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<TITLE>Matthew Henry's Complete Commentary on the Whole Bible [Job, Chapter XL].</TITLE>
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Matthew Henry<BR><I>Commentary on the Whole Bible</I> (1710)
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<CENTER>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+3><B>J O B</B></FONT>
<BR>
<BR><FONT SIZE=+2>CHAP. XL.</FONT>
<HR SIZE=1 WIDTH=50>
</CENTER>
<FONT SIZE=-1>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Many humbling confounding questions God had put to Job, in the
foregoing chapter; now, in this chapter,
I. He demands an answer to them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:1,2">ver. 1, 2</A>.
II. Job submits in a humble silence,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:3-5">ver. 3-5</A>.
III. God proceeds to reason with him, for his conviction, concerning
the infinite distance and disproportion between him and God, showing
that he was by no means an equal match for God. He challenges him
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:6,7">ver. 6, 7</A>)
to vie with him, if he durst, for justice
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:8">ver. 8</A>),
power
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:9">ver. 9</A>),
majesty
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:10">ver. 10</A>),
and dominion over the proud
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:11-14">ver. 11-14</A>),
and he gives an instance of his power in one particular animal, here
called "Behemoth,"
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:15-24">ver. 15-24</A>.</P>
</FONT>
<A NAME="Job40_1"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_2"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_3"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_4"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_5"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec1"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Job's Humble Submission.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1520.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>1 Moreover the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> answered Job, and said,
&nbsp; 2 Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct <I>him?</I> he
that reproveth God, let him answer it.
&nbsp; 3 Then Job answered the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT>, and said,
&nbsp; 4 Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine
hand upon my mouth.
&nbsp; 5 Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I
will proceed no further.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Here is,
I. A humbling challenge which God gave to Job. After he had heaped up
many hard questions upon him, to show him, by his manifest ignorance in
the works of nature, what an incompetent judge he was of the methods
and designs of Providence, he clenches the nail with one demand more,
which stands by itself here as the application of the whole. It should
seem, God paused awhile, as Elihu had done, to give Job time to say
what he had to say, or to think of what God had said; but Job was in
such confusion that he remained silent, and therefore God here put him
upon replying,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:1,2"><I>v.</I> 1, 2</A>.
This is not said to be spoken <I>out of the whirlwind,</I> as before;
and therefore some think God said it in a still small voice, which
wrought more upon Job than the whirlwind did, as upon Elijah,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Ki+19:12,13">1 Kings xix. 12, 13</A>.
<I>My doctrine shall drop as the rain,</I> and then it does wonders.
Though Job had not spoken any thing, yet God is said to answer him; for
he knows men's thoughts, and can return a suitable answer to their
silence. Here,
1. God puts a convincing question to him: "<I>Shall he that contendeth
with the Almighty instruct him?</I> Shall he pretend to dictate to
God's wisdom or prescribe to his will? Shall God receive instruction
from every peevish complainer, and change the measures he has taken to
please him?" It is a question with disdain. <I>Shall any teach God
knowledge?</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+21:22"><I>ch.</I> xxi. 22</A>.
It is intimated that those who quarrel with God do, in effect, go about
to teach him how to mend his work. For if we contend with men like
ourselves, as not having done well, we ought to instruct them how to do
better; but is it a thing to be suffered that any man should teach his
Maker? He that contends with God is justly looked upon as his enemy;
and shall he pretend so far to have prevailed in the contest as to
prescribe to him? We are ignorant and short-sighted, but before him all
things are naked and open; we are depending creatures, but he is the
sovereign Creator; and shall we pretend to instruct him? Some read it,
<I>Is it any wisdom to contend with the Almighty?</I> The answer is
easy. No; it is the greatest folly in the world. Is it wisdom to
contend with him whom it will certainly be our ruin to oppose and
unspeakably our interest to submit to?
2. He demands a speedy reply to it: "<I>He that reproaches God let him
answer</I> this question to his own conscience, and answer it thus,
<I>Far be it from me to contend with the Almighty</I> or to <I>instruct
him.</I> Let him answer all those questions which I have put, if he
can. Let him answer for his presumption and insolence, answer it at
God's bar, to his confusion." Those have high thoughts of themselves,
and mean thoughts of God, who reprove any thing he says or does.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. Job's humble submission thereupon. Now Job came to himself, and
began to melt into godly sorrow. When his friends reasoned with him he
did not yield; but the voice of the Lord is powerful. <I>When the
Spirit of truth shall come, he shall convince.</I> They had condemned
him for a wicked man; Elihu himself had been very sharp upon him
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+34:7,8,37"><I>ch.</I> xxxiv. 7, 8, 37</A>);
but God had not given him such hard words. We may sometimes have reason
to expect better treatment from God, and a more candid construction of
what we do, than we meet with from our friends. This the good man is
here overcome by, and yields himself a conquered captive to the grace
of God.
