Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Job 8:19
Behold, this [is] the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
19. joy of his way ] way may be “fate,” as often, and the words would be ironical; or “way” may be “course of life” so ends what was to him the joy of his course of life.
shall others grow ] Or, do others grow. Who the others are or what quality they are of is not the point, which is that his place is occupied by others as if he had never been. He leaves no trace, no blank, and no memory.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
Behold, this is the joy of his way – This is evidently sarcastic. Lo! such is the joy of his course! He boasts of joy, as all hypocrites do, but his joy endures only for a little time. This is the end of it. He is cut down and removed, and the earth and the heavens disown him!
And out of the earth shall others grow – This image is still derived from the tree or plant. The meaning is, that such a plant would be taken away, and that others would spring up in its place which the earth would not be ashamed of. So the hypocrite is removed to make way for others who will be sincere, and who will be useful. Hypocrites and useless people in the church are removed to make way for others who will be active and devoted to the cause of the Redeemer. A similar sentiment occurs in Job 27:16-17. This closes, as I suppose, the quotation which Bildad makes from the poets of the former age, and in the remainder of the chapter he states another truth pertaining to the righteous. This fragment is one of the most interesting that can be found any where. As a relic of the earliest times it is exceedingly valuable; as an illustration of the argument in hand; and of the course of events in this world, it is eminently beautiful. It is as true now as it was when uttered before the flood, and may be used now as describing the doom of the hypocrite, with as much propriety as then, and it may be regarded as one of the way-marks in human affairs, showing that the government of God, and the manner of his dispensations, are always substantially the same.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 19. Behold this is the joy of his way] A strong irony. Here is the issue of all his mirth, of his sports, games, and pastimes! See the unfeeling, domineering, polluting and polluted scape-grace, levelled with those whom he had despised, a servant of servants, or unable to work through his debaucheries, cringing for a morsel of bread, or ingloriously ending his days in that bane of any well-ordered and civilized state, a parish workhouse. This also I have most literally witnessed.
Out of the earth shall others gross.] As in the preceding case, when one plant or tree is blasted or cut down, another may be planted in the same place; so, when a spendthrift has run through his property, another possesses his inheritance, and grows up from that soil in which he himself might have continued to flourish, had it not been for his extravagance and folly.
This verse Mr. Good applies to GOD himself, with no advantage to the argument, nor elucidation of the sense, that I can see. I shall give his translation, and refer to his learned notes for his vindication of the version he has given: –
“Behold the Eternal () exulting in his course;
Even over his dust shall raise up another.”
In this way none of the ancient versions have understood the passage. I believe it to be a strong irony, similar to that which some think flowed from the pen of the same writer: Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth; and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes. But know thou, that for all these God will bring thee into judgment; Ec 11:9. These two places illustrate each other.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
This is the joyful and happy issue of the flourishing course, state, and condition (which is frequently called a way) of this tree, or of the hypocrite, manifestly represented by it, and expressed Job 8:13. It is a sarcasm or irony, and is to be understood contrariwise of his sad and unhappy end.
Out of the earth shall others grow, i.e. out of the same earth or place shall another tree grow; which could not be if there had been but a stump of it left, though under ground. So it notes the total extirpation of the tree, and of the hypocrite, that his person and all his children and family shall be utterly extinct, and so a stranger shall come into his place, and enjoy the fruit of his labours. But the words are and may be otherwise rendered very agreeably to the Hebrew text, and out of other ground they (i.e. plants or trees, of which he is here speaking) shall grow, or others shall grow, or plants shall grow; the noun being contained in the verb. So the sense is, This tree shall be rooted up, and the very ground of it so cursed, that nothing shall grow or thrive in it; but other ground shall be fruitful, and other trees that stood round about it shall stand still and flourish in their places. His design in all this is to prove Job to be a hypocrite, because he meets with their lot, which is total destruction.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
19. Bitter irony. The hypocriteboasts of joy. This then is his “joy” at the last.
and out of the earthothersimmediately, who take the place of the man thus punished; not godlymen (Mt 3:9). For the placeof the weeds is among stones, where the gardener wishes no plants.But, ungodly; a fresh crop of weeds always springs up in theplace of those torn up: there is no end of hypocrites on earth[UMBREIT].
