Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 9:10
Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
10. The description of the operation of God’s might in the material world concludes with a general statement that this operation surpasses all power of comprehension by the human mind. The words are exactly those of Eliphaz ch. Job 5:9, but while to Eliphaz all God’s operations have an ethical meaning and subserve one great purpose of goodness, to Job they seem the mere un-moral play of an immeasurable Force. This force was of course a Person, for an impersonal force is an idea unknown to the Shemitic mind. But this force seemed all the more tremendous to Job from his having no idea of second causes or of what we call laws of nature; the phenomena of the universe, even the most stupendous, were the immediate work of this mighty agent.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Which doeth great things – This is almost the sentiment which had been expressed by Eliphaz; see the notes, Job 5:9. It was evidently a proverb, and as such was used by both Eliphaz and Job.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Job 9:10-24
Which doeth great things past finding out.
Jobs idea of what God is to mankind
He regards the Eternal as–
I. Inscrutable.
1. In His works. Which doeth great things past finding out. How great are His works! great in their nature, minuteness, magnitude, variety, number. Ask the chemist, the astronomer, the entomologist, the physiologist, and the anatomist; and the more accurate and comprehensive their knowledge of the Divine workmanship is, the more ready will they be to acknowledge that His works are past finding out, and wonders without number.
2. He is inscrutable in His essence. He goeth by me, and I see Him not; He passeth on also, and I perceive Him not. I see His works, but I cannot detect the essence of the Worker.
II. As irresponsible. Behold He taketh away, and who can hinder Him? Who will say unto Him, What doest Thou?
III. As resistless. If God will not withdraw His anger, the proud helpers do stoop under Him.
1. God is an offendable Being. He is not an impassive existent, sitting at the head of the universe, utterly indifferent to the moral character of His creatures.
2. The proud have helpers and abettors. Were the whole universe to arm itself against Him, its opposition would be infinitely less than the opposition of the smallest insect to the eagle or the lion.
IV. As inexorable.
1. As uninfluenced by man.
(1) Uninfluenced by his appeals. The appeal of vindication has no power with Him. How much less shall I answer Him, and choose out any words to reason with Him? Whom, though I were righteous, yet would I not answer. The appeal of prayer. But I would make supplication to my Judge. If I had called, and He had answered me; yet would not I believe that He had hearkened unto my voice. A most melancholy mental mood is this! The patriarch represents Him as–
(2) Uninfluenced by his sufferings. For He breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. He will not suffer me to take my breath, but filleth me with bitterness.
2. As unapproached by human argument.
3. As too holy to encourage anyone to have confidence in his own virtues. Were the patriarch even a perfect man, he feels that to plead his virtues before a God so holy would not only be utterly useless, but impious and pernicious.
(1) It would involve self-condemnation. No condemnation is so terrible as the condemnation of a mans moral self.
(2) It would prove self-ignorance. Yet would I not know my soul. Truly, a man who would dare to prove his merits before God would demonstrate thereby an utter ignorance of his own insignificance and moral character.
(3) It would secure self-contempt. I would despise my life. This would be the issue of such conduct. The Almighty is here represented–
4. As utterly regardless of the moral distinctions of society. This is one thing, therefore I said it. He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, etc. (verses 22-24). Here Job hits the main point now in discussion between him and his friends. Their position was that God dealt with men here according to their moral characters, and that Job suffered because he was wicked. The patriarch again refutes it, and asserts the broad fact that the perfect and wicked are treated alike. This is not the scene of retribution, it is the domain of discipline. (Homilist.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. Great things past finding out] Great things without end; wonders without number. – Targum.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Which words were produced by Eliphaz, Job 5:9, (where they are explained,) and are here repeated by Job, to show his agreement with him therein.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. Repeated from Eliphaz (Job5:9).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Which doth great things past finding out,…. In heaven and earth; great as to quantity and quality, not to be thoroughly searched out so as to tell their numbers, nor explain and express the nature of them to the full; even what he has done, and does in creation, providence, and grace:
yea, and wonders without number; such as are amazing to men, who cannot account for them, and so many that they cannot number them. The same things are said by Eliphaz, [See comments on Job 5:9]; and which Job here repeats, to show that he agreed with him, and was ready to own what was truth, whenever expressed by him or his friends, and especially such as made for the glory of the Divine Being.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(10) Which doeth great things.He adopts the very words his former antagonist, Eliphaz, had used in Job. 5:9.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Job 9:10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
Ver. 10. Which doth great things, &c. ] See Trapp on “ Job 5:9 “ whence this verse is taken verbatim. If Eliphaz say the truth of God’s wisdom and power, Job will soon seal to it; he can find in his heart to speak all good of a wounding God, of a killing God, and not wish, as Spira did, Oh that I were above God, and could overpower him! Or as Hacker here did, A.D. 1591, threaten God to fire the heaven about him, to pluck him out of his throne. (Camb. Eliz. fol. 408)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
great things: Job 5:9, Job 26:12-14, Job 37:23, Psa 71:15, Psa 72:18, Ecc 3:11, Isa 40:26-28, Rom 11:33, Eph 3:20
wonders: Exo 15:11, Psa 136:4, Dan 4:2, Dan 4:3
Reciprocal: Job 37:5 – great Psa 40:5 – Many Psa 111:2 – works Psa 145:3 – Great Eze 1:16 – a wheel Act 2:11 – wonderful
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 9:10. Which doeth great things, &c. Job here says the same that Eliphaz had said Job 5:9, and in the original, in the very same words, with design to show his full agreement with him, touching the divine perfections.