Job 9:7 - Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible

Bible Comments

He speaks either,

1. Of that which God can do; or rather, (as he doth in the foregoing and following instances,)

2. Of what God actually doth; and that either,

1. Ordinarily; and so he gives laws to the sun that it shall not rise, but at such times, and to such places, and in such manner as he hath appointed; as that it shall rise constantly at its set time, and never disorderly; that it shall not rise for divers months together in some parts of the world, &c. Or rather,

2. Extraordinarily; (for of such works of God he discourseth in this place;) and so it may note either some stop given to the sun for a small season, like that in Joshua's time; which might have been, though it be not recorded; or some extraordinary tempest or dark season, wherein the morning is made darkness, as the phrase is, Amos 4:13; compare Amos 5:8; wherein the sun doth not at all appear, (as it was for many days together, Acts 27:20) and consequently is to those places and persons as if he were not risen. For things in Scripture are oft said to be, or not to be, when they appear or disappear; of which some instances have been formerly given, and more we shall have hereafter, in their proper places. Sealeth up the stars, i.e. as it were, covereth and shutteth them up that they may not shine, as in dark and dismal tempests, like that now mentioned, Acts 27:20, when neither sun nor stars appeared for many days.

Job 9:7

7 Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.