Behold my eye hath seen all these things, and my ear hath heard them, and I have understood them all.

“Lo, all this mine eye hath seen, mine ear hath heard, and I have understood every whit. For what was to follow he saw as present in Him, Whom neither things future come to, nor things past go from; but all things are present at once and together before His eyes. And because the very things that were to come he saw were part in works and part in words, it is rightly said, All this mine eye hath seen, mine ear hath heard. But words are without use, if they lack the understanding of them. Whence it is fitly added, And I have understood every whit. For when any thing is shewn or heard, if the understanding of it be not bestowed, it is little of a prophecy. Thus Pharaoh saw in a dream things that were to come upon Egypt, but, because he could not understand what he saw, he was no prophet. King Balthasar 'saw the fingers of the hand that wrote' upon the wall; but he was no prophet, because he did not attain to the understanding of that thing which he saw. Therefore, that blessed Job might testify that he had the spirit of prophecy, he declares not only that he had 'seen and heard,' but also that he had 'understood all this.' And that he is not elated on the grounds of such understanding, his words subjoined bear witness.”

“Behold, my eye has seen all these things. After Job had shown that the excellence of the divine power could be known through experience, as though concluding he adds: "behold, my eye has seen all these things, and my ear has heard them," as if to say: I have come to know the aforesaid effects, by which the divine strength and wisdom are shown, partly by sight and partly by hearing; nor did my knowledge come to rest in these sensible effects, but from them I ascended to an understanding of the truth, whence he adds "and I have understood each one," namely what each single effect demonstrates concerning God, whether concerning his wisdom or his understanding or his counsel or his strength. Hence, excluding their boastfulness, by which, in proposing magnificent things about God, they seemed to set themselves above Job, he adds "according to your knowledge I also know," namely those things which pertain to the magnificence of God, "nor am I inferior to you," as if he knew them either less or more imperfectly, or were now learning them from them. But since Zophar had proposed the divine excellence in order to accuse Job of striving to dispute with God, he subjoins "but yet I will speak to the Almighty," as if to say: although I understand, from his diverse effects, the excellence of divine wisdom and power no less than you, nevertheless on this account I am not reasonably changed from my purpose, so that I should not wish to address God, opening the movements of my heart to him who is the searcher and judge of hearts, and seeking the truth from him who is the teacher of all truth; hence he adds "and I desire to dispute with God," not indeed that I should wish to disapprove his judgments, but that I should destroy your errors, from which, once supposed, it would follow that there was injustice with God; hence he adds, first showing them to be "forgers of lies," because they had invented this lie, that Job had led a wicked life. But they had fallen into this lie on account of the fact that they erred concerning the faith by which God is worshipped, believing that in this life alone the recompense of merits and of punishments was made; and therefore he adds "and worshippers of perverse dogmas": for whoever departs from the true knowledge of God worships not God but his own false dogmas. But what he says, "first showing them," should not be understood as though he were first, in the order of the following teaching, going to destroy their depraved dogmas and afterward dispute with God; rather, since he intends to dispute with God, this is first in his intention, that he destroy their dogmas. Now it happens at times that some propose things that are plausible, though false, but while they do not know how to defend or prove them convincingly, they show forth their folly in speaking, which is what happened to Job's friends; and therefore he adds "and would that you were silent, that you might be thought wise." For this very fact, that you defend and prove your false dogmas unfittingly, shows you to be foolish. Since therefore you propose false dogmas and, in order to manifest them, take up unfitting means, you are therefore in need of correction; and this is what he concludes, adding "hear therefore my correction, by which I shall correct your procedure," and "attend to the judgment of my lips," by which I shall condemn your false dogmas. Now first he intends to correct their unfitting procedure. For since they held that the rewards and punishments of good and evil works are repaid in this life, in order to defend the justice of God it was necessary that they should take up certain lies: for since it is manifest that certain innocent and just men are afflicted with adversities in this life, it was necessary for them to impute crimes to the just in order to defend the justice of God, and thus they accused of impiety Job, whom they saw afflicted; but he does not use a fitting means who defends the truth by lies, and therefore he says "does God need your lie?" As if to say: is it necessary that, in order to defend the divine justice, lies be assumed? For what cannot be defended except by lies is impossible to be true. Now when someone strives to lie against manifest truth, he is compelled to devise certain deceitful and fraudulent ways so as to color the lie with some fraud; so too these men, when they tried to lie against the justice of Job, which was manifest to all, employed certain deceits, namely by showing human frailty, which easily slips into sin, and comparing it to the divine excellence, so that it might seem more probable that Job had been wicked than that God was unjust; and therefore he adds "that you should speak deceits on his behalf?" For they spoke deceits as it were on God's behalf, while they deceitfully strove to impute impiety to Job in order to defend that God is just. But they might say that they were not speaking deceitfully against Job, but were only saying what they believed. Job therefore shows that even if this were true, though excused from deceit they would fall into another vice, namely the acceptance of persons, which excludes the justice of one who judges. For it is acceptance of persons if someone despises or denies the justice of another which is apparent, on account of the greatness of someone else, even though he does not know the other's justice; if therefore the friends of Job judged him to be wicked, though seeing in him manifest justice, and by consideration of the divine greatness alone — though according to their own dogmas they could not understand how Job was justly punished by God — in their judgment by which they condemned Job they seemed to be accepting, as it were, the person of God. And therefore he adds "do you accept his face and strive to judge on God's behalf?" He says this pointedly, because he who does not know another's justice, and yet strives to devise whatever ways he can in order to show that the other's cause is just, strives to judge on behalf of someone. Now it happens at times that someone who defends another's cause fraudulently pleases that other person, even if he is just, which can happen in two ways: in one way, because he is ignorant that his cause is unjust, whence it pleases him to be defended by someone; and this he excludes from God, saying "or will it please him" — namely God — that you strive to judge unjustly on his behalf, since this cannot be unknown to him; on account of which he adds "whom nothing can conceal?" In another way, when he whose cause is defended by fraud is deceived by the frauds of the defender, so that he reckons the defense to be just; and this too he excludes from God, adding "or will he be deceived, as a man, by your frauds?" Thus, then, it is manifest that divine goodness and justice do not need a lie for their defense, because truth can be defended without a lie; from which it is also clear that, if from their dogmas being posited this unfitting consequence follows, that the justice of God needs a lie for its defense, it becomes manifest that the dogmas proposed are false. But further it must be considered that he who uses a lie to show forth the justice or goodness of God not only does something which God does not need, but even by this very act goes against God: for since God is truth, and every lie is contrary to truth, whoever uses a lie to show the magnificence of God, by this very act acts against God. And this is plainly clear through the Apostle in 1 Corinthians, where he says: "we are found even false witnesses of God, because we have given testimony against God that he raised up Christ, whom he did not raise up, if the dead do not rise" (1 Corinthians 15:15); therefore to say that God raised up a dead man, if it is not true, is against God, although it seems to show forth divine power, because it is against the truth of God. Thus, then, those who take up a lie in order to defend God not only fail to receive a reward, as though pleasing him, but even merit punishment, as acting against God; and therefore he adds "he himself will accuse you, because in secret you accept his face"; and he says "in secret," because although they seemed outwardly to be pleading God's cause, as though knowing the justice of God, yet in their consciences this was something they did not know — by what justice Job was punished — and thus, as regards the secret of their heart, they were accepting the face of God while they strove falsely to defend his justice. Now he shows how he will accuse them, adding "as soon as he shall move himself, he will trouble you," as if to say: you, because you now suffer no adversity, dispute about the justice of God with a tranquil mind; but if tribulation should come upon you — which he calls a "moving" of God, in that manner of speaking by which punishment in Scripture is called the wrath of God — your mind will be troubled, and especially since it is not grounded in truth. And because they reckoned no goods or evils except these temporal ones, while they were wary of sins lest evils should come upon them, they seemed to wish to serve God only out of fear of present evils; and therefore he adds "and his terror will fall upon you," as if to say: that on account of which alone you fear God so greatly will come upon you, namely present adversity, according to what is said in Proverbs 10:24, "what the wicked man fears will come upon him." And because they had vainly promised Job that even after death he would remain in the memory of men, he promises them the contrary, as though mocking them, saying "your memory shall be compared to ashes": for as ash, after the consuming of wood, lasts but a little while, so the fame of a man after death soon passes away, whence it seems vain to expect fame after death. They had also promised him a certain immunity and reverence to be shown at his tomb after death; but he, reckoning this too as nothing, promises them the contrary, saying "and your necks shall be brought down into clay," designating by their "necks" their power and dignity, which he says will be "brought down into clay," that is, into a contemptible and weak thing. "Be silent for a while, that I may speak," and so on. After Job had corrected the procedure of his friends, who strove to defend the divine justice by lies, he now proceeds to destroy their false dogmas under the figure of a disputation with God, and first he asks for a hearing, as one about to say great things, saying "be silent for a while, that I may speak whatever my mind shall suggest to me"; he adds this lest perhaps they should say: you speak empty things and therefore are not to be heard; but to listen for a little while to whatever someone says is not a hard thing; or he adds this to signify that he is not about to speak by composing lies or devising deceits, but that which he has in mind. Now his friends had imputed two things to Job, namely impatience and boastfulness, both of which he excludes from himself lest he seem, in the disputation to follow, to be about to speak either out of anger or out of pride. Now it must be considered that impatience arises from an excess of sorrow not moderated by reason, and excessive sorrow induces despair; and from despair it happens that a man makes little of the safety of both body and soul: therefore, in order to exclude impatience from himself, he says "why do I tear my flesh with my teeth?" As if to say: there is no reason why I should despair, through impatience, of the safety of my body, after the manner of those who, despairing of bodily life, oppressed by hunger, eat their own flesh; and again "and why do I carry my soul in my hands?" That is, there is no reason why I should make little of the safety of my soul: for that which is carried in the hands is easily lost, whence it seems that its loss is not much feared — for what a man fears to lose he carefully hides. And he gives the reason why he ought neither to tear his flesh through impatience nor carry his soul in his hands, adding, saying "even if he should kill me, I will hope in him," as if to say: do not believe that, on account of the temporal evils which I suffer, I have ceased to hope in God; for if my hope were in God only on account of temporal goods, I would be compelled to despair — as he said above, "I have despaired" — but because my hope in God is on account of spiritual goods that remain after death, even if he should afflict me even unto death, the hope which I have in him will not cease. But because an inordinate hope degenerates into presumption, on this account he adds "yet I will argue my ways in his sight," as if to say: I do not so hope in him as though I were to be freed by him even if I should persevere in sins; but because he will free me if I reprove my own sins, and this is what is added, "and he himself shall be my savior," namely if my sins displease me. Now why he saves those who argue their ways in his sight, he shows, adding "for no hypocrite shall come before his sight," that is, no dissembler, who, though he is wicked, nevertheless professes himself just and does not argue his ways before God: hence he shall not come into his sight so as to see God, in whom the ultimate salvation of man consists, as he will explain further below; yet he shall come into his sight so as to be judged by him. Thus, then, he has excluded from himself not only impatience but also a presumption of innocence, in that he professes that he argues his ways before God, so that every calumny of his friends may cease. Then, about to enter the disputation, he first renders his hearers attentive in two ways: in one way by concealing what is to be said — for when we profess that the things to be said are difficult, hearers become more attentive — hence he says "hear my word and perceive my riddles with your ears": a riddle is called an obscure speech which puts forward one thing on the surface and signifies another thing within; in another way, from the certainty of the truth of the things to be said, hence he adds "if I shall be judged, I know that I shall be found just," which indeed he does not say of the justice of his life, since he had said above "I will argue my ways in his sight," but of the truth of the doctrine over which he was contending as it were in a judgment; now he is found just in a judgment for whom the sentence is given: hence when someone is shown, in disputing, to speak the truth, he is found just as it were in a judgment. After therefore he had rendered his hearers attentive, he determines the manner of his disputation: for he wishes to dispute as though contending with another, and this is what he adds "who is he that shall be judged with me," that is, with whom shall I dispute concerning the truth? "Let him come," that is, let him approach to dispute. Now the reason why he intends to dispute concerning the truth he adds, saying "why am I consumed in silence?" For man, in the course of the present life, is consumed little by little, and especially when he is subject to infirmity, as Job was; now he is consumed in silence who so runs through the present life that he nevertheless leaves no trace of his wisdom through teaching: therefore, lest Job should suffer this, he resolved not to be silent concerning the truth, so that, consumed in body, he might live on after death in his teaching. Or this can be referred to another intention: for when someone expresses outwardly the sorrow which he suffers in his heart, his mind is in some way soothed, but by being silent he is more inwardly straitened by sorrow and in some way is consumed by his own silence. Since therefore he had asked for a disputant, saying "who is he that shall be judged with me?" And had said above "I desire to dispute with God," from now on he speaks as though having God present and disputing with him. Now the disputation of man with God might seem improper, on account of the excellence by which God surpasses man; but it must be considered that truth is not varied by the diversity of persons, hence when someone speaks the truth he cannot be overcome, with whomsoever he disputes; now Job was certain that he was speaking the truth inspired in him by God through the gift of faith and wisdom, hence, not distrusting the truth, he asked that he not be pressed down by the divine power, neither by evils presently inflicted nor by fear of evils to be inflicted, and this is what he says: "only two things do not do to me, and then I will not hide myself from your face," as if to say: I will not fear to dispute with you: for those who fear are wont to hide themselves from the face of those whom they fear. Now what these two things are he shows, adding "withdraw your hand far from me," that is, do not strike me with present scourges; and "let not your dread terrify me," as regards future scourges: for by these two ways a man can be hindered from being able, in disputing, to defend even the truth which he most certainly knows, when he is either afflicted in body or troubled in soul by fear or some other passion. Now a disputation is between two persons, namely one who objects and one who responds; entering therefore into disputation with God, he gives him the choice of either person, whether of objecting or of responding, hence he says "call me, and I will answer you; or certainly I will speak, and you answer me," as if to say: object, and I will answer; or indeed I will speak by objecting, and you answer me; and he says this enigmatically, showing himself ready for either, whether to defend the truth which he professes or to attack what might be said against the truth. Now first he gives God the part of the objector, saying "how many iniquities and sins do I have; show me my crimes and offenses." Here it must be considered that the friends of Job, as though pleading God's cause, seemed to dispute against Job, according to what he said above, "do you accept his face and strive to judge on God's behalf?" Now the friends of Job objected this against him, that he had been punished for his sins: this therefore he asks to be objected to him by God, saying "how many iniquities and sins do I have; show me my crimes and offenses," as if to say: if it is so that you afflict me for my sins, as my friends, trying to speak on your behalf, calumniate, I ask that you show me for what sins you afflict me so grievously. Hence he does not say "what iniquities I have" but "how many," because if there is no other reason for present adversities than the sins of men, as the friends of Job supposed, it is necessary that the sins which are punished by the greatest afflictions be the greatest. Now of sins, some are commissions, which are done against the negative precepts of the law, some are omissions, by which the affirmative precepts are neglected; now something is committed against a precept of the law in three ways: in one way because it is to the harm of one's neighbor, as theft, homicide, and the like, which are properly called iniquities, because they are contrary to the equity of justice which is toward another; in another way insofar as a man sins in himself through the disordering of his own act, as appears especially in the sins of gluttony and lust, and these are called "sins," as it were certain disorderings of a man; in a third way certain things are committed directly against God, such as blasphemies, sacrilege and the like, and these, on account of their gravity, are called "crimes." Now omissions are properly called "offenses." Then, as though he for whom he had given the part of the objector were silent, he himself takes up the part of the one objecting and inquires into the causes of his punishment. And first, because someone might say that God punished him as an enemy, he excludes this cause, saying "why do you hide your face and think me your enemy?" For it seems unjust that someone should reckon another to be his enemy without cause; now the fitting cause of enmity can only be an offense: it is manifest, then, that God reckons a man his enemy when that man's sins are made manifest; but Job had asked that his sins be shown to him, and they were not shown to him; therefore no reason appeared why God should be his enemy, and this is what he suggests, saying "why do you hide your face," as though hating him secretly and for a hidden reason? For the face of a man who hates is open when he does not hide the reason for his hatred. Second, because someone might say that God punished him in order to show forth his power in him, he excludes this cause too, saying "do you show your power against a leaf that is carried off by the wind?" For it is not fitting that one who is most powerful should wish to show his power in the weakest of things; now the human condition is compared to a leaf that is carried off by the wind, because man is in himself frail and weak, like a leaf that easily falls, and nonetheless, in the course of time and the variety of fortune, he is driven about like a leaf by the wind: hence it does not seem fitting to say that God punishes a man for this reason alone, that in him he might show his power. Third, because someone might say that God punished him for sins which he committed in his youth, he excludes this too, saying "and do you pursue dry stubble? For you write bitter things against me and wish to