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Text -- Job 31:26 (NET)

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Context
31:26 if I looked at the sun when it was shining, and the moon advancing as a precious thing,
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: WORLD, COSMOLOGICAL | Temptation | Sun | SUN-WORSHIP | SHINE | QUEEN OF HEAVEN | Moon | LIGHT | Job | JOB, BOOK OF | Integrity | Idolatry | CHARM | ASTRONOMY, II | ASTRONOMY, I | ADORATION | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , Defender , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

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

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Job 31:26 - -- This place speaks of the worship of the host of heaven, and especially of the sun and moon, the most eminent and glorious of that number, which was th...

This place speaks of the worship of the host of heaven, and especially of the sun and moon, the most eminent and glorious of that number, which was the most ancient kind of idolatry, and most frequent in the eastern countries.

Wesley: Job 31:26 - -- In its full strength and glory.

In its full strength and glory.

JFB: Job 31:26 - -- If I looked unto the sun (as an object of worship) because he shined; or to the moon because she walked, &c. Sabaism (from tsaba, "the heavenly hosts"...

If I looked unto the sun (as an object of worship) because he shined; or to the moon because she walked, &c. Sabaism (from tsaba, "the heavenly hosts") was the earliest form of false worship. God is hence called in contradistinction, "Lord of Sabaoth." The sun, moon, and stars, the brightest objects in nature, and seen everywhere, were supposed to be visible representatives of the invisible God. They had no temples, but were worshipped on high places and roofs of houses (Eze 8:16; Deu 4:19; 2Ki 23:5, 2Ki 23:11). The Hebrew here for "sun" is light. Probably light was worshipped as the emanation from God, before its embodiments, the sun, &c. This worship prevailed in Chaldea; wherefore Job's exemption from the idolatry of his neighbors was the more exemplary. Our "Sun-day," "Mon-day," or Moon-day, bear traces of Sabaism.

Clarke: Job 31:26 - -- If I beheld the sun when it shined - In this verse Job clears himself of that idolatrous worship which was the most ancient and most consistent with...

If I beheld the sun when it shined - In this verse Job clears himself of that idolatrous worship which was the most ancient and most consistent with reason of any species of idolatry; viz., Sabaeism, the worship of the heavenly bodies; particularly the sun and moon, Jupiter and Venus, the two latter being the morning and evening stars, and the most resplendent of all the heavenly bodies, the sun and moon excepted. "Job,"says Calmet, "points out three things here

1.    The worship of the sun and moon; much used in his time, and very anciently used in every part of the East; and in all probability that from which idolatry took its rise

2.    The custom of adoring the sun at its rising, and the moon at her change; a superstition which is mentioned in Eze 8:16, and in every part of profane antiquity

3.    The custom of kissing the hand; the form of adoration, and token of sovereign respect."Adoration, or the religious act of kissing the hand, comes to us from the Latin; ad , to , and os, oris , the mouth. The hand lifted to the mouth, and there saluted by the lips.

Defender: Job 31:26 - -- Job seemed to understand that the moon does not emit its own light, but reflects the light of the sun. He differentiates between the shining of the su...

Job seemed to understand that the moon does not emit its own light, but reflects the light of the sun. He differentiates between the shining of the sun, and he refers to the moon merely as "walking" in the sun's brightness."

TSK: Job 31:26 - -- beheld : Gen 1:16-18; Deu 4:19, Deu 11:16, Deu 17:3; 2Ki 23:5, 2Ki 23:11; Jer 8:2; Eze 8:16 sun : Heb. light the moon : Psa 8:3, Psa 8:4; Jer 44:17 in...

beheld : Gen 1:16-18; Deu 4:19, Deu 11:16, Deu 17:3; 2Ki 23:5, 2Ki 23:11; Jer 8:2; Eze 8:16

sun : Heb. light

the moon : Psa 8:3, Psa 8:4; Jer 44:17

in brightness : Heb. bright

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Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Job 31:26 - -- If I beheld the sun when it shined - Margin, light. The Hebrew word ( אור 'ôr ) properly means light, but that it here means the sun ...

