---
title: "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -  Job 42"
description: "CHAPTER 42   :-. JOB"
image: "/images/missing.jpg"
url: "https://realbiblebelievers.com/commentaries/commentary-critical-and-explanatory-on-the-whole-bible/job/42"
---

CHAPTER 42

. JOB'S PENITENT
REPLY.

**2.** In the first clause he owns
God to be omnipotent over nature, as contrasted with his own
feebleness, which God had proved ([Job 40:15](../../../kjv/job/40/15);
[Job 41:34](../../../kjv/job/41/34)); in the second, that
God is supremely just (which, in order to be governor of the world,
He must needs be) in all His dealings, as contrasted with his own
vileness ([Job 42:6](../../../kjv/job/42/6)), and
incompetence to deal with the wicked as a just judge ([Job 42:6](../../../kjv/job/42/6)).
**thought**—"purpose,"
as in [Job 17:11](../../../kjv/job/17/11); but it is
usually applied to *evil devices* ([Job 21:27](../../../kjv/job/21/27);
[Psalms 10:2](../../../kjv/psalms/10/2)): the ambiguous word is
designedly chosen to express that, while to Job's finite view, God's
plans seem bad, to the All-wise One they continue unhindered in their
development, and will at last be seen to be as good as they are
infinitely wise. No evil can emanate from the Parent of good ([James 1:13](../../../kjv/james/1/13);
[James 1:17](../../../kjv/james/1/17)); but it is His
prerogative to overrule evil to good.

**3.** I am the man! Job *in God's
own words* ([Job 38:2](../../../kjv/job/38/2))
expresses his deep and humble penitence. God's word concerning our
guilt should be engraven on our hearts and form the groundwork of our
confession. Most men in confessing sin palliate rather than confess.
Job in omitting "by words" ([Job 38:2](../../../kjv/job/38/2)), goes even further than God's accusation. Not merely my
*words,* but my whole thoughts and ways were "without
knowledge."
**too wonderful**—I rashly
denied that Thou hast any fixed plan in governing human affairs,
merely because Thy plan was "too wonderful" for my
comprehension.

**4.** When I said, "Hear,"
&c., Job's *demand* () convicted him of being "without knowledge." God
alone could speak thus to Job, not Job to God: therefore he quotes
again God's words as the groundwork of retracting his own foolish
words.

**5. hearing of the ear**— (, *Margin*). *Hearing* and *seeing* are often
in antithesis ([Job 29:11](../../../kjv/job/29/11);
[Psalms 18:8](../../../kjv/psalms/18/8)).
**seeth**—not God's *face*
([Exodus 33:20](../../../kjv/exodus/33/20)), but His presence in
the veil of a dark cloud ([Exodus 33:20](../../../kjv/exodus/33/20)). Job implies also that, besides this literal *seeing,*
he now saw spiritually what he had indistinctly taken on hearsay
before God's infinite wisdom. He "now" proves this; he had
seen in a *literal* sense before, at the beginning of God's
speech, but he had not seen *spiritually* till "now"
at its close.

**6. myself**—rather "I
abhor," and retract *the rash speeches* I made against thee
([Job 42:3](../../../kjv/job/42/3); [Job 42:4](../../../kjv/job/42/4))
[UMBREIT].
[Job 42:4](../../../kjv/job/42/4). EPILOGUE, in
prose.

**7. to Eliphaz**—because he was
the foremost of the three friends; their speeches were but the echo
of his.
**right**—literally,
"well-grounded," sure and true. Their spirit towards Job
was unkindly, and to justify themselves in their unkindliness they
used false arguments ([Job 13:7](../../../kjv/job/13/7));
(namely, that calamities always prove *peculiar* guilt);
therefore, though it was "for God" they spake thus falsely,
God "reproves" them, as Job said He would ([Job 13:7](../../../kjv/job/13/7)).
**as . . . Job hath**—Job
had spoken rightly in relation to *them* and their argument,
denying their *theory,* and the *fact* which they alleged,
that he was peculiarly guilty and a hypocrite; but wrongly in
relation to *God,* when he fell into the opposite extreme of
almost denying *all* guilt. This extreme *he* has now
repented of, and therefore God speaks of him as now altogether
"right."

**8. seven**—(See ).
The number offered by the Gentile prophet (). Job plainly lived before the legal priesthood, c. The
patriarchs acted as priests for their families and sometimes as
praying mediators ([Genesis 20:17](../../../kjv/genesis/20/17)),
thus foreshadowing the true Mediator ([Genesis 20:17](../../../kjv/genesis/20/17)), but sacrifice accompanies and is the groundwork on which
the mediation rests.
**him**—rather, "His
*person* [face] only" (see on [Genesis 20:17](../../../kjv/genesis/20/17)). The "person," must be first accepted, before
God can accept his offering and work ([Genesis 20:17](../../../kjv/genesis/20/17)); *that* can be only through Jesus Christ.
**folly**—impiety ([Job 1:22](../../../kjv/job/1/22);
[Job 2:10](../../../kjv/job/2/10)).

**9.** The forgiving spirit of Job
foreshadows the love of Jesus Christ and of Christians to enemies
([Matthew 5:44](../../../kjv/matthew/5/44); [Luke 23:34](../../../kjv/luke/23/34);
[Acts 7:60](../../../kjv/acts/7/60); [Acts 16:24](../../../kjv/acts/16/24);
[Acts 16:28](../../../kjv/acts/16/28); [Acts 16:30](../../../kjv/acts/16/30);
[Acts 16:31](../../../kjv/acts/16/31)).

