Job 38:23

Job 38:23 Which I have reserved against the time of trouble, against the day of battle and war?

Ver. 23. Which I have reserved against the time of trouble] Or, against the time of the enemy to punish him, as Exo 9:24 Jos 10:11 Isa 30:30. By deep snows men are sometimes withered and destroyed; by violent hail stones and coals of fire. {as Psa 18:13-15} What an overthrow was procured against the Quades by the prayers of the thundering legion, as they were afterwards called in the days of Aurelius the emperor! Ingens grando compluraque fulmina in hostes ceciderunt, Huge hail stones and many lightning bolts fell upon the enemy, saith the heathen historian (Dio in Vit. Ant. Phil.).

Against the day of battle and war?] When God is pleased to bring forth his upper and lower troops ready pressed, as the Rabbis phrase it.

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.

Job_38:23

Against the day of battle and war.

War from heaven

In some parts of Scripture Jehovah is represented descending in clouds and tempests, and fixing for Himself in the air a tent or pavilion, where the elementary forces attend and receive commissions and arms for the service in which each meteor, or element, is to be employed (Psa_18:1-50).

I. The treasures in the armoury of Jehovah.

1. Treasures of snow and hail. That vapour, ascending from the earth, and floating over our heads in the air, descends in small white flakes, is a sensible truth; but how the particles of vapour condense and adhere, how they assume the shape, and colour, and quality of snow, are questions too high for us, and must be resolved into the will and power of God. Hail, as a body of condensed vapour, is well known. Dreadful is the execution which it has done among the enemies of the Lord (Exo_9:25; Jos_10:11).

2. The air is the storehouse where snow and hail are collected and laid up. This magnificent fabric, the dimensions of which are unknown, is a glorious effect of the wisdom and power of the great Builder. Storey is founded upon storey, and sphere raised over sphere. At Gods command every exhalation appears, and without resisting His will, assumes the shape and fills the place which He hath appointed.

3. The treasures of snow and hail are under the care and direction of the Lord of heaven and earth. Over these His power is unlimited, and in and by these He doth whatsoever pleaseth Him.

4. These treasures are inaccessible to man. Are there secrets in the air which we cannot discover, and operations in that storehouse of vapour which we are not able to explain; then why do men of penetration stumble at mysteries in religion, or reject truths which God has revealed, because these are not comprehensible by reason? Canst thou find out the Almighty to perfection?

II. The time of trouble and the day of battle and war. There may indeed be trouble when there is not war, but a day of war is always a time of trouble.

1. Rebellion is the cause of these operations. The existence of rebellion against the Lord, the God of the whole earth, cannot be denied. Enemies and rebels are the real characters of multitudes in this generation.

2. These operations are penal operations, or punishments of rebellion against the laws of His kingdom.

3. These operations of Divine wrath and power are just and holy proceedings against the rebellious.

III. The reservation of the snow and the hail in the treasures of the Lord. In the expression there is a greatness becoming the majesty of the Speaker, and the state and grandeur of the Sovereign. The following particulars will help us to understand the sublime expression which the Lord of all uses concerning His operations.

1. The vapour, which fills the treasures of the snow and the hail, is raised, collected, condensed, and stored by the power of God.

2. The treasures, which are filled and stored by the power of God, are poised and balanced by His wisdom. These wondrous works are executed according to a determined and preconceived plan.

3. The snow and the hail are detained in the treasures until the time of trouble, and the day of battle and war. Inferences--

(1) In war from heaven the inhabitants of the earth are the aggressors.

(2) Provoking the Lord of hosts to battle is the folly of wickedness.

(3) Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft.

(4) Humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of the Lord, and taking hold of the covenant of peace, is present duty and true wisdom. (A. Shanks.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To punish mine enemies with them, Exod. 9:18; Josh. 10:11.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

against the time of trouble--the time when I design to chastise men (Exo 9:18; Jos 10:11; Rev 16:21; Isa 28:17; Psa 18:12-13; Hag 2:17).

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

Verse 23. Reserved against the time of trouble] לעת צר leeth tsar, "to the season of strictness," i.e., the season when the earth is constringed or bound by the frost.

Against the day of battle and war?] Hailstones being often employed as instruments of God's displeasure against his enemies, and the enemies of his people. There is probably an allusion here to the plague of hail sent on the Egyptians. See Ex 9:23, and the notes there, for more particulars concerning hailstones, remarkable showers of them, c. There may be also a reference to Jos 10:10-11, where a destructive shower of what are called hailstones fell upon the Canaanitish kings who fought against Israel. See the note there also.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(23) The time of trouble.—As was the case with the Canaanites, in Jos_10:11. (Comp. Psa_18:13.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

23. Compare such passages as Jos_10:11; Psa_68:14; Isa_30:30; Eze_13:13.

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.