consume me for the sins of my youth?" For a man in youth is compared to green grass, but in old age he is compared as it were to dry stubble: it would therefore seem the same thing to punish a man in his old age for the sins of his youth, as if someone, for the lack of green grass, should vent his fury upon dry stubble. But it must be considered that, in this inquiry, he does not depart from the position that the adversities of men are brought about by divine judgment, to signify which he says "you write bitter things against me," as though bitter things, that is, the adversities of men, proceed from the Scripture of the divine sentence. Fourth, because someone might say that although Job did not commit grave sins, yet he committed certain sins without which the present life is not lived, and that he was punished for these, he excludes this too, saying "you have put my foot in the stocks and have observed all my paths and have considered the footprints of my feet, I who am to be consumed like rottenness, and like a garment that is eaten by the moth?" Here it must be considered that those who are put in the stocks of a prison are so bound that they cannot turn aside from the stocks; now just as a man's foot is constrained by a stock, so a man's conduct is constrained by the law of divine justice, from which it is not lawful to turn aside, and this is what he says, "you have put my foot in the stocks." Now it pertains to divine justice to examine the deeds of men, not only what each one does but also with what mind or to what end, and therefore he says "you have observed all my paths," as regards deeds, and "have considered the footprints of my feet," as regards the affection of the one acting, or also as regards whatever circumstances of the deed. Now it seems unreasonable that God should have so great a diligence concerning the acts of men, if they altogether cease to be through the death of the body — which indeed is sometimes natural, sometimes violent — hence concerning both he adds, saying "I who am to be consumed like rottenness," as regards natural death, and "like a garment that is eaten by the moth," as regards violent death, as if to say: if, as my friends suspect, there is no other life than the present one, which a man loses either by way of rottenness or by way of cutting off, it would seem unreasonable that God should have such strict care for the acts of men as to punish a man even for the smallest sins and negligences. And because this last statement affords a great way toward the inquiry of the truth, he insists further on manifesting it, and what he had said of himself singularly he brings back generally to the whole human race. Here first he expounds the frailty of the human condition: both as regards its origin, when he says "man born of woman," as though of a frail thing; and as regards its duration, when he says "living a short time"; and as regards its condition, when he says "is filled with many miseries" — where he seems, as it were, to be expounding what he had said above, "do you show your power against a leaf that is carried off by the wind?" Second, he excludes those things in which a man might glory, the first of which is the beauty of the body, in which he flourishes in youth: but this glory is nothing, because it passes quickly after the manner of a flower, hence he says "who comes forth like a flower and is crushed," namely easily; the second is fame, which does not last long, hence he says "and flees like a shadow": for of a passing shadow no trace or memory remains; the third is power and strength, by which someone strives to preserve himself and his own, and against this he says "and never remains in the same state." And these three can be referred to the three things above: for man born of woman comes forth like a flower and is quickly crushed; thus he lives so short a time that he flees like a shadow of which no trace remains; and thus he is filled with so many miseries that even if at times he obtains prosperity and joy, yet he never remains in the same state. Third, he wonders at the diligence of divine providence concerning man: for it seems wonderful that concerning a thing so frail and despised God has such great care. Now although all things are subject to divine providence, yet the divine solicitude appears specially concerning man in three things: first indeed as regards the fact that he gave him laws and precepts of living, and this he touches when he says "and do you think it worthy to open your eyes upon such a one," in that manner of speaking by which someone is said to open his eyes upon another when he directs him and considers his ways; second as regards the fact that God rewards man for good things and punishes him for evil ones, and this he touches when he says "and to bring him with you into judgment"; third as regards the fact that God adorns him with virtues by which he keeps himself clean against the foulnesses of sin, and this he touches when he says "who can make clean one conceived of unclean seed?" Now the seed of man is unclean not according to nature but according to the infection of concupiscence; yet from this unclean seed a man conceived is at times found clean through the virtues. Now just as it belongs to that which is per se hot to make hot from cold, so it belongs to that which is per se clean to make clean from unclean, and therefore he adds "is it not you alone," namely who are truly and of yourself clean? For purity and cleanness are found perfectly in God alone, in whom there can be neither potentiality nor any defect, hence whatever is in any way clean or pure has its cleanness and purity from God.”

