With the ancient [is] wisdom
Meaning not himself, who was not very ancient; though some think
Eliphaz so understood him; hence those words of his, in (
Job 15:9 Job 15:10 ) ; rather, as
others, Job tacitly wishes that some ancient man, with whom
wisdom was, would undertake to examine the affair between him and
his friends, and judge of it, and decide the point; or, as
others, he has respect to Bildad's advice to search the fathers,
and learn their sentiments, and be determined by them; to which
he replies, that though it will be allowed that wisdom is with
them, for the most part, yet their judgment of things is no
further to be regarded than as it agrees with the wisdom of God,
and the revelation he has made of his will; though it seems best
of all to consider these words as an adage or proverbial sentence
generally agreed to, that it often is, as it might be expected it
should, though it is not always, that men well advanced in years
are wise; that as they have lived long in the world, they have
learned much by observation and experience, and have attained to
a considerable share of wisdom and knowledge in things, natural,
civil, and religious:
and in length of days is understanding;
the understandings of men are improved and enriched, and well
stored with useful science, having had the opportunity of much
reading, hearing, and conversation; by this Job would suggest,
that if his friends had more knowledge of hidden and recondite
things, beyond common people, which yet they had not, it was not
so wonderful, since they were aged men, and had lived long in the
world; or rather it may be that this is mentioned, to observe
that from hence, seeing it is so among men, that ancient men
have, or it may be expected they should have, a considerable
share of wisdom and understanding; it may be most easily and
strongly concluded, that God, who is the Ancient of days, has the
most perfect and consummate wisdom and knowledge, which is
asserted in ( Job 12:13 ) .