Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 26:13
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
13. by his spirit he hath garnished ] Rather as above. The reference is to the clearing away of storm clouds, that darken the heavens, by the breath of God.
hath formed ] Rather as above, pierceth. The words express the half poetical, half mythological conception that the darkening in storm or in eclipse of the heavenly bodies was caused by the Dragon swallowing them up. See on ch. Job 3:8, Job 7:12. There is no reason to identify the swift or fleeing serpent with the constellation of the Dragon. Comp. Isa 27:1, with Mr Cheyne’s excellent note.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
By his spirit – The word spirit here is either synonymous with wisdom, referring to the wisdom by which God made the heavens; or with breath – meaning, that he did it by his own command. There is no evidence that Job refers to the Third Person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit – as being especially engaged in the work of creation. The word spirit is often used to denote ones self; and the meaning here is, that God had done it. This was one of the exhibitions of his power and skill.
He hath garnished the heavens – He has formed the stars which constitute so beautiful an ornament of the heavens.
His hand hath formed the crooked serpent – Or, rather, the fleeing serpent – nachash barach; see the notes at Isa 27:1. There can be no doubt that Job refers here to one of the constellations, which it seems was then known as the serpent or dragon. The practice of forming pictures of the heavens, with a somewhat fanciful resemblance to animals, was one of the most early devices of astronomy, and was evidently known in the time of Job; compare the notes at Job 9:9. The object was, probably, to aid the memory; and though the arrangement is entirely arbitrary, and the resemblance wholly fanciful, yet it is still continued in the works of astronomy, as a convenient help to the memory, and as aiding in the description of the heavenly bodies. This is probably the same constellation which is described by Virgil, in language that strikingly resembles that here uscd by Job:
Maximus hic flexu sinuoso elabitur anguis
Circum, perque duas in morem fluminis Arctos,
Arctos oceani metuentes sequore tingi.
Geor. i. 244.
Around our pole the spiry Dragon glides,
And, like a winding stream, the Bears divides;
The less and greater, who by Fates decree
Abhor to die beneath the Southern sea.
Dryden
The figure of the Serpent, or the Dragon, is still one of the constellations of the heavens, and there can be little doubt that it is the same that is referred to in this ancient book. On the celestial globes it is drawn between the Ursa Major and Cepheus, and is made to embrace the pole of the ecliptic in its convolutions. The head of the monster is under the foot of Hercules; then there is a coil tending eastwardly about 17 degrees north of Lyra; then he winds northwardly about 14 degrees to the second coil, where he reaches almost to the girdle of Cepheus; then he loops down and makes a third coil somewhat in the shape of the letter U, about 15 degrees below the first; and then he holds a westerly course for about 13 degrees, and passes between the head of the Greater and the tail of the Lesser Bear. The constellation has 80 stars; including four of the second magnitude, seven of the third, and twelve of the fourth.
The origin of the name given to this constellation, and the reason why it was given, are unknown. It has been supposed that the Dragon in his tortuous windings is symbolic of the oblique course of the stars, and particularly that it was designed to designate the motion of the pole of the equator around the pole of the ecliptic, produced by the precession of the equinoxes. It may be doubted, however, whether this is not a refinement; for the giving of a name for such a cause must have been based on knowledge much in advance of that which was possessed when this name was given. Mythologists say, that Draco was the watchful dragon which guarded the golden apples in the garden of the Hesperides, near Mount Atlas, in Africa, and which was slain by Hercules. Juno is said to have taken the Dragon up to heaven, and to have made a constellation of him, as a reward for his faithful services. The origin of the division of the stars into constellations is now unknown.
It has been known from the earliest times, and is found in all nations; and it is remarkable that about the same mode of division is observed, and about the same names are given to the constellations. This would seem to indicate that they had a common origin; and probably that is to be found in Chaldea, Arabia, or Egypt. Sir Isaac Newton regards Egypt as the parental point; Sir William Jones, Chaldea; Mr. Montucla, Arabia. There is probably no book earlier than this of Job, and the mention here of the names of the constellations is probably the first on record. If so, then the first intimation that we have of them was from Arabia; but still it may have been that Job derived his views from Egypt or Chaldea. The sense in the passage before us is, that the greatness and glory of God are seen by forming the beautiful and the glorious constellations that adorn the sky.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens] See the observations below.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By his spirit; either,
1. By his Divine virtue or power, which is sometimes called his spirit, as Zec 4:6; Mat 12:28. Or,
2. By his Holy Spirit, to which the creation of the world is ascribed, Gen 1:2; Job 33:4; Psa 33:6.
He hath garnished the heavens; adorned or beautified them with those glorious lights, the sun, and moon, and stars.