“Job here warmly expresses his resentment of the unkindness of his friends. I. He comes up with them as one that understood the matter in dispute as well as they, and did not need to be taught by them, Job 13:1, Job 13:2. They compelled him, as the Corinthians did Paul, to commend himself and his own knowledge, yet not in a way of self-applause, but of self-justification. All he had before said his eye had seen confirmed by many instances, and his ear had heard seconded by many authorities, and he well understood it and what use to make of it. Happy are those who not only see and hear, but understand, the greatness, glory, and sovereignty of God. This, he thought, would justify what he had said before (Job 12:3), which he repeats here (Job 13:2): "What you know, the same do I know also, so that I need not come to you to be taught; I am not inferior unto you in wisdom." Note, Those who enter into disputation enter into temptation to magnify themselves and vilify their brethren more than is fit, and therefore ought to watch and pray against the workings of pride. II. He turns from them to God (Job 13:3): Surely I would speak to the Almighty; as if he had said, "I can promise myself no satisfaction in talking to you. O that I might have liberty to reason with God! He would not be so hard upon me as you are." The prince himself will perhaps give audience to a poor petitioner with more mildness, patience, and condescension, than the servants will. Job would rather argue with God himself than with his friends. See here, 1. What confidence those have towards God whose hearts condemn them not of reigning hypocrisy: they can, with humble boldness, appear before him and appeal to him. 2. What comfort those have in God whose neighbours unjustly condemn them: if they may not speak to them with any hopes of a fair hearing, yet they may speak to the Almighty; they have easy access to him and shall find acceptance with him. III. He condemns them for their unjust and uncharitable treatment of him, Job 13:4. 1. They falsely accused him, and that was unjust: You are forgers of lies. They framed a wrong hypothesis concerning the divine Providence, and misrepresented it, as if it did never remarkably afflict any but wicked men in this world, and thence they drew a false judgment concerning Job, that he was certainly a hypocrite. For this gross mistake, both in doctrine and application, he thinks an indictment of forgery lies against them. To speak lies is bad enough, though but at second hand, but to forge them with contrivance and deliberation is much worse; yet against this wrong neither innocency nor excellency will be a fence. 2. They basely deceived him, and that was unkind. They undertook his cure, and pretended to be his physicians; but they were all physicians of no value, "idol-physicians, who can do me no more good than an idol can." They were worthless physicians, who neither understood his case nor knew how to prescribe to him - mere empirics, who pretended to great things, but in conference added nothing to him: he was never the wiser for all they said. Thus to broken hearts and wounded consciences all creatures, without Christ, are physicians of no value, on which one may spend all and be never the better, but rather grow worse, Mar 5:26. IV. He begs they would be silent and give him a patient hearing, Job 13:5, Job 13:6. 1. He thinks it would be a credit to them if they would say no more, having said too much already: "Hold your peace, and it shall be your wisdom, for thereby you will conceal your ignorance and ill-nature, which now appear in all you say." They pleaded that they could not forbear speaking (Job 4:2, Job 11:2, Job 11:3); but he tells them that they would better have consulted their own reputation if they had enjoined themselves silence. Better say nothing than nothing to the purpose or that which tends to the dishonour of God and the grief of our brethren. Even a fool, when he holds his peace, is accounted wise, because nothing appears to the contrary, Pro 17:28. And, as silence is an evidence of wisdom, so it is a means of it, as it gives time to think and hear. 2. He thinks it would be a piece of justice to him to hear what he had to say: Hear now my reasoning. Perhaps, though they did not interrupt him in his discourse, yet they seemed careless, and did not much heed what he said. He therefore begged that they would not only hear, but hearken. Note, We should be very willing and glad to hear what those have to say for themselves whom, upon any account, we are tempted to have hard thoughts of. Many a man, if he could but be fairly heard, would be fairly acquitted, even in the consciences of those that run him down. V. He endeavours to convince them of the wrong they did to God's honour, while they pretended to plead for him, Job 13:7, Job 13:8. They valued themselves upon it that they spoke for God, were advocates for him, and had undertaken to justify him and his proceedings against Job; and, being (as they thought) of counsel for the sovereign, they expected not only the ear of the court and the last word, but judgment on their side. But Job tells them plainly, 1. That God and his cause did not need such advocates: "Will you think to contend for God, as if his justice were clouded and wanted to be cleared up, or as if he were at a loss what to say and wanted you to speak for him? Will you, who are so weak and passionate, put in for the honour of pleading God's cause?" Good work ought not to be put into bad hands. Will you accept his person? If those who have not right on their side carry their cause, it is by the partiality of the judge in favour of their persons; but God's cause is so just that it needs no such methods for the support of it. He is a God, and can plead for himself (Jdg 6:31); and, if you were for ever silent, the heavens would declare his righteousness. 