that the lover would return to
the place where she was, where the odor of her charms was diffused.
So D6derlein.
8. Come with ie from Lebanon, &c. Verses 8 and 9 seem to be introduced very abruptly, and their import in this connection is not very




THE    CANTICLES.                    341
obvious. Diderlein and others suppose them to be an invitation to
the bride to take an excursion with him, in order that they might
admire together all that was grand and beautiful in scenery. Others
suppose them to be an invitation to the maiden to come from a place
of danger to a place of complete security in the arms of her lover.
9. -  taken captive my heart; literally, hearted me; according to the
English idiom to skin, for to take off the skin. Others suppose the word
to mean, Thou hast given me heart, or encouraged me. - sister; a term
f endearment. So the Romans. (Comp. Tibull. iii. 1, 26.) - one of
ihine eyes. How powerful must be both united when only one does
such execution! (Comp. ch. vi. 5.) It has been remarked, that,
" supposing the royal bridegroom to have had a profile, or side-view,
of his bride in the present instance, only one eye, or one side of her
necklace, would be observable; yet this charms and overpowers him."
Probably, however, the Hebrew poet intended what others mean to
express by one glance of the eye, &c. Parallel passages might be
quoted from many Eastern poets. The song of Ibrahim says, " One
dart from your eyes has pierced through my heart."  And, in the
songs of Gitagovinda, we find one acknowledging himself " bought as
a slave by a single glance from thine eye and a toss of thy disdainful
eyebrow." (Asiat. Research., vol. iii. p. 203.) Tertullian, however,
mentions a custom in the East of women unveiling only one eye in
conversation, while they keep the other covered; and Niebuhr mentions a similar custom as prevailing in some parts of Arabia. (Travels
in Arabia, vol. i. p. 262.)
11. Thy lips, &c. Here the sweetness of her voice rather than her
kisses is denoted. (Comp. Prov. v. 3.) So Hom., Il. i. 249:Tov Katl ara y2C6aanrg jistLrof yXvKiav Pfeev avoi.
And Theocritus, viii. 82:-'Ad r TL  aro6Tia rot, IaL pifyepoc, 6 Aa'vt, fxv6'
Kpiaaov 1teaTrropivu rev uKov~i/ev i  7Xit?eeiXetv."
12. A garden enclosed, &c. The bride is compared to a fragrant
garden, a refreshing spring, in respect to her charms; and to a garden
enclosed, a fountain sealed, in respect to her chastity and fidelity. That
fountains or wells, as well as gardens, were sometimes locked up in
the East, see Harmer, Obs., vol. i. p. 113. That this kind of distant
imagery is common in the East appears from the following passages:-'Feirouz, a vizier, having divorced his wife upon suspicion of infidelity, her brothers apply for redress in the following figurative terms:'My lord, we have rented to Feirouz a most delightful garden, a ter



842                        NOTES.
restial paradise; he took possession of it, encompassed it with high
walls, and planted it with the most beautiful trees that bloomed with
flowers and fruit. He has broken down the walls, plucked the tender
flowers, devoured the finest fruit, and would now restore us this garden robbed of every thing that contributed to render it delicious when
we gave him admission to it."' (Miscell. of Eastern Learning, vol. i.
p. 12.) In a famous Persian romance, a princess assures her husband
of her fidelity in his absence, in these terms: " The jewels of the
treasury of secrecy are still the same as they were, and the casket is
sealed with the same seal." (Bahur Danush, vol. iii. p. 65. See Williams's Sol. Song, p. 278. See also Prov. v. 18.)
13. Thy plants; or shoots. I do not understand this of children, as
do most of the commentators, but of the graces and charms of the
bride. In the last verse she was compared to a garden. In pursuance
of the same metaphor, her charms are compared to odoriferous plants.
- Henna, &c. See the note on ch. i. 14.
15. A fountain of the gardens; i.e., a spring that waters many gardens.
16. Awake, 0 north wind, &c. By calling on the north wind at the
same time with the south, the maiden expresses the wish that the
united influence of the principal winds that blew might shake the plants,
and cause the fragrance of the garden to be exhaled and diffused.
Having been compared to a garden, she says, in substance, " 0 that
the garden were more fragrant," &c.
Ch. V. 1. - my spouse; i.e., betrothed. - honeycomb, otherwise,
honey-dripping, &c.; i.e., that which spontaneously overflows or drips
from the combs or hives. (See Ges. and Fiirst on'fl^.) -drink
abundantly, my beloved. The Hebrew admits quite as well of the rendering, drink abundantly of love, or make yourselves drunk with love.  So
King James's translators in the margin. But the parallelism and the
connection seem most favorable to the Common Version.
Ch. V. 2- VI. 3. The circumstances introduced into this piece are
undoubtedly imaginary; but I perceive no decisive indication that the
poet designs to narrate a dream. There is considerable resemblance
between this piece and the third ode of Anacreon, beginning, MeoovvKriot
roO' &ppats.
2. I slept, &c. The meaning is, that though the body was asleep,
yet the mind was awake and filled with the object of her affection, so
that she heard and recognized the knock of her beloved as soon as it
was given.
8. 1 have taken off my vest. The frivolous and coquettish excuses




THE    CANTICLES.                     343
which she gives for not welcoming her lover are here represented.
She had prepared herself, and yet pretended she did not like to rise.
- vest; i.e., the inner garment, reaching to the knees, worn next
the skin, commonly with sleeves.
4. - by the hole of the door, &c. Le Clerc has a long and learned
note on the ancient mode of fastening a door. In this case, the door
was probably secured by a crossbar or bolt, which at night was fastened
by a little button or pin. In the upper part of the door was left a
round hole, through which any person from without might thrust his
arm and remove the bar, unless the security of the pin were superadded.
5. - self-flowing myrrh; i.e., that which spontaneously flows from
the tree, without cutting or puncturing the bark. This was considered the most valuable kind. The myrrh which dropped from her
hands was that which her beloved had left upon the wooden bar of the
door. This may be understood figuratively, that the moisture of
the beloved's hands wet with dew was like fragrant myrrh, perfuming
every thing which came in contact with it; or a custom may have
prevailed in the East similar to that which is mentioned by Lucretius,
iv. 1171:" At lacrymans exclusus amator limina ssepe
Floribus et sertis operit, postesque superbos
Unguit Amaracino, et foribus miser oscula figit."
6. I was not in my senses; literally, My soul was gone from me. The
meaning most suited to the connection is, that she acted insanely in
not admitting her beloved at his request. It seems to denote that
bewilderment of the faculties caused by fear, as in Gen. xlii. 28, or by
any other passion; here, by the passion of love.
7. The watchmen-wounded me, &c.; i.e., treated me as a lewd,
abandoned woman. The same thing is intimated by taking away the
veil, in the next line. (Comp. Isa. xxii. 8; Nahum iii. 5.) So Hafiz,
in a passage quoted by Dr. Good, speaking of the wife of Potiphar
under the name of Zuleikhah:" Led captive by the victor charms
O'er Joseph's face that play,
Her veil of chastity at length
Zuleikhah flings away."
11. - fine gold; referring to general splendor and beauty. So
Theocritus, Idyl. iii. 28, speaks of the golden Helen.  - palmbranches. So in Amrolkais, Moallakah, ver. 33, quoted by Rosenmiiller, a lover describes the hair of his mistress: "Et capilli, qui tergum




344                        NOTES.
ornant, nigri, carbonis instar, densi sicut racemi palmme impliciti."
Any one who will look at a good representation of the palm-tree -for
instance, that in the work of Laborde on Arabia Petrsea —will per
ceive a foundation for this comparison.
12. Washed with milk. This is commonly supposed to denote their
milk-white color. In Job xxix. 6, to wash the steps in milk denotes to
have great abundance of it; and we are told by Roberts, the missionary, that to be washed with milk is now a proverb in Hindostan,
denoting to be in a good and happy condition. (See Roberts.) But
the former explanation seems most suitable to this passage. - dwelling in fulness.  ~r7-~  rri't.  I have rendered this phrase literally, because I consider the meaning as quite doubtful. It seems most
probable that it refers to the pigeons, and'not to their eyes, and illustrates their plump appearance, arising from their dwelling near full
streams or full fields. So the Sept. and Vulg. The translation of the
Common Version seems forced. It supposes an allusion to a diamond
set in the foil of a ring, denoting that the eyes are neither too much
depressed nor too prominent, but well filling the sockets. (See the
note on ch. i. 15.)
13. -a bed of balsam.  Thus paraphrased by Bishop Patrick:
"The lovely down upon his cheeks is no less grateful; rising there
like spices when they first appear out of their beds; or like the young
buds of aromatic flowers in the paradise before described; where the
purple lilies are not more beautiful than his lips, from whence flow
words more precious and more pleasant than the richest and most fragrant myrrh." The dropping of the lips may, however, refer to the
sweet breath. Sadi, the Persian poet, describing a young man, says,
"He had just arrived at the opening blossom of youth, and the down
had but newly spread itself over the flower of his cheek." Sullivan's
Fables from Gulistan, p. 3, quoted by Williams ad loc. It is possible,
hlowever, that there may be some reference to the beard, which was
regarded with almost religious reverence in the East.  D'Arvieux
says, in ch. vii. of his Travels in Arabia, " One of the principal ceremonies in important visits is to throw some sweet water upon the
beard, and then to perfume it with the smoke of lignum aloes, that
sticks to this moisture and gives it an agreeable smell." And, in the
same chapter, " The women kiss their husband's beards, and the children their father's, when they go to salute them: the men kiss one
another's reciprocally, when they salute one another in the streets, or
are come from some journey."
14. His hands are gold rings. This comparison has reference to the




