Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry

CHAP. I.

THere was a man in the land of Vz, whose name was Job, &c. I That this book was written by some of those holy men of God, that wrote by the inspiration of the holy Ghost, cannot be doubted. For we see that this history is spoken of as a part of the Oracles of God, committed to the Jews. I am. 5.11. you have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord ; and by the Apostle Paul a passage of it, to wit, that chap. 11.13. is cited in 1 Cor. 3.19. It is written, he taketh the wise in their own craftiness. Indeed who it was that wrote this book is altogether uncertain: only we may say that they build upon the fairest conjectures, that hold Moses was the writer of it, & that it was the first scripture that was written. As for these first words, There was a man in the land of Vz, &c. It is hard to say what the land of Uz was, where Job dwelt, and of whom it was so called, whether of Uz, the son of Arum, the son of Shem, Gen. 10.23. or of Huz, the son of Nahor, Abraham's brother. Gen. 22.25. or of Uz the grandchild of Seir. Gen. 36.28. That it lay Eastward of Canaan, and bordered upon the Sabaeans and Chaldeans is evident in the story: and the most probable opinion seems to be, that it was Uz in the land of Edom, or whereof the land of Edom was a part. Lam. 4.21. Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Vz, and the rather because Teman also, the country of Eliphaz, one of Job's friends and neighbors. Chap. 2.11. either was in Idumea, or bordered upon it. See Ier. 49.7. Amos 1.11, 12. Obad. 8.9. and that the place of his dwelling is thus expressed, as a proof of his singular piety, in that though he were not of the seed of Abraham, but lived amongst those nations, that were much degenerated from the piety of the holy Patriarchs, yet he was a man of eminent holiness and righteousness. For the time when he lived, that likewise is uncertain; yet it is most likely that he lived in the days of the Patriarchs before Moses. 1. because in his time it seems Religion was not wholly decayed amongst those Eastern nations, nor was the true God only worshipped as yet amongst Abraham's posterity: 2. because he lived after his afflictions were ended 140 years. Chap. 42.16. and by that which is said of his first children, it is evident that they were house keepers, and therefore that he was of good years before he was afflicted; whereas after the age of the Patriarchs men seldom lived so long. Psal. 90.10. 3. Because after the giving of the law, it was not lawful to sacrifice, save in the place which God had chosen, the tabernacle and temple: whereas we see ver. 5. that Job sacrificed in the land of Uz. and 4▪ Because there is not the least mention in this book of anything concerning the common-wealth of Israel, or of any of the glorious works that God wrought for them in Egypt, the wilderness or the land of Canaan: which we can hardly say of any book of Scripture besides, because they were written after Moses. However, that in after times the story and name of Job was famous amongst the Jews, is evident. Ezek, 14.14. Though these three men Noah, Daniel and Job were in it, they should deliver but their own souls.

And that man was perfect and upright, &c.] to wit, therefore perfect, because upright, or, he was a man of a sincere heart, and just conversation. His eminent piety is here first related, because this is one of those things, which chiefly in this history is recommended to our observation that being a man of such rare piety, he notwithstanding underwent such heavy afflictions.

Vers. 3. His substance also was seven thousand sheep, &c.] The great wealth of Job is thus particularly expressed, both because this added much to his commendation, that he was not corrupted with his prosperity and wealth, as most men are; and likewise because his patience was herein the more to be admired, that being spoiled of so great riches he bore it as quietly, as if it had been a matter of nothing which he had lost.

So that this man was the greatest of all the men in the East ) that is, in wealth, honor, credit and esteem; yet the comparison must be understood with reference to others of the same quality and condition: for that he should be a King (as some conceive) yea the greatest King in those parts of the world is altogether improbable, and his own words of himself do plainly import the contrary Chap. 29.25. I chose out their way, and sat chief, and dwelt as a King in the army, &c.

Vers. 4. And his sons went and feasted in their houses everyone his day, &c.] That is, his sons used ever and anon to feast one another, each one in his day, though not for seven days together without intermission (for it is said that each of them sent and invited their sisters to be with them). And this is expressed. 1, Because it was the occasion of that miserable end that befell his children. ver. 18, 19. when being met together in their eldest brothers house according to their custom, the house fell upon them. 2. To show how lovingly they agreed and lived together, this being doubtless a great aggravation of his grief, when tidings were brought him of their sudden death. 3. To prove the singular piety of this man (so sorely afterward afflicted) by this particular of his solicitous care for his children, when they were feasting together.

Vers. 5. And it was so when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, &c.) That is, he sent and appointed them to sanctify and prepare themselves for the sacrifices which the next morning he meant to offer up to God in their behalf; and this they were to do partly by such outward rites of purifying as were used in those times, partly by spiritual means, as by holy meditations, prayer, mortification, repentance, &c.

For Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned and cursed God in their hearts. ] That is, it being so usual with men in times of feasting to forget themselves and many several ways to sin against God, thus it may well be it hath been with my children, perhaps by some more heinous sin they have provoked God to anger against them and that out of some secret profaneness and contempt of God in their hearts, which because it tends to the vilif • ing and dishonoring of God is indeed no better then a cursing of God in their hearts. This I conceive is the meaning of those words, as not judging it so probable, either that Job made a doubt whether his sons had in the least degree swerved from the rule of God's law, or that he suspected in them the horrid sin of direct blaspheming and cursing of God, no not in their hearts.

Thus did Job continually. ] That is, so often as his sons did thus feast one another, each in his course, which it seems they did frequently.

Vers. 6. Now there was a day when the sons of God, &c.] By the sons of God here are meant the holy Angels, as again chap. 38.7. who are so called first, because they do in a special manner bear in themselves the image of God, to wit, in their singular wisdom and knowledge, their unspotted purity and holiness, their admirable power and might and in the majesty and glory of their spiritual essence. 2. Because all these excellencies wherewith they are endued they have them from God, the fountain from whence they flow, in regard whereof, when they stand before God they are as so many beams of his inaccessible light. 3. Because they serve God as sons their father, with all cheerfulness and willingness. and 4. Because as sons they are always in God's presence and see his face, and of these it is said that on a certain day they came and presented themselves before the Lord, Satan being also amongst them, &c. Which must not be literally understood, as if God had certain days wherein he called together the Angels to attend him, (for the holy Angels are continually in his presence, Mat, 18.10. Take heed that ye despise not one of these little ones, for I say unto you, that in heaven their Angels do always behold the face of my Father. ) Or, as if any such speeches passed betwixt God and the Devil as here are recorded. It is only a figurative expression of this truth, that both the good and evil spirits are always in his eye, and under his command, and do nothing but what he will have them, and that it was therefore of God that the Devil was suffered to tempt Job and try him as he did; for because of our weakness the Lord doth herein, as it were, stoop to our capacity, and speaks of himself after the manner of earthly Princes, that we might the better conceive him, in a manner of speech which we call a Prosopopeia, not much unlike that in 2 Kings 22.19. I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left, and the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramoth-Gilead, &c.

Vers. 7. Then Satan answered the Lord and said, From going to and fro in the earth, &c.] By this walking of Satan to and fro in the earth is only figuratively implied, that those evil spirits are everywhere throughout the whole world, seeking diligently to seduce men and to execute God's vengeance on them, and to do all the mischief they possibly can.

Vers. 8. Hast thou considered my servant Job, &c.] By this the Lord's boasting of Job's piety and righteousness is signified, that where the Lord by his spirit enables his servants to frame their lives according to his will, God in them is glorified, not without the confusion of Satan, who though he observes with envy and vexation enough the uprightness of their ways, yet he is not able to subdue and corrupt them, and so God in them doth as it were triumph over Satan, and they through God's assistance are more then conquerors.

Vers. 9. Then Satan answered the Lord, and said, Doth Job fear God for naught? ] By this answer of Satan is only implied, that he is the accuser of the children of God, and is still ready to judge, that in prosperity we only serve God for the good things he bestows upon us, and endeavors therefore by troubles and afflictions to draw us off from the service of God.

Vers. 10. Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house? ] that is, his children and family: and hereby is implied that Satan is vexed, that the Lord by his special protection doth keep him off from doing that mischief to the righteous that he desires to do.

Vers. 11. But put forth thine hand now and touch all that he hath. ] That is, destroy or take from him, not some part of his estate only (for that may be done and yet a sufficiency be left him) but all that he hath, and then he will discover himself otherwise then he hath hitherto done. By touching is usually meant in the Scriptures hurting, afflicting or destroying, as Ruth 2.9. Have I not charged the young men, that they should not touch thee? Zach. 2.8. For he that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of his eye. Psal. 105.15. Touch not mine anointed, and do my Prophets no harm. And so it is taken here: and this word ( now ) is added to imply that Satan desired to have it done presently; he was eager to destroy him, and thought long to see Job in misery.

And he will curse thee to thy face. ] That is, he will openly and impudently blaspheme thy name; and hereby is meant not only express execrations cast upon God, but also whatever may tend to the reproach of the Almighty, his goodness and providence.

Vers. 12. And the Lord said unto Satan, behold, all that he hath is in thy power, only upon himself put not forth thine hand. ] Hereby is implied. 1. That Satan is continually desirous to afflict our bodies. 2. That the Devil cannot stir an inch farther in afflicting us, then God gives him leave. 3. That the Lord is careful that his servants should not be overpressed, and therefore usually affords them some breathing time, as here, though he intended afterwards to give Satan power to afflict his body, yet a while he restrained him from that.

So Satan went forth from the presence of the Lord. ] The meaning of this is only to imply, that the Devil is speedily ready to do all the mischief he can to God's people, if the Lord have once let loose his chain.

Vers. 13. And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating, &c.] This time and this manner of destroying Job's children is expressed, as again afterward verse. 18. because this must needs much aggravate Job's sorrow, that they should be fetched in together by the providence of God, as it were into a net, to the end they might all be destroyed together and not one of them escape, as likewise that they should be thus suddenly in a fearful manner cut off, which always hath an impression of wrath upon it, when they were thus lovingly rejoicing together: and that in their eldest brothers house, who having the largest portion of estate was like to make the fullest and most solemn feast. He always was afraid least they should sin in their feasting; so that having their brains thus suddenly beaten out whilst they were eating and drinking together, this might make him fear least they died with sin upon them unrepented of.

Vers. 15. And the Sabaeans fell upon them and took them away, &c.] The Sabaeans were a people (as most interpreters hold) inhabiting Arabia felix bordering upon the land of Uz where Job dwelt, a people that lived by pillaging and plundering their neighbors, and so easily won, by a suggestion of Satan's at this time, to break out upon Job's cattle and drive them away. And observable it is, that though Satan could many ways have destroyed Job's oxen and asses, and the servants that were with them more immediately by himself, yet he chose rather to make use of the Sabaeans, as delighting not only in the misery of Job, but also in the sin of these his wretched instruments.

And I only am escaped alone to tell thee. ] The same is said by all the several messengers that brought Job the sad tidings of the several calamities that befell him, verse. 16, 17, 19. So that it was doubtless a piece of Satan's policy that still one servant escaped to bring Job the relation of these grievous losses; and two reasons may be given for it, to wit, 1. That the relation of these afflictions might come suddenly to him; his servants escaping out of such desperate dangers would be sure to fly home with all the speed they were able; and 2. That he might not question the certainty of what was told him. Had there been any color of doubting the truth of these relations, that might have abated his sorrow for the present, and then recollecting his spirits in the interim when he came to know the certainty of it, he might then have been the better able to bear it; but having the report of these things from his own servants, that were eye witnesses of what they spake, he could have no ground of questioning whether that they spake were true or no, and so these heavy tidings must needs presently fall upon him with their full weight.

Vers. 16. While he was yet speaking there came also another. ] The immediate report of these ill tidings one in the neck of another (which is here noted, as also again verse. 17 and 18) was purposely no doubt effected by Satan, that he might not have any breathing time, any leisure to call to mind any thought that might support him, or allay any whit the bitterness of the former sorrow.

The fire of God is fallen from heaven, &c.] That is, a strange and extraordinary lightening from heaven hath consumed them; And remarkable is the cunning of Satan, who destroyed not these, as he did the other, by making use of wicked men, but by fire from heaven, that for his greater astonishment, Job might the more assuredly believe, that not men only, but even God himself did fight against him, and so might not fly to God for comfort, but rather in the vexation of his spirit might blaspheme God.

Vers. 18. Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking, &c.] This message was by the cunning of Satan reserved to the last place, because the tidings of the loss of his goods would not have been so terrible, had he known of his children's death, to whom he hoped to have left them; and indeed when a man lies under a great affliction, a less is not minded, and 2. Because when he was already sorely distressed with the former sad tidings, he would be the more unable to bear this doleful message, and the more likely to sink down under it, and break forth into impatience and blasphemy against God.

Vers. 19. There came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, &c.] Either this must be meant of a whirlwind, that did together strike the four corners of the house, or else the wind from the wilderness did with its violence shake the four corners of the house, so that at length the house fell upon them.

Vers. 20. Then Job arose and rent his mantle, &c.] That is, having hitherto sat still and heard these sad tidings, now he presently arose (as one that yet sunk not under these afflictions) and rent his mantle and shaved his head, &c. And this he did, partly that he might moderately bewail these afflictions and specially the death of his children, and partly, thereby to testify his deep humiliation under the hand of God, with repentance for all his sins; to which some add also, that he did it out of detestation of those blasphemous temptations which Satan at this time did suggest to him. As for these outward rites of rending their garments and shaving their heads, which they used in those times and countries: for the first see the note Gen. 37.29. and for the second, the shaving of the head, that this also was used in times of great affliction and sorrow of mind is evident in those places. Isa. 22.12. In that day did the Lord God of hosts call to weeping, and to mourning, and to baldness, and Ier. 7.29. Cut off thine hair O Jerusalem and cast it away, and take up a lamentation. And then doubtless it was used to signify, that their condition was such, that they had good cause to lay by all ornaments whatsoever, hair being given for comeliness and ornament.

Vers. 21. Naked came I out of my mothers womb, and naked shall I return thither :] Some expositors conceive that the word ( thither ) in this clause is not used in reference to his mothers womb, but in reference to the earth; and that, because when he spake these words, by way of adoration he cast or bowed down his body to the earth, as it is in the former verse. Others conceive it is the earth, which Job here calls his mothers womb, and that because the earth is the common mother of us all, since out of it in Adam we were all taken. Gen. 2.19. But last of all, others, and with better reason, acknowledge, that Job means indeed his mothers womb in the first clause, and then in the next clause adds, that he shall naked return thither, only in reference to a returning to an estate like that of his mothers womb, to wit, that as there he was shut up naked in the straits and darkness of earth (so David calls his mothers womb. Psal. 139.15. I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth. ) waiting thence to be delivered in due time, so he should be again shut up naked in the bowels of the earth, the grave, as seed sown in the ground, waiting for a resurrection to a better life. However the drift of these words was doubtless to show, that if God should strip him of all he enjoyed, he should have no cause to complain, both because he brought not these things into the world with him; God had given them and might, when he pleased, take them away, and because they were given as temporal blessings, which he could not hope always to enjoy, but must part with them at the time of his death. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. 1 Tim. 6.7▪

Vers. 21. Blessed be the name of the Lord. ] So far was Satan disappointed of his hopes, that instead of cursing God, Job blessed him, both for suffering him to enjoy his good blessings so long, and for his present afflictions, wherein he knew the Lord might show his goodness and mercy to him, as well as in his former bounty; and this doubtless did more deeply wound Satan, then all Job's afflictions had wounded him.

Vers. 22. In all this Job sinned not. ] That is, in all this that Job spake and did, there was not anything that was materially sinful. No man can do any one act that is purely pure, free from the least stain or tincture of sin; Who can bring a clean thing out of that which is unclean? chap. 14.4. But there is a great deal of difference between a sinful action and sin in an action; Satan had said that Job would curse God; but when it came to proof, there was no such thing, he neither spake nor did anything that was materially evil.

CHAP. II.

Vers. 1. AGain there was a day, &c.] See chap. • . verse. 6. How long it was after those former losses, ere God gave Satan liberty to afflict him in his body, we cannot say; only it is probable, that there was such a distance of time between these two afflictions, as might serve for a full discovery of Job's Spirit under the first.

Vers. 2. From going to and fro in the earth. ] See chap. 1. verse. 7-

Vers. 3. Hast thou considered my servant Job? ] See chap. 1. verse. 8.

And still he holdeth fast his integrity. ] This is added to imply, that God is in a special manner glorified and Satan confounded by the Saints perseverance in piety in the time of affliction; for hence the Lord is here set forth, as it were triumphing in this over Satan.

Although thou movedst me against him to destroy him without cause. ] In this, as formerly, God stooping to our capacity speaks of himself still after the manner of men. He was not moved by any persuasions of Satan to afflict Job, nor did it to gratify him; only because the Lord did it to manifest, that Job did not serve God only for the blessings he bestowed upon him, as Satan judged, therefore the Lord saith here, that Satan moved him against him to destroy him, and that, without cause, since the Devil could not effect what he aimed at, but still Job continued the same he was before.

Vers. 4. And Satan answered the Lord and said, skin for skin, &c.] See chap. 1. verse 9. Some expound this proverbial speech skin for skin, &c, thus, that as willingly as men exchange one skin for another, they will part with all that they have to save their life. And indeed the like manner of speech we may observe in other Proverbs. Prov. 25. 3. The heaven for heighth, and the earth for depth, and the heart of Kings is unsearchable. and verse. 25. As cold waters to a thirsty soul: so is good news from a far country. But the most generally received exposition is this, that as men would expose their hands to danger of a blow that is coming, to save their heads, or any other place where the blow might prove mortal, or suffer their cattle or other goods, yea their children to perish, so themselves might sleep in a whole skin, so it was with Job, he had hitherto forborne to curse God, not out of any true piety and sincerity of heart, but only out of a base fear least he should be smitten in his own body, as would soon be discovered, if his body were smitten too, and for the better warranting of this exposition, it is said, that in those times, partly because their substance consisted chiefly in cattle, and partly because their money was made of skins, it was usual to express a man's whole estate by the word skin; so that the meaning of this proverbial speech skin for skin was usually this, that there was no man but would give all his outward estate for the saving of his skin upon his back, that is, for the saving of his life.

Vers. 5. But put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, &c.] That is, afflict him in his body also, and that not lightly, but in some heavy manner, that not his flesh only, but his very bones may be sensible thereof, that the pain and distemper may pierce even to his very bones and marrow, that so his whole body may be both pained and weakened, to the manifest endangering of his life, and then he will curse thee to thy face. See chap. 1. verse. 11.

Vers. 6. Behold he is in thine hand, but save his life. ] See chap. 1. verse. 12.

Vers. 7. So Satan went forth, &c.] See again chap. 1.12.

And smote Job with sore boils, from the sole of his foot unto his crown. ] And thus, besides the inward tortures and sickness he endured, which consumed his flesh and strength, and made him hopeless of his life. [chap. 17.1. My breath is corrupt my days are extinct, the graves are ready for me. ] He became in outward appearance a fearful spectacle of God's fiery indignation, insomuch that his nearest friends loathed almost to behold him and were afraid to come near him. chap. 19. verse. 13. He hath put my brethren far from me, and mine acquaintance are verily estranged from me. and again verse. 19. All my inward friends abhorred me: and they whom I loved are turned against me.

Vers. 8. And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal ; &c.] It seems that this scraping himself with a potsherd was whilst he sat amongst the ashes or upon the dunghill, (as some translate it) and therefore are both these clauses joined together. Though perhaps Satan deprived Job of much more of his estate then is expressed, yet that he was brought to such extreme poverty, that he had neither house to dwell in, nor a rag to wipe his sores with, and therefore sat upon a dunghill and scraped himself with a potsherd, as some conceive, I nowhere find, but rather find the contrary; for he had a bed to lie on. chap. 7.4. When I lie down, I say, When shall I arise? and verse. 13, 14. When I say, My bed shall comfort me my couch shall ease my complaint: Then thou scarest me with dreams and terrifiest me through visions ; and a house whether his friends resorted to him, even when his afflictions came to a period, chap. 42.11. Then came there unto him at 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 though the Lord gave Satan liberty to deprive him of all that he had, chap. 1.12. and it is not likely this enemy would show him any favor, yet before he had taken all from him, seeing his wonderful patience he might judge that he did it out of a slavish fear, least God should strike him in his body too, and so, the Lord giving him liberty, might presently bring these diseases upon him also. Rather therefore it may be thought that voluntarily leaving his house and bed he went abroad (and thence it is said verse. 12. that when his friends came to visit him they saw him a far off ) and sat down amongst the ashes, as men in their extreme sorrow and humiliation used to do, Ion. 3.6. The King of Nineveh laid his robe from him and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes, as a testimony of his earthly condition and his baseness and unworthiness; and so being there having nobody else that would vouchsafe to dress him, he took up a potsherd to scrape himself: either to allay the itching of his sores, or rather to take off the matter and filth that issued from his ulcers, and that because his fingers were so sore that he could not do it with them, and besides he perhaps loathed to touch it, and as for his servants and friends they abhorred him so that they would not come near him, Job 19.14, 17.

Vers. 9. Then said his wife unto him, &c.] Though Satan were not restrained from wreaking his teen upon all that was Job's, himself only excepted, chap. 1.12. yet he meddled not with his wife, either because she was a part of himself, or rather because he intended to make use of her in tempting him to impatience, as knowing well that men are most easily seduced by their wives, that no injuries do sooner drive men to impatience, then those that are offered them by such as are nearest to them, and that his friends and others were likely to be encouraged to the like by her example.

