Matthew Poole and continuators on Job 9:4

4. He is wise in heart , and mighty in strength : who hath hardned himself against him , and hath prospered ?

Either 1. really and profoundly wi[illegible: 1+ letters]; or, 2. wise in his mind or understanding, which in Hebrew is oft called the heart; as Prov. 2 10. & 6. 32. Hos. 4. 11. because the Hebrews make the heart the seat of the Understanding, or of the reasonable Soul. The sense is, He is infinitely wise, and so knows all things, and searcheth all mens hearts and waies, and discovers a multitude of sins which mens short-sighted eyes cannot see; and therefore can charge them with innumerable evils, where they thought themselves innocent, and [illegible: 1+ letters]es far more malignity than men could discern in their sins: and men cannot conceal any of their sins from him, nor cheat him, as they may other men, with crafty devices and evasions: So that there is no contending with him.

i. e. Omnipotent, and therefore if men contumaciously persist in contending with him after they are convicted and condemned, he can easily crush them. So that whether men contend with God by wisdom or by strength (which are the two waies of one mans contending with another) God will be Conquerour.

i. e. Obstinately contended with him. Or, spoken hard things towards him, quarrelling with him, opposing and reproaching God's Providence towards him as hard and unjust. Compare Iude, v. 15.

Heb. Hath been at peace; i. e. hath not provoked God to his own destruction. A common Figure called Meiosis, whereby more is understood than is expressed.

Marginal references: Chap. 36. 5.