**10. turned . . .
captivity**—proverbial for *restored,* or *amply
indemnified him for all he had lost* ([Ezekiel 16:53](../../../kjv/ezekiel/16/53);
[Psalms 14:7](../../../kjv/psalms/14/7); [Hosea 6:11](../../../kjv/hosea/6/11)).
Thus the future vindication of man, body and soul, against Satan ([Hosea 6:11](../../../kjv/hosea/6/11)), at the resurrection ([Hosea 6:11](../../../kjv/hosea/6/11)), has its earnest and adumbration in the temporal
vindication of Job at last by Jehovah in person.
**twice**—so to the
afflicted literal and spiritual Jerusalem ([Isaiah 40:2](../../../kjv/isaiah/40/2);
[Isaiah 60:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/60/7); [Isaiah 61:7](../../../kjv/isaiah/61/7);
[Zechariah 9:12](../../../kjv/zechariah/9/12)). As in Job's case, so
in that of Jesus Christ, the glorious recompense follows the
"intercession" for enemies ([Zechariah 9:12](../../../kjv/zechariah/9/12)).

**11.** It was Job's complaint in
his misery that his "brethren," were "estranged"
from him ([Job 19:13](../../../kjv/job/19/13)); these
now return with the return of his prosperity ([Proverbs 14:20](../../../kjv/proverbs/14/20);
[Proverbs 19:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/19/6); [Proverbs 19:7](../../../kjv/proverbs/19/7));
the true friend loveth at all times ([Proverbs 17:17](../../../kjv/proverbs/17/17);
[Proverbs 18:24](../../../kjv/proverbs/18/24)). "Swallow friends
leave in the winter and return with the spring" [HENRY].
**eat bread**—in token of
friendship ([Psalms 41:9](../../../kjv/psalms/41/9)).
**piece of money**—Presents
are usual in visiting a man of rank in the East, especially after a
calamity ([2 Chronicles 32:23](../../../kjv/2-chronicles/32/23)). *Hebrew,
kesita.* MAGEE
translates "*a lamb*" (the medium of exchange then
before money was used), as it is in *Margin* of [Genesis 33:19](../../../kjv/genesis/33/19);
[Joshua 24:32](../../../kjv/joshua/24/32). But it is from the
*Arabic kasat,* "weighed out" [UMBREIT],
not coined; so [Genesis 42:35](../../../kjv/genesis/42/35); [Genesis 33:19](../../../kjv/genesis/33/19);
compare with [Genesis 23:15](../../../kjv/genesis/23/15), makes it
likely it was equal to four shekels; *Hebrew kashat,* "pure,"
namely, metal. The term, instead of the usual "shekel," c.,
is a mark of antiquity.
**earring**—whether for the
nose or ear ([Genesis 35:4](../../../kjv/genesis/35/4) [Isaiah 3:21](../../../kjv/isaiah/3/21)).
Much of the gold in the East, in the absence of banks, is in the
shape of ornaments.

**12.** Probably by degrees, not all
at once.

**13.** The same number as before,
[Job 1:2](../../../kjv/job/1/2); perhaps by a second
wife; in [Job 19:17](../../../kjv/job/19/17) his wife is
last mentioned.

**14.** Names significant of his
restored prosperity ([Genesis 4:25](../../../kjv/genesis/4/25);
[Genesis 5:29](../../../kjv/genesis/5/29)).
**Jemima**—"daylight,"
after his "night" of calamity; but MAURER,
"a dove."
**Kezia**—"cassia,"
an aromatic herb ([Psalms 45:8](../../../kjv/psalms/45/8)),
instead of his offensive breath and ulcers.
**Keren-happuch**—"horn
of stibium," a paint with which females dyed their eyelids; in
contrast to his "horn defiled in the dust" ([Psalms 45:8](../../../kjv/psalms/45/8)). The names also imply the beauty of his daughters.

**15. inheritance among . . .
brethren**—An unusual favor in the East to daughters, who, in the
Jewish law, only inherited, if there were no sons (), a proof of wealth and unanimity.

**16.** The *Septuagint* makes
Job live a hundred seventy years after his calamity, and two hundred
forty in all. This would make him seventy at the time of his
calamity, which added to a hundred forty in *Hebrew* text makes
up two hundred ten; a little more than the age (two hundred five) of
Terah, father of Abraham, perhaps his contemporary. Man's length of
life gradually shortened, till it reached threescore and ten in
Moses' time ([Psalms 90:10](../../../kjv/psalms/90/10)).
**sons' sons**—a proof of
divine favor ([Genesis 50:23](../../../kjv/genesis/50/23); [Psalms 128:6](../../../kjv/psalms/128/6);
[Proverbs 17:6](../../../kjv/proverbs/17/6)).

**17. full of days**—*fully
sated and contented* with all the happiness that life could give
him; realizing what Eliphaz had painted as the lot of the godly
([Job 5:26](../../../kjv/job/5/26); [Psalms 91:16](../../../kjv/psalms/91/16);
[Genesis 25:8](../../../kjv/genesis/25/8); [Genesis 35:29](../../../kjv/genesis/35/29)).
The *Septuagint* adds, "It is written, that he will rise
again with those whom the Lord will raise up." Compare [Matthew 27:52](../../../kjv/matthew/27/52);
[Matthew 27:53](../../../kjv/matthew/27/53), from which it perhaps
was derived spuriously.

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