Adam Clarke's Bible Commentary Verse 7. Though thy beginning was small ] Thy former state, compared to that into which God would have brought thee, would be small; for to show his respect for thy piety, because thou hadst, through thy faithful attachment to him, suffered the loss of all things, he would have greatly multiplied thy former prosperity, so that thou shouldest now have vastly more than thou didst ever before possess.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-7 - Job spake much to the purpose; but Bildad, like an eager, angr disputant, turns it all off with this, How long wilt thou speak thes things? Men's meaning is not taken aright, and then they are rebuked as if they were evil-doers. Even in disputes on religion, it is to common to treat others with sharpness, and their arguments with contempt. Bildad's discourse shows that he had not a favourable opinio of Job's character. Job owned that God did not pervert judgment; yet i did not therefore follow that his children were cast-aways, or tha they did for some great transgression. Extraordinary afflictions ar not always the punishment of extraordinary sins, sometimes they are the trials of extraordinary graces: in judging of another's case, we ough to take the favorable side. Bildad puts Job in hope, that if he wer indeed upright, he should yet see a good end of his present troubles This is God's way of enriching the souls of his people with graces an comforts. The beginning is small, but the progress is to perfection Dawning light grows to noon-day.
Original Hebrew והיה1961 ראשׁיתך7225 מצער4705 ואחריתך319 ישׂגה7685 מאד׃3966
