He that is mocked by his friends as I, shall call upon God and he will hear him: for the simplicity of the just man is laughed to scorn.

“"Did I lose my common sense, by any chance," Job says, "because I fell into misery?" Here he presents himself as a righteous man, not by testifying to his perfect virtue but to the fact that he did not do anything wrong to anyone and that nobody can blame him. "And that my houses should be spoiled by transgressors," it was necessary that this happened, he says. It had been ordained from above. "However," he says, "do not believe that these misfortunes will stop for me. Indeed, if I, who have committed no act of injustice, suffer so, the wicked will suffer even more so."”

“He that is mocked of his neighbour as I am, calleth upon God, and He answereth him. Oftentimes the frail mind, when it is welcomed by the breath of human regard on the score of good actions, runs out into outward delights, so that it lays aside what it inwardly desires, and willingly lies all loosely in that which it gives ear to without. So that it does not so much delight to become as to be called blessed; and whereas it gapes after the words of applause, it gives over what it had begun to be; and so it is severed from God by the same means by which it appeared to be commendable in God. But sometimes it presses forward in good practice with a constant heart, and yet is pushed hard by the scoffs of men; it does admirable deeds, and gets only abuse; and he that might have been made to go forth without by commendations, being repulsed by insults, returns back again into himself; and stablishes himself the more firmly in God, that he findeth no place without when he may rest in peace: for all his hope is fixed in his Creator. And amidst scoffs and revilings, the interior Witness is alone implored. And his soul in his distress becomes God's neighbour, in proportion as he is a stranger to the favour of man's esteem. He forthwith pours himself out in prayer, and being pressed without, he is refined with a more perfect purity to penetrate into all within. Therefore it is well said at this time, He that is mocked of his neighbour as I am, will call upon God, and He will hear him. For whilst the wicked reproach the soul of the good, they are shewing them Whom to seek as the Witness of their actions. And while their soul in compunction braces itself in prayer, it is united within itself to the hearing of the Most High, by the same act whereby it is severed from the applause of man without itself. But we ought to note how thoughtfully the words are inserted, as I am. For there be some men whom both the scoffings of their fellow-creatures sink to the ground, and yet they are not such as to be heard by the ears of God. For when mocking issues against sin, surely no virtuous merit is begotten in that mocking. For the priests of Baal, when they called upon him with clamorous voices, were mocked by Elijah, when he said, Cry aloud; for he is a god either he is talking, or he is staying on a journey. But this mocking was conducive to the service of virtue, in that it came by the deserts of sin. So that it is advisedly said now, He that is mocked of his friend, as I am, calleth upon God, and He heareth him. For the mockery of his fellow-creatures makes Him God's neighbour, whom innocency of life keeps a stranger to his fellow-creatures' wickednesses.”

“a laughingstock to his friend He calls to the Holy One, blessed be He, and He answers him concerning the pain of their provocation. Now what does He answer him? To give the righteous laughter. completely Heb. תָּמִים, perfectly. that the completely righteous will have laughter That is the answer that He will reply with, and I know that it is as you said (8:21), (“He will yet fill your mouth with laughter,”) for...”

“Job answering said, and so forth. In the preceding words Sophar had tried to show that man cannot comprehend the secrets of God's wisdom, in order to humiliate Job, who seemed to be demanding a disputation as it were with God. And as can be gathered from his words and those of the other friends, their whole intention turned about three things: first, they were eager to say certain magnificent things about God, extolling his wisdom and power and justice, so that from this their own cause might appear more favorable; second, they applied these magnificent things assumed about God to certain false doctrines, namely that on account of justice men prosper in this world and on account of sins are afflicted, and that after this life nothing is to be expected; third, from assertions of this kind, on account of the adversity which Job was suffering, they accused him as though he were wicked, and promised him certain empty things if he would abandon iniquity, namely that buried he would sleep secure and that at evening the brightness of noonday would rise for him — which Job reckoned as mockeries. And around these three points Job's whole response turns. First, therefore, he speaks against them concerning the fact that they exalted themselves, proposing certain great things about God as though they alone knew them and Job was ignorant of them; and so it is said, "Job answering said: Are you then the only men?" What follows is: if you reckon that you alone know these things about the greatness of God which all men know; and since wisdom consists in the knowledge of the greatness of God, it follows that, if you alone know these things, wisdom is in you alone, and so when you cease, wisdom ceases — and therefore he adds, "and wisdom shall die with you?" As if he were saying: it is unfitting either that you alone should be men, or that you alone should be wise. But