The crooked serpent; by which he understands either,
1. All the kinds of serpents, or fishes, or monsters of the sea. Or,
2. The most eminent of their kinds, particularly the whale, which may be here not unfitly mentioned (as it is afterwards more largely described) amongst the glorious works of God in this lower world; as the garnishing of the heavens was his noblest work in the superior visible parts of the world.
Or, 3. A heavenly constellation, called the great dragon and serpent, which being most eminent, as taking up a considerable part of the northern hemisphere, may well be put for all the rest of the constellations or stars wherewith the heavens are garnished. Thus he persisteth still in the same kind of Gods works, and the latter branch explains the former. And this sense is the more probable, because Job was well acquainted with the doctrine of astronomy, and knew the nature and names of the stars and constellations, as appears also from Job 9:9; 38:31.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
13. UMBREITless simply, “By His breath He maketh the heavens to revive”:namely, His wind dissipates the clouds, which obscured the shiningstars. And so the next clause in contrast, “His hand dothstrangle,” that is, obscures the north constellation, thedragon. Pagan astronomy typified the flood trying to destroy the arkby the dragon constellation, about to devour the moon in its eclipsedcrescent-shape like a boat (Job 3:8,Margin). But better as English Version (Ps33:6).
crookedimplying theoblique course, of the stars, or the ecliptic. “Fleeing” or”swift” [UMBREIT](Isa 27:1). This particularconstellation is made to represent the splendor of all the stars.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens,…. The visible heavens, with the sun, moon, and stars, with which they are studded and bespangled, and look exceeding beautiful; and the invisible heavens, with angels, the morning stars, and glorified saints, who especially in the resurrection morn will shine not only like stars, but as the sun in the firmament of heaven; and the church, which is the heaven below, is garnished with Gospel ministers, adorned with the gifts and graces of the spirit of God:
his hand hath formed the crooked serpent; because Job in the preceding clause has respect to the heavens and the ornament of them, this has led many to think that some constellation in the heavens is meant by the crooked serpent, either the galaxy, or milky way, as Ben Gersom and others; or the dragon star, as some in Aben Ezra c: but rather Job descends again to the sea, and concludes with taking notice of the wonderful work of God, the leviathan, with which God himself concludes his discourse with him in the close of this book, which is called as here the crooked or “bar serpent”, Isa 27:1; and so the Targum understands it,
“his hand hath created leviathan, which is like unto a biting serpent.”
Some understand it of the crocodile, and the epithet agrees with it, whether it be rendered a “bar serpent”, as some d; that is, straight, stretched out, long, as a bar, the reverse of our version; or “fleeing” e, as others; the crocodile being, as Pliny f says, terrible to those that flee from it, but flees from those that pursue it. Jarchi interprets it of Pharaoh, or leviathan, both an emblem of Satan, the old serpent, the devil, who is God’s creature, made by him as a creature, though not made a serpent, or a devil, by him, which was of himself. Some have observed the trinity of persons in these words, and who doubtless were concerned in the creation of all things; here is “Jehovah”, of whom the whole context is; and “his Spirit”, who, as he moved upon the face of the waters at the first creation, is here said to beautify and adorn the heavens; “and his hand”; his Son, the power and wisdom of God, by whom he made all things.
c So Dickinson. Physic. Vet. Vera, c. 9. sect. 23. p. 137. d “serpentem vectem”, Pagninus, Cocceius “oblongum instar vectis”, Schmidt; “oblongum”, Junius Tremellius, Piscator “longa trabe rectior”. Vide Metamorph. l. 3. Fab. 1. ver. 78. e “Fugacem”, Montanus, Vatablus; “fugiens”, Codurcus. f Nat. Hist. l. 8. c. 25.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
(13) The crooked serpent.By this expression is doubtless meant the forked lightning-flash, though it is difficult to determine whether any, or what mythological ideas may underlie the expression, or whether it is anything more than a figure derived from the natural world, which suggested the similitude of the flying serpent. Others understand by it the constellation of the Northern Dragon, to whose influence storms were ascribed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Garnished the heavens Literally, By his breath the heavens are bright. At the root of Shiphra, bright, (a woman’s name in Exo 1:15,) lies the idea of beauty. “The word is used,” says Scott, “by the elegant Hariri of a beautiful woman unveiling and shining out to her admirers.”
Formed , pierced through. So the Syriac, Arabic, Furst, Hirtzel, Dillmann, Ewald, Hitzig, etc. The same word in the participial form is used in Isa 51:9, where it unquestionably signifies the piercing of the dragon. Some, however, give to the word a different root form, and make it to signify, as in the Authorized Version, to “form,” or “create:” Welte, Renan, Conant, etc.
Crooked serpent Better, the fleeing serpent. The Septuagint renders the phrase, “he destroyed the apostate serpent,” which reduced Tyndale to translate it, “With his hand hath he wounded the rebellyous serpent.” In the opinion of some there is a reference to a mythological legend, as in Job 3:8, (see note.). On the contrary, as the mention of the sea suggested its Rahab, so that of the sky suggests its Serpent, a constellation that from the remotest ages has borne either this or kindred names. This constellation, (Draco, the Dragon,) with its nearly a hundred stars and its head beneath the foot of Hercules, winds its way between the greater and lesser Bears, almost half around the polar circle. Popular imagination conceived that the hand of God pierced it through as it strove to escape, and thus transfixed it in its course. The tragical story of the garden is seemingly transferred to the skies. Hitzig links “the fleeing serpent” with “the host of the height,” (Isa 24:21,) and regards it as a veil of a , or, evil intelligences, kindred to Eph 6:12. Prof. Lee and Wordsworth see in the passage a transition from the works of creation to that of redemption. The wounding of the serpent, also paraphrased in Isa 27:1, where this very “fleeing serpent” is said to be pierced with the sword, may harbinger the triumph of the cross, in which Christ bruised the head of the serpent. If so, the sublime description of the works of creation culminates in the vastly greater work of redemption. The two verses, 12 and 13, are thus linked in the one common thought the final subjugation of evil. Bildad speaks of the uncleanness and hopelessness of man, (Job 26:4😉 Job’s reply, far reaching and in shadowy vision, embraces the cross.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 26:13. By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens, &c. It may be well asked, how come these disagreeable ideas to be joined together? How comes the forming of a crooked serpent to be mentioned as an instance of Almighty power, and to be set as it were upon an equal foot with the creation of the heavens, and all the host of them? When you read the whole chapter, all the images in which are great and magnificent, can you possibly imagine that the forming of the crooked serpent, in this place, means no more than that God created snakes and adders? This surely cannot be the case. If we consider the state of religion in the world when this book was penned, it will help to clear this matter up. The oldest notion, in opposition to the supremacy of the creator, is, that of two independent principles; and the only kind of idolatry mentioned in the book of Job (and it was of all others the most ancient) is the worship of the sun and moon and heavenly host: from this Job vindicates himself, chap. Job 31:26, &c. Suppose Job now to be acquainted with the fall of man, and the part ascribed to the serpent, of the introduction of evil; and see how aptly the parts cohere: In opposition to the idolatrous practice of his time, he asserts God to be the maker of all the host of heaven, By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens. In opposition to the false notion of two independent principles, he asserts God to be the maker of him who was the first author of evil: His hand hath formed the crooked serpent. You see how properly the garnishing of the heavens and the forming of the serpent are joined together. That this is the ancient traditionary explication of this place, we have undeniable evidence from the translation of the LXX, who render the latter part of this verse, which relates to the serpent, in this manner: By a decree he destroyed the apostate dragon. The Syriac and Arabic versions are to the same effect. These translators apply the place to the punishment inflicted on the serpent, and it comes to the same thing; for the punishing of the serpent is as clear an evidence of God’s power over the author of evil, as the creating him. We need not wonder to see so much concern in this book of Job to maintain the supremacy of God, and to guard it against every false notion; for this was the theme, the business of the author. He gives as it were an epitome of his design in these remarkable words, delivered by Job, chap. Job 9:4. God is wise in heart, and mighty in strength: who hath hardened himself against him, and hath prospered? The mention of the serpent in this manner, in the book of Job, is the more to be regarded, because this book being, as I conceive, older than the Mosaic history; it is an evident proof that the account of Moses is the ancient account of the fall, and not a story dressed up by himself to serve any particular ends or purposes. Bp. Sherlock on Prophecy, Dissert. 2: As this learned and able writer has in these last words expressed his opinion of the antiquity of this book, we will just set down, for the satisfaction of the reader, what he offers against the opinion of its being written for the consolation of the Jews at Babylon. “The patience of Job,” says he, “is much talked of, and we seldom look further for any use of this book; but in truth the book was written in opposition to the very ancient opinion which introduced two independent principles; one of good, the other of evil. For this reason Satan, the author of Job’s misfortunes, has permission from God to afflict Job; and the moral of the history lies in Job’s reflection, The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: and again, Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? In all which, as the history expressly observes, Job did not sin with his lips; intimating how prone men were to sin with their lips, when they talked of the evils of life, and the author of them.”
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent.
