Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 42:8
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you [after your] folly, in that ye have not spoken of me [the thing which is] right, like my servant Job.
Therefore take unto you – Or, FOR yourselves.
Seven bullocks and seven rams – The number seven was a common number in offering animals for sacrifice; see Lev 23:18; Num 29:32. It was not a number, however, confined at all to Jewish sacrifices, for we find that Balaam gave the direction to Balak, king of Moab, to prepare just this number for sacrifice. And Balaam said unto Balak, Build me here seven altars, and prepare me here seven oxen and seven rams; Num 23:1, Num 23:29. The number seven was early regarded as a perfect number, and it was probably with reference to this that that number of victims was selected, with an intention of offering a sacrifice that would be complete or perfect.
And go to my servant Job – An acknowledgment of his superiority. It is probably to be understood, also, that Job would act as the officiating priest in offering up the sacrifice. It is observable that no allusion is made in this book to the priestly office, and the conclusion is obvious that the scene is laid before the institution of that office among the Jews; compare the notes at Job 1:5.
And offer up for yourselves – That is, by the aid of Job. They were to make the offering, though Job was evidently to be the officiating priest.
A burnt-offering – Notes, Job 1:5.
And my servant Job shall pray for you – In connection with the offering, or as the officiating priest. This is a beautiful instance of the nature and propriety of intercession for others. Job was a holy man; his prayers would be acceptable to God, and his friends were permitted to avail themselves of his powerful intercession in their behalf. It is also an instance showing the nature of the patriarchal worship. It did not consist merely in offering sacrifices. Prayer was to be connected with sacrifices, nor is there any evidence that bloody offerings were regarded as available in securing acceptance with God, except in connection with fervent prayer. It is also an instance showing the nature of the patriarchal piety. It was presumed that Job would be ready to do this, and would not hesitate thus to pray for his friends. Yet it could not be forgotten how much they had wounded his feelings; how severe had been their reproaches; nor how confidently they had maintained that he was an eminently bad man. But it was presumed now that Job would be ready to forgive all this; to welcome his friends to a participation in the same act of worship with him, and to pray for them that their sins might be forgiven. Such is religion, alike in the patriarchal age and under the gospel, prompting us to be ready to forgive those who have pained or injured us, and making us ready to pray that God would pardon and bless them.
For him will I accept – Margin, his face, or person. So the Hebrew. So in Gen 19:21 (margin,) compare Deu 28:50. The word face is thus used to denote the person, or man. The meaning is, that Job was so holy and upright that God would regard his prayers.
Lest I deal with you after your folly – As their folly had deserved. There is particular reference here to the sentiments which they had advanced respecting the divine character and government.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 8. Take-seven bullocks and seven rams] From this it appears that Job was considered a priest, not only in his own family but also for others. For his children he offered burnt-offerings, Job 1:5; and now he is to make the same kind of offerings, accompanied with intercession, in behalf of his three friends. This is a full proof of the innocence and integrity of Job: a more decided one could not be given, that the accusations of his friends, and their bitter speeches, were as untrue as they were malevolent. God thus clears his character, and confounds their devices.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Go to my servant Job; whom though you have censured and condemned as a hypocrite, I own for my faithful servant, human infirmity excepted.
Offer up by the hand of Job, whom I do hereby constitute your priest, to pray and sacrifice for you.
Him will I accept, to wit, on your behalf, as well as on his own.
Lest I deal with you after your folly; lest my wrath and just judgment take hold of you for your false and foolish speeches.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
8. seven(See Introduction).The number offered by the Gentile prophet (Nu23:1). Job plainly lived before the legal priesthood, c. Thepatriarchs acted as priests for their families and sometimes aspraying mediators (Ge 20:17),thus foreshadowing the true Mediator (1Ti2:5), but sacrifice accompanies and is the groundwork on whichthe mediation rests.
himrather, “Hisperson [face] only” (see on Job22:30). The “person,” must be first accepted, beforeGod can accept his offering and work (Ge4:4); that can be only through Jesus Christ.
follyimpiety (Job 1:22;Job 2:10).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks, and seven rams,…. Creatures used in sacrifice before the giving of the Levitical law, Ge 4:4; and the same number of the same creatures were offered by Balaam in the country of Moab, not far from where Job lived, nor at any great distance of time from his age, Nu 23:1; and among the Gentiles in later times q. And these were typical of Christ, being strong creatures, especially the bullocks, and which were used for labour; and the number seven may point at the perfection of Christ’s sacrifice; to which these men were directed in their sacrifices to look for the complete atonement of their sins: now though they were not at their own dwellings, and could not take these out of their own herds and flocks, and Job had none, yet they could purchase them of others; and which having done, they are bid to do as follows:
and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; that is, by Job, who was to offer it for them in their name, and at whose hands the Lord would accept it, and for his sake. Job, as the head and master of his family, was wont to sacrifice, as every such man did before the Aaronic priesthood took place, Job 1:5. Now this was doing Job a great deal of honour, both by calling him his servant, as before in Job 42:7, and twice more in this; which was plainly giving the cause on his side; confirming the character he always bore, and still retained; and declaring he had other thoughts of him than his friends had; as well by sending them to him with their sacrifices to offer for them; which was saying, that they had sinned, and must offer sacrifice, and that Job was in the right; and therefore must offer the sacrifice for them. This was putting them on a great piece of self-denial; that men, who were older than Job, great personages, heads of families, and who had been wont to offer sacrifices in them, yet are now sent to Job to offer them for them; a man now in mean circumstances, and who in they had treated with great contempt; and he in his turn had used them as roughly. And it was also a trial of Job’s grace, and of his forgiving spirit, to do this for them, and pray to God on their behalf: and the Lord’s design in it was, to exercise the graces of them both, and to reconcile them to one another, and to himself;
and my servant Job shall pray for you; that their sacrifice might be accepted, and their sin pardoned. In this Job was a type of Christ, as he was in many other things; see the notes on Job 16:9. There is an agreement in his name; Job, whether it signifies love or hatred, desired or hated, in both ways the etymology of it is given; it agrees with Christ, who is beloved of God and man, and the desire of all nations; who hates iniquity, and was hated for his inveighing against it. Job was a type of him in his threefold state; before his low estate, in it, and after it; see Php 2:6. In his temptations by Satan, and sufferings from men; and particularly in his office as a priest, who both offered himself a sacrifice for his people, and offers their services and sacrifices of prayer and praise to God; and who prayed for his disciples, and for all the Father has given him, for transgressors and sinners, and even for his enemies that used him ill;
for him will I accept; or his face, that is, hear his prayer, and grant what is asked by him; as well as accept his sacrifice;
lest I deal with you [after your] folly; as all sin is, being committed against God, a breach of his law, and injurious to men themselves; see
De 32:6. Though here it seems to be restrained to their particular sin and folly in their dispute with Job; want of wisdom in them was discerned by Elihu, Job 32:7. So it follows:
in that ye have not spoken of me [the thing which is] right, like my servant Job; and if by neglect of his advice, which would have been another instance of their folly, they had provoked the Lord to deal with them as their sin deserved, it must have gone hard with them. The Targum is,
“lest I should do with you “what would be” a reproach”
(or disgrace); would put them to shame, and make them appear ignominious to men; as by stripping them of their substance and honour, and reducing them to the condition Job was in.
q “—-Septem mactare juvencos”, &c. Virgil. Aeneid. 6. v. 38, 39.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
8 And now take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to My servant Job, and offer an offering for yourselves, and Job My servant shall pray for you; only his person will I accept, that I recompense not unto you your folly: for ye have not spoken what is correct in reference to Me, as My servant Job.
Schlottm., like Ew., translates what is sincere, and understands it of Job’s inward truthfulness, in opposition to the words of the friends contrary to their better knowledge and conscience. But nkwn has not this signification anywhere: it signifies either directum = rectum or erectum = stabile , but not sincerum . However, objective truth and subjective truthfulness are here certainly blended in the notion ”correct.” The “correct” in Job’s speeches consists of his having denied that affliction is always a punishment of sin, and in his holding fast the consciousness of his innocence, without suffering himself to be persuaded of the opposite. That denial was correct; and this truthfulness was more precious to God than the untruthfulness of the friends, who were zealous for the honour of God.
After Job has penitently acknowledged his error, God decides between him and the friends according to his previous supplicatory wish, Job 16:21. The heavenly Witness makes Himself heard on earth, and calls Job by the sweet name of . And the servant of Jehovah is not only favoured himself, but he also becomes the instrument of grace to sinners. As where his faith shone forth he became the prophet of his own and the friends’ future, so now he is the priestly mediator between the friends and God. The friends against whom God is angry, but yet not as against , but only as against those who have erred, must bring an offering as their atonement, in connection with which Job shall enter in with a priestly intercession for them, and only him ( , non alium sed = non nisi ), whom they regarded as one punished of God, will God accept (comp. Gen 19:21) – under what deep shame must it have opened their eyes!
Here also, as in the introduction of the book, it is the which effects the atonement. It is the oldest and, according to its meaning, the most comprehensive of all the blood-offerings. Bullocks and rams are also the animals for the whole burnt-offerings of the Mosaic ritual; the proper animal for the sin-offering, however, is the he-goat together with the she-goat, which do not occur here, because the age and scene are strange to the Israelitish branching off of the from the . The double seven gives the mark of the profoundest solemnity to the offering that was to be offered. The three also obey the divine direction; for although they have erred, God’s will is above everything in their estimation, and they cheerfully subordinate themselves as friends to the friend.
(Note: Hence the Talmudic proverb (vid., Frst’s Perlenschnre, S. 80): , either a friend like Job’s friends or death!)
Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament
(8) Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams.It is remarkable that the sacrifices prescribed for Jobs friends were similar to those which Balaam prescribed for Balak (Num. 23:2-29). This is probably one indication out of many that the age of Job was that of Moses, or before it. My servant Job shall pray for you. This, strange to say, was the very promise with which Eliphaz himself had closed his third and last speech. His words therefore received a striking fulfilment in the case of himself and his friends. The intercession of Job seems to show us that his character is a typical one, representing to us the character of Christ as the sufferer and the mediator on behalf of man; and as in Job there is no trace of acquaintance with the Divine covenant, the book shows us a sort of anticipation of the Gospel to the Gentile world, that the mercies of God are not limited, as some have thought, to the chosen race, but that the principles of Gods action are the same universally. He deals with men upon a principle of mediation: whether the mediator be Moses, as the mediator of the first covenant; or Job, who was the accepted mediator for his friends beyond the pale of the covenant; or whether the mediator be Jesus Christ, as the one Mediator between God and man.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
8. A burnt offering This differs from the burnt offering required by the Mosaic ritual. That it should be the same in kind and number with that offered by Balaam, a Gentile prophet, (Num 23:1-2,) and that there should be the twofold recognition of the sacred and complete number seven, points to an ante-Mosaical, if not patriarchal, period for the life of Job. The profound solemnity thus given to the sacrifice about to be offered, and the mortifying announcement that “the friends” should find forgiveness through the intercession and priesthood of the leprous Job, must have made them painfully alive to the folly of their conduct. According to Grotius, in loc., the Hebrews think that the holocaust was the only form of sacrifice prevailing to the time of Moses. See Job 1:5.
My servant Job shall pray for you The intercessory prayer which Job is directed to offer also suggests a pre-Mosaical economy as that under which he lived. Gen 20:7; Gen 20:17. The Mosaic law prescribes grandly significant rites and ceremonies, but without specific directions for prayer. See, however, Lev 16:21; Deu 26:10-13.
For him will I accept Literally, only his face will I lift up; that is, regard favourably. The expression takes its rise from the favour granted by an Oriental prince to a suppliant, who is graciously bidden to rise from his prostration, and thus lift up his face. Compare Job 13:8; Job 32:21; Gen 19:21. This profound principle of the divine economy the power of the good to intercede for the sinful had been already portrayed by Eliphaz with great beauty, (Job 22:29-30,) and in patriarchal times was announced by God himself to the Egyptian king, Abimelech. Gen 20:7. Compare Gen 18:32; Gen 26:24; Exo 32:7-14; Deu 9:7-29. In a world where the life of each is made to depend upon the kind offices and interposition of another, as is the case throughout the infantile period of human existence, the patriarchal usage of intercession by one being for another is one which fully comports with the demands of our reason. The whole scheme of society is subsequently so arranged as to make the services of others indispensable to each a principle so universally true that no one attains to the higher bliss of life without the co-operation of others. His own richest temporal blessings God, for the most part, bestows through the medium of others; and by making human beings the channels for the outflow of divine beneficence, so arranges that they themselves shall be benefited and ennobled. All beneficence, human or divine, then, fails to fulfil its mission unless it brings with it manifold blessings even as rays of light, whose end may be to give life and sustenance to the unpretending plant, scatter blessings along their entire path. The culminating hour of prayer, when Job gains the highest victory over himself by praying for the three friends, and more especially for the genteel and venerable leader Eliphaz, who most deeply maligned him, becomes the culmination of his distress and the turning point of his “captivity.” See Job 42:10.
Lest I deal with you after your folly Literally, that I may not do with your folly, which Hitzig supposes to be spoken after the manner of men, and to refer to possible precipitate action on the part of God. The views of Delitzsch and Dillmann, which Hitzig calls “wooden,” are to be preferred. They take folly by synecdoche for “the punishment of folly,” in like manner as or , sin, is used for the penalty of sin the former of whom reads, in accordance with our Authorized Version, that I recompense not unto you your folly.
(8) Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you after your folly, in that ye have not spoken of me the thing which is right, like my servant Jobadiah (9) So Eliphaz the Temanite and Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite went, and did according as the LORD commanded them: the LORD also accepted Jobadiah
Reader, observe into what an high rank Job is exalted. He is to be an intercessor at the sacrifice. But how an intercessor, unless as Aaron had been, as a type of the ever-blessed JESUS? For there is but one Mediator between GOD and men, the man CHRIST JESUS . 1Ti 2:5 . And Reader, do not overlook how very strikingly in this instance Job typified the LORD JESUS; for as the LORD had long hid his face, as it were, from Job, so the LORD JESUS was under the hidings of the FATHER, when, in the days of his flesh, on the cross he cried out, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Mat 27:46 .
Job 42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you [after your] folly, in that ye have not spoken of me [the thing which is] right, like my servant Job.
Ver. 8. Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks ] God reproveth not his for any other end, but that he may reduce them, and be reconciled unto them. The Sun of righteousness loveth not to set in a cloud.
Deiecit ut relevet; premit ut solaria praestet.
Enecat, ut possit vivificare Deus.
Seven bullocks and seven rams
And go to my servant Job
And offer up for yourselves a burnt offering
And my servant Job shall pray for you
For him will I accept
Lest I deal with you after your folly
In that ye have not spoken, &c. seven. See App-10.
burnt offering. Hebrew. ‘olah. App-43. See App-15.
him = his face: face being put by Figure of speech Synecdoche (of the Part), App-6, for the whole person.
Job 42:8
Job 42:8
SACRIFICIAL OFFERINGS REQUIRED OF THE THREE
“Now therefore, take unto you seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt-offering; and my servant Job shall pray for you; for him will I accept, that I deal not with you after your folly; for ye have not spoken of me the Jas 5:16 at is right, as my servant Job hath.”
It is significant here that, “Ezekiel required as burnt-offerings for the entire nation of Israel (Eze 45:22-25) seven bullocks and seven rams, whereas the expiatory sacrifices required by the Law for individuals were much smaller (Leviticus 4). The fact that the speeches of Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar were subjected here to blanket condemnation was the basis upon which we greatly reduced the comments that could have been made on each of their speeches. The fact of their being evil greatly reduced their importance.
“My servant Job shall pray for you” (Job 42:8). This was an order that God gave to Job and not merely an optional privilege. This intercession for them by Job was an additional condition of their being forgiven.
E.M. Zerr:
Job 42:8-9. These people were all living under the Patriarchal Dispensation in which the animal sacrifices composed God’s religious headquarters. The three friends had sinned by their speeches while Job had not. Therefore, not only did they need to offer a sacrifice and Job did not, but they had to do so in the presence of Job, who acted as a priest.
Therefore: From this it appears that Job was considered as a priest, not only to his own family, but also to others. For his children he offered burnt offerings – Job 1:5, and now he is to make the same kind of offerings, accompanied with intercession, in behalf of his three friends. This is a full proof of the innocence and integrity of Job.
seven bullocks: Num 23:1, Num 23:14, Num 23:29, 1Ch 15:26, 2Ch 29:21, Eze 45:23, Heb 10:4, Heb 10:10-14
go: Mat 5:23, Mat 5:24
offer: Job 1:5, Exo 18:12
my servant Job shall: Gen 20:17, Isa 60:14, Jer 14:11, Jer 15:1, Eze 14:14, Heb 7:25, Jam 5:14, 1Jo 5:6, Rev 3:9
him: Heb. his face, or person, Job 42:9, 1Sa 25:35, Mal 1:8, Mal 1:9, Mat 3:17, Eph 1:6
lest: Psa 103:10, 2Ti 4:14
Reciprocal: Gen 4:7 – If thou doest well Gen 19:21 – I Gen 20:7 – pray Gen 32:20 – I will appease Gen 46:1 – and offered Exo 32:30 – an atonement Lev 4:31 – a sweet Num 21:7 – And Moses Jos 6:4 – seven times 1Sa 12:19 – Pray for thy 2Sa 24:23 – The Lord 2Ch 30:18 – prayed Job 11:19 – many Job 13:10 – reprove Job 22:30 – He shall deliver the island of the innocent Job 33:26 – and he shall Job 35:8 – may profit Psa 106:33 – he spake Isa 60:7 – they shall Jer 27:18 – let them Eze 43:27 – I will accept Mar 14:6 – Let Joh 9:31 – we know Act 8:24 – Pray Jam 5:16 – The effectual 1Pe 3:7 – that
Job 42:8. Therefore take now seven bullocks, &c. To make an atonement for what you have said amiss. It seems they were each of them to bring seven bullocks and seven rams, which were to be wholly offered up to God as a burnt-offering; for before, the law of Moses, all sacrifices, even those of atonement, appear to have been wholly burned, and therefore were called burnt-offerings. They thought, doubtless, that they had spoken wonderfully well, and had done a righteous act in pleading Gods cause; but they are told quite the contrary, that God was displeased with them, required a sacrifice from them, and threatened, if they did not bring it, he would deal with them according to their folly. Many times is God angry at that in us which we ourselves are ready to be proud of; and sees much amiss in that which we think was well done. And go to my servant Job Whom, though you condemned him as a hypocrite, I own for my faithful servant. And offer up a burnt-offering By the hand of Job, whom I hereby constitute your priest, to pray and sacrifice for you. Lest I deal with you after your folly Lest my just judgment take hold of you for your false and foolish speeches.
42:8 Therefore take unto you now seven bullocks and seven rams, and go to my servant Job, and offer up for yourselves a burnt offering; and my servant Job shall {h} pray for you: for him will I accept: lest I deal with you [after your] folly, in that ye have not spoken of me [the thing which is] right, like my servant Job.
(h) When you have reconciled yourselves to him for the faults that you have committed against him, he will pray for you, and I will hear him.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes