Knowest thou [not] this of old, since man was placed upon earth,
Ver. 4. Knowest thou not this of old] Whether Zophar intended his own conscience or not before, he here appealeth to Job's; and secretly taxeth him of going against it, or, at least, of gross ignorance; knowest thou not this, which every one knoweth that is not a mere novice, and which is proved by the examples and experiences of all ages? to wit, Malis male esse, that it shall be ill with the wicked. This is a generally received maxim, and the histories of all ages do plainly and plentifully confirm it. Hinc collige, diligenter observanda esse, &c. (Merlin). Hence we may well gather, that God's judgments against wicked persons are to be diligently observed out of the histories of all ages, both divine and human.
Since man was placed upon the earth] Heb. Since he placed man upon the earth, viz. in that earthly paradise, the garden of Eden, planted for purpose of man's pleasure; where, nevertheless, he stayed not one night, as some gather from Psalms 49:12, but soon by his sin became like the beasts that perish (pecoribus morticinis), that die of the murrain, saith Junius, and so are good for nothing. Cain for like cause was cast out, the old world drowned, Sodom and her sisters consumed with fire, &c. There cannot be one instance given to the contrary of that which is here affirmed, viz.