Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 4:13

13. In thoughts from the Visions of the Night, when deep sleep falleth on men.

In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entangled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasion of the following Fear.

In the midst of my Thoughts, or, by reason of my thoughts, my perplexing thoughts. The word properly signifies a branch, and thence a Thought, as 1 King. 18. 21. which proceeds from the Mind as Branches from a Tree, and a perplexing thought, which is entangled like the Branches of a Tree. These thoughts were the occasion of the following Fear.

This may belong either to the thoughts last mentioned, or to the Fear following; both which did arise from the Visions of the Night, i. e. from the great importance and the terribleness of such Visions, whereof probably he had had former Experience, and now had an Expectation of another of them which God had raised and wrought in him, to prepare him the better for the reception of it. Visions differed from Dreams herein, that God imparted his Mind to a man in Dreams when he was asleep, but in Visions, when they were awake. And these Visions sometimes happened by day, as Luk. 1. 22. Act. 10. 17. and 26. 19. but most frequently by night, whence we read of Vision, or Visions of the night, as Gen. 46. 2. Iob 20. 8. and 33. 15. And such this was which made it the more terrible.

f In the dead of the Night, when men usually are in a deep sleep; though Eliphaz was not now asleep, as appears from the nature of a Vision, and from the following words

Marginal references: Chap. 3[illegible: 1+ letters] ▪ 1[illegible: 1+ letters].