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Job 40:4
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Stephen Olford
Bill Ammon
Zac Poonen
Stan Ford
James Bourne
Thomas BrooksSummary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Behold, I am vile - I acknowledge my inward defilement. I cannot answer thee. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth - I cannot excuse myself, and I must be dumb before thee.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
4 Behold, I am too mean: what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken, and will not begin again; And twice - I will do it no more. He is small, i.e., not equal to the task imposed, therefore he keeps his mouth firmly closed (comp. Job 21:5; Job 29:9), for whatever he might say would still not be to the point. Once he has dared to criticise God's doings; a second time (שׁתּים = שׁנית, Ges. 120, 5) he ventures it no more, for God's wondrous wisdom and all-careful love dazzle him, and he gladly bows. But how? Is not the divine speech altogether different from what one ought to expect? One expects to hear from the mouth of Jehovah something unheard of in the previous course of the drama, and in this expectation we find ourselves disappointed at the outset. For one need only look back and read Job 9:4-10, where Job acknowledges and describes God as a wise and mighty Lord over the natural world, especially as an irresistible Ruler over everything great in it; Job 12:7-10, where he refers to the creatures of the sky and deep as proofs of God's creative power; Job 12:11-25, where he sketches the grandest picture of God's terrible doings in nature and among men; Job 26:5-14, where he praises God as the Creator and Lord of all things, and describes what he says concerning Him as only a faint echo of the thunder of His might; Job 28:23, where he ascribes absolute wisdom to Him as the Creator of and Ruler of the world. If one ponders these passages of Job's speeches, he will not be able to say that the speech of Jehovah, in the exhibition of the creative power and wisdom of God, which is its theme, would make Job conscious of anything which was previously unknown to him; and it is accordingly asked, What, then, is there that is new in the speech of Jehovah by which the great effect is brought about, that Job humbles himself in penitence, and becomes ready for the act of redemption which follows? It has indeed never occurred to Job to desire to enter into a controversy with God concerning the works of creation; he is far from the delusion of being able to stand such a test; he knows in general, that if God were willing to contend with him, he would not be able to answer God one in a thousand, Job 9:3. And yet God closely questioned him, and thereby Job comes to the perception of his sin - how comes it to pass? Has the plot of the drama perhaps failed in this point? Has the poet made use of means unsuited to the connection of the whole, to bring about the needful effect, viz., the repentance of Job, - because, perhaps, the store of his thoughts was exhausted? But this poet is not so poor, and we shall therefore be obliged to try and understand the disposition of the speech of Jehovah before we censure it. When one of Job's last words before the appearing of Jehovah was the word שׁדי יענני, Job thereby desired God's decision concerning the testimony of his innocence. This wish is in itself not sinful; yea, it is even a fruit of his hidden faith, when he casts the look of hope away from his affliction and the accusation of the friends, into the future to God as his Vindicator and Redeemer. But that wish becomes sinful when he looks upon his affliction as a de facto accusation on the part of God, because he cannot think of suffering and sin as separable, and because he is conscious of his innocence, looks upon it as a decree of God, his opponent and his enemy, which is irreconcilable with the divine justice. This Job's condition of conflict and temptation is the prevailing one; his faith is beclouded, and breaks through the night which hangs over him only in single rays. The result of this condition of conflict is the sinful character which that wish assumes: it becomes a challenge to God, since Job directs against God Himself the accusation which the friends have directed against him, and asserts his ability to carry through his good cause even if God would enter with him into a judicial contention; he becomes a יסור and מוכיח אלוה, and raises himself above God, because he thinks he has Him for an enemy who is his best friend. This defiance is, however, not common godlessness; on the contrary, Job is really the innocent servant of God, and his defiant tone is only the result of a false conception which the tempted one indulges respecting the Author of his affliction. So, then, this defiance has not taken full possession of Job's mind; on the contrary, the faith which lays firm hold on confidence in the God whom he does not comprehend, is in conflict against it; and this conflict tends in the course of the drama, the nearer it comes to the catastrophe, still nearer to the victory, which only awaits a decisive stroke in order to be complete. Therefore Jehovah yields to Job's longing שׁדי יענני, in as far as He really answers Job; and even that this takes place, and that, although out of the storm, it nevertheless takes place, not in a way to crush and destroy, but to instruct and convince, and displaying a loving condescension, is an indirect manifestation that Job is not regarded by God as an evil-doer mature for judgment. But that folly and temerity by which the servant of God is become unlike himself must notwithstanding be destroyed; and before Job can realize God as his Witness and Redeemer, in which character his faith in the brighter moments has foreseen Him, his sinful censuring and blaming of God must be blotted out by penitence; and with it at the same time his foolish imagination, by which his faith has been almost overwhelmed, must be destroyed, viz., the imagination that his affliction is a hostile dispensation of God. And by what means is Job brought to the penitent recognition of his gloomy judgment concerning the divine decree, and of his contending with God? Is it, perhaps, by God's admitting to him what really is the case: that he does not suffer as a sinner the punishment of his sin, but showing at the same time that the decree of suffering is not an unjust one, because its design is not hostile? No, indeed, for Job is not worthy that his cause should be acknowledged on the part of God before he has come to a penitent recognition of the wrong by which he has sinned against God. God would be encouraging self-righteousness if He should give Job the testimony of his innocence, before the sin of vainglory, into which Job has fallen in the consciousness of his innocence, is changed to humility, by which all uprightness that is acceptable with God is tested. Therefore, contrary to expectation, God begins to speak with Job about totally different matters from His justice or injustice in reference to his affliction. Therein already lies a deep humiliation for Job. But a still deeper one in God's turning, as it were, to the abecedarium naturae, and putting the censurer of His doings to the blush. That God is the almighty and all-wise Creator and Ruler of the world, that the natural world is exalted above human knowledge and power, and is full of marvellous divine creations and arrangements, full of things mysterious and incomprehensible to ignorant and feeble man, Job knows even before God speaks, and yet he must now hear it, because he does not know it rightly; for the nature with which he is acquainted as the herald of the creative and governing power of God, is also the preacher of humility; and exalted as God the Creator and Ruler of the natural world is above Job's censure, so is He also as the Author of his affliction. That which is new, therefore, in the speech of Jehovah, is not the proof of God's exaltation in itself, but the relation to the mystery of his affliction, and to his conduct towards God in this his affliction, in which Job is necessitated to place perceptions not in themselves strange to him. He who cannot answer a single one of those questions taken from the natural kingdom, but, on the contrary, must everywhere admire and adore the power and wisdom of God-he must appear as an insignificant fool, if he applies them to his limited judgment concerning the Author of his affliction. The fundamental tone of the divine speech is the thought, that the divine working in nature is infinitely exalted above human knowledge and power, and that consequently man must renounce all claim to better knowledge and right of contention in the presence of the divine dispensations. But at the same time, within the range of this general thought, it is also in particular shown how nature reflects the goodness of God as well as His wisdom (He has restrained the destructive power of the waters, He also sendeth rain upon the steppe, though untenanted by man); how that which accomplishes the purposes for which it was in itself designed, serves higher purposes in the moral order of the world (the dawn of day puts an end to the works of darkness, snow and hail serve as instruments of divine judgments); how divine providence extends to all creatures, and always according to their need (He provides the lion its prey, He satisfies the ravens that cry to Him); and how He has distributed His manifold gifts in a way often paradoxical to man, but in truth worthy of admiration (to the steinbock ease in bringing forth and growth without toil, to the wild ass freedom, to the antelope untameable fleetness, to the ostrich freedom from anxiety about its young and swiftness, to the horse heroic and proud lust for the battle, to the hawk the instinct of migration, to the eagle a lofty nest and a piercing sight). Everywhere the wonders of God's power and wisdom, and in fact of His goodness abounding in power, and His providence abounding in wisdom, infinitely transcend Job's knowledge and capacity. Job cannot answer one of all these questions, but yet he feels to what end they are put to him. The God who sets bounds to the sea, who refreshes the desert, who feeds the ravens, who cares for the gazelle in the wilderness and the eagle in its eyrie, is the same God who now causes him seemingly thus unjustly to suffer. But if the former is worthy