Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary

Adam Clarke Commentary

Thou shalt have plenty of silver - Here again the versions and critics vary. The critics may disagree; but the doctrine of Eliphaz is sufficiently plain: "To those whom God loves best he gives the most earthly good. The rich and the great are his high favorites: the poor and the distressed he holds for his enemies." In the above verses there seems to be a reference to the mode of obtaining the precious metals:

1. Gold in dust;

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Yea, the Almighty shall be - Or, rather, “then the Almighty shall be” - והיה yehâyâh The meaning is, that if he would return to God, and cast off his anxiety for gold, “then” the Almighty would be his real treasure, and would impart to him solid happiness.

Thy defense - Margin, “gold.” The margin is the more correct translation. The word is the same which occurs in the previous verse בצר betser and there rendered “gold.” The word may have the sense of “defense,” as the verb בצר bâtsar is often used with such a reference; Numbers 13:28; Deuteronomy 1:28; Deuteronomy 3:5; Deuteronomy 9:1, et al. The meaning of such places, where the word is applied to walled towns or fortified places, is, that the enemy was, by means of walls, “cut off” from approach. Here, however, the idea of “gold” or “treasure” better suits the connection, and the meaning is, that “God” would be to him an invaluable “treasure” or source of happiness.

And thou shalt have plenty of silver - Margin, “silver of strength.” The correct idea, however, is, “and the Almighty shall be treasures of silver unto thee;” that is, he shall be better to you than an abundance of the precious metals. The Hebrew is literally, “And silver of treasures unto thee.”

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence,.... In temporal things, secure the plenty of gold and silver possessed of; surround and protect by his providence, that there shall be no danger of the Sabeans and Chaldeans, or others, breaking in and stealing it away; and, in spirituals, preserve from all enemies, sin, Satan, and the world; be a wall of fire about him, his fortress, his tower, and place of defence; or keep him as in a garrison, through faith unto salvation; or, as others render the words, "and let the Almighty be", or "he shall be thy gold", or "golds"^F15בצריך "lectissimum aurum tuum", Junius & Tremellius, Piscator; so Vatablus, Schmidt, Schultens; so R. Sol. Urbin. Ohel Moed, fol. 23. 2. ; all thy gold, the same word being used as in Job 22:24; treat earthly riches, gold and silver, with contempt, and reckon God to be thy truest riches: esteem him as gold, and more precious than that, and put thy confidence in him; his grace is compared to gold, for its lustre, value, and duration, and is more precious than gold that perisheth, Revelation 3:18; the righteousness of Christ is, for its excellency, called the gold of Ophir, and clothing of wrought gold, Psalm 45:9; and he himself is much more precious than the gold of Ophir, and the gain that comes by him than fine gold, Song of Solomon 5:11; the doctrines of the grace of God are comparable to gold, silver, and precious stones; yea, to be preferred unto them, 1 Corinthians 3:12. God is instead of all riches to his people; and they that have an interest in him share in the riches of grace, and are entitled to the riches of glory; all are theirs:

and thou shall have plenty of silver; or God shall be, or "let him be to thee silver of strength"^F16וכסף תועפות לך "et argentum fortitudinum tibi", Montanus, Cocceius, Schmidt. ; or instead of silver, which is the strength of men, in which they confide for business or war; but God is to his people infinitely more than what silver or gold can be to them.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

Apodosis.

Yea — rather, Then shall the Almighty be, etc.

defence — rather, as the same Hebrew means in Job 22:24 (see on Job 22:24) - Thy precious metals; God will be to thee in the place of riches.

plenty of silver — rather, “And shall be to thee in the place of laboriously-obtained treasures of silver” [Gesenius]. Elegantly implying, it is less labor to find God than the hidden metals; at least to the humble seeker (Job 28:12-28). But [Maurer] “the shining silver.”

John Trapp Complete Commentary

Job 22:25 Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

Ver. 25. Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence] Or, thy gold, for the same word signifieth both, Job 36:19, because gold is the worldly man’s defence, Proverbs 18:11, though but a sorry one, Zephaniah 1:18, Proverbs 11:4, Ezekiel 7:19. It is as if he should say, Either thou shalt have gold gods plenty; or else, thou shalt have that which is better than gold, viz. God the maker and master of all the world, saith Junius, who rendereth the text thus, And the Almighty shall be thy choicest gold, and silver, and strength to thee. He shall be all that heart can wish or need require. A friend of Cyrus, in Xenophon, being asked where his treasure was? answered, οπου Kυρος φιλος, Where Cyrus is my friend. Let us answer, οπου Kυριος φιλος, Where God is my friend. When David had said, "The Lord is my portion," he subjoined in the next verse, "The lines are fallen unto me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage," Psalms 16:5-6. When God had said to Abraham, I am thy shield, he easily slighted the king of Sodom’s rich offers.

And thou shalt have plenty of silver] Heb. Silver of strengths or of heights; that is, as the Vulgate interpreteth it, argentum coacervabitur tibi, thou shalt have high heaps of silver, store of money. Godliness hath the promise of both lives; and if godly men are not always rich men, it is that godliness may be admired for itself. And they must know, that what they lack in temporals shall be made up in spirituals, according to that which followeth.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

God by his special and watchful providence shall protect thee from all dangers and calamities. Heb.

thy defences, or munitions. One God shall keep thee as safely as many munitions.

Plenty of silver, Heb. silver of strength, i.e. which by God’s blessing shall be thy defence, Ecclesiastes 7:12. Or, silver of heights, i.e. high and heaped up like a mountain.

Whedon's Commentary on the Bible

25.Plenty of silver — Literally, bars of silver, (Hitzig:) silver of excellencies or splendours, (Ewald;) and heaps of silver, (Dillmann;) or better, silver of labours, (Gesenius,) that is, obtained by great labour. The word appears in Psalms 95:4, “the strength [labours] of the hills;” one of the prime meanings of the verbal root being “to become weary.” Gold and silver have ever been the bright and alluring symbols of worldly good. God thus early uses them in figure to set forth the desirableness of himself and his glory. He who, like the Levite, gives up all for God, finds his treasure in God. God becomes his Ophir, the Almighty his precious ores. A just estimate of this world’s treasures becomes a golden round in the heavenly ladder.

George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

Silver. Septuagint, "But he shall purify thee, as silver, which has passed the fire." (Haydock)

Mark Dunagan Commentary on the Bible

The following blessings are promised if Job will only repent: Prosperity, a relationship with God, answered prayers, success of his plans, confidence, and deliverance. God"s silence will only be ended, when Job repents. A light of constant success would shine on his way.

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged

Yea, the Almighty shall be thy defence, and thou shalt have plenty of silver.

Apodosis.

Yea - rather, Then shall the Almighty be, etc.

Defence - rather, as the same Hebrew [ betser (Hebrew #1220)] means in Job 22:24 (see note), thy precious metals; God will be to thee in the place of riches.

Plenty of silver - rather, 'and shall be to thee in the place of laboriously obtained treasures of silver.' [ tow`aapowt (Hebrew #8443), from yaa`eep (Hebrew #3287), worn out with labour.] (Gesenius.) Elegantly implying, it is less labour to find God than the hidden metals; at least to the humble seeker (Job 28:12-28). But Maurer, has 'the shining silver'-literally, 'silver of splendours.'

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(25) The Almighty shall be thy defence.—Rather, And the Almighty shall be thy treasure, and precious silver unto thee. The word thus qualifying silver occurs only three other times in the Bible: Psalms 95:4, “The strength of the hills”; Numbers 22:23-24, “the strength of a unicorn.” Its original idea is probably brightness or splendour.

Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

the Almighty

Genesis 15:1; Psalms 18:2; 84:11; Isaiah 41:10; Romans 8:31

defence

or, gold.

Psalms 16:5,6; Isaiah 33:6; 2 Corinthians 6:10; James 2:5

plenty of silver

Heb. silver of strength.