The tabernacles of robbers abound, and they provoke God boldly; whereas it is he that hath given all into their hands:

“The tabernacles of robbers have plenty, and they provoke God with boldness; when He hath given all into their hand. It is easy for a man, at the time, to despise riches, when he has them, but it is hard to hold them worthless, when he lacks them. Hence it is clearly shewn, how great a contempt of earthly things was lodged in the breast of blessed Job, who then declares that all is nought which the lost enjoy in plenty, at the time when he had lost every thing. Thus he says, The tabernacles of robbers have plenty, and they provoke God with boldness; for it very commonly happens that bad men set themselves up the more against God, even the more they are enriched by His bounty contrary to their desert, and they that ought to be impelled by good gifts to better conduct, are rendered worse men by the blessings. But we have to make out how they are called 'robbers,' whereas it is thereupon added, When He hath given all into their hands. For if they are robbers, then they took by force, and there is no doubt that God is no abettor of those that use force. In what sense then does He Himself bestow what they that are robbers carry off by wicked means? We are to know then that what Almighty God in His mercy vouchsafes is one thing, and another thing what in His wrath He suffers men to have; for that which robbers do contrary to right the Equal Dispenser no otherwise than justly permits to be done by them, that both the man who is let to rob being blinded in mind may increase his guilt, and that he who suffers from his robbing, may now in the mischief thereof be chastised for some sin, which he had been guilty of before. For look, a man taking post in the pass of a mountain lies in wait for travellers passing by; now he that is taking his journey perchance has done some wickedness at one time or another, and Almighty God requiting him his evil-doing in the present life, and giving him into the hands of the lier-in-wait, suffers him either to be spoiled of his goods, or even to be killed. And so what the robber unjustly aimed at, the same the Equitable Judge justly permitted to be done, that both the one might be repaid what he had done contrary to justice, and the other might one time or another receive the worse chastisement, by whose voluntary deed of atrocity Almighty God brought just vengeance for sin upon the head of another. He is cleansed that suffers the wrong: in the case of him that does the wrong guilt is accumulated; that either from the very depth of wickedness he may one day be brought back to repentance, or else be visited with eternal damnation, aggravated in proportion as he was borne with for long in his sin. With the first He deals in mercy that he may bring his sins to an end, with the other in severity that he may greatly add thereto, unless he betake himself to repentance; in the one evil deeds are wiped away while he suffers violence, in the other they are accumulated while he offers it. Therefore it is meet and right that Almighty God suffer that to be done which He forbids to be done, that by the very same act, whereby He now awaits and bears with the unconverted for long, He may one day smite them the worse. Therefore it is rightly said, The tabernacles of robbers are in plenty, and they provoke God with boldness; when He giveth all into their hand; for what the wicked take away, He does Himself give them, Who might have withstood them in their rapine, if He had been minded to pity them. Yet this may likewise be understood of spiritual things. For it very often happens that some have gifts of teaching vouchsafed them, yet they are swoln with the same, and have a desire to appear great by comparison with others. And to 'provoke' Almighty God is to be lifted up amongst our neighbours on the score of His gifts. Which same also are not unjustly called 'robbers,' in that whilst they speak what they never do, they take away the words of the righteous to serve the turn of their own speech. But because those very words heavenly Grace vouchsafes to some persons, whose lives notwithstanding it leaves in a course of wickedness, in themselves they are 'robbers;' but yet the good that is theirs they have gotten from above.”

“prosper I know that at times tents will prosper, namely those of the Kedarites who dwell in tents in the deserts, and who are robbers, as it is stated (Gen. 16:12): “a free man among men; his hand shall be against every man.” are secure Those who provoke God have perfection, anyone to whom the Rock brought peace with His hand, whether he is good or bad.”

“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.”

