collapse all  

Text -- Job 9:30 (NET)

Strongs On/Off
Context
9:30 If I wash myself with snow water, and make my hands clean with lye,
Parallel   Cross Reference (TSK)   ITL  

Names, People and Places, Dictionary Themes and Topics

Dictionary Themes and Topics: Soap | Snow | Philosophy | PURE; PURELY; PURITY | Job | Hand | God | Depravity of Mankind | Complaint | CLEAN | Afflictions and Adversities | more
Table of Contents

Word/Phrase Notes
Wesley , JFB , Clarke , TSK

Word/Phrase Notes
Barnes , Poole , Haydock , Gill

Verse Notes / Footnotes
NET Notes , Geneva Bible

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

collapse all
Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per phrase)

Wesley: Job 9:30 - -- If I clear myself from all imputations, and fully prove my innocency before men.

If I clear myself from all imputations, and fully prove my innocency before men.

JFB: Job 9:30 - -- Thought to be more cleansing than common water, owing to the whiteness of snow (Psa 51:7; Isa 1:18).

Thought to be more cleansing than common water, owing to the whiteness of snow (Psa 51:7; Isa 1:18).

JFB: Job 9:30 - -- Better, to answer to the parallelism of the first clause which expresses the cleansing material, "lye:" the Arabs used alkali mixed with oil, as soap ...

Better, to answer to the parallelism of the first clause which expresses the cleansing material, "lye:" the Arabs used alkali mixed with oil, as soap (Psa 73:13; Jer 2:22).

Clarke: Job 9:30 - -- If I wash myself with snow water - Supposed to have a more detergent quality than common water; and it was certainly preferred to common water by th...

If I wash myself with snow water - Supposed to have a more detergent quality than common water; and it was certainly preferred to common water by the ancients. Of this we find an example in an elegant but licentious author: Tandem ergo discubuimus, pueris Alexandrinis Aquam in manus Nivatam infundentibus, aliisque insequentibus ad pedes - Petr. Satyr., cap. xxxi. "At length we sat down, and had snow water poured on our hands by lads of Alexandria,"etc. Mr. Good supposes that there is an allusion here to the ancient rite of washing the hands in token of innocence. See Psa 26:6 : I will Wash my hands in Innocency; and Psa 73:13 : Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain, and Washed my Hands in Innocency. And by this ceremony Pilate declared himself innocent of the blood of Christ, Mat 27:24.

TSK: Job 9:30 - -- Psa 26:6; Pro 28:13; Isa 1:16-18; Jer 2:22, Jer 4:14; Rom 10:3; 1Jo 1:8

collapse all
Commentary -- Word/Phrase Notes (per Verse)

Barnes: Job 9:30 - -- If I wash myself with snow water - If I should make myself as pure as possible, and should become, in my view, perfectly holy. Snow water, it s...

If I wash myself with snow water - If I should make myself as pure as possible, and should become, in my view, perfectly holy. Snow water, it seems, was regarded as especially pure. The whiteness of snow itself perhaps suggested the idea that the water of melted snow was better than other for purification. Washing the hands formerly was an emblem of cleansing from guilt. Hence Pilate, when he gave up the Savior to death, took water and washed his hands before the multitude, and said that he was innocent of his blood; Mat 27:24. The expression used here by Job, also is imitated by the Psalmist, to denote his innocence:

I will wash mine hands in innocency:

So will I compass thine altar, O Lord. Psa 26:6.

Verily I have cleansed my heart in vain,

And washed my hands in innocency.

Psa 73:13.

So in Shakespeare, Richard III:

How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands

Of this most grievous, guilty murder done!

And make my hands never so clean - Or, rather, should I cleanse my hands with lye, or alkali. The word בור bôr , means properly purity, cleanliness, pureness; and then it is used to denote that which cleanses, alkali, lye, or vegetable salt. The ancients made use of this, mingled with oil, instead of soap, for the purpose of washing, and also in smelting metals, to make them melt more readily; see the note at Isa 1:25. The Chaldee renders it accurately, באהלא - in soap. I have no doubt that this is the sense, and that Job means to say, if he should make use of the purest water and of soap to cleanse himself, still he would be regarded as impure. God would throw him at once into the ditch, and he would be covered with moral filth and defilement again in his sight.

Poole: Job 9:30 - -- If I wash myself either, 1. Really, by sanctification, cleansing my heart and life from all filthiness; or rather, 2. Declaratively or judicially, ...

If I wash myself either,

1. Really, by sanctification, cleansing my heart and life from all filthiness; or rather,

2. Declaratively or judicially, i.e. if I clear myself from all imputations, and fully prove my innocency before men.

With snow water i.e. as men cleanse their bodies, and as under the law they purified themselves, with water, which he here calls water of snow , either because by its purity and brightness it resembled snow; or because in those dry countries, where fresh and pure water was scarce, snow water was much in use; or because that water might be much used among them in some of their ritual purifications, as coming down from heaven.

Haydock: Job 9:30 - -- Snow. Nitre bring off the dirt better. Chaldean, "soap." Hebrew bor, is supposed by many to be the Borith of Jeremias ii. 22. Snow-water was ...

Snow. Nitre bring off the dirt better. Chaldean, "soap." Hebrew bor, is supposed by many to be the Borith of Jeremias ii. 22. Snow-water was also used through delicacy in summer. (Petronius; Sat.)

Gill: Job 9:30 - -- If I wash myself with snow water,.... As it came from heaven, or flowed from the mountains covered with snow, as Lebanon, see Jer 18:14; or was kept i...

If I wash myself with snow water,.... As it came from heaven, or flowed from the mountains covered with snow, as Lebanon, see Jer 18:14; or was kept in vessels for such use, as being judged the best for such a purpose; so it was used by the ancients n, as being what whitens the skin, and strengthens the parts by contracting the pores, and hindering perspiration; it signifies, in a figurative sense, that let him take what methods he would to cleanse himself from sin, they were all in vain, his iniquity would be seen, and remain marked before God; and indeed there is nothing that a man can do that will make him pure and clean in the sight of an holy God; this is not to be done by ceremonial ablutions, such as might be in use in Job's time, before the law of Moses was given, and to which he may have some reference; these only sanctified to the purifying of the flesh, or only externally, but could not purify the heart, so as to have no more conscience of sin; nor by moral duties, not by repentance, as Sephorno; a fountain, a flood, an ocean of tears of humiliation and repentance, would not wash away sin; if, instead of ten thousand rivers of oil, so many rivers of brinish tears could be produced, they would be of no avail to cleanse the sinner; nor any works of righteousness done by man, for these themselves need washing in the blood of the Lamb; for nothing short of the blood of Christ, and the grace of God, can do it:

and make my hands never so clean; the hands are what men work with, Ecc 9:10; and so may design good works, which are sometimes called clean hands; see Psa 24:4; compared with Psa 15:1; and may be said to be so when they are done well, from a pare heart, and faith unfeigned, without selfish and sordid views, with a single eye to the glory of God; which is doing them as well, and making the hands as clean, as well can be; yet these are of no avail with respect to justification before God, and acceptance with him, or with regard to salvation, which is all of grace, and not of works, be they what they will; some render the words, "and cleanse my hands with soap" o, which cleanses them best of anything, see Jer 2:22.

expand all
Commentary -- Verse Notes / Footnotes

NET Notes: Job 9:30 The word בֹּר (bor, “lye, potash”) does not refer to purity (Syriac, KJV, ASV), but refers to the ingredient used ...

Geneva Bible: Job 9:30 If I wash ( y ) myself with snow water, and make my hands never so clean; ( y ) Though I seem pure in my own eyes, yet all is but corruption before G...

expand all
Commentary -- Verse Range Notes

TSK Synopsis: Job 9:1-35 - --1 Job acknowledges God's justice.22 Man's innocency is not to be condemned by afflictions.

Maclaren: Job 9:1-35 - --The End Of The Lord' "Then Job answered the Lord, and said, 2. I know that Thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be withholden from Thee...

MHCC: Job 9:25-35 - --What little need have we of pastimes, and what great need to redeem time, when it runs on so fast towards eternity! How vain the enjoyments of time, w...

Matthew Henry: Job 9:25-35 - -- Job here grows more and more querulous, and does not conclude this chapter with such reverent expressions of God's wisdom and justice as he began wi...

Keil-Delitzsch: Job 9:29-33 - -- 29 If I am wicked, why do I exert myself in vain? 30 If I should wash myself with snow water, And make my hands clean with lye, 31 Then thou woul...

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 9:25-35 - --The unfairness of God 9:25-35 In short, Job believed it was useless for him to try to pr...

Guzik: Job 9:1-35 - --Job 9 - Job's Reply to Bildad A. Job's frustration with the power and majesty of God. 1. (1-13) Job praises the wisdom and strength of God, though i...

expand all
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 9 (Chapter Introduction) Overview Job 9:1, Job acknowledges God’s justice; Job 9:22, Man’s innocency is not to be condemned by afflictions.

Poole: Job 9 (Chapter Introduction) CHAPTER 9 Job’ s answer: man cannot stand in judgment with God, because of his justice, wisdom, and power, which are unsearchable, Job 9:1-11 ...

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 9 (Chapter Introduction) (Job 9:1-13) Job acknowledges God's justice. (Job 9:14-21) He is not able to contend with God. (Job 9:22-24) Men not to be judged by outward conditi...

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 9 (Chapter Introduction) In this and the following chapter we have Job's answer to Bildad's discourse, wherein he speaks honourably of God, humbly of himself, and feelingly...

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 9 (Chapter Introduction) INTRODUCTION TO JOB 9 This and the following chapter contain Job's answer to Bildad, and in this he asserts the strict justice at God; which is suc...

Advanced Commentary (Dictionaries, Hymns, Arts, Sermon Illustration, Question and Answers, etc)


TIP #26: Strengthen your daily devotional life with NET Bible Daily Reading Plan. [ALL]
created in 0.08 seconds
powered by
bible.org - YLSA