Bible Commentaries
Job 42

Verses 1-17

Job 42:5 . But now mine eye seeth thee. I have seen thee in thy works, and heard the voice of nature. I have heard all those speeches of my friends, circumscribed in knowledge, and erroneous in judgment; but now the clouds depart; now the sun at length shines. Now, I see thy righteousness in dealing thus with a worm, to make my case alike instructive to angels and to men. Assuredly, thou hast a right to resume thy gifts, according to thy good pleasure, and to take from man his mortal breath, in such ways as thy wisdom shall approve. Oh how holy art thou! How sinful am I, to contend so long against correction! Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. Now therefore I shall rise above all clouds, and walk forever in the light of thy countenance, and in the joys of thy salvation.

Job 42:8 . Seven bullocks. This is called the heptarchial sacrifice; or a perfect oblation to the Lord, like Balaam’s offering. See on Numbers 23:1. Go to my servant Job. Surely he now came forth as gold, after he was tried. Estius the jesuit notes here; Go to my servant the Pope, for him will I accept! He puts Luther, Melancthon, and Calvin in the dark shade of Job’s three friends. This is Rome! Rather let us say, Go to my servant Messiah, the only Mediator.

Job 42:14 . Keren-happuch: a word equivalent to the horn of plenty; for this third daughter was born as Job was growing rich.

Job 42:16 . After this lived Job a hundred and forty years. The talmudists say he lived in all two hundred and ten years. The LXX say he lived in all two hundred and forty years. Terah lived but two hundred years, and his son Abraham only a hundred and seventy five. How weak then is the conjecture that Job lived in later times, for the gradual scale on which the Almighty was pleased to shorten the age of man, is equivalent to demonstration that Job was contemporary with Terah, and probably his senior patriarch. Be that as it may,

Job was a type of Christ.

(1) Job was a king in the land of Uz: Christ is king of heaven and earth.

(2) Job was deprived of all his wealth: Christ laid aside all his glory, and lots were cast for his vesture. (3) In one hour Job lost all his children: and in one sad night the apostles all forsook the Saviour and fled.

(4) Job was smitten with sores: Christ was scourged and crowned with thorns.

(5) Job’s soul was afflicted with the sorest anguish and grief: Christ in the garden drank the bitter cup, and was exceedingly sorrowful, even unto death.

(6) Job’s anguish was augmented by princes and priests, and those who should have comforted him: Christ’s afflictions came from priests and rulers.

(7) Job held fast his integrity to the end: the Saviour fainted not, but died commending his spirit to the Father.

(8) Job had a hundredfold reward in this life: Christ had glory after the cross, beyond all that language can declare. Thus we see “the end of the Lord, that he is very pitiful and tender hearted.” James 5:11.