Wherefore are we counted as beasts
This seems to refer to ( Job 12:7 ) ; where Job
sends them to the beasts, to get knowledge and instruction; and
therefore it was concluded he reckoned them as such, and put them
on a level with them, yea, made them inferior to them; or to (
Job 17:4 Job 17:10 ) ; where they
are represented as destitute of wisdom and understanding, and
therefore it is supposed were counted by Job no other than as
beasts. Man, by the fall, is indeed become like them, and some
are more brutish than they, and all are brutish as to spiritual
knowledge and understanding; and those that are most sensible of
themselves are ready to acknowledge their ignorance, that they
are more brutish than any, and especially are as a beast before
God; and particularly with respect to knowledge of the methods of
Providence, in regard to his dealings with the righteous and
wicked; see ( Psalms 73:22
) ; and which was the case in controversy between Job and his
friends; but yet self-sufficient persons do not care to have
their understandings in anything called in question, but like the
Pharisees say, "are we blind also?" ( John 9:40 ) ; and take it
very hard that they should be reckoned like beasts, void of
understanding, when they are the people, and wisdom will die with
them:
[and] reputed vile in your sight?
as wicked and profligate persons, the most abandoned of mankind,
such as are justly despised by good men, see ( Psalms 15:4 ) (
Daniel
11:21 ) ; or "unclean" F8, filthy, polluted, and
defiled, as all men are by nature, and as they are in all the
powers and faculties of their souls; nor can they make themselves
clean, their hearts or their hands; nothing short of the grace of
God, and blood of Christ, can cleanse from sin; yet
self-righteous persons think themselves clean and pure when they
are not washed from their sins, and take it ill of others to be
reputed unclean persons: or "shut" F9, stopped up, as the
hearts of men are from God and Christ, and the true knowledge of
them, and divine things, until opened by him who has the key of
the house of David, and opens, and no man shuts; or "hidden" {k},
referring to ( Job 17:4 ) ; having a
covering over their hearts, and a vail over the eyes of their
understandings, so that the things of Providence were hid from
them, as sometimes the things of grace are from the wise and
prudent; but to be thought that this was their case is resented
by Bildad.