2. That God's cause suffered by such management. Under pretence of justifying God in afflicting Job they magisterially condemned him as a hypocrite and a bad man. "This" (says he) "is speaking wickedly" (for uncharitableness and censoriousness are wickedness, great wickedness; it is an offence to God to wrong our brethren); "it is talking deceitfully, for you condemn one whom yet perhaps your own consciences, at the same time, cannot but acquit. Your principles are false and your arguings fallacious, and will it excuse you to say, It is for God?" No, for a good intention will not justify, much less will it sanctify, a bad word or action. God's truth needs not our lie, nor God's cause either our sinful policies or our sinful passions. The wrath of man works not the righteousness of God, nor may we do evil that good may come, Rom 3:7, Rom 3:8. Pious frauds (as they call them) are impious cheats; and devout persecutions are horrid profanations of the name of God, as theirs who hated their brethren, and cast them out, saying, Let the Lord be glorified, Isa 66:5; Joh 16:2. VI. He endeavours to possess them with a fear of God's judgment, and so to bring them to a better temper. Let them not think to impose upon God as they might upon a man like themselves, nor expect to gain his countenance in their bad practices by pretending a zeal for him and his honour. "As one man mocks another by flattering him, do you think so to mock him and deceive him?" Assuredly those who think to put a cheat upon God will prove to have put a cheat upon themselves. Be not deceived, God is not mocked. That they might not think thus to jest with God, and affront him, Job would have them to consider both God and themselves, and then they would find themselves unable to enter into judgment with him. 1. Let them consider what a God he is into whose service they had thus thrust themselves, and to whom they really did so much disservice, and enquire whether they could give him a good account of what they did. Consider, (1.) The strictness of his scrutiny and enquiries concerning them (Job 13:9) "Is it good that he should search you out? Can you bear to have the principles looked into which you go upon in your censures, and to have the bottom of the matter found out?" Note, It concerns us all seriously to consider whether it will be to our advantage or no that God searches the heart. It is good to an upright man who means honestly that God should search him; therefore he prays for it: Search me, O God! and know my heart. God's omniscience is a witness of his sincerity. But it is bad to him who looks one way and rows another that God should search him out, and lay him open to his confusion. (2.) The severity of his rebukes and displeasure against them (Job 13:10): "If you do accept persons, though but secretly and in heart, he will surely reprove you; he will be so far from being pleased with your censures of me, though under colour of vindicating him, that he will resent them as a great provocation, as any prince or great man would if a base action were done under the sanction of his name and under the colour of advancing his interest." Note, What we do amiss we shall certainly be reproved for, one way or other, one time or other, though it be done ever so secretly. (3.) The terror of his majesty, which if they would duly stand in awe of they would not do that which would make them obnoxious to his wrath (Job 13:11): "Shall not his excellency make you afraid? You that have great knowledge of God, and profess religion and a fear of him, how dare you talk at this rate and give yourselves so great a liberty of speech? Ought you not to walk and talk in the fear of God? Neh 5:9. Should not his dread fall upon you, and give a check to your passions?" Methinks Job speaks this as one that did himself know the terror of the Lord, and lived in a holy fear of him, whatever his friends suggested to the contrary. Note, [1.] There is in God a dreadful excellency. He is the most excellent Being, has all excellencies in himself and in each infinitely excels any creature. His excellencies in themselves are amiable and lovely. He is the most beautiful Being; but considering man's distance from God by nature, and his defection and degeneracy by sin, his excellencies are dreadful. His power, holiness, justice, yea, and his goodness too, are dreadful excellencies. They shall fear the Lord and his goodness. [2.] A holy awe of this dreadful excellency should fall upon us and make us afraid. This would awaken impenitent sinners and bring them to repentance, and would influence all to be careful to please him and afraid of offending him. 2. Let them consider themselves, and what an unequal match they were for this great God (Job 13:12): "Your remembrances (all that in you for which you hope to be remembered when you are gone) are like unto ashes, worthless and weak, and easily trampled on and blown away. Your bodies are like bodies of clay, mouldering and coming to nothing. Your memories, you think, will survive your bodies, but, alas! they are like ashes which will be shovelled up with your dust." Note, the consideration of our own meanness and mortality should make us afraid of offending God, and furnishes a good reason why we should not despise and trample upon our brethren. Bishop Patrick gives another sense of this verse: "Your remonstrances on God's behalf are no better than dust, and the arguments you accumulate but like so many heaps of dirt."”

