Job 11:19

19. make suit unto thee] The phrase means literally: shall stroke thy face, i. e. supplicate or flatter thee. Pro_19:6; Psa_45:12.

The picture which Zophar draws of Job’s restored prosperity is beautiful. (1) Trouble shall be forgotten, or remembered as waters that are passed away; and the memory of a past trouble that cannot recur but makes the present happiness greater (Job_11:16). (2) And the future shall rise brighter than noon, or, it may be, shall increase towards brightness more than the noon does, shewing an ever-growing clearness; and if it be at any time clouded, as in any life however clear there are clouds, the darkness shall only be a lesser light like that of the morning; or as the words may mean, the darkness shall only be like the fixed changes of nature and shall give place like the night to a fair and hopeful morning (Job_11:17). (3) Thus restored to the fixed order of a life with God he shall be trustful because there is hope, and he shall look about, surveying all things, and finding nothing to dread shall lie down in confidence (Job_11:18); and when lain down he shall rest peacefully. (4) And his security and prosperity shall draw to him the homage of many, who (as before) shall seek his favour (Job_11:19).

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Job 11:19 Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make [thee] afraid; yea, many shall make suit unto thee.

Ver. 19. Thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid] Thou shalt walk about the world like a conqueror, being ever under a double guard, the peace of God within thee, Php 4:7, and the power of God without thee, 1Pe 1:5, neither shall any enemy come upon thee in the night to fright and to disturb thee, which is a great mercy. It is not long since we of this nation did eat the bread of our souls in peril of our lives, neither could we rest in our beds for the sound of the trumpet, the alarm of war. Destruction upon destruction was cried, &c., Jer 4:19-20. Should this ever be forgotten?

Yea, many shall make suit unto thee] Heb. Shall entreat thy face; yea, they shall tire thee out with their entreaties. Many seek the ruler’s favour, Pro 29:26, he is even thronged with suitors, so that he cannot be without a master of requests. Hence the poet Orpheus feigneth that Litae , or supplications and petitions, are Jove’s daughters; and that they are ever attending at his throne, ου γαρ ατιμοι ικεσιου Zηνος κουραι λιται (Orph. in Arg.). Here then Zophar promiseth Job, that upon his return to God he shall be as great a man as ever; and that many, yea, that his very enemies, shall not only not molest him, but fear his power, and beg his favour, Jer 30:17. And whereas once it was, This is Job whom no man seeketh after, then the rich among the people shall entreat thy favour, Psa 45:12, and all that despised thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, Isa 60:14; Isa 45:14 Rev 3:9 Pro 19:6. Lo, this is the honour God putteth upon holiness: "Holy and reverend is his name"; and therefore reverend because holy, Psa 111:9 : so also is ours, Isa 43:4. Howbeit we have cause to complain, that in these last and worst times, as the Turks count all fools to be saints, so men with us account all saints to be fools; and not a few turn to unholiness, lest they should be despised, Omnes quodammodo mali esse coguntur, ne viles habeantur (Sal.).

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

(Psa 4:8; Pro 3:24; Isa 14:30); oriental images of prosperity.

make suit--literally, "stroke thy face," "caress thee" (Pro 19:6).

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Also thou shall lie down, and none shall make thee afraid,.... Either lie down on his bed, as before, or by his flocks, and where they lie down, and none should disturb him or them; not thieves and robbers, such as the Chaldeans and Sabeans had been to him, nor lions, bears, and wolves;

yea, many shall make suit unto thee; make their supplications, present their requests and petitions for relief under necessitous circumstances, or for protection from the injuries and insults of others; as the poor and needy, the widow and fatherless, had done to him in times past, when in his prosperity, and when he was a friend unto them, and the father of them; see Pro 19:6; or, "the great ones (z) shall make suit to thee"; to have his favour and friendship, his counsel and advice, his company and conversation; he should be applied unto and courted by men of all sorts, which would be no small honour to him; see Psa 45:12.

(z) "magnates", Vatablus, Bolducius.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Many shall make suit unto thee - Many shall come in a suppliant manner to ask counsel and advice. The meaning is, that he would be a man of distinction, to whom many would look for counsel. This was evidently an honor highly valued in the East, and one on which Job had formerly pridcd himself; see Job 29:7-13.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Face. Luther translates "shall flatter thee." The Dutch version, which is taken from Luther’s, has mistaken a letter, and rendered "shall flee before thee," which shews the danger of translating without recurring to the originals. (Amama)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Desiring thy favour and friendship, because of thy great power, and riches, and eminent felicity: see Gen 26:26, &c.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

19. Lie down — The image is Oriental, and is derived from flocks or herds in a state of repose. (Psa_23:2.)

Make suit unto thee — Literally, stroke thy face, that is, caress thee; (Pro_19:6;) hence, to entreat the favour of one. It is commonly used of the worship of God, and besides, only of the respect paid to men high in position.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Also thou shalt lie down, and none shall make thee afraid; i.e. there shall be no more raids on the part of Sabeans (Job_1:15) or Chaldeans (Job_1:17) to affright and injure thee. Yea, many shall make suit unto thee. On the contrary, thy aid shall be invoked, thy interference on their behalf prayed for, by many.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.