Dost thou still retain thine integrity? curse God and die. ] I have met with some expositors that understand this speech of Job's wife to him thus. After all these judgments which God hath laid upon thee, dost thou still maintain thyself to be sincere and upright? Being brought so low, at the very point of death wilt thou still deny thy hypocrisy? Take heed, by acknowledging thy hypocrisy bless God, give glory to God, and so die, or, curse God and die, that is, thou hadst as good discover by a desperate blasphemy at last what thou hast formerly been, that so dying it may be seen that God hath dealt justly with thee in all that he hath laid upon thee. But because in the third verse this phrase of retaining his integrity is used concerning Job in a way of commendation, the more ordinary exposition of these words I take to be the best, which is this, Dost thou still retain thine integrity ? That is, after all these calamities and vain patience dost thou yet retain thy integrity? alas what doth it profit you? to what end do you still hope in God, and pray to him and bless him? He still as a persecuting enemy pours out his wrath more and more upon you, rather therefore curse God and die, where by cursing God is meant, as before, chap. 1.11. whatever might tend to God's reproach, and this his wife like an infernal fury adviseth him to, either as intimating that he had as good die cursing of God as blessing him, since thereby he should at least satisfy his grieved and afflicted spirit, or else as prescribing this as a means to put an end to all his insufferable miseries, to wit, by provoking God with his blasphemy to kill him outright.

Vers. 10. But he said unto her, Thou speakest as one of the foolish women speaketh. ] As if he should have said, Thou dost not now, wife, speak like thyself, this had not wont to be thy language, even those women that are most silly and foolish, most profane and irreligious, most desperately violent in their passions, could not speak more Atheistically and wickedly then thou hast now spoken, more indeed like those idolatrous women, that use to revile their senseless God's, then like a woman, who had been instructed in the knowledge of the true ever living God, and one that had hitherto carried herself as one that feared him

Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil? ] These words imply many reasons why it is fit that men should patiently endure those many afflictions, that sometimes fall upon them. 1. Because it is not fit that wretched man should bind God to his will and prescribe him what he should do, to wit, that he should still lade him with his blessings, and never intermix any sorrows with them. 2. Because the many blessings which he hath bestowed upon us, far surpassing the evils he inflicts, may well bind us by way of thankfulness to be content that he should exercise his dominion over us, and afflict us when he seeth cause without any murmuring against him. 3. Because the good he doth for us proves him a loving father, and therefore should assure us, that even in the evil he inflicts, he seeks our advantage, The cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it ? saith Christ. John 18.11. and so Heb. 12.9. We have had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the father of spirits and live?

In all this did not Job sin with his lips. ] That is, not so much as with speaking a hasty and impatient word; which was indeed a high degree of patience, James 3.2. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body. See the note chap. 1.22.

Vers. 11. Now when Job's three friends heard, &c.] That is, his three special choice and most intimate friends, to wit, Eliphaz (who is called the Temanite, either because he was of the stock of Teman, the son of Eliphaz the son of Esau, Gen. 36.11. or else because he was of the land of Teman mentioned, Ier. 49.7.) and Bildad (who is called the Shuhite, perhaps because he was of the stock of Shuah, the son of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25.2. perhaps of some country or city so called) and Zophar the Naamathite (so called also for some such like reason it may be from the city Naamah Josh. 15.41.) As for Elihu of whom mention is made, chap. 32.2. he came not it seems with these his three friends, but standing by, as perhaps many others did, and hearing their conference he brake out also and spake his mind. It is said by some that these men were Kings; but no such thing do we find in the Scripture. Men they were doubtless of eminent learning and piety (as by their discourse with Job doth everywhere appear) yea such to whom the Lord used to appear in dreams and visions, Now a thing was secretly brought to me, (saith Eliphaz chap. 4.12, 13.) and mine ear received a little thereof, in thoughts from the visions of the night, as likewise men of great years and experience, whence is that of Elihu concerning these men, chap. 32.6, 7. I am young and ye are very old, I said, Daies should speak, and multitude of years should teach wisdom, and Job's faithful friends; doubtless they were, and in their love to him came now to visit him, and spake all they said to him out of a sincere desire of his good, though they erred foully in judging of his cause: All which made the harsh censures which afterward they passed upon him, the more bitter and grievous to be born.

For they had made an appointment together to come to mourn with him, and to comfort him. ] to wit, because it is a kind of ease to an afflicted man, to see that others pity him and compassionate his case, neither can words of comfort be acceptable unless they come from those of whom he is persuaded that they have a fellow-feeling of his sorrows.

Vers. 12. And sprinkled dust upon their heads toward heaven. ] It seems there were two several ways of sprinkling dust: sometimes they did barely sprinkle it upon their heads (concerning which see the Notes, Josh. 7.6.) but sometimes again they took the dust and threw it up into the air, so letting it fall back upon their heads; for so we read also of the Jews that were enraged at Paul's preaching, Acts 22.23. They cried out and casting off their cloths threw dust into the air ; and this circumstance of their throwing the dust toward heaven might signify, either that it was a day of grievous darkness and affliction that was come upon them, yea a day of dismal confusion wherein things were turned upside down, and earth and air as it were mingled together, or else that the spectacle they beheld was such▪ that they might well wish the heavens were overclouded with darkness that they might not behold it.

Vers. 13. So they sat down with him upon the ground seven days and seven nights. ] That is, say some Expositors, many days and many nights; for the number seven is sometimes used indefinitely, as 1 Sam. 2.5. of which see the Note there: or else the meaning may be that the greatest part of seven days and seven nights they spent in a silent sitting by him, condoling his misery and mourning with him. It cannot be thought that Job sat so long amongst the ashes, without ever withdrawing himself upon any occasion; much less can this be conceived of his friends; but as it is said of Anna that she continued daily in the Temple, though it cannot be thought that she never went out of it, Luke 2.37. So it is here said of Job's friends that they sat with him on the ground seven days and seven nights, that is, the greatest part of that time, but yet doubtless they took their time for necessary food and rest, &c

And none spake a word unto him: for they saw that his grief was very great. ] To wit, both because they at first thought it not so seasonable to begin to comfort him, before he had a little unladed his heart of sorrow, least by speaking they should rather cause him to break forth into greater passion, then any whit asswage his grief: and likewise because the longer they observed and considered in what extremity God's hand was upon him, the more they were even overwhelmed with sorrow, and so not able to speak, and that doubtless especially because though formerly they had always esteemed him a sincere godly man, and therefore came with a full resolution to speak comfortably to him, yet now the excessive misery they saw him in, made them begin to stagger concerning this, and suspect that all he had formerly done was done in hypocrisy, and therefore the Lord abhorred him and punished him thus severely, and so herewith they were so astonished and perplexed, that they could not speak nor knew what to say to him.

CHAP. III.

Vers. 1. AFter this opened Job his mouth. ] That is, though for a while he sat silent as being overwhelmed with grief and not able to speak, according to that of David, Psal. 77.4. I am so troubled that I cannot speak ; yet getting at last some power over himself he gave vent to his sorrows and cursed his day; or thus, though hitherto Job had carried himself with admirable patience, yet after this now at length he began to speak, and that freely and boldly (for that is the meaning of this Hebrew phrase, Job opened his mouth ) having sat silent with his friends a long time before, he began now to complain of his miseries, and gave therein too much liberty to himself, and was carried too far beyond the bounds of patience by his passions, and therefore afterward was sharply reproved by God out of the whirlwind. chap. 38.2. Who is this that darkeneth counsel by words without knowledge? and condemned by himself, chap. 40.4. Behold I am vile what shall I answer thee? I will lay my hand upon my mouth, &c. And so again, chap. 42.3, 6. And doubtless the cause of this sudden change was because God was now pleased to withdraw not only the light of his countenance, to make his trial the more terrible, but also the strength of grace whereby he had been hitherto enabled to endure with such patience what he had suffered, & that to make it manifest, that all comfort and strength to stand in trials comes from God, and what the holiest and best of God's servants would be, if they should be left unto themselves: yet it is not strange that Job's patience should be so highly extolled in the Scripture, if we consider, 1. That his afflictions were not only exceeding great and very many but had also continued a long time upon him ere he brake forth into this impatience; for at the end of this dispute which he had with his friends, ere they left him, God began to raise him up again, chap. 42.10. and yet then he had been many months, (as some conceive many years) under these heavy pressures, we see what he saith, chap. 7.3. I am made to possess months of vanity. 2. That upon the silence of his friends so many days together, the Devil might have occasion to suggest that even they also (as his other friends had done before) deemed him a wicked man upon whom God had begun to pour forth his wrath, and therefore had not one word of comfort for him, which might much embitter his soul. 3. That in his greatest impatience he was not wholly over-born, his desire was still to approve himself to God, only the flesh lusted against the spirit and prevailed sometimes too far over him, and when he did forget himself, it was not so much Job that did it, as sin that dwelt in him, Rom. 7.17. he still strove against it; and 4. That he did at length prevail over his corruptions, we see what he saith chap. 40.4, 5. Behold I am vile, I will lay my hand upon my mouth, I will speak no more: • nd chap. 42. I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. And herein especially is the patience of Job commended to us as a pattern, because at the end he prevailed and got the day, I am. 5.11. Behold, we count them happy which endure: ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord.

And cursed his day. ] That is, his birth-day, as it is expressed verse. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born, not the very day whereon he was born, which was long since past and gone, but his anniversary birth-day, which was in its time to return every year, as is evident verse. 4. Let that day be darkness, let not God regard it, &c. And this he cursed, to wit, with those execrations mentioned in the following verses, not as having a thought that those things were like to befall his birth-day upon his imprecations, or as deliberately and seriously wishing it might so be, only transported with the heat of his passions, he seeks thereby with all vehemency to express, how he abhorred his life, what a dismal and unhappy thing it was to him that he was ever born, &c.

Vers. 3. Let the day perish wherein I was born and the night, &c.] That is, whereas the tidings of a child born, especially of a man child, are usually received with much joy, & their birth-days afterwards solemnized with a great deal of mirth and jollity; I may rather wish that I had never been born, or that the day of my birth and the night of my conception may perish, and not have their course in the Calendar amongst the days and nights of the year, at least that they may be no more solemnized but may be buried in eternal oblivion (as it is more plainly expressed verse. 6. Let it not be joined to the days of the year, let it not come into the number of the months. ) and that because I was born to so much misery and sorrow. Some Expositors indeed will have the night whereof Job here speaks to be not the night of his conception, because it could not be then known that a man child was conceived, but the night of his birth. But there is no necessity that we should thus understand the words, for as Esa. 48.8. Thou wast called a transgressor from the womb, is the same with Thou hast been a transgressor from the womb. So here the night wherein it was said, a man child is conceived, is to be understood in the same sense as if he had said, the night wherein a man child was conceived; from this verse to the beginning of the 42 chapter in the original the Penman of the holy Ghost hath expressed all that passed betwixt Job and his friends, &c. in meeter.

Vers. 4. Let that day be darkness. ] This may be understood figuratively, let it be always a sad and sorrowful day; but I rather conceive that it was meant properly, let it be always a pitchy dark day even as darkness itself. The like may be said also concerning the last clause of this verse, neither let the light shine upon it.

Let not God regard it from above, &c.] That is, let not the Lord afford that day the light of the Sun from above, nor other the influences of the heavens; that we enjoy a succession of light and darkness, fruitful times and seasons it is from God's care and providence over the world, and hence is that expression which Moses useth concerning the land of Canaan, Deut. 11.12. The eyes of the Lord thy God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year even unto the end of the year: So that when Job wisheth that the Lord would not regard that day from above, it is all one as if he had wished that God would not mind it nor yield it the least of those blessings which he affords to other days.

Vers. 5. Let darkness and the shadow of death stain it, &c.] That is, a most extreme darkness, to wit, first a darkness like death that may be the very image and shadow of death, or 2. a darkness like that wherewith dead men are overwhelmed that lie buried in their graves, or 3. a stifling killing darkness, such as where damps and thick vapors that are in deep pits, that strike men suddenly dead, or 4. a dismal horrible darkness, like enough to kill men with the very terror of it, for hereto hath that clause reference also in the end of the verse, Let the blackness of the day terrify it, that is, make it terrible to men. All this may be comprehended under this phrase of the shadow of death, and when Job wished that such a darkness might stain the day whereon he was born, the ground of the expression is this, that darkness takes away the glory of a day, and hides the beauty of all things whatsoever.

Vers. 7. Lo, let that night be solitary, let no joyful voice come therein. ] That is, whereas the night is usually the time of feasting, dancing, and all kind of jollity, as at marriages and all other times of festivity and rejoicing whatsoever, let it not be so on that unhappy night wherein I was conceived, but quite contrary let it be solitary, still, and silent, yea, let the darkness thereof be so terrible, (all the stars in heaven withdrawing their light,) that neither man nor beast may dare to stir or move either within doors or without.

Vers. 8. Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning. ] That is, all that in the bitterness of their sorrows are wont to curse the day, as being weary both of life and light, let them curse that night wherein I was conceived and bo • n. Some expositors understand this of fishermen and mariners, and that because they read the last clause of this verse, according to the translation which is set in the margin of our Bibles ( who are ready to raise up a Leviathan ) Such men's mouths are usually full of most fearful execrations and curses, and especially when they are employed in taking whales, that huge fish which is called a Leviathan, chap. 41.1. And that because the fishing for the whale is a business of great charge and greater danger, so that when they have seized upon one and are ready to raise him up, if by any mishap they loose him again, they are wont violently to break forth into all kind of fearful imprecations against that unlucky and unfortunate day, because great losses cause great passions, specially in such ungodly wretches; and therefore, say they, Job here wisheth that these men might curse the night of his conception; and to this we may add too, that some refer this to the cursing of those mariners, who as they sail along lighting at unawares upon some place where they are ready to stir or raise up a whale, do thereupon seeing themselves in such imminent danger, curse the day that they entered upon that voyage, or that brought them within the reach of this sea-monster now ready to sink their vessel and drown them all. Again, others by Leviathan understand the Devil, metaphorically so called, to whom many authors in like manner apply that place, Esa. 27.1. In that day the Lord with his sore, and great, and strong sword, shall punish Leviathan the piercing serpent, even Leviathan that crooked serpent, and so conceive these words to be meant of those furious men, that in their passions are wont to wish the Devil might take either themselves, or others that are the occasion of their misery. Let them curse it that in the extremity of their impatience, not only use to curse the day, but also are ready ever and anon in their rage to raise up a Leviathan, that is, to call upon the Devil to take them. But now if we read the words according as our Translatours have rendered it, Let them curse it that curse the day, who are ready to raise up their mourning, There is another exposition may be given of these words, which seems far more apt and easy, to wit, that whereas there were usually in those times certain persons, both men and women, that were hired to howl and lament at funerals, or any other times of great calamity and dismal sorrow, and that because they could do it artificially, they were trained up to it, and had certain sad and doleful ditties wherein they did in a solemn and passionate manner curse, sometimes the day of those sad accidents, sometimes those that were the occasion of it, to which custom many places of Scripture clearly have reference, as Amos 5.16. They shall call the husband-man to the mourning, and such as are skillful of lamentation to wailing. And so again Ier. 9.17. 2 Chron. 35.25. Mat. 9.23. Ezek. 30.2. Joel 1.15. These now that were so ready and prepared at all times to raise up a mourning, or to call their company together to mourn, these I say Job desires might be employed to curse the night wherein he was conceived. And happily someone ditty they might have fullest of bitter imprecations, that was called a Leviathan.

Vers. 9. Let the stars of the twilight thereof be dark, &c.] The stars are a great ornament to the heaven, like so many spangles or Oes of gold set in the Canopy of heaven, they are also a great delight and comfort in the night and of special use for the direction of sea-men and others. To express therefore what cause he had to be troubled that ever he was conceived, Job here wisheth the night of his conception might not have a star shining in it, that it might have no mixture of light • no not in the twilight of the evening, nor in the dawning of the morning (called here in the Hebrew the eye-lids of the morning, because the beams of the Sun the eye of the world, do then first discover themselves) but desireth that rather it might be a perpetual night, then that any mixture of light by the approach of the morning should any whit abate the terror of its darkness. Let it look for light but have none, which expression is used as an aggravation of the nights darkness, that there should be a long expectation of light, and then at last their expectation should be frustrate.

Vers. 10. Because it shut not up the doors of my mothers womb, nor hid sorrow from mine eyes. ] To wit, either that I might not have been conceived, or at least that I had not been born, and so might never have seen those sorrows, that now I have lived to see; for here Job begins to render the reason why he had cursed both the day of his birth, and the night of his conception; and therefore this may be referred to both.

Vers 12. Why did the knees prevent me? &c.] That is, why did the midwife so carefully prevent my falling upon the earth, by receiving me so charily into her lap, that I might be afterward washed, and swaddled, and nursed up? why did she not rather suffer me to fall from the womb to the earth, where I might have lain and perished presently? and it may well be which some think, that in these expressions Job alludes to that execrable custom used in those times by unnatural parents, who were wont to cast out their children as soon as they were born, and there to leave them upon the cold earth naked and helpless, whereto the holy Ghost also seems to have respect in that remarkable place. Ezek. 16, 3, 4, 5. Thy father was an Amorite, and thy mother an Hittite; and as for thy nativity in the day thou wast born, thy navel was not cut, neither wast thou washed in water to supple thee, thou wast not salted at all, nor swaddled at all; none eye pitied thee, to do any of these unto thee, to have compassion upon thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person, in the day that thou wast born.

Vers. 13. For now should I have lain still and been quiet, &c.] It is evident that Job speaks here only of the rest of the body in the grave, and the freedom which death brings from all worldly troubles and sorrows whatsoever; for he speaks of the rest which befalls all men after death, the bad as well as the good, the wicked oppressors as well as the poor that are oppressed by them, as is evident verse. 17. &c. There the wicked cease from troubling: and there the weary be at rest. But since Job knew well enough (doubtless) and did certainly believe, that when the bodies of men are laid in the grave, yet their souls then pass to greater pains and miseries, unless they be of God's elect, to whom through Christ's merits, an entrance is given to heaven and everlasting glory, why doth Job here make no mention of this, but only speak of the rest of men's carcases in the grave, as if he believed not the immortality of the soul, nor put any difference betwixt the wicked and the righteous after death? surely because 1. He had a kind of secret assurance concerning the bliss of his soul after death, and so made no mention of that, and 2. Because through the vehement perturbations of his mind at present, and the violence of his passions by reason of the extremity of his sufferings, he only now minded as it were and thought upon the happiness of those that were at quiet in their graves, and the thought of a second life, and the resurrection of men's bodies to shame or glory, they lie for the present as forgotten, buried under the rubbish of his confused passions, as Moses when he saw the people of God like to be cut off, by the revenging hand of God's justice, did in a manner forget (what he knew well enough) the immutability of God's decree, and was only carried with the vehemency of his affections to the people of God, and his earnest desire of God's glory, when he wished. Exod, 32.32. that he would forgive the people their sin, or else blot him out of the book of life.

Vers. 14. With Kings and counselors of the earth, which build desolate places for themselves. ] That is, had I died immediately either in the womb, or so soon as ever I was born, besides that I should have escaped all the miseries I have now suffered, in the grave I should have been not one jot in a worse condition, then the greatest Kings and Nobles are when they come to die, for all the great pomp and pleasure they have lived in before, and the great pomp of their sepulchers when they are dead: for by Kings and counselors which built desolate places for themselves are meant here the most glorious, the mightiest Princes of the world, that by reason of their great power and riches sought to perpetuate the memory of their name by building desolate places, that is, either 1. by erecting huge and stately tombs and monuments, as memorials of their burial in those places, such as were the Egyptians Pyramids, &c. which are called desolate places, not only because the dead bodies buried there are left as it were forsaken of all friends in a desolate condition, but also because such monuments were built usually not in towns and cities, but abroad in the fields in solitary and unfrequented places▪ whence is that of the prophet, Ezek. 26.20. where foreshowing the destruction of Tyre, he speaks as in the name of the Lord thus, When I shall bring thee down with them that descend into the pit, with the people of old time, and shall set thee in the low parts of the earth, in places desolate of old, &c. or 2. by rebuilding what their ancestors durst not attempt, great houses or cities formerly ruined, that had been a long time wast places, as the Prophet calls them, Isa. 58.12. whereof there had been nothing but the foundations left for many generations ; or rather, 3. by building in places formerly desolate, wherein haply one would wonder how such buildings could be raised, either great cities or stately houses for themselves to dwell in, and that of such a huge bigness and vast compass, that a Princes family cannot fill them, but still they seem in many places empty and desolate.

Vers. 15. Or with Princes that had gold, who filled their houses with silver. ] That is, with the richest of Princes, who gathered in their life time the greatest mass of treasure; yet some understand this, as spoken with reference to a custom used in those times, of burying much treasure in the houses, that is, the graves and tombs of their great Princes.

Vers. 16. Or as an hidden untimely birth I had not been, &c.] That is, had I not been born, but died in the womb, (which also Job had wished before verse. 10.) such as the condition of abortives is, that perish in the womb, to wit, either those that by some mischance miscarry within a while after they are conceived, (called here an hidden untimely birth, because they are presently laid by or cast away as unpleasing spectacles, or not at all looked after; or else because the form and lineaments of a child in such imperfect embryoes cannot well be discerned,) or those that have their full and perfect shape, but then die in the womb, and so being dead-born never see light; such (saith Job) had been then my condition, I had not been, that is, I had never been numbered amongst the sons of Adam, but had been wholly buried in oblivion, and had passed without name, as Solomon we see speaks of such an untimely birth. Eccles. 6.4. He cometh in and departeth in darkness, and his name shall be covered with darkness.

Vers. 17. There the wicked cease from troubling, and there the weary be at rest. ] By the weary here may be meant those that wicked oppressors have wearied with continual troubles; and then the sum of the whole verse is this, that in the grave the oppressors and the oppressed are both at rest together. But the weary here intended may be also the wicked persecutors and oppressors, that do weary and tire out themselves with vexing and troubling others, till they come to be laid in the graves and then there they are at rest, and this may seem the more probable exposition, because in the following verse he speaks of those that suffer, and here therefore it is likely of those only that make men suffer.

Vers. 18. There the prisoners rest together, they hear not the voice of the oppressor. ] Because wicked oppressors use bitter words, and with their terrible threatening, and their insulting and scoffing language are wont to wound as deeply those that are under their power, as any other way: hence is this expression, they hear not the voice of the oppressor.

Vers. 20. Wherefore is light given to him that is in misery, and life unto the bitter in soul? ] These words are added, to imply how earnestly now he desired death; They are indeed a kind of expostulation with God, for continuing life to those that are in such misery, that they had rather die then live; but doubtless, though the extremity of his miseries wrung these words from him, yet he did not utter them with a purpose to contend with God, and to charge him with dealing too hardly with those that are in misery. Indeed they are words of lamentation rather then expostulation, wherefore is light given to him that is in misery ? that is, Alas, it were well for those that are in bitter calamities, if they might die: they cannot but earnestly desire it, and it is a kind of addition to their miseries, that they must live, though they would die. Revel. 9.6. And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it, and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.

Vers. 23. Why is light given to a man whose way is hid, and whom God hath hedged in? ] That is, to a man that cannot find out the meaning of God's dealing with him, or why it is that he is so sorely afflicted; or rather, to a man whom God hath so hedged and hemmed in with many and divers calamities, and those so desperate and inextricable, that (poor wretch) it is not possible he should conceive which way to turn himself, or what course to take to find out any way of escape, whereby he might wind himself out of these troubles, and therefore must needs be in continual perplexity to think what will become of him, and what the end will be of all these miseries that are fallen upon him. Much to this purpose is that complaint of the Church, Lam. 3.9. He hath enclosed my ways with hewn stone: he hath made my paths crooked.

Vers. 24. For my sighing cometh before I eat. ] This is added, to imply that he was one of those, of whom he had spoken, to whom it was an addition of miseries, that they must still live, though they can see no hope of deliverance, and that because though he had always worked out his salvation with fear and trembling (which is at least implied verse. 25, 26. The thing which I greatly feared is come upon me, ) yet his miseries were so grievous and continual, without intermission, that he had not so much space of freedom, as to eat his meat in quiet, nor could forbear his sighs and tears, when the natural desire of food was most urgent upon him; which indeed is most like that complaint of the Psalmist, Psal. 102.9. I have eaten ashes like bread, and mingled my drink with weeping. Some expositors understand this of his sighing because of the pain it would be to him to eat, in regard of his ulcers, wherewith he was everywhere filled, or because it grieved him to think that he must by feeding uphold the life, which he would so gladly be rid of; but the first exposition is far the most proper.

And my roarings are poured out like the waters. ] That is, violently, abundantly and without ceasing; for he compares his roaring to the pouring out of waters. 1. Because when waters are poured forth, or break through the banks that before held them in, they rush out in great abundance and with unresistable violence. 2. Because the waters of rivers flow on continually without ceasing, as being still supplied from their fountains and springs, and 3. Because the noise of his roarings, by reason of their violence, was much like that of waters, where they break forth with such fury and carry all before them that stands in their way. It must be a great affliction that can make a man of spirit to mourn, and therefore much more that which makes him cry out and roar; & therefore the extremity of a man's misery is usually set forth in the Scripture by this that it makes him roar; as Psal. 32.3. I roared for the very disquietness of my soul; So that when Job complains not only that his sorrows made him roar, but also that his roarings were poured forth like water, this implies how exceeding grievous his miseries were.

Vers. 25. For the thing I greatly feared is come upon me, &c.] This is added as an aggravation of his misery, (to show what just cause he had to be weary of his life) to wit, that in the days of his prosperity he had not lived carelessly and securely as wicked men use to do, that when things go well with them confidently assure themselves that there shall never come a change, and so walk on presumptuously in their own ways, without any fear either of God or man; but that he had always considered before hand what might befall him, and out of an awful apprehension of the great alterations, which God could make in his condition even in an instant, he had always walked humbly with God, and looked narrowly to his ways, that he might avoid his indignation; and yet notwithstanding that which he feared was fallen upon him. Had he in his prosperity glutted himself with pleasure and lived securely, it had been another matter (for to such God hath threatened destruction. 1 Thes. 5.3. When they shall say, peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child, and they shall not escape ) But (saith Job) I was not in safety, I did not think myself safe, but as one that ever feared what might come, I still watched over my ways, and yet these grievous troubles are come upon me.

CHAP. IV.

Vers. 2. IF we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved &c.?] Hitherto Job's friends had forborne speaking to him, partly because they were afraid they should by speaking increase his grief, and partly because by the extraordinary heaviness of God's hand upon him they began to think, that doubtless he had always been a secret hypocrite and therefore now at length the vengeance of God was in this fearful manner fallen upon him; But when now they had heard him in such an impatient manner curse the day of his birth and wish for death, to put an end to all his miseries, but especially when they heard him in his last words, as it were justifying himself, to wit, by affirming that he had not by his security in the time of his prosperity provoked God to deal thus with him, but rather had done what he could to prevent it, this confirmed them in their opinion, that his heart was not right with God. And therefore Eliphaz, as being haply the elder and the chief of them, begins now with him, resolving to reprove him for his impatience, and to prove to him that God useth not to plague any but wicked men, as he was now plagued, and therefore it was fit that he should repent and turn to God, and not justify himself. Now because he feared that this Job would hardly take in good part, he begins with a profession that he was loath to grieve him, but that he could not forbear; If we assay to commune with thee, wilt thou be grieved? that is, I fear thou wilt, and it is that which hath made us forbear so long; but who can withhold himself from speaking? that is, hearing thee thus dishonor God and justify thyself, as if all were well with thee, when God's fearful judgments upon thee do manifest the contrary, it is not possible we should hold our peace; if we have any care of thy soul, or be tender of God's dishonor, it must need constrain us to speak.

Vers. 3. Behold thou hast instructed many, &c.] This is the first argument which Eliphaz useth, to condemn Job's impatience, and to discover to him that he had only hitherto carried himself hypocritically in the profession of religion, to wit, that he had been a great Instructer and comforter of others, yea many others, in time of their calamity, fear and sorrow, and yet now when it came to be his portion to be in the like misery, no man could be more faint-hearted nor more impatient and rebellious against God then he was. To strengthen the weak hands and the feeble knees, and to uphold him that was falling, is to comfort those that are ready to faint and sink in despair, because of any grievous calamities that lie upon them, or are unavoidably, as they conceive, coming towards them, as Esa. 35.3, 4. Strengthen ye the weak hands, and confirm the feeble knees, say to them that are of a fearful heart, be strong, and so likewise Heb. 12, 12. 2 Sam. 4, 1. Ier. 6, 24. 1 Sam. 23, 16. Now because Job had done this to others, but minded not now to do himself what he had taught others to do, this Eliphaz presseth upon him, as an argument, that there was never in him that truly religious heart, which he made show of to others.

Vers. 6. Is not this thy fear, thy confidence, thy hope, and the uprightness of thy ways? ] That is, having made such a show in thy prosperity of fearing God, of walking uprightly, of great hope and confidence which thou hast in God, whereas now when God's hand is fallen upon thee, thou carriest thyself in a quite contrary manner to what thou madest a show of, and didst advise others to, doth not this plainly discover, that all this was counterfeit in thee? and that thou didst but aim at thine own advantage in all that thou hast done? wherein when thou findest that God would no longer satisfy thy aims, now thou art ready to fly in God's face and to spurn against him. This is the drift of these words: And perhaps in the first place he speaks of his fear of God, because Job had in a manner boasted of that in the two last verses of the former chapter.

Vers. 7. Remember I pray thee, whoever perished being innocent? &c.] That is, call to mind whether thou hast ever seen, or read, or heard of any one of God's righteous servants, that have been destroyed by the avenging hand of God, and so utterly cast off and forsaken by him? This is another argument whereby Eliphaz seeeks to prove him not to have been so fearful to offend God, as he pretended, to wit, because such plagues God used not to lay upon the righteous, as were now poured upon him.

Vers. 8. Even as I have seen, they that plow iniquity, &c.] Wicked men are said to plow iniquity and sow wickedness because 1. They plot before hand how to accomplish their injurious purposes, as husbandmen by plowing the ground make it ready for the seed. 2. They follow their plot with all possible pains and diligence, moving every stone, turning up every clod, assaying by all means they can think of, all kind of injustice, treachery and deceit, to effect what they have contrived. 3. They act their wicked devices cunningly and artificially, they are not bunglers in the ways of sinning, as some men are, but manage their work with such curious cunning, that nothing can be done with more exact skill for the accomplishment of their cursed devices, and 4. They do all this in hope of some fruit and advantage that shall redound to them thereby. And then again they are said to reap the same, because in time they reap that which is the proper fruit of such ways, that is, the wrath of God, as the just recompense of their evil courses. Prov. 22.8. He that soweth iniquity shall reap vanity, and Gal. 6.8. He that soweth to his flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption : whence it is that the just reward and fruit of wickedness is called wickedness (and therefore it is clear that they thus reap the same ) Ier. 4.18. Thy way and thy doings have procured these things unto thee; this is thy wickedness. Wicked men may not be punished for a time, but at last they shall have a harvest answerable and proportionable to their deeds. Hos. 10.13. Ye have plowed wickedness, ye have reaped iniquity, ye have eaten the fruit of lies ; or because others at length deal with them just as they dealt with others, and so God pays them in their own kind, and that double many times. Revelat. 18.6. Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled, fill to her double: y • a seven-fold Psal. 79.12. And tender unto our neighbors seven-fold into their bosom; their reproach wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. So also Luke 6.38. For of such unjust oppressors of others, Eliphaz chiefly here speaks, as is evident by the following words verse. 10.1 • .

Vers. 9. By the blast of God they perish, &c.] That is, the Lord's anger breaking forth against them, he doth with ease on a sudden destroy them. Because when men are filled with indignation their passion and wrath will discover itself in the breathing and puffing of their nostrils, the Lord's anger is many times in the Scripture expressed by the breathing of his nostrils, as Esa. 30.33. and because wicked men are oftentimes cut off in an instant and with ease, the Lord only as it were blowing upon them, Hag. 1.9. Ye looked for much, and lo it came to little: and when ye brought it home, I did blow upon it ; they are said to be destroyed with a blast, even as when corn that comes up hopefully is on a sudden blasted (whereto we may the rather think that Eliphaz alludes because of the foregoing metaphor of wicked men's sowing wickedness and reaping the same) or as a house by a blast of wind is suddenly blown down; and doubtless at that dismal death that befell Job's children, Eliphaz doth in this expression especially aim.

Vers. 10. The roaring of the lion, and the voice of the fierce lion, &c.] That is, the Lord usually abates the courage and power of the mightiest of the wicked, even those that have made a prey of others, nobody daring to resist them; yea, he many times destroys them and brings them to perish with hunger, both they and their whelps; That wicked powerful tyrannical oppressors▪ are usually termed lions in the Scripture is manifest from many places; Ezek. 32.2. Son of man, take up a lamentation for Pharaoh King of Egypt, and say unto him, thou art like a young lion of the nations, and 38.13. Sheba and Dedan, and the merchants of Tarshish, with all the young lions thereof thall say unto thee, art thou come to take a spoil? and 2 Tim. 4.17. I was delivered out of the mouth of the lion, that is, out of the mouth of Nero, and indeed oppressing great ones do resemble lions in divers respects: as 1. in their pride and loftiness of spirit; for the lion is a proud and stately creature. 2. In regard of their strength; for as the lion is the strongest amongst beasts, and therefore there is no resisting or withstanding the lion: So great men that are oppressors by reason of their power may do what they please, and there is no contending with them. 3. In regard of the terribleness of the lions roaring, and the sternesse of his countenance; the very threatenings and looks of oppressing tyrants are dreadful to those that are subject to their power. 4. In regard of their blood-sucking cruelty; we see what the Prophet saith of such men, Mich. 3.2. They pluck their skins from off them, and their flesh from off their bones, &c. and 5. In regard of their greediness after the prey. They have set their eyes bowing down to the earth like as a lion that is greedy of his prey, Psal. 17.11, 12. So that because Job was a great man, a man in authority, it may well be that Eliphaz intended in these words to give a hint to Job that as he had dealt hardly and cruelly with others, so now the Lord had accordingly dealt with him; and that last clause concerning the breaking of the teeth of the lions whelps, or the young lions, may seem purposely added, because of the destruction that fell upon Job's children, when they were feasting together.

Vers. 12. Now a thing was secretly brought to me. ] That is, in a vision, and that too in the secrecy & solitarin • sse of the night, and perhaps also in a secret manner with a still and low small voice, not easily discernible; for here Eliphaz begins to relate a vision he had formerly had, wherein amongst other things this was revealed to him that it was a vain and audacious part for men to contend with God when he corrects them, as if they were juster then God; and that to prove, that by God's dealing with Job it was evident enough that he had given the Lord just cause to proceed with such severity against him, and likewise to show what a foul sin it was in Job to murmur so against God as he had done.

And mine ear received a little thereof. ] Hereby is not so much meant that he only heard some little part of that which was spoken to him, as that by his ear he did receive into his mind, that is, understand and lay up in his heart, somewhat of that which in his vision was imparted to him, acknowledging modestly that he did not fully and perfectly either comprehend or retain what God was pleased in this prophetical way to reveal unto him.

Vers. 13. In thoughts from the visions of the night, &c.] That Job might not doubt but the vision he now speaks of was from God, and so the more regard what was then revealed to him, Eliphaz here describes the manner of his vision, to wit, that in the beginning of the night, when deep sleep falleth on men, that is, when men used to be most soundly a-sleep, in thoughts caused by a nightly vision (but whether waking or sleeping it is not expressed) a spirit verse. 15. passed before his face, that is, an angel appeared and came to him, he being at the same time stricken with extreme terror and fear, fear came upon me, saith he, and trembling, &c. which last is the rather mentioned, because when God in former times appeared to men in dreams and visions, he did always thus humble and cast them down with fear, that by those impressions of terror, caused by the apprehension of his Majesty and glory, they might be assuredly persuaded that the vision was from God and so the more reverently receive and the more carefully obey what he then gave them in charge, as the prophet Daniel acknowledges of himself when he had seen a vision, Dan. 10.17. As for me straight way there remained no strength in me, neither is there breath left in me.

Vers. 16. It stood still, but I could not discern the form thereof, &c.] That is, the spirit, the angel before spoken of (having at his first appearance approached towards him, or perhaps walked a turn or two in his sight) did at length stand still before him (either that he might present himself the more fully to his view, or as addressing himself to speak to him) and so he saw it, though he could not fully and distinctly discern his shape.

There was silence, and I heard a voice. ] This clause may be read, as it is in the margin of our Bibles, I heard a still voice or a silent voice, that is, a low whispering voice: for as we use to call an imperfect obscure light a dark light, so a low soft voice we use to call a silent still voice; and the reasons given by Expositors why the angel spake with so low a voice are, 1. That hereby might be implied that it was a secret which God would now whisper, as it were, into his ear, and 2. That Eliphaz might thereby be stirred to receive with reverence and attention what was spoken, and that because a man must needs set himself with earnestness to hear that which is spoken in such a manner. But according to that Translation that is in our Text it cannot be meant of the silence of the voice, but of a silence, foregoing the voice, to wit, either the silence of Eliphaz, that he spake never a word, but waited to hear what would be spoken, or else the silence generally that was in the place; whereas haply at first the angel appeared with some noise, the more to increase his terror, at length all things were husht, and there was a still silence, and thereupon, saith Eliphaz, I began to recover myself out of my fear, and being attentive I heard a low still voice speaking as followeth.

Vers. 17. Shall mortal man be more just then God? &c.] That is, it is not possible: and this Eliphaz alledgeth. 1, Because when men in their troubles do expostulate with God, as if he had dealt too hardly with them, and especially if they plead their own integrity and righteousness, as if thereby they had deserved better at God's hands, they do hereby make man to be more just then God, and that because a just righteous man will not punish any one causelessly or unjustly; yea they do hereby as it were profess themselves to be more just and pure then God their creator, who hath so causelessly punished them: and 2. Because he conceived that Job by expostulating so with God, and especially by alleging chap. 3.23, 26. how humbly and warily he had walked and that purposely to avoid God's displeasure, the bitter effects whereof were yet notwithstanding now fallen upon him, had in effect made himself more just then God.

Vers. 18. Behold he put no trust in his servants; and his angels he charged with folly: ] These words, as it is most probable, are added by Eliphaz for the better clearing of that before in the former verse, which was declared to him in a vision by an angel; the servants of God here meant are the angels, as it is expressed in the second clause (for that men, who are God's faithful servants, are not included, is clear by the opposition in the following verse, How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay, &c.) and that, as they were all at first created in a holy and glorious estate and condition; and of them it is here said, that God put no trust in them, that is, that they are not firmly and unchangeably righteous in themselves, God could not trust nor rest upon their righteousness, being mutable creatures subject to sin and to fall from their estate, as some of them did, and the rest also might do, had not God by Christ established them in this blessed and perfectly holy condition, wherein they now serve God, Col. 1.19, 20. For it pleased the father, that in him should all fullness dwell. And (having made peace through the blood of his Cross) by him to reconcile all things to himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven, and 2. That he charged them with folly, which may be meant not only of those Apostate angels, who abode not in the truth, and so were cast to hell, but also of the holy angels, who though they be not in the least degree tainted with sin, yet before God they are chargeable with folly, not only comparatively in regard of his infinite wisdom and purity, even as the moon and stars have no light, when the Sun appears, but also in regard of their vanity and weakness, as they are mutable creatures, because they are like enough in themselves to fall away, and to forsake their own happiness, if God should not support them.

Vers. 19. How much less on them that dwell in houses of clay? &c.] From that which is said in the former verse concerning the instability of the angels, Eliphaz infers how much less likely it is, that men should be found so unblameably just, that nothing should be found in them reproovable and for which God may justly punish them, who dwell in houses of clay, that is, in earthly bodies whose foundation is in the dust and are crushed before the moth, that is, are crushed and molder to nothing, if God lays his hand upon them, more suddenly and easily, then a moth is crushed and rubbed to dust between a man's fingers. And thus he maketh the earthly and frail condition of man the ground of this inference. 1. Because the angels, God's choice servants, do continually behold the face of God, Matth. 18.10. attending always upon him, as the Peers of heaven, in the glorious Palace of the heavenly Jerusalem, and men that dwell here below and behold him only afar off, darkly and obscurely, cannot be thought to be so righteous and holy as they are, 2. Because in regard of their earthly condition they are so addicted to earthly things, that hereby they are often ensnared in sin, and 3. Because by reason of their frailty, they are subject to many miseries, and so in danger to be carried away with their passions and to forget God.

Vers. 20. They are destroyed from morning to evening :] That is, they are gone on a sudden, well in the morning and dead before night, Psal. 90.5, 6. In the morning they are like grass which groweth up. In the morning it flourisheth, and groweth up: in the evening it is cut down and withereth ; or, all the day long they decay and wax old insensibly by degrees, and approach still nearer to their end, and have every moment somewhat spent of their life: yea they are subject to sudden destruction from morning to evening every moment, and hence are those expressions, I die daily. 1 Cor. 15.31. in deaths often. 2 Cor. 11.23. we are killed all the day long. & Rom. 8.36. they perish forever without any regarding it ; that is, they are taken away never more to live in this world; and yet scarce any amongst the living they leave behind them do ever regard this or lay it to heart; This I conceive is the true meaning of the place; for they are said to perish forever that die, only because they are gone forever, in regard of the comforts of this life, according to that chap. 14.14. If a man die shall he live again? and that, Psal. 103.16. As for man his days are as grass; as the flower of the field so he flourisheth; for the wind passeth over it and it is gone and the place thereof shall know it no more ; and it is doubtless the living that see this and make not good use of this perishing condition of those that die, concerning whom that clause of complant is added without regarding it yet some I know understand this otherwise, to wit, thus; whereas the consideration of this mortality of man might and should (one would think) make men the more careful to walk righteously before God, naturally it is otherwise, they never regard this, and so as others before them, they die in their sins and perish forever.

Vers. 21. Doth not their excellency which is in them, go away? they die, even without wisdom. ] Some understand the first clause thus, that when men die, their soul, which is the excellency and glory of man, goeth away; but I rather understand it thus, that even those men that have any excellencies above others, whether natural or acquired, they perish and their excellencies with them vanish and come to nothing, and then they die even without wisdom, that is, either first they die like fools, men that had not the wisdom by the mortality of men to consider beforehand of their end, but run on in their sins and never provide for a better estate; or 2. They die, as if they had no wisdom, they have no more privilege against the stroke of death, then fools have, according to that, Eccles. 2.16. How dieth the wise man? as the fool ; or 3. They cannot carry their wisdom away with them, but that, as all other their excellencies, vanisheth away.

CHAP. V.

Vers. 1. CAll now if there be any that will answer thee, and to which of the Saints wilt thou turn? ] Eliphaz having in the former chapter proved that God did never unjustly punish men, but for their wickedness, and therefore that it was a most bold and presumptuous part in him to justify himself, and to murmur against God, as he had done, in these words now he gives him to understand, that if he should appeal, to any of the Saints and servants of God, dead or living, he should not find one amongst them all, whose judgment were like his, or that had raged against God, as he had done, by whose example he might defend himself.