“Lo, mine eye hath seen all this,.... Or "all those things" (h) he had been discoursing of, concerning the wisdom and power of God, and his friends also; some of these he had seen instances of, he had been an eyewitness of them, and could give an ocular testimony to them; and others he had discerned with the eyes of his understanding, being opened and enlightened, and had a clear and distinct view of them, so that he had seen and knew as much of these things as any of them had. Some (i) interpret it "all" other things, pertaining to the same subject; by what he had said, it might be concluded he knew more; this was but a sample or specimen of his knowledge, which, when observed, it might be perceived what an understanding he had in such divine things: the words are indeed absolute, "my eye hath seen all things" (k), which must not be taken in the largest and comprehensive sense of all things to be seen, heard, and understood; for though Job's knowledge was very great, yet it did not take so great a compass as this; many things in nature his eye had not seen, others in providence he could not discern, and but a small portion of God, of his nature, perfections, ways, and works, was known by him, as he himself confesses elsewhere, Job 26:14; this therefore must be limited and restrained to the subject matter in hand, and to what he and his friends had been treating of: mine ear hath heard; some things he had knowledge of by the report of others, from his forefathers, his ancestors, men of capacity and probity, that could be credited, and safely depended on, and even some things by revelation from God; for if Eliphaz his friend had an heavenly vision, and a divine revelation, which his ear received a little of, why may it not be thought that Job also was sometimes favoured with visions and revelations from God, whereby he became more intimately acquainted with divine and spiritual things? and understood it; that is, what he had seen and heard; some things may be seen, and yet not known what they are; and other things may be heard, and not understood; but Job had an understanding of what he had seen with his own eyes, or had received by revelation, human or divine: and all this is introduced with a "lo" or "behold"; not as a note of admiration at his knowledge, though the things known by him were wonderful, but as a note of attention to them, and to his remark on them, and as expressive of the certainty of his sight, hearing, and understanding of these things. (h) "omnia haec", V. L. Tigurine version, Beza, Michaelis; so Vatablus, Mercerus, Piscator, Codurcus. (i) "Alia omnia", Schmidt. (k) "Omnia", Pagninus, Montanus, Junius & Tremellius, Bolducius, Cocceius, Schultens.”

“1 Lo, mine eye hath seen all, Mine ear hath heard and marked it. 2 What ye know do I know also, I do not stand back behind you. Job has brought forward proof of what he has stated at the commencement of this speech (Job 12:3), that he is not inferior to them in the knowledge of God and divine things, and therefore he can now repeat as proved what he maintains. The plain כּל, which in other passages, with the force of הכּל, signifies omnes (Gen 16:12; Isa 30:5; Jer 44:12) and omnia (Job 42:2; Psa 8:7; Isa 44:24), has the definite sense of haec omnia here. לה (v. 1b) is not after the Aramaic manner dat. pro acc. objecti: my ear has heard and comprehended it (id); but dat. commodi, or perhaps only dat. ethicus: and has made it intelligible to itself (sibi); בּין of the apprehension accompanying perception. He has a knowledge of the exalted and glorious majesty of God, acquired partly from his own observation and partly from the teachings of others. He also knows equal to (instar) their knowledge, i.e., he has a knowledge (ידע as the idea implied in it, e.g., like Psa 82:5) which will bear comparison with theirs. But he will no longer contend with them.”