THE    CANTICLES.                     845
general beauty of his hands and fingers, and the brilliancy of their
ornaments. Some suppose there is a reference to the nails, stained
with henna, according to the custom of the Arabians. (See the note
on ch. i. 14.) - sapphires. The Oriental sapphire is transparent, of a
fine sky color, sometimes variegated with Veins of a white sparry substance, and distinct, separate spots of a gold color. Hence the prophet
describes the throne of God as like sapphire; Ezek. i. 26; x. 1. Pliny,
Nat. Hist. xxxvii. 9, says, "Coeruleis, interdum cum purpura, qua et
aureis punctis collucent, ac coeli speciem referunt."
15. - like Lebanon. In the manly dignity of his appearance he is
compared to the beautiful but majestic Lebanon, with its proud cedars.
Volney says, in his description of Lebanon (Travels, vol. i. p. 293),
" At every step we meet with scenes in which nature displays either
beauty or grandeur." - like the cedars; i.e., pre-eminent among men
as the cedars among the trees of the forest. Gabriel Sionita, quoted
by Dr. Harris, in his Nat. Hist. of the Bible, says, " The cedar grows
on the most elevated part of the mountain, is taller than the pine, and
so thick that five men together could scarcely fathom one."
16. His mouth; literally, his palate, which many suppose to be used as
the instrument of speech, as in Prov. viii. 7, Job xxxi. 30. But, comparing the word with ch. vii. 9 (10), it seems quite as probable that it
is a euphemism, denoting the moisture or saliva of a kiss. (See Gesen.
Thes. on:'., and the note on ch. vii. 9. It is the same word as is
here in the Common Version rendered mouth, and, in ch. vii. 9, roof of
his mouth.)
Ch. VI. 4. Tirzah. The word itself denotes pleasantness, a name
given to a city which was the capital of the kingdom of Israel from
the time of Jeroboam to that of Omri. It was probably beautiful in
regard to its situation as well as its buildings. - as Jerusalem. So,
Lam. ii. 15, "Is this the city that men called the perfection of beauty,
the joy of the whole earth."  - terrible as an army, &c. (Comp. ch.
ii. 4.) The loved one is represented as conquering, wounding, taking
captive the hearts of lovers with her eyes, &c. TL, idea is carried
out in the next verse. So Anacreon, Ode ii.:rvvatS^v obiVK  eieev.
Ti ovv; did)oo  Ka0iaLoC'Avr' &aridwv cITraCYv,'Av'EYXnv &r&vreavNKi 6e Ktal aid6rpov,
Kai 7rip KaXil TIf ovaa.
15*




