But now it is come upon thee, and thou faintest; it toucheth thee, and thou art troubled.
Ver. 5. But now it is come upon thee] This is a galling. But hitherto Eliphaz had commended Job; now he dasheth all, and draweth a black line over that he had spoken once. To commend a man with a but is a wound instead of a commendation; it sounds like that which is said of Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1, he was an honourable and a valiant man, but a leper; it sprinkleth black upon white, and so smutteth a man's good name, which is slander in a high degree.
It is come upon thee] What is come? The evil thou fearedst, by thine own confession, Job 3:25,26; or now it is come to thy turn to act what thou hast taught others.
And thou faintest] Thou art down on all four, most shamefully degenerating into a faithless pusillanimity and unbelieving impatience, to the scandal of the weak and scorn of the wicked. Nay, thou art not only in a maze, but in a rage, so that thy reason seems tired as much as thy strength; thou layest about thee like a Hercules furens, a man stark mad. See the word used in this sense, Pro 26:18 Genesis 47:13. mad, fainted
It toucheth thee, and thou art troubled] It toucheth thee, but so tender thou art, and delicate, that a light touch disquieteth thee; like as some men's flesh, if but razed with a pin, rankleth straight. Invalidum omne natura querulum, saith Seneca, The weaker anything is the more full of complaint.
And thou art troubled] Pitifully put to it, as if utterly undone, because touched a little, Mira vero constantia! Truly amazingly constant! But is this you that were a great teacher, that were so forward and forth putting to press others to a patient and peaceable behaviour under God's hand? Should not thy words be made visible by thine actions? and thy patient mind be made known to all men, since the Lord is at hand? Hypocrites can talk of duty, as if their tongues did run upon pattens; The plate or shallow dish, usually circular and of silver, on which the bread is laid at the celebration of the Eucharist. they talk by the talent, but act by the ounce, as did those Pharisees, Mat 23:8 Romans 2:21, that shamed goodness by seeming good. Eliphaz here reproacheth Job for such a one, as both here and everywhere, he and his two companions are too hot and harsh in their censures passed upon him; which God also giveth them the telling of, Job 42:7,9 .