Vers. 2. For wrath killeth the foolish man, and envy slayeth the silly one. ] That is, either these passions carry men head-long to such unadvised courses as prove their death, or else 2. By murmuring and breaking out in wrath and impatience against God, or by an envious grudging that God deals worse with them then others, men provoke the Lord utterly to destroy them; a most egregious piece of folly, which the Saints and servants of God have always carefully avoided: or 3. By filling the soul with vexation and fretting grief, they make a man's life a continual death, and do at last cause him to wast and pine away and bring him to the grave; And in this Eliphaz strikes secretly at the intemperate passion, which Job had discovered in his late expostulations and complaints, which he conceived did spring from his rage against God for the troubles he was in, and from a secret envy that others were in a better condition then himself.

Vers. 3. I have seen the foolish taking root :] Eliphaz, having upbraided Job for his wrath and impatience, returns here to his former argument of proving, that it is the wickedness of men, that brings God's judgments upon them; for yielding at first, that indeed he had seen foolish, that is, wicked men, in such a flourishing estate for a while, that one would have thought there had been no danger of a change, he adds, But suddenly I cursed his habitation, which is meant, either that Eliphaz did immediately, even while they did thus flourish, resolve with himself, and perhaps foretell, that doubtless God's curse would in the conclusion fall upon them, or else that suddenly their estate was so changed, that he concluded it was the curse of God upon them.

Vers. 4. His children are far from safety, &c.] This is added to show, both that wicked men's children are oft involved in the same destruction with their fathers, and likewise that though wicked men sometimes escape God's judgments in their own persons, yet at least then they fall upon their children and posterity, they shall be oppressed in the gate, that is, before the seats of justice, and nobody shall stand in their defense.

Vers. 5. Whose harvest the hungry eateth up, and taketh it even out of the thorns, &c.] That is, after all their labor in plowing, sowing, and keeping their fields, when they are now in hope of reaping the fruit of their labor, or have already reaped it, poor and needy robbers and men greedy of prey shall violently seise upon their harvest (their hedge of thorns about their fields or about their stack, Exod. 22.6. shall be no fence for it, nor whatever else they can do to guard and preserve it) and shall carry it away, swallow it up, and devour it. And under this one particular the same is implied concerning all the goods and provisions, which wicked men gather up with a great deal of labor and toil, namely, that they shall be spoiled of all by a company of poor greedy wretches that will break through and have it, whatever it cost them.

Vers. 6. Although affliction cometh not forth of the dust, &c.] Eliphaz still proceeds to prove that Job was justly punished for his sins; and so withal makes way to the following exhortation, covertly given him, verse. 8. of seeking unto God, that for his sins had brought these miseries upon him. But because this phrase of affliction coming forth out of the dust, and springing out of the ground, may be understood probably four several ways, accordingly these two verses may be expounded in a four-fold sense. 1. Thus, Though affliction and trouble come not by chance and we know not how (as those things that of their own accord grow out of the earth, without any seed sown) yet this we may see, that men are born to trouble, and that several miseries befall them, even as naturally as the sparks fly upward, and therefore doubtless some cause or reason may be assigned for these things; and 2ly thus, Although affliction and trouble springs not merely and only from the creature below, yet we see plainly, that man is full of trouble; and therefore surely it comes from heaven, from God, who disposeth all things according to his own good pleasure, and 3. Thus, although affliction springs not from the dust or anything without man, yet we see it is always man's portion, and therefore questionless it springs from himself, even the sin that is within him; or 4. Thus, (which is much to the same purpose with the former) Although the calamities and miseries which men are subject to, spring not merely from the earthly condition of man's body (for notwithstanding this, had man continued in his innocence he should have been free from all miseries) yet man is born to trouble, to wit, because he is born in sin, as naturally, as the sparks fly upward ; it is as natural for man to be in trouble and misery, as for the sparks to fly upward; yea it is that which is derived to us by a lineal descent from our parents as our inheritance or birthright, Man is born unto trouble ; And thus the nature of man is compared to coals, his sin and corruption to fire in the coals, and his afflictions and troubles to the sparks that fly up from the fire, and Job is taught to acknowledge, that he could not justly ascribe the calamities, that were fallen upon him, to anything else but his own wickedness, and to the justice of God in punishing him for it.

Vers. 8. I would seek unto God, and unto God would I commit my cause. ] That is, were I in your case Job I would not murmur and complain of God's dealing with me, as you do; but considering that it is the great God of heaven and earth that I have to deal with, and that it is my sins that have brought these miseries upon me, I would turn to him, acknowledge my sins, seek for mercy at his hands, and in the mean season patiently bear what he was pleased to lay upon me, and quietly commend both myself and my condition and cause wholly to his disposing.

Vers. 9. Which doth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number. ] This following enumeration of many several works of God's Providence is to prove the infinite power, wisdom, goodness and justice of God, and so thence to imply, that it is not fit men should quarrel with him, the reason of whose works they cannot search out, but rather seek to him for help, who is so good and able at his pleasure to raise them up again from the greatest miseries.

Vers. 10. And sendeth waters upon the fields :] to wit, not rain only, but springs also, brooks and rivers to water the several parts of the earth.

Vers. 11. To set up on high those that be low; that those which mourn may be exalted to safety. ] These words may be referred, either to the immediately foregoing clause, verse. 10. who giveth rain upon the earth, and sendeth waters upon the fields, to wit, thereby to enrich those that were poor, by causing their land to yield plentiful increase, and to save those that are ready to perish for want, by sending fruitful times and seasons; or else rather, they may be referred to those foregoing words, verse. 9. that God doth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number ; and that hereby he doth many times set up on high those that be low, that those which mourn may be exalted to safety : and thus Eliphaz gives Job a hint for his comfort and encouragement, that if he would seek to God, as he had advised verse. 8. though his estate was now very low, yet he might be set up again, and from that sad condition wherein he lay, he might be exalted to joy and safety.

Vers. 13. He taketh the wise in their own craftiness :] That is, he causeth the crafty plots of the subtle, wise men of the world, to become mischievous to themselves, as it was in Ahithophel's and Haman's plots. And worthy it is of our noting, that this speech of Eliphaz is cited by S. Paul, 1 Cor. 3.19. as a divine Testimony.

And the counsel of the froward is carried headlong. ] That is, when many froward, that is, perverse and stubborn wicked men lay their heads together to do any mischief to God's servants, their counsels and resolutions shall be overthrown and come to nothing, and that, either by the very rashness and headinesse, wherewith they shall be carried in their consultations, pitching upon these resolutions for want of due deliberation, which had they been prudently weighed, were never likely to prove successful, or by their rashness and precipitancy in acting what they had well enough contrived.

Vers. 14. They meet with darkness in the day time, and grope at noon days, as in the night. ] That is, where things shall be clear and manifest, yet they shall not see it, but shall be needlessly scrupulous, full of doubts and fears, not knowing what to do, and like blind men more likely to mistake then hit the right way. See Deut. 28.29. Thou shalt grope at noon day, as the blind gropeth in darkness, &c.

Vers. 15. He saveth the poor from the sword, from their mouth, and from the hand of the mighty. ] That is, he saveth them, not only from the open violence of their enemies and strong oppressors, but also from their slanders, reproaches and pernicious counsels, and whatever other ways there are, wherewith wicked men are wont by their venomous tongues to do mischief to the poor servants of God.

Vers. 16. So the poor hath hope, and iniquity stoppeth her mouth. ] That is, by the experience which men have of the Lord's delivering the poor that are oppressed, from the power of the oppressor, others that are in the same condition are encouraged to put their hope in God; and so though they have nothing else in the world left them to trust in (as these words import) yet they have hope, as an anchor for their souls, sure and steadfast, Heb. 6.19. and on the other side the wicked shall not have a word to say, they shall not dare to slander the godly, they shall not dare to vaunt and brag of their proud purposes, but shall become silent, as mute as fishes, as being filled with shame and confusion, or silenced with admiration, finding how evidently the Lord doth aid those, that are of no might to help themselves against those that wrong them.

Vers. 17. Behold, happy is the man whom God corrects, &c.] Eliphaz having persuaded Job to seek to God and to commit his cause to him from verse. 18. here he shows him that if he would do so, that which he now suffered would be evidenced to be only the correction of a father, wherein he would be happy, and should have no cause to complain of it.

Vers. 18. For he maketh sore, and bindeth up: &c.] That is, he layeth not affliction upon men to hurt them, but wounds as a Surgeon, that launceth a sore, to the end he may heal it, and when their afflictions have brought forth the quiet fruit of righteousness, he binds them up again, that is, by binding he heals them; for Physicians say, that the careful and skillful binding up of a wound doth much conduce to the cure of it, and hence binding in this sense is so often mentioned in the Scriptures, The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, Ezek. 34.4. He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds, Psal. 147.3.

Vers. 19. He shall deliver thee in six troubles : &c.] That is, though God send never so many troubles, following successively one in the neck of another, or compassing thee about at one and the same time, so that there seems to be no way of escape, he will deliver thee from them, yea from all that can befall thee, not only these afterwards mentioned, but any other more grievous then these; the Lord will not be weary of protecting thee from troubles or delivering thee out of adversity, but again and again he will be thy refuge, and give a comfortable issue out of them all, so that no evil shall touch thee ; and this last clause may be meant either of the evil of sin, to wit, that God would preserve him from defiling himself with sin in his troubles; or of the evil of punishment, to wit, that in his troubles all should be for his good, there should be no wrath in his sufferings, which only makes troubles truly evil.

Vers. 21. Thou shalt be hid from the scourge of the tongue :] That is, from reproaches, backbitings, slanders, false accusations and witnesses of malicious wicked men: for as in a scourge there are many cords, so there are many several ways wherewith wicked men's tongues do lash and wound God's righteous servants: and they are said to be hid from the scourge of the tongue, whom the Lord either preserves from being slandered or reviled, or else defends against all such lies and calumnies, by causing their righteousness to break forth, as the light and their just dealing as the noon day.

Vers. 23. For thou shalt be in league with the stones of the field : &c.] That is, they shall be so far from doing thee any hurt, and so ready rather to do thee good, as if there were a mutual covenant of friendship made betwixt thee and them. Now the stones of the field, may in this sense be said to be in league with God's people. 1. When they are not an occasion of the least hurt unto them as they pass up and down from one place to another, not so much as of dashing their foot against a stone, Psal. 91.12. 2. When they no way hinder the increase of their land, but rather are a help thereto, and when the most stony and rocky places yield great store of fruit, according to that, Deut. 32.13. He made him suck honey out of the rock, and oil out of the flinty rock, and that of Job, chap. 29.6. The rock poured me out rivers of oil : 3. When the stony walls raised about their fields are such a sure defense thereto, that they are safely preserved from all dangers whatsoever, and 4. When neither stones nor rocks of the field do harbor any poisonous serpents or ravenous beasts, that do suddenly break out and hurt God's people.

Vers. 24. And thou shalt know, that thy tabernacle shall be in peace ;] That is, thou shalt see thine house free from the invasion of any enemy and from homebred dissention, yea that thy house and house-hold affairs do all prosper, and shalt not fear but be fully persuaded of the continuance hereof in time to come.

And thou shalt visit thy habitation, and shalt not sin. ] That is, thou shalt wisely and successfully order upon all occasions thy house-hold affairs, the more circumspectly watchful not to sin against God, because of the experience thou shalt have of God's blessing thee in a right way.

Vers. 25. Thou shalt know also that thy seed shall be great, &c.] That is, though now thou hast lost thy children, yet God shall restore them again, and they shall grow to an innumerable multitude.

Verse 26. Thou shalt come to thy grave in a full age, &c.] That is, though there seems now no hope of thy recovery, yet recover thou shalt, and shalt die old and full of days, and be buried with honor.

Vers. 27. Lo this, we have searched it, so it is, &c.] That is, Though I alone have spoken, yet this I presume is the judgment of us all; we have all found this true by diligent enquiry, and clear experience; and therefore learn it, believe it, and make a holy and good use of the knowledge of it.

CHAP. VI·

Vers. 2. OH that my grief were thoroughly weighed, &c.] Eliphaz sought to make good that there was no true piety nor fear of God in Job, because his passions in his afflictions were so violent, and his complaints so grievous and bitter in the two foregoing chapters. Job now undertakes to show that his calamity, grief and anguish of spirit were such and so intolerable, that they might well drive him to those bitter complaints that he had uttered, though his heart were all the while upright towards God. According therefore to this drift and aim of Job's words, they may be understood two several ways. 1. That if his grief, that is, the bitterness and anguish of his spirit, and his lamentations and complaints were laid in one scale, and his calamity and distress, both outward and inward, were laid in the other, and so weighed together, his calamity would far overweigh his grief and bitter complaints; his calamities being indeed heavier, then all the sands of the sea, according to that which Job saith also in another place, chap. 23.2. My stroke is heavier then my groaning ; or 2. That if his grief and calamities were weighed against the sand of the sea, they would be found heavier then that, as elsewhere the wrath of foolish wicked men is therewith compared, Pro. 27.3. A stone is heavy, and the sand weighty, but a fools wrath is heavier then them both. However doubtless Job's intention in these words is to show, that such misery as he had undergone might well make any man that was flesh and blood to complain, as bitterly as he had done, yea though therein he should forget himself.

Vers. 3. Therefore my words are swallowed up. ] That is, I want words to express my grief and misery: when I would set forth what I suffer, extreme anguish stops my mouth, and I am not able to utter what I would say.

Vers. 4. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me, &c.] That is, God hath not only wounded me, with divers and many outward calamities, but besides also he hath wounded my spirit inwardly, by making impressions of his wrath upon my conscience, persuading me that these things he hath laid upon me in his indignation and hot displeasure against me. All kind of plagues, especially those that come suddenly and swiftly, are compared to arrows in the Scripture, Psal. 38.2. For thine arrows stick fast in me: and thy hand presseth me sore. and again, Ezek. 5.16. But here they are principally the inward terrors wherewith his soul and conscience were wounded, that are compared to arrows, yea to poisoned arrows, (it being usual in those days to poison the heads of their arrows in times of war) and that because the miseries he underwent, however grievous in themselves, were far the more grievous, and did the more torment him, because they were dipped, as it were, in the poison of God's wrath and displeasure, that is, he apprehended that God had in his wrath and hot indignation laid these heavy punishments upon him, which made them so insufferably painful, insomuch that they did with their burning drink up his spirit, that is, his vital spirits and strength, or his blood (wherein lie the vital spirits) according to that 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 which the Lord saith, Deut. 32.42. I will make mine arrows drunk with blood, (and my sword shall devour flesh) and that with the blood of the slain ; &c.

Vers. 5. Doth the wild asse bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder? ] Two several ways these words are expounded by Interpreters: and haply what both say Job did intend. 1. That it is no wonder though they that lived in all plenty and peace, were so quiet and still, and spake nothing that might savor of impatience and discontent, were he in such an estate, he could do so, even the brute beasts both wild and tame, yea those that have the least shadow of understanding in them, the asse and the ox, will be quiet when they want nothing; and were they not therefore too uncharitable, they might well think that he would not complain so bitterly, if he had not just cause: But then 2. some again understand them, as spoken to show the reason, why the words that Eliphaz had spoken to him did no whit appease his grief, to wit, because he had said nothing that could yield true satisfaction to a troubled soul (namely as he applied what he said, charging Job with hypocrisy, and that now he quarrelled with God, being justly punished for his former wickedness) even the bruitest beasts, saith Job, are quiet when they have whereon to feed, and worse were I therefore then a beast, if I should not be pacified, had there been anything in your words that might have eased or refreshed my mind.

Vers. 6. Can that which is unsavory be eaten without salt? &c.] These words, as those before, may also be probably expounded two several ways; to wit, 1. That it is not possible that any man should take pleasure in such bitter afflictions, as God had mingled for him to drink, yea that he should not abhor them, and complain of the bitterness of them, no more then it is possible for a man not to distaste that which is unsavory and hath no relish in it; all afflictions are grievous, especially such as have no mixture of anything that is pleasing; and if the want of a little salt make men distaste meat, needs must Job distaste such bitter sorrows as he had underwent, unless he were senseless and stupid, or 2. That Eliphaz his speech to him had been so harsh and bitter, that it was as possible for a man's palate to find relish in the white of an egg or any other unsavory meat, as for him to receive any comfort from such unsavory speeches, as he had uttered: and indeed though Eliphaz spake what was most true in itself, yet as he applied it, there was not the least grain of pity or prudence in what he had said, and so was more likely to embitter his spirit more and more, then any whit to allay his grief or temper his passions.

Vers. 7. The things that my soul refuseth to touch, are as my sorrowful meat. ] Job here proceeds still on in the metaphor he had formerly used, comparing the words of Eliphaz to bitter meat, now given him to feed upon to his great sorrow, which heretofore he should have abhorred to touch; he was forced now to swallow down that with grief, which in former times he could not have endured. Others understand this more generally, of all the several miseries, that Job underwent, which he was forced now to feed upon, though in former times his stomach would have risen against them: yea some understand it of the corruption running down from his soars upon his meat, by means whereof that which formerly he should have loathed to touch, he was now forced to eat together with his meat But the first exposition is the best.

Vers. 9. Even that it would please God to destroy me, that he would let loose his hand and cut me off. ] That is, that God would be pleased presently to cut me off and make an end of me, and not suffer me thus to languish away by degrees; hitherto he hath held back his hand, that though I were wounded, yet his strokes might not be mortal, but by this means my misery is the greater, and therefore my desire is (if he would be so pleased) that he would let loose his hand and strike home, even that he would out of hand presently destroy me.

Vers. 10. Then should I yet have comfort, yea I would harden myself in sorrow ;] That is, If I were sure that God would out of hand make an end of me, that would be some comfort to me, and though what I suffered were never so bitter, yet would I harden myself to endure it.

For I have not concealed the words of the holy One. ] This Job gives as a reason, why he desired death, to wit, because he had always professed the truth of God, and therefore knew well, that death could do him no hurt, but only give him an entrance into a blessed and happy estate.

Vers. 11. What is my strength, that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong my life? ] This is added as another reason, why he desired death, and might justly do so, to wit, because his condition was such, that he could not hope that his life could long continue; languish he might a while in that grievous misery (and better it were for him to be cut off presently then to do so) but to hope he should prolong his days it was altogether vain, and that because he was not able to endure such grievous misery as he suffered, his strength would not bear it: Eliphaz had told him that because of the great things that God often doth in the world, the poor hath hope even in their lowest condition, chap. 5.16. and again, verse. 24, 25. that if he would turn unto the Lord, he should know that his tabernacle should be in peace, his seed should be great, and his offspring as the grass of the earth, and that he should come to his grave in a full age, &c. In answer therefore to all this, Job now tells him that he was so worn out with the miseries he had undergone, that he could not hope in regard of any strength in him, that his life should be prolonged for the recovering of such a happy condition. This is the drift of these words, what is my strength that I should hope? and so likewise do many Expositors understand the next clause also, what is mine end that I should prolong my life? for they conceive, that by his end here is meant the end of his misery, that he could not see any likelihood that his miseries should come to an end, and so should therefore desire still to live, or rather that it is meant of the end of his life, that man's life being so fading and transitory, and so soon at an end, there was no reason why he should hope long to prolong his life, especially lying under the pressure of such insupportable miseries, and therefore had just cause rather to desire that he might be presently cut off. But there is another Exposition of the last clause which others, and that upon good grounds do most approve, what is mine end, that I should prolong my life ? as if he had said, I know no such evil in coming to mine end, that I should desire to prolong my life: the misery of dying cannot be so great, thar I should desire to avoid that to spin out my life in that grievous misery I now undergo, since after death I am sure to be in a blessed condition; let them therefore that have no hope in their death, desire the prolonging of their life; but as for me, being assured what mine end will be, I see not why I may not well desire death rather then life.

Vers. 12. Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass? ] To wit, that I should hope to outwear these grievous miseries I lie under, or for the present endure them without complaint, as if I had no sense nor feeling of them: No; I am made of flesh and bones as well as others, and therefore must needs feel what I endure, nor can long endure what I feel.

Vers. 13. Is not my help in me? and is wisdom driven quite from me? ] Either hereby is meant, that Job was not yet so void of wisdom and judgment, but that he was able to discern between right and wrong, and so accordingly to judge of their unjust dealing with him, to help himself and maintain his cause against all their false accusations, or else rather that he had in him that which would sustain and support him against all their harsh censures, to wit, his innocence and the testimony of a good conscience, and that he did still continue in the fear of God, which is the only true wisdom. And indeed this exposition agrees well with that of the Apostle, Gal. 6.4. But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.

Vers. 15. My brethren have dealt deceitfully as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away : &c.] Job here compares his friends to winter brooks, that are full of water in the winter, and are dried up in the summer; and the reason why he so compares them, is more fully explained in the following verses, to wit, that as those brooks when the traveler passeth by them in the winter time, having then no need of them, overflow their banks, and by reason of rain and snow are full of water and blackish by reason of the ice, (which may be meant of their being black by reason of the deepness of waters, or of the color of ice) and so being frozen seem stable and like to continue, but then in the warm summer they are suddenly dried up and gone; at first haply there are several little drilling streams here and there passing through the sands (which are therefore called, verse. 18. the paths of their way ) but at last even they also are dried up and vanish to nothing, and so when the troops of Tema and companies of Sheba (that is, those that travel through the countries of Tema and Sheba, of Arabia the desert, and happy, where they went by troops, because of the danger of robbers) that had formerly taken notice of those brooks in winter time, do afterwards in summer time come thither to seek for water to quench their thirst, whereof they are exceeding desirous in those hot countries, they find none and so are ashamed and confounded, as men use to be that have long hoped certainly for anything, and then in time of need their expectation fails them, so did his friends deceive him now; for in the time of his prosperity, when he had no need of their comfort, they made a fair show of great friendship, but now in his afflictions, when he had need of their comfort, they failed him quite.

Vers. 19. The troops of Tema looked, the companies of Sheba waited for them. ] That is, the inhabitants of Arabia the desert, and Arabia the happy, travelling either for merchandise or other occasions from those countries; for the posterity of Tema the son of Ishmael, Gen. 25.15. did inhabit Arabia the desert, and the posterity of Sheba, who was the grandchild of Abraham by Keturah, Gen. 25.3. did inhabit the other Arabia.

Vers. 21. For now ye are nothing; ye see my casting down, and are afraid. ] That is, ye yield me no comfort. Just such as those brooks before spoken of, are in the summer to the thirsty travellers, such are you to me; for having made great show of love in the time of my prosperity, when I had no need of you, now in the day of my calamity, when I stand in need of your friendship, ye are nothing, not one drop of comfort comes from you; my affliction you see, and are afraid, that is, you stand astonished, not able to speak one word of comfort, yea ye are ready to fly off from me, as being afraid to be infected by me and are startled at me, as a fearful spectacle of God's vengeance, one upon whom the wrath of God is poured forth because of my sins.

Vers. 22. Did I say, bring unto me? or give a reward for me of your substance? ] The drift of Job in these words, might be either to clear himself from that charge of being so impatient merely for the loss of his estate, because his not seeking to them to have his losses repaired, did plainly discover that it was not that which did so exceedingly pinch him, or else to aggravate their uncharitableness: If he had desired of them a supply of his wants or help in his troubles, it had been fit they should have done it; and was it not hard then they should not afford him a mouth full of counsel or comfort? or lastly, to show how causelessly they were so harsh to him; Did I say, bring unto me? &c. That is, being deprived of my estate, I sent not to you to relieve me, or to give me anything to supply my wants, or to rescue that which I had, out of the hands of those that spoiled me of my substance; had I been thus or any other way burthensome or chargeable to you, it had been the less strange that you should be thus bitter; for such I know is the common guise of the world to insult over those that seek to them for succor, and to use them as reproachfully as they please; but I neither have nor do yet desire any such thing of you; All that I desire of you is, that you would comfort me in my affliction, and it is very strange you cannot afford me that.

Vers. 24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue: &c.] That is, it is not enough to pass harsh censures upon me, as that I have been an hypocrite, and that for my wickedness all this is fallen upon me, convince me of this by evident proofs, and I will yield presently, I will complain no more, I will reply no more against you.

Vers. 25. But what doth your arguing reprove? ] That is, though right words are powerful to convince men, yet this kind of arguing which you use hath no power of reproof in it; you have charged me with many things, but you have convinced me of nothing.

Vers. 26. Do you imagine to reprove words, &c.] Two several ways this expostulation of Job's may be well understood, 1. As if he charged them with an unjust slighting that which he had spoken, Do you imagine to reprove words? &c. that is, do you think that all I have spoken is mere empty words, and that there is no weight of reason in them? Do you conceit that you speak nothing but clear reason, and I nothing but idle frothy discourse, the speeches of an idle headed man who cares not what he saith, or saith he knows not what, yea the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind, that is, the speeches of a mad man, who being in a condition that seems desperate and hopeless, is therefore as a man distracted, and speaks he knows not what, words no more to be regarded then a puff of wind? and indeed this last expression doth in this sense agree with other places, where vain regardless words are compared to wind, as Ier. 5.13. The prophets shall become wind, and Job 15.3. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? or 2. As if he accused them of captiousnesse and seeking to contend with him without cause, Do you imagine to reprove words? that is, Do ye continue to catch at my words, do ye think it enough to take an advantage of some word or other that I have spoken, not considering the truth of the cause, and the aim and intention of him that speaks them, yea and those too the speeches of one that is in a desperate condition as I now am, not considering that the words of men in such a condition are usually as wind, that is, sudden, violent, and full of passion; as if he should have said, in this ye deal not fairly with me.

Vers. 27. Yea ye overwhelm the fatherless, and you dig a pit for your friend. ] That is, this your insulting over me, and trampling upon me in my miseries, when I am in such a poor condition, forsaken of all, not having one left to plead for me, is all one as if you should overwhelm and oppress the fatherless, that are left to the wide world, and have nobody usually to stand up in their defense; and whilst you thus seek, as you do, to entrap me in my words, and to take advantage against any word that falls from me, this is no other but to dig a pit for your friend. And indeed the captiousnesse of men in cavilling at that which they hear spoken by others, and picking a quarrel against them for it, is usually in the Scriptures compared to digging of pits, and laying of snares treacherously to catch men in, as Esa. 29.21. where it is said of wicked men, that they make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reprooveth in the gate.

Vers. 28. Now therefore be content, look upon me, &c.] Job having hitherto chiefly complained of the uncharitableness of his friends in passing such rigid censures upon him because of his complaints, he now again addresseth himself to set forth the grievousness of his misery, and to that end doth first in these words desire his friends to attend to what he should farther say, Now therefore be content, that is, be no longer carried away with passion, but be willing and yield to hear that I shall say, and so to consider better of my condition, look upon me, that is, slight me not, turn not away your eyes from me in discontent, but view me well and observe well the condition wherein I am, as I shall discover it to you (for this clause may be meant both of beholding him with their bodily eyes, and of marking what he should say concerning his condition) by that which I shall declare, yea by that which you may see with your eyes, it is evident and clear, whether I have lied or do lie unto you ; yet some understand this somewhat otherwise, thus, look upon me, for it is evident unto you if I lie, as if he had said, come let us quietly argue out this business a little farther, I am not afraid to dispute it with you face to face, and no doubt upon a more sober debate the truth will out, you will soon discover in my words or in my countenance whether that which I have spoken be true or false.

Vers. 29. Return I pray you, let it not be iniquity ; &c.] Some understand these words, Return I pray you, as spoken by Job to call back his friends that were ready to go away in a pet or in a fume; But we need not, I conceive, build upon such a supposition; the words are clear enough, if we understand them to be a persuasion of his friends to consider again more equally of his cause and condition. Return I pray you, as if he should have said, you have hitherto cast me off as a reprobate, as a wicked wretch forsaken of God, why? because you were carried away with passion, and did not seriously and exactly weigh my condition; Return therefore from these unjust and passionate censures, betake yourselves to a more equal review of my estate, to consider of and discuss these things more seriously then yet you have done, let it not be iniquity, that is, consider well of what I suffer, and in your disputing and reasoning with me, let right prevail, and deal not unjustly with me, or do not charge me with iniquity till we have again weighed the matter, yea return again, my righteousness is in it, that is, return again to a second consideration or debate of my cause, the result will be that my righteousness and innocence will appear in the business, or my righteousness depends upon your examining of my cause yet more exactly.

Vers. 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my taste discern perverse things? ] That is, do I or have I spoken that which is unjust? am I not able to judge what is true and what is false, what is just and what is unjust? or observing what I shall farther now say, you shall find that I will not utter anything false or unjust, and that I am able to judge of things, and that I have not spoken a miss in defending my innocence as you think I have done.

CHAP. VII.

Vers. 1. IS there not an appointed time to man upon earth? &c.] Some read the first clause of this verse, Is there not a warfare to man upon earth? and accordingly conceive that man's life is by Job here compared to a warfare, both because as soldiers are continually exposed to variety of dangers, and all kind of hard labor and sorrows, hunger and thirst and heat and cold, and watching and wearisome travels &c. So is man in this life subject to all kind of miseries: and likewise as soldiers are hired but for a time, and then receive their pay, and at length are discharged, so is it with men, there is a time, to wit, the hour of death, when they are discharged from all the miseries of this life. But the best translation I conceive is that in our Text, Is there not an appointed time to man upon earth? for that best agreeth with the second clause, are not his days also like the days of an hireling? However the meaning of the words is evident, for Job here returns (as he had desired his friends they might do, verse. 29. of the former chapter) to a review of his estate, and undertakes to make it manifest to them, that it was not such an heinous offense as they would make it, that he had wished for death and desired that God would cut him off, considering the grievous misery that he endured; to which end in the first place he here wisheth them to consider, that there is an appointed time for man upon earth? and that his days also are like the days of an hireling, that is, as the hired servant is hired but for a certain time, and so though he endures much hard labor during the time of his service; yet that time being run out, then there is an end and he takes his rest, so is it with man, God hath allotted him a set time for his days upon earth, which are indeed few and full of labor and sorrow, like the days of an hireling; but then death brings rest, so from thence afterwards concluding that it was no more strange that he should desire death, (especially if the unusual miseries that he underwent were all weighed,) then that an hireling should desire an end of his hard service &c.

Vers. 2. As a servant earnestly desireth the shadow. ] That is, the night; and indeed as in all places the rest and cool of the night is most welcome to the weary laborer, so especially in those hot countries where they must needs by day be scorched with the scalding heat of the Sun.

Vers. 3. So am I made to possess months of vanity, &c.] That is, in such a sad and wearisome condition, panting and longing after some ease and rest, do I spend my days, only it is worse with me then it is with the servant and hireling: for he when he hath wrought all day, receives his wages at night, and then can lie down quietly and take his rest; but I am in misery whole months together, and when the night comes, that is as laborious and troublesome to me as the day is, and that is all the wages and the reward I have for the misery I undergo, and therefore well may I desire the shadow of death, as the laboring servant doth the shadow of the night, as knowing in this life rest I shall find none. By months of vanity are meant months of restless misery, wherein he enjoyed no comfort, nothing of the good and rest he expected but mere vanity and vexation of spirit, and when he saith he was made to possess these months of vanity, his meaning is that these sad times and sore afflictions were certainly and unavoidably imposed upon him, by the hand of God, and lay upon him continually without intermission; in which regard he had cause enough to desire he might die and be rid of these miseries.

Vers. 5. My flesh is clothed with worms and clods of dust, &c.] This he mentioned to show the strangeness of his misery, and so why he thought the time of his life so tedious and irksome, to wit, that his flesh was clothed, that is, covered all over from head to foot as with a garment with worms and clods of dust ; where by worms are meant either lice or very worms which do sometimes breed in the corruption that distils out of sores and ulcers, when they are not constantly washed and kept clean, and by clods of dust are meant either the very clods of dust which whilst he lay tumbling on the ground did cleave to his ulcerous body, or rather the very dry scabs of his sores which were like clods of dust, or the scurf wherewith, when he had clawed his scabs, his flesh was overspread and that his skin was broken, to wit, chapped with extreme dryness, or broken with ulcers, and so with the filth and corrupt matter that issued thence very loathsome.

Vers. 6. My days are swifter then a weavers shuttle, and are spent without hope. ] That is, my life is suddenly spent in a manner, and gone without hope of recovery. And this Job adds to prevent an objection, which his friends had indeed harped upon, chap. 5.18, &c. to wit, that if he would repent and turn to God as he ought to do, God would put an end to all his miseries, and prolong his days; No saith he, there is no hope of that, I may plainly see that my end is at hand, and why should I then wish for anything but the hastening of my death, to put an end to my miseries.

Vers. 7. O remember that my life is wind :] Job having as he thought cleared it sufficiently, that a man in misery might as well long for death and desire it, as the hireling may desire the night for rest &c. especially being in such a condition as he was, without hope of seeing any other end of his misery but only death, he turns here his speech to God, and desires him to remember that his life was but a blast of wind, that is, suddenly gone without hope of recovery (as the Psalmist also expresseth it, Psal. 78.39. he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away and cometh not again. ) intending thereby, that his desire was, that since he was in such a hopeless condition, the Lord would therefore not let his hand be so heavy upon him, but suddenly cut him off, and so put a period to his sorrows.

Mine eye shall no more see good. ] That is, I shall certainly die, nor shall ever live to enjoy good day more in this world: for in the scripture phrase to see good, is nothing else but to enjoy good; Ier. 17.6. He shall be like the heath in the desert, (saith the Lord of him that trusteth in man) and shall not see when good cometh. And so also to see evil is to suffer evil, Psal. 90.15. Make us glad according to the days, wherein thou hast afflicted us, and the years wherein we have seen evil. and to see death is to die, Psal. 89.48. What man is he that liveth and shall not see death?

Vers. 8. Thine eyes are upon me and I am not. ] That is, I shall be cut off or shall not be found amongst the living, as Rahell weeping for her children, refused to be comforted for her children because they were not, Ier. 31.15. and Gen. 42.13. The youngest is this day with our father, and one is not. As for the first words of this clause concerning God's eyes being upon him, there may be several expositions given of them. 1. That they are spoken to set forth the frailty of his life, that if God should but cast his eyes upon him to cut him off, he should soon be destroyed, one glance of his eyes would do it. 2. That they are spoken as a motive to persuade the Lord, to show him mercy speedily, because else help would come too late; if God should relent, and turn his eyes in mercy upon him, he should not be found amongst the living, to whom mercy could be shown, and 3. That they are only spoken, as that which went before, to set forth his hopeless condition, how certain it was that the misery he lay in would at length, yea and that ere long too, make an end of him, and therefore consequently that he had reason to desire that God would not prolong his misery, but cut him off instantly, for having in the former words said that the time was coming when those that saw him should see him no more, he adds, thine eyes are upon me and I am not, that is, yea if thou seekest for me amongst the living thou shalt not find me, Job herein speaking of God, as is usual, after the manner of men. And this I conceive to be the best exposition, because it agrees best with the drift of Job's speech, and that which went before.

Vers. 9. So he that goeth down to the grave shall come up no more. ] To wit, to live in this world as formerly, as Job explains himself in the following verse, He shall return no more to his house &c. Job therefore doth not in these words speak as one that knew not or believed not the resurrection of the dead at the last day, but only shown the impossibility of man's returning after he is once dead and laid in the grave, to live again in this world amongst his friends and acquaintance as formerly.

Vers. 10. Neither shall his place know him anymore. ] That is, he shall no more come to enjoy the place of office or dignity which formerly he enjoyed, or he shall be no more known in the place of his habitation amongst his family and friends as formerly; as it is said of the flourishing flower of the field, Psal. 103.16. The wind passeth over it and it is gone, and the place thereof shall know it no more, that is, it shall be no more seen in the place where it grew.

Vers. 11. Therefore I will not refrain my mouth, &c.] That is, since my grief and miseries are so intolerably great, and my condition in that regard desperate without hope of recovery, I will never forbear to speak, or restrain myself in speaking, but will rather pour out my complaints freely in whatsoever my soul imbittered with grief shall suggest to me, and so hereby will ease my mind overladen with anguish and sorrow whilst I may do it, there being no hope of redress or ease any other way for me.

Vers. 12. Am I a sea, or a whale, that thou settest a watch over me? ] That is, am I such a monster of men, that thou must deal with me, as with no other man? am I so proud and rebellious against thee, or likely to break forth with such fury and unresistable rage upon men to hurt them, as the sea doth sometimes, and even to swallow them up as the whale swallows up a multitude of smaller fishes, and overturns ships and gallies when they come in his way, that thereupon as thou hast set bars and doors to shut up the swelling waves of the sea, saying, hitherto shalt thou come and no farther, and here shall thy proud waves be stayed, & as thou dost by thy providence watch in a special manner over the whale the king over all the children of pride (as he is called, ch. 41.34.) and hast shut him up within the bounds of the great Ocean, that so the lesser fish may the more safely live in other seas, so thou settest a watch over me, curbing and restraining me with these ulcers, and many other miseries least otherwise I should break forth into rebellion against thee, or to the destruction of those that live about me; or is there such an overbearing might and strength in me, as in the sea or the whale, that nothing but the almighty power of God can withstand or restrain me, that no less then these many grievous and mighty afflictions can keep me within compass? as if he should have said, surely it is not so; I have neither been so stubborn against God, nor so harmful to men that I should need to be so shackled, nor am I so strong, but that a smaller matter, if there had been any such danger, might have kept me in.

Vers. 13. My couch shall ease my complaint :] That is, my couch shall ease my pain and sorrows, the cause of my complaint, by yielding me some little refreshing rest and sleep, and so consequently shall allay the bitterness of my complaints too.

Vers. 14. Then thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions.] Dreams and visions may be meant both of one and the same thing; or else we may thus distinguish them, that whilst he slept he was scared with terrible and fearful dreams, and whilst he lay awake, with ghastly sights and visions. It is indeed most probable that Satan did both ways seek to disturb him, that so he might the better drive him to despair; and that this it is which Job here complains of and bemoans; and yet because Satan can do nothing, but as he receives a Commission from God, therefore Job speaks thus to God, Thou scarest me with dreams, and terrifiest me through visions.

Vers. 15. So that my soul chooseth strangling; and death rather then my life. ] That is, hereupon it is that I had rather die, if I might have my choice, yea though it were by any kind of death, rather then to live in this miserable condition, wherein I now live: for strangling he mentions in the first clause, to signify that he would prefer any violent, bitter, shameful death before life; and the second clause, death rather then my life ; which is in the original death rather then my bones, discovers the ground of his choice, to wit, the miserable condition wherein he lived, being become a very Anatomy, nothing but skin and bones, or having a body that was consumed and rotted even to the very bones, which made him choose any death rather then such a life: and indeed considering that Satan desired at first, that God would touch his flesh and his bones, we need not doubt but he had gone, as deep as his Commission would permit him.

Vers. 16. I would not live always :] To wit, in this world, and in this sad and miserable condition, wherein I now live; my sorrows make me loath life, so that if I might live always and never die, I should rather choose to die, then to live under such a burden of affliction as now I endure.

Let me alone for my days are vanity. ] That is, do not support and continue me in this misery, but let me alone that I may die, for my days are no better then vanity, and why should I desire to live in such a vain condition? or else withdraw thine hand, and do not afflict me so grievously; for there will be no need of it, my days are very vanity, so that a smaller thing then what I suffer would soon make an end of me.

Vers. 17. What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? &c.] This is not meant of the great blessings, which God hath poured forth upon men, concerning which the like expressions are used in other places, as Psal. 8.45. &c. and Psal. 144.3. to wit, that such a base wretch as man is, was not worthy of so much honor, as God had done him, and did him daily in making such precious account of him, in causing all the creatures even the Angels themselves to be serviceable to him, yea in keeping such a watchful eye of providence over him to support and protect him and to supply him with all things requisite for him day after day; But first it may be meant of the great honor and riches, whereto God doth many times advance men, and had advancad Job in particular; reflecting upon his former greatness, (for he was the greatest man in the East) and considering how extremely miserable he was now become, he breaks forth into this expostulation, what is man that thou shouldest magnify him? &c. Why should the Lord do so much to magnify and set up a man, that may be so suddenly cast down again? It is as if a man should lay out much to trim and adorn a house that may be cast down with every puff of wind, or 2. Rather it is meant of his afflictions and his continual overpressing evils, to wit, that it was too great a magnifying of so base and despicable a worm as man is, that the great God of heaven and earth should so solicitously contend with him, as a Prince should too much honor a poor servant, that should bend all his might to contend with him, and to prevail over him, watching daily to take some advantage against him, and making it his great study and business to crush and ruin him. So that as David spake to Saul, 1 Sam. 24.14. After whom is the King of Israel come out? after whom dost thou pursue? After a dead dog, after a flea ; so doth Job here speak to God, What is man that thou shouldest magnify him? as if he should have said, it is strange to me, that thou shouldest vouchsafe so far to honor such a base vild wretch as man is, as to contend with him, that thou shouldest set thine heart upon him, that is, that thou shouldest mind or regard him, that thou shouldest so solicitously intend him, either to crush him, as if there were any danger in him, or to humble him, and to do him good by the evils thou layest upon him, that thou shouldest visit him every morning, and try him every moment, that is, that thou shouldest so continually day after day, yea every moment of the day, and so diligently (as those that rise early in the morning to dispatch their business they desire earnestly to be done) observe and mark his ways and follow him with thy chastisements and trials. The whole drift of this speech is to show, that poor base man was not worthy of so much honor, that the great God of heaven and earth should so far buisy himself about such a wretch to contend with him, and to show forth his power against him.

Vers. 19. How long wilt thou not depart from me? &c.] That is, how long will it be ere thou wilt give over afflicting me, and let me be at ease, though it be but for a moment, till I swallow down my spittle, that is, for a little while, even but whilst I take my breath, which is the very expression Job useth afterward, chap. 9.18. He will not suffer me to take my breath.

Vers. 20. I have sinned, what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? ] As if he had said, It is true indeed, that I have sinned, though I cannot yield what my friends would charge upon me, that I have been secretly a wicked and vild hypocrite, and so have drawn these extraordinary calamities upon myself; yet that I have many ways sinned, and provoked thee by my sins to displeasure, I freely acknowledge, there is no need that thou shouldest hold me still upon the wrack to draw this from me, I freely confess it, and what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? that is, teach me, O Lord, what I shall do: or rather, I know not what to do: I cannot make that undone which is done, I can no way justify or excuse my sins before thee, who art the searcher of the heart and reins, I can by no means make thee amends for that I have done, or satisfy thy justice, all I can do is thus to confess and acknowledge my fault, and seeing therefore thou art the gracious preserver of men, seeing thou dost of thy great goodness nourish, cherish, defend, and sustain men, and takest it as one of thy glorious titles that thou art the Savior and preserver of men, why dost thou destroy me whilst thou preservest others, and dealest not with me according to thy wonted grace and goodness to other men?

Why hast thou set me as a mark against thee? &c.] That is, seeing I confess my sins, and humble myself before thee, why dost thou still follow me with so many miseries, and afflictions, as if thou hadst culled me out from others, as a mark against whom thou didst mean to empty thy quiver, and as it were to make it thy sport to make me miserable, so that I am a burden to myself, that is, I am not able to endure myself, my very life and being is a burden to me: Parallel hereto is that complaint of the Church, Lam. 3.12. He hath bent his bow, and set me as a mark for the arrow, and that of Job elsewhere, chap. 16.12, 13. He hath taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and set me up for his mark. His archers compass me round about, he cleaveth my reins asunder.

Vers. 21. And why dost thou not pardon my transgression? &c.] Why dost thou not, according to thy wonted grace to others, freely forgive all my sins and transgressions, removing them all out of thy sight, that then accordingly also thou mayst withdraw thine hand from correcting me?

For now shall I sleep in the dust &c.] That is, if thou dost not send help speedily, I shall quickly be laid in the dust, and thou shalt seek me in the morning and I shall not be, that is, and then if thou shouldest make never so much hast to help me, it would be too late: for thou shouldest not find me in the land of the living, amongst those that are capable of thy goodness and mercy.

CHAP. VIII·

Vers. 1. THen answered Bildad the Shuhite, ] Bildad, having heard Job hitherto defending himself, and disliking what he spake in his defense, more then his former complaints, undertook at length to second what Eliphaz had before spoken, reproving Job for charging God with injustice in his dealing with him, and exhorting him to repent of his former wickedness, as the only sure means to turn away the Lord's displeasure; yea it seems by his first words in the following verse, that whereas Job was proceeding on to have spoken farther, Bildad did here interrupt him, as not able to endure him any longer, How long wilt thou speak these things? &c.

Vers. 2. How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? ] That is, violent, and brutishly impetuous, not sparing anybody, no not the Lord himself when he comes in thy way; Because Job's words in his answer to Eliphaz had been indeed somewhat sharp and rough, and full of vehement expressions; therefore Bildad compares them here to a strong wind ; and because he had so often reiterated his complaints of the grievous miseries he suffered, and his protestations concerning his desire of death, &c. yea and that after Eliphaz had sought to convince him of the evil hereof, not regarding anything that he had spoken, therefore he upbraids him with his persisting in this way, How long wilt thou speak these things, and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? But yet withal there is another thing, which Bildad might also intend to imply in comparing Job's words to a strong wind, to wit, that whilst he went about to overthrow the justice of God, as if he had not deserved what God had inflicted on him, his words though never so violent, would be but as a puff of wind; God's justice would stand firm and unmoved whatever he should say to the contrary.

Vers. 3. Doth God pervert judgment? or doth the Almighty pervert justice? ] As if he should have said, Everyone by the light of nature knows that this is altogether impossible; though God be almighty, and able to do to men whatever he pleaseth, yet he is not wont to make use of his power to do anything but what is just, as great and mighty men many times do, and that because. 1. He is essentially and so infinitely just, as well as almighty, 2. The judge of the whole world, to whom men must fly for refuge and help, when they are unjustly wronged and oppressed, and therefore he can no more deal unjustly with any man, then he can cease to be God.

Vers. 4. If thy children have sinned against him, &c.] That is, though God hath utterly cut off and destroyed thy children, it was doubtless for their sins, & what he hath therefore done therein, he hath done most justly, and thyself he hath not hitherto destroyed, but spared thee, that thou mightest take warning by them; which if thou wouldest do, and wouldest betimes, that is, speedily and with all possible care and diligence seek reconciliation with God, and pray unto him for favor and mercy, instead of pleading thine innocence, quarrelling and contending with him as thou hast hitherto done, and withal abandon all thy former wicked ways, and that upon sincere ends, and so become pure and upright in heart and life, (without which indeed no seeking to God by prayer will do any good) then doubtless he would not fail to pardon thy sins, withdraw the judgments that lie upon thee and do thee good; whereas hitherto he hath seemed to sleep, and not to regard thy miseries, he will presently awake to thy help, and make the habitation of righteousness prosperous, that is, prosper thee and thy family and all that belongs to thee, so long as you all continue to live righteously and to do that which is just in God's sight.

Vers. 7. Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. ] Two several ways these words are understood by Expositors; first, that though when God should begin to prosper him after his repentance, his estate should be but little, (as some indeed think it was but little, and that he began upon alms, as it were, when his kindred and acquaintance gave him every man a piece of money, and everyone an ear-ring of gold ▪ chap. 4 • .11.) yet by degrees this little should increase so, that at last he should again come to have a mighty estate: and 2. That the estate he had before this tribulation befell him, how great soever it was, yet should be but little in comparison of that he should have in the conclusion, if he would repent and turn unto the Lord; as the moon, one of God's two great lights, is but little in comparison of the Sun, whereto may seem to agree that which is said of Job, chap. 42.12. So the Lord blessed the later end of Job more then his beginning. But yet the first exposition is clearly the most proper.

Vers. 8. For inquire, I pray thee, of the former age, &c.] Bildad here proves what he had said by the experience of all former ages; to which he the rather appeals, because there was probably then no written word: Enquire (saith he) I pray thee of the former age, &c. as if he should have said, search the records of former times, make enquiry how it hath been in the days of our ancestors, and so likewise of their fathers for many generations, even from the beginning of the world, you shall find that it hath been always thus as I have said, that God hath prospered the righteous and punished the wicked, and that when evil doers have repented, forsaken their evil ways and turned unto the Lord, he hath then withdrawn his hand from punishing them, and poured forth his blessings plentifully upon them.

Vers. 9. For we are but of yesterday, and know nothing, because &c.] This is added as a reason, why Bildad counseled Job to search into the records of former times, and it is also two several ways expounded; for some, yea indeed the most of Expositors, conceive that in these words Bildad compares the short lives of those of this age with the long lives of the fathers in the first ages of the world, we are but of yesterday, saith he, and know nothing, that is, whereas the fathers lived many years, by long experience their knowledge was very great, we alas in these times live but a little while in the world, our days passing away as a shadow, and so for want of experience know nothing comparatively: But then again others conceive that Bildad here opposeth the short life of man to the experience of all former ages; and showeth how much better satisfaction we may receive by examining the testimony of all ages, from the beginning of the world, then by resting merely upon our own observation, who are but of yesterday, of no continuance to speak of, and so of little or no experience and knowledge, because our days are few and as a shadow pass suddenly away.

Vers. 10. Shall not they teach thee and tell thee, and utter words out of their heart? ] To utter words out of the heart is to speak truly what men think, and what they have seriously and diligently considered of, and with judgment and wisdom concluded; so that the meaning of these words is, that if Job would inquire how it had been in former ages, those that lived in those times would truly make known to him, what by due consideration and diligent observation, they had found to be true, to wit, the same which he had said to him, that they are the wicked only whom God destroys, and that the upright and righteous shall certainly flourish.

Vers. 11. Can the rush grow up without mire, &c.] This which follows unto the end of the 19. verse may be read as the answer, which Bildad pretends would be given to Job by the ancients of former times, if he would inquire of them, as he had advised him, but howsoever the drift of these words is to show that it is no more possible, in regard of the ordinary course of God's providence and government of the world, that wicked hollow-hearted hypocrites, who are not rooted in grace, and in whom there is no true piety, should always flourish and prosper, then that rushes and flags, which have no solidity in them, but are of a spongy substance, should by the ordinary course of nature grow without mire and without water. Can the rush grow without mire? &c. that is, as rushes and flaggs do only thrive in miry and watery grounds, and therefore in times of drouth when there is no water, even when they are in their perfect greenness, though they be not cut down, they wither in an instant, so soon as ever they begin to want moisture; so neither can any man flourish and prosper long, whom God favors not, whether they be openly profane or such as only make a show of religion, but in truth are hypocrites, So are the paths of all that forget God, and the hypocrites hope shall perish, that is, such is the conclusion of the ways and counsels of all that think not of God, that mind not the approving of themselves to God, and the seeking of his favor, but only trust to themselves, that slight and despise God; they may as such rushes and flaggs flourish for a time, but at last they shall wither, and come to nothing; if they be not cut down and destroyed by men, as many times they are by the just judgment of God, yet a secret curse of God shall wast and consume them, and all the hope of such dissembling hypocrites shall prove vain and quite deceive them, so that at last they shall give over such vain hopes.

Vers. 14. Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose trust shall be a spiders webb, ] That is, those things, wherein such men do place all their hope and confidence, shall be utterly destroyed, and come suddenly to nothing, and so their hope and confidence shall perish together with them; and indeed these things are well compared to a spiders webb. 1. Because their wealth and dignities, their projects and counsels, are raised and made up with much labor and skill, by many curious and subtle contrivements, spun as it were out of their own bowels, and 2. Because when all is done there is no firmness nor solidity in them, but they are easily on a sudden, as a spiders web, brushed down and destroyed: all which doubtless Bildad intended, that Job should apply to the sudden ruin of his own family and estate.

Vers. 15. He shall lean upon his house, but it shall not stand, &c.] That is, as the spider rests securely upon his cobweb house, and doth what he can to fasten it surely, but all in vain; for on a sudden it is swept down and broken to pieces, so the wicked man and the hypocrite shall rely upon his house and great possessions, &c. and do what may be done to assure them to him and his, yea he shall rest upon his spiritual gifts, his performance of holy duties and his supposed graces, but to no purpose; for ere he is aware of it, all his outward supports shall be ruined, and all the means he can possibly use shall not avail to prevent their ruin, and those spiritual things whereon he rested shall do him no good, but shall quite deceive him.

Vers. 16. He is green before the Sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden. ] Many Expositors understand this and the following verses of the righteous, that enjoy the love and favor of God, and so conceive, that it is added as by way of opposition to that which was before spoken concerning the hypocrite, to express which they are forced to insert these words, As for the righteous, in the beginning of this verse, As for the righteous man, he is green before the Sun, &c. But according to our translation, this also must needs be a continuation of that, which was before said concerning the wicked, whether openly profane or hypocrites, to wit, that though they flourish exceedingly for a while, yet at last they shall be utterly destroyed: He is green before the Sun, and his branch shooteth forth in his garden, that is, as a tree planted in a rich and fruitful garden is green and flourisheth, rather cherished by the quickening heat of the Sun, then any way impaired and parched by the scorching beams thereof, and so daily spreadeth forth his boughs and his branches; so is it usually a long time with wicked men, they flourish and prosper every way, and their children are greatly increased, yea in the most perilous and hard times when others wither, and flourish still and grow greater and greater.

Vers. 17. His roots are wrapped about the heap and seeth the place of stones. ] This is also spoken of that flourishing tree, to which the flourishing of the wicked for a time is compared: but yet in what sense they are spoken, it is hard to say. Some conceive that it is meant of the harmfulnesse of such a tree, that the spreading roots thereof are at length wrapped about the foundation of the owners house, to the evident weakening and endangering thereof, and so the owner is thereupon forced to cut it down, and to grub it up by the very roots, as it followeth in the next verse, and that thereby is noted that the wicked man, who is resembled to this tree, thrives and will thrive if by any means he can, though he undermines and ruins another man's house to fasten and establish himself. Others think, that the spreading of the roots of this tree amongst the stones is only mentioned, as the occasion of its withering, to wit, that however at first it flourished exceedingly, yet when at length the roots come to be bound up and streightened in stony places then it withers and dies away, and so is hewed down; so making this tree in this regard to resemble the estate of hypocrites, who though they live in great prosperity a while, yet at last they meet with something or other, that nips them as the root and mars all their glory: But then 3. There are many that conceive, (and that I think upon best grounds) that these words also, as those before, tend still to set forth the flourishing of this tree, and the flourishing of the wicked principally intended therein, to wit, either that as such a tree grows and flourisheth, yea even in places of greatest disadvantage, in stony places, though her roots be wrapped about heaps of stones, yet that hinders not her growth and flourishing, so is it with the wicked for a time they prosper, maugre all opposition, nothing can hinder their pomp and glory, they thrive amongst stones: or else, that as trees, whose roots are wrapped about stones, will stand firm in the greatest storms, when those that grow in loose sandy earth or tougher clay are easily thrown down with tempestuous winds, so the wicked stand firm and strong for a time in their flourishing estate against all opposition.

Vers. 18. If he destroy him from his place, then it shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee. ] That is, if the Sun, of which he had spoken verse. 16. parcheth and so killeth this tree, or if the husbandman or owner of this tree, shall once cut it up by the roots, how goodly a show soever it made before, there shall not be the least memorial of it left, whereby it might be known, that it did once grow in that place, and so shall it be with the wicked, that flourish and prosper for a time, when the Lord begins once to hew him down, he shall so utterly destroy him and his, that his very memory shall be quite extinguished; for that is the meaning of the phrase here used, that his place shall deny him, saying, I have not seen thee, as is noted before, chap, 7.10.

Vers. 19. Behold, this is the joy of his way, and out of the earth shall others grow. ] This is spoken Ironically; 1. With relation to the flourishing tree of which he had spoken, thus, Behold, this is the joy of his way, &c. that is, this is the conclusion of this tree, which seemed for a time to exalt itself and rejoice in its flourishing condition, down at last it is cut and grubbed up by the roots, and then out of the earth others grow up in the room of it; and 2. With reference to the wicked man, whom he had compared to this flourishing tree, Behold, this is the joy of his way, &c. that is, this is the issue of that rich and prosperous estate and condition, wherein such wicked wretches do for a time so exceedingly rejoice, that at last the Lord doth utterly destroy them, and then out of the earth shall others grow, that is, others shall arise up in his room, not of his posterity, but rather mere strangers to him, that shall enjoy his lands, riches and honors, according to that which Job afterwards acknowledgeth concerning such hypocrites, chap. 27.16, 17. Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay, he may prepare it, but the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.

Vers. 21. Till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing. ] In the foregoing verse Bildad began to lay down the conclusion of all that he had formerly spoken, to wit, that God will not cast away a perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers ; which though it were delivered generally, yet being spoken with an intention of applying it to Job particularly, he therefore adds these words, till he fill thy mouth with laughing, and thy lips with rejoicing, as if he should have said, this thou shalt find true in thine own particular, if thou returnest to the Almighty and walkest sincerely before him, as becomes a perfect and upright man, God will not cast thee off, though he have afflicted thee for a time, but will so abundantly bless thee, and destroy those that wrong thee, that for exceeding joy of heart thou shalt continually break forth into laughter and rejoicing; for then is the mouth said properly to be filled with laughter, when a man hath more joy then his heart can hold, when the joy of his heart causeth much laughter, so much that he can hardly speak for laughing.

Vers. 22. They that hate thee shall be clothed with shame. ] That is, they shall be overwhelmed and covered with shame on every side in the sight of all men, to wit, when they shall see thee, over whom they have formerly insulted, settled again in a more happy and prosperous estate then formerly.

CHAP. IX.

Vers. 2. I Know it is so of a truth; but how should man be just with God? ] Job perceiving by Bildads speech, that he also, as Eliphaz had done before, did quite misunderstand what he had spoken, charging him as if he had accused God of dealing unjustly with him, he now yields to all which Bildad had said for the justifying of God, and advanceth the justice of God farther, then either he or Eliphaz had done, to wit, by affirming not only that God is just, in that he doth always bless the righteous and destroy the wicked, but also that he cannot be charged with injustice even then when he afflicts the most righteous and innocent. I know, saith he, it is so of a truth, that is, I know that God doth not pervert judgment, nor doth the Almighty pervert justice, (which is that Bildad had objected, chap. 8.3.) I know it is most true, that he doth always prosper the pure and upright, and that the wicked shall certainly be destroyed, though they may flourish for a time; but how should man be just with God? that is, how shall any man living be found so just in God's sight, that when God corrects him he may justly complain, that he hath wrong done him? No alas; those that are best, whatever they may be in their own eyes or in the judgment of others, if they come to be tried before God, will be found to have deserved far heavier punishments, then he hath laid upon them.

Vers. 3. If he will contend with him, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. ] That is, if any man whatsoever should undertake to expostulate with God concerning his sufferings, as thinking to justify himself, and to clear himself from having deserved what God hath laid upon him, he shall never be able to answer one of a thousand of those things, which God may object against him, and charge him with, as the just cause of those his sufferings; which agrees with that where Job speaks particularly of himself in the 14 verse. of this chapter, How much less shall I answer him, and choose out words to reason with him?

Vers. 4. He is wise in heart and mighty in strength, &c.] This which Job here addeth concerning the infinite wisdom and power of God is, 1. To prove that God is exactly just, because being wise in heart, that is, knowing all things, and how to govern them, it cannot be thought that he knoweth not how to do right, and being mighty in strength, he needs not pervert justice for fear of men; and then 2. To discover how vain and perilous a thing it is for the most righteous men that live to murmur against God, to quarrel and contend with him when he corrects them, as if they would justify themselves; and that because being of such infinite wisdom he can charge them with much evil, which they discern not in themselves, neither can they by any excuses or pretences hide their guilt from his all-seeing eye, and being of such infinite power, there is no possibility that they should prosper, that do harden themselves to contend with him.

Vers. 5. Which removeth the mountains and they know not, ] That is, God can if he please remove the greatest hills and mountains from one place to another, and overturn them in his anger, and that suddenly even in an instant, before they can apprehend what is done to them; for though this clause, and they know not, may be meant of those that dwell in these mountains, to wit, that such mountains are in such an instant carried out of their places, that the inhabitants have no warning to discern the danger, that they might shift for themselves; yet it may as well be understood oft he mountains themselves, the Scripture usually speaking of things without life, as if they had both life and reason and understanding too, as Psal. 58.9. Before your pots can feel the thorns, he shall take them away.

Vers. 6. Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble. ] That is, he can, if he pleaseth, shake the earth from the top to the bottom, and make the very foundations thereof to tremble; The earth is here compared to a great building, supported with pillars ; and because the earth hath no other foundations, but its own center, to which the earth on every side presseth by reason of its natural heaviness, therefore this or the lower parts of the earth may be supposed to be that, which is here called the pillars of the earth : Now though it be generally held by the learned, that in the greatest earthquakes the whole body of the earth is never shaken, but only some parts of it, whence they say it is that David saith, Psal. 104.5. that God laid the foundations of the earth, that it should not be removed forever, yet Job saith here, that he shaketh the earth out of her place, because God can thus if he seeth cause even overturn the course of nature, and because indeed in great and terrible earthquakes, it seems to men that the whole body of the earth doth quake and tremble.

Vers. 7. Which commandeth the Sun and it riseth not, and sealeth up the stars. ] This which Job here saith, that God commandeth the Sun and it riseth not, may be meant of the ordinary providence of God in disposing the night-season, by keeping the Sun for a time in another hemisphere, as likewise of his hiding the Sun from shining upon us in the Eclypses it frequently suffers, or in the darkness of mighty tempests, when by the extraordinary blackness of the clouds, the day is, as it were, turned into night: and so again, that which followeth, that God sealeth up the stars, may be understood, either of God's hiding the stars from us by the ordinary intercourse of the day, or of his covering them from our sight by thick and pitchy clouds, as in that terrible tempest, Act. 27.20. when neither Sun nor stars for many days appeared. And thus indeed many Expositors do explain this place. But I rather conceive that it is meant, as the former verses also are, of God's supreme over-ruling power, not of that which God doth ordinarily, but of that which he can do, to wit, that if he pleaseth he can command the Sun that it shall shine no more upon us, and lock up the stars from us, as long as he listeth, and so deprive us both of their light and influences: of which unlimited power the Lord gave a notable proof, when he commanded the Sun to stand still upon Joshua's prayer, and to go backward in the days of Hezekiah.

Vers. 8. Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. ] That is, who as he did at first in the creation of the world, so he still doth by his continual providence, stretch forth the heavens, as a glorious Canopy over our heads, and ruleth the raging billows of the sea at his pleasure; for that is meant by his treading upon the waves of the Sea, that they are subject to his dominion and power, so that he doth in them what seems good unto him.

Vers. 9. Which maketh Arcturus, Orion and Pleiades, and the chambers of the South. ] That is, who maketh all the several stars and constellations in the heaven, from the Northern to the Southern pole, to arise in their several seasons from the beginning to the end of the year; for though some few only are here mentioned, yet under these all the rest are comprehended, and these amongst the rest are particularly expressed, both because they are amongst many others most remarkable, and because also by them the several seasons of the year are distinguished: for Arcturus is a Constellation of stars near the North Pole, behind the tail of Vrsa major, or the greater Bear▪ (a Constellation so called because it hath the form of a Bear) and is thence termed Arcturus, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , that is, the tail of the Bear, and it riseth in our Horizon about the beginning of September, some few days before the Autumn Aequinoctiall, which was amongst those ancient Eastern Nations counted the beginning of the year: Orion also is a Constellation of stars that riseth in our Hemisphere in December, when we account winter begins; the Pleiades is a Constellation usually called the seven stars, about the tail or back of the sign Taurus, and it riseth in our Hemisphere about the beginning of the Spring, and therefore also called Vergiliae ; and by the chambers of the South are meant, either those Southern stars, which because they are near the Southern Pole, and so we that dwell in the Northern Hemisphere cannot see them, are therefore called the Chambers of the South, as being stars, that are hid and withdrawn from our sight: or the dog-star and others that rise in the summer.

Vers. 11. Loe, he goeth by me and I see him not, &c.] Having said in the foregoing verse, that God doth great things and unsearchable, marvelous things without number (which is fully what Eliphaz had said before, chap. 5.9. of which see the Note there) here now Job proves this, that God's works are thus innumerable and unsearchable. Loe, he goeth by me and I see him not, &c. That is, the Lord doth continually, not only in his works of creation, but also in the daily works of his Providence, manifest himself to us, his wisdom, justice, mercy, power, even as one that should walk up and down before us, and so presents himself near at hand to be seen by us; but alas, it fares with me, saith Job, in this, as it doth with others, he goeth by me and I see him not ; poor wretches, we many times take no notice of him in his works, and when we do discern anything of God by that which he doth, tis nothing comparatively in regard of that which is taught us thereby, neither are we anymore able to comprehend by our reason and understanding the depth of his ways and counsels, with the exact reason of them▪ though they be all most exactly just and reasonable, then we are to behold him with our bodily eyes, who is invisible; so unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out, as the Apostle saith, Rom. 11.33. And this Job adds as another reason to prove what he had said before, verse. 3, 4. to wit, that it was vain for the justest man living to contend with God, because when he doth afflict us, we are not always able to reach the reason of his so proceeding with us, nor are we any ways able to guard ourselves when he strikes; he may come upon us on every side, and take all advantages to destroy us, and we not discerning him cannot possibly help ourselves.

