John Gill Commentary Job 15:7

"Art thou the first man that was born? Or wast thou brought forth before the hills?" — Job 15:7 (ASV)

[Are] you the first man [that] was born ? &c.] The first Adam, who was created in wisdom and knowledge, and had a large share of understanding in things natural, civil, and moral; knew much of God and his perfections, of the works of nature, and of the wisdom and power of God displayed in them; one instance of which is his giving names to the creatures; do you think you are that selfsame individual person, the father of all mankind, who had such a stock and fund of knowledge, until, by seeking after more, and that unlawful, he lost much of what he had? do you imagine that you have lived ever since, and seen or known everything that was done in all ages from the beginning, and have gathered a large share of knowledge from long experience, and by making strict observations on men and things in such a length of time? or, as the Targum, ``were you born with the first man, without father and mother?'' and have you existed ever since?

or, "were you born before Adam?" before the first man ^F26 ? Are you the wisdom and son of God, who was before Abraham, before Adam, before any creature whatever, was in the beginning with God, and was God? What do you make yourself to be, Job? you, a mere man, do you make yourself to be the eternal God? for to be before the first man, or to be the firstborn of every creature, or to be born before every creature, is expressive of eternity, as is the following phrase:

or were you made before the hills ? or existed before they did? as is said of the son of God, (Proverbs 8:25) ; what is before the hills and mountains is eternal; the eternal God and his eternity are thus described, (Psalms 90:2) .

---

FOOTNOTES:

• F26: So Mercerus, and some in Vatablus, Schmidt, Jarchi, & Bar Tzemach.