Bible Commentaries
Job 9

Verse 1

answered = responded. See note on Job 4:1 .

Verse 2

how. ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . This is the one great question of the book.

man = mortal man. Hebrew. 'enosh. App-14 .

GOD. Hebrew El. App-4 .

Verse 3

will = desire to.

Verse 4

who . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 . Compare 2 Chronicles 36:13 .Isaiah 48:4 .

Verse 5

they know. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia. App-6 .

Verse 8

waves of the sea. The celebrated Mugah Codex (the earliest quoted in the Massorah itself), App-30 , reads "cloud": i.e. thick cloud.

Verse 9

Arcturus. Hebrew. 'ash. A name still connected with "the Great Bear" (the more ancient name being "the greater sheepfold": Arab, al naish, the assembled (as in a fold). See Job 38:31 , Job 38:32 , and App-12 .

Orion. Hebrew. kesil. Compare Job 38:31 .Amos 5:8 . A strong one, or the coming prince. See App-12 .

Pleiades. Hebrew. kimah = the congregation of the judge. See Job 38:31 , Job 38:32 .Amos 5:8 , and App-12 . A constellation in the neck of Taurus.

chambers of the south: i.e. the [hidden] recesses, or the invisible spaces; on the latitude of Job's residence.

Verse 11

Lo. Figure of speech. Asterismos . App-6 .

Verse 12

Behold. Figure of speech. Asterismos . App-6 .

Verse 13

GOD . Hebrew. Eloah . App-4 .

withdraw = avert.

helpers = confederates.

Verse 15

not answer = not [dare to] answer.

Verse 18

breath. Hebrew. ruach. App-9 .

Verse 21

my soul = myself. Hebrew. nephesh. App-13 .

life. Hebrew. chayai.

Verse 22

the wicked = a lawless one. Hebrew. rasha, App-44 .

Verse 24

covereth: i.e. so that they cannot discern between right and wrong.

Verse 25

post = runner, or courier. Compare Esther 3:13 , Esther 3:15 .

Verse 26

swift ships = ships of ebeh. Hence vessels of bulrush (eb) ; vessels of desire ('abeh), i.e. desiring to reach their haven; vessels of enmity ('eybah), i.e. pirate vessels; or vessels of the Nile ('abai, Abyssinian for Nile). Others, vessels of Joppa. Perhaps the last is best.

Verse 27

complaint = complaining.

Verse 29

why . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6 .

Verse 30

never so clean = clean with soap.

Verse 31

abhor. Figure of speech Prosopopoeia.

Verse 33

Neither is there. Some codices, with Septuagint and Syriac, read "Oh that there were".

any Daysman = any umpire, arbiter, or mediator. In Job's case He was found in Elihu; in ours, in Christ.

Verse 34

His fear = the fear that He causes.

terrify = startle, or scare. Compare Job 13:21 ; Job 33:7 .

Verse 35

Then would I = Fain would I.