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
Behold, this [is] the joy of his way,…. Of the state and condition of the hypocrite, who, while he is in outward prosperity, exults and rejoices, but his joy is but short, it is but for a moment,
Job 20:5; and this is what it comes to at last, and issues in, even entire destruction from his place; which, because it may seem strange and wonderful, and is worthy of notice and consideration, as well as to express a certainty of it, the word “behold” is prefixed; though this also is understood, by some, of good men who have much spiritual joy in their present state and condition, be it what it will; they have joy and peace in believing, even joy unspeakable, and full of glory; they have joy in the Lord, and in his ways in which they walk, when they have trouble in the world; they rejoice and even glory in tribulation, and are cheerful be they where they will, though removed from their native place and country; and especially this will be their case when they are transplanted from earth to heaven, the better and heavenly country:
and out of the earth shall others grow; in their room and stead; where the tall flourishing tree once stood, but now utterly destroyed, other trees should grow; signifying, either the children of the hypocrites and wicked men, that should spring up in their place and imitate them, and come to the same end; or rather such as were strangers to them, that should inherit their substance and estates; and it may be good men that should succeed them, and come into the possession of all their wealth, even such as were before in mean circumstances, and so may be said to come “out of the earth”: it may be rendered, “out of another dust” or “earth shall they grow” q; signifying, that the wicked should be utterly destroyed, they and theirs; and that such as were of another family, and as it were of another earth and country, should stand in their place; see Job 27:16; this may be interpreted of good men, who, though they die, others are raised up in their stead; God will have a seed to serve him as long as the sun and moon endure; though they are forced to fly from their native place, being persecuted, to strange cities, or removed into the heavenly regions, yet God raises up others to till up their places, and oftentimes out of other families, even of the ungodly, to support his cause and interest; and understanding the whole of truly righteous persons seems best to connect the sense with the following words.
q “de pulvere alio”, Montanus, Bolducius, Cocceius; so the Targum; “de terra alia”, Pagninus, Mercerus.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
19. The joy of his way Deeply ironical. With a touch the poet discloses hidden deeps of misery and of doom.
Shall others grow , another, used collectively. One crop of weeds is followed by another. The law of nature in the moral world is not the boasted law of science “the selection of the best;” for, without the hand of the tiller, the worse overpowers the better. The wheat soon succumbs before the tares. One generation of evil doers is followed by “another and another.” In the protracted struggle between good and evil, evil alone has power to perpetuate itself. It may never come to pass that a generation of the godly shall bring forth a like godly generation. Of the hundred generations that have already lived, each one has been evil. Dark is the mystery. The labourer for God, like the sower in the parable, must toil on against fearful odds, knowing that with each generation be must begin anew.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Job 8:19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, &c. Behold him now; destruction is in his path; and strangers out of the dust shall spring up in his room. Heath.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Job 8:19 Behold, this [is] the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
Ver. 19. Behold, this is the joy of his way ] q.d. A goodly joy! sure the hypocrite’s joy is but the hypocrisy of joy, a little counterfeit complexion, like a slight dash of rain, a handful of brushwood, or sear thorn under the pot, Ecc 7:6 , or as weeds that grow on the top of the water, floating aloft, but touch not the bottom. Though it be an exulting joy (as the word signifieth), a leaping joy (such as is that of dogs leaping upon their masters returning home after a journey, Ut canes solent quando peregre advenienti domino adulantur ), yet it is not lasting: it goes out as a snuff, or as a blazing star, or at best as the fire of thorns, Psa 118:12 . Yea, though for the time it hath been so great that if it had continued but a while it would have overwhelmed them, so that their spirits would have expired, as some apostates have professed; they have thought themselves in heaven sometimes, and have rejoiced accordingly, (Naz.).
And out of the earth shall others grow
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Behold. Figure of speech Asterismos.
is. Supply “ends” instead of “is”.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
this is the joy: Job 20:5, Mat 13:20, Mat 13:21
out of the earth: 1Sa 2:8, Psa 75:7, Psa 113:7, Eze 17:24, Mat 3:9
Reciprocal: Psa 103:16 – and the
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Job 8:19. Behold, this is the joy of his way Or, rather, This is the way of his joy: it all ends in this: this is the issue of his flourishing state. He falls into heavy calamities, from which he can never deliver himself again. And out of the earth shall others grow Out of the same earth or place shall other trees arise. Heath reads the verse, Behold him now; destruction is his path; and strangers out of the dust shall spring up in his room. In other words, The wicked come speedily to an end, and strangers with whom they had no affinity come in to possess what they had gathered up, in expectation of making their name and family endure a long time.
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
8:19 Behold, this [is] the joy {l} of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow.
(l) To be planted in another place, where it may grow as it pleases.