1. He owns himself an offender, and has nothing to say in his own
justification
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
"<I>Behold, I am vile,</I> not only mean and contemptible, but vile and
abominable, in my own eyes." He is now sensible that he has sinned, and
therefore calls himself <I>vile.</I> Sin debases us, and penitents
abase themselves, reproach themselves, are ashamed, yea, even
confounded. "I have acted undutifully to my Father, ungratefully to my
benefactor, unwisely for myself; and therefore I am vile." Job now
vilifies himself as much as ever he had justified and magnified
himself. Repentance changes men's opinion of themselves. Job had been
too bold in demanding a conference with God, and thought he could make
his part good with him: but now he is convinced of his error, and owns
himself utterly unable to stand before God or to produce any thing
worth his notice, the veriest dunghill-worm that ever crawled upon
God's ground. While his friends talked with him, he answered them, for
he thought himself as good as they; but, when God talked with him, he
had nothing to say, for, in comparison with him, he sees himself
nothing, less than nothing, worse than nothing, vanity and vileness
itself; and therefore, <I>What shall I answer thee?</I> God demanded an
answer,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:2"><I>v.</I> 2</A>.
Here he gives the reason of his silence; it was not because he was
sullen, but because he was convinced he had been in the wrong. Those
that are truly sensible of their own sinfulness and vileness dare not
justify themselves before God, but are ashamed that ever they
entertained such a thought, and, in token of their shame, lay their
hand upon their mouth.
2. He promises not to offend any more as he had done; for Elihu had
told him that this was meet to be said unto God. When we have spoken
amiss we must repent of it and not repeat it nor stand to it. He
enjoins himself silence
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:4"><I>v.</I> 4</A>):
"<I>I will lay my hand upon my mouth,</I> will keep that as with a
bridle, to suppress all passionate thoughts which may arise in my mind,
and keep them from breaking out in intemperate speeches." It is bad to
think amiss, but it is much worse to speak amiss, for that is an
allowance of the evil thought and gives it an <I>imprimatur--a
sanction;</I> it is publishing the seditious libel; and therefore,
<I>if thou hast thought evil, lay thy hand upon thy mouth</I> and let
it go no further
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+30:32">Prov. xxx. 32</A>)
and that will be an evidence for thee that that which thou thoughtest
thou allowest not. Job had suffered his evil thoughts to vent
themselves: "<I>Once have I spoken</I> amiss, <I>yea, twice,</I>" that
is, "divers times, in one discourse and in another; but I have done:
<I>I will not answer;</I> I will not stand to what I have said, nor say
it again; <I>I will proceed no further.</I>" Observe here what true
repentance is.
(1.) It is to rectify our errors, and the false principles we went upon
in doing as we did. What we have long, and often, and vigorously
maintained, once, yea, twice, we must retract as soon as we are
convinced that it is a mistake, not adhere to it any longer, but take
shame to ourselves for holding it so long.
(2.) It is to return from every by-path and to proceed not one step
further in it: "<I>I will not add</I>" (so the word is); "I will never
indulge my passion so much again, nor give myself such a liberty of
speech, will never say as I have said nor do as I have done." Till it
comes to this, we come short of repentance. Further observe, Those who
dispute with God will be silenced at last. Job had been very bold and
forward in demanding a conference with God, and talked very boldly, how
plain he would make his case, and how sure he was that he should be
justified. <I>As a prince he would go near unto him</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+31:37"><I>ch.</I> xxxi. 37</A>);
he would <I>come even to his seat</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+23:3"><I>ch.</I> xxiii. 3</A>);
but he has soon enough of it; he lets fall his plea and will not
answer. "Lord, the wisdom and right are all on thy side, and I have
done foolishly and wickedly in questioning them."</P>
<A NAME="Job40_6"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_7"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_8"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_9"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_10"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_11"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_12"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_13"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_14"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec2"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Divine Justice and Power; God's Dominion over the Proud.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1520.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>6 Then answered the L<FONT SIZE=-1><B>ORD</B></FONT> unto Job out of the whirlwind, and
said,
&nbsp; 7 Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and
declare thou unto me.
