Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 8:4

If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

4. The construction of the English version is possible, which makes the whole of Job 8:4 the supposition or protasis and begins the second member of the sentence with Job 8:5. But more probably Job 8:4 is complete in itself: if thy children have sinned so (or, then) he hath, &c.

cast them away for ] Rather lit., he hath sent them away, or, let them go, into the hand of their transgression. The idea is that evil carries its own retribution with it, and that a sinner is destroyed by the very sin which he commits, a common idea in the Book, cf. ch. Job 4:8, Job 15:31; Job 15:35, Job 18:7-8, Job 20:12 seq. Though Bildad puts his reference to the children of Job hypothetically there is great harshness in the allusion, and we may understand how the father would smart under it from his own reference later in the Book to the time when his children were yet alive: “When my boys were about me,” ch. Job 29:5. A wiser and more human-hearted Teacher than Bildad has instructed us from the instances of the affliction of blindness (Joh 9:2-3) and the accident in the tower of Siloam (Luk 13:4) that calamity is no proof of guilt in those on whom it falls, and that evil may serve in the hand of God wider uses than the chastisement of individuals. This is the very lesson of the Book of Job, though it seems that men in the days of our Lord had not yet learned it. The verse refers back to ch. Job 1:19, and is evidence that the Prologue forms an integral part of the Book.

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

4 7. In opposition to Job’s impious principle Bildad brings forward his doctrine of the Divine rectitude on both its sides, the one illustrated in the fate of Job’s children ( Job 8:4), the other, as he hopes, to be illustrated in the history of Job himself ( Job 8:5-7).

Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

If thy children have sinned against him – Bildad here assumes that the children of Job had been wicked, and had been cut off in their sins. This must have cut him to the quick, for there was nothing which a bereaved father would feel more acutely than this. The meaning here is somewhat weakened by the word if. The Hebrew ‘m is rather to be taken in the sense of since – assuming it as an indisputable point, or taking it for granted. It was not a supposition that if they should now do it, certain other consequences would follow; but the idea is, that since they had been cut off in their sins, if Job would even now seek God with a proper spirit, he might be restored to prosperity, though his beginning should be small; Job 8:7.

And he have cast them away – Bildad supposes that they had been disowned by God, and had been put to death.

For their transgression – Margin, in the hand of their. The Hebrew is, by the hand of their transgression; i. e, their sin has been the cause of it, or it has been by the instrumentality of their sin. What foundation Bildad had for this opinion, derived from the life and character of the sons of Job, we have no means of ascertaining. The probability is, however, that he had learned in general that they had been cut off; and that, on the general principle which he maintained, that God deals with men in this life according to their character, he inferred that they must have been distinguished for wickedness. Men not unfrequently argue in this way when sudden calamity comes upon others.

Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible

Verse 4. If thy children have sinned] I know thy children have been cut off by a terrible judgment; but was it not because by transgression they had filled up the measure of their iniquity?

And he have cast them away] Has sent them off, says the Targum, to the place of their transgression-to that punishment due to their sins.

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

What though thou wast in a great measure innocent, thy children, upon whom a great part of these calamities fell, might be guilty of great sins; and therefore God is not unrighteous in these proceedings.

He hath cast them away, expelled, or cast them out, (to wit, out of the world, or out of his favour; as a man gives his wife a bill of divorce, of which this word is used,) by means (Heb. by the hand, which is oft so used) of their wickedness. Or, hath left them in the hand of their sin, to wit, to be punished by it and for it. Compare Num 32:23, Your sin shall find you out.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

4. IfRather, “Sincethy children have sinned against Him, and (since) He has castthem away (Hebrew, by the hand of) for their transgressions,(yet) if thou wouldst seek unto God, c., if thou wert pure, &c.,surely [even] now He would awake for thee.” UMBREITmakes the apodosis to, “since thy children,” &c., beginat “He has cast them away.” Also, instead of “for,“”He gave them up to (literally, into the hand of) theirown guilt.” Bildad expresses the justice of God, which Job hadarraigned. Thy children have sinned God leaves them to theconsequence of their sin; most cutting to the heart of the bereavedfather.

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

If thy children have sinned against him,…. As no doubt they had, and, as Bildad thought, in a very notorious manner, and therefore were righteously punished for them; this instance is produced as a proof of God’s not perverting, but doing justice, and the rather, because it was on account of this that it was supposed that Job charged, or was ready to charge, God with injustice; this was so far from it, that it was a righteous thing to do it, “if” or “seeing” his children had sinned; or “because” they have sinned, or “though” they have sinned, as the words h are by some differently rendered; and either way shows that God did not pervert justice, but acted agreeably to it. Mr. Broughton renders them, “as thy children have sinned against him, so hath he sent them into the hand of their trespass”; as a righteous retaliation for it: that Job’s children had sinned, there is no question to be made of it; they were born in sin, though born of godly parents; and though they had a religious education, yet no doubt were guilty of sin in their younger years, as well as when grown up; and even though good men, as there may be reason to conclude they were, yet daily sinning, for there are none without sin; and also it is true, that all sin is against God, contrary to his nature and will, a breach and transgression of his law, and an act of hostility against himself, and a trampling under foot, or at least a neglect, of his legislative power and authority, which is an aggravation of it; yet it does not appear that Job’s children were guilty of any notorious sins or atrocious crimes, or lived a sinful course of life, for which the judgments of God came upon them; nor is it a clear case that they were taken away by death in the manner they were on account of their sins, but rather purely for the trial of Job’s integrity, faith, and patience:

and he have cast them away for their transgression; or “by the hand of it” i; by means of it, because of it, being provoked with it. Bildad represents them as abandoned sinners, as castaways and reprobates, rejected of God with abhorrence, and utterly ruined. Some render it, “hath sent them into the hand of their transgression” k, or trespass; that is, delivered them up to the power and dominion of sin, gave them up to their hearts’ lusts, and to vile affections, to do things not convenient, and which they pursued to their ruin; the Targum is,

“he sent them into the place of their transgression l;”

into hell, which their transgressions deserved, and for which they were fitted by them. Some a little more mildly render the words, “he sent them away” m; that is, dismissed them out of the world, took them out of it by death; which dismission is sometimes in peace, as good old Simeon prayed for, and sometimes in wrath, as Saul was taken away, see Lu 2:29; the latter is the meaning here.

h “quandoquidem”, Michaelis; “quia”, Vatablus; “etiamsi”, V. L. i “in manu iniquitatis suae”, V. L. so Montanus, Cocceius. k “In manum transgressionis ipsorum”, Piscator, Beza, Schmidt, Michaelis, Schultens; “in potestatem defectionis ipsorum”, Junius Tremellius. l So Munster m “et dimisit eos”, Drusius “e mundo”, Pagninus, Vatablus; so Gersom.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

(4) And he have cast them away.Literally, then he sent them away. By means of their transgression; it became their destruction.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

4. If The hypothetical way of putting the case by no means deadens the stroke dealt by the following word, thy children. Compare the delicate and impersonal allusion of Eliphaz in Job 5:4. And Better, then. Thus the verse is complete in itself.

For their transgression Then hath he given them into the hand of their transgression, as in margin. Divine wisdom has ordained that wickedness should be its own punishment. The law is as unerring as that of gravitation. The retributive sting may be concealed, but it is none the less the endowment of evil. From the moment of transgression the elements of evil bestir themselves to punish, though the stroke be delayed.

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

Job 8:4. If thy children have sinned Though thy children have sinned. Job 8:6. Surely now he would awake for thee] Surely now he would make bare his arm on thy behalf; he would make the beauty of thy righteousness perfect. Heath.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

Job 8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their transgression;

Ver. 4. If thy children have sinned against him ] As what man is he that liveth and sinneth not? But Bildad meant that Job’s children had heinously sinned, had been grievous sinners against their own souls (as afterwards were Korah and his accomplices), had not sinned common sins, and therefore died not common deaths; indeed, they died early and suddenly, and eating and drinking (wherein there might be some excess), and before sacrifice offered for them, as formerly; all this was sad, and moved Job more than anything else. But did it therefore follow that God had cast them away? &c.

And he have cast them away for their transgression ] Or, and he have expelled or abandoned them into the hand (so the Hebrews hath it elegantly) of their transgressions or rebellions, as so many executioners. Some render it thus, He hath driven them out of the world for their transgression. The Chaldee paraphrast goeth further, interpreting hand here for place (Pagnin.). If God have sent them, saith he, into the place of their wickedness, that is, into hell prepared for the wicked. Now surely, saith Lavater, Inhumanissimus fuit Bildad, qui ista calamitosissimo obiecere non dubitabat, Bildad was a most unmerciful man, who doubted not to lay these things in the dish of him that was before so heavily afflicted, and to heap more load upon him who was ready to sink under his burden; but he did it, say some, of a good intent, to bring Job to a sense of his sin, and to put him in hope of appeasing God s wrath, who had yet spared his life that he might make his peace, and not suddenly slain him, as he had done them; and therefore he assureth him in the following verses, as Eliphaz had done before, that all things shall go well with him if he repent. Albeit thy children have sinned, &c., yet

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

children = sons.

for = by the hand of; by their own act.

transgression = rebellion. Hebrew. pash’a. App-44.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

he have cast: Job 1:5, Job 1:18, Job 1:19, Job 5:4, Job 18:16-19, Gen 13:13, Gen 19:13-25

for their transgression: Heb. in the hand of their transgression

Reciprocal: Job 4:11 – the stout Job 13:4 – ye are forgers Job 18:19 – neither Job 19:3 – ye reproached Job 22:20 – our substance Isa 64:7 – because

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Job 8:4. If thy children have sinned against him If thou wast innocent, thy children, upon whom a great part of these calamities fell, might be guilty; and therefore God is not unrighteous in these proceedings. And he have cast them away Hebrew, hath expelled, or cast them out; (namely, out of the world, or out of his favour; as a man gives his wife a bill of divorce, of which the same word is used;) for their transgression Hebrew, by the hand, that is, by means of, their wickedness. Bildad argued in this way according to the maxim which he had entertained: but it does not appear that he had any foundation for judging thus of them.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

8:4 If thy children have sinned against him, and he have cast them away for their {b} transgression;

(b) That is, has rewarded them according to their iniquity, meaning that Job should be warned by the example of his children, that he not offend God.

Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes