Job 5:21

Thou shall be hid from the scourge of the tongue,.... Of Satan, as Jarchi, the accuser of the brethren; or rather from the evil tongue of wicked men, their slanders, calumnies, and reproaches; the

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh. No JFB commentary on this verse.

Hid, i.e. protected, as in some secret and safe place. From the scourge of the tongue, i.e. from false accusations and virulent slanders and reproaches, either by diverting their tongues to other persons or things, or by clearing thy integrity. Neither shalt thou be afraid; thou shalt have no cause to fear it, because God will secure thee in it and from it. When it cometh, to wit, upon others; near thee, or round about thee.

Job 5:21 Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue: neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh.Ver. 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue] That is, from reproaches and slanders, which is a tongue smiting, Jeremiah 18:18, as smart as any hand smiting, and draws blood, Ezekiel 22:9. Backbiting is backbeating (Speed.). The devil is both a liar and a murderer, John 8:44. Humphrey, duke of Gloucester, was by the people of England thought to be doubly murdered (saith the chronicler), viz. by detraction and deadly practice. Plato commendeth that law of the Lydians that punished detracters like as they did murderers; because their words are swords, and their breath, as fire, devoureth, Isaiah 33:10. Now from such pests the Lord promiseth to hide his people, that either the traducer shall not find them, or not fasten upon them: Dabbar is the Hebrew for a word, Debher for a pest (Drus.). Some render the text thus, He shall be hid, cum vagabitur lingua, when the tongue wandereth or walketh about. Their tongue walketh through the earth, Psalms 73:9, it runs all the world over, and, like a mad dog, snaps at every one. Hence the Hebrew word Ragal, to defame or slander, Psalms 15:3, properly noteth a footing it up and down, a going to and fro to carry tales and rumours, 2 Samuel 19:27. Now from such a mischief, from the lash of such lewd tongues, God will hide his people under the hollow of his hand, because he knows that many a good heart is more afflicted with words than with blows, Psalms 42:3. St Paul reckoned that it were better for him to die than that any man should make his glorying void, that is, take away his good name, and so disable him from doing good by his ministry, 1 Corinthians 9:15. Neither shalt thou be afraid of destruction when it cometh] Much less at the rumour of it, Matthew 24:6 Luke 24:6. Thou shalt walk about the world as a conqueror, being above fear, then when others are below hope. Noah like-thou shall be, - mediis tranquillus in undis, calm in the midst of the waves, and not as Magormissabib, a terror to thyself and all about thee, Jeremiah 20:3.

(21) Shalt thou be afraid.—Comp. the expression in Job 5:15.

Verse 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue] The Targum refers this to the incantations of Balaam: "From injury by the tongue of Balaam thou shalt be hidden in the clouds; and thou shalt not fear from the blasting of the Midianites, when it shall come." Perhaps no evil is more dreadful than the scourge of the tongue: evil-speaking, detraction, backbiting, calumny, slander, tale-bearing, whispering, and scandalizing, are some of the terms which we use when endeavouring to express the baleful influence and effects of that member, which is a world of fire, kindled from the nethermost hell. The Scripture abounds with invectives and execrations against it. See Psalms 31:20; Psalms 52:2-4; Proverbs 12:18; Proverbs 14:3; James 3:1-8. Neither shalt thou be afraid] "Thou shouldst have such strong confidence in God, that even in the presence of destruction thou shouldst not fear death," the God of life and power being with thee.

8–27. Eliphaz, in Job’s place, would seek unto God, all whose ways are marked by one purpose, to do good, and whose chastisements, therefore, but open the way to a richer blessing The passage attaches itself to the picture of man’s evil nature just given, and suggests where man should find refuge from himself, even in God. Eliphaz in Job’s place would seek unto God for help—God who is so great in power, and wonderful in His ways (Job 5:8-9). His ways are not only surpassingly wonderful, but one purpose of goodness runs through them, for even the thirsty wilderness where no man dwells He satisfies with rain, and sets the humble on high (Job 5:10-11). So on the other hand He disappoints the devices of the crafty and delivers the poor from their hand, and the end is reached towards which all His working tends: the poor hath hope, and evil, ashamed, shuts her mouth (Job 5:12-16). And under this general purpose of universal goodness fall even the chastisements of God, and in this light happy should Job consider himself in being afflicted, for God afflicts only that He may be able the more richly to bless (Job 5:17-18). And, anticipating that his afflictions will “yield the peaceable fruit of righteousness,” Eliphaz draws a brilliant picture of Job’s restoration and happy future,—the divine protection (Job 5:18-19), the plenty and security (Job 5:20-23), the peaceful homestead (Job 5:24), the offspring numerous as the grass (Job 5:25), and the ripe and peaceful end of all (Job 5:26). The passage like the preceding section has two divisions, Job 5:8-16 describing the purpose of goodness running through all God’s ways; and Job 5:17-26 applying this to Job’s calamities and painting his restoration; to which is added a concluding verse, in which Eliphaz beseeches Job to ponder his words (Job 5:27).

Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue - Margin, Or, “when the tongue scourgeth.” The word rendered “scourge” - שׁוט shôṭ - means properly a whip.

21. Scourge of the tongue — The Targum refers this to the incantations of Balaam, but without reason.