Job Chapter 5

“Call now, if there be any that will answer thee, etc.] That is, call upon God, which, if seriously, and not ironically spoken, was good advice; God is to be called upon, and especially in times of trouble; and invocation is to be made in faith, in sincerity, and with fervency, and to be accompanied with confession of sin, and repentance for it; and sooner or later God hears and answers those that call upon him; but Eliphaz suggests, that if Job did call upon him, it would be in vain, he would not hear him, he going upon the same maxim that the Jews did in Christ’s time, “God heareth not sinners”: (<430931>John…”

“ELIPHAZ' CONCLUSION FROM THE VISION. (Job 5:1-27) if there be any, &c.--Rather, "will He (God) reply to thee?" Job, after the revelation just given, cannot be so presumptuous as to think God or any of the holy ones (Dan 4:17, "angels") round His throne, will vouchsafe a reply (a judicial expression) to his rebellious complaint.”

“Call now - The expressions used here, as Noyes has well observed, seem to be derived from the law, where the word “call” denotes the language of the complainant, and answer that of the defendant. According to this, the meaning of the words “call now” is, in jus voca: that is, call the Deity to account, or bring an action against him: or more properly, enter into an argument or litigation, as before a tribunal; see the notes at Isaiah 41:1, where similar language occurs. If there be any that will answer thee - If there is anyone who will respond to thee in such a trial. Noyes renders this, “See if He will answer…”

“Call - Call them all as it were by their names: will not every good man confirm what I say? If - Try if there be any one saint that will defend thee in these bold expostulations with God. Thou mayst find fools or wicked men, to do it: but not one of the children of God. Job 5:2”

“5:1 The angels (literally the holy ones), probably a reference back to 4:18, are called “holy ones” because of their proximity to God, not because they were morally perfect (15:15; Dan 4:14; 8:13; Zech 14:5).”

“and to which: Job 15:8-10, Job 15:15; Isa 41:1, Isa 41:21-23; Heb 12:1 the saints: Job 4:18, Job 15:15; Deu 33:2, Deu 33:3; Psa 16:3, Psa 106:16; Eph 1:1 turn: or, look Job 5:2”

“1 Call now, - is there any one who will answer thee? And to whom of the holy ones wilt thou turn? 2 For he is a fool who is destroyed by complaining, And envy slays the simple one. 3 I, even I, have seen a fool taking root: Then I had to curse his habitation suddenly. 4 His children were far from help, And were crushed in the gate, without a rescuer; 5 While the hungry ate his harvest, And even from among thorns they took it away, And the intriguer snatched after his wealth. The chief thought of the oracle was that God is the absolutely just One, and infinitely exalted above men and angels. Resuming his speech…”