Chapter 13. Verse 1: 'Behold, all these things.' 31. Job was mighty in the spirit of prophecy. — For he saw as present those things which were to follow, he to whom neither do future things come nor past things depart, but all things stand present together before his eyes. And because he saw that those very things which were to come were of one kind in deeds, of another in words, it is rightly subjoined (ibid.): 'And my eye has seen, and my ear has heard.' But words have no usefulness if they lack understanding. Whence it is fitly added (ibid.): 'And I have understood each thing.' For when something is shown or heard, if understanding is not granted, it is by no means prophecy. Pharaoh indeed saw in a dream the things that were to come upon Egypt (Gen. 41:1 ff.);
but because he was unable to understand what he saw, he was no prophet. King Belshazzar beheld the joints of the hand that wrote upon the wall (Dan. 5:5); but he was no prophet, because he did not receive the understanding of the thing which he had seen. Therefore, that blessed Job may testify that he possesses the spirit of prophecy, he asserts that he not only saw and heard, but also understood all things. And that he is not lifted up on account of this understanding, his subjoined words testify, when he says: