Job 34:30

That the hypocrite reign not,.... These words seem to be connected with Job 34:24, "he breaketh in pieces mighty men", c.

That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared. Ensnared - into sin (1 Kings 12:28; 1 Kings 12:30). Or, rather, enthralled by further oppression (Job 34:26-28).

Having said that God could and would carry on his own work and design effectually, whether against one man, or against a whole people, he now proceeds to give a further instance of God’ s mighty power above and against the greatest monarchs, in whom their own and the people’ s strength seem to be united, yet all together cannot oppose God in his work. God when he pleaseth can and doth so order affairs, that the hypocrite (i.e. the profane wicked prince, as one of the kings of Judah is called, ; bad princes being called hypocrites, because they do commonly cover all their oppressions, and injuries, and impieties too, with the specious pretence of justice and the public good, and the discharge of their trust and duty) may not reign, (i.e. may not continue his reign and tyranny, that he may and shall by his sovereign power and omnipotent providence be deprived of his kingdom,) lest the people be insnared, i.e. lest the people should be longer and more and more kept and held in the snares or fetters of tyranny and oppression, i.e. God doth this to free poor oppressed people from the snares which ungodly and unrighteous princes lay for them. Or, that the people be not insnared any longer, Heb. that there be no snares of or for the people. Or, for the snares, or scandals, or sins (which are oft so called) of the people. So the sense is, that such a wicked prince may not continue to reign over that people, although by their sins they had provoked God to give them such a prince, and to continue his power over them.

Job 34:30 That the hypocrite reign not, lest the people be ensnared.Ver. 30. That the hypocrite reign not] That he reign no longer. Almighty God taketh order, by putting these mighties from their seat, and exalting them of low degree, Luke 1:52. And why? 1. Lest the hypocrite, or the impure and impious man, reign; such as was Jehu, Herod, Julian, our Richard III, Pope Sixtus Quintus, of whom one saith, that he was the most crouching humble cardinal that ever was lodged in an oven, and the most stout proud pope that ever wore crown (Spec. Europ.). What pride equal to his, making kings kiss his pantofles? What humility (pretended) greater than his, shriving himself daily on his knees to an ordinary priest? He calleth himself the servant of God’ s servants; and yet stamps in his coin, That nation and country that will not serve thee shall be rooted out; he also suffereth his parasites to style him, Our Lord God the pope. Is not this a notorious hypocrite? and when such a one reigneth and taketh upon him to be Lord of all, both in spirituals and temporals, may not we conclude that God hideth his face (as in the former verse) from his people? May we not cry out, as Basil once did (Epist. 17), Num ecclesias suas dereliquit Dominus? Hath the Lord utterly forsaken his Churches? It is, doubtless, a very great judgment upon a people, when a hypocrite or a profane person is set over them, who pretends the public good to his own designs and self interests, and by his crafty inventions undoes his subjects, robbing them of their lawful liberties, and enslaving them. Some read the words thus, He causeth that the hypocrite reigneth for the sins of the people. It is threatened as a heavy curse, Leviticus 26:17. If you still trespass against me, I will set princes over you that shall hate you; mischievous, odious princes, odious to God, malignant to the people; such as was Phocas, that bloody tyrant, who, when he had slain his master, Mauritius, and reigned in his stead, there was an honest poor man, saith Cedrenus, who was earnest with God to know a reason why such a thing was suffered? to whom it was answered, That a worse man could not be found; and that the sins of Christians required it. We read of Attilus, king of Swethland, that he made a dog king of the Danes, in revenge of a great many injuries received by them. Gunno, likewise, king of the Danes, made a dog king of Norway; and appointed counsellors to do all things under his title and name. That which these men did spitefully God sometimes doth righteously; setting up tyrants for a punishment to those that were unthankful for better government, and would not have him to reign over them. Lest the people be ensnared] Heb.

(30) That the hypocrite reign not.—Rather, (whether God is provoked), on account of an ungodly man reigning, or by the snares of a whole people: i.e., the corruption of a nation, e.g., Sodom, &c.

Verse 30. That the hypocrite reign not] The Vulgate translates, Who causes a wicked man to reign because of the sins of the people. This was precisely the defense which Hegiage, the oppressive ruler of the Babylonian Irak, under the caliph Abdul Malec, made when he found the people in a state of insurrection. See at the end of the chapter. See Clarke on Job 34:37.

30. His operations are directed by the great purpose of the good of men, that the nations be righteously and mercifully ruled.

That the hypocrite reign not - All this is done to prevent wicked men from ruling over the people.

30. Hypocrite — Ungodly. Lest, etc. — îï, that not, introduces this as well as the preceding clause. That the people be not ensnared; literally, from snares of the people.