“Job's friends all of them went upon this principle, that wicked people cannot prosper long in this world, but some remarkable judgment or other will suddenly light on them: Zophar had concluded with it, that the eyes of the wicked shall fail, Job 11:20. This principle Job here opposes, and maintains that God, in disposing men's outward affairs, acts as a sovereign, reserving the exact distribution of rewards and punishments for the future state. I. He asserts it as an undoubted truth that wicked people may, and often do, prosper long in this world, Job 12:6. Even great sinners may enjoy great prosperity. Observe, 1. How he describes the sinners. They are robbers, and such as provoke God, the worst kind of sinners, blasphemers and persecutors. Perhaps he refers to the Sabeans and Chaldeans, who had robbed him, and had always lived by spoil and rapine, and yet they prospered; all the world saw they did, and there is no disputing against sense; one observation built upon matter of fact is worth twenty notions framed by an hypothesis. Or more generally, All proud oppressors are robbers and pirates. It is supposed that what is injurious to men is provoking to God, the patron of right and the protector of mankind. It is not strange if those that violate the bonds of justice break through the obligations of all religion, bid defiance even to God himself, and make nothing of provoking him. 2. How he describes their prosperity. It is very great; for, (1.) Even their tabernacles prosper, those that live with them and those that come after them and descend from them. It seems as if a blessing were entailed upon their families; and that is sometimes preserved to succeeding generations which was got by fraud. (2.) They are secure, and not only feel no hurt, but fear none, are under no apprehensions of danger either from threatening providences or an awakened conscience. But those that provoke God are never the more safe for their being secure. (3.) Into their hand God brings abundantly. They have more than heart could wish (Psa 73:7), not for necessity only, but for delight - not for themselves only, but for others - not for the present only, but for hereafter; and this from the hand of Providence too. God brings plentifully to them. We cannot therefore judge of men's piety by their plenty, nor of what they have in their heart by what they have in their hand. II. He appeals even to the inferior creatures for the proof of this - the beasts, and fowls, and trees, and even the earth itself; consult these, and they shall tell thee, Job 12:7, Job 12:8. Many a good lesson we may learn from them, but what are they here to teach us? 1. We may from them learn that the tabernacles of robbers prosper (so some); for, (1.) Even among the brute creatures the greater devour the less and the stronger prey upon the weaker, and men are as the fishes of the sea, Hab 1:14. If sin had not entered, we may suppose there would have been no such disorder among the creatures, but the wolf and the lamb would have lain down together. (2.) These creatures are serviceable to wicked men, and so they declare their prosperity. Ask the herds and the flocks to whom they belong, and they will tell you that such a robber, such an oppressor, is their owner: the fishes and fowls will tell you that they are served up to the tables, and feed the luxury, of proud sinners. The earth brings forth her fruits to them (Job 9:24), and the whole creation groans under the burden of their tyranny, Rom 8:20, Rom 8:22. Note, All the creatures which wicked men abuse, by making them the food and fuel of their lusts, will witness against them another day, Jam 5:3, Jam 5:4. 2. We may from them learn the wisdom, power, and goodness of God, and that sovereign dominion of his into which plain and self-evident truth all these difficult dispensations must be resolved. Zophar had made a vast mystery of it, Job 11:7. "So far from that," says Job, "that what we are concerned to know we may learn even from the inferior creatures; for who knows not from all these? Job 12:9. Any one may easily gather from the book of the creatures that the hand of the Lord has wrought this," that is, "that there is a wise Providence which guides and governs all these things by rules which we are neither acquainted with nor are competent judges of." Note, From God's sovereign dominion over the inferior creatures we should learn to acquiesce in all his disposals of the affairs of the children of men, though contrary to our measures. III. He resolves all into the absolute propriety which God has in all the creatures (Job 12:10): In whose hand is the soul of every living thing. All the creatures, and mankind particularly, derive their being from him, owe their being to him, depend upon him for the support of it, lie at his mercy, are under his direction and dominion and entirely at his disposal, and at his summons must resign their lives. All souls are his; and may he not do what he will with his own? The name Jehovah is used here (Job 12:9), and it is the only time that we meet with it in all the discourses between Job and his friends; for God was, in that age, more known by the name of Shaddai - the Almighty. IV. Those words - (Job 12:11), Doth not the ear try words, as the mouth tastes meat? may be taken either as the conclusion to the foregoing discourse or the preface to what follows. The mind of man has as good a faculty of discerning between truth and error, when duly stated, as the palate has of discerning between what is sweet and what is bitter. Job therefore demands from his friends a liberty to judge for himself of what they had said, and desires them to use the same liberty in judging of what he had said; nay, he seems to appeal to any man's impartial judgment in this controversy; let the ear try the words on both sides, and it would be found that he was in the right. Note, The ear must try words before it receives them so as to subscribe to them. As by the taste we judge what food is wholesome to the body and what not, so by the spirit of discerning we must judge what doctrine is sound, and savoury, and wholesome, and what not, Co1 10:15; Co1 11:13.”

“But ask now the beasts, and they shall teach thee,.... And so the fowls of the air, and the fishes of the sea, in this and Job 12:8; from those instructions may be learned, of instances taken, and examples given, which may illustrate and confirm the same things that had been treated of: either what had been just now confuted, that it is always well with good men, and ill with bad men; the reverse of which had been affirmed and proved, that good men are afflicted, and wicked men prosper; something like to which may be seen in the creatures, and learned of them; thus those creatures that are the most harmless and innocent, and most useful and beneficial, are a prey to others, as sheep and lambs to lions, wolves, and bears, while they range about forests, fields, and plains, fearless and unmolested; and doves and turtles to hawks and vultures; and the lesser fish to the greater, by whom they are devoured, see Hab 1:13; and moreover, these creatures which are most useful and profitable, or are for pleasure and delight, fall more to the share of wicked men than good men; when droves of cattle and flocks of sheep are observed, and the question is put, to whom do they belong? the answer for the most part must be given, to such and such wicked men; and if the gold and silver, and other valuable things the earth produces, should be inquired about whose they are, it must be said, that they are, generally speaking, the property of the men of the world, the profane part of it; or if the fowls of the air, and fishes of the sea, could speak, when asked the question, whose food they commonly were? the answer would be, of the carnal, sensual, and voluptuous men: or rather this may refer to what Job first takes notice of in this answer of his, that his friends represented what they said as uncommon things, deep mysteries, and out of the reach of the vulgar, and which did not fall under common observation; whereas Job suggests he was as well acquainted with them as they were, yea, they were such that almost everybody knew; nay, they might be learnt from the creatures, to which Job here sends them for instruction; the beasts, birds, and fishes, all proclaim that they did not make themselves, nor did their fellow creatures, but some first cause, who is God: that they are sustained, supported, and provided for by him, and are governed, directed, and disposed of as he pleases, and so furnishes out documents of his sovereignty, wisdom, power, and providence: and the fowls of the air, and they will tell thee: the same things; that God made them, and that they are dependent on him, and are fed and cared for by him, see Mat 6:26.”

“Abound. Hebrew, “are at peace.” (Calmet) — The prosperity of the wicked is therefore no proof that they are pleasing to him. (Haydock) — All nature testifies that God exercises a sovereign dominion over his works. He may therefore cause the just to suffer, though they be guiltless. This is one of Job’s grand maxims. (Calmet)”

“Job shows that the matter of fact opposes Zophar's theory (Job 11:14, Job 11:19-20) that wickedness causes insecurity in men's "tabernacles." On the contrary, they who rob the "tabernacles" ("dwellings") of others "prosper securely" in their own. into whose hand, &c.--rather, "who make a god of their own hand," that is, who regard their might as their only ruling principle [UMBREIT].”