Job 4:12

Now a thing was secretly brought to me,.... From reason and experience, Eliphaz proceeds to a vision and revelation he had from God, showing the purity and holiness of God, and the frailty, weakness,

Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof. A thing - Hebrew, a word. Eliphaz confirms his view by a divine declaration or revelation which was secretly and unexpectedly imparted to him (cf.

Now, Heb. and, or moreover, I will further convince thee by a vision which I had relating to such matters as these. That here follows a relation of a vision is apparent from the punctual description of all its circumstances. To think as some do, that this was but a fiction and artifice which Eliphaz used, that his words might have more authority with Job, or that this was a diabolical delusion, seems to be both uncharitable and unreasonable, partly because Eliphaz, though under a mistake concerning Job’ s case, was doubtless a wise and good man, and therefore would not needlessly make himself a liar for Job’ s conviction; and partly from the matter of this vision, which is no way suitable to the nature or designs of the devil, but holy and agreeable to the Divine majesty and purity, and useful for men’ s instruction, and humiliation, and reformation. It was therefore a Divine vision, which in that age and state of the church, before the Holy Scriptures were written, was the usual way of God’ s discovery of his mind to those that sought to him. A thing, Heb. a word, to wit, from God, as , a doctrine or message. Was secretly brought to me, Heb. was stolen, or brought by stealth into me, i.e. privately and secretly, as the word of God used to come to the prophets, being spoken in their ear, as it was to Samuel, ; and the like to Moses, so as Pharaoh, though present, could not hear nor observe it, , with a low and still voice, a secret whisper. This is opposed to the more public delivery of God’ s word by the prophets to the people, which was done by crying aloud, . Mine ear received, i.e. I heard. A little thereof, or, a parcel thereof, i.e. of God’ s word; not of that particular word which God had now delivered to Eliphaz, which doubtless God would so speak, that he to whom he directed his speech might hear it all, and Eliphaz certainly would be as careful not to lose a syllable of it; but a parcel of God’ s word in general, which this indeed was. And withal, this may be a modest and humble expression, arising from a deep sense of his own infirmity, and the small measure of his knowledge of Divine things, whereof he knew only some little fragments and parcels, as Paul said, We know but in part, . As if he had said, Many, I doubt not, have more familiar acquaintance with God, and more full revelations from God, than I can pretend to, but a little of that treasure God hath been pleased to impart to me.

Job 4:12 Now a thing was secretly brought to me, and mine ear received a little thereof.Ver. 12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me] Heb. Was brought to me by stealth, closely and privily, so as others were not aware of it: see Acts 22:9; Acts 9:7. Saul’ s companions heard his voice, but not Christ’ s. By this vision Eliphaz would convince Job that none are afflicted but those that have well deserved it; since the best are defective and blame worthy, though they should be puriores caelo afflictione facti, as Chrysostom saith, as those good souls were that prayed Peter out of prison, Acts 12:5. Some are of the opinion, that this vision either came from his phantasy, and so was none; or else, by an illusion from Satan. But Mercer holds it to have been a true vision from God; although Eliphaz abused it in his misapplication thereof to Job, playing the sophister, after a sort, while he quite changeth the state of the question, which at this time was, Whether we ought to judge a man’ s life and behaviour by the greatness of those troubles and miseries that he doth suffer? This vision he describeth verbis magnificis et ampullosis: As for me, a thing (or a word) was stolen upon me, or secretly brought to me, &c. But what so great a secret was this, saith Calvin, that God alone is perfectly righteous, and all men unrighteous in comparison to him? For answer, he calleth it a secret (though it be a plain and evident truth), because few consider it, and improve it to be a humble submission to God, and suffering his judgments. See a like expressmn, Psalms 78:2-3, &c., "I will open my mouth in a parable," which yet was nothing extraordinary, but poetically set out, so Psalms 49:4. The happy and secure estate of saints in trouble is described, and the contrary; which though an ordinary argument, and often treated, yet is called the great wisdom, the dark saying. And mine ear received a little thereof] Nonnihil pauxillum, quippiam, not all that it might, but as much as it could, as being but a narrow mouthed vessel. Vide ut modeste loquatur, saith Mercer; See how modestly the man speaketh, not taking upon him any perfection of knowledge, though he were a man of great understanding; his ear caught somewhat of what was revealed, and but somewhat. The best men, while here, knows only in part; for what reason? We prophesy but in part, 1 Corinthians 13:9. Such is our weakness and narrow heartedness, that we cannot take in all of all; no, nor any part of all in the full latitude and extent of it. The greatest part of that we know is the least part of that we know not, saith a Father. Hence those modest expressions of some philosophers, and others: This only I know, that nothing I know, said Socrates. I know not so much as this, said another, that I yet know nothing.

(12) Now a thing.—He now proceeds to enforce and illustrate what he has said in highly poetical language, which has been versified in one of Byron’s Hebrew Melodies. Secretly brought to me.—Literally, was stolen for me. Joseph uses the same expression of himself in Genesis 40:15. Mine ear received a little, compared with the inexhaustible resources remaining unrevealed. The word used for little is only found once again, and in the mouth of Job (Job 26:14).

Verse 12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me] To give himself the more authority, he professes to have received a vision from God, by which he was taught the secret of the Divine dispensations in providence; and a confirmation of the doctrine which he was now stating to Job; and which he applied in a different way to what was designed in the Divine communication. Mine ear received a little thereof.] Mr. Good translates, "And mine ear received a whisper along with it." The apparition was the general subject; and the words related Job 4:17, &c., were the whispers which he heard when the apparition stood still.

8–27. Third, surely instead of despairing and murmuring under his afflictions Job should follow a very different way. I, says Eliphaz, putting himself in Job’s place, would seek unto God, all whose doings are directed to the saving of the meek and disappointing the devices of the evil. When He smites, He smites only that He may the more profoundly heal. Happy should the man count himself whom God corrects. for his correction is meant to awaken him out of his dream of evil and lead him into a broader, clearer life, rich in blessings, and to be crowned with a ripe and peaceful end. This beautiful speech consists of three parts, of which the first contains a single division, ch. Job 4:1-11; the second, two divisions, ch. Job 4:12-21, and ch. Job 5:1-7; and so also the third, ch. Job 5:8-16, and ch. Job 5:17-27.

Now a thing - To confirm his views, Eliphaz appeals to a vision of a most remarkable character which he says he had had on some former occasion on the very point under consideration.

Second double strophe — A , Job 4:12-21. Strophe a — This revelation is given in a night vision, Job 4:12-16. 12. A thing — A word, a divine communication.