If I beheld the sun when it shined - Margin, light. The Hebrew word ( אור 'ôr ) properly means light, but that it here means the sun is manifest from the connection, since the moon occurs in the parallel member of the sentence. Why the word light is used here rather than sun, can be only a matter of conjecture. It may be because the worship to which Job refers was not primarily and originally that of the sun, the moon, or the stars, but of light as such, and that he mentions this as the essential feature of the idolatry which he had avoided. The worship of light in general soon became in fact the worship of the sun - as that is the principal source of light. There is no doubt that Job here refers to idolatrous worship, and the passage is particularly valuable, as it describes one of the forms of idolatry then existing, and refers to some of the customs then prevalent in such worship.

The word light is used, also, to denote the sun in Job 37:2 l; compare Isa 18:4; Hab 3:4. So, also, Homer speaks of the sun not only as λαμπρὸν φάος ἡελίοιο lampron faos hēelioio - bright light of the sun, but simply as φάος faos - light. Odyssey r. 335. The worship here referred to is that of the heavenly bodies, and it is known that this existed in the early periods of the world, and was probably one of the first forms of idolatry. It is expressly mentioned by Ezekiel as prevailing in his time, Eze 8:16, "And they worshipped the sun toward the east."That it prevailed in the time of Moses, is evident from the caution which he gives in Deu 4:19; compare 2Ki 23:5. It is well known, also, that the worship of the heavenly bodies was common in the East, and particularly in Chaldea - near to which Job is supposed to have lived, and it was a remarkable fact that one who was surrounded with idolaters of this description had been enabled always to keep himself pure.

The principle on which this worship was founded was, probably, that of gratitude. People adored the objects from which they derived important benefits, as well as deprecated the wrath of those which were supposed to exert a malignant influence. But among the objects from which people derived the greatest benefits were the sun and moon, and hence, they were objects of worship. The stars, also, were supposed to exert important influences over people, and hence, they also early became objects of adoration. An additional reason for the worship of the heavenly bodies may have been, that light was a natural and striking symbol of the divinity, and those shining bodies may have been at first honored as representatives of the Deity. The worship of the heavenly bodies was called Sabaism, from the Hebrew word צבא tsâbâ' - host, or army - as being the worship of the hosts of heaven.

It is supposed to have had its origin in Persia, and to have spread thence to the West. That the moon was worshipped as a deity, is abundantly proved by the testimony of the ancient writers. Hottinger, Hist. Orient. Lib. 1:c. 8, speaking of the worship of the Zabaists, adduces the testimony of Ali Said Vaheb, saying that the first day of the week was devoted to the sun; the second to the moon; the third to Mars, etc. Maimonides says that the Zabaists worshipped the moon, and that they also said that Adam led mankind to that species of worship. Mor. Nev. P. 3: Clemens Alexandr. says (in Protrepto) κὰι προσεκίνησαν ἥλιον ὡς ἰνδοὶ κὰι σελήνην ὡς φρύγες kai prosekinēsan hēlion hōs indoi kai selēnēn hōs fruges . Curtius says of the people of Lybia (Liv. iv. in Melp.) θυὸνσι δὲ ἡλίῳ κὰι οελήνη μόυνοισι thuousi de hēliō kai oelēnē mounoisi .

Julius Caesar says of the Germans, that they worshipped the moon, Lib. 6: de B. G. p. 158. The Romans had a temple consecrated to the moon, Taci. Ann. Lib. 15: Livy, L. 40: See Geor. Frid. Meinhardi Diss. de Selenolatria, in Ugolin’ s Thesau. Sacr. Tom. 23:p. 831ff. Indeed, we have a proof of the worship of the moon in our own language, in the name given to the second day of the week - Monday, i. e. moon-day, implying that it was formerly regarded as devoted to the worship of the moon. The word "beheld"in the passage before us must be understood in an idolatrous sense. "If I have looked upon the sun as an object of worship."Schultens explains this passage as referring to splendid and exalted characters, who, on account of their brilliance and power, may be compared to the sun at noon-day, and to the moon in its brightness. But the more obvious and common reference is to the sun and moon as objects of worship.

