Notes
Job 2:4. “Skin for skin; yea, all that a man hath will he give for his life.” The expression “skin for skin” acknowledged to be a proverbial one. Its precise meaning not so obvious, though its general drift, as used by the Evil One, is sufficiently apparent. The Septuagint and Vulgate translate as we do; the one rendering the preposition by ὑπερ, and the other by pro. The Chaldaic has: “Member for member.” So BERNARD, who renders the words: “Limb for limb.” Martin’s French Version has: “Every one will give skin for skin.” Some, as PARKHURST and WEMYSS, render the phrase: “Skin after skin.” Others, as PINEDA and TIRINUS: “Skin upon skin,” i.e., all skins; or, according to POOLE, all outward things. YOUNG translates: “A skin for a skin.” The meanings thus reducible to four:—
1. The skin of another for one’s own skin. So VATABLUS, TIRINUS, SEB. SCHMIDT, MAIER. “Skin,” in this view, is regarded by some as equivalent to “body,” as in chap. Job 16:15; Job 18:13; Job 19:26; like Horace’s “Pelliculam curare jubet.” So ROSENMOLLER and HUFNAGEL. By others it is viewed as equivalent to “life:” what a man holds as dear to him as his skin, i.e., his life, he will give to save his life. So GESENIUS and HUPFELDT, after ORIGEN who says: “A man will give a skin, which is sold for money, to save his own skin, i.e., his life.” Others: Job will give the skin of his cattle, even that of his children, to save his own. So GREGORY, EPHREM SYRUS, MERCER, PISCATOR, DRUSIUS, NOYES, &C. Like that of Terence: “Proximus sum egomet mihi.” In this view, the proverb is explained by what follows.
2. Like for like; i.e., any one gives that; men part with anything for a full equivalent. So CODURCUS, HIRZEL, CONANT: Equivalent for equivalent. MAURER: Job may well give up the rest to keep his life. FAUSSET: One thing for another. EWALD: All is subject to barter. UMBREIT: One article is given for another; but life is dearest to all: Job is satisfied so long as he is not obliged to give up that. CODURCUS: The origin of the proverb in the general practice of barter, or in the use of animals instead of men in sacrifice. POOLE: Skins or spoils of beasts in early ages the most valuable property men could acquire; hence became the chief representative of property. GOOD and BOOTHROYD: “Skin” an equivalent for riches, furniture, &c. PINEDA and SCHULTENS: In the expression “skin for skin,” GOOD thinks the word issued in two different senses,—property is given for life. COBBIN remarks that probably ransoms used also to be paid in skins. CAREY sees in the proverb a sort of reductio ad absurdum: a man will not part with his skin unless you supply him with another; on no terms will he part with his life: hence Job, to save his life, will part with his religion.
3. Limb for limb; or, one thing parted with to save the rest: a less noble member will be given up for a nobler one, as an arm for a head. So MENOCHIUS, MUNSTER, A. CLARKE, &C. The view of some of the fathers: a man will put up his hand to ward off a blow from his eye. So GREGORY, OLYMPIODORUS. Dr. LEE: Men willingly give up a worse thing for a better: hence, much more will a man give up all he has for his life. COCCEIUS: Job can easily afford to part with all while he keeps his life,—his possessions being as it were a skin or covering to his person to protect and warm him: the one of them—the less valuable—he easily lets go to keep the other. So SCHLOTTMANN, DELITZSCH, and ZÖCKLER in Lange, who regards the life to be preserved as not so much the animal or life-function, as the soul which causes and conditions it.
4. Skin upon skin. So Dr. THOMASS, in The Homilist: “like—sovereign after sovereign; all the sovereigns a man has,” &c.; “skin,” equivalent to property; life dearer than all. Job willing to have skin upon skin taken from him to save his life. SCHULTENS remarks that the Arabs call possessions the outer skin—friends and relations the inner one. According to OLSHAUSEN, the meaning is: So long as thou dost sot touch his person, he will not attack thee. COLEMAN thinks an allusion is made to the terrific skin-disease with which Satan purposed to afflict Job. CONANT regards the rendering of the copula vaw before “all” by “yea,” as embarrassing the sense, by anticipating the reader’s judgment of the relation of the two clauses, and proposes to read it as usual: “And all that a man hath,” &c. UMBREIT, and after him FAUSSET, would put “skin” and “life” in the two clauses in antithesis to each other, and render the copula “but.” So DE WETTE: People give up other things; but they take care of their life—the highest value put upon that. According to BARNES, the idea is: If Job was so afflicted as to have his life endangered, he would give up his religion to save it.
