Reiske's proposal to read, a man; but, even if allowable in itself, this enfeebles the idea; for if intercession rescues one who is not guiltless, it is more to the purpose than availing only for the innocent. Indeed the true version had been given long ago by Tremellius and Junius, and even in the Chaldee paraphrase, and followed by Schultens and others.

CHAPTERS XXIII., XXIV.

ANSWER OF JOB.

THE tone of the answer is calmer, and somewhat more comely, though he says that to-day alɛo his complaint is rebellion (or bitter), and his stroke heavier than his groaning. But his desire is, as before, to draw near to God, and have His decision, in the face of all the circumstances that seemed to testify against his integrity, and of friends carried away by appearance, and as ready to condemn him now as his worst enemies. Nothing disturbs fellowship more than misjudgment, unless it be positive sin, especially when concealed under high pretension to godliness; and this was just the question between Job and his friends. On the other hand, while re-asserting his good conscience and his ways, Job owns to a shrinking from His presence, because He is inflexible in His decrees, and unnerves the heart by the thought of Himself more than darkness. And this leads him, in chapter xxiv., to shew, not that God has not a moral government now, but how incomprehensible it is to man, the first half dwelling on the sad sufferings of the innocent under wicked and mighty foes, the second on the successful evil-doers, who long carry on their villainy in secret, till condign punishment comes from God, as it will, beyond doubt, at the end.

Chapter xxiii.

And Job answered and said,

Also to-day [is] my complaint rebellion,

My stroke is heavier than my groaning.
O that I knew where to find Him!

I would come unto His chair of state,
I would draw up the cause before Him,
And would fill my mouth with arguments;
I would know the words He would answer me,
And understand what He would say to me.
Would He contend with me by main strength?
Nay, but He would give heed to me.

There would a righteous one be pleading with
Him,

And I should be for ever quit of my judge.
Behold, I go eastward, but He is not there,
And westward, but I cannot perceive Him;
To the north, where He worketh, but cannot
behold [Him];

He veileth the south, and I see [Him] not.
But He knoweth the way, who is with me;
He trieth me, as gold I come forth.
To His step my foot hath held,

His way have I kept, and not turned aside:
The commandment of His lips I have not left,
More than my law [or my daily bread],

Have I kept the sayings of His mouth.

But He [is] in one thing, and who will turn Him?
And His soul desireth, and He will accomplish.
For He performeth what is appointed me,
And much of the like [is] with Him.
Therefore I am confounded before His face;
I consider, and am afraid before Him.
For God [El] hath made my heart soft,
And the Almighty hath confounded me,

H

For I was not cut off before the darkness,

And before me covered He the thick darkness.

Chapter xxiv.

Why, since times are not hid from the Almighty, Do not those who know Him see His days?

They remove landmarks; they rob flocks, and feed; They drive the ass of the orphan, they distrain the ox of the widow;

They thrust the needy out of the way,

The poor of the land must hide together.

Behold, wild asses in the wilderness, they go forth, Early about their work, after prey;

The desert [is] to him bread for the little ones;

In the field they reap his cattle-fodder,
And the vineyard of the wicked they glean.
They make the naked lodge without clothing,

And without covering in the cold.

With the rain of mountains they are drenched,
And, shelterless, they embrace a rock.
They pluck the orphan from the breast,

And on the poor lay distraint.

Naked they go without clothing,

And hungry they bear the sheaf,

They make oil within their walls,
They tread wine-vats, and they thirst.

Out of the city mortals groan,

And the soul of the wounded crieth out;

Yet God regardeth not the folly!

They are among the rebels against the light, They know not His ways, nor remain in His paths. With the light the murderer riseth,

He slayeth the poor and needy,

And in the night he is as a thief.

And the adulterer's eye watches for the twilight, Saying, "No eye observeth me,"

And he layeth a veil over the face.

In the dark he breaketh into houses,

They keep themselves close by day, they know not the light.

For morning is to them altogether death-shade, When he discerneth the terrors of the deathshade.

Light [is] he on the face of the waters; The portion of those on the land is despised, He turneth not to the way of the vineyards. Drought and heat consume the snow-waters; [So doth] sheol [those that] have sinned,

The womb forgetteth him, the worm feedeth on him,

He is no more remembered, and wickedness is broken like a tree.

He devoureth the barren that beareth not, and doeth the widow no good.

And he hath drawn the mighty by his power,

He riseth, and none believeth in life.

He [God] giveth confidence to him, and he is supported;

And His eyes are on their ways.

High they are a little while, and are not,

And they sink; like all they are shut up,
And are cut off, like the topping ears of corn.
And if not so now, who proveth me a liar,
And maketh my word nought?