the Second Week after Easter
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Contemporary English Version
Job 1:5
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Whenever a round of banqueting was over, Job would send for his children and purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, “Perhaps my children have sinned, having cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular practice.
It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Iyov sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Iyov said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts." Thus did Iyov continually.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
After a feast was over, Job would send and have them made clean. Early in the morning Job would offer a burnt offering for each of them, because he thought, "My children may have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job did this every time.
When the days of their feasting were finished, Job would send for them and sanctify them; he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's customary practice.
When the days of their feasting were over, Job would send [for them] and consecrate them, rising early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job did this at all [such] times.
When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send word to them and consecrate them, getting up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job did so continually.
It was so, when the days of their feasting had run their course, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, "It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts." Thus did Job continually.
And when the dayes of their banketting were gone about, Iob sent, and sanctified them, and rose vp early in the morning, and offred burnt offrings according to the nomber of them all. For Iob thought, It may be that my sonnes haue sinned, & blasphemed God in their hearts: thus did Iob euery day.
Now it happened when the days of feasting had completed their cycle, that Job would send and set them apart as holy. And he would rise up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
And when the days of feasting were over, Job would send for his children to purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them. For Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.
After a cycle of banquets, Iyov would send for them to come and be consecrated; then he would get up early in the morning and offer burnt offerings for each of them, because Iyov said, "My sons might have sinned and blasphemed God in their thoughts." This is what Iyov did every time.
And it was so, when the days of the feasting were gone about, that Job sent and hallowed them; and he rose up early in the morning, and offered up burnt-offerings [according to] the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
The day after each of these parties, Job got up early in the morning, sent for his children, and offered a burnt offering for each of them. He thought, "Maybe my children were careless and sinned against God at their party." Job always did this so that his children would be forgiven of their sins.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were over, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
The morning after each feast, Job would get up early and offer sacrifices for each of his children in order to purify them. He always did this because he thought that one of them might have sinned by insulting God unintentionally.
Then when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send, and he would sanctify them. Thus he would arise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of all of them, because Job thought, "Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their heart." This is what Job used to do all the time.
And it happened, when the day of feasting had gone around, Job would send and sanctify them. And he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt sacrifices according to all their number. For Job said, It may be that my sons havesinned, and cursed God in their hearts. This, Job always did.
So when they had passed ouer the tyme of their banckettinge rounde aboute, Iob sent for them, and clensed them agayne, stode vp early, and offred for euery one a bretofferinge. For Iob thought thus: peraduenture my sonnes haue done some offence, and haue bene vnthankfull to God in their hertes. And thus dyd Iob euery daye.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
And at the end of their days of feasting, Job sent and made them clean, getting up early in the morning and offering burned offerings for them all. For, Job said, It may be that my sons have done wrong and said evil of God in their hearts. And Job did this whenever the feasts came round.
And when the dayes of their banquetting were gone about, Iob sent and sanctified them, and gat vp early and offered for euery one a burnt offring: For Iob saide, It may be that my sonnes haue done some offence, & haue ben vnthankfull to God in their heartes. Thus did Iob euery day.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said: 'It may be that my sons have sinned, and blasphemed God in their hearts.' Thus did Job continually.
And it was so, when the dayes of their feasting were gone about, that Iob sent and sanctified them, and rose vp early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: For Iob said, It may be that my sonnes haue sinned, and cursed God in their hearts: Thus did Iob continually.
And when the days of the banquet were completed, Job sent and purified them, having risen up in the morning, and offered sacrifices for them, according to their number, and one calf for a sin-offering for their souls: for Job said, Lest peradventure my sons have thought evil in their minds against God. Thus, then Job did continually.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burn offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
And whanne the daies of feeste hadden passid in to the world, Joob sente to hem, and halewide hem, and he roos eerli, and offride brent sacrifices `bi alle. For he seide, Lest perauenture my sones do synne, and curse God in her hertis. Joob dide so in alle daies.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting had gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and renounced God in their hearts. Thus Job did continually.
