JOB - PAGE 19

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Job Accepting Charity  Linnell Set of Illustrations for the Book of Job
Page 19

This is the Legend on the engraving which Blake later made of this image:

 

 The lord maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up (I Samuel 2:7)

Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God (Job 38:41)

. . . every man also gave him a piece of money (Job 42: 11)

Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever (Psalm 136: 23)

First Samuel 2
[1] And Hannah prayed, and said, My heart rejoiceth in the LORD, mine horn is exalted in the LORD: my mouth is enlarged over mine enemies; because I rejoice in thy salvation.
[2] There is none holy as the LORD: for there is none beside thee: neither is there any rock like our God.
[3] Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed.
[4] The bows of the mighty men are broken, and they that stumbled are girded with strength.
[5] They that were full have hired out themselves for bread; and they that were hungry ceased: so that the barren hath born seven; and she that hath many children is waxed feeble.
[6] The LORD killeth, and maketh alive: he bringeth down to the grave, and bringeth up.
[7] The LORD maketh poor, and maketh rich: he bringeth low, and lifteth up.

Job 38
[36] Who hath put wisdom in the inward parts? or who hath given understanding to the heart?
[37] Who can number the clouds in wisdom? or who can stay the bottles of heaven,
[38] When the dust groweth into hardness, and the clods cleave fast together?
[39] Wilt thou hunt the prey for the lion? or fill the appetite of the young lions,
[40] When they couch in their dens, and abide in the covert to lie in wait?
[41] Who provideth for the raven his food? when his young ones cry unto God, they wander for lack of meat.

Job 42
[10] And the LORD turned the captivity of Job, when he prayed for his friends: also the LORD gave Job twice as much as he had before.
[11] Then came there unto him all his brethren, and all his sisters, and all they that had been of his acquaintance before, and did eat bread with him in his house: and they bemoaned him, and comforted him over all the evil that the LORD had brought upon him: every man also gave him a piece of money, and every one an earring of gold.
[12] So the LORD blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning: for he had fourteen thousand sheep, and six thousand camels, and a thousand yoke of oxen, and a thousand she asses.
[13] He had also seven sons and three daughters.

Psalms 136
[21] And gave their land for an heritage: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[22] Even an heritage unto Israel his servant: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[23] Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever:
[24] And hath redeemed us from our enemies: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[25] Who giveth food to all flesh: for his mercy endureth for ever.
[26] O give thanks unto the God of heaven: for his mercy endureth for ever.

Philippians 4
[10] But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity.
[11] Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.
[12] I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need.

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Job had reached another stage in his spiritual development. Perhaps Blake would call it the consciousness of the Brotherhood of Man. Characteristic of this stage is awareness that God is the source of all of our abilities or our disabilities, of our blessings or our hardships, of our wealth or our poverty. As is expressed in a Shaker hymn, "Tis the gift to be simple" (which was adapted and adopted by the Quakers): 'To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed."

"And when we find ourselves in the place just right,
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.
When true simplicity is gained,
To bow and to bend we shan't be ashamed.
To turn, turn will be our delight,
'Till by turning we come down right."

By accepting gifts from those who had previously shown disapproval, Job and his wife display an attitude of humility. The pride of the couple in their ability to acquire all they needed by their own efforts has been replaced by gratitude to those who show concern for them. The tree behind Job is growing and bearing fruit, symbolizing the productive life which is entered when man sees others as brothers, not enemies or rivals.  

Milton, Plate 31 [34], (E 130)
"Thou hearest the Nightingale begin the Song of Spring;
The Lark sitting upon his earthy bed: just as the morn
Appears; listens silent; then springing from the waving Corn-field! loud
He leads the Choir of Day! trill, trill, trill, trill,
Mounting upon the wings of light into the Great Expanse:
Reecchoing against the lovely blue & shining heavenly Shell:
His little throat labours with inspiration; every feather
On throat & breast & wings vibrates with the effluence Divine    
All Nature listens silent to him & the awful Sun
Stands still upon the Mountain looking on this little Bird
With eyes of soft humility, & wonder love & awe.
Then loud from their green covert all the Birds begin their Song
The Thrush, the Linnet & the Goldfinch, Robin & the Wren         
Awake the Sun from his sweet reverie upon the Mountain:
The Nightingale again assays his song, & thro the day,
And thro the night warbles luxuriant; every Bird of Song
Attending his loud harmony with admiration & love.
This is a Vision of the lamentation of Beulah over Ololon!"  

Poetical Sketches, Contemplation, (E 442)
"Who is this, that with unerring step dares tempt the wilds, where
only Nature's foot hath trod? 'Tis Contemplation, daughter of the
grey Morning! Majestical she steppeth, and with her pure quill on
every flower writeth Wisdom's name.  Now lowly bending, whispers
in mine ear, "O man, how great, how little thou! O man, slave of
each moment, lord of eternity! seest thou where Mirth sits on the
painted cheek? doth it not seem ashamed of such a place, and grow
immoderate to brave it out? O what an humble garb true joy puts
on! Those who want Happiness must stoop to find it; it is a
flower that grows in every vale.  Vain foolish man, that roams on
lofty rocks! where, 'cause his garments are swoln with wind, he
fancies he is grown into a giant! Lo then, Humility, take it, and
wear it in thine heart; lord of thyself, thou then art lord of
all."