Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 5:3

3. I have seen the foolish taking root ; but suddenly I cursed his habitation .

I have oft observed it in my experience. Having severely rebuked Iob for his transports of passion, and intemperate speeches against God, he now returns to his former Argument, and proves that such dreadful and destructive Judgments of God do not befal the righteous, but the wicked, as he observed, Ch. 4. 7, 8. Withal he answers an Objection concerning the present and seeming prosperity of the wicked, which he confesseth that he himself had sometimes observed.

i. e. The wicked man, who is quite destitute of true, i. e. of spiritual and heavenly, wisdom.

Not only prosperous for the present, but, as it seemed, firm and secure for the future, being strongly fortified with power and riches, and children too, so as there was no appearance nor danger of a change.

In a moment besides and before mine, and his own, and all other mens expectation.

Either 1. I judged that he was a cursed creature notwithstanding all his prosperity, and I foresaw and foretold it, by the Rules of Scripture, or the Direction of God's Spirit, that he would certainly sooner or later be stript of all his blessings, & have God's curse fall heavily upon him▪ Or rather 2 I saw & perceived by the event which followed his prosperity, that he was a man accursed of God For he speaks not in these words of what his estate constantly was even in the midst of his happiness, though even then he was really accursed; but of what it was by a sudden change.

Or, as the Hebrew word signifies, his pleasant or commodious habitation, persons or things in it, or belonging to it, being comprehended in that word by an usual Metonymy.

Marginal references: [illegible: 1 word]. 37. 35.