And it was so, when the days of [their] feasting were ended, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose early in the morning, and offered burnt-offerings [according] to the number of them all; for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
So it was, when the days of feasting had run their course, that Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise 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 cursed Job 1:11 and Job 2:5, 9">[fn] God in their hearts." Thus Job did regularly.
When these celebrations ended—sometimes after several days—Job would purify his children. He would get up early in the morning and offer a burnt offering for each of them. For Job said to himself, "Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts." This was Job's regular practice.
When the days of their special supper were over, Job would get up early in the morning and send for them. Then he would give burnt gifts for each of them so that they would be pure. For Job said, "It might be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Job always did this.
And when the feast days had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts." This is what Job always did.
And so it was, when the days of the banquet came round, that Job sent and hallowed them, and rising early in the morning offered ascending-sacrifices according to the number of them all; for Job said, Peradventure my sons have sinned, and have cursed God in their hearts. Thus and thus, was Job wont to do all the days.
And when the days of their feasting were gone about, Job sent to them, and sanctified them: and rising up early, offered holocausts for every one of them. For he said: Lest perhaps my sons have sinned, and have blessed God in their hearts. So did Job all days.
And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and sanctify them, and he would rise 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 cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
and it cometh to pass, when they have gone round the days of the banquet, that Job doth send and sanctify them, and hath risen early in the morning, and caused to ascend burnt-offerings -- the number of them all -- for Job said, `Perhaps my sons have sinned, yet blessed God in their heart.' Thus doth Job all the days.
When the days of feasting had completed their cycle, Job would send and consecrate them, rising up early in the morning and offering burnt offerings according to the number of them all; for Job said, "Perhaps my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts." Thus Job did continually.
Contextual Overview
Bible Verse Review
from Treasury of Scripure Knowledge
sanctified: Job 41:25, Genesis 35:2, Genesis 35:3, Exodus 19:10, 1 Samuel 16:5, Nehemiah 12:30, John 11:55
rose up: Genesis 22:3, Psalms 5:3, Ecclesiastes 9:10
offered: Job 42:8, Genesis 8:20, Exodus 18:12, Exodus 24:5, Leviticus 1:3-6
according: 1 Kings 18:31, Acts 21:26
It may be: 2 Corinthians 11:2
cursed: Job 1:11, Job 2:9, Leviticus 24:10-16, 1 Kings 21:10, 1 Kings 21:13
in their hearts: Genesis 6:5, Jeremiah 4:14, Jeremiah 17:9, Jeremiah 17:10, Mark 7:21-23, Acts 8:22, 1 Corinthians 4:5
Thus: Job 27:10
continually: Heb. all the days, Luke 1:75, Luke 18:7, Ephesians 6:18
Reciprocal: Genesis 18:19 - command Genesis 46:1 - and offered Leviticus 12:7 - make Leviticus 16:6 - for himself Leviticus 24:11 - cursed Joshua 3:5 - Sanctify 2 Chronicles 5:11 - sanctified 2 Chronicles 35:6 - sanctify Job 2:5 - He will curse Job 3:25 - the thing Job 8:4 - he have cast Psalms 35:25 - say Psalms 119:9 - shall Ecclesiastes 7:2 - better Ezekiel 14:14 - Job Joel 2:16 - sanctify Acts 10:2 - with Acts 21:24 - and purify
Cross-References
and named it "Sky." Evening came and then morning—that was the second day.
Evening came and then morning—that was the third day.
Evening came and then morning—that was the fourth day.
Evening came and then morning—that was the fifth day.
God looked at what he had done. All of it was very good! Evening came and then morning—that was the sixth day.
As long as the earth remains, there will be planting and harvest, cold and heat; winter and summer, day and night.
Each day informs the following day; each night announces to the next.
You rule the day and the night, and you put the moon and the sun in place.
and you made the darkness, so the animals in the forest could come out at night.
