And that other place (Chap. 26.12.) may be glossed thus, He divided the sea by his power, that is, the red sea, and by his understanding he struck through Rahab; that is,1 when the Egyptians pursued his people, he destroyed them. Which interpretation carries a very clear proof that Job alludes to the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and therefore lived after the time of that deliverance; though others who grant the exposition, deny the inference, maintain that Job spake this prophetically, not historically. This we know, that Egypt was a place much sought to for help, and ⟨p. 246⟩therefore it is elegantly said, If the Lord turn not away his anger, Egypt shall stoop; that Nation which hath bin so often called out to help and relive other Nations, that Nation wch hath so often helped and relieved other Nations, shall not be able to help, Isa. 31.1. They go down to Egypt for help, as if Egypt had been as a City of refuge, or the place of common resort for help. And Isa. 30.7. The Egyptians shall help in vain; the Text is very appliable to this point; we read it thus, The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose, therefore have I cried concerning this, their strength is to sit still. Their strength shall not deliver you, they shall help in vain, therefore I have warned you (saith the Prophet) to sit still, to be quiet with your own strength, and it is better to do so than to go down thither for help. But the word which we translate strength, 2is, that in the Text, Rahab; and we may render the whole thus, The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose, therefore I cried to them in this thing, They are proud, or only pride, Therefore sit still. As if he had said, Will ye go to Egypt for help? Ye go but to a proud people for help, and ye had better have no helpers, then proud helpers, ye had better be quiet and sit still at home, for they shall help you in vain. So it is an elegant allusion to their nature and disposition. The truth is, proud helpers are very unsafe helpers, for the Lord resisteth the proud, and I wonder how they can help us to resist our enemies, who are resisted by the Lord himself? They will prove but ill friends to us, who have the Lord for their enemy.
And that other place (Chap. 26.12.) may be glossed thus, He divided the sea by his power, that is, the red sea, and by his understanding he struck thorow Rahab; that is,1 when the Aegyptians pursued his people, he destroied them. Which interpretation carries a very clear proof that Job alludes to the deliverance of Israel out of Aegypt, and therefore lived after the time of that deliverance; though others who grant the exposition, deny the inference, maintain that Job spake this prophetically, not historically. This we know, that Aegypt was a place much sought to for help, and ⟨p. 246⟩therefore it is elegantly said, If the Lord turn not away his anger, Aegypt shall stoop; that Nation which hath bin so often called out to help and relive other Nations, that Nation wch hath so often helped and relieved other Nations, shall not be able to help, Isa. 31.1. They goe down to Aegypt for help, as if Aegypt had been as a City of refuge, or the place of common resort for help. And Isa. 30.7. The Aegyptians shall help in vain; the Text is very appliable to this point; we read it thus, The Aegyptians shall helpe in vain, and to no purpose, therefore have I cried concerning this, their strength is to sit still. Their strength shall not deliver you, they shall help in vain, therefore I have warned you (saith the Prophet) to sit still, to be quiet with your own strength, and it is better to doe so than to go down thither for help. But the word which we translate strength, 2is, that in the Text, Rahab; and we may render the whole thus, The Egyptians shall help in vain, and to no purpose, therefore I cried to them in this thing, They are proud, or only pride, Therefore sit still. As if he had said, Will ye goe to Aegypt for help? Ye go but to a proud people for help, and ye had better have no helpers, then proud helpers, ye had better be quiet and sit still at home, for they shall help you in vain. So it is an elegant allusion to their nature and disposition. The truth is, proud helpers are very unsafe helpers, for the Lord resisteth the proud, and I wonder how they can help us to resist our enemies, who are resisted by the Lord himself? They will prove but ill friends to us, who have the Lord for their enemy.
- 1Loquitur propheticè Bold. Adju•ores Aegypti, i. e. angeli eju• gentis. Ut in prophetia• Danielis, princeps Persidu. Drus.Loquitur propheticè Bold. Adju•ores Aegypti, i. e. angeli eju• gentis. Ʋt in prophetia• Danielis, princeps Persidu. Drus.
- 2Superbia tantū est qu•esce: fortasse vult dicere, nihil aliud esse in ea quam superbiam.Superbia tantū est qu•esce: fortasse vult dicere, nihil aliud esse in ea quam superbiam.
