Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Job 1:5
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Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, etc.] When they had been at each other’s houses in turn; when the rotation was ended: something like this is practised by the Chinese, who have their co-fraternities, which they call “the brotherhood of the month”; this consists of thirty, according to the number of days therein, and in a circle they go every day to eat at one another’s house by turns; if one man has not convenience to receive the fraternity in his own house, he may provide it at another man’s, and there are many public houses very well furnished for this purpose f29: Job’s sons probably began at the elder brother’s house, and so went on according to their age, and ended with the younger brother; so when they had gone through the circuit, as the word f30 signifies, and the revolution was over, and they had done feasting for that season, or that year: that Job sent and sanctified them; not that he did or could make them holy, by imparting grace, or infusing holiness into them; at most he could only pray for their sanctification, and give them rules, precepts, and instructions about holiness, and exhortations to it; but here it signifies, that being at some distance from them he sent messengers or letters to them to sanctify and prepare themselves for the sacrifices he was about to offer for them; either by some rites and ceremonies, as by washing themselves, and abstinence from their wives, which were sometimes used as preparatory to divine service, (<013502>Genesis 35:2,3) (<021910>Exodus 19:10,11,14,15), or by fasting and prayer; or, perhaps, no more is intended by it than an invitation of them to come and attend the solemn sacrifice which he, as the head of the family, would offer for them; so, to sanctify people, is sometimes to invite, to call and gather them to holy service, (see <290215>Joel 2:15,16) and so the Targum renders it. “Job sent and invited them:” and rose up early in the morning of the last of the days of feasting; he took the first opportunity, and that as early as he could; which shows the eagerness of his spirit for the glory of God, and the good of his children, losing no time for his devotion to God, and regard for his family; this being also the fittest time for religious worship and service, (see <190503>Psalm 5:3), and was used for sacrifice, (<022939>Exodus 29:39), and offered burnt offering according to the number of them all either of his ten children, or only his seven sons, since they only are next mentioned, and were the masters of the feast: this was before the law of the priesthood was in being, which restrained the offering of sacrifice to those in the office of priests, when, before, every head of a family had a right unto it; and this custom of offering sacrifice was before the law of Moses, it was of divine institution, and in use from the time of the fall of man, (<010321>Genesis 3:21 4:3,4 8:20), and was by tradition handed down from one to another, and so Job had it; and which was typical of the sacrifice of Christ, to be offered up in the fulness of time for the expiation of sin; and Job, no doubt, by faith in Christ, offered up those burnt offerings for his sons, and one for each of them, thereby signifying, that everyone stood in need of the whole sacrifice of Christ for the atonement of sin, as every sinner does: for Job said, it may be that my sons have sinned; not merely as in common, or daily sins of infirmity; for Job so full well knew the corruption of hu…
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