T wards put into the mouth of God himself", resolving all into his OMNIPOTENCY. Elibu's fpeech is indeed in every refpect the fame with God's, except in the feverity of his reproof to Job. And, in that, the Writer hath fhewn much address in conducting his fubject. The end and purpose of this Work was to encourage the Jews to a perfeverance in their duty from the affured care and protection of Providence. At the fame time, as they were growing impatient, it was neceffary this temper fhould be rebuked. But as the ordonance of the Poem is difpofed, the putting the reproof into the mouth of the Almighty would have greatly weakened the end and purpose of the Work. This part therefore is given to his fervant Elihu: and GOD'S fentence is all grace and favour on the fide of Job, and indignation and refentment against his falfe Friends. For this event, the Writer had finely prepared us, in making Job, in the heat of the difputation, say to these friends, Wilt thou speak wickedly for God? and talk deceitfully for him? Will ye accept his perfon? will ye contend for God? Is it good that he Should fearch you out? or as one man mocketh another do ye fo mock him? HE WILL SURELY REPROVE YOU, if ye do fecretly accept Perfons. The judicious reader will obferve another artful circumftance in the caft of Elihu's oration. The three friends, in the grand question concerning an equal Providence, went directly over to one fide, and Job to another: Elihu inclines to neither, but refolves all into fubmiffion to the almighty power of God. For it was yet inconvenient to acquaint the Jews, (who were juft going to fall under a common Providence) with the truth of their cafe. Hence, to obferve it "From chap. xxxviii. to xlii. 8, Seq. • Chap. xiii. ver. 7, by by the way, another circumftance arifes to determine the date of the poem. We have fhewn that the Subject suited only this time: We now see that the manner of treating the Subject could agree to no other. On the whole, this intermediate speech of Elihu's was the fineft preparative for the decifive one which was to follow. And, Farther, The true character of Elihu is feen from hence, that Job replies nothing to these words, as confcious of the truth of his reproofs; and that they were the reproofs of a Friend. indeed, his fubmiffion, on this occafion, was to represent the repentance of the Jews on the preaching of their Prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. But laftly, Elihu's not being involved in the condemnation of the three friends is the most convincing argument of his very different Character. This, as we have faid, exceedingly perplexed the Commentators. But where was the wonder, he fhould be acquitted, when he had faid nothing but what God himself repeated and confirmed? What is rather to be admired is the fevere fentence paffed upon the three friends; and that, for the crime of impiety. A thing utterly inexplicable on the common interpretation. For let them be as guilty as you please, to Job, they are all the way advocates for GOD; and hold nothing concerning his Government that did not become his Nature and Character. But let us once fuppofe, these three friends to represent the Adverfaries of the Jews, and the difficulty ceafes. All their pretences are then hypocritical and they impioufly affume the Patronage of GOD only to carry on their malice to more advantage against Job. Why the Writer of this book book did not openly expose the wickedness of their hearts, as is done in the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, was because the nature of the work would not fuffer it; the question in debate, and the managers of the queftion, neceffarily requiring that the part they took fhould have a fpecious outfide of piety and veneration toward GOD. In a word, Job is made to fay fomething wrong, because he represents the impatient Jews of that time: His three false friends, to fay fomething right, because the nature of the drama fo required: And Elihu to moderate with a perfect rectitude, because he represented the person of a Prophet. But to fee the truth of this interpretation in its beft light, one fhould have before one's eyes all thofe difficulties with which the Commentators of the book of Job are entangled at almost every ftep. A view of this would draw us into an unreasonable length. I fhall only take notice of one of the moft judicious of them, (who has collected from all the reft) in the very cafe of this Elihu. CALMET characterises the fourth friend in this manner: There was now none but Elihu the youngest and leaft judicious that held out against Job's arguments Elibu bere by a vain parade and overflow of words gives a reafon, &c. Again: Elibu was given to reprefent one who knew not how to be filent, a great talker. And again: It cannot be denied but that there is a mixture of ignorance and prefumption in what Elihu fays; and, above all, a Il n'y eut qu' Eliu, qui étoit le plus jeune & le moins judicieux, qui ne fe rendit par un vain etalage des paroles Eliu pas rend ici raison, &c. Sur C. xxxii. ver. 1. 9 Pour defigner un homme qui ne fe peut taire, un grand caufeur. Sur C. xxxii. ver. 18. Strange Strange prejudice and visible injuftice in most of the accufations be brings against Job'. This he fays indeed. But when he comes to find Elihu escape GOD's condemnation, in which the other three are involved, he alters his note, and unfays all the hard things he had thrown out against him. Although Elibu (says he) had mistaken the fenfe of his friend's words, yet, for all that, God feems, at leaft, to have approved his intention, because when be declares to Job's friends that they had spoken amiss, and commands them to offer up burnt-offerings for themselves, he only speaks of Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zopbar, without mentioning Elihu. Befides, Job anfwers not a word to this laft, and by bis filence feems to approve of his difcourfe. GROTIUS, who ftrove to be more confiftent in his character of Elihu, which yet his acquittal in GoD's fentence will not fuffer any Commentator to be, upon the received idea of this Book, has run into a very strange imagination. He fuppofes Elihu might be a domeftic, or retainer to one of the three friends, and fo be involved in the condemnation of his principal'.But, now mark the force of prejudice to inveterate notions! It is vifible to every one who regards On ne peut nier qu'il n'y ait & de l'ignorance & de la prefumption dans ce que dit Eliu, &, fur tout, une etrange prevention & une injustice visible dans la plupart des accufations qu'il forma contre Job. Sur C. xxviii. ver. 2. ́s Quoiqu' Eliu eût mal pris le fens des paroles de fon ami, toutefois Dieu femble approuver au moins fon intention; puifque lorsqu'il declare aux amis de Job qu'ils ont mal parlé, & qu'il ordonne qu'on offre pour eux des holocauftes, il ne fait mention que de Bildad, d'Eliphaz, & de Sophar, fans parler d'Eliu. De plus, Job ne repond point à ce dernier, & par fon filence il femble approuver fon discours. Elihu hîc non nominatur, ut nec fupra ii. 11. fortè quod affecla effet alicujus trium. In C. xlii. ver. 7. the ; the two fpeeches of Elihu and GOD with the leaft attention, that the doctrine and the reasoning are the fame. Yet Calmet's general character of Elihu is, that there is a vain parade and overflow of words that there is a mixture of ignorance and prefumption, and a visible injustice, in most of the accufations be brings against Job. And yet of God's speech he fays, Here we have A CLEAR SOLUTION of the difficulties which had perplexed and embarraffed thefe five friends ".- Pity that this clear folution fhould turn out to be no folution at all. III. Having thus fixed the date of the book, our next enquiry will be concerning its AUTHOR. That it was composed by an inspired writer is beyond all question. Not only its uncontroverted reception and conftant place in the Canon, and its internal marks of divinity, which this Expofition has much illuftrated and enlarged, but its being quoted as infpired fcripture by St. Paul, will fuffer no reasonable man to doubt of it. By this time therefore, I fuppofe, the Reader will be beforehand with me in judging it could scarce be any other than EZRA himself; who was a ready fcribe in the Law of Mofes, and had prepared bis heart to feek the Law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Ifrael ftatutes and judgments". he had the welfare of his People exceedingly at heart, as appears from the books of Ezra and Nehemiah. And this of Job, we have fhewn, was written purposely for their inftruction and confolation. He made a correct edition of the Scriptures, 1 For "C'eft ici le denouement de la piece, & la folution des difficultez qui avoient été agitées entre ces cinque amis. X I COR. iii. 10, JOB V. 13. He taketh the wife in their own craftiness. Y EZRA vii, 6, 10. fettled 4 |