《Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments – Job》(Joseph Benson)
Commentator
One of the most eminent of the early Methodist ministers in England, Joseph Benson was born at Melmerby, in Cumberland, Jan. 25, 1748. At sixteen he became a Methodist and was converted. In 1766 Mr. Wesley appointed him classical master at Kingswood School. He devoted himself closely to philosophy and theology, studying constantly and zealously.
Joseph Benson became a Methodist circuit rider in 1771. A close associate of Wesley, he was chosen to be a member of the Legal One Hundred who governed the Conference at Wesley's death and he was president of the Conference two times. As one of post-Wesley Methodism's most popular preachers, he sometimes addressed crowds of over twenty thousand.
Wesley established an extensive organization, including the circuit riding system and a media or press to showcase books, pamphlets, and a monthly magazine. After the death of John Wesley, Joseph Benson took over the Methodist/Wesleyan movement and the organization that Wesley created.
During the Bristol dispute of 1794 he led the conservative Church Methodists and was against moves which suggested that the Methodists were breaking ties with the Church of England; he was one of the last leaders to contend for the methods and philosophy of eighteenth-century Wesleyan Methodism.
The circulation of The Methodist Magazine rose from ten thousand to twenty-four thousand per issue on his watch, and it was one of the most widely read periodicals in pre-Victorian England. He was an able writer, serving as apologist against Joseph Priestley, as biographer of John Fletcher, and as author of a multi-volume commentary on the Bible.
Benson was influential in Methodism, and through the press, especially the magazine, he was able to extend his influence to non-Methodists as well. He and other Methodist leaders, through preaching and publication, disseminated their conservative social and political credo and may be credited in part with creating a climate in which the seeds of Victorianism could thrive.
Introduction
THE BOOK OF JOB.*
* Moses is thought to have written the book of Job, while among the Midianites, before Christ, cir. 1520.
ARGUMENT.
THE preceding books of Scripture are, for the most part, plain and easy narratives, which he that runs may read and understand; but in the five poetical books, on which we are now entering, Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Solomon’s Song, are many things hard to be understood. These, therefore, require a more close application of mind, which yet the treasures they contain will abundantly recompense. The former books were mostly historical; these are doctrinal and devotional. And they are written in verse, according to the ancient rules of versifying, though not in rhyme, nor according to the rules of latter tongues. But though they are poetical, yet they are serious, and full of majesty. They have a poetic force and flame, without poetic fury; move the affections, without corrupting the imagination; and, while they gratify the ear, improve the mind, and profit the more by pleasing. In them we have much of God, his infinite perfections, and his government both of the world and of the church. And we have much of Christ, who is the spring, and soul, and centre of revealed religion. Here is what may enlighten our understandings, and acquaint us with the deep things of God. And this divine light may bring into our souls a divine fire, which will kindle and inflame devout affections; on which wings we may soar upward, until we enter into the holiest.
In the book of Job, in particular, which comes first under our consideration, we find the most sublime disquisitions on God’s moral government, his wonderful and unlimited greatness, his indisputable sovereignty over all beings, and his incomprehensible wisdom; together with a most illustrious pattern of solid and fixed piety, and entire resignation to the divine will. So that, whether we consider the importance and dignity of the subjects, the magnificent and profound sentiments, the beauty of the language, or the amiable picture of virtuous manners which it sets forth, we shall find it worthy of our most attentive study, and greatest veneration for its high excellence. It is thought by many learned men to be the most ancient book of the Scriptures, and it really bears all the genuine marks of the most remote antiquity, both in the composition and style; and this may account for its being so difficult to be understood.
Although most of the accounts which have been given of the author of this book, and the exact time when it was written, are but conjectures, unsupported by any authority; yet there seems very sufficient ground to determine, that the foundation of it is laid in matters of fact; namely, That, in very ancient times, there was a rich and powerful person named Job; that he was remarkable for his integrity, piety, and unshaken confidence in God; that he was, by very great, unexpected, and sudden calamities, reduced to a state of great distress; that this circumstance gave occasion to a discussion and contest between him and some of his friends, men of great wisdom and piety, whether severe afflictions ever happen to truly good men? and, if they do, whether they do not come by way of punishment, and as a mark of God’s displeasure? — that Job bore his afflictions with uncommon patience and resignation to the will of God; and, lastly, that he was afterward advanced to a greater degree of prosperity than he had enjoyed in the former part of his life. These, we say, appear undoubtedly to have been facts, and on them the whole book is built. That there was such a man as Job, is evident from his being mentioned by Ezekiel 14:14, and ranked with Noah and Daniel, as a man famous for piety above most others. And the Apostle James 5:10, says, Take the prophets for an example of suffering affliction and of patience. Ye have heard of the patience of Job. And, unquestionably, the narrative which we here have of his prosperity and piety, of his strange affliction and exemplary patience, with the substance of his conferences with his friends, God’s discourse with him out of the whirlwind, and his return to a prosperous condition, are all exactly true.
