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Text -- Job 12:3 (NET)

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Context
12:3 I also have understanding as well as you; I am not inferior to you. Who does not know such things as these?
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Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Wisdom | Self-exaltation | Sarcasm | Pride | Job | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes

Verse Range Notes
TSK Synopsis , MHCC , Matthew Henry , Keil-Delitzsch , Constable

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Job 12:3 - -- In these things, which he speaks not in a way of boasting, but for the just vindication both of himself, and of that cause of God, which for the subst...

In these things, which he speaks not in a way of boasting, but for the just vindication both of himself, and of that cause of God, which for the substance of it he maintained rightly, as God himself attests, Job 42:7.

Wesley: Job 12:3 - -- The truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things: for the most barbarous nations know that God is in...

The truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things: for the most barbarous nations know that God is infinite in wisdom, and power, and justice. But this is not the question between you and me.

JFB: Job 12:3 - -- Not vanquished in argument and "wisdom" (Job 13:2).

Not vanquished in argument and "wisdom" (Job 13:2).

JFB: Job 12:3 - -- Such commonplace maxims as you so pompously adduce.

Such commonplace maxims as you so pompously adduce.

Clarke: Job 12:3 - -- I am not inferior to you - I do not fall short of any of you in understanding, wisdom, learning, and experience

I am not inferior to you - I do not fall short of any of you in understanding, wisdom, learning, and experience

Clarke: Job 12:3 - -- Who knoweth not such things as these? - All your boasted wisdom consists only in strings of proverbs which are in every person’ s mouth, and ar...

Who knoweth not such things as these? - All your boasted wisdom consists only in strings of proverbs which are in every person’ s mouth, and are no proof of wisdom and experience in them that use them.

TSK: Job 12:3 - -- But I have : Job 13:2-5; Pro 26:4; 2Co 11:5, 2Co 11:21-23 understanding : Heb. an heart I am not inferior to you : Heb. I fall not lower than you. wh...

But I have : Job 13:2-5; Pro 26:4; 2Co 11:5, 2Co 11:21-23

understanding : Heb. an heart

I am not inferior to you : Heb. I fall not lower than you. who knoweth not such things as these. Heb. with whom are not such as these. Job 6:6, Job 6:7, Job 26:2, Job 26:3

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Job 12:3 - -- But I have understanding as well as you - Margin, as in the Hebrew "an heart."The word "heart"in the Scriptures is often used to denote the und...

But I have understanding as well as you - Margin, as in the Hebrew "an heart."The word "heart"in the Scriptures is often used to denote the understanding or mind. It seems to have been regarded as the source of that which was called life or soul. Indeed, I do not recollect a single instance in the Scriptures in which the word "head"is used, as with us, as the seat of the intellect, or where the distinction is adverted to that is so common with us, between the head and the heart. With us, the heart is the seat of the affections and emotions; with the Hebrews, it was the seat of understanding, and the σπλάγχνα splangchna - the viscera, the bowels, were the seat of the emotions; see the notes at Isa 16:11. A more correct physiology has taught us that the brain is the organ of the intellect, and we now speak of "the heart"as the seat of the affections. The Romans regarded the "breast"as the seat of the soul. Thus, Virgil, speaking of the death of Lucagus by the hand of Aeneas, says:

Tum latebras animae pectus mucrone recludit

Aeneid x. 601.

I am not inferior to you - Margin, "fall not lower than."This is the literal translation: "I do not fall beneath you."Job claims to be equal to them in the power of quoting the sayings. of the ancients; and in order to show this, he proceeds to adduce a number of proverbial sayings, occupying the remainder of this chapter, to show that he was familiar with that mode of reasoning, and that in this respect he was fully their equal. This may be regarded as a trial of skill, and was quite common in the East. Wisdom consisted in storing up a large amount of proverbs and maxims, and in applying them readily and pertinently on all public occasions; and in this controversy, Job was by no means disposed to yield to them.

Yea, who knoweth not such things as these? - Margin, "With whom"are "not such as these?"The meaning is, that instead of being original, the sentiments which they advanced were the most commonplace imaginable. Job not only said that he knew them, but that it would be strange if every body did not know them.

Poole: Job 12:3 - -- An understanding Heb. a heart ; which is oft put for the understanding , as Job 34:34 Jer 5:21 Act 8:22 ; i.e. God hath given me also the knowledge...

An understanding Heb. a heart ; which is oft put for the understanding , as Job 34:34 Jer 5:21 Act 8:22 ; i.e. God hath given me also the knowledge and ability to judge of these matters.

I am not inferior to you in these things; which he speaketh, not in a way of vain-glorious boasting, but for the just and necessary vindication both of himself; and of that cause of God, which for the matter and substance of it he maintained rightly, as God himself attests, Job 42:7 .

Who knoweth not such things as these? the truth is, neither you nor I have any reason to be puffed up with our knowledge of these things; for the most foolish and barbarous nations know that God is infinite in wisdom, and power, and justice. But this is not the question between you and me.

Gill: Job 12:3 - -- But I have understanding as well as you,.... A natural understanding, or an understanding of natural things, which distinguishes a man from a brute; a...

