Job 23:12

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips,.... From any of the commandments his lips had uttered; meaning not the ten commandments given to Israel, which perhaps as yet were not

Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.

Neither have I gone back, i.e. not turned aside to any crooked or sinful path or course of life, human infirmity excepted. I have esteemed, Heb. I have hid, or laid it up, as men do their best treasures, or what they most love and value. The phrase notes a high estimation of it, a hearty affection to it, and a diligent care to preserve it. My necessary food, or my appointed food, or my daily portion, i.e. that food or provision which is necessary for the support of my life, as this word is used, 31:15, which is more prized and desired than all the riches in the world.

Job 23:12 Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary [food].Ver. 12. Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips] i.e. Ab ipsissimo Dei verbo, from the very word of God, that sure cynosura, which he that holdeth straitly to may truly say, Lord, if I be deceived, thou and thy word hath deceived me. But of that there is no danger, since the Scripture is the invariable canon or rule of truth, saith Irenaeus, the cubit of the sanctuary, the touchstone of error, the divine beam, and most exact balance, as Austin and Chrysostom style it, Kανωντηςαληθειαςακλινης, yea, the very heart and soul of God, as Gregory. And if Job lived before the word was written, yet not before the law of nature and the traditions of the patriarchs; which while they remained uncorrupted, were the commandment also of God’ s lips, as having been received from his very mouth; and might far better be called ipsissimum Dei verbum the very word of God itself, than the pope’ s pronunciata, which Cardinal Hosius profanely and blasphemously pronounceth to be the very word of God. I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food] I have preferred Heb. I have hid, or laid up, as men do precious things, as housekeepers do provision for their family them before my bodily food, my daily bread; and we see what pains men take, what shift they make, Ut bene sit ventri, ut lateri, for food and raiment, and other things requisite to the preservation of this present life. Now Job knew that God’ s holy word is ψυχηςπροφη, as Athanasius calleth it, the soul’ s nourishment; and that the promises are pabulum fidei, the food of faith, as another calleth them; that we may better lack bread than that bread of life. Hence he esteemed it more, not only than his dainties or superfluities, but than his substantial food, without which he could not live and subsist; more than his appointed portion (so some render it) set out for him by the Divine providence, which cutteth out to every man his allowance. I would rather be without meat, drink, light, anything, everything, saith one, than that sweet text, "Come unto me, all ye that are weary and heavy laden," &c. (Selneccer). I would not for all the world, saith another, than that one verse, John 17:24 ("Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world"), had been left out of the Bible (Mr Baxter’ s Saints’ Everlasting Rest, p. 24). And again, There is more worth (saith the same author) in those four chapters, John 14:1-31; John 15:1-27; John 16:1-33; John 17:1-26, than in all the books in the world besides.

(12) I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.—Comp. John 4:32-34. Or, I have treasured up the words, &c., according to the statute prescribed to me, or from my own law: i.e., “I made it a principle with myself to treasure up the words of His mouth.” The LXX. and the Vulg. have a differing reading, and render in my bosom.

Verse 12. The commandment of his lips] The written law that proceeded from his own mouth. I have esteemed the words of his mouth] Mr. Good has given a better version of the original: In my bosom have I stored up the words of his mouth. The Asiatics carry every thing precious or valuable in their bosom, their handkerchiefs, jewels, purses, &c. Job, therefore, intimates that the words of God's mouth were to him a most precious treasure.

12. more than my necessary food] Lit. more than (or, above) my own law; i. e. perhaps, more than the law of my own mind or inclination. The words recall the exhortation of Eliphaz, ch. Job 22:22. Any reference to food seems out of place.

Neither have I gone back - I have not put away or rejected. The commandment of his lips - That which he has spoken, or which has proceeded out of his mouth.

12. My necessary (food) ç÷é— Genesis 47:22; Proverbs 30:8. Recent interpreters mostly render it my law, meaning his own natural desires contrasted with God’s law.