I create light and darkness, happiness and sorrow. I, the Lord , do all of this.
Gill's Notes on the Bible
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about,.... When they had been at each other's houses in turn; when the rotation was ended: something like this is practised by the Chinese, who have their co-fraternities, which they call "the brotherhood of the month"; this consists of thirty, according to the number of days therein, and in a circle they go every day to eat at one another's house by turns; if one man has not convenience to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide it at another man's, and there are many public houses very well furnished for this purpose e: Job's sons probably began at the elder brother's house, and so went on according to their age, and ended with the younger brother; so when they had gone through the circuit, as the word f signifies, and the revolution was over, and they had done feasting for that season, or that year:
that Job sent and sanctified them; not that he did or could make them holy, by imparting grace, or infusing holiness into them; at most he could only pray for their sanctification, and give them rules, precepts, and instructions about holiness, and exhortations to it; but here it signifies, that being at some distance from them he sent messengers or letters to them to sanctify and prepare themselves for the sacrifices he was about to offer for them; either by some rites and ceremonies, as by washing themselves, and abstinence from their wives, which were sometimes used as preparatory to divine service, Genesis 35:2, or by fasting and prayer; or, perhaps, no more is intended by it than an invitation of them to come and attend the solemn sacrifice which he, as the head of the family, would offer for them; so, to sanctify people, is sometimes to invite, to call and gather them to holy service, see Joel 2:15 and so the Targum renders it. "Job sent and invited them:"
and rose up early in the morning of the last of the days of feasting; he took the first opportunity, and that as early as he could; which shows the eagerness of his spirit for the glory of God, and the good of his children, losing no time for his devotion to God, and regard for his family; this being also the fittest time for religious worship and service, see Psalms 5:3, and was used for sacrifice, Exodus 29:39,
and offered burnt offering according to the number of them all either of his ten children, or only his seven sons, since they only are next mentioned, and were the masters of the feast: this was before the law of the priesthood was in being, which restrained the offering of sacrifice to those in the office of priests, when, before, every head of a family had a right unto it; and this custom of offering sacrifice was before the law of Moses, it was of divine institution, and in use from the time of the fall of man, Genesis 3:21, and was by tradition handed down from one to another, and so Job had it; and which was typical of the sacrifice of Christ, to be offered up in the fulness of time for the expiation of sin; and Job, no doubt, by faith in Christ, offered up those burnt offerings for his sons, and one for each of them, thereby signifying, that everyone stood in need of the whole sacrifice of Christ for the atonement of sin, as every sinner does:
for Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned; not merely as in common, or daily sins of infirmity; for Job so full well knew the corruption of human nature, that a day could not pass without sin in thought, word, or deed; but some more notorious or scandalous sin; that, in the midst of their feasting and mirth, they had used some filthy, or frothy, and unsavoury and unbecoming language; had dropped some impure words, or impious jests, or done some actions which would reflect dishonour on God and true religion, and bring an odium on themselves and families: now Job was not certain of this, he had had no instruction or intelligence of it; he only surmised and conjectured it might be so; he was fearful and jealous lest it should: this shows his care and concern, as for the glory of God, so for the spiritual welfare of his children, though they were grown up and gone from him, and is to be considered in favour of his sons; for by this it is evident they were not addicted to any sin, or did not live a vicious course of life; but that they were religious and godly persons; or, otherwise Job would have had no doubt in his mind about their conduct and behaviour: the particular sin he feared they might have been guilty of follows:
and cursed God in their hearts; not in the grossest sense of the expression, so as to deny the being of God, and wish there was none, and conceive blasphemy in their hearts, and utter it with their lips; but whereas to bless God is to think and speak well of him, and ascribe that to him which is his due; so to curse him is to think and speak irreverently of him, and not to attribute to him what belongs unto him; and thus Job might fear that his sons, amidst their feasting, might boast of their plenty, and of the increase of their substance, and attribute it to their own diligence and industry, and not to the providence of God, of which he feared they might speak slightingly and unbecomingly, as persons in such circumstances sometimes do, see
Deuteronomy 32:15. Mr. Broughton renders it, "and little blessed God in their hearts" not blessing him as they should was interpretatively cursing him; the Hebrew word used properly and primarily signifies to bless g, and then the meaning is, either that his sons had sinned, but took no notice of it, nor were humbled for it, but blessed God, being prosperous and successful, as if they had never sinned at all, see Zechariah 13:1, Sanctius adds the negative particle "not", as if the meaning was, that they sinned, and did not bless God for their mercies as they should, Deuteronomy 8:10, but this is too daring and venturous to make such an addition; though this is favoured by the Targum, as in some copies, which paraphrases it,
"and have not prayed in the name of the Lord in their hearts:''
and because the word is used at parting, and taking a farewell of friends, Cocceius thinks it may be so used here, and the sense to be, that they sinned, and took their leave of God, and departed from him; but rather, as the word Elohim is used of strange gods, of false deities, Exodus 18:11. Job's fears might be, lest his sons should have been guilty of any idolatrous action, at least of blessing the gods of the Gentiles in their hearts, since feasting sometimes leads to idolatry, Exodus 32:6, but the first sense seems best, with which the Septuagint version agrees,
"it may be my sons in their mind have thought evil things against the Lord:''
thus did Job continually; or "all those days" h; that is, after every such circuit and rotation of feasting, or after every feast day kept by them, he offered sacrifices for them; or every year i, as some interpret the phrase, the feasts, and so the sacrifices, being annual; all this is observed, partly further to describe the piety of Job, his affection for his family, and concern for their spiritual good, and the glory of God, and partly as a leading step to an later event, Job 1:18.
e Semedo's History of China, par. 1. c. 13. f ×ק××¤× "cum circulssent, vel circulum fecissent", Vatablus; "circulum absolverent", Bolducius. g ×ר×× ××××× "benedixerint Deo", V. L. Piscator. h ×× ××××× "cunctis diebus", Pagninus, Montanus; "singulis diebus illis", Junius Tremellius "omnibus diebus illis", Piscator, Cocceius. i "Singulis annis", Schmidt, Schultens; see 1 Sam. xx. 7.
Barnes' Notes on the Bible
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about - Dr. Good renders this, âas the days of such banquets returned.â But this is not the idea intended. It is, when the banquets had gone round as in a circle through all the families, âthenâ Job sent and sanctified them. It was not from an anticipation that they âwouldâ do wrong, but it was from the apprehension that they âmightâ have sinned. The word rendered âwere gone aboutâ (× ×§×£ naÌqaph) means properly to join together, and then to move round in a circle, to revolve, as festivals do; see the notes at Isaiah 29:1 : âLet the festivals go round.â Here it means that the days of their banqueting had gone round the circle, or had gone round the several families. Septuagint âWhen the days of the entertainment (or drinking, ÏοÌÏÎ¿Ï potou) were finished.â A custom of feasting similar to this prevails in China. âThey have their fraternities which they call the brotherhood of the months; this consists of months according to the number of the days therein, and in a circle they go abroad to eat at one anotherâs houses by turns. If one man has not conveniences to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide for them in another; and there are many public houses well furnished for this purpose.â See Semedoâs History of China, i chapter 13, as quoted by Burder in Rosenmullerâs Morgenland. âin loc.â
That Job sent - Sent for them, and called them around him. He was apprehensive that they might have erred, and he took every measure to keep them pure, and to maintain the influence of religion in his family.
