An exposition with practical observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…An exposition with practicall observations continued upon the eighth, ninth and tenth chapters of…

First,¹ Some conceive Job speaks only of what God can do (as in the former instance) not of what he ever did: He never actually gave out his command to the Sun that it should not rise, but he hath power to do it, if he pleaseth. Many things are spoken of the power of God, as presently done, which only are things possible for him to do. That's a good interpretation of the place.

First,¹ Some conceive Job speaks only of what God can doe (as in the former instance) not of what he ever did: He never actually gave out his command to the Sunne that it should not rise, but he hath power to doe it, if he pleaseth. Many things are spoken of the power of God, as presently done, which onely are things possible for him to doe. That's a good interpretation of the place.

1. 1Non ad factum, sed ad Dei potentiam refertur, qui, si velit, possit vicissitudinem ortus & occasus solis tollere. Olymp.

Secondly, We may carry it further, for when he saith, It riseth not, we need not take it strictly, as if the Sun were staid from making day at all; but, it may note any stop or sudden disappearing of the Sun. The Suns rising is the Suns appearing;¹ and when the Sun disappeareth, or is hidden, it is to us, as if the Sun were not risen. Thus God hath actually more then once, given out a command to the Sun, not to rise. Lavater (in his comment upon this place) reports, that in the year 1585. March 12th, such a darkness fell upon the earth, that the fowls went to roost at noon, as if it had been Sun setting, and all the common people thought the day of judgement was come. That of the Prophet is true in the letter, as well as in the figure (Amos 4.13