because they might say, "It is not that we alone know, but rather that you do not know," he replies, adding, "I also have a heart," namely for knowing these things, as you do, "nor am I inferior to you," namely as regards this knowledge. And lest this be ascribed to arrogance, he adds, "for who is ignorant of these things which you know?" As if he were saying: it is no great thing if I say that I know what you know, because it is no great thing to know it, since anyone knows it; but in that you reckon me ignorant of these things, you seem to hold me in contempt, as though I were ignorant of what everyone knows. Hence he adds, "He that is mocked by his friend as I am" — namely by you, while you reckon me foolish — "shall call upon God, and he will hear him," because where human help is lacking, there divine help is most present, according to that word of the Psalm: "For my father and my mother have left me, but the Lord hath taken me up" (Psalm 26:10). And in this he seems to answer what Sophar had said above, "Then thou mayest lift up thy face" (Job 11:15), as if to say: I need not wait any longer to pray with confidence, because from this very fact, that I am mocked by friends, hope is given me of having recourse to God. But why one mocked by a friend should be heard by God, he shows, adding, "for the simplicity of the just is laughed to scorn," where he shows both who they are who are mocked and why, and also by whom, when he adds, "a lamp despised in the thoughts of the rich." For to be mocked belongs to one who is deficient, but to mock belongs to one who abounds; now those who abound in virtues do not mock those who are deficient in virtues, but rather have compassion on them and help them if they can; but those who abound in temporal things are especially wont to mock those who are deficient in temporal things, and especially when these apply no effort to acquiring temporal things; but the effort of the just is directed not to acquiring temporal things but to pursuing rectitude, hence they abstain from the frauds and deceits by which riches are for the most part acquired, and from this they are reckoned simple; therefore the just are for the most part mocked. Now the cause of the mockery is simplicity, but it is mocked not as an evident evil but as a hidden good, and so here simplicity is called a lamp on account of the brightness of justice, but "despised in the thoughts of the rich," namely of those who place their end in riches — for whoever places his supreme good in riches must think that things are good in proportion as they serve more to acquire riches — hence the simplicity of the just, by which the multiplication of riches is impeded, must be contemptible to them. But although the simplicity itself of the just is held in contempt in the thoughts of the rich, nevertheless in its own time it is not defrauded of its due end; hence he says, "it is ready for the appointed time." He does not say this as though at some time in the present life earthly prosperity ought to be rendered to the just for their simplicity, but leaves undetermined what this appointed time is and to what end the simplicity of the just is being prepared: for the disputation has not yet arrived at this point, but it will be shown in what follows. Thus, then, Job covertly hints why he was mocked by his friends, whom he calls "rich," because they set the prosperity of this world as man's end, as though it were the reward of man's justice; but he by his simplicity was not seeking this reward but another at the appointed time, and therefore had confidence that if he called upon the Lord he would be heard by him. And because the rich who mock the simplicity of the just do not stop there but proceed even to contempt of God, hence it is added, "the tabernacles of robbers abound." For it follows that, since some place their end in riches, they seek out all ways to attain this ultimate end, whether by fraud or by any other means, and thus they become robbers, and while they rob, they abound in riches; and from this abundance follows contempt of God, hence it is added, "and they provoke God boldly." For then does one do something boldly when he believes that what he does is good; for when conscience gnaws at him about evil, a man does not commit evil without fear, because, as it is said in Wisdom 17:11, "wickedness, being fearful, hath given testimony of her condemnation"; but those who place their ultimate end in riches, from this very fact reckon all things good by which they attain this end; but it is manifest that when they acquire riches by robbery, they provoke God, acting against his justice; hence it follows that they provoke God boldly. Or otherwise: from riches a man is lifted up into pride, reckoning that by them he is sufficient for himself, and from this he contemns God, boldly trusting in his riches, according to that word of Deuteronomy 32:15, "the beloved grew fat, and kicked." But because he had said that the tabernacles of robbers who provoke God abound, lest perhaps it be answered that such abundance is not from God, he adds, "seeing he hath given all things into their hands," that is, into their power, because the power of harming anyone is only from God, but the will to do evil is only from oneself; and therefore in that they rob they provoke God, but the abundance consequent upon it is from God. And this he consequently proves when he adds, "But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee: and the birds of the air, and they shall tell thee. Speak to the earth, and it shall answer thee: and the fishes of the sea shall tell." What all these, when asked, would answer, he shows, adding, "Who is