And sanctified them - This expression, says Schultens, is capable of two interpretations. It may either mean that he âpreparedâ them by various lustrations, ablutions, and other ceremonies to offer sacrifice; or that he offered sacrifices for the purpose of procuring expiation for sins which they might actually have committed. The former sense, he remarks, is favored by the use of the word in Exodus 19:10; 1 Samuel 16:5, where the word means to prepare themselves by ablutions to meet God and to worship him. The latter sense is demanded by the connection. Job felt as every father should feel in such circumstances, that there was reason to fear that God had not been remembered as he ought to have been, and he was therefore more fervent in his devotions, and called them around him, that their own minds might be affected in view of his pious solicitude. What father is there who loves God, and who feels anxious that his children should also, who does not feel special solicitude if his sons and his daughters are in a situation where successive days are devoted to feasting and mirth? The word here rendered âsanctifiedâ (ק××©× qaÌdash) means properly to be pure, clean, holy; in Pihel, the form used here, to make holy, to sanctify, to consecrate, as a priest; and here it means, that he took measures to make them holy on the apprehension that they had sinned; that is, he took the usual means to procure for them forgiveness. The Septuagint renders it εÌκαÌθαÏιζεν ekatharizen, he purified them.
And rose up early in the morning - For the purpose of offering his devotions, and procuring for them expiation. It was customary in the patriarchal times to offer sacrifice early in the morning. See Genesis 22:3; Exodus 32:6.
And offered burnt-offerings - Hebrew âand caused to ascend;â that is, by burning them so that the smoke ascended toward heaven. The word rendered âburnt-offeringsâ (×¢××× âoÌlaÌh) is from ×¢×× âaÌlaÌh, âto ascendâ (the word used here and rendered âofferedâ), and means that which was made to ascend, to wit, by burning. It is applied in the Scriptures to a sacrifice that was wholly consumed on the altar, and answers to the Greek word οÌλοÌÎºÎ±Ï ÏÏον holokauston, âHolocaust.â See the notes at Isaiah 1:11. Such offerings in the patriarchal times were made by the father of a family, officiating as priest in behalf of his household. Thus, Noah officiated, Genesis 8:20; and thus also Abraham acted as the priest to offer sacrifice, Genesis 12:7-8; Genesis 13:18; Genesis 22:13. In the earliest times, and among pagan nations, it was supposed that pardon might be procured for sin by offering sacrifice. In Homer there is a passage which remarkably corresponds with the view of Job before us; Iliad 9:493:
The gods (the great and only wise)
Are moved by offerings, vows, and sacrifice;
Offending man their high compassion wins,
And daily prayers atone for daily sins.
Pope
According to the number of them all - Sons and daughters. Perhaps an additional sacrifice for each one of them. The Septuagint renders this, âaccording to their numbers, ÎºÎ±Î¹Ì Î¼Î¿ÌÏÏον εÌÌνα ÏεÏÎ¹Ì Î±ÌμαÏÏιÌÎ±Ï ÏεÏÎ¹Ì ÏÏÍν ÏÏ ÏÏÍν Î±Ï ÌÏÏÍν kai moschon hena peri hamartias peri toÌn psuchoÌn autoÌn - a young bullock for sin or a sin-offering for their souls.â
It may be that my sons have sinned - He had no positive or certain proof of it. He felt only the natural apprehension which every pious father must, that his sons might have been overtaken by temptation, and perhaps, under the influence of wine, might have been led to speak reproachfully of God, and of the necessary restraints of true religion and virtue.