&nbsp; 8 Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me,
that thou mayest be righteous?
&nbsp; 9 Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice
like him?
&nbsp; 10 Deck thyself now <I>with</I> majesty and excellency; and array
thyself with glory and beauty.
&nbsp; 11 Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one
<I>that is</I> proud, and abase him.
&nbsp; 12 Look on every one <I>that is</I> proud, <I>and</I> bring him low; and
tread down the wicked in their place.
&nbsp; 13 Hide them in the dust together; <I>and</I> bind their faces in
secret.
&nbsp; 14 Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand
can save thee.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
Job was greatly humbled for what God had already said, but not
sufficiently; he was brought low, but not low enough; and therefore God
here proceeds to reason with him in the same manner and to the same
purport as before,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:6"><I>v.</I> 6</A>.
Observe,
1. Those who duly receive what they have heard from God, and profit by
it, shall hear more from him.
2. Those who are truly convinced of sin, and penitent for it, yet have
need to be more thoroughly convinced and to be made more deeply
penitent. Those who are under convictions, who have their sins set in
order before their eyes and their hearts broken for them, must learn
from this instance not to catch at comfort too soon; it will be
everlasting when it comes, and therefore it is necessary that we be
prepared for it by deep humiliation, that the wound be searched to the
bottom and not skinned over, and that we do not make more haste out of
our convictions than good speed. When our hearts begin to melt and
relent within us, let those considerations be dwelt upon and pursued
which will help to make a thorough effectual thaw of it.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
God begins with a challenge
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:7"><I>v.</I> 7</A>),
as before
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+38:3"><I>ch.</I> xxxviii. 3</A>):
"<I>Gird up thy loins now like a man;</I> if thou hast the courage and
confidence thou hast pretended to, show them now; but thou wilt soon be
made to see and own thyself no match for me." This is that which every
proud heart must be brought to at last, either by its repentance or by
its ruin; and thus low must every mountain and hill be, sooner or
later, brought. We must acknowledge,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. That we cannot vie with God for justice, that the Lord is righteous
and holy in his dealings with us, but that we are unrighteous and
unholy in our conduct towards him; we have a great deal to blame
ourselves for, but nothing to blame him for
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:8"><I>v.</I> 8</A>):
"<I>Wilt thou disannul my judgment?</I> Wilt thou take exceptions to
what I say and do, and bring a writ of error, to reverse the judgment I
have given as erroneous and unjust?" Many of Job's complaints had too
much of a tendency this way: <I>I cry out of wrong,</I> says he, <I>but
I am not heard;</I> but such language as this is by no means to be
suffered. God's judgment cannot, must not, be disannulled, for we are
sure it is according to truth, and therefore it is a great piece of
impudence and iniquity in us to call in question. "<I>Wilt thou,</I>"
says God, "<I>condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?</I> Must my
honour suffer for the support of thy reputation? Must I be charged as
dealing unjustly with thee because thou canst not otherwise clear
thyself from the censures thou liest under?" Our duty is to condemn
ourselves, that God may be righteous. David is <I>therefore</I> ready
to own the evil he has done in God's sight, that <I>God may be
justified when he speaks and clear when he judges,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+51:4">Ps. li. 4</A>.
See
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ne+9:33,Da+9:7">Neh. ix. 33; Dan. ix. 7</A>.
But those are very proud, and very ignorant both of God and themselves,
who, to clear themselves, will condemn God; and the day is coming when,
if the mistake be not rectified in time by repentance, the eternal
judgment will be both the confutation of the plea and the confusion of
the prisoner, for the heavens shall declare God's righteousness and all
the world shall become guilty before him.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. That we cannot vie with God for power; and therefore, as it is
great impiety, so it is great impudence to contest with him, and is as
much against our interest as it is against reason and justice
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:9"><I>v.</I> 9</A>):
"<I>Hast thou an arm like God,</I> equal to his in length and strength?
