Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
Ver. 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him?] Or, hast thou not trenched him in, and secured him with thine own bare hand, as in a town of war, or tower of brass? thou thyself either art the hedge, or makest it; and that not only about his person, but about his people, children, servants, &c., yea, about his whole estate, so that there is no coming at him: and this Satan seems to speak very angrily. See Trapp on " Zec 2:5 "
On every side] Per circuitum, circumcirca. The devil could find never a gap, make never a breach. Oh the safety of a saint, that goes always under a double guard, the power of God without him, and the peace of God within him! The Lord himself is his keeper, the Lord his defence upon his right hand, Psa 121:5 Psalms 91:1,16; How miraculously hath Geneva been upheld, a small city environed with enemies, and barred out from help of other Churches! How well may we sit and sing, If the Lord had not been on our side, now may England say, if the Lord had not been on our side, when men (or rather devils in the shape of men) rose up against us, then had they swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us, Psalms 124:1,2. They were not our wooden walls that saved us, &c., but thy right hand, and thine arm, and the light of thy countenance, because thou hadst a favour unto us, Psalms 44:3. This was a better wall than that about China or Babylon, or that which David so soon leaped over by the help of his God, Psalms 18:1,50, who is sic omnibus attentus ut non detentus a singulis, so helpful to the whole community of his people, as that he neglecteth not any one that pertaineth unto him.
Thou hast blessed the work of his hands] So that he hath good success in all his business, all things thrive well under his hand; this the devil stomached; and, because he could not come at Job's heart, fed upon his own. Malice drinketh up the most part of its own venom. It pleaseth the Lord well that his people prosper, but the devil cannot endure it. Well might Austin say, Invidia est vitium diabolicum, envy is a devilish sin, for it transformeth men into so many breathing devils.
And his substance is increased in the land] Heb. Is broken forth; so that his house is too little to hold the precious and pleasant riches that are therein; his grounds cannot contain the increase of his cattle; ruperunt herrea messes. his barns overflow at harvest time. In fine, there is no end of his wealth.