Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 1:8

And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

8. The integrity and godliness attributed to Job by the author of the Poem are confirmed by God Himself.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

Hast thou considered my servant Job? – Margin, Set thine heart on. The margin is a literal translation of the Hebrew. Schultens remarks on this, that it means more than merely to observe or to look at – since it is abundantly manifest from the following verses that Satan had attentively considered Job, and had been desirous of injuring him. It means, according to him, to set himself against Job, to fix the heart on him with an intention to injure him, and yahweh means to ask whether Satan had done this. But it seems more probable that the phrase means to consider attentively, and that God means to ask him whether he had carefully observed him. Satan is represented as having no confidence in human virtue, and as maintaining that there was none which would resist temptation, if presented in a form sufficiently alluring. God here appeals to the case of Job as a full refutation of this opinion. The trial which follows is designed to test the question whether the piety of Job was of this order.

That there is none like him in the earth – That he is the very highest example of virtue and piety on earth. Or might not the word ky here be rendered for? For there is none like him in the earth. Then the idea would be, not that he had considered that there was none like him, but God directs his attention to him because he was the most eminent among mortals.

A perfect and an upright man – See the Notes at Job 1:1. The Septuagint translates this verse as they do Job 1:1.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job] Literally, Hast thou placed thy heart on my servant Job? Hast thou viewed his conduct with attention, whilst thou wert roaming about, seeking whom thou mightest devour? viz., the careless, prayerless, and profligate in general.

Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible

Hast thou taken notice of him, and his spirit and carriage? and what hast thou to say against him?

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

8. consideredMargin,“set thine heart on”; that is, considered attentively. Notrue servant of God escapes the eye of the adversary of God.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

And the Lord said unto Satan, hast thou considered my servant Job,…. Or, “hast thou put thine heart on my servant” p; not in a way of love and affection to him, to do him any good or service, there being an original and implacable enmity in this old serpent to the seed of the woman; but rather his heart was set upon him in a way of desire to have him in his hands, to do him all the mischief he could, as the desire of his heart was toward Peter, Lu 22:31 but the sense of the question is, since thou sayest thou hast been walking up and down in the earth, hast thou not taken notice of Job, and cast an eye upon him, and wished in thine heart to have him in thine hands to do him hurt? I know that thou hast; hast thou not contrived in thine heart how to attack him, tempt him, and draw him from my service, and into sins and snares, in order to reproach and accuse him? thou hast, but all in vain; and so it is a sarcasm upon Satan, as well as an expression of indignation at him for such an attempt upon him, and as anticipating his accusation of Job; for it is as if he should further say, I know he is in thine eye, and upon thine heart, now thou art come with a full intent to accuse and charge him; so Jarchi, “lest thou set thine heart”, c. so as “to have a good will to accuse him” he had, but the Lord prevents him, by giving a high character of him, in these and the following words: here he calls him “my servant” not a servant of men, living according to the lusts and will of men, and their customs and forays of worship, superstition, and idolatry; nor a servant of sin and the lusts of the flesh; nor of Satan, who boasted of the whole earth being his; but the Lord’s servant, not only by creation, but by special choice, by redemption, by efficacious grace, and the voluntary surrender of himself to the Lord under the influence of it; and by his cheerful and constant obedience he answered this character; and the Lord here claims his property in him, acknowledges him as his servant, calls him by name, and gives an high and honourable account of him:

that there is none like him in the earth; or “in the land”; in the land of Uz, so Obadiah Sephorno; whatever there were in other countries, there were none in this, being in general idolaters; or in the land of the people of the Heathen nations, as the Targum; or rather in the whole earth, where Satan had been walking: and, very probably, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, were now dead; Job being, as it should seem, between them and the times of Moses; and though there might be many godly persons then living, who were like to him in quality, being partakers of the same divine nature, having the same image of God upon them, and the same graces in them, and a similar experience of divine things, yet not upon an equality with him; he exceeded them all in grace and holiness; and particularly, none came up to him for his patience in suffering affliction, though this was often tried; as Moses excelled others in meekness, and Solomon in wisdom; Job was an eminent saint and servant of the Lord, a father in his family, a pillar in his house, like Saul among the people, taller in grace and the exercise of it; and this is a reason why he could not but be taken notice of by Satan, who has his eye more especially on the most eminent saints, and envies them, and strikes at them; and so the words are by some rendered, “for there is none like him” q; or rather they may be rendered, “but there is none like him” r: and so are opposed to the accusations and charges Satan was come with against him:

a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

[See comments on Job 1:1] here the character there given is confirmed by the Lord in the express words of it.

p “nunquid posuisti cor tuum super servum meum”, Pagninus, Montanus, Bolducius, Schmidt. q “nam”, Piscator. r “Atqui”, Schmidt.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

8 Then said Jehovah to Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job? for there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God and escheweth evil.

By Jehovah gives the reason of His inquiry. Had Satan been observant of Job, even he must have confessed that there was on the earth real genuine piety. , animum advertere (for is animus , anima ), is construed with , of the object on which the attention falls, and on which it fixes itself, or , of the object towards which it is directed (Job 2:3). The repetition of the four predicates used of Job (Job 1:1) in the mouth of Jehovah (though without the waw combining both pairs there) is a skilful touch of the poet. Further on, the narrative is also interwoven with poetic repetitions (as e.g., Job 34 and Gen 1), to give it architectural symmetry, and to strengthen the meaning and impression of what is said. Jehovah triumphantly displays His servant, the incomparable one, in opposition to Satan; but this does not disconcert him: he knows how, as on all occasions, so here also, to deny what Jehovah affirms.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

8. Hast thou (in thy travels) considered Remarked, noticed, , literally, as in the margin. The question falls like a spark upon a mind inflammable with evil, and the evil spirit becomes unconsciously an agent for the accomplishment of the divine purpose the trial of Job. “Not only must he receive God’s permission before he can proceed one step against Job, but the very occasion through which he attains that permission is gratuitously provided for him by God.” Evans.

My servant A title of honour conferred by God on but few. The term is endearing, My servant. Though but “a root out of a dry ground” of heathenism, there was none in all the East his equal.

A perfect and an upright man The repetition not only constitutes a poetical elegance common in the classics, but shows most expressively the moral worth of the man. The estimate of Job, expressed by the author in Job 1:1, (which see,) now receives the divine approval.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

Job 1:8. Hast thou considered my servant Job, &c.? The Hebrew, hasamta libbeka, literally signifies, hast thou put thy heart, &c. The words going to and fro, &c. in the preceding verse, imply roving about with an evil intention, and with a determined resolution of doing mischief; in allusion to which, Satan is now questioned by the Deity, whether he had viewed Job with his natural malignity, and with an intention to involve him in misery. Schultens.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that [there is] none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Ver. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job ] Job then was in God’s account a considerable person, and such a one as whose praise was not of men, but of God. Such are all godly people, but especially those that are eminent tall Christians; full of goodness, filled with all knowledge, as those Romans, Job 15:14 , men of choice spirits as Caleb, that walk up and down the world as so many conquerors, 1Jn 5:4 , that are clothed with the sun, and tread upon the moon, Rev 12:1 . These are men of mark, et undique spectabiles, worthy looking after. A man would have gone as far to have seen Luther as he in the story did to see Livy; or as the queen of Sheba did to see Solomon. A man would fetch such golden sentences as those he uttered upon his knees from Rome or Jerusalem, saith Mr Sam. Clark, that writeth his Life. “The tongue of the just is as choice silver: but the heart of the wicked is little worth,” Pro 10:20 . Hence Antiochus is called a vile person, Dan 11:21 , though a great potentate. And the prophet tells Joram, that wicked king of Israel, that but for Jehoshaphat’s sake (a better man) he would not have looked toward him, nor have seen him, 2Ki 3:14 . Job was a man of weight, and great worth, as were those precious sons of Zion, Lam 4:2 . Didst thou not therefore make a stand at his door, saith God? seest thou not how he stands as a standard bearer? shines as a great light? shows forth in his whole practice such a power of godliness, as is sufficient either to draw hearts, or to daunt them? hast thou met with such a man in all thy circuit, that can quit himself so well and wisely in all estates, like as gold is purged in the fire, shineth in the water? seest thou not how all his principles, practices, and aims, are supernal and supernatural?

That there is none like him in the earth ] This was a high praise indeed; and yet no hyperbole; he was a giant to other good people, who were but dwarfs and zanies to him, for growth of grace and height of holiness. He was the paragon of his time; and of unparalleled piety. As Ahab was a very nonsuch for wickedness, 1Ki 21:25 , so was Job for goodness. As Hezekiah outstripped all the kings of Judah for his trusting in the Lord, 2Ki 18:5 , and Josiah for his integrity, 2Ki 23:25 , and the centurion for his heroic faith, Matt. viii., and Paul for his plus ultra, more in addition, Phi 3:1-21 , and Ambrose, that, in Theodosius’s account, he was the only bishop ( A ); so it was here, Job was above others, as Saul was above the people by the head and shoulders. As he was the greatest, so the best man of all the children of the East, not a man came near him, and yet they might be dear to God nevertheless. But it is with good people as with Jonathan’s signal arrows; two fell short, and but one beyond the mark, &c. God hath his servants of all sorts and sizes; and est aliquid prodire tenus, &c.

A perfect and an upright man, &c. ] A tough piece thou findest him, I suppose, and not easily malleable. Thou hast been doing at him, I doubt not, but canst do no good on it. Thou hast set thine heart upon him, and tried thine utmost skill to overturn him, but hast met with thy match, and been sent away without thine errand; thou hast but beat upon cold iron; thou hast struck fire, but without tinder; thou hast knocked at the door, but there was none within to open to thee. Thus God speaketh, to sting Satan; and (as it were) triumphing over his and Job’s adversary.

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

feareth

(See Scofield “Psa 19:9”).

Fuente: Scofield Reference Bible Notes

considered: Heb. set thy heart on, Job 2:3, Job 34:14, Eze 40:4

my servant: Num 12:7, Num 12:8, Psa 89:20, Isa 42:1

none: Num 12:3, 1Ki 4:30, 1Ki 4:31, 2Ki 23:25

a perfect: Job 1:1, Job 8:20, Job 9:22, Job 9:23, Psa 18:23, Joh 1:47

upright: Job 12:4, Job 17:8, Job 17:9, Job 23:11, Job 23:12, Psa 84:11

one: Neh 5:15, Psa 36:1, Pro 8:13, Luk 23:39, Luk 23:40

escheweth: Psa 34:14, Psa 37:27, Isa 1:16

Reciprocal: Gen 6:9 – perfect Gen 25:27 – a plain man Deu 18:13 – Thou shalt 1Ki 8:61 – perfect 1Ki 22:22 – a lying spirit 2Ki 20:3 – I have walked Job 4:6 – the uprightness Job 8:6 – thou wert Psa 119:1 – undefiled Luk 1:6 – righteous Luk 2:25 – just Luk 22:31 – Satan Joh 9:3 – Neither Rom 6:22 – become

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Job 1:8. Hast thou considered my servant Job? Hast thou taken notice of him, and of his spirit and conduct? That there is none like him in all the earth The Targum saith, None like him in the land of the Gentiles; intimating, probably, that notwithstanding he was of the Gentiles, he was yet so distinguished an example of virtue and goodness, that his equal was not to be found among them. Dr. Lightfoot speaks of Job as being, without the least doubt, a heathen, observing, In these times, when it went thus sadly with Israel in Egypt, there shone forth the glorious piety of Job in the land of Uz, vol. 1. p. 23; and again, p. 1026, About (the time of) Israels being in Egypt, Job lives in Arabia, a heathen man, and yet so good. And thus St. Gregory: His country is purposely named, that the goodness of the man may be the more illustrated.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments