Be ye afraid of the sword: for wrath [bringeth] the punishments of the sword, that ye may know [there is] a judgment.
Ver. 29. Be ye afraid of the sword] Heb. Be ye afraid for yourselves, from the face of the sword; God's sore, and great, and strong sword, Isaiah 27:1, that hangeth over your heads, as it were, by a twined thread. Oh tremble at God's judgments, while they hang in the threatenings. He that trembleth not in hearing shall be cut to pieces in feeling, as that martyr said: God's sword contemneth the rod, Ezekiel 21:13. If Job be under his rod, they that persecute him, under what pretence soever, shall feel the dint of his sword, or of his deep displeasure. Now it is a fearful thing to fall into the punishing hands of the living God. And cruelty toward others, toward his own especially, he will be sure to punish, for he is gracious, Exodus 22:27. Fugite ergo a facie gladii, Flee, therefore, from the face of the sword, so the Vulgate rendereth this text. The sword is an instrument of death; it hath its name in Hebrew from laying waste; and the face or faces of the sword, show that Divine vengeance is near at hand. It is a mercy to men that God whets his sword before he smites, and first takes hold on judgment before his judgments take hold on us, Deuteronomy 32:41 (Aug. in Psal. XXX.).
For wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword] It is from displeased love that God chastiseth his children; but from fierce wrath that he plagueth his enemies: some of these God punisheth here, lest his provideuce, but not all, lest his patience and promise of judgment, should be called into question.
That we may know that there is judgment] Wherein they that rashly judge others shall be judged by God, Matthew 7:1. And this Job's friends knew well enough, but well weighed not, to scare themselves from rash censurings. He reminds them, therefore, of their danger, and labours to prevent their sorrow, who had so much caused his. See the like in Jeremiah 26:15, in our Saviour, in St Stephen, &c., and learn to be similarly charitable; though your success be no better than Job's was, upon whom, in lieu of this love, they fell more foul than before, as will appear by their following discourses.