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

The word which we translate parted, signifies to put things into distinct portions. As if the Lord did give ou• several portions of light to several parts of the earth, or upon several occasions. By what way or means (saith he) is this done? There is a twofold interpretation concerning the light:

First, Some understand it of the lightning, ¹so the Tygurine Translation, In what part doth the light of the lightning break forth? Mr Beza renders, By what way doth the fire break out? Lightning breaks out like fire. One of the ancient Rabbins calls the light here intended, A dry and hot exhalation, which (saith he) is therefore called light, or receives the name of light, because it doth easily conceive light, or take fire as tinder and touchwood; such a kind of light is the lightning. And the lightnings come often from the East, Christ assures us, while he saith (Matth. 24.27.) As the lightning coming out of the East, and shineth even unto the West, so shall the coming of the Son of man be. Taking light to lightning, the sense is, Knowest thou how it comes to pass that the lightning should so forcibly break out of the cloud in a thunder-storm, and raising the East-wind, ²make such a hurry, such a tempestuous confusion in the air, by diverting t e course of that strong Wind, and suddenly scattering it all abroad into the several corners of the World? Knowest thou how these mighty commotions are made, unless by me, by my power and orders? Some insist much upon this Interpretation, taking the light for the lightning, of which the Lord speaks expressly afterwards, at the 35th verse of this Chapter, and of which Elihu had spoken before in the 37th Chapter.

First, Some understand it of the lightning, ¹so the Tygurine Translation, In what part doth the light of the lightning break forth? Mr Beza renders, By what way doth the fire break out? Lightning breaks out like fire. One of the ancient Rabbins calls the light here intended, A dry and hot exhalation, which (saith he) is therefore called light, or receives the name of light, because it doth easily conceive light, or take fire as tinder and touchwood; such a kind of light is the lightning. And the lightnings come often from the East, Christ assures us, while he saith (