ignorant that the hand of the Lord hath made all these things?" This, then, is what all confess, that they were made by God; but a man questions creatures when he considers them diligently, but when questioned they answer inasmuch as, through the consideration of them, man perceives that so great an ordering as is found in the disposition of their parts, in the order of their actions, could in no way exist except through the dispensing of some higher wisdom. But if creatures of this kind were made by God, it is manifest that they are in God's power just as artifacts are in the power of the artificer, and therefore he adds, "in whose hand," that is, in whose power, "is the soul of every living thing," and not only of the other animals but also "the spirit of all mankind" (literally: of all flesh of man). But if they are in his power, it is manifest that no one can have them except from him, according to that word of Daniel 4:14, "the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and he will give it to whomsoever it shall please him." It is manifest, therefore, that neither the earth nor the animals of which he had spoken above, in which human riches consist, can any man have unless God gives it into his hand; and thus if robbers abound, God has given it into their hands. By this, then, is refuted the opinion of those who held that riches are given by God as a reward of justice, since even to robbers they are given by God. "Doth not the ear discern words," and so forth. Because above Job had set down that the things which Sophar had said about the excellence of divine greatness are manifest to all, he here intends to show that this can come to the knowledge of men through experience of divine power and wisdom in human affairs. Hence first he shows how men come to the knowledge of things through experience, saying, "Doth not the ear discern words," namely when it hears them? "And doth not the palate of him that eateth judge of the taste?" Because experience is from sense, he fittingly manifests the power of experience through the judgment of the senses, and especially through hearing and taste, because hearing among all the senses is the most disciplinable, hence it avails most for the contemplative sciences; but taste is perceptive of foods which are necessary to man for life, hence through the judgment of taste is signified the experience which is had concerning things of the active life. And for this reason, from the judgment of two senses, he shows the power of experience both in speculative and in operative matters, when he adds, "In the ancient is wisdom," which pertains to contemplation, because, namely, the ancients have heard many things; "and in length of days prudence," which pertains to action, because, namely, in a long time men taste many things, useful or harmful. Thus, then, the power of experience having been shown, he adds what men can experience concerning God, when he says, "With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding." Here he attributes to God four things which stand in an order to one another: for the first indeed is to know hidden things, which pertains to understanding; the second is, from those things which a man understands, to find in active matters ways suited to some end, which pertains to counsel — just as also in speculative matters, through the things a man understands, reason deduces to the knowing of certain conclusions; the third is that concerning the things a man has discovered he have a right judgment, which pertains to wisdom; the fourth is that the things which one judges are to be done, he powerfully carry out — and to this pertains strength. But because experience proceeds from things sensible, which although they are prior with respect to us are nevertheless simply and according to nature posterior, he therefore begins to show how men can experience the divine strength, and first indeed in human affairs themselves. For we see that some men are utterly destroyed, either through death as regards the being of nature, or through utter abasement as regards civil being, even though they have many supporters; hence, since they cannot be helped by men so as not to come to destruction, it is manifest that this happens from some hidden cause, both divine and surpassing human power, since human power cannot resist it — and this is what he says: "If he pull down, there is no man that can build up." Likewise we see some men impeded in their undertakings, even if they are not utterly destroyed, though they have very many directors; hence it is manifest that this too comes about from some more excellent power, hence it is added, "and if he shut up a man, there is none that can open," that is, who can extricate him — hence it is said in Ecclesiastes 7:14, "No man can correct whom he hath despised." Then he shows how men can experience the divine power in things of nature, especially as regards rains and droughts, hence he says, "If he withhold the waters," namely so that they do not fall by raining, "all things shall be dried up," namely those which spring from the earth; "and if he send them out," in great abundance, "they shall overturn the earth," as happens in floods. And although this comes about from certain natural causes, that sometimes rains cease even to utter dryness, and sometimes abound even to the overturning of the earth, nevertheless this is not withdrawn from the divine power, which also ordered these very natural causes to their proper effects; thus, then, as if concluding from the foregoing, he adds, "With him is strength." Then, beginning to proceed to the second member, he joins, "and wisdom," as though setting forth what he intends