of adoration, the latter will also be so. Therefore Job confesses that he will henceforth keep silence, and solemnly promises that he will now no longer contend with Him. From the marvellous in nature he divines that which is marvellous in his affliction. His humiliation under the mysteries of nature is at the same time humiliation under the mystery of his affliction; and only now, when he penitently reveres the mystery he has hitherto censured, is it time that its inner glory should be unveiled to him. The bud is mature, and can now burst forth, in order to disclose the blended colours of its matured beauty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I am (too) vile (to reply). It is a very different thing to vindicate ourselves before God, from what it is before men. Job could do the latter, not the former. lay . . . hand . . . upon . . . mouth--I have no plea to offer (Job 21:5; Jdg 18:19).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Behold, I am vile,.... Or "light" (a); which may have respect either to his words and arguments, which he thought had force in them, but now he saw they had none; or to his works and actions, the integrity of his life, and the uprightness of his ways, which he imagined were weighty and of great importance, but now being weighed in the balances of justice were found wanting; or it may refer to his original meanness and distance from God, being dust and ashes, and nothing in comparison of him; and so the Septuagint version is, "I am nothing"; see Isa 40:17; or rather to the original vileness and sinfulness of his nature he had now a sight of, and saw how he had been breaking forth in unbecoming expressions concerning God and his providence: the nature of man is exceeding vile and sinful; his heart desperately wicked; his thoughts, and the imaginations of them, evil, and that continually; his mind and conscience are defiled; his affections inordinate, and his understanding and will sadly depraved; he is vile in soul and body; of all which an enlightened man is convinced, and will acknowledge; what shall I answer thee? I am not able to answer thee, who am but dust and ashes; what more can I say than to acknowledge my levity, vanity, and vileness? he that talked so big, and in such a blustering manner of answering God, as in Job 13:22; now has nothing to say for himself; I will lay mine hand upon my mouth; impose silence upon himself, and as it were lay a restraint upon himself from speaking: it looks as if there were some workings in Job's heart; he thought he could say something, and make some reply, but durst not, for fear of offending yet more and more, and therefore curbed it in; see Psa 39:1. (a) "levis sum", Cocceius, Michaelis; "leviter locutus sum", V. L.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
40:4 I am nothing (cp. 42:6): Job was not repenting from sin; like Abraham, he recognized his unworthiness (Gen 18:27). • Job had asked his comforters to cover their mouth to acknowledge shock (21:5); here he does so himself in reaction to his own rash words.
Job 40:4
Job Humbles Himself before the LORD
3Then Job answered the LORD: 4“Behold, I am insignificant. How can I reply to You? I place my hand over my mouth. 5I have spoken once, but I have no answer— twice, but I have nothing to add.”
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
(I Want an Answer) Will I Ever Be Found Out?
By Stephen Olford2.4K55:38NUM 32:23JOB 40:4MAT 4:18ROM 3:10ROM 3:23In this sermon, the preacher tells a story about a man who becomes drunk and neglects his faithful dog. One night, an intruder enters the man's garage, but the man is too intoxicated to respond. In a fit of anger, the man throws a chair at his dog, killing it. The next morning, the man realizes that his money and belongings have been stolen. The preacher uses this story to highlight the lack of shame and moral conscience in today's youth, emphasizing the importance of a strong conscience and the consequences of sin. The sermon is based on verses from Romans chapter 3, which describe the sinful nature of humanity and the need for God's judgment.
Psalm 37:7
By Bill Ammon1.4K40:34Resting In The LordEXO 3:14JOB 40:4PSA 39:7PRO 3:5ISA 40:31ROM 8:31In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the intimate relationship between God and His children. He compares it to a mother comforting and caring for her child. The preacher also discusses the importance of patience and endurance in the face of trials, as they produce maturity and completeness in our faith. He encourages the congregation to trust in God's constant movement and provision, reminding them that He will never forsake the righteous. The sermon concludes with a call to rest in the Lord and to embrace a childlike dependence on Him.
Knowing God Through Brokenness
By Zac Poonen1.1K1:07:36JOB 40:4ISA 53:3JER 9:23MAT 8:17JHN 17:32CO 4:16PHP 3:81TI 6:12JAS 5:10
This sermon emphasizes the importance of knowing God personally and experiencing eternal life as defined by Jesus in John 17. It highlights that eternal life is not just living forever but knowing God intimately, being broken to know Him better, and laying hold of eternal life by fighting the good fight to deepen our relationship with God.
