Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 26:3
How hast thou counseled [him that hath] no wisdom? and [how] hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
3. plentifully declared the thing as it is ] Rather, plentifully, or, abundantly, declared knowledge, or, wisdom. The word is that which occurs in ch. Job 5:12; see notes. “Him that is without power,” “that hath no wisdom” &c., is of course Job himself; and he expresses his admiration of the contribution made by Bildad to the clearing up of his perplexities and the solution of the riddle of his life. It is not quite clear whether Job means to say: “I am weak and unnerved, perplexed and ignorant, and how mightily in all this thou hast helped me!” or, whether he is not thinking with Bildad’s mind and giving bitter expression to the thoughts which that speaker doubtless entertained of his own performance, and of the effect it should have on the person whom he addressed: “Doubtless thou hast abundantly instructed and strengthened the weak and ignorant man before thee!” The former sense is the more natural, the other fits better into connexion with Job 26:4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? – As he had undertaken to give counsel to another, and to suggest views that might be adapted to elevate his mind in his depression, and to console him in his sorrows, he had a right to expect more than he had found in his speech.
And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? – The word rendered the thing as it is ( tushyah) denotes properly a setting upright, uprightness – from yashah; then help, deliverance, Job 6:13; purpose, undertaking, enterprise, Job 5:12; then counsel, wisdom, understanding, Job 11:6; Job 12:16. Here it is synonymous with reason, wisdom, or truth. The word rendered plentifully ( larob) means for multitude, or abundantly, and the sense here is, that Bildad had made extraordinary pretensions to wisdom, and that this was the result. This short, irrelevant speech was all; a speech that communicated nothing new, and that met none of the real difficulties of the case.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Him that hath no wisdom; either,
1. God: thou hast in effect undertaken to teach God how to govern the world. Or rather,
2. Me, whom you take to be a man void of understanding, Job 11:2,3, whom therefore you should have instructed with wholesome counsels, instead of these impertinent discourses; and who indeed do want wisdom, being perfectly at a loss, and not knowing what to say or do.
The thing as it is, Heb. essence, the truth and substance of the thing in question between us; thou hast spoken the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and all t can be said in the matter. Or,
wisdom, as this word is used, Pro 3:21. A most wise and profound discourse thou hast made, and much to the purpose: an ironical expression, as before.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
3. plentifully . . . the thing as itisrather, “abundantlywisdom.” Bildad had madegreat pretensions to abundant wisdom. How has he shown it?
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
How hast thou counselled [him that hath] no wisdom?…. A man deprived of wisdom has need of counsel, and it should be given him; and he does well both to ask and take it; and be it so, as if Job should say, that I am the foolish and unwise creature you take me to be, what counsel and advice have you given me? what a wise counsellor have you shown yourself to be? or rather, what a miserable part have you acted under this character?
and [how] hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? the thing in controversy, set it forth in a clear light, and in a copious manner, when he had not said one word about it, namely, concerning the afflictions of the godly, and the prosperity of the wicked; thus jeering at him, and laughing at the short reply he had made, and which was nothing to the purpose.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(3) The thing as it is?Rather, How hast thou plentifully declared sound knowledge?
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
Strophe Job compliments Bildad on his inapposite discourse, which has served not only to exhaust the subject but Bildad himself , Job 26:2-4.
3. Plentifully Job ridicules the brevity of Bildad’s speech. The first four verses are exquisitely ironical.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 26:3 How hast thou counselled [him that hath] no wisdom? and [how] hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
Ver. 3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? ] q.d. Thou lookest upon me as a fool and an atheist; but this thou dost with far greater folly; for I am not the man thou takest me for, but can say as much for God as thyself, and more too; and if I were such as thou wouldest make of me, I might so continue, for any help I should have by thy counsel. The like hereunto we may say to the Papists and other seducers, who pretend to tender our good, to counsel us for the best, and to wish our salvation.
And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is?
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
as it is = the thing that is. See note on “sound wisdom”. Pro 2:7.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
counselled: Job 6:13, Job 12:3, Job 13:5, Job 15:8-10, Job 17:10, Job 32:11-13
plentifully: Job 33:3, Job 33:33, Job 38:2, Psa 49:1-4, Psa 71:15-18, Pro 8:6-9, Act 20:20, Act 20:27
Reciprocal: Job 15:9 – knowest Job 16:2 – heard
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 26:3. How hast thou counselled him that hath no wisdom? Me, whom thou takest to be void of understanding, and whom, therefore, thou oughtest to have instructed with wholesome counsels, instead of those impertinent discourses which thou hast delivered. But, as the words, him that hath, are not in the original, the text would be better rendered, Why dost thou counsel without wisdom? And how hast thou plentifully declared the thing as it is? And the essence, truth, or substance, (so the word , vethushiah, signifies,) namely, of the thing in question between us, in abundance thou hast made known; thou hast spoken the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and all that can be said in the matter! A most wise and profound discourse thou hast made, and much to the purpose! An ironical expression as before. But the word , la-rob, which we translate, plentifully, or, in abundance, may be read, la-rib, to contention: and then the clause will bear a clearer sense, thus: Why dost thou discover truth or wisdom for the sake of contention?