Page:An Exposition of the Old and New Testament (1828) vol 3.djvu/30

22 his integrity; and Satan's design against him was defeated. In all this did not Job sin with his lips; he not only said this well, but all he said, at this time, was under the government of religion and right reason: in the midst of all these grievances, he did not speak a word amiss; and we have no reason to think, but that he also preserved a good temper of mind, so that though there might be some stirrings and risings of corruption in his heart, yet grace got the upper hand, and he took care that the root of bitterness might not spring up to trouble him, Heb. xii. 15. The abundance of his heart was for God, produced good things, and suppressed the evil that was there, which was out-voted by the better side. If he did think any evil, yet he laid his hand upon his mouth, (Prov. xxx. 32.) stifled the evil thought, and let it go no further; by which it appeared, not only that he had true grace, but that it was strong, and victorious; in short, that he had not forfeited the character of a perfect and upright man; for so he appears to be, who, in the midst of such temptation, offends not in word, Jam. iii. 2. Ps. xii. 3.

11 . Now when Job's three friends heard of all this evil that was come upon him, they came every one from his own place; Eliphaz the Temanite, and Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite: for they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. 12. And when they lifted up their eyes afar off, and knew him not, they lifted up their voice and wept; and they rent every one his mantle, and sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights, and none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great.

We have here an account of the kind visit which Job's three friends made him in his affliction. The news of his extraordinary troubles spread into all parts; he being an eminent man, both for greatness and goodness, and the circumstances of his troubles being very uncommon. Some, who were his enemies, triumphed in his calamities; (ch. xvi. 10.—xix. 18.—xxx, 1, &c.) perhaps they made ballads on him: but his friends concerned themselves for him, and endeavoured to comfort him; a friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Three of them are here named, (v. 11.) Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar. We shall meet with a fourth after, who, it should seem, was present at the whole conference, namely, Elihu; whether he came as a friend of Job, or only as an auditor, does not appear: these three are said to be friends, his intimate acquaintances, as David and Solomon had each of them one in their court, that was called the king's friend. These three were eminently wise and good men, as appears by their discourses; they were old men, very old, they had a great reputation for knowledge, and much deference was paid to their judgment, ch. xxxii. 6. It is probable that they were men of figure in their country—princes, or heads of houses. Now observe,

I. That Job, in his prosperity, had contracted a friendship with them: if they were his equals, yet he had not that jealousy of them; if his inferiors, yet he had not that disdain of them, which was any hinderance to an intimate converse and correspondence with them. To have such friends, added more to his happiness in the day of his prosperity, than all the heads of cattle he was master of. Much of the comfort of this life lies in acquaintance and friendship with those that are prudent and virtuous; and he that has a few such friends, ought to value them highly. Job's three friends are supposed to be all of them of the posterity of Abraham, which, for some descents, even in the families that were shut out from the covenant of peculiarity, retained some good fruits of that pious education which the father of the faithful gave to those under his charge. Eliphaz descended from Teman, the grandson of Esau; (Gen. xxxvi. 11.) Bildad (it is probable) from Shuah, Abraham's son by Keturah, Gen. xxv. 2. Zophar is thought by some to be the same with Zepho, a descendant from Esau, Gen. xxxi. 11. The preserving of so much wisdom and piety among those that were strangers to the covenants of promise, was a happy presage of God's grace to the Gentiles, when the partition wall should, in the latter days, be taken down. Esau was rejected; yet many that came from him inherited some of the best blessings.

II. That they continued their friendship with Job in his adversity, when most of his friends had forsaken him, ch. xix. 14. Two ways they showed their friendship,

1. By the kind visit they made him in his affliction, to mourn with him, and to comfort him, v. 11. Probably, they had been wont to visit him in his prosperity, not to hunt or hawk with him, not to dance or play at cards with him, but to entertain and edify themselves with his learned and pious converse; and now, that he was in adversity, they came to share with him in his griefs, as formerly they had come to share with him in his comforts. These were wise men, whose heart was in the house of mourning, Eccl. vii. 4. Visiting the afflicted, sick or sore, fatherless or childless, in their sorrow, is made a branch of pure religion and undefiled (Jam. i. 27.) and, if done from a good principle, will be abundantly recompensed shortly, Matth. xxv. 36. By visiting the sons and daughters of affliction, we may contribute to the improvement, (1.) Of our own graces; for many a good lesson is to be learned from the troubles of others; we may look upon them, and receive instruction, and be made wise and serious. (2.) Of their comforts; by putting a respect upon them, we encourage them, and some good word may be spoken to them, which may help to make them easy. Job's friends came, not to satisfy their curiosity with an account of his troubles, and the strangeness of the circumstances of them; much less, as David's false friends, to make invidious remarks upon him, (Ps. xli. 6··8.) but to mourn with him, to mingle their tears with his, and so to comfort him. It is much more pleasant to visit those in affliction, to whom comfort belongs, than those to whom we must first speak conviction.

Concerning these visitants, observe, [1.] That they were not sent for, but came of their own accord; (ch. vi. 22.) whence Mr. Caryl observes, that it is good mannners to be an unbidden guest at the house of mourning, and, in comforting our friends, to prevent their invitations. [2.] That they made an appointment to come. Note, Good people should make appointments among themselves for doing good, so exciting and obliging one another to it, and assisting and encouraging one another in it. For the carrying on of any pious design, let hand join in hand. [3.] That they came with a design (and we have reason to think it was a sincere design) to comfort him, and yet proved miserable comforters, through their unskilful management of his case. Many that aim well, by mistake, come short of their aim.