Vers. 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? who will say unto him, what dost thou? ] That is, if God is pleased at any time to take away from men, as he hath from me, their estates, or their children, yea if he should be pleased to take away their lives, no man living can withstand him, nor so much as call him into question, to render a reason, why he doth it, his own will and pleasure being reason sufficient: so that as before he pleaded man's inability to discern the ways of God, so here also he pleads the weakness and inability of man to withstand God in any of his ways, or so much as to question what he doth, and that because of the unresistable power and unquestionable justice of God, which whilst he did so freely acknowledge, it was not likely that he would quarrel and contend with God, as his friends did unjustly charge him.

Vers. 13. If God will not withdraw his anger the proud helpers do stoop under him. ] That is, when God is angry if he do not of his own free grace, & upon the repentance and prayers of those he is offended with withdraw his anger, if he do not receive them again into favor, but resolves to proceed in his displeasure against them, alas it is in vain for the strongest, the wisest, the justest of men to go about to withstand him; let those against whom he is angry, or any that shall seek to help them, oppose themselves against his proceedings, either by pleading for them and defending their innocence, or by seeking to resist and keep off the strokes of his displeasure, the Lord will soon crush both the one and the other, when in their greatest pride they exalt themselves against him, not ceasing till he hath convinced them of their folly and forced them to stoop to him, or at least crushed them by his power.

Vers. 14. How much less shall I answer him, and choose out my words to reason with him? ] These words may have reference to those in the foregoing verse, that if the proud helpers do stoop under him, that is, if the Lord doth so easily quash the stoutest, that in the proud conceit of their own strength or righteousness shall contend with him, and all that shall rise up to help them herein, how much less should be a poor weak and despised wretch be able to answer him, or with a studied speech in a rhetorical manner reason with him, hoping to convince him, that he hath dealt hardly and unjustly with him; or else they may be referred to all that he had before spoken, to wit, that if neither the mountains, the sea, the heavens, nor any other the strongest of the creatures, were able to stand before his almighty power, nor to endure the fury of his indignation, much less should such a poor worm as he be able to rise up against him, yea even so far as to plead his cause with him, to choose out words to reason with him. Indeed he saith afterward, chap. 13.3. that he desired to reason with God ▪ but that is meant only of a reasoning by way of declaring his case and condition before God, this of a reasoning by way of contestation, or quarrelling about the works of God's Providence; and therefore whilst he desired that, he might well disclaim this.

Vers. 16. If I had called and • e had answered me, &c.] The chief difficulty of this passage lies in this word called ▪ some understand it of his challenging or calling God to an account, to make good what he had done, or of calling God to let him plead his righteousness before him, wherein if God had answered him, condescending to give him an account of his ways, or yielding to hear what he could say, yet he would not believe that he had hearkened to his voice, that is, either he could not believe, that the great God of heaven and earth should vouchsafe to hear the defense of such a poor worm as he was, or else rather he would not believe that he had so far hearkened to his voice, as to accept of his defense, and to determine on his side, and so to acknowledge he had done him wrong; as if Job had said, so far am I from undertaking to justify myself, that if I had required liberty of God to prove mine innocence, and God had given way to me herein, yet would I not believe, that God had thereupon hearkened to my voice and acknowledged mine innocence; and that because the contrary is evident, in that his hand is still so heavy upon me. But then others again understand this word ( called ) of prayer, and so they conceive the sense of the words to be this, that if he had called, that is, if he had prayed and made supplication to his judge for mercy, (as he had said before in the foregoing verse,) and God had answered him, that is, had consented to grant him his desire, yet he would not believe, that he had hearkened to his voice, that is, that he had done it in respect to him or his prayer, for any worth in him, or in any service that he could perform: and that because his hand was now so heavy upon him. And indeed either of these expositions do well agree with the scope of Job's answer to Bildad.

Vers. 17. For he breaketh me with a tempest, and multiplieth my wounds without cause. ] As if he should have said, they are not ordinary calamities that God hath laid upon me; No, he hath broken me in pieces, as with a thunderbolt from heaven, and multiplieth my wounds still more and more, and that without cause, that is, without any cause manifested, or without any cause that I can discover; not being conscious to myself of any so great wickedness I have committed that should provoke him to lay so heavy a punishment upon me.

Vers. 19. If I speak of strength, loe he is strong, &c.] That is, how should I hope to contend with God? either it must be by strength, that I must defend myself against him, or by pleading my cause in a way of justice and judgment; Now alas if I speak of strength, if I hope that way to contend with him, behold, he is strong, that is, absolutely, infinitely strong, so that there is none that can possibly stand before him, and if I speak of judgment, hoping by a way of legal proceedings to clear mine innocence, who shall set me a time to plead, that is, where should I find a judge, that having power over us both, should appoint me a day, wherein I should plead my cause, and answer what the Lord could object against me.

Vers. 20. If I justify myself, mine own mouth shall condemn me, &c.] That is, though I should be admitted to plead my cause against the Lord, yet should I undertake to justify myself, mine own mouth would condemn me, to wit, either because the Lord by many several particulars he might examine me upon, and charge me with, would easily so far convince me, that I should be forced with mine own mouth to condemn myself, or else because not having any sufficient plea for the defense of myself, mine own lips would discover the weakness of my cause, I should be entangled in mine own words, and even those things which I should speak for myself would be retorted upon me to prove me perverse, or else lastly because this very affirming of myself to be righteous, would be abundantly enough to condemn me, since first it is sinful for man to boast of his own righteousness; and secondly, thereby I should lie against the truth, and should discover most desperate boldness in contending against God, yea I should charge God with falsehood, and injustice, who hath concluded all under sin, and doth daily correct the most righteous for their transgressions; all which agrees fully with that of St John. 1. John 1.10. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Vers. 21. Though I were perfect, yet would I not know my soul, I would despise my life. ] That is, though I did verily persuade myself, that I were perfectly righteous, yet would I not believe mine own heart herein, nor regard mine own soul in this, to stand upon mine innocence, as knowing that there might be much amiss in me, which I discerned not in myself, but even for fear of trial before the great God I should despise my life, that is, be glad I were dead; yea in point of justification I would utterly disclaim and despise the righteousness of my life and conversation, and would acknowledge myself an unprofitable servant. Or else the meaning of these words may be given thus: though upon pleading my cause, God should find me and acknowledge me perfect, yet I could take no joy in this, nor durst exalt myself, but should despise this righteousness of mine own life.

Vers. 22. This is one thing, therefore I said it; he destroyeth the perfect and the wicked, ] That is, this one thing is sure and certain, or this is the only one thing wherein we differ, and whereto all that I have spoken tendeth, (for as for those many other things you have delivered concerning God, therein we jointly agree) which being clear and evident, therefore I said it, I could not forbear plainly to aver it, and do and shall still maintain it, namely, that God destroyeth the perfect, no less then the wicked. Hitherto Job hath made good that he made no more question of the justice of God's proceedings, then his friends did; but now he shows wherein the difference lay betwixt them, to wit, that whereas they maintained, that it should always be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked here in this world, and that therefore, either the righteous should ever live in prosperity, or if the Lord did correct them for a while, when they had gone astray, yet upon their repentance he would soon show mercy, and not suffer them to end their days in such miseries; and on the other side, either he would suddenly destroy the wicked, or if he suffered them to flourish for a time, he would afterwards pour out his vengeance the more heavily upon them, he for his part was far otherwise persuaded, namely that for these outward things, God's dealing was many times in every regard the same, both toward the righteous and toward the wicked, and that therefore there was no just cause at all, why his friends should condemn him for an hypocrite and a wicked man, because of the afflictions that God had laid upon him: and thus he answers what Bildad had said, chap. 8.20. Behold, God will not cast away the perfect man, neither will he help the evil doers.

Vers. 23. If the scourge slay suddenly, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent. ] As if he should have said, when the Lord sends any sudden calamity, that sweeps away both the wicked and the righteous, the wicked by way of just vengeance, the righteous to prove and try them, there can be nothing said against the Lord's proceeding herein, he will laugh at the trial of the innocent, he will and may justly scorn the plea of any man's innocence, though the uprightest man breathing, and that because the most righteous have by their sins deserved worse then he lays upon them, nor can allege any just cause, why they should be exempted from such calamities.

Vers. 24. The earth is given into the hand of the wicked: he covereth &c.] This text of Scripture is very difficult, and accordingly it is diversely expounded: some conceive that by the wicked here is meant the Devil, and so conceive the meaning of the place to be this, that God hath delivered the earth to the power and sway of the Devil, permitting him to rule and have dominion amongst the children of men (as indeed he is called, in regard of his power over wicked men, the God of this world, 2 Cor. 4.4, and the ruler of the darkness of this world. Eph. 6.12.) and that accordingly he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, that is, he makes them that sit in the seat of justice to be as blind men, neither regarding right nor wrong, neither justifying the righteous nor punishing the wicked, that oppress the righteous, but suffering them without control to run on in their violent courses, as if they saw no evil in them; And this they conceive is alleged by Job as one reason, why the righteous suffer so much misery here in this world. But then others by the wicked understand wicked men, into whose hands the earth is said to be given, because they are advanced and become Lord's in the world, and have the chief sway and command in every place, and that thus, as Job had before confuted what Bildad had said concerning the Lord's constant blessing the righteous, so here he refutes what Bildad had also said chap. 8.13. concerning the curse that falls on the wicked, to wit, by showing that instead of being accursed of God, they flourish and are exalted above others, and so rule and domineer in the world at their pleasure; and then for the next clause, he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, that also accordingly they understand of the wicked man, thus advanced in the world, but in two several senses, to wit, that these wicked men do, either by bribery, or by their overbearing power, cover the faces of the judges, corrupting and blinding them, and making them do whatsoever they will have them without any respect to justice or equity; or else, that they despise and disgrace, yea condemn and deliver over to death the judges thereof, that is, men that are deservedly honored for their wisdom and integrity: and to justify this last exposition, they show 1. That by covering the face in the Scripture is sometimes meant the delivering up of men to death; for so it is said of Haman, when the King was offended with him, Esth. 7.8. they covered Haman's face, and 2. That by judges in the Scripture is sometimes also meant, not only those that sit in seats of judgment to punish malefactors, and to give sentence in matters of controversy, but also whosoever they are, that are honored for their eminent wisdom and integrity, and are any way a stay or defense to the common-wealth where they live, and so this word seems to be used again, chap. 12.17. He leadeth counselors away spoiled and maketh the judges fools. But then again there is a third way of expounding these words, and that seems to me above the rest the most probable, to wit, that both these clauses must be understood of God, that the earth is by him given into the hand of the wicked, that through his providence the wicked, irreligious and ungodly sort of men are the great men of the earth, and rule and domineer in the world at their pleasure; and whereas the only remedy for this should be in those that sit in the seat of justice, he covereth the faces of the judges thereof, whereby is meant, either that by withdrawing his grace, leaving them to themselves, yea delivering them up to a reprobate mind, he covereth their faces, so that they sit in judgment like so many blind men, yea like so many idols, and as not discerning between right and wrong, when it is most palpable, they regard not the violent courses of these wicked wretches, but let them alone to do what they please; or else that he is able to cover the faces of the most righteous judges with shame, when they think they have judged most uprightly, by discovering to them their failings and punishing them for it. And indeed hereto best agrees that last clause, If not, where and who is he ? For though some understand this as a challenge, if this that I have said be not so, who and where is the man, that will disproove what I have spoken? Or thus, if it be not the wicked man, that doth this which I have spoken, to wit, that covers the faces of the judges, then who is it that doth it? who but a wicked man would do it? yet I conceive the meaning of these words runs more clearly thus, If not, where and who is he ? That is, if it be not God that doth these things, where is he or who is he that doth them? as if he should have said, it is not possible that this should be done without the knowledge and will of God: for if we say, that it is of the Devil or wicked men, yet we cannot but know that God is the supreme Ruler and governor of the whole world and all things that are therein, and that they could do nothing therefore without liberty from him. And thus doth Job conclude, that it is God that doth both advance the wicked and afflict the righteous.

Vers. 25. Now my days are swifter then a Post, they flee away, they see no good, &c.] That is, the days of my prosperity. Here Job returns to his complaints, alleging himself as an instance of God's severity in afflicting those, who have endeavored to walk uprightly with God; As he hath dealt with others in this kind, so he hath dealt with me, saith Job, the days of my prosperity are gone on a sudden, in a moment I am deprived of all that I enjoyed, mine honor is laid in the dust, and my life in a manner is brought unto the grave. As for that clause, that his days did see no good, the meaning is, that he in his days had seen no good; and either it must be understood of that time only, wherein this sudden change had befallen him, that therein his prosperity was gone on a sudden without the mixing of one good hour, or if it be extended to his whole life, it must be taken, as spoken by way of amplifying the sudden vanishing of his prosperous condition, that the good he had enjoyed was nothing to speak of, as indeed in pressing miseries men are wont to forget many times all the good which God hath done for them, and are only taken up with their present sufferings. See also the Note upon chap. 7.7.

Vers. 27. If I say, I will forget my complaint, &c.] That is, if I determine to put the evils I have suffered, and do still suffer out of my mind, and so to give over complaining, if I resolve not to give way to my passions and grief as I have done, but to cheer up and comfort myself, it is all in vain, I am afraid of all my sorrows, that is, the sense and weight of my sorrows do to overwhelm me with terrors and fears of God's wrath and displeasure against me, that I am not able to quiet my mind and comfort myself; or thus, when I think of cheering myself, my sorrows present themselves a-fresh before me, and even scare me with their terrors: I know that thou, Lord, wilt not hold me innocent, that is, I see plainly that thou wilt still pursue me with all rigor for the evil thou seest in me: however upright I may seem in mine own eyes, or in the sight of others, thou wilt easily find matter enough of condemnation in me, and then thou wilt not acquit me, thou wilt not declare me to be innocent, and so convince these men that unjustly censure me, to wit, by easing me of these miseries; so that even by thy present proceedings with me, I plainly perceive that thou wilt still follow me with these evils, and that it will never be better with me. And thus Job, being overborne with the terrors of his present sufferings, doth in the impatience of his spirit cast away all hope as it were of deliverance for the time to come. I know there are some learned Expositors that understand this as spoken to Bildad, I know that thou, Bildad, wilt not hold me innocent, meaning that as long as his troubles continued, he would still condemn him for an hypocrite. But the general current of Expositors runs the other way.

Vers. 29. If I be wicked, why then labor I in vain? ] These words are expounded by Interpreters divers ways; some conceive it to be spoken as in answer to that counsel which Bildad had given him in the former chapter, verse. 5. To seek unto God, and to make his supplication unto the Almighty, as affirming that this would be labor in vain, if he were such a wicked hypocrite, as they his friends had affirmed him to be; others conceive it to be spoken by way of discontent, to wit, that if he were condemned by his friends as a wicked wretch, notwithstanding all his care and strict endeavor to walk uprightly with God, it was then labor in vain to walk so exactly; and he had even as good do, as others did. But the best exposition I conceive is, that these words are spoken with reference to those in the foregoing verse, to wit, that if he were wicked, as his friends thought his affliction did import, and as indeed he must needs be found to be, if God should proceed to judge him, according to the rigor of his justice, it would be then in vain to seek to suppress his sorrow, and to comfort himself with hope of better days for the time to come; and that because he could not be so righteous, but that God would find matter enough of condemnation in him, as it follows in the next verses.

Vers 30. If I wash myself with snow water, &c.] It is probable that Job here alludes to the ceremonial washings, that were used both amongst the Jews and Gentiles, as a sign of purification. A man as exactly pure and righteous, as man can be, is here compared to one that is washed with snow water, not because snow water doth cleanse and wash things better then other water, (though perhaps it was so in those countries where they had no good washing water, and so some conceive that Job alludes to that) but either because the best washing water, the clearest fountain water may be figuratively termed snow water, for its purity and orient clearness; or else because those things that are washed most exactly do in whiteness resemble the snow, it being usual in the Scripture to express the whiteness of anything by saying it is washed in that, the pure whiteness whereof it doth represent, as Cant. 5.12. the holy Ghost speaks of doves washed with milk, meaning only thereby doves or pigeons as white as milk; If I wash myself with snow water, saith Job, and make my hands never so clean, yet shalt thou verse. 31. plunge me in the ditch, that is, were I as pure and clean from sin, not only in the opinion of others, and in mine own judgment, but in deed and in truth, as sinful man in this world can possibly be, were I as pure spiritually, as he is bodily, that is washed and scoured till he appears at last as white as snow, and were the works of my hands, my life and conversation, never so spotless and unblameable in the eyes of men, yet shouldest thou, O Lord, come to examine and judge me, thou mightest easily discover me to be most abominably unclean, if thou shouldest judge me according to the severity of thy justice, (yea the rather because I went about to justify myself, and was so clean in mine own eyes) even as unclean as a man that hath been plunged over head and ears in a ditch that is full of dirt and mire, and mine own clothes shall abhor me, saith Job, that is, (say some Expositors) thou wouldest cast me down in dishonor, and so the clothes I formerly wore in my prosperity, as being not seemly for so base a wretch, would abhor me; or thou wouldest slay me, and then my garments, as not becoming, as abhorring a dead carcase, must be stripped off from me; or else rather I shall be found so monstrously filthy, that mine own clothes, if they had sense, would abhor to touch me; indeed this last clause some read thus, And mine own clothes shall make me to be abhorred, and so conceive the meaning thereof to be, either that those things wherewith they should endeavor to hide his filthiness would make him the more abominable, or that the very righteousness wherewith he was clothed would be found as filthy rags and therefore justly make him to be abhorred. But the first Translation is most generally approved.

Vers. 32. for he is not a man as I am, that I should answer him &c. ] This is added as a reason of that he had said in the foregoing verses, to wit, that though he were never so innocent, yet God would discover him to be exceeding guilty. The reason is, because there was no hope to deal with the Almighty God, as he might deal with men for the clearing of himself in a way of justice; He is not a man as I am, that I should answer him, and we should come together in judgment, as if he should have said, if I had to deal with you or with any other man as myself, with whom I might enter into judgment upon equal terms, I would not doubt to clear myself, and to answer what might be objected against me; But alas God is not as man in this regard, with whom I have to do, he can easily discern that evil in me, which man could never see, yea which I should never discern in myself; even those things which are in high esteem with men are an abomination with God; And besides his majesty and glory would soon confound such a worm as I am, if I should undertake to answer what he would object against me.

Vers. 33. Neither is there any days-man betwixt us, that might lay his hand upon us both. ] As if he should have said, as I dare not contend with God in judgment, so neither is there any to whom I can refer the cause for arbitration; if I were so foolish as to desire to plead my cause with God in that way, alas where should we find any days-man, or umpire that should undertake to judge and decide the cause betwixt us both, and so should consequently have power over both to prescribe bounds and orders to us in our arguing together, to restrain either party as occasion was offered, and to pass a final sentence in our differences, whereto both of us should be forced to stand? for doubtless this phrase of a days-man that might lay his hand upon us both, is either used with respect to the usual custom of Umpires, who being chosen to hear and end some difference between parties at variance, do sometimes lay their hand upon the one and sometimes upon the other, when they undertake to show them, wherein they are or have been to blame, or when they would restrain them from being too violent, or order either party what they should do, and do at last cause them to shake hands and be friends; or else is used only to signify the power which the umpire must needs have over both sides, to dispose of them in the controversies committed to his arbitrement as he sees cause; for the laying of the hand upon anything signifies the power which we have over it, and hence is that expression, Psal. 89, 25. I will set his hand also in the sea, and his right hand in the rivers.

Vers. 34. Let him take his rod away from me, &c.] We cannot conceive that Job's meaning in these words was, that if God would withdraw his scourge, which lay now so heavy upon him, and not over-awe him with the terror of his majesty, he would then freely and without any fear of God undertake to plead his cause with God, and to show that he did causelessly lay those evils upon him; for this were expressly contrary to that he had said before, verse. 2, 3. that no man living can be just with God, nor able to answer him one of a thousand, if he will contend with him, yea to that he had said immediately before, verse. 30, 31. that though he were never so pure and innocent, God could easily discover him to be as spiritually filthy, as he must needs be outwardly, that hath been plunged over head and ears in a ditch full of mire; and therefore the meaning of these words is rather this, that if God would not proceed in such extremity with him as now he did, nor would terrify him with the fear of the rigor of his justice and judgment, before which he knew well he was not able to stand, then he should not stick boldly and freely to plead his cause in regard of his accusers, and to prove his integrity, that he was not a wicked hypocrite as his friends affirmed him to be, and therefore had such grievous punishments poured forth upon him.

Vers. 35. But it is not so with me. ] That is, I am not in such a condition, that I should speak so freely; his rod lies so heavy upon me, and I see that he doth so discover his indignation against me, and his resolution to deal with me in the uttermost severity of his justice, that I am even overwhelmed with terrors, and having to deal with God, dare not say what otherwise I could say for myself, if I had only to deal with men.

CHAP. X.

