An exposition with practical observations continued upon the thirty-eighth, thirty-ninth, fortieth, forty-first, and forty-second,…

Now this being the most received opinion, and our translators pitching expressly upon it, saying, Hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? It is questioned what is here meant by the word thunder. No man can imagine that it should be understood of proper thunder; and in what the metaphor is couched, or whence to take the allusion, that's the doubt.

Now this being the most received opinion, and our translators pitching expressly upon it, saying, Hast thou cloathed his neck with thunder? It is questioned what is here meant by the word thunder. No man can imagine that it should be understood of proper thunder; and in what the metaphor is couched, or whence to take the allusion, that's the doubt.

¹First, I shall not stay upon that weak conjecture, that by thunder we are to understand the sound, noise or rattling, which is made by the armour, ornaments or trappings, which are sometimes put upon the necks and breasts of war-horses, when they go out to battle. We read that the Camels of Zeba and Zalmunna, conquered by victorious Joshua, had ornaments upon their necks (Judg. 8.21.) But surely, the word thunder suits not with such sounds; Thunder must needs relate to somewhat that is terrible, not ornamental; and all the sound which the rattling of a Horses arms or ornaments can make, is much too low for any resemblance of thunder, or to be compared with it; nor will the general scope of the question comply with any such interpretation. For when God saith, to Job, Hast thou ⟨p. 431⟩clothed his neck with thunder? The question denies; and the meaning of it is, Thou hast not, but I have. Whereas if it were understood of artificial warlike arms of defence or ornaments, Job might have answered the question affirmatively, and have said, Yes, I, or other men, have clothed the neck of the horse with them. And the Lord possibly put this question, in opposition to all such kind of defences and ornaments; As if he had said, Thou; O Job, hast or mayst clothe the neck of the horse with rich ornaments, and strong arms to defend him? but hast thou, or canst thou clothe his neck with thunder? That's my work alone. Therefore somewhat is here intended by thunder, beyond what any man is able to clothe the neck of a Horse withal.