346                         NOTES.
And again, Ode xvi.:Ovi''7rrof Seav ie,
Ov ret6s, ovxX viec'
Trparob 6& catvbg (2i2of,'AMr' o/aiTarolv  e Pi32Jtv.
In the same way, the Arabian poets compare the eyes of virgins to
swords and darts, their eyebrows to bows, &c., with which they wound
and kill. In fact, the same representation is common to all languages.
Cupid is armed with his bow and arrow. And yet Dr. Good makes
the tasteless remark, that the epithet terrible is obviously inappropriate,
and gives the term,IN^3  the forced meaning, dazzling.
5-7. (See ch. iv. 1-3.)
8.- queens, - concubines, - maidens. Solomon is said, in 1 Kings
xi. 3, to have had seven hundred wives and three hundred concubines.
Hence some who regard this piece as written by Solomon, suppose it
to have been written at an earlier period of his reign than that referred
to in Kings. Rosenmiiller, however, supposes an indefinite use of
numbers; and this seems most probable.
9. - the one; i.e., the matchless one. For this use of the term t1le,
see Ezek. vii. 5, and Gesen. Lex. ad verb.
10. - like the morning. So Theocritus, Idyl. xviii. 26:-'AcS c vrTi2ota Kaobv 6deaotve rrp6au7rov,
TlIrvta vvi aTre, XEVKObV Eap Xetpifvof aVVTrof,'ade Kal & %Xpvaia'E Eva dtefaiver' ev Sip!v.
-as the moon. So, in Lane's Arabian Nights, vol. i. p. 29, " When I
beheld her, I thought that the moon had descended to the earth."
12. - made me like the chariots, &c. The meaning seems to be, that
her strong desire conveyed her thither as swift as the chariots, &c.
- of the prince's train. (See Gesen. Thes. on tyP.) Otherwise, placed
me among the chariots of my noble people.
13. Return, return. This seems to be spoken by a chorus of women
who regretted her speedy departure. - as upon a dance of the hosts;
i.e., with eyes as fixed and earnest as upon some very uncommon
exhibition or spectacle. This may be the language of one of the company. As to what is meant by a dance of the hosts, it is difficult to form
a decided opinion: Gesenius, who is followed by De Wette, supposes
the angelic host to be denoted, to whom dancing is ascribed, as elsewhere singing. (Comp. Gen. xxxi. 2; Job xxxviii. 7.) Otherwise,
as upon a dance of two companies; or, as in a dance of two companies?




THE    CANTICLES.                    347
i.e., with such earnest eyes as dancers in two rows look upon each
other.
Ch. VII. 1. -sandals. How important an article of dress were
sandals to an Eastern lady is shown in Judith xvi. 9, where we read
that the sandals of Judith ravished the eyes of Holophernes. - neck
ornaments; i.e., bosses or knobs, of which a necklace was composed.
She is also represented as KaUlbrvyog.
2. - the spiced wine; mentioned merely to set off the beauty and
richness of the cup. - heap of wheat, &c. Perhaps a heap of wheat
enclosed with lilies was chosen as an illustration, not merely for its
appearance, but as an emblem of fertility. " Wheat and barley," says
Selden, "were, among the ancient Hebrews, emblems of fertility; and
it was usual for standers-by to scatter these grains upon the married
couple, with a wish that they might increase and multiply." (Uxor
Hebraica, lib. ii. cap. 15.) It has been conjectured, that the heaps of
wheat were, during the joyous time of harvest, covered with flowers,
especially with lilies.
4. - ivory. So a neck of ivory,'e0avrtvog rpatixoc, is ascribed
by Anacreon to Bathyllus, Ode xxix. -pools at Heshbon; i.e., moist,
dark, and bright. Burckhardt thus speaks of the remains of this city:
" At six hours and a quarter [from El Aal, probably the Elealeh of
the Scriptures] is Heshbon, upon a hill bearing southwest from El Aal.
Here are the ruins of a large ancient town, together with the remains
of some edifices built with small stones; a few broken shafts of columns
are still standing, a number of wells cut in the rock, and a large reservoir of water for the summer supply of the inhabitants." (Travels,
p. 365.) - tower of Lebanon. The nose may have been compared to
that tower for its height, straightness, and good proportions. The
allegorists suppose that the tower-like nose denotes the judgment and
discernment of the doctors. of the Church.
5. - Carmel; with its beautiful and verdant summit of oaks and
pines. (See the article in Robinson's Calmet under this word, with
its copious extracts from Oriental travellers. Comp. Isa. xxxv. 2.)
— like purple. As there can be little doubt of the correctness of
this translation, I suppose the point of comparison is the glossy
brightness of the locks rather than the color of them. Black was the
beautiful color for the hair.
7. - palm-tree. This tree received its name'ISt from its straight,
upright growth. It is one of the loftiest of trees, sometimes rising to
the height of a hundred feet. It is one of the most celebrated trees