Ver. 13. By his Spirit he hath garnished the heavens ] Spiritu eius caeli sunt ipsa pulchritudo, By his Spirit the heavens are beauty itself, so Vatablus rendereth it, Adoravit, decoravit, pulcreferecit. Hinc . That Three in One, and One in Three, wrought in the creation: see Psa 33:6 , “By the word of Jehovah were the heavens made, and all the host of them by the breath of his mouth.” Here Jehovah, his Word, and his Spirit, are noted to be the Maker of the world; so Gen 1:1-31 . The heathens had some blind notions hereof, as appeareth by Plutarch, who reporteth that in Thebe, a town of Egypt, they worshipped a God whom they acknowledged to be immortal; but how painted they him? In the likeness of a man blowing an egg out of his mouth; to signify that he made the round world by the spirit of his mouth. Upon the heavens especially God hath bestowed a great deal of skill and workmanship, as appeareth, Heb 11:10 Psa 8:3 , where heaven is called, The work of God’s fingers; a curious Divine work; a metaphor from them that make tapestry. Garnished it is with stars, as a palace is with stately pictures, besides the inward beauty, which is unconceivable. There is something of a Saphir in the Hebrew word here rendered garnished, and Rev 21:19 search is made through all the bowels of the earth to find out all the precious treasures that could be had, gold, pearls, and precious stones of all sorts; and what can these serve to? only to shadow out the glory of the walls of the New Jerusalem, and the gates, and to pave the streets of the city. See also Isa 54:11-12 .
His hand hath formed the crooked serpent
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
spirit. Hebrew. ruach. App-9.
garnished = beautified.
hath formed = doth stay. See note on Job 26:5.
crooked = fleeing. Heb barih. The word occurs only here; Isa 27:1; Isa 43:14, referring to the constellation “Serpens”.
serpent = nachash, the shining one. Hence a serpent; here, the constellation so called.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
his spirit: Gen 1:2, Psa 33:6, Psa 33:7, Psa 104:30
the crooked serpent: Psa 74:13, Psa 74:14, Isa 27:1, Rev 12:9
Reciprocal: Gen 1:1 – God Gen 1:6 – Let there Gen 1:25 – General Job 40:19 – the chief
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 26:13. By his Spirit Either, 1st, By his divine virtue or power, called his Spirit, Zec 4:6; Mat 12:28. Or, 2d, By his Holy Spirit, to which the creation of the world is ascribed, Gen 1:2; Job 33:4. He hath garnished the heavens Adorned or beautified them with those glorious lights, the sun, moon, and stars. His hand hath formed the crooked serpent By which he may mean all kinds of serpents, with fishes and monsters of the sea. It is the same word that is used for leviathan, Isa 27:1, of which the Targum understands it, and perhaps may be intended of the whale or crocodile. Chappelow, who gives us divers senses of the word , bariach, here rendered crooked, and used as an epithet to designate the kind of serpent intended, observes that, in any of those senses, it is applicable to the great dragon, that old serpent called the devil and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world, Rev 12:9; Rev 20:2. For (to allude to those senses of the word) that crooked, apostate serpent was formed, was brought forth, was wounded even to death, by God, fled from his vengeance, grieved, and trembled. It may well be asked, says the learned Bishop Sherlock, who is of the same mind, and thinks that by the crooked serpent here is meant that apostate spirit who tempted Eve under the form of a serpent, how come these disagreeable ideas to be joined together? How comes the forming of a crooked serpent to be mentioned as an instance of almighty power, and to be set, as it were, upon an equal footing with the creation of the heavens, and all the host of them? When you read the whole chapter, all the images in which are great and magnificent, can you possibly imagine that the forming the crooked serpent, in this place, means no more than that God created snakes and adders? This surely cannot be the case. If we consider the state of religion in the world when this book was penned, it will help to clear this matter up. The oldest notion in opposition to the supremacy of the Creator is that of two independent principles; and the only kind of idolatry mentioned in the book of Job, and it was of all others the most ancient, is the worship of the sun and moon, and heavenly host. From this Job vindicates himself, Job 31:26, &c. Suppose Job now to be acquainted with the fall of man, and the part ascribed to the serpent of the introduction of evil; and see how aptly the parts cohere. In opposition to the idolatrous practice of his time, he asserts God to be the Maker of all the hosts of heaven. By his Spirit hath he garnished the heavens In opposition to the false notion of two independent principles, he asserts God to be the Maker of him who was the first author of evil; his hand hath formed the crooked serpent You see how properly the garnishing of the heavens and the forming of the serpent are joined together. That this is the ancient traditionary explanation of this place we have undeniable evidence from the translation of the LXX., who render the latter part of this verse, which relates to the serpent, in this manner: By a decree he destroyed the apostate dragon. The Syriac and Arabic versions are to the same effect. These translators apply the place to the punishment inflicted on the serpent, and it comes to the same thing; for the punishing the serpent is as clear an evidence of Gods power over the author of evil as the creating him.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
26:13 By his spirit he hath garnished the heavens; his hand hath formed the crooked {l} serpent.
(l) Which is a figure of stars shaped like a serpent, because of the crookedness.