Job Chapter 40:
By Stan Ford1.0K43:26JOB 40:4MAT 6:26JHN 1:29REV 3:8REV 22:20In this sermon, the preacher references several verses from the Bible, including Matthew 6:26, Revelation 3:8, and Revelation 22:20. He emphasizes the message of the Christian faith and highlights five simple truths that are brought forth by these verses. The preacher also talks about the importance of knowing Jesus Christ and surrendering to God's will. He concludes by discussing the story of Job and how it teaches humility before God.
(New Wine in New Wineskins) 1. New Wineskins
By Zac Poonen0EXO 4:10JOB 40:4PRO 4:18ISA 6:5ISA 30:15DAN 10:8LUK 5:372CO 3:182CO 12:9REV 1:17Zac Poonen preaches on the significance of new wine being put into new wineskins, symbolizing the life of Jesus in the church He builds. He emphasizes the need to wait on God, allowing our strength and self-efforts to come to an end so that God's power can manifest in our weakness. Poonen highlights the importance of brokenness, humility, and self-judgment in experiencing the new wine of Jesus' life and the new covenant blessings. He challenges believers to break free from religious traditions that hinder the work of God and to embrace God's ways in building the body of Christ.
Letter 115
By James Bourne0GEN 42:27JOB 40:4MAT 7:14JHN 14:61CO 15:58James Bourne, in a letter to M. C. B., discusses the narrow path to life and the rarity of finding it, especially in higher social circles. He acknowledges the presence of hypocrisy as a sign of spiritual life and urges a deeper self-awareness and humility before God. Bourne emphasizes the importance of being convicted by the Spirit, confessing sins, and relying on God's judgment rather than our own. He encourages cherishing the whispers of the Spirit, seeking spiritual growth even if it leads to crucifying the flesh, and ultimately finding salvation through unwavering dedication to God.
Lay Your Hand Upon Your Mouth, and Be Silent
By Thomas Brooks0Silence before GodPatience in AfflictionJOB 40:4PSA 37:7PSA 46:10ECC 3:7ISA 30:15LAM 3:26HAB 2:20PHP 4:6JAS 1:19Thomas Brooks emphasizes the importance of being silent before the Lord and patiently waiting for Him, urging the soul to refrain from muttering, murmuring, and complaining during times of affliction. He commands the soul to find peace and stillness, recognizing that there is no justifiable reason to quarrel against God's righteous hand. Brooks encourages believers to lay their hand upon their mouth and embrace a quiet spirit, as inner turmoil can lead to accountability for our discontent.
Job 40:4
By Chuck Smith0Self-WorthDivine PerspectiveJOB 40:4ISA 55:8MAT 16:26Chuck Smith explores the theme of self-discovery through Job's encounter with God, emphasizing Job's realization of his insignificance in the grand scheme of the universe. God challenges Job to recognize his limitations and the futility of questioning divine wisdom. Smith highlights the value of the soul, contrasting worldly gains with spiritual worth, ultimately affirming that despite our smallness, God values us immensely, demonstrated by the sacrifice of His Son for our redemption. The sermon encourages believers to reflect on their true worth and relationship with God amidst life's trials.
I Am of Small Account; What Shall I
By F.B. Meyer0Silence before GodHumilityJOB 40:4PSA 46:10PRO 17:27ECC 3:7ISA 30:15MAT 6:6PHP 4:6JAS 1:19F.B. Meyer emphasizes the importance of humility and silence in our relationship with God, reflecting on Job's acknowledgment of his smallness before the Almighty. He contrasts the pride of self-defense with the nobility found in recognizing our limitations and the need for God's presence. Meyer encourages believers to embrace stillness and meditation, suggesting that true peace is found in solitude with God rather than in the company of others. He highlights the value of listening to God rather than engaging in arguments or complaints, advocating for a life focused on divine communion.
Exodus 3:1
By Chuck Smith0Identity in ChristGod's SufficiencyEXO 3:11JOB 40:4ISA 6:5DAN 10:8MAT 28:20LUK 5:8ACT 7:252CO 12:9PHP 4:131TI 1:15Chuck Smith explores the profound question 'Who am I?' as posed by Moses after forty years of shepherding in the desert. He emphasizes that Moses' initial confidence, stemming from his royal upbringing, was transformed into humility and self-doubt, leading him to realize that it is not about who he is, but about who God is and His sufficiency. Smith highlights that God's call comes with His presence and empowerment, regardless of our perceived inadequacies. The sermon illustrates that true revelation from God often exposes our imperfections, yet it is through these humble vessels that God accomplishes His great work.
Loathsome Thoughts
By Thomas Brooks0RepentanceSelf-ReflectionJOB 40:4PSA 51:3ISA 6:5EZK 6:9EZK 20:43LUK 18:13ROM 7:242CO 7:10JAS 4:91JN 1:9Thomas Brooks emphasizes the necessity of true repentance, which involves a deep loathing of both sin and oneself due to sin. He illustrates how a sincere penitent recognizes the weight of their sins, expressing a heartfelt abhorrence for their actions and the impact on their character. This self-loathing is not merely a low view of oneself but a profound realization of one's sinful nature, as echoed in the cries of the penitent. Brooks highlights that true repentance leads to a transformative acknowledgment of one's faults, urging believers to confront their sins with humility and sorrow.
Examine Yourselves in the Light of God's Grace
By Robert Traill02SA 23:5JOB 40:4PSA 119:128ACT 7:59ACT 15:1ROM 3:21ROM 7:12GAL 2:21PHP 3:8HEB 11:71JN 4:1Robert Traill preaches on the importance of not frustrating the grace of God by seeking righteousness through the law, emphasizing that true believers cannot commit this sin. He highlights the glorious display of God's grace in justifying sinners through the righteousness of Christ and warns against doctrines that darken, perplex, mix, or oppose the grace of God. Traill urges the congregation to test the spirits, align their thoughts with God's Word, and examine their own hearts in light of God's law, Christ's righteousness, and the grace of God.
A Discriminating Ministry
By J.C. Philpot02SA 6:22JOB 40:4PSA 119:37PRO 23:23JER 15:19JHN 8:32JHN 14:62TI 2:211PE 1:72PE 2:22J.C. Philpot preaches about the prophet Jeremiah's rough path and rebellious nature, highlighting the distinction between precious and vile elements in God's sight. He emphasizes the importance of discerning and separating the precious from the vile in characters, doctrines, experiences, and practices. Philpot explains how precious characters, doctrines, experiences, and practices are valued by God, while vile ones are rejected. He urges the congregation to return to God and truth, emphasizing the need to stand firm in faithfulness and not compromise for the sake of pleasing others.
- Adam Clarke
- Keil-Delitzsch
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
Behold, I am vile - I acknowledge my inward defilement. I cannot answer thee. I will lay mine hand upon my mouth - I cannot excuse myself, and I must be dumb before thee.
Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch Old Testament Commentary
4 Behold, I am too mean: what shall I answer Thee? I lay my hand upon my mouth. 5 Once have I spoken, and will not begin again; And twice - I will do it no more. He is small, i.e., not equal to the task imposed, therefore he keeps his mouth firmly closed (comp. Job 21:5; Job 29:9), for whatever he might say would still not be to the point. Once he has dared to criticise God's doings; a second time (שׁתּים = שׁנית, Ges. 120, 5) he ventures it no more, for God's wondrous wisdom and all-careful love dazzle him, and he gladly bows. But how? Is not the divine speech altogether different from what one ought to expect? One expects to hear from the mouth of Jehovah something unheard of in the previous course of the drama, and in this expectation we find ourselves disappointed at the outset. For one need only look back and read Job 9:4-10, where Job acknowledges and describes God as a wise and mighty Lord over the natural world, especially as an irresistible Ruler over everything great in it; Job 12:7-10, where he refers to the creatures of the sky and deep as proofs of God's creative power; Job 12:11-25, where he sketches the grandest picture of God's terrible doings in nature and among men; Job 26:5-14, where he praises God as the Creator and Lord of all things, and describes what he says concerning Him as only a faint echo of the thunder of His might; Job 28:23, where he ascribes absolute wisdom to Him as the Creator of and Ruler of the world. If one ponders these passages of Job's speeches, he will not be able to say that the speech of Jehovah, in the exhibition of the creative power and wisdom of God, which is its theme, would make Job conscious of anything which was previously unknown to him; and it is accordingly asked, What, then, is there that is new in the speech of Jehovah by which the great effect is brought about, that Job humbles himself in penitence, and becomes ready for the act of redemption which follows? It has indeed never occurred to Job to desire to enter into a controversy with God concerning the works of creation; he is far from the delusion of being able to stand such a test; he knows in general, that if God were willing to contend with him, he would not be able to answer God one in a thousand, Job 9:3. And yet God closely questioned him, and thereby Job comes to the perception of his sin - how comes it to pass? Has the plot of the drama perhaps failed in this point? Has the poet made use of means unsuited to the connection of the whole, to bring about the needful effect, viz., the repentance of Job, - because, perhaps, the store of his thoughts was exhausted? But this poet is not so poor, and we shall therefore be obliged to try and understand the disposition of the speech of Jehovah before we censure it. When one of Job's last words before the appearing of Jehovah was the word שׁדי יענני, Job thereby desired God's decision concerning the testimony of his innocence. This wish is in itself not sinful; yea, it is even a fruit of his hidden faith, when he casts the look of hope away from his affliction and the accusation of the friends, into the future to God as his Vindicator and Redeemer. But that wish becomes sinful when he looks upon his affliction as a de facto accusation on the part of God, because he cannot think of suffering and sin as separable, and because he is conscious of his innocence, looks upon it as a decree of God, his opponent and his enemy, which is irreconcilable with the divine justice. This Job's condition of conflict and temptation is the prevailing one; his faith is beclouded, and breaks through the night which hangs over him only in single rays. The result of this condition of conflict is the sinful character which that wish assumes: it becomes a challenge to God, since Job directs against God Himself the accusation which the friends have directed against him, and asserts his ability to carry through his good cause even if God would enter with him into a judicial contention; he becomes a יסור and מוכיח אלוה, and raises himself above God, because he thinks he has Him for an enemy who is his best friend. This defiance is, however, not common godlessness; on the contrary, Job is really the innocent servant of God, and his defiant tone is only the result of a false conception which the tempted one indulges respecting the Author of his affliction. So, then, this defiance has not taken full possession of Job's mind; on the contrary, the faith which lays firm hold on confidence in the God whom he does not comprehend, is in conflict against it; and this conflict tends in the course of the drama, the nearer it comes to the catastrophe, still nearer to the victory, which only awaits a decisive stroke in order to be complete. Therefore Jehovah yields to Job's longing שׁדי יענני, in as far as He really answers Job; and even that this takes place, and that, although out of the storm, it nevertheless takes place, not in a way to crush and destroy, but to instruct and convince, and displaying a loving condescension, is an indirect manifestation that Job is not regarded by God as an evil-doer mature for judgment. But that folly and temerity by which the servant of God is become unlike himself must notwithstanding be destroyed; and before Job can realize God as his Witness and Redeemer, in which character his faith in the brighter moments has foreseen Him, his sinful censuring and blaming of God must be blotted out by penitence; and with it at the same time his foolish imagination, by which his faith has been almost overwhelmed, must be destroyed, viz., the imagination that his affliction is a hostile dispensation of God. And by what means is Job brought to the penitent recognition of his gloomy judgment concerning the divine decree, and of his contending with God? Is it, perhaps, by God's admitting to him what really is the case: that he does not suffer as a sinner the punishment of his sin, but showing at the same time that the decree of suffering is not an unjust one, because its design is not hostile? No, indeed, for Job is not worthy that his cause should be acknowledged on the part of God before he has come to a penitent recognition of the wrong by which he has sinned against God. God would be encouraging self-righteousness if He should give Job the testimony of his innocence, before the sin of vainglory, into which Job has fallen in the consciousness of his innocence, is changed to humility, by which all uprightness that is acceptable with God is tested. Therefore, contrary to expectation, God begins to speak with Job about totally different matters from His justice or injustice in reference to his affliction. Therein already lies a deep humiliation for Job. But a still deeper one in God's turning, as it were, to the abecedarium naturae, and putting the censurer of His doings to the blush. That God is the almighty and all-wise Creator and Ruler of the world, that the natural world is exalted above human knowledge and power, and is full of marvellous divine creations and arrangements, full of things mysterious and incomprehensible to ignorant and feeble man, Job knows even before God speaks, and yet he must now hear it, because he does not know it rightly; for the nature with which he is acquainted as the herald of the creative and governing power of God, is also the preacher of humility; and exalted as God the Creator and Ruler of the natural world is above Job's censure, so is He also as the Author of his affliction. That which is new, therefore, in the speech of Jehovah, is not the proof of God's exaltation in itself, but the relation to the mystery of his affliction, and to his conduct towards God in this his affliction, in which Job is necessitated to place perceptions not in themselves strange to him. He who cannot answer a single one of those questions taken from the natural kingdom, but, on the contrary, must everywhere admire and adore the power and wisdom of God-he must appear as an insignificant fool, if he applies them to his limited judgment concerning the Author of his affliction. The fundamental tone of the divine speech is the thought, that the divine working in nature is infinitely exalted above human knowledge and power, and that consequently man must renounce all claim to better knowledge and right of contention in the presence of the divine dispensations. But at the same time, within the range of this general thought, it is also in particular shown how nature reflects the goodness of God as well as His wisdom (He has restrained the destructive power of the waters, He also sendeth rain upon the steppe, though untenanted by man); how that which accomplishes the purposes for which it was in itself designed, serves higher purposes in the moral order of the world (the dawn of day puts an end to the works of darkness, snow and hail serve as instruments of divine judgments); how divine providence extends to all creatures, and always according to their need (He provides the lion its prey, He satisfies the ravens that cry to Him); and how He has distributed His manifold gifts in a way often paradoxical to man, but in truth worthy of admiration (to the steinbock ease in bringing forth and growth without toil, to the wild ass freedom, to the antelope untameable fleetness, to the ostrich freedom from anxiety about its young and swiftness, to the horse heroic and proud lust for the battle, to the hawk the instinct of migration, to the eagle a lofty nest and a piercing sight). Everywhere the wonders of God's power and wisdom, and in fact of His goodness abounding in power, and His providence abounding in wisdom, infinitely transcend Job's knowledge and capacity. Job cannot answer one of all these questions, but yet he feels to what end they are put to him. The God who sets bounds to the sea, who refreshes the desert, who feeds the ravens, who cares for the gazelle in the wilderness and the eagle in its eyrie, is the same God who now causes him seemingly thus unjustly to suffer. But if the former is worthy of adoration, the latter will also be so. Therefore Job confesses that he will henceforth keep silence, and solemnly promises that he will now no longer contend with Him. From the marvellous in nature he divines that which is marvellous in his affliction. His humiliation under the mysteries of nature is at the same time humiliation under the mystery of his affliction; and only now, when he penitently reveres the mystery he has hitherto censured, is it time that its inner glory should be unveiled to him. The bud is mature, and can now burst forth, in order to disclose the blended colours of its matured beauty.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
I am (too) vile (to reply). It is a very different thing to vindicate ourselves before God, from what it is before men. Job could do the latter, not the former. lay . . . hand . . . upon . . . mouth--I have no plea to offer (Job 21:5; Jdg 18:19).
John Gill Bible Commentary
Behold, I am vile,.... Or "light" (a); which may have respect either to his words and arguments, which he thought had force in them, but now he saw they had none; or to his works and actions, the integrity of his life, and the uprightness of his ways, which he imagined were weighty and of great importance, but now being weighed in the balances of justice were found wanting; or it may refer to his original meanness and distance from God, being dust and ashes, and nothing in comparison of him; and so the Septuagint version is, "I am nothing"; see Isa 40:17; or rather to the original vileness and sinfulness of his nature he had now a sight of, and saw how he had been breaking forth in unbecoming expressions concerning God and his providence: the nature of man is exceeding vile and sinful; his heart desperately wicked; his thoughts, and the imaginations of them, evil, and that continually; his mind and conscience are defiled; his affections inordinate, and his understanding and will sadly depraved; he is vile in soul and body; of all which an enlightened man is convinced, and will acknowledge; what shall I answer thee? I am not able to answer thee, who am but dust and ashes; what more can I say than to acknowledge my levity, vanity, and vileness? he that talked so big, and in such a blustering manner of answering God, as in Job 13:22; now has nothing to say for himself; I will lay mine hand upon my mouth; impose silence upon himself, and as it were lay a restraint upon himself from speaking: it looks as if there were some workings in Job's heart; he thought he could say something, and make some reply, but durst not, for fear of offending yet more and more, and therefore curbed it in; see Psa 39:1. (a) "levis sum", Cocceius, Michaelis; "leviter locutus sum", V. L.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
40:4 I am nothing (cp. 42:6): Job was not repenting from sin; like Abraham, he recognized his unworthiness (Gen 18:27). • Job had asked his comforters to cover their mouth to acknowledge shock (21:5); here he does so himself in reaction to his own rash words.