Job Chapter 42

“Then Job answered the Lord, and said.] For though he had said he would answer no more, (<184005>Job 40:5); yet he might mean not in the manner he had, complaining of God and justifying himself; besides he might change his mind without any imputation of falsehood or a lie; (see <242009> Jeremiah 20:9); to which may be added, that he had then said all he had to say, and did not know he should have more: he then confessed as much as he was convinced of, but it was not enough; and now through what the Lord had since said to him he was more convinced of his ignorance, mistakes, and sins, and had such a sight of God…”

“JOB'S PENITENT REPLY. (Job 42:1-6) In the first clause he owns God to be omnipotent over nature, as contrasted with his own feebleness, which God had proved (Job 40:15; Job 41:34); in the second, that God is supremely just (which, in order to be governor of the world, He must needs be) in all His dealings, as contrasted with his own vileness (Job 42:6), and incompetence to deal with the wicked as a just judge (Job 40:8-14). thought--"purpose," as in Job 17:11; but it is usually applied to evil devices (Job 21:27; Psa 10:2): the ambiguous word is designedly chosen to express that, while to Job's finite view, God's…”

“I know that thou canst do everything - This is said by Job in view of what had been declared by the Almighty in the previous chapters. It is an acknowledgment that God was omnipotent, and that man ought to be submissive, under the putting forth of his infinite power. One great object of the address of the Almighty was to convince Job of his majesty, and that object was fully accomplished. And that no thought - No purpose or plan of thine. God was able to execute all his designs. Can be withholden from thee - Margin, “or, of thine can be hindered.” Literally, “cut off” - בצר bâtsar. The word, however, means also…”

“Thou canst, &c. - Job here subscribes to God's unlimited power, knowledge and dominion, to prove which was the scope of God's discourse out of the whirlwind. And his judgment being convinced of these, his conscience also was convinced, of his own folly in speaking so irreverently concerning him. No thought can be withholden from thee - No thought of ours can be withholden from thy knowledge. And there is no thought of thine, which thou canst be hindered from bringing into execution. Job 42:3”

“42:1-6 Job understood the message of God’s speeches: I know that you can do anything. Nothing is too hard for God (Gen 18:14; Jer 32:17; Matt 19:26) and nothing can stop his plan (Job 23:13; Isa 14:27; 46:10). Job realized how unlike God he was.”

“thou: Gen 18:14; Isa 43:13; Jer 32:17; Mat 19:26; Mar 10:27, Mar 14:36; Luk 18:27 no: Psa 44:21, Psa 139:2; Jer 17:10; Eze 38:10; Joh 2:24, Joh 2:25, Joh 21:17; Heb 4:12, Heb 4:13 can be withholden from thee: or, of thine can be hindered, Job 23:13; Pro 19:21; Ecc 3:14; Isa 14:27, Isa 46:10; Dan 4:35; Eph 1:11 Job 42:3”

“1 Then Job answered Jehovah, and said: 2 Now I know that Thou canst do all things, And no plan is impracticable to Thee. 3 "Who then hideth counsel - Without knowledge?" Thus have I judged without understanding, What was too wonderful for me, without knowing. He indeed knew previously what he acknowledges in Job 42:2, but now this knowledge has risen upon him in a new divinely-worked clearness, such as he has not hitherto experienced. Those strange but wondrous monsters are a proof to him that God is able to put everything into operation, and that the plans according to which He acts are beyond the reach of human…”