21. one--rather, "He" (God). "Oh, that He would plead for a man
(namely, me) against God." Job quaintly says, "God must support me
against God; for He makes me to suffer, and He alone knows me to be
innocent" [UMBREIT]. So God helped Jacob in wrestling against Himself
(compare
Job 23:6;
Ge 32:25).
God in JesusChrist does plead with God for man
(Ro 8:26, 27).
as a man--literally, "the Son of man." A prefiguring of the advocacy
of Jesus Christ--a boon longed for by Job
(Job 9:33),
though the spiritual pregnancy of his own words, designed for all ages,
was but little understood by him
(Ps 80:17).
for his neighbour--Hebrew, "friend." Job himself
(Job 42:8)
pleaded as intercessor for his "friends," though "his scorners"
(Job 16:20);
so Jesus Christ the Son of man
(Lu 23:34);
"for friends"
(Joh 15:13-15).
JFB.
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