<I>Or canst thou thunder with a voice like him,</I> as he did
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+37:1,2"><I>ch.</I> xxxvii. 1, 2</A>),
or does now out of the whirlwind?" To convince Job that he was not so
able as he thought himself to contest with God, he shows him,
1. That he could never fight it out with him, nor carry his cause by
force of arms. Sometimes, among men, controversies have been decided by
battle, and the victorious champion is adjudged to have justice on his
side; but, if the controversy were put upon that issue between God and
man, man would certainly go by the worse, for all the forces he could
raise against the Almighty would be but like briers and thorns before a
consuming fire,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Isa+27:4">Isa. xxvii. 4</A>.
"Hast thou, a poor weak worm of the earth, an arm comparable to his who
upholds all things?" The power of creatures, even of angels themselves,
is derived from God, limited by him, and dependent on him; but the
power of God is original, independent, and unlimited. He can do every
thing without us; we can do nothing without him; and therefore we have
not an arm like God.
2. That he could never talk it out with him, nor carry his cause by
noise and big words, which sometimes among men go a great way towards
the gaining of a point: "<I>Canst thou thunder with a voice like
him?</I> No; his voice will soon drown thine and one of his thunders
will overpower and overrule all thy whispers." Man cannot speak so
convincingly, so powerfully, nor with such a commanding conquering
force as God can, who <I>speaks, and it is done.</I> his creating voice
is called his <I>thunder</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+104:7">Ps. civ. 7</A>),
so is that voice of his with which he terrifies and discomfits his
enemies,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=1Sa+2:10">1 Sam. ii. 10</A>.
The wrath of a king may sometimes be like the roaring of a lion, but
can never pretend to imitate God's thunder.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
III. That we cannot vie with God for beauty and majesty,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:10"><I>v.</I> 10</A>.
"If thou wilt enter into a comparison with him, and appear more
amiable, put on thy best attire: <I>Deck thyself now with majesty and
excellency.</I> Appear in all the martial pomp, in all the royal
pageantry that thou hast; make the best of every thing that will set
thee off: <I>Array thyself with glory and beauty,</I> such as may awe
thy enemies and charm thy friends; but what is it all to the divine
majesty and beauty? No more than the light of a glow-worm to that of
the sun when he goes forth in his strength." God decks himself with
such majesty and glory as are the terror of devils and all the powers
of darkness and make them tremble; he arrays himself with such glory
and beauty as are the wonder of angels and all the saints in light and
make them rejoice. David could dwell all his days in God's house, to
behold the beauty of the Lord. But, in comparison with this, what is
all the majesty and excellency by which princes think to make
themselves feared, and all the glory and beauty by which lovers think
to make themselves beloved? If Job think, in contending with God, to
carry the day by looking great and making a figure, he is quite
mistaken. <I>The sun shall be ashamed, and the moon confounded, when
God shines forth.</I></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
IV. That we cannot vie with God for dominion over the proud,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:11-14"><I>v.</I> 11-14</A>.
here the cause is put upon this short issue: if Job can humble and
abase proud tyrants and oppressors as easily and effectually as God
can, it shall be acknowledged that he has some colour to compete with
God. Observe here,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
1. The justice Job is here challenged to do, and that is to bring the
proud low with a look. If Job will pretend to be a rival with God,
especially if he pretend to be a judge of his actions, he must be able
to do this.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
(1.) It is here supposed that God can do it and will do it himself,
else he would not have put it thus upon Job. By this God proves himself
to be God, that he resists the proud, sits Judge upon them, and is able
to bring them to ruin. Observe here,
[1.] That proud people are wicked people, and pride is at the bottom of
a great deal of the wickedness that is in this world both towards God
and man.
[2.] Proud people will certainly be abased and brought low; for
<I>pride goes before destruction.</I> If they bend not, they will
break; if they humble not themselves by true repentance, God will
humble them, to their everlasting confusion. The wicked will be
<I>trodden down in their place,</I> that is, Wherever they are found,
though they pretend to have a place of their own, and to have taken
root in it, yet even there they shall be trodden down, and all the
wealth, and power, and interest, to which their place entitles them,
will not be their security.
[3.] The wrath of God, scattered among the proud, will humble them, and
break them, and bring them down. If he casts abroad the rage of his
wrath, as he will do at the great day and sometimes does in this life,
the stoutest heart cannot hold out against him. <I>Who knows the power
of his anger?</I>
[4.] God can and does easily abase proud tyrants; he can <I>look upon
them, and bring them low,</I> can overwhelm them with shame, and fear,
and utter ruin, by one angry look, as he can, by a gracious look,
revive the hearts of the contrite ones.
[5.] He can and will at last do it effectually
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:13"><I>v.</I> 13</A>),
not only bring them to the dust, from which they might hope to arise,
but <I>hide them in the dust,</I> like the proud Egyptian whom Moses
slew and <I>hid in the sand</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+2:12">Exod. ii. 12</A>),
that is, they shall be brought not only to death, but to the grave,
that pit out of which there is no return. They were proud of the figure
they made, but they shall be buried in oblivion and be no more
remembered than those that are hidden in the dust, out of sight and out
of mind. They were linked in leagues and confederacies to do mischief,
and are now bound in bundles. They are hidden <I>together;</I> not
their rest, but their shame together <I>is in the dust,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+17:16"><I>ch.</I> xvii. 16</A>.
Nay, they are treated as malefactors (who, when condemned, had their
faces covered, as Haman's was: He <I>binds their faces in secret</I>)
or as dead men: Lazarus, in the grave, had his face bound about. Thus
complete will be the victory that God will gain, at last, over proud
sinners that set themselves in opposition to him. Now by this he proves
himself to be God. Does he thus hate proud men? Then he is holy. Will
he thus punish them? Then he is the just Judge of the world. Can he
thus humble them? Then he is the Lord Almighty. When he had abased
proud Pharaoh, and hidden him in the sand of the Red Sea, Jethro thence
inferred that doubtless <I>the Lord is greater than all gods, for
wherein the proud</I> enemies of his <I>Israel dealt proudly he was
above them,</I> he was too hard for them,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ex+18:11">Exod. xviii. 11</A>.
See
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Re+19:1,2">Rev. xix. 1, 2</A>.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
(2.) It is here proposed to Job to do it. He had been passionately
quarrelling with God and his providence, casting abroad the rage of his
wrath towards heaven, as if he thought thereby to bring God himself to
his mind. "Come," says God, "try thy hand first upon proud men, and
thou wilt soon see how little they value the rage of thy wrath; and
shall I then regard it, or be moved by it?" Job had complained of the
prosperity and power of tyrants and oppressors, and was ready to charge
God with mal-administration for suffering it; but he ought not to find
fault, except he could mend. If God, and he only, has power enough to
humble and bring down proud men, no doubt he has wisdom enough to know
when and how to do it, and it is not for us to prescribe to him or to
teach him how to prescribe to him or to teach him how to govern the
world. Unless we had an arm like God we must not think to take his work
out of his hands.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
2. The justice which is here promised to be done him if he can perform
such mighty works as these
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:14"><I>v.</I> 14</A>):
"<I>They will I also confess unto thee that thy right hand</I> is
sufficient to save thee, though, after all, it would be too weak to
contend with me." It is the innate pride and ambition of man that he
would be his own saviour (would have his own hands sufficient for him
and be independent), but it is presumption to pretend that he is. Our
own hands cannot save us by recommending us to God's grace, much less
by rescuing us from his justice. Unless we could by our own power
humble our enemies, we cannot pretend by our own power to save
ourselves; but, if we could, God himself would confess it. He never did
nor ever will defraud any man of his just praise, nor deny him the
honour he has merited. But, since we cannot do this, we must confess
unto him that our own hands cannot save us, and therefore into his hand
we must commit ourselves.</P>
<A NAME="Job40_15"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_16"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_17"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_18"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_19"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_20"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_21"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_22"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_23"> </A>
<A NAME="Job40_24"> </A>
<A NAME="Sec3"> </A>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER=0>
<TR><TD><FONT SIZE=+1><I>Description of Behemoth.</I></FONT></TD>
<TD ALIGN=RIGHT><FONT SIZE=-1>B. C.</FONT> 1520.</TD></TR>
<TR><TD COLSPAN=2><HR SIZE=1></TD></TR>
</TABLE>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
<FONT SIZE=+1>15 Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass
as an ox.
&nbsp; 16 Lo now, his strength <I>is</I> in his loins, and his force <I>is</I>
in the navel of his belly.
&nbsp; 17 He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones
are wrapped together.
&nbsp; 18 His bones <I>are as</I> strong pieces of brass; his bones <I>are</I>
like bars of iron.
&nbsp; 19 He <I>is</I> the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can
make his sword to approach <I>unto him.</I>
&nbsp; 20 Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the
beasts of the field play.
&nbsp; 21 He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed,
and fens.
&nbsp; 22 The shady trees cover him <I>with</I> their shadow; the willows
of the brook compass him about.
&nbsp; 23 Behold, he drinketh up a river, <I>and</I> hasteth not: he
trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.
&nbsp; 24 He taketh it with his eyes: <I>his</I> nose pierceth through
snares.
</FONT></P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
God, for the further proving of his own power and disproving of Job's
pretensions, concludes his discourse with the description of two vast
and mighty animals, far exceeding man in bulk and strength, one he
calls <I>behemoth,</I> the other <I>leviathan.</I> In these verses we
have the former described. "<I>Behold now behemoth,</I> and consider
whether thou art able to contend with him who made that beast and gave
him all the power he has, and whether it is not thy wisdom rather to
submit to him and make thy peace with him." <I>Behemoth</I> signifies
<I>beasts</I> in general, but must here be meant of some one particular
species. Some understand it of the <I>bull;</I> others of an amphibious
animal, well known (they say) in Egypt, called the <I>river-horse
(hippopotamus</I>), living among the fish in the river Nile, but coming
out to feed upon the earth. But I confess I see no reason to depart
from the ancient and most generally received opinion, that it is the
elephant that is here described, which is a very strong stately
creature, of very large stature above any other, of wonderful sagacity,
and of so great a reputation in the animal kingdom that among so many
four-footed beasts as we have had the natural history of
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+38:1-39:30"><I>ch.</I> xxxviii. and xxxix.</A>)
we can scarcely suppose this should be omitted. Observe,</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
I. The description here given of the behemoth.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
1. His body is very strong and well built. <I>His strength is in his
loins,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:16"><I>v.</I> 16</A>.
<I>His bones,</I> compared with those of other creatures, <I>are like
bars of iron,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:18"><I>v.</I> 18</A>.
His back-bone is so strong that, though his tail be not large, yet he
moves it like a cedar, with a commanding force,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:17"><I>v.</I> 17</A>.
Some understand it of the trunk of the elephant, for the word signifies
any extreme part, and in that there is indeed a wonderful strength. So
strong is the elephant in his back and loins, and the sinews of his
thighs, that he will carry a large wooden tower, and a great number of
fighting men in it. No animal whatsoever comes near the elephant for
strength of body, which is the main thing insisted on in this
description.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
2. He feeds on the productions of the earth and does not prey upon
other animals: He <I>eats grass as an ox</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>),
the <I>mountains bring him forth food</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:20"><I>v.</I> 20</A>),
and the beasts of the field do not tremble before him nor flee from
him, as from a lion, but they play about him, knowing they are in no
danger from him. This may give us occasion,
(1.) To acknowledge the goodness of God in ordering it so that a
creature of such bulk, which requires so much food, should not feed
upon flesh (for then multitudes must die to keep him alive), but should
be content with the grass of the field, to prevent such destruction of
lives as otherwise must have ensued.
(2.) To commend living upon herbs and fruits without flesh, according
to the original appointment of man's food,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+1:29">Gen. i. 29</A>.
Even the strength of an elephant, as of a horse and an ox, may be
supported without flesh; and why not that of a man? Though therefore
we use the liberty God has allowed us, yet <I>be not among riotous
eaters of flesh,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Pr+23:20">Prov. xxiii. 20</A>.
(3.) To commend a quiet and peaceable life. Who would not rather, like
the elephant, have his neighbours easy and pleasant about him, than,
like the lion, have them all afraid of him?</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
3. He <I>lodges under the shady trees</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:21"><I>v.</I> 21</A>),
which <I>cover him with their shadow</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:22"><I>v.</I> 22</A>),
where he has a free and open air to breathe in, while lions, which live
by prey, when they would repose themselves, are obliged to retire into
a close and dark den, to live therein, and to abide in the covert of
that,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+38:40"><I>ch.</I> xxxviii. 40</A>.
Those who are a terror to others cannot but be sometimes a terror to
themselves too; but those will be easy who will let others be easy
about them; and the reed and fens, and the willows of the brook, though
a very weak and slender fortification, yet are sufficient for the
defence and security of those who <I>therefore</I> dread no harm,
because they design none.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
4. That he is a very great and greedy drinker, not of wine or strong
drink (to be greedy of that is peculiar to man, who by his drunkenness
makes a beast of himself), but of fair water.
(1.) His size is prodigious, and therefore he must have supply
accordingly,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:23"><I>v.</I> 23</A>.
He drinks so much that one would think he could drink up a river, if
you would give him time, and not hasten him. Or, when he drinks, <I>he
hasteth not,</I> as those do that drink in fear; he is confident of his
own strength and safety, and therefore makes no haste when he drinks,
no more haste than good speed.
(2.) His eye anticipates more than he can take; for, when he is very
thirsty, having been long kept without water, <I>he trusts that he can
drink up Jordan in his mouth,</I> and even <I>takes it with his
eyes,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:24"><I>v.</I> 24</A>.
As a covetous man causes his eyes to fly upon the wealth of this world,
which he is greedy of, so this great beast is said to snatch, or draw
up, even a river with his eyes.
(3.) His nose has in it strength enough for both; for, when he goes
greedily to drink with it, he <I>pierces through snares</I> or nets,
which perhaps are laid in the waters to catch fish. He makes nothing of
the difficulties that lie in his way, so great is his strength and so
eager his appetite.</P>
<P> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;
II. The use that is to be made of this description. We have taken a
view of this mountain of a beast, this over-grown animal, which is here
set before us, not merely as a show (as sometimes it is in our country)
to satisfy our curiosity and to amuse us, but as an argument with us to
humble ourselves before the great God; for,
1. He made this vast animal, which is so fearfully and wonderfully
made; it is the work of his hands, the contrivance of his wisdom, the
production of his power; it is <I>behemoth which I made,</I>
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:15"><I>v.</I> 15</A>.
Whatever strength this, or any other creature, has, it is derived from
God, who therefore must be acknowledged to have all power originally
and infinitely in himself, and such an arm as it is not for us to
contest with. This beast is here called <I>the chief,</I> in its kind,
<I>of the ways of God</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
an eminent instance of the Creator's power and wisdom. Those that will
peruse the accounts given by historians of the elephant will find that
his capacities approach nearer to those of reason than the capacities
of any other brute-creature whatsoever, and therefore he is fitly
called <I>the chief of the ways of God,</I> in the inferior part of the
creation, no creature below man being preferable to him.
2. He made him with man, as he made other four-footed beasts, on the
same day with man
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ge+1:25,26">Gen. i. 25, 26</A>),
whereas the fish and fowl were made the day before; he made him to live
and move on the same earth, in the same element, and therefore man and
beast are said to be jointly preserved by divine Providence as
fellow-commoners,
<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Ps+36:6">Ps. xxxvi. 6</A>.
"It is <I>behemoth, which I made with thee;</I> I made that beast as
well as thee, and he does not quarrel with me; why then dost thou? Why
shouldst thou demand peculiar favours because I made thee
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+10:9"><I>ch.</I> x. 9</A>),
when I made the <I>behemoth</I> likewise with thee? I made thee as well
as that beast, and therefore can as easily manage thee at pleasure as
that beast, and will do it whether thou refuse or whether thou choose.
I made him with thee, that thou mayest look upon him and receive
instruction." We need not go far for proofs and instances of God's
almighty power and sovereign dominion; they are near us, they are with
us, they are under our eye wherever we are.
3. <I>He that made him can make his sword to approach to him</I>
(<A HREF="http://bible.gospelcom.net/bible?version=KJV&passage=Job+40:19"><I>v.</I> 19</A>),
that is, the same hand that made him, notwithstanding his great bulk
and strength, can unmake him again at pleasure and kill an elephant as
easily as a worm or a fly, without any difficulty, and without the
imputation either of waste or wrong. God that gave to all the creatures
their being may take away the being he gave; for may he not do what he
will with his own? And he <I>can</I> do it; he that has power to create
with a word no doubt has power to destroy with a word, and can as
easily speak the creature into nothing as at first he spoke it out of
nothing. The <I>behemoth</I> perhaps is here intended (as well as the
<I>leviathan</I> afterwards) to represent those proud tyrants and
oppressors whom God had just now challenged Job to abase and bring
down. They think themselves as well fortified against the judgments of
God as the elephant with his bones of brass and iron; but he that made
the soul of man knows all the avenues to it, and can make the sword of
justice, his wrath, to approach to it, and touch it in the most tender
and sensible part. He that framed the engine, and put the parts of it
together, knows how to take it in pieces. Woe to him therefore that
strives with his Maker, for he that made him has therefore power to
make him miserable, and will not make him happy unless he will be ruled
by him.</P>
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