if I have beheld the sun in its radiance
In the ancient Near East, the sun was often associated with various deities and was a central figure in many pagan religions. Job's mention of the sun in its radiance reflects the common practice of sun worship, which was prevalent among neighboring cultures such as the Egyptians and Canaanites. The sun's radiance symbolizes its power and life-giving force, which led many to deify it. Job's statement is a declaration of his innocence against idolatry, emphasizing his faithfulness to the one true God. This aligns with the first commandment in Exodus 20:3, which prohibits the worship of other gods. The sun's radiance also serves as a metaphor for God's glory in passages like Psalm 19:1-6, where the heavens declare the glory of God.

or the moon moving in splendor
The moon, like the sun, was often worshipped in ancient cultures, including the Mesopotamians and the Akkadians, who had moon deities such as Sin. The moon's phases and its movement across the sky were seen as mysterious and divine. Job's reference to the moon moving in splendor highlights its beauty and the temptation it posed for idolatry. By mentioning the moon, Job underscores his rejection of lunar worship, which was forbidden in Deuteronomy 4:19. The moon's splendor is also a reminder of God's creation and order, as seen in Genesis 1:16, where God made the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. This reflects the biblical theme of God's sovereignty over creation, contrasting with the pagan view of celestial bodies as deities.

1. Job
The central figure in the Book of Job, a man described as blameless and upright, who feared God and shunned evil. In this chapter, Job is defending his integrity and righteousness.

2. The Sun and Moon
Celestial bodies that were often objects of worship in ancient cultures. Job mentions them to illustrate his commitment to worshiping God alone.

3. Ancient Near East
The cultural and historical context in which Job lived, where celestial worship was common among surrounding nations.Integrity in Worship
Job's statement reflects his unwavering commitment to worshiping God alone, despite cultural pressures. Believers today are called to maintain integrity in their worship, avoiding modern forms of idolatry.

Discernment Against Idolatry
Just as Job discerned the temptation to idolize creation, Christians must be vigilant against subtle forms of idolatry, such as materialism or celebrity worship.

Creation Points to the Creator
The beauty and splendor of creation should lead us to worship the Creator, not the creation itself. This perspective helps maintain a God-centered worldview.

Cultural Pressures
Job lived in a culture that worshiped celestial bodies, yet he remained faithful. Christians are encouraged to stand firm in their faith amidst cultural pressures that contradict biblical teachings.

Self-Examination
Job's introspection serves as a model for believers to regularly examine their own hearts and actions to ensure they align with God's standards.(26) If I beheld the sun.--It is remarkable that the kind of idolatry repudiated by Job is that only of sun and moon worship. He seems to have been ignorant of the more material and degraded kinds.

Verse 26. - If I beheld the sun when it shined; literally, the light; i.e. the great light, which God made to rule the day (Genesis 1:16). Sun-worship, the least ignoble form of idolatry, was widely spread in the East, and in Egypt, from a very early date. According to the views of some, the religion el' t e Egyptians was little else than a complicated sun-worship from its earliest inception to its very latest phase. "The religious notions of the Egyptians," says Dr. Birch, "were chiefly connected with the worship of the sun, with whom at a later period all the principal deities were connected. As Hag, or Harmachis, he represented the youthful or rising sun; as Ra, the midday; and as Turn. the setting sun. According to Egyptian notions, that god floated in a boat through the sky or celestial ether, and descended to the dark regions of night, or Hades. Many deities attended on his passage or were connected with his worship, and the gods Amen and Khepr, who represented the invisible and self-produced god, were identified with the sun" ('Egypt from the Earliest Times,' Introduction, pp. 9, 10.). Even those who do not go these lengths admit that the solar worship was, at any rate, a very main element in the cult of Egypt (see the author's 'History of Ancient Egypt,' vol. 1. pp. 342-364). In the Babylonian and Assyrian religion the position of the sun-god was leas prominent, but still, as San, or Shamas, he held an important place, and was the main object of religious veneration to a largo body of worshippers ('Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 1. pp. 126-128; vol. 2. pp. 17, 18). In the Vedic system the sun figured as Mitra, and in the Zoroastrian as Mithra, in both holding a high position. Among the Arabians the sun, worshipped as Orotal, is said to have been anciently the only god, though he was accompanied by a female principle named Alilat (Herod., 3:8). Or the moon walking in brightness. The worship of the moon has. in most countries where it has prevailed, been quite secondary and subordinate to that of the sun. In Egypt. while nine gods are more or less identified with the solar luminary, two only, Khons and Thoth, can be said to represent the moon. In the Vedic and Zoroastrian systems the moon, called Soma, or Hems, almost dropped out of the popular religion, at any rate as a moon-god. In the Arabiun, Alilat, a goddess, probably represented the moon, as did Ashtoreth, a goddess, in the Pheonician. In Assyria, however, and in Babylonia, moon-worship held a higher position, Sin, the moon-god, taking precedence over Shamas, the sun-god, and being a very much more important personage (see 'Ancient Monarchies,' vol. 1. pp. 123-126; vol. 2. pp. 16, 17). Thus both moon-worship and sun-worship were prevalent among all, or almost all, Job's neighbours.

Parallel Commentaries ...


if
אִם־ (’im-)
Conjunction
Strong's 518: Lo!, whether?, if, although, Oh that!, when, not

I have regarded
אֶרְאֶ֣ה (’er·’eh)
Verb - Qal - Imperfect - first person common singular
Strong's 7200: To see

the sun
א֖וֹר (’ō·wr)
Noun - common singular
Strong's 216: Illumination, luminary

in its radiance
יָהֵ֑ל (yā·hêl)
Verb - Hifil - Imperfect - third person masculine singular
Strong's 1984: To shine

or at the moon
וְ֝יָרֵ֗חַ (wə·yā·rê·aḥ)
Conjunctive waw | Noun - masculine singular
Strong's 3394: The moon

moving
הֹלֵֽךְ׃ (hō·lêḵ)
Verb - Qal - Participle - masculine singular
Strong's 1980: To go, come, walk

in splendor,
יָקָ֥ר (yā·qār)
Adjective - masculine singular
Strong's 3368: Precious, rare, splendid, weighty


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OT Poetry: Job 31:26 If I have seen the sun when (Jb)