Vers. 1. MY soul is weary of my life, &c.] Job having said in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, that God was of such terrible majesty and might, that he durst not plead his cause with him, as he would do with a man as himself; here now as it were correcting or recalling what he had said, he professeth that yet his miseries were so great and insufferable, that he could not forbear breaking forth into complaints and expostulations, My soul is weary of my life, I will leave my complaint upon myself, &c. Some read the first clause thus, as we see in the margin, My soul is cut off while I live, as if he had said, though as yet I live, yet I am in a manner no better then a dead man, and that either because he was in such a sad condition, that he was more like a dead stinking carcase then a living man, the life that he lived was not worthy the name of life, or because he was irrecoverably gone, as we use to say, ready immediately to tumble into the grave, there was but a step betwixt him and death; or else thus, my soul is in a manner cut off in the midst of my days, I was likely enough to have lived many a fair day, but on a sudden my life is cut off and my days are shortened. But reading this clause as it is in our Bibles, My soul is weary of my life, either it is an Hebraism wherein the soul is put for the whole man, my soul is weary, that is, I am weary of my life, and it may be meant generally that he was weary of living, or that he was weary of that miserable life he lived; or else it is expressed thus by way of emphasis, My very soul, that is the cause I live, is weary of my life, I do even from my soul loath and abhor life, and would be glad I were dead. And this he lays down as the ground of his following complaints, to wit, because in such bitterness of sorrows he was not able to forbear, and withal haply to intimate his hope, that God would the rather bear with him, because by so great miseries he was as it were constrained to say what he said; or else to imply that hereby he was encouraged to give way to his passion, because if he should loose his life for speaking, he should but loose that he was weary of: and thereupon he adds, I will leave my complaint upon myself, I will speak in the bitterness of my soul ; where by leaving his complaint upon himself, is meant either that he would leave complaining of himself, since he saw that by accusing and condemning himself, he got no ease at all, and would now plead his cause with God; or else that though he suffered his soul to break forth into complaints, yet his complaints should not rest upon God but upon himself, he would only declare the misery, of his condition without uttering a word that should tend to the reproach of God, that had laid these sore calamities upon him; or else rather that he would abundantly pour out his complaints concerning his sad and doleful condition whatever came of it, I will leave my complaint upon myself, &c. as if he should have said, I will give way to my complaints to break forth, they strive for a vent, and I will no longer restrain them; if any evil comes of it, at my peril be it, I must undergo it though I have been hitherto afraid to speak, yet now I am resolved to give the reins to my imbittered spirit, I will make a full complaint of my sufferings, and there at all adventures will leave it upon myself, that God may consider of it; and let him do with me as shall seem good unto him. And so these words are indeed to the same purpose with what he had said before, chap. 7.11. I will not refrain my mouth, I will speak in the anguish of my spirit, &c. of which see the Note there.

Vers. 2. I will say unto God, do not condemn me, &c.] Many Expositors conceive, that before Job comes to plead with God, and to pour out his complaints before him, as he had resolved he would do, he doth here deprecate the indignation of the Lord therein, Do not condemn me, that is, though I take a little freedom to plead my cause before thee, do not blame me, be not offended with me for it, yea though anything should slip from me rashly or inconsiderately, charge it not upon me; which is much as Abraham spake when he pleaded with God, Gen. 18.30. Oh let not the Lord be angry, and I will speak. But the most of Expositors do I conceive better understand this to be the effect of these words, to wit, that either God would withdraw his hand from punishing him so severely as he had done, or else that he would show him, why it was that he contended with him. Do not condemn me, that is, deal not with me thus as a wicked wretch, whom thou hast condemned to be cast off and destroyed; By the judgments thou hast laid upon me, thou dost in a manner proclaim me to be such a one, and so all men are ready to judge, and therefore either acquit me from this censure by withdrawing the stroke of thine hand, or else show me wherefore thou contendest with me. Questionlesse Job was not ignorant, that by sin he had deserved to be condemned and severely punished, but he argues with God here as in relation to the Covenant of grace, which God had made with our first parents after the fall, wherein God was pleased to promise pardon of sins, and all other blessings to those that by faith embracing the promised seed should thereupon fear him, and endeavor to walk holily and righteously before him all their days; Now because Job was not conscious to himself, but that he had thus as one in Covenant with God, sincerely given himself to serve and fear him, therefore he desires that he would not condemn him and cast him off, but that he would show him what it was he aimed at in afflicting him so, or what it was in him wherewith he had been provoked to deal so severely with him, that so he might amend what was amiss, and not provoke him any longer.

Vers. 3. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest oppress? &c.] As if he should have said, that is far from thee, thou art not wont to do so: and there are three particulars which he mentions, that he would imply are not with any reason to be conceived of God. 1. That he should oppress him. 2. That he should despise the work of his own hands, and 3. That he should shine upon the counsel of the wicked. By oppressing him is meant a causeless laying so many judgments upon him, both in his estate, children and person; by despising the work of his own hands is meant the destroying of his creature as a worthless despicable thing, without so much as vouchsafing first to try, convince and condemn him; and by shining upon the counsel of the ungodly is meant favoring and prospering their counsels and endeavors; Now none of these, Job would have us know, can be charged upon God: for this phrase, Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress? that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands? &c. doth imply either that it cannot be just and right in the eyes of God, who is infinitely just and good, and hates all oppression in others, to deal thus with his poor creature; or else that it could be neither pleasure, nor profit, nor honor to the Almighty to deal so with man, and that therefore however sinful men sitting in seats of justice, may out of by-respects to some advantage that is like to redound to themselves, or merely to please themselves, oppress the innocent and favor the wicked, yet no such advantages can move God unjustly to oppress or destroy his creature. Besides because he is the work of his own hands, he cannot make so little account of him, as to destroy him without cause. Every workman loves the work which himself hath made; a potter when he hath made a vessel of clay, will not without any cause take it and dash it against a wall; and much less then can we think that God, whose tender mercies are over all his works, Psal. 145.9. will causelessly destroy his own creature, whatever he may do by his sovereign power: As for that last clause, or that thou shouldest shine upon the counsel of the wicked, though divers Expositors understand it to be spoken as in relation to Job's friends, namely that God by laying such heavy judgments upon Job, might seem to favor and make good their judging him to be an hypocrite, yet in regard I can hardly think that because these his friends did rashly and unjustly censure him to be a wicked hypocrite, therefore he would run into the same sin of judging them to be wicked men, I should rather conceive that Job spake this generally, of God's favoring wicked men without respect to any particulars, or that he might have respect, if to any, to those Sabaeans and Chaldeans, who had unjustly surprised his estate, and went away triumphing in their good success; though God may prosper wicked men, yet he never favors them or their wicked designs.

Vers. 4. Hast thou eyes of flesh? or seest thou as man seeth? ] As if he had said, thou seest into the secrets of men's hearts, and dost not behold only that which appears outwardly as man doth, yea thou knowest all things perfectly. And this Job adds either to show, that therefore God could not deal with him as he did, out of ignorance; though his friends not knowing his heart, condemned him for an hypocrite, yet God the searcher of all hearts could not be so deceived: or else to intimate that God therefore needed not by laying such sore afflictions upon him, to endeavor to make a discovery of what he was or what he had done, as earthly judges are sometimes forced by tortures to search into the secret offenses of those that are to be tried before them. I know that some Expositors do give other interpretations of these words; as that God is not wont forever to look with a fierce and revengeful eye upon those that have sinned against him, as men use to do, as it is said of Saul, 1 Sam. 18.9. Saul eyed David from that day and forward, or, that God looks not upon men with partial eyes when he judgeth them, as men do that are blinded with gifts, and corrupt affections, whether anger or love, and taken with the outward splendor of men, and so despise the poor and favor only the great and mighty, which agrees with that expression the prophet useth concerning Christ, Esa. 11.3. He shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, &c. or, that God judgeth not men by their actions only, which is the only way of man's judging, but by that which he sees in the men; he judgeth them by that which they always are, and not by that which they sometimes act. But the first exposition is far most agreeable to the drift of Job's speech.

Vers. 5. Are thy days as the days of man? &c.] That is, they are not as the days of man; and this may be understood generally, to wit, that God is not subject to any such infirmities as man is. But because of those following words, Are thy years as man's days, that thou inquirest after mine iniquity, and searchest after my sin ? it may more particularly be meant either 1. Of the immutability of God, that he is not as man changeable and inconstant, today a friend, tomorrow an enemy; and therefore it could not but seem strange to him, that after so many clear manifestations of his love to him, all should be now turned into such extremity of indignation against him; or 2. Of the eternity of God, that he is not short-lived as mortal man is, that hereupon he should deal with him in so great severity, heaping upon him such a multitude of miseries, least he should not have time to search out his sins, or to punish him for them when he had found them out; in reference whereto some observe, that only days are here ascribed to frail man, but years to the immortal ever-living God; or 3. Of the omniscience of God, and that in relation also to his eternity, namely that whereas man gains knowledge by degrees in continuance of time, God is eternal, his life consists not in a succession of days and years, and so he knows all things past, present and to come in the indivisible moment of his eternity, and therefore there was no need that by long continuing tortures and enquiries he should thus labor to search out his iniquity and sin.

Vers. 7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked, &c.] Having in the foregoing verses reckoned up many particulars which could not be conceived of God; as that he should oppress or despise the work of his own hands, &c. here now Job applies these things to himself, and shows how strange God's dealing with him was in these regards, thereby also to imply his desire that God would remove these sore calamities from him, and not deal otherwise with him, then he dealt with any of his servants besides. Accordingly therefore for the words of this verse, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, and there is none that can deliver out of thine hand, Some conceive they are added in reference to the words in the two foregoing verses, and that to prove that God needed not to go on in such a way of searching out his sins, as men are wont to do, to wit, by long continuing tortures, and that 1. Because he knew his heart, and therefore could not be ignorant of his integrity, Thou knowest that I am not wicked, that is, of thyself without any search or enquiry thou knowest that my heart is upright, and that I am not a wicked man; and 2. Because there was no possibility that he should escape out of his hand; None can deliver out of thine hand, as if he should have said, malefactors are wont to be shut up fast in prison, to be shackled and bound in fetters and chains, lest they should escape the judgment that is to be executed upon them; yea and sometimes judges proceed with the greater rigor to bring those they have in their hands to confess the evil they suspect they have done, as fearing lest they should by some higher power be fetched out of their hands, before they have gotten that out of them which they desire to know; But now, Lord, there is no cause why thou shouldest thus shackle and coop up me, as thou seemest to do, to be sure to make me forth-coming, since there is no possibility that any man should escape out of thy hand, either by flight or rescue. But now again others do, and I think better, refer these words to that which Job had said before, verse. 3. Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress? and accordingly conceive that they are added to show, that since it was no way likely that God would causelessly oppress a poor wretch that was not able to withstand him, how strange therefore it must needs seem to him, that God should so crush him as he had done, both because he durst say that God knew that he was not wicked, though he could not justify himself as free from sin, as himself had formerly confessed, chap. 9.20. yet he durst say that God knew that his heart was upright, Thou knowest that I am not wicked (and it was indeed a very notable evidence of a clear conscience, that the hand of God being so heavy upon him, and his friends charging him so expressly with hypocrisy, he should notwithstanding thus courageously appeal to God's knowledge of him that he was not wicked) and also because he was by no means able to save himself from God's unresistable power, none can deliver out of thine hand ; when human powers oppress, there is one above them that can deliver the oppressed, as Solomon saith, Eccles. 5.8. He that is higher then the highest regardeth, and there be higher then they ; But now none can deliver out of God's hand, and therefore the innocent and righteous would be in an ill condition, if he should oppress them. And this is the argument whereby Job doth here covertly plead with God to remove his hand from him.

Vers. 8. Thine hands have made me and fashioned me round about, &c.] That is, in every part all my body over; yea every member of my body and every faculty of my soul; the meaning is, that he was wholly the work of God's own hands, that there was not the least piece of him from head to foot, within or without, not so much as the nails upon his fingers and toes, which the Lord had not wrought and fashioned with all possible diligence, care, and skill; and in the words there may seem to be an allusion to a careful and cunning workman, that useth when he hath made any choice piece, to turn it this way and that, & to look round about to see if there be anything that is defective, or that may be made more curious and exact then as yet it is. Now for the connection of these words with that which went before; Some conceive, that Job here proves what he had said in the foregoing verse, to wit, that God knew that he was not wicked, and that none could deliver out of his hands, namely, because God made him, and he must needs know man that made man, neither was it possible that the work should deliver itself out of the hand of him that formed it; and indeed that God must needs know man perfectly is proved by the same argument, Psal. 94.9. Understand ye brutish.— He that planted the ear shall not he hear? he that formed the eye, shall he not see? But I rather conceive that Job adds this also in reference to what he had said before, Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest despise the work of thine hands ? intimating how strange it seemed to him that God should despise his own workmanship, especially a piece of such excellency as man was; and that yet he could not judge otherwise but that thus it was with him: for God had made him, and yet, saith he, thou doest destroy me, as if thou madest no reckoning of me: oh how wonderful are thy judgments, and thy ways past finding out! Indeed because there is no wonder at all in it, that God should destroy wicked men, though they were the work of his hands (concerning the old world the Lord said, I will destroy man, whom I have created, Gen. 6.7. and concerning the rebellious Jews by the prophet, Esa. 27.11. He that made them will have no mercy on them, and he that formed them will show them no favor ) therefore some Expositors conceive, that those words Thine hands have made me and fashioned me are meant, not only of God's first forming him in his conception, but also of the work of Regeneration, when the Lord by the spirit of Grace, did renew his image in him, and made him a new creature, this being that which seemed so strange to Job, that being such a one, yet God should destroy him. But methinks it is evident, that the words do intend only the fashioning and framing of Job in his first conception; yet indeed that which Job mentions as the matter of his wonder, is not so much that he should destroy the work of his own hands, as that he should do it causelessly (for so Job conceived it was with him) as if he minded not his own handy-work, as is noted before, verse. 3. And besides this complaint may imply a deprecation, Thou seemest resolved to destroy me, but do not, consider that I am the work of thine own hands, as it follows in the next verse. Remember I beseech thee that thou hast made me, &c.

Vers. 9. Thou hast made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into dust again? ] Here Job proceeds to desire God to be favorable to him from the foregoing consideration, that he was the work of his own hands, which he farther enlargeth in the following verses. In the first words, Thou hast made me as the clay, some hold that he hath respect to the creation of our first father Adam, in whom we were all made of earth, of the dust of the ground, Gen. 2.7. or else to his conception in the womb of his mother, where the first materials whereof he was made were such, that it might well be said, that he was at the first no better then clay; But if he had had respect to either of these, he would not have said that he was made as the clay but of clay. Rather therefore the meaning is only this, that as a potter doth form and fashion the clay which he makes into a vessel, so God had wonderfully shaped and fashioned him in the womb of his mother; and however some also conceive, that the drift of this is to desire the Lord to deal more gently with him, as considering of what brittle principles he was made, Thou hast made me as the clay, and wilt thou bring me into dust again ? that is, thou hast made me as brittle as a vessel of clay, so that thou needest not lay thine hand so heavy upon me, to bring me back into dust again; yea since I am sure ere long to molder into dust again, let that suffice, and do not make me live that short time I have to live, in such extreme torment and misery as now I do; yet I should rather judge that the chief thing he still pleads is, that since God had so wonderfully made him, he would not now causelessly destroy the work of his own hands: for though he had many times in a passion wished himself dead, yet it is no wonder at all, that when he comes to plead with God, he should desire him to spare his life, at least that he would not with such fury and indignation grind and beat him to dust, as by his present proceedings with him, he seemed resolved to do.

Vers. 10. Hast thou not poured me out as milk, and curdled me as cheese? ] Thus he modestly expresseth how wonderfully he was by the mighty power of God conceived in the womb of the seed of his parents, which being first poured forth as milk, (whereto in color it is not unlike) afterwards was congealed and curdled together like cheese, and so became an imperfect embryo. And hereby Job seeks to set forth what a rare and choice piece man is, especially considering of what vild and sordid principles he is made. We wonder not much to see a cheese made of curdled milk; but that a living man bearing the image of God, and so artificially and curiously framed and joined together in every part, should be made of such base materials, this is exceeding wonderful; and the more it heightened the worth of God's workmanship in the forming of man, the stranger it seemed to Job, that God should despise such a precious piece of his own handiwork.

Vers. 11. Thou hast clothed me with skin and flesh ; &c.] He terms his skin and flesh a clothing, either in reference to his soul, which is the chief of man, and to which the body is as it were a garment, which it wears during its abode here in this world, and then at the hour of death puts it off, and lays it by for a time, whence is that of the Apostle, 2 Cor. 5.4. where those that die are said to be unclothed ; or else rather in reference to the inward, and more noble and tender vital parts, the heart, liver, brains, and bowels, which are clothed and covered with flesh and skin, especially the vital parts; which are therefore also said to be fenced with bones and sinews, as alluding to the fence of the ribs, and the orderly juncture of other bones and sinews, whereby the inward, especially the vital parts, are kept safe and preserved. However Job still proceeds to show how wonderfully he was formed in his mothers womb, when the same liquid substance, which a while was but as curdled milk, became severally in some part skin and flesh, and elsewhere bones and sinews; all which tends still to set forth how strange it was to him, that God should causelessly destroy what he had made with so many miracles of wisdom and skill.

Vers. 12. Thou hast granted me life and favor, &c.] That is, say some Expositors, of thy free grace and favor thou hast granted me life. But rather by life and favor two distinct mercies are meant, to wit, that God did not only add a living soul to the body, which was so wonderfully and curiously fashioned and made, but also many other mercies and comforts to make life sweet and pleasant to him, as especially reason and understanding, wherein man excels all other living creatures, together with those excellent gifts of wit, judgment, memory, ability to speak and discourse, and the like; and then also beauty, which is most properly called favor, health, and strength, and liberty, good education and instruction in all kind of knowledge, both human and divine; yea under this word favor may be comprehended all other requisite accommodations for his life and well being, as food and raiment, &c. And then to this he adds too God's careful preserving of him, and thy visitation hath preserved my spirit, , that is, thy providence hath continually watched over me, and secured my life in many dangers; and indeed considering how strange it is, that the child should live in the straits of the mothers womb, and what dangers it passeth through, both in the birth and afterwards, well might Job admire the solicitous and constant providence of God, in sustaining and preserving him alive after he had made him.

Vers. 13. And these things hast thou hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee. ] Some Expositors refer those words ( these things ) to the calamities which he now suffered; as if Job had said in a kind of passion and discontent, I know that all the time thou shewedst thyself thus favorable to me, thou hadst a resolution to bring all these miseries upon me; even as a man that intends to be revenged on one that hath wronged him, doth yet cunningly conceal what he intends till he can get a fit opportunity to do it: so thou didst not discover till now what evil thou intendedst against me, but even then I know it was hidden in thine heart: But this is somewhat too harsh to be conceived of Job, and therefore others refer them (and I think upon better ground) to those gracious dispensations of God's providence towards him, whereof he had immediately before spoken, to wit, his wonderful conception and preservation, and many other favors that God had afforded him; and yet they differ in their judgment concerning the meaning of the words; for some think that Job therein speaks of man's inability fully to comprehend those secrets of God's providence, whereof he had spoken, And these things hast thou hid in thine heart, that is, how thou hast done these things no man exactly knows, that is a secret which lies hid in thine own heart; but that these things were as I have said, so much I understand, and I know this is with thee. And then others conceive the meaning to be this, And these things hast thou hid in thine heart; I know that this is with thee, that is, I know thou dost remember that I am the work of thine hands, and therefore am persuaded that thou wilt not causelessly destroy me, though indeed for the present thy dealing is such with me, that thou dost not discover any such thing; thou knowest better then I how wonderfully thou hast made me, and how tenderly thou hast preserved me, though now thou hidest thyself, as if thou didst not regard the work of thine own hands: neither indeed can I comprehend how it should come to pass, that having formerly shown me such favor, thou shouldest now afflict me so sorely. And this as it is the most ordinary, so I conceive it is the best exposition of the words: they contain an assertion of Job's assurance that God loved him, even whilst he laid such sore afflictions upon him, and withal it may be alleged, as an argument to move God not to destroy him, since hereby he should loose all he had formerly done for him.

Vers. 14. If I sin, then thou markest me, and thou wilt not acquit me from mine iniquity. ] Some refer this to the last words of the foregoing verse; I know, saith Job there, that this is with thee, and here he expresseth what was with him, If I sin, then thou markest me, &c. Others refer it to the 12 verse, there he had said, Thou • ast granted me life and favor, &c. But now here he adds, that though God had been so many ways favorable to him, yet God would not bear with him, if he did not walk uprightly, If I sin, then thou markest me, &c. But more generally it is thought, that Job here enlargeth himself as in relation to the last branch of his former expostulation, verse. 3. Is it good unto thee, that thou shouldest shine upon the counsel of the wicked? for because by laying such sore calamities upon him, he seemed to favor those that condemned him for an hypocrite, or at least not to be such an enemy to profane wretches as he was to him, or rather because God's severity in punishing every sin of his (though he were not wicked) was a clear proof, that God was far enough from shining upon the counsel of the wicked, therefore he alledgeth here how severely God dealt with him, If I sin, then thou markest me, &c. where by ( marking him ) is meant either God's keeping a watch over him to make sure he might not escape punishment, or else rather God's observing every sin he committed, If I sin, then thou markest me, &c. that is, thou takest notice (which is very hard) of every fault I commit, and keepest a strict account of it, resolved to let no slip of mine pass unpunished.

Vers. 15. If I be wicked, woe unto me, &c.] As if he should have said, whether I be wicked, or righteous, it is all one, I can however hope for no release of my misery; which agrees with that chap. 9.22, where he saith that God destroyeth the perfect and the wicked: for if I be wicked, woe unto me,