By what way is the light parted,.... That is, dost thou know by what way it is parted or divided? as at the first creation, when God divided the light from darkness, Gen 1:4; or at sun rising and sun setting; and so in the two hemispheres, when there is darkness on the one, and light on the other; or under the two poles, when there are interchangeably six months light and six months darkness. Or how it is parted in an unequal distribution of day and night, at different seasons and in different climates; or how on one and the same day, and at the same time, the sun shall shine in one part of the earth, and not another; and more especially if this had been now a fact, and known, that there should be darkness all over the land of Egypt, and light in Goshen. Some understand this of lightning, but that is later mentioned;

which scattereth the east wind upon the earth? that rising sometimes with the sun, or first spring of light; see Jon 4:8; or which light spreads and diffuses itself "from the east", as it may be rendered. The sun rises in the east, and in a very quick and surprising manner spreads and diffuses its light throughout the hemisphere. Or this may respect the east wind itself, which scatters the clouds; and either spreads them in the heavens over the earth, or disperses them and drives away rain (x), as the north wind does: or as Mr. Broughton renders the words, "and the east wind scattereth itself over the earth"; it blowing invisibly and without our knowledge, goes and returns as other winds do, Joh 3:8.

(x) "Agente nimbos ocyor euro". Horat. Carmin. l. 2. Ode 16.

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

Which I have reserved - As if they were carefully treasured up to be brought forth as they shall be needed. The idea is, that they were entirely under the direction of God.

The time of trouble - Herder “the time of need.” The meaning probably is, that he had kept them in reserve for the time when he wished to bring calamity on his enemies, or that he made use of them to punish his foes; compare the notes at Job 36:31-33.

Against the day of battle and war - Hailstones were employed by God sometimes to overwhelm his foes, and were sent against them in time of battle; see Jos 10:11; Exo 9:22-26; Psa 18:12-13; compare the notes at Isa 29:6.

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

War. Hail, &c., are like the arrows of God, Jeremias x. 13., and l. 25. (Calmet)

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).

Which, i.e. which snow, and especially hail.

Against the time of trouble, i.e. when I intend to bring trouble or calamity upon any country or people for their sins, or for their trial. Or, against the time of the enemy, i.e. when I intend to punish mine or my people’s enemies, and to fight against them with these weapons; of which see instances Exo 9:14; Jos 10:11. Compare 1Sa 7:10; Job 36:31; Isa 30:30.

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

23. The day of battle and war — Man’s ordnance for war is the wide-mouthed and wide-resounding cannon; God’s, the silent snowflake, the blight, the unseen fungi floating in the air, or marshalled hosts of insects. “Providence,” said Napoleon, “is on the side of the heaviest battalions;” heaven’s answer consisted simply of snow and hail and cold; and one of the mightiest armies of modern times was laid low. Horace has a similar thought: —

Too long, alas! with storms of hail and snow,

Jove has chastised the world below.

Demosthenes compares the destructive course of King Philip to a storm of hail. For Scripture illustrations see Exo_9:18; Jos_10:11; 1Sa_7:10; 2Sa_23:20; Psa_68:14; Isa_28:17, etc.

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

Which I have reserved against the time of trouble. Hail is reckoned throughout Scripture as one of the ministers of the Divine vengeance. (see Exo_9:18-29 Exo_10:5-15 Jos_10:11 Psa_18:12, 13 78:47, 48 105:32 Isa_30:30 Isa_32:19 Eze_13:11, 13 36:22 Hag_2:17 Rev_8:7 Rev_11:19 Rev_16:21) Its destructive effect upon crops, even in temperate latitudes, is indicated by the insurances against damage from hail, which, even in our own country, so many farmers think it worth their while to pay. In tropical and semitropical regions the injury caused by hailstorms is far greater. Against the day of battle and war. Compare especially Jos_10:11, which, however, we need not suppose to have been in the mind of the writer. In ancient times, when the bow held the place in war which is now occupied by the rifle or the musket, a heavy hailstorm, striking full in the face of the combatants on one side, while it only fell on the backs of their adversaries, must of tea have decided a battle.

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

Trouble - When I intend to bring trouble upon any people for their sins.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

That I saved I withheld.

for a time of trouble For the five kings in Gibeon.

for a day of battle The war of Gog and Magog.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.