Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Hast not thou made a hedge about him - Thou hast fortified him with spikes and spears. Thou hast defended him as by an unapproachable hedge. He is an object of thy peculiar care; and is not exposed to the common trials of life.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Hast thou not made an hedge about him? - Dr. Good remarks, that to give the original word here its full force, it should be derived from the science of engineering, and be rendered, “Hast thou not raised a “palisado” about him?” The Hebrew word used here (שׂוּך śûk ) properly means “to hedge”; to hedge in or about; and hence, to protect, as one is defended whose house or farm is hedged in either with a fence of thorns, or with an enclosure of stakes or palisades. The word in its various forms is used to denote, as a noun, “pricks in the eyes” Numbers 33:55; that is, that which would be like thorns; “barbed irons” Job 41:7, that is, the barbed iron used as a spear to take fish; and a hedge, and thorn hedge, Micah 7:4; Proverbs 15:19; Isaiah 5:5. The idea here is, that of making an enclosure around Job and his possessions to guard them from danger. The Septuagint renders it περιέφραξας periephracas to make a defense around,” to “circumvallate” or inclose, as a camp is in war. In the Syriac and Arabic it is rendered, “Hast thou not protected him with thy hand? The Chaldee, “Hast thou protected him with thy word? The Septuagint renders the whole passage, “Hast thou not encircled the things which are without him” ( τὰ ἔξω αὐτοῦ ta exō autou ) that is, the things abroad which belong to him, “and the things within his house.” The sense of the whole passage is, that he was eminently under the divine protection, and that God had kept himself, his family, and property from plunderers, and that therefore he served and feared him.

Thou hast blessed the work of his hands - Thou hast greatly prospered him.

And his substance is increased in the land - His property, Job 1:3. Margin, “cattle.” The word “increased” here by no means expresses the force of the original. The word פרץ pârats means properly to break, to rend, then to break or burst forth as waters do that have been pent up; 2 Samuel 5:20, compare Proverbs 3:10, “So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses “shall burst out” פרץ pârats with new wine;” that is, thy wine-fats shall be so full that they shall overflow, or “burst” the barriers, and the wine shall flow out in abundance. The Arabians, according to Schultens, employ this word still to denote the mouth or “embouchure” - the most; rapid part of a stream. So Golius, in proof of this, quotes from the Arabic writer Gjanhari, a couplet where the word is used to denote the mouth of the Euphrates:

“His rushing wealth o‘er flowed him with its heaps;

So at its mouth the mad Euphrates sweeps.”

According to Sehultens, the word denotes a place where a river bursts forth, and makes a new way by rending the hills and rocks asunder. In like manner the flocks and herds of Job had burst, as it were, every barrier, and had spread like an inundation over the land; compare Genesis 30:43; 2 Chronicles 31:5; Exodus 1:7; Job 16:14.

The Biblical Illustrator

Job 1:10

Hast not Thou made an hedge about him?

Hedges

(To children):--Satan held that Job was such a good man just because God took such special care of him. Now, Satan very often says that of good men; and some of us have been guilty of repeating it. We are so apt to think that God has made It hedge to protect other lives far more than our own, and that the best people are as good as they are because of some special protection which God has granted them. The word “hedge” denotes that which protects or guards. Why does the farmer raise a hedge all round his field? And God does this. He seeks to protect all our lives. There is many a hedge that we have hardly ever noticed, and certainly have never properly valued. God has given some of us a hedge in the example and teaching of good and pious parents; in the influence of good teachers; in the form of good companionships; in the discipline we have to undergo in the home, in the school, and in life. Sometimes a schoolmaster’s cane is a very useful hedge. A hedge not only shelters, it often keeps us from wandering. Sometimes we do not like hedges; we should like to see more of the country, and wander at will. God’s way of hedging us in is not always by sending us blessings which we are pleased to accept, but sometimes by sending us sorrow and trial. He thus keeps us in our places, guards us against going astray. That was the kind of hedge that Job did not like. The farmer sometimes plants thorns in his hedges, and we must not be surprised if God does. After all, a hedge may become a very lovely thing. What would the landscape often be without hedges? God makes the hedges along the country full of beauty, poetry, and song. And in our lives here, this is just what the Lord Jesus has done. The old Law of Moses was like a stone hedge. The hedges of the Lord Jesus are like our quick-set hedges. He makes His commandments sweet and welcome, and the ways of His testimonies full of delight. It is the love of Christ constrains us, and that is always a sweet constraint. (David Davies.)

God protects His people

1. That the protection God gives to His people and servants is the vexation of Satan, and of all his instruments.

2. That Satan, the father of lies, sometimes speaks truth for his own advantage.

3. That the people and servants of God dwell in the midst of enemies, in the midst of dangers.

4. That God Himself doth undertake the guarding and protecting of His people.

5. You see how far the hedge goeth, not only about his person and household, but about all that he hath. His meanest thing was hedged about. (J. Caryl.)

Thou hast blessed the work of his hands.

Success the outcome of the Divine blessing

1. That all success in business is from the blessing of the Lord. Satan speaks very good Divinity here; Thou hast blessed: it is from the Lord (Genesis 39:23). That whatsoever he did, the Lord made it to prosper. Working is our part, but prospering is the Lord’s part. Some take all to themselves, and thank their own labours, their own wisdom, policy, and parts; others ascribe all to their good fortune, etc. We see Satan himself here preacheth a truth that will confute them.

2. Everyone ought to be a man of employment. Everyone ought to have some business to turn his hand. God doth not love to bless those that are idle.

3. That the Lord delighteth to bless those who are industrious. It is seldom that there is an industrious hand, but there is a blessing of God upon it. Hence, as we find in one place, the diligent hand maketh rich (Proverbs 10:4; Proverbs 10:22).

4. The blessing of God where it falleth is effectual. If God doth but bless we shall increase, there is no question of it. Blessing and multiplying go together. The blessing of God is a powerful blessing. (J. Caryl.)

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Hast not thou made an hedge about him,.... A fence, a wall of protection all around him? he had; he encompassed him about with his love as with a shield, a hedge which could not be broken down by men or devils; he surrounded him with his almighty power, that none could hurt him; he guarded him by his providence, he caused his angels to encamp about him; yea, he himself was a wall of fire around him; the Targum interprets it the word of God: so thick was the hedge, so strong the fence, that Satan could not find the least gap to get in at, to do him any injury to his body or mind, without the divine permission; which he envied and was vexed at, and maliciously suggests that this was the motive of Job's fear of the Lord; and indeed it was an obligation upon him to fear him, but not the sole cause of it:

and about his house; not the house in which he dwelt; though Satan could have gladly pulled down that about his ears, as well as that in which his children were; but it designs his family, who were also by Providence protected in their persons and estates, and preserved from the temptations of Satan, at least from being overcome by them, and even at the times of their feasting before mentioned; this fence was about his servants also, so that Satan could not come at and hurt any one that belonged to him, which was a great grief and vexation of mind to him:

and about all that he hath on every side? his sheep, his camels, his oxen, and his asses; for otherwise these would not have escaped the malice and fury of this evil spirit they afterwards felt; but as these were the gifts of the providence of God to Job, they were guarded by his power, that Satan could not hurt them without leave:

thou hast blessed the work of his hands; not only what he himself personally wrought with his own hands, but was done by his servants through his direction, and by his order; the culture of his fields, the feeding and keeping of his flocks and herds; all succeeded well; whatever he did, or was concerned in, prospered:

and his substance is increased in the land; or "broke out"^F20פרץ "erupit", Montanus, Piscator; "eruperit", Junius & Tremellius; "prorupit", Schultens, ; like a breach of waters; see 2 Samuel 5:20; exceeded all bounds; his riches broke forth on the right hand and on the left, and flowed in, so that there were scarce any limits to be set to them; he abounded in them; his sheep brought forth thousands; his oxen, camels, and asses, stood well, and were strong to labour; and his wealth poured in upon him in great plenty; all which was an eyesore to Satan, and therefore would insinuate that this was the sole spring and source of Job's religion, devotion, and obedience.

Geneva Study Bible

Hast not thou made ^q an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

(q) Meaning, the grace of God, which served Job as a rampart against all temptations.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

his substance is increased — literally, “spread out like a flood”; Job‘s herds covered the face of the country.

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 1:10 Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

Ver. 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him?] Or, hast thou not trenched him in, and secured him with thine own bare hand, as in a town of war, or tower of brass? thou thyself either art the hedge, or makest it; and that not only about his person, but about his people, children, servants, &c., yea, about his whole estate, so that there is no coming at him: and this Satan seems to speak very angrily. {See Trapp on "Zechariah 2:5"}

On every side] Per circuitum, circumcirca. The devil could find never a gap, make never a breach. Oh the safety of a saint, that goes always under a double guard, the power of God without him, and the peace of God within him! The Lord himself is his keeper, the Lord his defence upon his right hand, Psalms 121:5, Psalms 91:1-16; How miraculously hath Geneva been upheld, a small city environed with enemies, and barred out from help of other Churches! How well may we sit and sing, If the Lord had not been on our side, now may England say, if the Lord had not been on our side, when men (or rather devils in the shape of men) rose up against us, then had they swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us, Psalms 124:1-2. They were not our wooden walls that saved us, &c., but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto us, Psalms 44:3. This was a better wall than that about China or Babylon, or that which David so soon leaped over by the help of his God, Psalms 18:1-50, who is sic omnibus attentus ut non detentus a singulis, so helpful to the whole community of his people, as that he neglecteth not any one that pertaineth unto him.

Thou hast blessed the work of his hands] So that he hath good success in all his business, all things thrive well under his hand; this the devil stomached; and, because he could not come at Job’s heart, fed upon his own. Malice drinketh up the most part of its own venom. It pleaseth the Lord well that his people prosper, but the devil cannot endure it. Well might Austin say, Invidia est vitium diabolicum, envy is a devilish sin, for it transformeth men into so many breathing devils.

And his substance is increased in the land] Heb. Is broken forth; so that his house is too little to hold the precious and pleasant riches that are therein; his grounds cannot contain the increase of his cattle; ruperunt herrea messes. his barns overflow at harvest time. In fine, there is no end of his wealth.

Sermon Bible Commentary

Job 1:10, Job 1:21

I. Adversity tests the genuineness, the reality, of a man's religious life.

II. Adversity improves the quality of the religious life, so that all true believers are able to say, "It was good for me that I was afflicted." It renders our religious life (1) more thoughtful; (2) more robust; (3) more intense and prayerful; (4) more rounded and complete; (5) more tender and sympathetic.

III. Adversity promotes the permanence and growth of the religious life.

IV. Adversity gives effectiveness, capacity of service and usefulness, to the religious life. Neither the good servant nor the good soldier is trained in luxury for his work. They have both to "endure hardness" and to pass through discipline if they are to attain proficiency and be of real use.

J. C. Harrison, Congregationalist, vol. i., p. 653

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Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible

Job 1:10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him, &c.— i.e. Hast thou not protected him with a thorny and inaccessible defence? The word rendered increased, is a metaphor, taken from waters which have burst their bounds, and spread themselves on all sides round; so Job's substance had largely increased, and spread itself like a flowing torrent over the adjacent land. Schultens.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Made a hedge about him, i.e. defended him by thy special care and providence from all harms and inconveniencies; which is able to oblige and win persons of the worst tempers.

His house; his children and servants.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

10.Hast not thou — (את, thou, the very one whom Job fears) — made a hedge about him — The Chaldee paraphrases it: “Hast thou not covered him with thy word?” In his mind Satan sees a field or garden surrounded with a hedge as a protection against wild beasts. According to Thomson, (Land and Book, 1:299,) the stone walls which surround the sheepfolds of modern Palestine are frequently covered with sharp thorns. (Hosea 2:6.) The fence was threefold — first, around Job himself; then another, an exterior hedge, around his house; and a third protection or fence around all that he possessed, somewhat after the manner of fortifying ancient cities. Such, Satan unwittingly says, is God’s mode of protecting those who are his.

Thou hast blessed — Wordsworth remarks: “Even Satan confesses that God’s benediction is the source of all good to man.”

Is increased — פרצ signifies to break through bounds. Not unlike a swollen stream, his herds had covered the land, (better, the earth, ) thus showing the greatness of his possessions. The Arabs at the present day employ this word to express the mouth of a stream.

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments

Job 1:10. Hast thou not made a hedge about him? — Protected him with a thorny and inaccessible defence, or secured him, by thy special care and providence, from all harm and inconveniences? which is sufficient to oblige and win persons of the worst tempers; and about his house — His children and servants; about all that he hath on every side — His whole property, which is all under thy protection. Thou hast blessed the work of his hands — Hast caused whatever he does to prosper. Observe, reader, without the divine blessing, be the hands ever so strong, ever so skilful, their work will not prosper. And his substance is increased in the land — The original word מקנהו, mickneehu, chiefly means his cattle; and the word פרצ, parets, here rendered increased, is a metaphor taken from waters which have burst their bounds, and spread themselves on all sides round; so Job’s substance had largely increased, and spread itself like a flowing torrent over the adjacent land. — Schultens.

Mark Dunagan Commentary on the Bible

"Have You not made a hedge about him and his house and all that he has, on every side? You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land"

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

Hast not Thou . . . ? Figure of speech Erotesis. App-6.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

His substance is increased - literally, his cattle break forth and spread out like a flood: Job's herds covered the face of the country [Hebrew, paarats (Hebrew #6555)]: (cf. Genesis 30:30, margin, and Genesis 43:1-34; Isaiah 64:3).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.

an hedge

Genesis 15:1; Deuteronomy 33:27; 1 Samuel 25:16; Psalms 5:12; 34:7; 80:12; Isaiah 5:2,5; Zechariah 2:5,8; 1 Peter 1:5

about

Genesis 39:5; Deuteronomy 28:2-6; Psalms 71:21; 128:1-4

thou hast blessed

42:12; Genesis 26:12; 30:30; 49:25; Deuteronomy 7:13; 33:11; Psalms 90:17; 107:38; Proverbs 10:22

substance

or, cattle.

Genesis 30:43

Reciprocal: Genesis 13:2 - General;  Genesis 31:7 - God;  Exodus 34:24 - desire;  Judges 7:14 - his fellow;  1 Samuel 30:19 - General;  Job 2:10 - shall we receive;  Job 4:6 - thy fear;  Job 29:2 - God;  Job 29:4 - the secret;  Psalm 35:3 - stop;  Psalm 89:40 - broken;  Psalm 107:39 - they are;  Ecclesiastes 7:12 - wisdom;  Song of Solomon 2:4 - his banner;  Amos 9:11 - close;  Matthew 4:6 - lest;  Matthew 8:32 - Go;  Matthew 17:15 - for ofttimes;  Mark 5:12 - General;  Mark 9:20 - the spirit;  Luke 8:32 - besought;  Revelation 9:4 - that they