Job 5:23-24 | Clarke | e4.org | Verse 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field ] Instead of abney, stones , Mr. Good reads beney, sons , or produce ; but this reading is not supported by any ancient version , nor, as far as I know, by any MS. yet collated. We must, therefore, take up the text as we find it, and make the best we can of the present reading. The Chaldee gives a plausible sense: Thou needest not to fear, "because thy covenant is on tables of stone, which are publicly erected in the field; and the Canaanites, which are compared to the beasts of the field, have made peace with thee." Perhaps the reference is to those rocks or strong holds , where banditti secured themselves and their prey, or where the emirs or neighbouring chiefs had their ordinary residence. Eliphaz may be understood as saying: Instead, then, of taking advantage of thee, as the Sabeans have done, the circumjacent chieftains will be confederate with thee; and the very beasts of the field will not be permitted to harm thy flocks. Coverdale seems to have had an idea of this kind, as we find he translates the verse thus:- But the castels in the londe shall be confederate with the, And the beastes of the felde shall give the peace. I believe the above to be the meaning of the place. See the next verse.

‏ Job 5:23-24

Verse 23. Thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field] Instead of abney, stones, Mr. Good reads beney, sons, or produce; but this reading is not supported by any ancient version, nor, as far as I know, by any MS. yet collated. We must, therefore, take up the text as we find it, and make the best we can of the present reading.

The Chaldee gives a plausible sense: Thou needest not to fear, "because thy covenant is on tables of stone, which are publicly erected in the field; and the Canaanites, which are compared to the beasts of the field, have made peace with thee."

Perhaps the reference is to those rocks or strong holds, where banditti secured themselves and their prey, or where the emirs or neighbouring chiefs had their ordinary residence. Eliphaz may be understood as saying: Instead, then, of taking advantage of thee, as the Sabeans have done, the circumjacent chieftains will be confederate with thee; and the very beasts of the field will not be permitted to harm thy flocks.

Coverdale seems to have had an idea of this kind, as we find he translates the verse thus:-

But the castels in the londe shall be confederate with the, And the beastes of the felde shall give the peace.

I believe the above to be the meaning of the place. See the next verse.

Verse 24. Thou shalt know] Thou shalt be so fully satisfied of the friendly disposition of all thy neighbours, that thou shalt rest secure in thy bed, and not be afraid of any danger, though sleeping in thy tent in the field; and when thou returnest from thy country excursions, thou shalt find that thy habitation has been preserved in peace and prosperity, and that thou hast made no mistake in thy trust, in thy confidence, or in thy confederates.

The word oholecha, "thy tabernacle," means simply a tent, or moveable dwelling, composed of poles, pins, and cloth, or skin, to be pitched any where in a few moments, and struck again with the same ease.

The word navecha, which we properly translate thy habitation, signifies a solid, permanent dwelling-place. See Jos 22:4, 6-8; 2Sa 18:17; 19:8; 1Ki 12:16; Ps 52:7; 91:10; 132:3; La 2:4; Mal 2:12; and with these passages compare the place in the text.

As to techeta, which we translate thou shalt not SIN, it comes from chata, to err, to mistake, to miss the mark: hence to sin, transgress God's laws, seeking for happiness in forbidden and unlawful things, and therefore missing the mark, because in them happiness is not to be found: and it is very likely, from the connection above, that to mistake or err is its meaning in this place. I need not add, that the Arab chiefs, who had their castles or strong holds, frequently in their country excursions lodged in tents in the open fields; and that on such occasions a hostile neighbour sometimes took advantage of their absence, attacked and pillaged their houses, and carried off their families and household. See at the end of this chapter. See Clarke on Job 5:27.