Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 1:5

5. And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about , that Job sent and sanctified them , and rose up early in the morning , and offered Burnt-Offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my Sons have sinned , and cursed God in their Hearts. Thus did Job continually .

When each of them had had his turn, which peradventure came one speedily, though not immediately after another. And there was some considerable interval before their next feasting time.

i. e. He exhorted and commanded them to sanctifie themselves for the following work, to wit, by purifying themselves from all Ceremonial and Moral Pollution, as the manner then was, Exod. 19. 10. and by preparing themselves by true Repentance for all their sins, and particularly such as they had committed in their time of Feasting and Jollity, and by fervent Prayers to make their Peace with God by Sacrifice.

Thereby shewing his ardent Zeal in Gods service, and his Impatience till God was reconciled to him, and to his Children.

His Zeal for Gods Glory, and his true Love to his Children made him jealous; for which he had cause enough from the Corruption of Mans Nature, the Frailty and Folly of Youth, the many Temptations which attend upon Feasting and Jollity, and the easiness of sliding from lawful to forbidden Delights.

Not in the grossest manner and highest degree, which it is not probable either that they should do, now especially when they had no provocation to do it, as being surrounded with blessings, and Comforts, which they were actually enjoying, and not yet exercised with any affliction, or that Iob should suspect it concerning them, but despised and dishonoured God; for both Hebrew and Greek words signifie cursing, are somtimes used to note only reviling or detracting, or speaking evil, or setting light by a Person. Thus what is called cursing ones Father or Mother, Ex. 21. 17. is elsewhere called setting light by them, as Deut. 27. 16. Ezek. 22▪ 7. See also 2 Pet. 2. 11. Iud. 8. and many other places.

By sleight and low Thoughts of God, by neglecting or forgetting to give God the Praise and Glory of the Mercies which by his favour they enjoyed, by taking more hearty delight in their Feasts and Jollity, than in the Service and fruition of God: For these and such like Distempers of Heart are most usual in times of Prosperity and Jollity, as appears by common Experience, and by the many Divine Cautions we have against them, as Deut. 6. 11. Hos. 2. 8. and elsewhere. And these miscarriages, though inward and secret, Iob calls by such an hard name as usually signifies cursing, by way of Aggravation of their sin, which peradventure they were too apt to sleight as a small and trivial miscarriage.

i. e. It was his constant course at the end of every feasting time.

Marginal references: Neh. 12. 30.; 1 King. 21. 10. 13.; Heb. all the day.