An exposition with practical observations continued upon the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh chapters…

Wilt thou be grieved?] The word signifies to be extremely ¹wearied even unto rage or fainting. Here Elipphaz seems to hint at Jobs former distempered speeches. If we speak, wilt thou promise us not to fall into such a fit of passion, as even now thou wast in. And yet whatsoever comes of it, or howsoever thou takest it, I must discharge my duty and my conscience; therefore he adds, who can withhold himself from speaking? That is, no man can withhold himself from speaking in such a case as this: to hear thee speak thus would even make a dumb man speak; Christ saith in the Gospel, If these should hold their peace the stones would cry; there is such a sense in these words: if we thy friends should hold our peace, when thou speakest thus, the very stones would cry out against thee for speaking, and against us for holding our peace. The Hebrew word translated withhold, signifies to shut up a thing so as ²that it cannot come out: It is applied to the locking up of the Clouds that they rain not; to the holding in of fire that it cannot break forth; Jer: 20. 9. where the Prophet very elegantly fits it to the restraining of speech, which is the very point in hand. His word was in mine heart as a burning fire shut up in my bones, I was weary with forbearing. So it implies that the friends of Job had as it were a fire in their bosoms, which they could no longer restrain, they were as Clouds full of water, full of dew and rain, they were not able to suspend themselves from dissolving and showering upon Job, both reproof and counsel, advises and exhortations.

Wilt thou be grieved?] The word signifies to be extreamly ¹wearled even unto rage or fainting. Here Elipphaz seemes to hint at Jobs former distemper'd speeches. If we speak, wilt thou promise us not to fall into such a fit of passion, as even now thou wast in. And yet whatsoever comes of it, or howsoever thou takest it, I must discharge my duty and my conscience; therefore he addes, who can withhold himselfe from speaking? That is, no man can withhold himselfe from speaking in such a case as this: to heare thee speak thus would even make a dumb man speak; Christ saith in the Gospel, If these should hold their peace the stones would cry; there is such a sense in these words: if we thy friends should hold our peace, when thou speakest thus, the very stones would cry out against thee for speaking, and against us for holding our peace. The Hebrew word translated withhold, signifies to shut up a thing so as