to manifest. Now it is proper to wisdom that through it right judgment be had concerning things; and he judges rightly concerning the truth of things who can discern how someone may be deceived, declining from the truth; and therefore, to show that wisdom is in God, he adds, "he knoweth both the deceiver, and him that is deceived," that is, he discerns by right judgment the deceptions by which someone departs from the truth, distinguishing them from the right knowledge of the truth. And this indeed he supposes from the point on which he and his friends commonly agree, that human affairs are subject to divine judgment — of which he could not judge unless he knew sins, among which deceptions and frauds hold a great place. Then he shows, through the things which appear in human affairs, that counsel is with God. Concerning which, however, it must be considered that just as God knows both the principles of the speculative sciences and the conclusions and their order to one another, yet he does not receive knowledge of the conclusions through the principles but knows all things at once and by a simple glance, so also in operative matters he knows both the ends and the things that are means to the end, and which ways are suited for attaining certain ends, yet he does not seek out the ways from the ends as we do when we take counsel; therefore, just as reason is said to be in God inasmuch as he knows the order of principles to what follows, yet it does not belong to him to investigate anything by way of reasoning as reasoning does, so with him counsel is said to be not by way of inquiry but by way of simple and absolute knowledge. Now the depth of someone in counsels can be gauged from two things: first, when by the subtlety of his counsel he leads adversaries — even if they seem practiced in counsels — to this, that, all their ways failing, they must of necessity arrive at an unfitting end; and as to this he says, "He bringeth counsellors to a foolish end," namely by impeding, through the depth of his counsel, the ways which they devise to avoid an end of this kind. Second, the depth of someone in counsels is shown when he can lead adversaries, by the subtlety of his counsel, to this, that they do not know what they ought to do; and as to this he adds, "and judges to stupidity" — and he calls "judges" the wise, who are accustomed to have right judgment concerning things to be done. Just as also in speculative disputations it happens that someone is held to be an efficacious disputant, who can lead an adversary to something unfitting, or can so establish his own position that nothing can be said against it — so also does God act against his adversaries, because both he leads them to perdition through the very ways which they themselves choose, and he so establishes his own truth and works that they cannot be shaken by adversaries. And because he had said this in general, he consequently manifests it through particular examples, showing how all the things which seem to excel in human affairs are brought, by the depth of divine counsel, to a foolish end and to stupidity. Now in human affairs kings excel in power, and as to these he says he "looseth the belt of kings" — that is, the military girdle — for in their girdle their power is designated, according to that word of the Psalm, "Gird thy sword upon thy thigh, O thou most mighty" (Psalm 44:4); "and girdeth their loins with a rope," while they are dragged into captivity, in which the greatest defect of power is denoted. Priests, however, excel as regards the reverence in which they are held, of whom he adds, "he leadeth priests away inglorious." The chief men and counsellors of a city or kingdom seem to excel according to prudence in counsels, and of these he adds, "and supplanteth the great," that is, deceives them. Philosophers excel in the consideration of truth, and of these he says, "changing the lip of the truthful," that is, of those who are zealous to speak the truth: for sometimes God beclouds their mind by withdrawing his grace, so that they cannot find the truth and consequently cannot speak it, according to that word of Romans 1:22, "professing themselves to be wise, they became fools." The aged also excel in directing the young, and of these he adds, "and taking away the doctrine of the ancients" — either because the aged are made foolish, or because they are wholly removed from the midst, according to that word of Isaiah 3:2, "the Lord will take away from Jerusalem the judge and the prophet, and the diviner, and the ancient." Princes, however, excel in the authority they have of commanding others, and of these he adds, "he poureth contempt upon princes," namely so that they are despised by those who ought to have obeyed them. All these things, then, seem to pertain to what he had said, "he bringeth counsellors to a foolish end"; but that sometimes certain persons are raised from the lowest estate to the highest seems to pertain to what he had said, "and judges to stupidity," and as to this he adds, "and relieveth them that had been oppressed" — so that this refers to the powerless who were oppressed by the power of the greater, who, their oppressors being cast down, are sometimes raised to a state of power. But as to those who are of no glory but lie hidden in the lowest estate, he adds, "who discovereth deep things out of darkness," that is, men placed in the lowest estate, and on this account unknown, as it were existing in darkness — he brings them into glory, revealing them to others. But as to those who are reckoned ignorant and foolish, he adds, "and bringeth up to light the shadow of death"; for the shadow of death seems to be ignorance or foolishness, since it is especially through knowledge that living things are distinguished from non-living things; he brings up to light, then, the shadow of death when he either grants wisdom to the ignorant, or shows that those who were wise are wise, whose wisdom was previously unknown. So that what was said, "he relieveth them that had been oppressed," may be said as it were the opposite of what he had said, "he looseth the belt of kings"; and what is added, "who discovereth deep things out of darkness," against what he had said, "he leadeth priests away inglorious"; and what is added, "and bringeth up to light the shadow of death," against all that follows. And just as he had said that this alternation of exaltation and abasement occurs by God with regard to individual persons, he shows this same thing occurring also with regard to a whole nation, adding, "who multiplieth nations," namely so that they increase in number of men, "and destroyeth them," that is, ruins them either by wars or by pestilences, "and restoreth them being overthrown into their former state" — that is, brings back to a good state those overthrown, whether by these mischances, or by the oppression of some one or several who preside unjustly. Having shown, then, that in God is strength, wisdom, and counsel, he last shows that in him is understanding, which we said pertains to the knowledge of hidden things, which seem especially to be those things that lie hidden in the heart. That God knows these things he shows through the fact that he operates in the hearts of men, and thus knows the hidden things of hearts as it were his own effects. He says, then, "who changeth the heart of the princes of the people of the earth," namely as regards the will, hence it is also said in Proverbs 21:1, "the heart of the king is in the hand of the Lord, whithersoever he will he shall turn it." And although God inclines the wills of all men, nevertheless special mention is made of kings and princes, because their wills carry greater weight, inasmuch as many follow their will. But as to the intellect he adds, "and deceiveth them" — which indeed is said not because he leads them into falsity, but because he withdraws his light from them lest they know the truth, and beclouds their reason lest they be able to find fitting ways to attain the evils they propose; hence it follows, "that they may walk in vain where there is no way," that is, that they may proceed by ways unsuited, by which they cannot attain their end. Now it happens that someone errs in what he does in two ways: in one way through ignorance, and as to this he says, "they shall grope as in the dark, and not in light," so that by darkness ignorance is designated, by light knowledge; some grope through ignorance after the manner of the blind, while they consider only what they sense presently, as it were by touching; in another way some err in what they do on account of passions, by which their reason is bound with regard to particulars, so that it does not apply universal knowledge to what is to be done, and as to this he adds, "and he shall make them stagger like men that are drunk" — for thus reason is bound by passion as by a kind of drunkenness.”

“He that is ready to slip with his feet,.... Not into sin, though this is often the case of good men, but into calamities and afflictions; and Job means himself, and every just upright man in the like circumstances: or he that is "prepared" or "destined" to be among them, that "totter" and stagger in their "feet" (i); that cannot stand upon their feet, but fall to the ground; which may describe man in declining and distressing circumstances; or that is appointed to be the laughing stock of such as are unstable in the word and ways of God; double minded men, hypocrites, and formal professors, that totter and stagger at everything they meet with disagreeable to the flesh: with such, a poor afflicted saint is laughed to scorn; he is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease; who are in affluent circumstances, enjoy great prosperity, live in plenty, and are not in trouble as others; their hearts are at ease: now with such, poor good men are had in great contempt; they are despised at heart, in the thoughts of such persons, if they do not in words express it; they are like a lamp just going out, which is neglected, and looked upon as useless; or like a torch burnt to the end, when it is thrown away; and thus it is with men, while the lamp of prosperity burns clear and bright, they are valued and had in esteem, but when their lamp becomes dim, and is almost, or quite extinguished, they are despised, see Psa 123:3; some apply this to Christ, who was a lamp or light, a great one, but despised of men, and even as a light; they loved darkness rather than light; and especially by the Pharisees, who were at ease, settled on their lees, that trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others; and this is true of Gospel ministers, though bright and burning lights, and even of every good man, in whom the true light of grace, and of the Gospel, shines, and especially when under afflictive circumstances. Some, instead of a "lamp despised", read, "for" or "because of calamity despised" (k); so Aben Ezra, which conveys the same sense, that an afflicted man is despised for his affliction; and this being the case of good men confutes the notion of Job's friends, that it always goes well with such; and their other notion of its going ill with bad men is refuted in Job 12:6. (i) "destinatus vacillantibus pede", Schmidt; so Michaelis. (k) "ad calamitatem contumelia", Cocceius; "ad infortunium vilis habetur", Gussetius, p. 674.”

“4 I must be a mockery to my own friend, I who called on Eloah and He heard me; A mockery - the just, the godly man. 5 Contempt belongs to misfortune, according to the ideas of the prosperous; It awaits those who are ready to slip. 6 Tents of the destroyer remain in peace, And those that defy God are prosperous, Who taketh Eloah into his hand. The synallage of לרעהוּ for לרעי is not nearly so difficult as many others: a laughing-stock to his own friend; comp. Isa 2:8, they worship the work of their (his) own hands (ידיו). "One who called on Eloah (לאלוהּ, for which לאלוהּ is found in lxx at Job 36:2) and He heard him" is in apposition to the subject; likewise תמים צדיק, which is to be explained according to Pro 11:5, צדיק (from צדק, Arab. ṣdq, to be hard, firm, stiff, straight), is one who in his conduct rules himself strictly according to the will of God; תמים, one whose thoughts are in all respects and without disguise what they should be-in one word: pure. Most old translators (Targ., Vulg., Luther) give לפּיד the signification, a torch. Thus e.g., Levi v. Gerson explains: "According to the view of the prosperous and carnally secure, he who is ready for falterings of the feet, i.e., likely to fall, is like a lighted torch which burns away and destroys whatever comes in contact with it, and therefore one keeps aloof from him; but it is also more than this: he is an object of contempt in their eyes." Job might not inappropriately say, that in the eyes of the prosperous he is like a despised, cast-away torch (comp. the similar figure, Isa 14:19, like a branch that is rejected with contempt); and Job 12:5 would be suitably connected with this if למועדי could be derived from a substantive מעד, vacillatio, but neither the usage of the language nor the scriptio plena (after which Jerome translates tempus statutum, and consequently has in mind the מועדים, times of festal pilgrimages, which are also called ררלים in later times), nor the vowel pointing (instead of which מעדי would be expected), is favourable to this. רגל מועדי signifies vacillantes pede, those whose prosperity is shaken, and who are in danger of destruction that is near at hand. We therefore, like Abenezra and modern expositors, who are here happily agreed, take לפיד as composed of ל and פּיד, a word common to the books of Job (Job 30:24; Job 31:29) and Proverbs (ch. Pro 24:22), which is compared by the Jewish lexicographers, according both to form and meaning, to כּיד (Job 21:20) and איד, and perhaps signifies originally dissolution (comp. פדה), decease (Syr. f'jodo, escape; Arab. faid, dying), fall, then generally calamity, misfortune: contempt (befits) misfortune, according to the thoughts (or thinking), idea of the prosperous. The pointing wavers between לעשׁתּות and the more authorized לעשׁתּוּת, with which Parchon compares the nouns עבדוּת and מרדּוּת; the ת, like ד in the latter word, has Dag. lene, since the punctuation is in this respect not quite consistent, or follows laws at present unknown (comp. Ges. 21, rem. 2). Job 12:5 is now suitably connected: ready (with reference to בוז) for those who stumble, i.e., contempt certainly awaits such, it is ready and waiting for them, נכון, ἕτοιμος, like Exo 34:2. While the unfortunate, in spite of his innocence, has thus only to expect contempt, the tents, i.e., dwellings and possessions, of the oppressor and the marauder remain in prosperity; ישׁליוּ for ישׁלוּ, an intensive form used not only in pause (Psa 36:8; comp. Deu 32:37) and with greater distinctives (Num 34:6; Psa 122:6), but also in passages where it receives no such accent (Psa 36:9; Psa 57:2; Psa 73:2). On אהלים, instead of אהלים, vid., Ges. 93, 6, 3. The verbal clause (Job 12:6) is followed by a substantival clause (Job 12:6). בּטּחות is an abstract plural from בּטּוּח, perfectly secure; therefore: the most care-less security is the portion of those who provoke God (lxx περοργίζουσι); (Note: Luther takes בטחות as the adverb to מרגיזי: und toben wider Gott thrstiglich (vid., Vilmar, Pastoraltheolog. Bltter, 1861, S. 110-112); according to the Vulg., et audacter provocant Deum.) and this is continued in an individualizing form: him who causes Eloah to go into his hand. Seb. Schmid explains this passage in the main correctly: qui Deum in manu fert h.e. qui manum aut potentiam suam pro Deo habet et licitum sibi putat quodlibet; comp. Hab 1:11 : "this his strength becomes God to him," i.e., he deifies his own power, and puts it in the place of God. But הביא signifies, in this connection with לידו (not בידו), neither to carry, nor to lead (Gesenius, who compares Psa 74:5, where, however, it signifies to cause to go into = to strike into); it must be translated: he who causes Eloah to enter into his hand; from which translation it is clear that not the deification of the hand, but of that which is taken into the hand, is meant. This which is taken into the hand is not, however, an idol (Abenezra), but the sword; therefore: him who thinks after the manner of Lamech, (Note: [Comp Pentateuch, at Gen 4:25, Clark's Foreign Theological Library. - Tr.]) as he takes the iron weapon of attack and defence into his hand, that he needs no other God.”