Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
Ver. 11. Then came there unto him all his brethren] Then, when God had begun to restore him. As his adversity had scattered his friends, so his prosperity brought them together again. This is the world's usage.
Dum fueris faelix multos numerabis amicos;
Tempera si fuerint nubila, solus eris.
Summer birds there are not a few; Samaritans who would own the Jews while they flourished but otherwise disavow them; as they did to Antiochus Epiphanes: rich Job had many friends, Proverbs 14:20 . Qui tamen persistebant amicitia sicut lepus iuxta tympanum, as the proverb is. All this good Job passeth by, and forgetting all unkindnesses, magnificently treateth them; as Isaac in like case had done Abimelech and his train, Genesis 26:30 .
And did eat bread with him in his house] It is likely they came with their cost to make Job a feast of comfort, such as were usual in those days, Jer 16:7 Ezekiel 24:17. But whether they did or not, they were welcome to Job; who now never upbraids them with their forsaking him in his distress (which yet was then a great grief to him), but friendly again embraceth them, and courteously entertaineth them. This is contrary to the practice of many fierce and implacable spirits in these days, whose wrath, like that of the Athenians, is αειμνηστος, long lasting; and although they themselves are mortal, yet their hearts are immortal.
And they bemoaned him] They condoled with him, and shook their heads, as the word signifieth; not by way of deriding him, as once they had done, Job 16:1,22, but of sorrow for their former deserting him, and assurance that they would henceforth better stick to him in what estate soever.
And comforted him over all the evil, &c.] So they should have done long before. A friend is made for the day of adversity; but better late than never. Nunquam sane sero si serio. See here, saith Brentius, the change of affairs, and the right hand of the Most High, and learn the fear of God; for as he frowneth or favoureth any man, so will the world do.
Every man also gave him apiece of money] Or, a lamb, to stock him again. Beza rendereth it, Some one of his cattle, and paraphraseth thus: Yea, every one of them gave him either a sheep, or an ox, or a camel, and also an earring of gold; partly as a pledge of their good will and friendship renewed toward him, and partly in consideration and recompense of that loss which he had before, by the will and previous appointment of God, sustained. Honoraria obtulerunt, saith Junius, they brought him these presents as pledges of their love and observance; for so were great men wont to be saluted with some gift, 1 Samuel 10:27 2 Chronicles 17:5. And the same custom was among the Persians and Parthians, whose kings might not be met without some token of congratulation and symbol of honour (Sen. Epist. 17).
And every one an earring of gold] Inaurem auream, an earring or pendant of gold, at the receipt whereof Job might well say, as the poet did (Theog.),
Sοι μεν τουτο φιλε σμικρον, εμοι δε μεγα .
To thee this is a small matter, but to me a great.