Or the moon walking in brightness - Margin, bright. The word "walking,"here applied to the moon, may refer either to its course through the heavens, or it may mean, as Dr. Good supposes, advancing to her full; "brightly, or splendidly progressive."The Septuagint renders the passage strangely enough. "Do we not see the shining sun eclipsed? and the moon changing? For it is not in them."

Poole: Job 31:26 - -- If I beheld not simply, nor only with admiration; (for it is a glorious work of God, which we ought to contemplate and admire;) but for the end here ...

If I beheld not simply, nor only with admiration; (for it is a glorious work of God, which we ought to contemplate and admire;) but for the end here following, or so as to ascribe to it the honour peculiar to God.

The sun Heb. the light , to wit, the sun, as appears by the opposition of the

moon following, which is called the light here, and Gen 1:16 Psa 136:7,8 , by way of eminency, because it is the great light, and the fountain of light to this visible world. And this is understood either,

1. Of Job’ s worldly glory or prosperity, which is oft compared to light in Scripture, as the contrary is to darkness. And so the sense of these and the following words is, If I reflected upon my wealth and glory with pride, and admiration, and satisfaction. But this he had now mentioned in plain and proper terms, Job 31:25 , and therefore it is not likely that he should now repeat the same thing in dark and metaphorical expressions. And although this be a great sin before God, yet this is not one of those sins which fall under the cognizance of human judges, as it here follows, Job 31:28 . Or rather,

2. Of the sun in the firmament; and so this place speaks of the idolatrous; worship of the host of heaven, and especially of the sun and moon, the most eminent and glorious of that number, which was the most ancient kind of idolatry, and was most frequent in the Eastern countries, in one of which Job lived.

When it shined i.e. in its full strength and glory; for then it did most affect men’ s eyes and hearts with admiration at its beauty and benefits, and so move them to adore it. Or, when it began to shine , (the complete verb being used of the beginning of it, as he reigned is oft put for he began to reign ,) i.e. at its first rising, which was a special and the chief time for its adoration. Walking in brightness ; when it shines most clearly; or when it is at the full, for then especially did the idolaters worship it.

Gill: Job 31:26 - -- If I beheld the sun when it shined,.... Some take this to be a reason why Job did not make gold his hope and confidence, because all sublunary and ear...

If I beheld the sun when it shined,.... Some take this to be a reason why Job did not make gold his hope and confidence, because all sublunary and earthly enjoyments must be uncertain, fading, and perish, since the sun and moon are not without their deficiencies and changes, to which sense the Septuagint version inclines; others, as Nachmanides, that they are a denial that Job ascribed his wealth and substance to the influence of the heavenly bodies; and many interpreters are of opinion that they are a continuation of the same subject as before; Job hereby declaring that neither his eye nor his heart were set upon his outward prosperity, comparable to the light of the sun, and the brightness of the moon; that he did not secretly please himself with it, nor congratulate himself upon it nor applaud his own wisdom and industry; and of late Schultens and others interpret it of flattering great personages, complimenting: them, and courting their favour, which we call worshipping the rising sun; but I rather think it is to be understood, as it more generally is, of worshipping the sun and moon in a literal sense; which was the first kind of idolatry men went into; those very ancient idolaters, the Zabii, worshipped the sun as their greater god, as Maimonides a observes, to whom he says they offered seven bats, seven mice, and seven other creeping things, with some other things also; in later times horses were offered to it, see 2Ki 23:11. So the ancient Egyptians worshipped the sun and moon, calling the one Osiris, and the other Isis b. The word for sun is "light", and it is so called because it is a luminous body, and the fountain of light to others; it is called the greater light, Gen 1:16; and from this Hebrew word "or", with the Egyptians, Apollo, who is the sun, is called Horus, as Macrobius c relates; it is said to "shine", as it always does, even when below our horizon, or in an eclipse, or under a cloud, though not seen by us. Job has here respect to its shining clearly and visibly, and perhaps at noon day, when it is in its full strength; unless regard is had to its bright and shining appearance at its rising, when the Heathens used to pay their homage and adoration to it d: now when Job denies that he beheld it shining, it cannot be understood of the bare sight of it, which he continually had; nor of beholding it with delight and pleasure, which might be very lawfully done, Ecc 11:7; nor of considering it as the work of God, being a very glorious and useful creature, in which his glory is displayed, and for which he is to be praised, because of its beneficial influence on the earth; see Psa 8:3; but of his beholding it with admiration, as if it was more than a creature, ascribing deity to it, and worshipping it as God; and the same must be understood of the moon in the next clause:

or the moon walking in brightness; as at first rising, or rather when in the full, in the middle of the month, as Aben Ezra; when it walks all night, in its brightness, illuminated by the sun: these two luminaries, the one called the king, the other the queen of heaven, were very early worshipped, if not the first instances of idolatry. Diodorus Siculus e says, that the first men of old, born in Egypt, beholding and admiring the beauty of the world, thought there were two gods in the nature of the universe, and that they were eternal; namely, the sun and moon, the one they called Osiris, and the other Isis; hence the Israelites, having dwelt long in Egypt, were in danger of being drawn into this idolatry, against which they are cautioned, Deu 4:19; and where was a city called Heliopolis, or the city of the sun, as in the Greek version of Isa 19:18; where was a temple dedicated to the worship of it; and so the Arabians, the neighbours of Job, according to Herodotus f, worshipped the sun and moon; for he says the Persians were taught by them and the Assyrians to sacrifice to the sun and moon; and so did the old Canaanites and the Phoenicians; hence one of their cities is called Bethshemesh, the house or temple of the sun, Jos 19:22, yea, we are told g, that to this day there are some traces of this ancient idolatry in Arabia, the neighbourhood of Job; as in a large city in Arabia, upon the Euphrates, called Anna, where they worship the sun only; this being common in those parts in Job's time, he purges himself from it.

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Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 31:26 Heb “light”; but parallel to the moon it is the sun. This section speaks of false worship of the sun and the moon.

Geneva Bible: Job 31:26 If I beheld the ( r ) sun when it shined, or the moon walking [in] brightness; ( r ) If I was proud of my worldly prosperity and happiness, which is ...

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Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Job 31:1-40 - --1 Job makes a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties.

MHCC: Job 31:24-32 - --Job protests, 1. That he never set his heart upon the wealth of this world. How few prosperous professors can appeal to the Lord, that they have not r...

Matthew Henry: Job 31:24-32 - -- Four articles more of Job's protestation we have in these verses, which, as all the rest, not only assure us what he was and did, but teach us what ...

Keil-Delitzsch: Job 31:24-28 - -- 24 If I made gold my confidence, And said to the fine gold: O my trust; 25 If I rejoiced that my wealth was great, And that my hand had gained mu...

Constable: Job 29:1--31:40 - --2. Job's defense of his innocence ch. 29-31 Job gave a soliloquy before his dialogue with his th...

Constable: Job 31:1-40 - --Job's continuing innocence ch. 31 As was common in ancient Near Eastern judicial cases, ...

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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 31 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Job 31:1, Job makes a solemn protestation of his integrity in several duties.

Poole: Job 31 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 31 He protesteth his continency and chastity; God’ s providence, presence, and judgments; his motives, Job 31:1-4 . His just dealings,...

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 31 (Chapter Introduction) (Job 31:1-8) Job declares his uprightness. (Job 31:9-15) His integrity. (Job 31:16-23) Job merciful. (Job 31:24-32) Job not guilty of covetousness ...

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 31 (Chapter Introduction) Job had often protested his integrity in general; here he does it in particular instances, not in a way of commendation (for he does not here procl...

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 31 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JOB 31 In this chapter Job gives an account of himself in private life, of the integrity and uprightness of his life, and his holy ...

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