5. when the days of their feasting were gone about--that is, at the
end of all the birthdays collectively, when the banquets had gone round
through all the families.
Job . . . sanctified--by offering up as many expiatory burnt offerings
as he had sons
(Le 1:4).
This was done "in the morning"
(Ge 22:3;
Le 6:12).
Jesus also began devotions early
(Mr 1:35).
The holocaust, or burnt offering, in patriarchal times, was offered
(literally, "caused to ascend," referring to the smoke ascending to
heaven) by each father of a family officiating as priest in behalf of
his household.
cursed God--The same Hebrew word means to "curse," and to
"bless"; GESENIUS says, the original sense is to
"kneel," and thus it came to mean bending the knee in order to invoke
either a blessing or a curse. Cursing is a perversion of blessing, as
all sin is of goodness. Sin is a degeneracy, not a generation. It is
not, however, likely that Job should fear the possibility of his sons
cursing God. The sense "bid farewell to," derived from the
blessing customary at parting, seems sufficient
(Ge 47:10).
Thus UMBREIT translates "may have dismissed God
from their hearts"; namely, amid the intoxication of pleasure
(Pr 20:1).
This act illustrates Job's "fear of God"
(Job 1:1).
JFB.
Picture Study Bible