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Selected Verse: Job 9:11 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Job 9:11 |
Strong Concordance |
Lo, he goeth [05674] by me, and I see [07200] him not: he passeth on [02498] also, but I perceive [0995] him not. |
| |
King James |
Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not: he passeth on also, but I perceive him not. |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
| I see him not: he passeth on--The image is that of a howling wind (Isa 21:1). Like it when it bursts invisibly upon man, so God is felt in the awful effects of His wrath, but is not seen (Joh 3:8). Therefore, reasons Job, it is impossible to contend with Him. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
| Lo, he goeth by me - That is, he passes along - as in the silent movements of the heavenly bodies. "I see the evidence of his existence. I can see that God must be there - moving along by me in the orbs of night and in the march of the constellations, but I cannot see God himself. He passes by, or rather he passes over me (עלי ‛ālay), as in the majestic movement of the heavenly bodies over my head." This is, I think, the idea, and the image is exceedingly poetic and beautiful. The heavens are seen to move in silent grandeur. The northern constellation rolls around the pole. The others move on as a marshalled army. They go in silent and solemn order, and God must be there. But, says Job, I cannot see him. I can feel that he must be there, and I look out on the heavens to see him, but my eyes fail, and I cannot behold him. He passes on, and I see him not. Who has ever looked upon the heavens in the still night, and seen the silent grandeur of such movements of the heavenly host, without some such feeling - some emotion of inexpressible awe - as if he, if I may so express it, COULD ALMOST SEE GOD? |
| Commentary on the Old Testament, by Carl Friedrich Keil and Franz Delitzsch [1857-78] |
11 Behold, He goeth by me and I see not,
And passeth by and I perceive Him not.
12 Behold, He taketh away, who will hold Him back?
Who will say to Him: What doest Thou?
13 Eloah restraineth not His anger,
The helpers of Rahab stoop under Him -
14 How much less that I should address Him,
That I should choose the right words in answer to Him;
15 Because, though I were right, I could not answer, -
To Him as my Judge I must make supplication.
God works among men, as He works in nature, with a supreme control over all, invisibly, irresistibly, and is not responsible to any being (Isa 45:9). He does not turn or restrain His anger without having accomplished His purpose. This is a proposition which, thus broadly expressed, is only partially true, as is evident from Psa 78:38. The helpers of Rahab must bow themselves under Him. It is not feasible to understand this in a general sense, as meaning those who are ready with boastful arrogance to yield succour to any against God. The form of expression which follows in Job 9:14, "much less I," supports the assumption that רהב עזרי refers to some well-known extraordinary example of wicked enterprise which had been frustrated, notwithstanding the gigantic strength by which it was supported; and שׁחהוּ may be translated by the present tense, since a familiar fact is used as synonymous with the expression of an universal truth. Elsewhere Rahab as a proper name denotes Egypt (Psa 87:4), but it cannot be so understood here, because direct references to events in the history of Israel are contrary to the character of the book, which, with remarkable consistency, avoids everything that is at all Israelitish. But how has Egypt obtained the name of Rahab? It is evident from Isa 30:7 that it bears this name with reference to its deeds of prowess; but from Psa 89:11; Isa 51:9, it is evident that Rahab properly denotes a sea-monster, which has become the symbol of Egypt, like tannn and leviathan elsewhere. This signification of the word is also supported by Job 26:12, where the lxx actually translate κητος, as here with remarkable freedom, ὑπ ̓ ἀυτοῦ ἐκάμφθησαν κήτη τὰ ὑπ ̓ οὐρανόν. It is not clear whether these "sea-monsters" denote rebels cast down into the sea beneath the sky, or chained upon the sky; but at any rate the consciousness of a distinct mythological meaning in רהב עזרי is expressed by this translation (as also in the still freer translation of Jerome, et sub quo curvantur qui portant orbem); probably a myth connected with such names of the constellations as Κῆτος and Πρίστις (Ewald, Hirz., Schlottm.). The poesy of the book of Job even in other places does not spurn mythological allusions; and the phrase before us reminds one of the Hindu myth of Indras' victory over the dark demon Vritras, who tries to delay the descent of rain, and over his helpers. In Vritras, as in רהב, there is the idea of hostile resistance.
Job compares himself, the feeble one, to these mythical titanic powers in Job 9:14. כּי אף (properly: even that), or even אף alone (Job 4:19), signifies, according as the connection introduces a climax or anti-climax, either quanto magis or quanto minus, as here: how much less can I, the feeble one, dispute with Him! אשׁר, Job 9:15, is best taken, as in Job 5:5, in the signification quoniam. The part. Poel משׁפטי we should more correctly translate "my disputant" than "my judge;" it is Poel which Ewald appropriately styles the conjugation of attack: שׁופט, judicando vel litigando aliquem petere; comp. Ges. 55, 1. The part. Kal denotes a judge, the part. Poel one who is accuser and judge at the same time. On such Poel-forms from strong roots, vid., on Psa 109:10, where wedorschu is to be read, and therefore it is written ודרשׁוּ in correct Codices. |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| Goeth - He works by his providence in ways of mercy or judgment. Passeth - He goeth from place to place: from one action to another: he speaks of God after the manner of men. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
| Lo, he goeth by me, and I see him not - He is incomprehensible in all his ways, and in all his works; and he must be so it he be God, and work as God; for his own nature and his operations are past finding out. |
8 The wind [4151] bloweth [4154] where [3699] it listeth [2309], and [2532] thou hearest [191] the sound [5456] thereof [846], but [235] canst [1492] not [3756] tell [1492] whence [4159] it cometh [2064], and [2532] whither [4226] it goeth [5217]: so [3779] is [2076] every one [3956] that is born [1080] of [1537] the Spirit [4151].
1 The burden [04853] of the desert [04057] of the sea [03220]. As whirlwinds [05492] in the south [05045] pass [02498] through; so it cometh [0935] from the desert [04057], from a terrible [03372] land [0776].
10 Let his children [01121] be continually [05128] vagabonds [05128], and beg [07592]: let them seek [01875] their bread also out of their desolate places [02723].
5 Whose harvest [07105] the hungry [07457] eateth up [0398], and taketh [03947] it even out [0413] of the thorns [06791], and the robber [06782] swalloweth up [07602] their substance [02428].
15 Whom, though I were righteous [06663], yet would I not answer [06030], but I would make supplication [02603] to my judge [08199].
19 How much less [0637] in them that dwell [07931] in houses [01004] of clay [02563], whose foundation [03247] is in the dust [06083], which are crushed [01792] before [06440] the moth [06211]?
14 How much less shall I answer [06030] him, and choose out [0977] my words [01697] to reason with him?
12 He divideth [07280] the sea [03220] with his power [03581], and by his understanding [08394] [08394] he smiteth [04272] through the proud [07293].
9 Awake [05782], awake [05782], put on [03847] strength [05797], O arm [02220] of the LORD [03068]; awake [05782], as in the ancient [06924] days [03117], in the generations [01755] of old [05769]. Art thou not it that hath cut [02672] Rahab [07294], and wounded [02490] the dragon [08577]?
11 The heavens [08064] are thine, the earth [0776] also is thine: as for the world [08398] and the fulness [04393] thereof, thou hast founded [03245] them.
7 For the Egyptians [04714] shall help [05826] in vain [01892], and to no purpose [07385]: therefore have I cried [07121] concerning this [02063], Their [01992] strength [07293] is to sit still [07674].
4 I will make mention [02142] of Rahab [07294] and Babylon [0894] to them that know [03045] me: behold Philistia [06429], and Tyre [06865], with Ethiopia [03568]; this man was born [03205] there.
14 How much less shall I answer [06030] him, and choose out [0977] my words [01697] to reason with him?
38 But he, being full of compassion [07349], forgave [03722] their iniquity [05771], and destroyed [07843] them not: yea, many a time [07235] turned [07725] he his anger [0639] away [07725], and did not stir up [05782] all his wrath [02534].
9 Woe [01945] unto him that striveth [07378] with his Maker [03335] ! Let the potsherd [02789] strive with the potsherds [02789] of the earth [0127]. Shall the clay [02563] say [0559] to him that fashioneth [03335] it, What makest [06213] thou? or thy work [06467], He hath no hands [03027]?