We are sure, also, that this book is very ancient, probably of equal date with the book of Genesis itself. It is likely Job was of the posterity of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, whose firstborn was Uz, and in whose family religion was kept up, as appears Genesis 31:53, where God is called, not only the God of Abraham, but the God of Nahor. He evidently lived before sacrifices were confined to one altar, before the general apostacy of the nations, and while God was known by the name of אל שׁדי, Eel Shaddai, God Almighty, more than by the name of יהוה, Jehovah; for he is called Shaddai, the Almighty, above thirty times in this book. And that he lived before the deliverance of the children of Israel out of Egypt, we may gather from hence, that there is no allusion at all to that grand event in any part of the book; as well as from his great longevity; there being no instance, after that time, of any person’s living, as it appears he did, to near the age of two hundred years.
We have said that this book is poetical. We may call it a kind of dramatic or heroic poem, though by no means a complete drama. The first two chapters are a kind of prologue, containing the argument, which is not in verse, but in a narrative or historical style, as being a relation of matters of fact; but the interlocutory parts of the work are evidently in metre, in the original Hebrew, as is agreed by most learned men. In this noble poem we have, 1. A monument of primitive theology, teaching us that, considering the corruption, ignorance, and weakness of human nature, on the one hand, and the infinite wisdom, the unspeakable greatness, and unspotted holiness of God, on the other, mankind should renounce all confidence in their own righteousness and strength, and put their whole trust in the mercy and grace of God, and submit themselves to him with the greatest humility and reverence. This is evidently the principal design of the poem. It contains, however, 2. A specimen of Gentile piety, for Job was not of the promised seed, not an Israelite, nor a proselyte to the religion of the Israelites. 3. We have here an exposition of the book of Providence, and a clear solution of many difficult passages therein. 4. A great example of close adherence to God in the deepest calamities; and, 5. An illustrious type of Christ, emptied and humbled, in order to his exaltation and greater glory.
But “the principal benefit,” says Bishop Patrick, “which I hope pious souls, especially the afflicted, will reap by this book, is, to be persuaded thereby that all things are ordered and disposed by Almighty God; without whose command or permission neither good angels, nor the devil, nor men, nor any other creature, can do any thing. And that, as his power is infinite, so is his wisdom and goodness, which is able to bring good out of evil. And, therefore, we ought not to complain of him in any condition, as if he neglected us, or dealt hardly with us; but rather cheerfully submit ourselves to his blessed will; which never doth any thing without reason, though we cannot always comprehend it. To that issue, God himself, at last, brings all the dispute between Job and his friends; representing his works, throughout the world, to be so wonderful and unaccountable, that it is fit for us to acknowledge our ignorance, but never to accuse his providence. If we cannot see the cause why he sends any affliction, or continues it long upon us; instead of murmuring and complaining in such a case, this book effectually teaches us to resign ourselves absolutely to him; silently to adore and reverence the unsearchable depth of his wise counsels; contentedly to bear what he inflicts upon us; still to assert his righteousness in the midst of the calamities which befall the good, and in the most prosperous successes of the wicked; and steadfastly to believe, that all, at last, shall turn to our advantage, if, like his servant Job, we persevere in faith, and hope, and patience.” Taking a general view of the chapters of this book, we observe, An account of Job’s sufferings, chap. 1., 2.; not without a mixture of human frailty, chap. 3.; a dispute between him and his three friends, chap. 4.-31.; the interposal of Elihu, and of God himself, chap. 32.-41.; the end of all, in Job’s posterity, chap. 42.