And cursed God in their hearts - The word here rendered curse is that which is usually rendered âblessâ ××¨× baÌrak. It is not a little remarkable that the same word is used in senses so directly opposite as to âblessâ and âto curse.â Dr. Good contends that the word should be always rendered âbless,â and so translates it in this place, âperadventure my sons may have sinned, ânorâ blessed God in their hearts,â understanding the Hebrew prefix × (v) as a disjunctive or negative participle. So too in Job 2:9, rendered in our common translation, âcurse God and die,â he translates it, âblessing God and dying.â But the interpretation which the connection demands is evidently that of cursing, renouncing, or forgetting; and so also it is in Job 2:9. This sense is still more obvious in 1 Kings 21:10 : âThou didst âblasphemeâ ××¨× baÌrak God and the king.â So also 1 Kings 21:13 of the same chapter - though here Dr. Good contends that the word should be rendered âbless,â and that the accusation was that Naboth âblessedâ or worshipped the gods, even Moloch - where he supposes the word ××× melek, should be pointed ××× moÌlek and read âMolech.â But the difficulty is not removed by this, and after all it is probable that the word here, as in Job 2:9, means to âcurse.â So it is understood by nearly all interpreters. The Vulgate indeed renders it singularly enough, âLest perhaps my sons have sinned, and have blessed God (et benedixerint Deo) in their hearts.â The Septuagint, âLest perhaps my sons in their mind have thought evil toward Godâ - ÎºÎ±ÎºÎ±Ì ÎµÌνεοÌηÏαν ÏÏοÌÏ ÎεοÌν kaka enenoeÌsan pros Theon. The Chaldee, âLest my sons have sinned and provoked yahweh (×××× ××ר××××ק××) in their hearts.â Assuming that this is the sense of the word here, there are three ways of accounting for the fact that the same word should have such opposite significations.
(1) One is that proposed by Taylor (Concor.), that pious persons of old regarded blasphemy as so abominable that they abhorred to express it by the proper name, and that therefore by an âeuphemismâ they used the term âblessâ instead of âcurse.â But it should be said that nothing is more common in the Scriptures than words denoting cursing and blasphemy. The word ××× 'aÌlaÌh, in the sense of cursing or execrating, occurs frequently. So the word ×××£ gaÌdaph, means to blaspheme, and is often used; 2 Kings 19:6, 2 Kings 19:22; Isaiah 37:6, Isaiah 37:23; Psalms 44:16. Other words also were used in the same sense, and there was no necessity of using a mere âeuphemismâ here.
(2) A second mode of accounting for this double use of the word is. that this was the common term of salutation between friends at meeting and parting. It is then supposed to have been used in the sense of the English phrase âto bid farewell to.â And then, like that phrase, to mean âto renounce, to abandon, to dismiss from the mind, to disregard.â The words ÏαιÌÏειν chairein, in Greek, and âvalereâ in Latin, are used in this way. This explanation is suggested by Schultens, and is adopted by Rosenmuller and Noyes, who refer to the following places as parallel instances of the use of the word. Virg. Ecl. 8, 58. âVivite Sylvoeâ - a form, says the Annotator on Virgil (Delphin), of bidding farewell to, like the Greek ÏαιÌÏεÏε chairete - âa form used against those whom we reject with hatred, and wish to depart.â Thus, Catull. 11. 17: Cum suis vivat, valeatque moechis. So Aesch. Agam. 574:
ÎÎ±Î¹Ì ÏÎ¿Î»Î»Î±Ì ÏαιÌÏειν Î¾Ï Î¼ÏοÏαιÍÏ ÎºÎ±ÏαξιÏÍ
Kai polla chairein cumforais katacioÌ.
Thus, Plutarch, Dion. p. 975. So Cicero in a letter to Atticus (Psalms 8:8), in which he complains of the disgraceful flight of Pompey, applies to him a quotation from Aristophanes; ÏÎ¿Î»Î»Î±Ì ÏαιÌÏειν ειÌÏÏÌν ÏÏÍÍ ÎºÎ±Î»ÏÍÍ polla chairein eipoÌn toÌ kaloÌ - âbidding farewell to honour he fled to Brundusium;â compare Ter. And. 4:2. 14. Cicero de Nat. Deor. 1. 44. According to this interpretation, it means that Job apprehended they had renounced God in their hearts. that is, had been unmindful of him, and had withheld from him the homage which was due. - This is plausible: but the difficulty is in making out the use of this sense of the word in Hebrew. That the word was used as a mode of âparting salutationâ among the Hebrews is undoubted. It was a solemn form of invoking the divine blessing when friends separated; compare Genesis 28:3; Genesis 47:10. But I find no use of the word where it is applied to separation in the sense of ârenouncing,â or bidding farewell to âin a bad sense;â and unless some instances of this kind can be adduced, the interpretation is unsound, and though similar phrases are used in Greek, Latin, and other languages, it does not demonstrate that this use of the word obtained in the Hebrew.