348                         NOTES.
in the world for its beauty and its uses. - dates; the fruit of the
palm-tree which grows in clusters below the leaves. (See Harris's
Nat. Hist., &c., or Robinson's Calmet.)
9. - that goeth down smoothly, &c. (See Prov. xxiii. 31.) That the
maiden or spouse speaks here, taking up the thread of the discourse, is
evident from the fact that't, my beloved, which occurs often in the
Canticles, is always applied to the man, never to the maiden. Otherwise,'1.?T must have been brought into the text from the next verse
by mistake. -flowing over the lips, &c.    So, in Lane's Arabian
Nights, vol. ii. p. 561, "The moisture of his mouth is like pleasant
wine, that would cool me when a fire flameth within me." Gesenius,
in his Thesaurus on the word t:i, thus translates and comments:
"Palatum tuum est instar vini dulcis (significatur saliva palati) recta
fluens ad suavium meum, perreptans labia una dormientium (in eodem toro
cubantium). Vereor enim ne recte ita interpretati sint Driessenius in
Dissert. Lugd. p. 1101, &c., et Michaelis in Suppl. p. 385, de basio
nimirum impudico, neque magis hujus in vetere carmine amatorio
mentionem mireris, quam paulo ante (vii. 8) explendae libidinis. Salivam ab osculantibus imbibendam crebris sermonibus et figuris usurpant Arabes, v. Hug ad Cant. p. 49, v. d. Sloot ad Carm. Togr. p. 134,
Ibn Doreid, pp. 113, 114, Scheid. cf. Saad. apud Aben Esram ad Cant.
i. 2." (See also Rosenmiller ad loc.)
11. Come, my beloved, &c. It is doubtful whether a new piece commences here, or whether what follows to ch. viii. 5, is a part of the
preceding canticle. The passage reminds us of one in Milton, Par.
Lost, iv. 610:" To-morrow, ere fresh morning streak the east
With first approach of light, we must be risen,
And at our pleasant labor, to reform
Yon flowery arbors, yonder alleys green.
Those blossoms also, and those dropping gums
That lie bestrown, unsightly and unsmooth,
Ask riddance."
13. - love-apples. Such is the etymological signification of the
word which was given to this fruit from its supposed properties. (See
Gen. xxx. 14, &c.) The fruit is that of the mandragora (Atropa mandragora of Linnueus).  Gesenius thus describes the plant: "It has
large leaves, like those of a beet; a root like that of a turnip, divided
at the lower part, and somewhat resembling the human form; used in
the preparation of love-potions, having white and reddish blossoms,
vellow and fragrant apples, which may be eaten, about the size of a




THE    CANTICLES.                     349
small egg, ripening from May to July, and to which the Orientals in
ancient and modern times ascribe an efficacy in increasing philoprogenitiveness and fruitfulness." (See Gesen. Thesaurus on the word
n-., and the numerous authorities, ancient and modern, to which he
refers. See also Harris's Nat. Hist. and Robinson's Calmet.) - kept
them for thee, &c. So Virgil, Ecl. i. 37:"Mirabar, quid, moesta, deos, Amarylli, vocares,
Cui pendere sua patereris in arbore poma.
Tityrus hinc aberat."
Ch. VIII. 1. - as my brother; i.e., as a little infant child, whom
she might caress in public as well as in private without impropriety.
2. - teach me; i.e., how to please thee, &c.
6. Who is this, &c. This is probably the language of the poet;
or it may be supposed to be the language of a choir. — from the
wilderness; i.e., the country, in distinction from the city. - I excited
thy love; i.e., inspired thee with affection to me. This took place
under the apple-tree, which has been regarded as peculiarly the tree
of love. The following is the note of Rosenmiiller: "Cydoniam
malum apud alios quoque populos amoribus dicatam fuisse, observat
Celsius, Hierobot., p. i. p. 263.'Apud Agyptios connubii symbolum
luit. ZvyiVc 6ai9ovLov'ra0ip, Veneris jugce tesseram, appellat Arabicus
in Epigrammate. Nempe Veneri, ut Dearum formosissimm, a Paride
addictum fuit. Venus igitur in statuis cydonium dextra gerit.  Cupidines ex hortis malorum primitias legunt, illisque ludunt. 01 piev yap
d6i roo ti/Lov irai~ovref 7r6ov apxovrat, nam qui pomo ludunt, amoris initium
faciunt, dicit Philostratus, Icon. 1. i. p. 738. Hinc rb /7nXo6oeZv, malls
petere, malum mittere, malum dare, loquutiones frequentes apud Grmecos
et Romanos. Vid. Theoc., Idyll. iii. 10, v. 88, vi. 6; Virg., Eel. iii.
64, Aristophanis Scholiastes Nub. p. 180.  Mro6o2eiv eieyov rb eif
(u1podilaa sdeeaetv, 7retl sat rb pukov'AOpo6irTI  oT2rV iepbv' malis petere
dicebant ad venerea incitare, quippe malus Veneri est dicata."'  - brought
thee forth, &c. So the Sept. Udivyae ae. The meaning seems to be
explained by the opinion referred to in the preceding note, namely,
that the apple-tree is the tree of love. Thus the birth of the lover
under the apple-tree would indicate his power of gaining the love of
women. So Apollo is represented as born under a palm-tree. Some
suppose that j  -ir  may be rendered pledged thee. This would remove a difficulty, but it does not seem to be supported by Hebrew
usage. (See Gesenius on ~2n.)




350                        NOTES.
6. - set me as a seal, &c. This denotes intimate, inviolable union.
Thus, in Jer. xxii. 24:"As I live, saith Jehovah,
Thou Coniah, son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah,
Though thou wert the signet upon my right hand,
Even thence would I pluck thee."
Signet rings were worn by the Orientals not only upon the fingers, but
on the bosom, suspended by an ornamental chain from the neck, &c.
(See Rosenmill. Alt. und Neues Morgenl., i. p. 183, and iv. p. 190.
- true love; tps>:, rendered jealousy in the Common Version, denotes
any ardent feeling.  (See Gesen. ad verb.) It is evident from the
parallelism and from the connection, that it is here used simply as an
intensive term for love in the preceding line. Love is strong, like
death, inasmuch as it conquers all; and it is firm, like the grave,
which never relaxes its hold on its tenants.
7. Many waters, &c. Love is compared to fire in the preceding
verse. In accordance with this, it is added that water cannot quench
it. -for love; i.e., to induce one to give up the love she has for a
particular person, and transfer it to another.
8-12. The subject of this little piece seems to be a conversation
between two worldly-wise brothers, relating to the marriage of their
sister, together with her remarks. That the guardianship of females
in regard to marriage belonged to their brothers, in the East, in ancient
times, may be inferred from Gen. xxiv. 50, xxxiv. 13; Judges xxi. 22.
8. -spokenfor; i.e., asked in marriage.
9. If she be a wall; i.e., if she be inaccessible, unwilling to receive
suitors, or to be married.' - a silver tower. Rosenmiiller supposes the
meaning to be, " we will ask a high dowry for her."  That portions
were paid, in the East, to the father for the daughter, is well known.
Thus, Jacob served seven years for each of his wives. So it is in
modern times. "They bargain," says D'Arvieux, "about the price
of the daughter, which the son-in-law is to pay his new father in
camels, sheep, or horses. A young fellow that has a mind to marry
must in good earnest buy him a wife; and fathers among the Arabs
are never happier than when they have abundance of daughters.
They are the principal riches in a family: accordingly, when a bachelor is treating with the person whose daughter he is desirous of
marrying, he says to him,'Will you give me your daughter for fifty
sheep, for half a dozen camels, or for a dozen cows?' &c. If he is
not in circumstances for malVng such offers as these, he proposes to




THE    CANTICLES.                    351
him to give him her for a mare or colt, all, in short, according to the
girl's merit, the condition of her family, and the income of the intended bridegroom. (Travels, p. 230, English translation.) But perhaps the meaning of building a silver tower upon the wall may be simply,
that the brothers would adorn the sister with silver, in reward for her
modesty. - an open gate; i.e., very desirous of being married, and
give a very ready reception to a suitor. - with planks of cedar; i.e.,
we will take care to keep her in strict confinement, so that access to
her shall be difficult.
10. - am I become in his eyes, &c. The idea of the sister seems to
be, that, by modesty and difficulty of access to others, she shall the
more surely win the favor of her accepted suitor. Perhaps the expression, as one that findeth peace, may be a continuation of the preceding
metaphor, the suitor being the besieger of the wall and tcwers.
11. Solomon had a vineyard, &c. The vineyard of Solomon, from
which he received a great income, seems to be brought in simply by
way of contrast to that which the sister regarded as her own vineyard, namely, her beauty or her person (comp. ch. i. 6); and to'
express the idea, that Solomon was welcome to his income, but that
from her vineyard she did not wish for a pecuniary income.  She
would give her love for love, not for money.
12. My vineyard is before my eyes; i.e., I will not let it out to others,
but keep in under my own inspection and care.
13, 14. These two verses seem to form a fragment. So far as any
general meaning is conveyed by them, it seems to be, that a lover
desires a song of his mistress, but is refused and sent away.
13. Friends, &c.; i.e., my friends who are with me wait to hear thy
voice. Otherwise, thy friends constantly hear it; let me hear it too.
THE END.