Job 8:5

“If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, etc.] Here Bildad seems to think more mildly, and speak more kindly to Job, that though he had sinned, yet not in so gross a manner as his children, since he was spared, and they were not; and therefore if he would apply himself to God, and supplicate his grace and mercy, and live a godly life, it might yet be well with him, and he be restored to his former or to better circumstances; his sense is, that he would advise him, as Eliphaz had done before, (<180508>Job 5:8); to seek unto God “by prayer”, as the Targum adds, and of which it is explained in the next clause, and that he would do this “betimes”, or “in the morning” f343; which is a proper time…”

“seek unto God betimes--early. Make it the first and chief anxiety (Psa 78:34; Hos 5:15; Isa 26:9; Pro 8:17; Pro 13:24).”

“If thou wouldest seek unto God betimes - If thou wouldest do it now. If even on the supposition that your sons have thus perished, and that God has come out in judgment against your family, you would look to God, you might be restored to favor. The word rendered “seek betimes” (שׁחר shâchar) means literally to seek in the morning, to seek early; and then, to make it the first business. It is derived from the word meaning aurora (שׁחר shachar) and has reference to the early light of the morning, and hence, to an early seeking. It may be applied to seeking him in early life, or as the first thing - looking to him immediately when help is needed, or before we apply to anyone else; compare…”

“Betimes - Heb. rise early to seek him, if thou wouldest seek him speedily, early and diligently. Job 8:6”

“thou wouldest: Job 5:8, Job 11:13, Job 22:21-23, Job 22:24-30; Ch2 33:12, Ch2 33:13; Isa 55:6, Isa 55:7; Mat 7:7, Mat 7:8; Heb 3:7, Heb 3:8; Jam 4:7-10 Job 8:6”

“5 If thou seekest unto God, And makest supplication to the Almighty, 6 If thou art pure and upright; Surely! He will care for thee, And restore the habitation of thy righteousness; 7 And if thy beginning was small, Thy end shall be exceeding great. There is still hope for Job (אתּה, in opposition to his children), if, turning humbly to God, he shows that, although not suffering undeservedly, he is nevertheless pure and upright in his inmost mind. Job 8:6 is so intended; not as Mercier and others explain: si in posterum puritati et justitiae studueris. אל־אל שׁחר, to turn one's self to God earnestly seeking, constr. praegnans, like אל־אל דּרשׁ, Job 5:8. Then begins the conclusion with…”