But I have understanding as well as you,.... A natural understanding, or an understanding of natural things, which distinguishes a man from a brute; and a spiritual understanding, an understanding enlightened by the spirit of God, which is naturally dark as to divine things; but he had an understanding given him, to know himself, his state and condition by nature; to know God, his love and grace to men, and, as his covenant God, to know Christ his living Redeemer, who should stand on the earth in the latter day, both to be his Redeemer and his Judge; to know his interest in him, and in the blessings of grace and glory by him: or, "I have an heart as well as you" d; a wise and an understanding one; a new heart, and a right spirit; an heart to fear and serve the Lord, a sincere and upright one, and devoid of hypocrisy and deceit; and as good an one as theirs:

I am not inferior unto you: he was indeed as to estate and substance, being now reduced; though he had been, in that sense, the greatest man in all the east; but in wisdom and knowledge, in gifts and grace: thus a modest man, when oppressed and insulted by the speeches of overbearing men, may be obliged and see it necessary to say some things of himself, in his own vindication, which he otherwise would not; see 2Co 11:15; or, "I am not falling before you"; or "by you" e; as one intimidated, conquered, and yielding; I stand my ground, and will not gave way or submit to you, or allow you to have the superiority of me: or, "I am falling no more than you"; they took him for an apostate from God, and the fear of him, and the true religion he had professed, which Job denies; he held fast his integrity; and though he was fallen into calamities and afflictions, he was not fallen from God; from his fear of him, faith in him, and love and obedience to him; he was a holy, good man, a persevering saint; and though he had slips and falls in common with good men, yet fell not finally and totally, or was an apostate from the faith:

yea, who knoweth not such things as these? or, "with whom are not as these" f? the things you have been discoursing of, which you would fain have pass for the secrets of wisdom, deep and mysterious things, hid from vulgar eyes, which none have and know but yourselves, are common things, what everyone is possessed of, and understands as well as you; that there is a God that has made the world, and governs it; that he himself is unsearchable, infinite and incomprehensible; a sovereign Being that does according to his will and pleasure, and sees and knows all things, and does all things well and wisely, and according to the counsel of his will: though some think Job has reference not to what Zophar had been discoursing concerning the infinity and wisdom of God, but to the thing or things in dispute between them, or to the assertions of his friends; that it is always well with good men, and ill with bad men, or that wicked men only are punished and afflicted, and particularly what Zophar concluded his speech with, Job 11:20. Now these were vulgar notions, which the common people had taken up, and were vulgar errors, as he proves in the following verses, by giving instances of good men, being afflicted, and of bad men being in prosperity.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 12:3 Heb “With whom are not such things as these?” The point is that everyone knows the things that these friends have been saying – they...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Job 12:1-25 - --1 Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him.7 He acknowledges the general doctrine of God's omnipotence.

MHCC: Job 12:1-5 - --Job upbraids his friends with the good opinion they had of their own wisdom compared with his. We are apt to call reproofs reproaches, and to think ou...

Matthew Henry: Job 12:1-5 - -- The reproofs Job here gives to his friends, whether they were just or no, were very sharp, and may serve for a rebuke to all that are proud and scor...

Keil-Delitzsch: Job 12:1-3 - -- 1 The Job began, and said: 2 Truly then ye are the people, And wisdom shall die with you! 3 I also have a heart as well as you; I do not stand b...

Constable: Job 4:1--14:22 - --B. The First Cycle of Speeches between Job and His Three Friends chs. 4-14 The two soliloquies of Job (c...

Constable: Job 12:1--14:22 - --6. Job's first reply to Zophar chs. 12-14 In these chapters Job again rebutted his friends and t...

Constable: Job 12:1--13:20 - --Job's repudiation of his friends 12:1-13:19 Verse 2 is irony; his companions were not as...

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Introduction / Outline

JFB: Job (Book Introduction) JOB A REAL PERSON.--It has been supposed by some that the book of Job is an allegory, not a real narrative, on account of the artificial character of ...

JFB: Job (Outline) THE HOLINESS OF JOB, HIS WEALTH, &c. (Job 1:1-5) SATAN, APPEARING BEFORE GOD, FALSELY ACCUSES JOB. (Job 1:6-12) SATAN FURTHER TEMPTS JOB. (Job 2:1-8)...

TSK: Job (Book Introduction) A large aquatic animal, perhaps the extinct dinosaur, plesiosaurus, the exact meaning is unknown. Some think this to be a crocodile but from the desc...

TSK: Job 12 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Job 12:1, Job maintains himself against his friends that reprove him; Job 12:7, He acknowledges the general doctrine of God’s omnipoten...

Poole: Job 12 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 12 Job’ s answer: his friends’ self-conceit: the miserable always despised, though upright; the wicked prosper, Job 12:1-6 . God...

MHCC: Job (Book Introduction) This book is so called from Job, whose prosperity, afflictions, and restoration, are here recorded. He lived soon after Abraham, or perhaps before tha...

MHCC: Job 12 (Chapter Introduction) (Job 12:1-5) Job reproves his friends. (Job 12:6-11) The wicked often prosper. (Job 12:12-25) Job speaks of the wisdom and power of God.

Matthew Henry: Job (Book Introduction) An Exposition, with Practical Observations, of The Book of Job This book of Job stands by itself, is not connected with any other, and is therefore to...

Matthew Henry: Job 12 (Chapter Introduction) In this and the two following chapters we have Job's answer to Zophar's discourse, in which, as before, he first reasons with his friends (see Job ...

Constable: Job (Book Introduction) Introduction Title This book, like many others in the Old Testament, got its name from...

Constable: Job (Outline) Outline I. Prologue chs. 1-2 A. Job's character 1:1-5 B. Job's calamitie...

Constable: Job Job Bibliography Andersen, Francis I. Job. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries series. Leicester, Eng. and Downe...

Haydock: Job (Book Introduction) THE BOOK OF JOB. INTRODUCTION. This Book takes its name from the holy man, of whom it treats; who, according to the more probable opinion, was ...

Gill: Job (Book Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JOB This book, in the Hebrew copies, generally goes by this name, from Job, who is however the subject, if not the writer of it. In...

Gill: Job 12 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JOB 12 In this and the two following chapter Job makes answer to Zophar's discourse in the former; who having represented him as an...

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