HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

JOB 1

CHAPTER I.

Ver. 1. Hus. The land of Hus was a part of Edom; as appears from Lament. iv. 21. --- Simple. That is, innocent, sincere, and without guile, (Ch.) in opposition to hypocrites and double dealers. C. --- Heb. Tam, "perfect."

Ver. 3. Sheep. Heb. including "goats," which are equally valuable in that country for milk. --- Camels. These animals were used for riding in those barren sands, where they can travel for four days without water; and that which is muddy is best for them. --- East, in the desert Arabia. Sept. add at the end of the book, that Job was king; and he seems to have been independent, (C.) and to have had other kings who acknowledged his authority. Pineda. C. xxix. 7. &c. --- Each city had its own king in the days of Abraham and of Josue. Job, or Jobab, resided at Denaba. Gen. xxxvi. 32. C.

Ver. 4. His day of the week in succession; (Pineda) or each on his birthday, (Gen. xl. 20. Mat. xiv. 6. Grot.) or once a month, &c. The daughters of Job were probably unmarried.

Ver. 5. Blessed. For greater horror of the very thought of blasphemy, the Scripture both here and v. 11, and in the following chapter (v. 5. and 9.) uses the word bless, to signify its contrary. Ch. 3 K. xxi. 10. --- Thus the Greeks styled the furies Eumenides, "the kind," out of a horror of their real name. Even those who are the best inclined, can hardly speak of God without some want of respect, (C.) in the midst of feasts, where the neglect of saying grace is also too common. H. --- Sept. "they have thought evil against God." Every kind of offence may be included, to which feasting leads. M.

Ver. 6. The sons of God. The angels, (Ch.) as the Sept. express it. C. --- Satan also, &c. This passage represents to us in a figure, accommodated to the ways and understandings of men, 1. The restless endeavours of satan against the servants of God. 2. That he can do nothing without God's permission. 3. That God doth not permit him to tempt them above their strength: but assists them by his divine grace in such manner, that the vain efforts of the enemy only serve to illustrate their virtue and increase their merit. Ch. --- A similar prosopopeia occurs, 3 K. xxii. 19. Zac. i. 10. C. --- Devils appear not in God's sight, but sometimes in presence of angels, who represent God. S. Athan. q. 8. ad Antioc, (W.) or some ancient author. --- The good angels can make known their orders to them. Zac. iii. 1. Jude 9. Both good and bad spirits may be considered as the ministers of God. C. --- They appear in judgment; though the latter could not see the Lord.

Ver. 9. In vain, without recompense. H.

Ver. 11. Face, like a hypocrite, (Sanctius) or rather curse thee openly, v. 5. H.

Ver. 12. Hand. God permits evils. W. --- The devil can do nothing without leave. C.

Ver. 15. Sabeans, descended from Abraham, in the desert (C.) or happy Arabia. These nations lived on plunder. Pliny vi. 28. M.

Ver. 16. Heaven, or the air, where the devils exercise a power. Ephes. ii. 2.

Ver. 17. Chaldeans. Some copies of the Sept. read "horsemen." These nations inhabited the other side of the Euphrates, but made frequent incursions to plunder their neighbours. C.

Ver. 20. Head. Heb. torn his hair, and rolled in the dust. Bochart. Isai. xv. 2. &c. C. --- The fathers oppose this example to the apathy of the stoics. S. Aug. de Civ. Dei. i. 9. Rom. i. 31.

Ver. 21. Thither. To that earth from which all are taken. H. --- Ista terra gentes omnes peperit & resumet demum. Varro. --- Ut ater operiens. Pliny ii. 63. See 1 Tim. vi. 7. --- As...done. Some copies of S. Jerom omit this, which is borrowed from the Sept. C.

Ver. 22. By his lips, is not in Heb. but occurs C. ii. 10. --- God. Much less did he blaspheme, as satan had said, v. 11. He did not consider all as the effect of chance, or like a mere philosopher. His thoughts were regulated by religion and the fear of God. C. --- The virtue of Job was so much the more wonderful, as he lived among the wicked. S. Greg. He bore patiently with the loss of all things: and English Catholics have often imitated him. W. --- He might well record his own good actions, the gifts of God, being moved by divine inspiration, like Moses, &c. S. Greg.