Job 2:9
"Then said his wife unto him, Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God, and die."

Commentary

Gill's Exposition

Then said his wife to him,.... The Jews (g), who affect to know everything, say, that Job's wife was Dinah, the daughter of Jacob, as the Targum, but this is not very likely; however, we may observe that polygamy had not obtained in these early times; Job had but one wife, and very probably she is the same that after all this bore him ten children more; since we never read of her death, nor of his having any other wife, and might be a good woman for anything that appears to the contrary; and Job himself seems to intimate the same, though she was in the dark about this providence, and under a sore temptation on that account; and therefore says to her husband: dost thou still retain thine integrity? not

as blaming him for insisting and leaning on his integrity, and justifying, and not humbling himself before God, when he should rather confess his sins and prepare for death; for this is contrary to the sense of the phrase used, Job 2:3 ; where Job is applauded by the Lord himself for holding fast his integrity; nor will Job's answer comport with this sense of her words; nor did she speak as wondering that he should still retain it among so many sore temptations and afflictions; though indeed persevering grace is a marvellous thing; but then he would never have blamed her for such an expression: nor said she this as upbraiding and reproaching him for his religion and continuance in it, and mocking at him, and despising him on that account, as Michal did David; but as suggesting to him there was nothing in religion, and advising him to throw up the profession of it; for he might easily see, by his own case and circumstances, that God had no more regard to good men than to bad men, and therefore it was in vain to serve him; the temptation she laboured under was the same with that good man's, Asaph, Psa 73:11 , curse God, and die: which is usually interpreted, curse God and then destroy thyself; or utter some such blasphemous words, as will either provoke him to destroy thee, or will make thee liable to be taken notice of by the civil magistrate and put to death for it; or do this in revenge for his hand upon thee, and then die; or, though thou diest; but these are all too harsh and wicked to be said by one that had been trained up in a religious manner, and had been so many years the consort of so holy and good a man: the words may be rendered, "bless God and die" (h); and may be understood either sarcastically, go on blessing God till thou diest; if thou hast not had enough of it, take thy fill of it, and see what will be the issue of it; nothing but death; wilt thou still continue "blessing God and dying?" so some (i) render the words, referring to what he had said in Job 1:21 ; or else really and sincerely, as advising him to humble himself before God, confess his sins, and "pray" (k) unto him that he would take him out of this world, and free him from all his pains and sorrow; or rather the sense is, "bless God": take thy farewell of him (l); bid adieu to him and all religion, and so die; for there is no good to be hoped for on the score of that, here or hereafter; or at least not in this life: and so it amounts to much the same as before; and this sense is confirmed by Job's answer, which follows. (g) T. Hieros. Sotah, fol. 20. 3. (h) "benedic Deo", Montanus, Piscator, Schmidt, Michaelis. (i) "Benedicendo et moriendo", Junius & Tremellius, Cocceius, Broughton. (k) "Supplica Deo", Tigurine version; so some in Munster. (l) "Valere jubeas numen et morere", Schultens; "valedic Deo", so some in Mercer.

Source: Gill's Exposition (Public Domain)

Hebrew Word Studies (8 words)

H0559 אָמַר
Definition:

1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe 1+, etc.;ImperfectיאֹמַרGenesis 31:8+;וַיּאֹ֫מֶרGenesis 1:3+;וַיּאֹמַ֑רGenesis 14:19+; in Job alwaysוַיּאֹ֑מַרJob 3:2+; 3 feminine singularתּאֹמַרGenesis 21:12+;תּאֹמֵר֑Proverbs 1:21; 1singularאֹמַרGe

Possible Meanings:
  • lamb (semantic_range)
H0802 אִשָּׁה
Definition:

33+; constructאֵשֶׁתGenesis 11:29+ (apparently absoluteDeuteronomy 21:11;1 Samuel 28:7;Psalm 58:9but compare Bö§ 728Ges§ 130. 5); suffixאִשְׁתִּיGenesis 20:11+;אִשְׁתְּךָGenesis 12:18+ (אֶשְׁתְּךָPsal 33+; constructאֵשֶׁתGenesis 11:29+ (apparently absoluteDeuteronomy 21:11;1 Samuel 28:7;Psalm 58:9but compare Bö§ 728Ges§ 130. 5); suffixאִשְׁתִּיGenesis 20:11+;אִשְׁתְּךָGenesis 12:18+ (אֶשְׁתְּךָPsal

