Bible Commentaries
Job 42

Verse 1

the LORD. Hebrew. Jehovah. App-4 .

Verse 3

Who is he . . . ? Supply the obvious Ellipsis ( App-6 ) thus: "[Thou askedst] 'Who is this? ' "&c.; which Jehovah did ask in Job 38:1-3 .

Verse 4

Hear = Hear, now.

I will demand of thee. Supply the Ellipsis ( App-6 ): "[Thou saidst]; ' Let him answer Me' "(See Job 40:2 ).

Verse 6

I abhor myself, and repent. "The end of the Lord" (i.e. what Jehovah designed as the great lesson of this book) is at length reached. Compare James 5:11 .

Verse 7

these words: i.e. ch. Job 38:1 -- Job 41:34 .

not spoken of Me the thing that is right. We have, therefore, an inspired record of what they said; but all they said was not inspired, and cannot be quoted as the Word of Jehovah.

as My servant Job hath: i.e. in Job 42:1-6 .

Verse 8

seven. See App-10 .

burnt offering. Hebrew. 'olah . App-43 . See App-15 .

him = his face: face being put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6 , for the whole person.

Verse 9

Job. Hebrew the face of Job, as in Job 42:8 .

Verse 10

turned the captivity. Figure of speech Paronomasia ( App-6 ), shdb eth sh buth, emphasizing recovery or deliverance from any trouble, as in Psalms 126:1 , Psalms 126:4 , &c.

twice as much. This blessing was included in "the end of the Lord" (James 5:11 ). See note on p. 666.

Verse 11

evil = calamity. Hebrew. ra'a' . App-44 . Compare Isaiah 45:7 .

every man. Hebrew. 'ish . App-14 .

piece = weight, as in Genesis 33:19 . The Septuagint reads "a lamb, and four drachms weight of gold, even of unstamped [gold]"; or, "a piece of gold stamped with a lamb. "

every one. Hebrew. 'i s h . App-14 .

Verse 12

and. Note the Figure of speech Polysyndeton ( App-6 ), in verses: Job 42:12-15 , to emphasize each particular thing.

Verse 14

Jemima = beautiful as the day (Septuagint and Vulgate) or as a dove.

Kezia = fragrant as cassia (i.e. cinnamon).

Keren-happuch = horn of beauty or plenty. Compare Job 42:15 .

Verse 16

an hundred and forty years: i.e. from 1656 to 1516.

Verse 17

full of days = satisfied with days. The Septuagint has a long subscription, for which see App-62 . The Arabic has a similar subscription, which professes to have been taken from the Syriac, but it is not in the Syriac version as given in Walton's Polyglot.