Charles Ellicott Commentary Job 26

Then answered Job. —Job himself has virtually said much the same as Bildad (Job 9:2; Job 14:4), so he makes no further comment on his remarks here, but merely asks how he has helped him in that way, or others like him in a weak and helpless condition.

The thing as it is? —Rather, How have you plentifully declared sound knowledge?

(4) To whom. —That is, “Is it not to one who had said the same thing himself? Was it not my own breath, my own teaching, that came forth from you?” He then proceeds to show that it is not only the starry heavens that declare the glory of God, but the under world likewise, and the universe generally.

Dead things are formed. — The Hebrew word is the Rephaim, who were among the aboriginal inhabitants of the south of Palestine and the neighbourhood of the Dead Sea, and it is used to express the dead and the inhabitants of the nether world generally. The word rendered are formed probably means either are pierced or tremble: that is, they are pierced through with terror, or they tremble, with a possible reference to the state of the dead as the prey of corruption, though spoken of them where they are beyond the reach of it.

All the secrets of this mysterious, invisible, and undiscoverable world are naked and open before Him—the grave lies naked and destruction is uncovered.

He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing. If these words mean what they seem to do—and it is hard to see how they can mean anything else—then they furnish a very remarkable instance of anticipation of scientific discoveries. Here we find Job, more than three thousand years ago, describing the condition of our globe in language of scientific accuracy, and presenting it as a proof of Divine power. Some have attempted to explain the latter clause as referring to the destitution caused by famine; but that is precluded by the terms of the first clause.