Possible Meanings:
  • an offering made by fire (semantic_range)
H5750 עוֹד
Definition:

FrMM 256)עֹד,substantivea going round, continuance, but used mostly asadverb accusativestill, yet, again, besides: with suffixעוֺדֶנִּי(with apparently verbal form, like׃אֵינֶנִּיOl§ 222 gSta§ 352 bKö FrMM 256)עֹד,substantivea going round, continuance, but used mostly asadverb accusativestill, yet, again, besides: with suffixעוֺדֶנִּי(with apparently verbal form, like׃אֵינֶנִּיOl§ 222 gSta§ 352 bKö

H2388 חָזַק
Definition:

574t.;חָזָק֑2Chronicles 26:15; suffixחֲזָקוֺ2Chronicles 28:20, etc.;Imperfectיֶהֱז֑ק2Chronicles 28:7 (Baer) + 2 t.;וַיֶּחֱזַקGenesis 41:56+;יֶחֶזְקוּ2 Samuel 10:112t.;יֶחְזְקוּIsaiah 28:22;Imperativeח 574t.;חָזָק֑2Chronicles 26:15; suffixחֲזָקוֺ2Chronicles 28:20, etc.;Imperfectיֶהֱז֑ק2Chronicles 28:7 (Baer) + 2 t.;וַיֶּחֱזַקGenesis 41:56+;יֶחֶזְקוּ2 Samuel 10:112t.;יֶחְזְקוּIsaiah 28:22;Imperativeח

Possible Meanings:
  • strength (semantic_range)
H8538 תֻּמָּה
Definition:

3; suffixתֻּמָּתִיJob 27:5;Job 31:6;תֻּמָּתֶ֑ךָJob 2:9;תֻּמְּתוֺJob 2:3.Topical LexiconDefinition and Conceptual ScopeThe noun denotes moral wholeness expressed in consistent devotion to God and strai 3; suffixתֻּמָּתִיJob 27:5;Job 31:6;תֻּמָּתֶ֑ךָJob 2:9;תֻּמְּתוֺJob 2:3.Topical LexiconDefinition and Conceptual ScopeThe noun denotes moral wholeness expressed in consistent devotion to God and strai

Possible Meanings:
  • wonder (semantic_range)
H1288 בָרַךְ
Definition:

Aramaicבְּרֵךְ(praise), Palmyrene especially inבריך שמו לעלמאVogPalm. 74 ff.compare 94, 144) —QalImperfectיִבְּרַךְ2Chronicles 6:13;נִבְרְכָהPsalm 95:6;בָּרוֺךְ(seePi`el);Passive participleבָּרוּךְGen Aramaicבְּרֵךְ(praise), Palmyrene especially inבריך שמו לעלמאVogPalm. 74 ff.compare 94, 144) —QalImperfectיִבְּרַךְ2Chronicles 6:13;נִבְרְכָהPsalm 95:6;בָּרוֺךְ(seePi`el);Passive participleבָּרוּךְGen

Possible Meanings:
  • knee (semantic_range)
H0430 אֱלהִים
Definition:

33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power 33; on number of occurrences ofאֵל,אֱלוֺהַּ,אֱלֹהִיםcompare also Nesl. c,)1pluralin number.a.rulers, judges, either as divine representatives at sacred places or as reflecting divine majesty and power

Possible Meanings:
  • divine ones (semantic_range)
  • angels (semantic_range)
  • gods (semantic_range)
H4191 מוּת
Definition:

to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill -- X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-manc to die (literally or figuratively); causatively, to kill -- X at all, X crying, (be) dead (body, man, one), (put to, worthy of) death, destroy(-er), (cause to, be like to, must) die, kill, necro(-manc

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