SIXTH PART OF INTRODUCTION.—PREPARATION FOR JOB’S FURTHER TRIAL
I. Second Celestial Council (Job 2:1). “Again there was a day,” some time after the events already related. Not said how long. Heavenly things represented under the figure of earthly ones, in condescension to our capacity. In heaven no succession of day and night (Revelation 21:25).—“The sons of God came,” &c. Same scene represented as before. God’s providence continually exercised, and extending to all times and events. His angelic ministers continually serving Him in their respective spheres (Revelation 22:3). “His state is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed,” &c. Good to remember—“They also serve who only stand and wait.” Angels intensely interested in the salvation of men, and employed in helping to promote it (Acts 8:26; Acts 10:3).—“Satan also came.” Summoned, or expecting a fresh permission. Like Saul of Tarsus, “breathing out threatening and slaughter,” and eager to get out a fresh commission of destruction (Acts 9:1).—“To present himself before the Lord,” having previously received a commission. This, therefore, omitted in the former account. Men, angels, and devils, amenable to God.
II. God’s testimony to Job’s steadfastness (Job 2:2). “From whence comest thou?” Happy for us that God’s eye is continually on Satan’s movements (Luke 22:31-32).—“From going to and fro.” Active and restless as ever. Says nothing of the harm he has done. An evil doer seldom has the courage to speak the whole truth (2 Kings 5:25).—“Walking up and down in it.” God says the same thing of him, but tells us how (1 Peter 5:8). As Job still retained his integrity, so Satan his assiduity. Believers neither to be ignorant of his devices, nor forgetful of his zeal.—(Job 2:3). “Hast thou considered my servant Job?” Job still God’s servant. God’s estimate of His people not diminished by their sufferings. Precious testimony to the poor persecuted church at Smyrna (Revelation 2:9)—. “Still holdeth fast his integrity.” Perfect and upright as before. “Still,” notwithstanding these severe and accumulated trials. “Holdeth fast,” implying exertion. Hard to hold out in such a storm. Satan’s efforts to rob Job of his integrity, Job’s to retain it. Whatever a godly man loses he will keep his integrity. “If you love my soul away with it,” said a martyr at the stake, when tempted with a pardon to recant. Two things never to be let go—Christ’s righteousness, and a good conscience. The Epistle to the Hebrews written to strengthen tried believers to hold fast their profession (Hebrews 3:14; Hebrews 4:14; Hebrews 10:23; Hebrews 10:35; Hebrews 10:39). God a concerned and compassionate observer of his people’s conduct under trials (Jeremiah 31:18; Hosea 14:8). Commends their conduct in them, without at once delivering them from them. What is well done is sure, sooner or later, to receive His approving testimony. God neither conceals our graces nor our improvement of them. To continue good while suffering evil, the crown of goodness. A good man persevering in evil times an object of Divine admiration [Seneca].—God’s further commendation of Job now enlarged. Grace grows in conflict. “Although thou movedst me against him.” Implies successful urgency (So 1 Kings 21:25). Spoken after the manner of men. Satan an excellent orator if he but have an audience [Trapp].—“Thou movedst me.” God “afflicteth not willingly” (Lamentations 3:33). Satan an earnest pleader against the saints: Christ as earnest for them (John 17:11; John 17:15; John 17:17). Satan’s malice and calumny the occasion of Job’s sufferings, and so of his subsequent glory. God’s secret purpose to exhibit the reality and preciousness of His servant’s faith. All questioning of the efficacy of Christ’s redemption and the power of Divine grace, to be for ever silenced. Not only events themselves purposed by God, but the way and occasion of their occurrence.—“To destroy him,” Marg., “to swallow him up.” Satan’s cruel intention. Satan’s object in trial is to destroy; God’s, to prove and purify. God’s sympathy with His suffering people. What Satan called a touch, God calls destruction. Awful judgment to be left in the hands of the roaring lion (1 Peter 5:8).—“Without cause.”
(1.) Without any special sin of his to merit it. This testimony to be remembered throughout the book. Believed and maintained by Job; denied by his three friends. The cause of his perplexity and distraction aggravated by their opposition. Tried believers often ignorant of God’s thoughts concerning them, and of the cause and object of their trial.—
(2.) Without ground or necessity for it. Satan’s charge proved by the result to be unfounded.
III. Satan’s farther accusation (Job 2:4). “Satan answered the Lord.” Satanic impudence. Though defeated, he has still an answer for God. Boldness acquired by a course of iniquity. A whore’s forehead (Jeremiah 3:3).—“Skin for skin.” A proverbial expression. A mere question of barter. Job has yet a whole skin. He will part with anything to save his life. Will give up what he has, to save himself. “We must give up our beards to save our heads” [Turkish Proverb].—“All that a man bath he will give for his life.” Not only his property and children, but probably his religion too. The test not yet sufficiently severe. The screw needs only to be driven a little farther. Satan argues still on the principles of man’s selfishness. His words too often verified in fallen humanity. Peruvians sacrificed their firstborn to redeem their own life when the priest pronounced them mortally sick. Cranmer, in a moment of weakness, at first recanted in order to escape martyrdom. Abraham, when left to himself to save his life, gave up Sarah, and instigated her to tell a lie (Genesis 12:12-13). Yet the statement a libel upon the race. Satan true to his character. Self-preservation a powerful instinct, but not supreme. With a good man, subordinate to the principles of morality and religion. Yields to faith, hope, and charity. Paul counted not his life dear to him that he might finish his course and ministry with joy (Acts 20:24). Daniel, Stephen, and all “the noble army of martyrs” give Satan the lie. Men and women have died, “refusing to accept deliverance, to obtain a better resurrection” (Hebrews 11:35). “Welcome, death!” said Hugh M‘Kail, on the martyr’s scaffold. “Welcome, if need be, the axe or the gibbet; but evil befall the tongue that dares to make me so infamous a proposal,” said Kossuth, in reply to the Sultan’s proposal to save his life by renouncing Christianity.—“Touch his bone and his flesh” (Job 2:5). Strike home at his person. Person nearer than property or children. Intensest pain and suffering intended. The iron to enter the soul. Satan’s cruelty. A merciless tormentor (Matthew 18:34). Unwearied in his efforts to destroy Always needful to prepare for new assaults. Satan acquainted with the tendency of great bodily suffering. Pain, a powerful means of disquieting and weakening the mind. Without disordering its faculties, able to exhaust its energies and sink it into despondency. A piercing shaft in Satan’s quiver. A thorn in the flesh Paul’s great temptation (2 Corinthians 12:7; 2 Corinthians 12:9). Men “blasphemed God because of the pain” (Revelation 16:9). This Satan’s expectation in regard to Job.—“He will curse thee,” &c. Same assertion as before. Satan unwilling to yield. Men, lost to all right principle themselves, have no faith in the virtue of others.
IV. The renewed permission (Job 2:6). “He is in thine hand.” Before, only his property and children; now, himself. Saints, for trial, mysteriously given for a time into Satan’s hand. The persecuted church at Smyrna (Revelation 2:10). Unknown to us how far bodily affliction may be from Satan’s hand (Luke 13:16). Though God lengthens Satan’s chain, he never loosens it. The saints never in Satan’s hand without Christ being with them (Daniel 3:25; Psalms 23:4; Psalms 91:15; Isaiah 43:2).—“But save his life.” Satan’s permission in regard to the saints always limited. He might scratch with his paw, but not fasten his fang [Trapp]. Job’s life to be endangered, but not destroyed. Life and death in God’s hand, not Satan’s. A mercy to have life spared (Jeremiah 39:18). Precious blessings still for Job to experience, and important work still for him to do. A man immortal till his work is done. The limit set in Job’s case, not prescribed in Christ’s. Christ, as the Shepherd, smitten to death in the room of the sheep (Zechariah 13:7; John 10:11).