01 Chapter 1
Verse 1
Job 1:1.There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job — We have observed in the argument, that the firstborn son of Nahor, Abraham’s brother, was called Uz. It appears also from Genesis 10:23, that a grandson of Shem bore the same name, but it does not appear whether any country was named from either of these. But we find in Lamentations 4:21, that Edom was called Uz, probably from a grandson of Seir, the Horite, of that name. See Genesis 36:20; Genesis 36:28; 1 Chronicles 1:38; 1 Chronicles 1:42. This person, as the reader will recollect, inhabited the mountainous country, called Seir from him, before the time of Abraham; but his posterity being driven out, the Edomites seized that country, Genesis 14:6; Deuteronomy 2:12, whence it afterward bore the name of Edom. It is part of Arabia Petræa, bordering upon the tribe of Judah to the south. Hence the land of Uz is properly placed between Egypt and the Philistines in Jeremiah 25:20. See Bishop Lowth and Dodd. This, therefore, was probably the country of Job, “whose name,” Dr. Dodd says, “in the Chaldee, Syriac, and Arabic, may, with the greatest probability, be derived from a root which signifies to love or desire; and might be rendered, the beloved or desirable one.” We have observed, that it is likely he was of the posterity of Uz, the son of Nahor, the brother of Abraham; but how far removed from him can only be conjectured from the age of his friends; the eldest of whom, Eliphaz the Temanite, could not be nearer than great-grand-son to Esau; for Esau begat Eliphaz, and the son of Eliphaz was Teman: so that supposing this Eliphaz to be the son of Teman, (and higher it will be impossible to place him,) he will then be five generations from Abraham; but as Eliphaz was very much older than Job, nay, older than his father, as appears from chap. Job 15:10; and, considering that Abraham was very old before he had a son by Sarah, and that Rebecca, grand-daughter to Nahor, by Bethuel, perhaps his youngest son, was of an age proper to be wife to Isaac; we shall, probably, not be wide of the mark, if we allow Job to be at least six, if not seven generations removed from Nahor. The age therefore in which he lived must have coincided with the latter years of the life of Jacob, with those of Joseph, and the descent into, and sojourning in Egypt: his afflictions must have happened during the sojourning, about ten years before the death of Joseph, and his life must have been prolonged to within fourteen years before the departure of the Israelites from Egypt, that is, the year of the world 2499. The number of the years of the life of Job, according to this calculation, will be about two hundred; which, for that age of the world, and especially considering that Job was blessed with a remarkably long life, as a reward for his sufferings and integrity, will not appear very extraordinary; for Jacob lived one hundred and forty-seven years; Levi, his son, one hundred and thirty-seven; Koath, his grand-son, one hundred and thirty-three; and Amram, his great-grand-son, and father of Moses, one hundred and thirty-seven; Moses also lived one hundred and twenty years. All these, it seems, were his cotemporaries, some older, some younger than Job: so that this appears to agree extremely well with that circumstance of his history. See Heath and Dodd.
That man was perfect — Not exactly, or according to the law of innocence, but as to his sincere intentions, hearty affections, and diligent endeavours to perform his whole duty to God and men. And upright — Hebrew, וישׁו, vejashar, right, exact, and regular in all his dealings with men; one of an unblameable conversation. And one that feared God — One truly pious and devoted to God. And eschewed evil — Carefully avoiding all sin against God or men.
Verse 3
Job 1:3.His substance also was seven thousand sheep — Namely, seven thousand small cattle, whether sheep or goats, in opposition to the larger cattle next mentioned. And three thousand camels — Camels in these parts were very numerous, as is manifest from 7:12; 1 Chronicles 5:21, and the testimonies of Aristotle and Pliny; and very useful, both for carrying burdens in those hot and dry countries, being able to endure thirst much better than other creatures, and for service in war. And five hundred she-asses — Which were preferred before he-asses, as serving for the same uses of carrying burdens, riding on, and different kinds of labour; and likewise for breeding and giving milk: but he-asses also may perhaps be included in the expression, the denomination being, as usual, taken from the greater part, which were she-asses. This man was the greatest of all the men of the East — Hebrew, magnus præ omnibus filiis Orientis, great in comparison, in respect, or before all the children of the East. Grotius and others have observed, that the phraseology here used is an argument that the book must have been written by some Israelite, or inhabitant of the land of Canaan, Job’s country lying eastward from thence, and it being usual with the Hebrews to call Arabia the East. The expression probably only means that he was the greatest, or one of the greatest, that lived in those parts; such general expressions being commonly understood with such limitations. The account of his piety and prosperity comes before the account of his afflictions, to show that neither of these will secure us from the common, no, nor from the uncommon calamities of human life.
Verse 4
Job 1:4.His sons went and feasted in their houses — Or made a family feast, to testify and maintain their brotherly love. Every one his day — Not every day of the week and of the year, which would have been burdensome to them all, and gross luxury, and which certainly such a holy man as Job would not have permitted; but each his appointed day, perhaps his birth- day, or the first day of the month. It is certain the same expression, יומו, jomo, his day, means his birth-day, Job 3:1 . “The verse,” says Dr. Dodd, “might be rendered, And his sons had a constant custom to make a family feast, every one on his birth-day; and they sent and invited their three sisters,” &c. According to Herodotus, the inhabitants of the East in general, and especially the Persians, were remarkable for celebrating their birthdays with great festivity and luxury.