(3) A third, and more simple explanation is that which supposes that the original sense of the word was âto kneel.â This, according to Gesenius, is the meaning of the word in Arabic. So Castell gives the meaning of the word - âto bend the knees for the sake of honour;â that is, as an act of respect. So in Syriac, âGenua flexitÌ procubuit.â So âGenu.â the âknee.â Then it means to bend the knee for the purpose of invoking God, or worshipping. In the Piel, the form used here, it means
(1) to bless God, to celebrate, to adore;
(2) to bless men - that is, to âinvokeâ blessings on them; to greet or salute them - in the sense of invoking blessings on them when we meet them; 1 Samuel 15:13; Gen 47:7; 2 Samuel 6:20; or when we part from them; Gen 47:10; 1 Kings 8:66; Genesis 24:60;
(3) to âinvoke evil,â in the sense of âcursing others.â The idea is, that punishment or destruction is from God, and hence, it is âimprecatedâ on others. In one word, the term is used, as derived from the general sense of kneeling, in the sense of âinvokingâ either blessings or curses; and then in the general sense of blessing or cursing. This interpretation is defended by Selden, de jure Nat. et Gent. Lib. II. 100:11:p. 255, and by Gesenius, Lexicon. The idea here is, that Job apprehended that his sons, in the midst of mirth, and perhaps revelry, had been guilty of irreverence, and perhaps of reproaching God inwardly for the restraints of virtue and piety. What is more common in such scenes? What was more to be apprehended?
Thus did Job continually - It was his regular habit whenever such an occasion occurred. He was unremitted in his pious care; and his solicitude lest his sons should have sinned never ceased - a beautiful illustration of the appropriate feelings of a pious father in regard to his sons. The Hebrew is, âall day;â that is, at all times.
Clarke's Notes on the Bible
Verse Job 1:5. When the days of their feasting were gone about — At the conclusion of the year, when the birthday of each had been celebrated, the pious father appears to have gathered them all together, that the whole family might hold a feast to the Lord, offering burnt-offerings in order to make an atonement for sins of all kinds, whether presumptuous or committed through ignorance. This we may consider as a general custom among the godly in those ancient times.
And cursed God in their hearts. — ××ר×× ××××× uberechu Elohim. In this book, according to most interpreters, the verb barach signifies both to bless and to curse; and the noun ××××× Elohim signifies the true God, false gods, and great or mighty. The reason why Job offered the burnt-offerings appears to have been this: in a country where idolatry flourished, he thought it possible that his children might, in their festivity, have given way to idolatrous thoughts, or done something prescribed by idolatrous rites; and therefore the words may be rendered thus: It may be that my children have blessed the gods in their hearts. Others think that the word ××¨× barach should be understood as implying farewell, bidding adieu - lest my children have bidden adieu to God, that is, renounced him, and cast off his fear. To me this is very unlikely. Mr. Mason Good contends that the word should be understood in its regular and general sense, to bless; and that the conjunction × vau should be translated nor. "Peradventure my sons may have sinned, nor blessed God in their hearts." This version he supports with great learning. I think the sense given above is more plain, and less embarrassed. They might have been guilty of some species of idolatry. This is possible even among those called Christians, in their banquets; witness their songs to Bacchus, Venus, &c., which are countless in number, and often sung by persons who would think themselves injured, not to be reputed Christians. Coverdale, in his translation, (1535,) renders the passage thus Peradventure my sonnes have done some offence, and have been unthankful to God in their hertes.
Thus did Job continually. — At the end of every year, when all the birthday festivals had gone round.
