Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Many shall make suit unto thee - Many shall come in a suppliant manner to ask counsel and advice. The meaning is, that he would be a man of distinction, to whom many would look for counsel. This was evidently an honor highly valued in the East, and one on which Job had formerly pridcd himself; see Job 29:7-13.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Also thou shall lie down, and none shall make thee afraid,.... Either lie down on his bed, as before, or by his flocks, and where they lie down, and none should disturb him or them; not thieves and robbers, such as the Chaldeans and Sabeans had been to him, nor lions, bears, and wolves;

yea, many shall make suit unto thee; make their supplications, present their requests and petitions for relief under necessitous circumstances, or for protection from the injuries and insults of others; as the poor and needy, the widow and fatherless, had done to him in times past, when in his prosperity, and when he was a friend unto them, and the father of them; see Proverbs 19:6; or, "the great ones^F26רבים "magnates", Vatablus, Bolducius. shall make suit to thee"; to have his favour and friendship, his counsel and advice, his company and conversation; he should be applied unto and courted by men of all sorts, which would be no small honour to him; see Psalm 45:12.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

(Psalm 4:8; Proverbs 3:24; Isaiah 14:30); oriental images of prosperity.

make suit — literally, “stroke thy face,” “caress thee” (Proverbs 19:6).

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 11:19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make [thee] afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

Ver. 19. Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid] Thou shalt walk about the world like a conqueror, being ever under a double guard, the peace of God within thee, Philippians 4:7, and the power of God without thee, 1 Peter 1:5, neither shall any enemy come upon thee in the night to fright and to disturb thee, which is a great mercy. It is not long since we of this nation did eat the bread of our souls in peril of our lives, neither could we rest in our beds for the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction was cried, &c., Jeremiah 4:19-20. Should this ever be forgotten?

Yea, many shall make suit unto thee] Heb. Shall entreat thy face; yea, they shall tire thee out with their entreaties. Many seek the ruler’s favour, Proverbs 29:26, he is even thronged with suitors, so that he cannot be without a master of requests. Hence the poet Orpheus feigneth that Litae, or supplications and petitions, are Jove’s daughters; and that they are ever attending at his throne, ου γαρ ατιμοι ικεσιου Zηνος κουραι λιται (Orph. in Arg.). Here then Zophar promiseth Job, that upon his return to God he shall be as great a man as ever; and that many, yea, that his very enemies, shall not only not molest him, but fear his power, and beg his favour, Jeremiah 30:17. And whereas once it was, This is Job whom no man seeketh after, then the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour, Psalms 45:12, and all that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, Isaiah 60:14; Isaiah 45:14, Revelation 3:9, Proverbs 19:6. Lo, this is the honour God putteth upon holiness: "Holy and reverend is his name"; and therefore reverend because holy, Psalms 111:9 : so also is ours, Isaiah 43:4. Howbeit we have cause to complain, that in these last and worst times, as the Turks count all fools to be saints, so men with us account all saints to be fools; and not a few turn to unholiness, lest they should be despised, Omnes quodammodo mali esse coguntur, ne viles habeantur (Sal.).

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Desiring thy favour and friendship, because of thy great power, and riches, and eminent felicity: see Genesis 26:26, &c.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

19.Lie down — The image is Oriental, and is derived from flocks or herds in a state of repose. (Psalms 23:2.)

Make suit unto thee — Literally, stroke thy face, that is, caress thee; (Proverbs 19:6;) hence, to entreat the favour of one. It is commonly used of the worship of God, and besides, only of the respect paid to men high in position.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Face. Luther translates "shall flatter thee." The Dutch version, which is taken from Luther's, has mistaken a letter, and rendered "shall flee before thee," which shews the danger of translating without recurring to the originals. (Amama)

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

make suit, &c. Hebrew intreat thy face: i.e. seek thy favour.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid. (Psalms 4:8 ; Proverbs 3:24; Isaiah 14:30.)

Lie down - image from a quadruped couching down to rest (Genesis 49:14) - Oriental images of prosperity.

Yea, many shall make suit unto thee - literally, 'stroke thy face,' 'be sweet to,' 'caress thee' (Proverbs 19:6).

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

many

42:8,9; Genesis 26:26-31; Psalms 45:12; Proverbs 19:6; Isaiah 60:14; Revelation 3:9

make suit unto thee

Heb. intreat thy face.