Annotations Upon the Books of Poetry

CHAP. XI.

Vers. 1. THen answered Zophar, &c.] The friends of Job, as became grave men, took then turns in order, and so spake to him one after another. Zophar therefore having heard the several answers which Job had returned to Eliphaz and Bildad, undertakes here in the third place to reprove and admonish him, as the other two had done before him; only indeed the heat of contention in these disputes, as is usually increasing by degrees, Zophar is somewhat more sharp and bitter then the other two had been, insomuch that he forbears not reproachful and reviling language, upbraiding him as a babbler, a liar, a mocker, &c. so highly he was offended with Job, even to passion, to see that after he had been twice reproved, he should again break forth into the same impatient complaints that he had used at the first, as we see he did in the latter end of the foregoing chapter, wherefore then hast thou brought me forth out of the womb ? &c.

Vers. 2. Should not the multitude of words be answered ? &c.] We may observe that Job had been hitherto much larger in his replies upon Eliphaz and Bildad, then they had been in their speeches to him; and indeed considering how full his heart was of sorrow, both by reason of the many miseries he suffered, and especially their unjust censuring of him hereupon as an hypocrite, no wonder it is, though he were abundant in pouring forth his complaints, and labored by all the arguments he could to clear himself from their accusations. But Zophar receiving no satisfaction from that which he had spoken, and therefore fretting to hear him heap up so many words, as he conceived, to no purpose, (the rather perhaps because he longed to vent what he had conceived in his mind to reply upon him) he upbraids him with his multitude of words ; and it is very probable (as is noted before concerning Bildad, chap. 8. • .) that he interrupted Job, and would not let him go on as he meant to have done, Should not, saith he, the multitude of words be answered? and should a man full of talk be justified ? wherein he would imply either 1. That it was not fit that he should run on as he had done, and that nobody should be suffered to speak but himself, and that when men are thus talkative, not willing to hear anybody crowd in a word with them, they should be reproved for it, and not be bolsterd up in their vain babbling by the silence of those that stand by, but should be made to know that in the multitude of words there wanteth not sin. Prov. 10.19. or 2. That it was not fit that he should carry the cause away only with his pouring forth such a multitude of words. Usually indeed men are unwilling to answer those that are all tongue and talk, as knowing that it is to no purpose, it is not possible to stop such men's mouths, they will have the last word; but yet because when standers by are silent in this kind, they seem to give a tacit consent to the truth of that which such bablers say, and so to justify that they have spoken, therefore it is not fit such men should be unanswered; and as for Job he should know, that let him talk never so long and with never so much eloquence set a fair color upon an ill cause, that should not serve his turn, because they were resolved to answer him, and to discover the weakness of all that he had spoken.

Vers. 3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace ?] Job had formerly appealed to them, that he did not lie in that which he spake, chap. 6.28; nor was there indeed any great likely-hood that he should lie, especially at this time when the hand of God was so heavy upon him, and he looked for death as it were every moment. But so confident Zophar was, as his other two friends before him had been, that God would never have laid such sore and grievous judgments upon him, had he not been an hypocrite, that thereupon he persuaded himself, that what he had affirmed concerning his own integrity was utterly false, and that he spake not sincerely in all that he had spoken concerning the justice of God; and so he upbraids Job with lying, and protests against a silent swallowing down those untruths he had uttered; Should thy lies make men hold their peace ? we may read it also, Should thy devices make men hold their peace ? But both readings are much to the same effect, lies being nothing else but devised untruths, according to that answer which Nehemiah returned to the false accusations of Sanballat and his companions, Neh. 6.8. There are no such things done as thou sayest, but thou feignest (or devisest) them out of thine own heart. However the drift of Zophar in these words is evident, namely, that he judged it an unreasonable thing to hold his peace, when he heard him utter such gross falsehoods; and that though some men may have their mouths stopped with a fair flourishing tale or plea, though there be never a word of truth in it, and some may judge it in vain to argue with one that cares not what untruth he utters; yet he thought it unfit to let him so carry it, but was resolved to disproove those devises and falsehoods, wherewith he had sought to justify himself.

And when thou mockest shall no man make thee ashamed ?] As if he should have said, it is impossible that a man that fears God should hear thee speak in such a scornful flouting manner, as thou hast done both of God and of the reproofs and admonitions of thy friends, and not seek to discover thy folly and wickedness herein to thy shame. Some conceive that Zophar speaks this in reference to that which Job had said, chap. 10, 3, (as thinking he had spoken that in a mocking manner) Is it good unto thee that thou shouldest oppress? that thou thouldest despise the work of thine hands, &c. and others refer it to other passages. But I rather think that he speaks it more generally, as apprehending that in many passages he had only made a mock of that which his friends had spoken to him.

Vers. 4. For thou hast said, My doctrine is pure and I am clean in thine eyes. ] His meaning is, that he had maintained that to be true which he had spoken concerning God and his providence, the afflictions of the righteous and the prosperity of the wicked, &c. and that he was innocent and upright before God: and it may well be that Zophar spake this in reference to that which Job had said chap. 6, 10. I have not concealed the words of the Holy one. and again verse. 30. Is there iniquity in my tongue ? and so likewise, chap. 10.7. Thou knowest that I am not wicked. But yet because Job had so clearly again and again expressed himself, that he durst not justify himself before God, as chap. 9.20. If I justify myself (saith he) mine own mouth shall condemn me; If I say I am perfect, it shall also prove me perverse, it is most probable, that Zophar in these words intended not to charge him any farther then thus, to wit, for saying that he by any secret wickedness or hypocrisy had not provoked God to punish him so severely; for this Zophar judged a lie, and a reproach of God, as holding that God would never have made him such a pattern of misery, had he not been an hypocrite.

Vers. 5. But, O that God would speak and open his lips against thee. ] Because Job had wished that he might plead with God concerning his condition, chap. 9.34, 35. Let him take his rod away from me and let not his fear terrify me, then would I speak and not fear him, and because he had for the most part in the foregoing chapter directed his speech to God, verse. 2. I will say unto God, do not condemn me; show me wherefore thou contendest with me, and because withal Zophar apprehended, that he minded not what his friends said to him, nothing that they spake did the least good upon him, so that though it were his turn now to speak, it would be to no purpose, therefore he wisheth here that God would by himself answer him, O that God would speak and open his lips against thee, (which must needs be meant either of God's convincing him by the inward voice of his own spirit, or else rather of God's speaking to him in a vision, or by an audible voice from heaven, as afterwards indeed he did, chap. 38.1.) hereby implying that if God should plead with him, or but open his lips to speak a word to him (which yet after all his importunate desires he might see God had refused to do) he would then see his folly, and would find that God had in no degree dealt so severely with him.

Vers. 6. And that he would show thee the secrets of wisdom, that they are double to that which is, &c.] A very difficult passage this is, so that there are very few Expositors that agree in one judgment concerning the meaning of it. By the secrets of wisdom may be meant, either the secrets of divine instruction which men do not nor cannot sufficiently comprehend, or the secrets of God's purposes and counsels in the manifold dispensations of his providence; and so accordingly by God's showing Job that these secrets of wisdom are double to that which is may be meant, either that the conformity which God requires of man to his will, is double to that which is, that is, far more then that which man apprehends, or which is found in the best; or that the secret contrivements of God in the works of his providence are double to that which is, that is, far more then what outwardly appears, or man can comprehend: And indeed both these might be well intended by Zophar, his drift being to imply to Job that God in his wisdom knew infinitely more that was sinful and vild in him then he knew by himself, and that therefore that which God in his wisdom knew might justly be laid upon him, was double to that which he did undergo; for this agrees fully with that following clause, know therefore that God exacteth of thee less then thine iniquity deserveth.

Vers. 7. Canst thou by searching find out God ? &c.] That is, thou canst not by all thy possible endeavors search and find out God, to wit, to know him or his ways and counsels perfectly; we may know him in part, much we may understand concerning God by observing the footsteps of his power, wisdom, and goodness in the creatures, but to know him exactly and unto perfection is absolutely impossible; to express which that second clause is added▪ canst thou find out the Almighty unto perfection ?

Vers. 8. It is as high as heaven, what canst thou do ? &c.] That is, if by all we can do, we cannot exactly find out and know the height of the heaven, or the depth of hell, or the length and breadth of the earth and Sea, how much less shall we be able to comprehend him, or the wisdom of his providence, who is infinite and therefore incomprehensible: and in all this Zophars aim still is to show Job how foolish a thing it was to quarrel with God, because he could not see the reason why he proceeded so severely with him.

Vers. 10. If he cut off, and shut up, or gather together, then who can hinder him ?] The first word (which is in our translation If he cut off ) may be renderd, If he make a change. But however that be translated it is not easy to say what is meant by that or the following words of shutting up and gathering together. Some conceive that all these words do but express one and the same thing, to wit, the Lord's overturning the whole frame and course of nature, If he cut off (or make a change) and shut up, or gather together, that is, if he turn and change, destroy and subvert the whole frame and course of nature, and so mingling things together should reduce all into a confused chaos again, then who can hinder him ? that is, nobody can control him, or allege any just reason why he should not do best in so doing; and hereby (they say) Zophar gave Job to understand, that if God might thus change and break in pieces the whole frame of nature, and be unquestionably wise in so doing, it were strange that now he should be called in question for the subverting of his family alone. Again others understand the words of two contrary dispensations of providence, thus, that if God will deal well with some and ill with others, if some he will destroy or shut up in prison, and others he will gather together into towns, cities or provinces, or if he will at one time destroy or shut up, and another time gather together and save the very same persons, all this he may do in great wisdom. Again others by cutting off (or making a change) understand the subverting and ruining people, families or persons, and by shutting up the bringing of men into great straits and difficulties; but then by gathering together they understand the gathering together his witnesses or his armies for the condemning of those whom he intends to judge, or for the cutting off those whom he hath condemned; so that, I say, Expositors differ much in their judgment concerning the meaning of these words. But yet however the drift of the words seems to be clear, to wit, from the unsearchableness of God's wisdom to conclude, that whatsoever strange things God should do, yea though he should overturn all things and mingle heaven and earth together, yet it were not fit that men should question his proceedings therein. Indeed Job himself had said as much before in effect, chap. 9, 12. Behold, he taketh away, who can hinder him? But it seems Zophar conceived that this could not agree with other things that he had spoken, and therefore he presseth him here with this which himself had acknowledged.

Vers. 11. For he knoweth vain men, &c.] It is also very questionable how this depends upon that which went before. 1. It may be added to show why God in great wisdom doth so diversely deal with the same men, sometimes blessing them, and at other times again sorely afflicting them, to wit, because he knoweth vain men, that is, he knoweth the vanity and inconstancy of men; such is the fickleness of the best, that they are ever and anon ready to start aside from the ways of righteousness, and therefore he cannot proceed with them in one continued way and course of gentleness and favor. 2. It may be added to show why it is not possible that any man should except against the wisdom of any of God's proceedings, to wit, because poor simple vain man is altogether unable to comprehend the wisdom of God in the several dispensations of his providence. But 3. It may be to show that when God is pleased to make any alterations in the world, there is no hindering of him in what he is resolved to do, for he knoweth vain men, that is, he knoweth that poor frail man cannot in the least withstand his will, he may do what he will with him; and 4. It may imply the reason why there is no excepting against the wisdom of God's proceedings, even when he doth cut off and destroy, namely because he knoweth vain men, that is, he knoweth exactly all that is amiss in man; though poor simple man cannot comprehend the ways and wisdom of God, yet God knows the vanity of man, the proneness of his nature to sin, and even when there is nothing to be discerned that is not right in the outward conversation, yet he knoweth the vanity that is in their hearts; so that men may wonder at the afflictions of those that yet are most justly afflicted, because they know not that evil in them which God knows by them. And this I the rather think is principally intended, because hereto agree the following words, he seeth wickedness also, will he not then consider it? as if he should have said, since God seeth all the evil that is done by the children of men shall we or can we think that God will pass it by as if it were nothing, and not lay it to heart, to punish men for it? Noah surely.

Vers. 12. For vain man would be wise, though man be born like a wild asses colt. ] Some conceive that man is here said to be born like a wild asses colt, because indeed when they first come into the world there seems to be no more knowledge and understanding in an infant newly born then in a wild asses colt newly foaled; But I rather think that this phrase relates to that brutishness which is in all men naturally as they are born into the world since the fall of our first parents, to wit, that they are no more able to comprehend the things and ways of God, then a wild asses colt is able to comprehend matters of reason. So that these words are I conceive added as in a way of derision, vain man would be wise, &c. that is, foolish man hath a high opinion of his own wisdom, and will many times pretend to so much wisdom and understanding, as to be able to judge of God's ways, and to expostulate with God concerning his works, whereas naturally, poor wretch, man is as brutish as unteachable, and intractable for the understanding of the things of God, as a wild asses colt is. This is I take it the clear meaning of the words; yet some would have the meaning to be this, that vain man would be wise, that is, he would be made wise, to wit, by God's chastisements, though naturally he be as brutish, as unteachable, & intractable in regard of such knowledge as the most stupid and untamed creature that is.

Vers. 13. If thou prepare thine heart and stretch out thine hands towards him. ] That is, if thou wilt with all sincerity of heart pray to the Lord for pardon and grace; for the stretching forth of the hands to heaven is the gesture of those that pray, as we see in Solomon 1 Kings 8.22. whereby is signified 1. The lifting up of the heart to God. 2. Their earnest desire and assured hope of receiving from God what they beg of him. 3. A holy striving with God, or an earnest intention of spirit as it were to take hold of God, and 4. Their yielding up themselves to God, as ready to do whatever he will have them.

Vers. 14. If iniquity be in thine hand, &c.] That is, if there be any sinful practice thou hast been inured to; or if there be anything unjustly gotten in thy possession; put it far away, that is, abandon it utterly; And let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacle, that is, neither walk thyself in any way of wickedness, nor suffer those of thy family to do that which is evil in God's sight: though wickedness may get into thy house, yet when thou knowest it, let it not stay there.

Vers. 15. For then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot. ] Job had said chap. 10.15. If I be righteous, yet will I not lift up my head, in reference to this Zophar tells him here, that if he would with a prepared heart repent and turn to the Lord, he might then lift up his head, Then shalt thou lift up thy face without spot, that is, then mayest thou walk cheerfully and comfortably, and hold up thy face before God or man as any occasion is offered without fear and without shame, Because when men have their faces spotted with dirt, they are ashamed to show their faces, whereas if those spots be washed away then they go abroad again without blushing or fear, therefore when a man can appear before God, or man with a countenance not cast down, either through the guilt of any foul spot of sin that lies upon him, or the shame of any reproach or dishonor that lies upon him, or of any punishment wherewith God hath testified against him, he may be then said to lift up his face without spot.

Yea thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear. ] The first clause, thou shalt be steadfast may be meant, 1. Of the steadfastness of his outward condition, to wit, that being upon his true repentance received into God's favor he should be established in a sure and steadfast prosperous condition; whereas when hypocrites are in a prosperous estate, there's no certainty of their continuance therein, they stand in a slippery place, being ever in danger of a dismal change and fall, his prosperity should be steadfast and permanent; free from all danger of the return of any such calamities as now he had suffered, and 2. Of the steadfastness of his mind, to wit, that he should have a settled and composed mind through the assurance of God's favor, and so free from all distraction of fear; and then thou shalt be steadfast is explained by the following words and shalt not fear. Because men in fear are always full of many roving distracted thoughts, sometimes suggesting this or that evil which they fear will come upon them, and sometimes contriving diversely what course they should take to help themselves, hence. they say is this expression, thou shalt be steadfast and shalt not fear. I know there are some that include in this promise likewise that spiritual steadfastness whereby he should be preserved from relapsing into sin; But I cannot see that this is so clear in the words.

Vers. 16. Because thou shalt forget thy misery, and remember it as waters that pass away. ] That is, thou shalt quite forget all thy former misery, or at least thou shalt scarcely or very little remember it: for three things the expression here used may imply; 1. That he should so long be freed from those calamities that had afflicted him, that he should in a manner forget that ever he had been so afflicted. 2. That he should be so perfectly delivered from those manifold miseries and calamities that he now lay under, that there should not be the least memorial left of them, to put him in mind of what he had suffered, thou shalt remember it as waters that pass away, that is, as a land-flood though it overflow all for a time, yet passeth away and is gone on a sudden, and then there is no sign of it left, to make one think there had ever been such mighty streams of water there, so should he be freed from those floods of affliction that had broken in upon him, insomuch that there should be no memorial of them left, but they should quite be forgotten. 3. That God should so abundantly bless him with all blessings inward and outward, that his present prosperity should quite put out of his mind all his former misery; even as the waters that run by in a river are no sooner out of sight then out of mind, by reason of a new supply of water that comes still in the room of that which passeth away. And indeed usually in the Scripture an eminency of prosperity is expressed in these terms, that it should be such as should make them forget their former sorrows, as Gen. 41.51. where Joseph being highly advanced in Egypt called his first-born son Manasseh, and gave this reason for it, For God, said he, hath made me forget all my toil, and Esa. 54.4. Thou shalt forget the shame of thy youth, and shalt not remember the reproach of thy widow-hood any mo • e, and John 16.21. A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come; but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world. and 4. That at least he should remember his former miseries without the least distress, or anxiety of mind for fear they should return again upon him; for this is to remember his misery, as waters that pass away, which being once gone can never possibly turn back again.

Vers. 17. And thine age shall be clearer then the noon day; thou shalt shine forth, thou shalt be as the morning. That is, thine adversity shall be suddenly changed into exceeding great prosperity; and so the remainder of thy time or life, even thine old age, which thou givest for lost, of which thou makest no reckoning, and which thou expectest will yield thee nothing but weakness and sorrow, shall be the prime part of thy days for joy and glory. To signify that his joy and glory should be exceeding great, it is said that his age should be clearer then the noon day : and to signify it should come suddenly after a sad night of affliction and should then continually increase more and more, it is said that he should shine forth and be as the morning.

Vers. 18. And thou shalt be secure because there is hope, &c.] That is, being in this prosperous condition, thou shalt be fearless of any such sad changes as have now befallen thee, and that because thou shalt then upon thy repentance have assured hope and confidence in God's love and favor; to which purpose also is that which follows, yea thou shalt dig about thee, and thou shalt take thy rest in safety, for thereby is meant, either that he should follow his husbandry, digging and ploughing his ground without any fear of an enemy, or digging for water for his flocks and herds without any to withstand him, yea figuratively it may be meant of the labors of any calling, as Luke 16.3. or 2. That he should sleep as securely, as those do that have digged some deep trench about them, to secure them from the breaking in of an enemy upon them, or 3. That if he did but build an house (for digging may be put for the digging of the foundation of a house) or dig a place to pitch his tent in, and withal some little trench about it (as the Arabians in those times used to do, to which Zophar seems here to allude) he should enjoy himself safelier herein then otherwise he would do in a walled city.

Vers. 19. Many shall make suit unto thee. ] That is, being so greatly enriched and highly exalted, many both great and small, yea even those that now insult over thee, shall crouch and bow before thee, and sue to thee for favor. Little did Zophar indeed think that this which he now promised Job should be accomplished in him, and his two companions Eliphaz and Bildad, that did now so harshly censure him. But yet so we see it was when the Lord sent them to Job humbly to desire him that he would pray for them, chap. 42.8, 9.

Vers. 20. But the eyes of the wicked shall fail, &c.] Because the fixing of the eye long upon one place to look for anything doth much weaken the sight, especially when also men weep much, by reason that they so earnestly desire and look for comes not (for nothing mars the eyes more then weeping, Lam. 2.11. Mine eyes do fail with tears ) therefore when men in misery do earnestly wait for deliverance or comfort and all in vain, it is usually expressed in the Scripture by this phrase of the failing of the eyes, as Psal. 69.3. Mine eyes fail while I wait for my God: and so here to express that wicked men shall in vain expect any help from God in their distress, he saith the eyes of the wicked shall fail, and then adds, they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost, the meaning whereof is either 1. That after all their expectation the end of their hope shall be a miserable death, or that they shall die in their misery, either by making themselves away in despair, or by some other way of God's just vengeance upon them, or 2. That in the conclusion they should come to be in as hopeless and desperate a condition, as is a man when he is giving up the ghost, or 3. That their hope should come to nothing, even as the breath of a man vanisheth to nothing when he giveth up the ghost, and therefore indeed some translate this clause thus, their hope shall be as a puff of breath. Now the main drift of this was to give Job a hint, that if he continued in his wickedness and did not repent, this at last would be his portion.

CHAP. XII.

Vers. 2. NO doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you. ] Because Zophar had interrupted Job when he was speaking, charging him with babbling forth a multitude of words to no purpose, yea with uttering many lies and falsehoods, chap. 11.2, 3. and had in effect, though covertly verse. 12. compared Job to a wild asses colt, Job therefore undertaking here to reply upon him upbraids Zophar, and together with him his other two friends also, who had all run on in the same strain, with the high conceit which they had of themselves, and their contempt of others; and this he doth not out of hatred or envy, not as scorning or disdaining his friends, but merely to reprove them for their vain-glorious exalting of themselves and despising of him: No doubt but ye are the people, &c. It is ironically spoken; and that which he upbraids them with is, either that they carried themselves, as if they thought that what they said was in effect as much, as if all the people in the world, or the whole people where they lived had said it, and that because they were the great Oracles for wisdom, to whose sayings all the people would be ready to subscribe; or else rather that they thought themselves the men, that is, the only wise men in the world, that nobody knew anything but they, all were fools yea brute beasts in comparison of them; insomuch that if they died, all wisdom must needs die with them, there would be nothing but darkness where their Sun shined not; and thus it is much to the same purpose, as is that ironicall expression of the Apostle, 1 Cor. 4.10. We are fools for Christ's sake, but ye are wise in Christ; we are weak but ye are strong, &c.

Vers. 3. But I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you, &c.] As if he had said, I see not but that through the grace of God, I am able to understand and judge of things as well as you, nor am, at least in this cause that I have pleaded against you, one whit inferior to you. Now this he adds also, not in a way of bragging and boasting, as vain-glorious men are wont to do, but only to plead so far for himself, that his friends might not slight what he said out of an overweening conceit of their own surpassing wisdom. And indeed the following clause shows that it was not from any high conceit of himself that he had spoken this; for therein he makes so little of that which they had spoken, that it could not seem pride in him to equal himself with them, yea, saith he, who knoweth not such things as these ? that is, such things as these that you have uttered, and which you magnify as such high points of wisdom, namely that God is infinitely wise and just, and is wont to do good to the godly and to punish the wicked; everyone, man or woman, that is but of ordinary understanding is able to say as much as this; and therefore there is no reason why you should so exceedingly exalt yourselves for the profound wisdom of that which you have spoken.

Vers. 4. I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who calleth upon God and he answereth him, &c.] The greatest difficulty in these words is, whereto that clause must be referred, who calleth upon God and he answereth him : Some refer it to the man that is mocked of his neighbor, and accordingly they conceive that those words who calleth upon God and he answereth him are added, 1. To imply that he means a holy righteous man that is mocked of his neighbor, one who though he be scorned and despised by those amongst whom he lives, yet God makes precious account of him, and is always ready to hear and answer him when he calls upon him; and hence those words are added in the following clause, the just upright man is laughed to scorn. 2. To imply the danger of those that do mock such a man, and that because if the good man that is thus despised of his neighbor do call upon God and make his complaint to him, God will answer his prayers and take his part against his neighbor that mocketh him. But then again others refer those words to the mocking neighbor, I am as one mocked of his neighbor, who, that is, which mocking neighbor, calleth upon God and he answereth him ; and accordingly also they conceive that these words are added to imply the prosperity of such a mocker, as if it had been said, I am as one mocked of his neighbor who lives in plenty and prosperity, God affording him whatever his own heart can desire: let him but ask or wish for anything God answers him and grants him his desire, yea and many times more then he desires, and so being in a prosperous condition himself he can mock and despise him that is in misery. And indeed though wicked men do never truly pray and call upon God, nor doth God ever regard such prayers as they make, yet even of such it may be said, that they call upon God and he answereth them, because the light of nature teacheth them to wish as it were, and in some kind to seek the good they desire of God, and commonly it is said of such prosperous men, that they are heavens favorites, and that God doth for them whatever they will. But however, the drift of Job in these words is manifest, to wit, covertly to blame them, for despising him as they had done. He had told them that he had understanding as well as they; but, saith he, it fares with me as with many other good men that being in affliction are despised even of their nearest neighbors and friends, that live in a high and prosperous condition.

Vers. 5. He that is ready to slip with his feet is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease. ] The drift of these words is the same with those in the foregoing verse. By a man ready to slip with his feet is meant one that is ready to sink under heavy calamities that lie upon him, one that is like to be utterly ruined and undone, in such desperate danger that there seems to be but a step betwixt him and death, he is every moment ready to fall under the heavy hand of God that is upon him; this is evident by many other places, as Deut. 32.35. To me belongeth vengeance and recompense, their foot shall slide in due time. Psal. 38.16, 17. When my foot slippeth they magnify themselves against me, for I am ready to halt and my sorrow is continually before me ▪ and Psal. 94.18. when I said, My foot slippeth; thy mercy, O Lord, held me up. Again on the other side that man is said to be at ease that lives in prosperity, and is not disquieted with the least affliction and sorrow, as we see Psal. 123.4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning of those that are at ease, and with the contempt of the proud, and thereto agrees that of the rich man, Luk. 12.19. I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years, take thine ease, &c. And lastly therefore whereas it is said here that he that is ready to slip with his feet, is as a lamp despised in the thought of him that is at ease, the meaning of this expression is, that men brought low by affliction are slighted and despised by those that are inprosperity, as poor, base, and worthless things. When a link or torch is burnt so far away that we can hold it no longer, when a candle is spent to the very snuff, though before they did us very good service, yet then they are of no farther use, but are like to be noisome, and therefore we cast them away and tread them underfoot, and so when men formerly of great esteem come to sink in affliction, those that are themselves in prosperity mind them no more then the snuff of a candle. And thus Job shows the reason why his friends did so despise him and regard his words so little; it was because he was brought so low, and they were at ease and felt not the least of that which he suffered. But yet withal too there is in these words a transition to that which next follows, to wit, the disprooving of that which his friends had jointly affirmed, concerning the certain prosperity of the righteous, and the misery of the wicked: Zophar had told Job that if he would repent and turn unto God, his age should be clearer then the Sun at noonday, chap. 11.17. but Job here tells him, that so far are the righteous from being always in such a glorious condition, that they are many times as a despised lamp, &c.

Vers. 6. The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure, &c.] Having reproved Zophar and the rest of his friends for scorning him as they had done, and despising what he had spoken, here he undertakes to disproove that which they had all so stiffly maintained, to wit, that the righteous do always prosper for outward things, and that the wicked are ever outwardly punished, and particularly that wherewith Zophar had concluded his speech, chap. 11.20. The eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, &c. alleging that none have usually such abundance of all outward things as the worst of men that carry themselves most insolently both towards God and man; and it is like that he instanceth the rather in the tabernacles of robbers as in relation to the Sabaeans and Chaldeans that had robbed him of his cattle.

Vers. 7. But ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee &c.] That which is most questionable in these words and that which follows in the two next verses is, how they have dependence upon that which went before. Some conceive that herein also Job still proceeds to prove that God doth nor always either bless the righteous with outward blessings, or else cut off and destroy the wiched; and two ways there are which Job might intend, whereby this might be learnt, even from the unreasonable and senseless creatures: for 1. This may be clearly gathered from hence, that even amongst beasts, and foul, and fishes, none fare better then those that are most fierce and ravenous, and live altogether by rapine and devouring those that are not so strong as themselves, and on the other side none fare worse then those that are best and gentlest, and least harmful to others, those that live upon prey will be fat and in good liking, when others it may be are ready to famish for want of food, and we see in daily experience that the pheasant and partridge the fowler looks after, when the kite and vulture are never minded; and thus it is too with beasts and fishes, there are multitudes more killed daily of those that are gentle and harmless, then of those that are most mischievous and feed altogether upon the blood of others, yea and amongst the plants of the earth, we use to observe that ill weeds grow apace, and poisonous plants do often flourish and spread faster then those that are most useful and most acceptable amongst men. Now since we may conclude with Job that none can be ignorant, but that these things are done thus by the special Providence of God, verse. 9. who knoweth not in all these that the hand of the Lord hath wrought this? we may gather from thence, that if God by his providence, doth for the glory of his own Name order it thus amongst the other creatures, why may he not also order it so amongst men, they being also the work of his own hand, and made for his glory as well as the rest. And again 2. It may be gathered from hence, that none have such plenty of the creatures, beasts, foul or fish, none have so great a portion of the earth as the wicked usually have; so that all the creatures do proclaim the certainty of this truth. But then others again conceive, that because Zophar had such high thoughts of that which he had spoken concerning the incomprehensible wisdom and power of God, therefore Job shows him, that every ordinary man might learn as much as that concerning God, though he had no other instructors then the dumb unreasonable and senseless creatures; Zophar had said, to set forth the transcendent wisdom of God, that it was as high as heaven, and deeper then hell, &c. chap. 11.8. Job here answers him that there was no need to climb up into heaven, or to descend down into hell to find out this, since we may learn it from every creature that we behold with our eyes; by every beast, bird, fish or plant we may easily learn this, that the God that made them must needs be a God of infinite and incomprehensible both wisdom and might.

Vers. 11. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? ] As if he should have said, and so likewise doth the mind of man discern these spiritual truths concerning God, which are taught by the Creatures; that which the dumb creatures proclaim concerning the wisdom, power, and providence of God, the reasonable soul of man may as plainly and easily discern, as the ear discerns words, or the mouth tastes meats; These are not such hidden mysteries as you would pretend, they may be easily discovered even by the outward senses. Thus very many Expositors understand this clause, and so take it as added by way of amplifying what is said in the foregoing verses, concerning the clear discovery that is made of God's incomprehensible wisdom and power in everyone of the creatures. But yet there is another exposition that is given of these words, which is judged by many better then the former. Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? that is, as the mouth doth discern the taste of meats, what is sweet and what is sour, what hath a pleasant, what an unpleasant relish, so is the ear to judge of words we hear spoken, to wit, whether they be true or false, what is wisely and what is foolishly spoken. And if we thus understand the words, then the drift of Job therein must be, either to show the reason why he did not immediately embrace all for truth which they had spoken (which it seems they expected he should have done, and therefore were offended that he did oppose them) it was because his ears were given him to hear what was spoken, that then he might judge of it, even as his mouth was to judge of the taste of his meat: or else to answer that which Bildad had said, chap. 8.8, 9. Enquire I pray thee of the former age, and prepare thyself to the search of their fathers; for we are but of yesterday and know nothing, &c. showing that we are not to be carried away merely with the learning or age of the speaker, but by the ear must judge of what is spoken, even as by the mouth we judge of the taste of meats that are set before us; or else rather by way of reproving his friends, because they slighted and disregarded his words, yea because they misconstrued what he had spoken, and that for want of due pondering and considering his words, Doth not the ear try words? and the mouth taste his meat? as if he had said, ought you not to let your ears do their office, which is to attend to that which I speak, and not thus to slight what I say, and so for want of well weighing my words to misunderstand and pervert what I have spoken? And indeed because Elihu useth the same expression, thereby to persuade Job and his friends well to mind what he would say, chap. 34.2, 3. Hear my words, O ye wise men, and give ear unto me ye that have knowledge; for the ear trieth words, as the mouth tasteth meat, this is that I conceive which Job also chiefly intended in these words.

Vers. 12. With the ancient is wisdom and in length of days understanding. ] Either this is added, as a farther illustration of that which he had said concerning the knowledge of God which may be learnt from the creatures, namely that hence it comes to pass that ancient men, that have many years observed what God hath discovered in the works of creation, are therefore better able to judge of these things then young men are; and some are of opinion, that Job might herein covertly strike at some of his friends that were younger then he, and yet insulted over him, as if he were not worthy to speak to them. But yet because elsewhere it seems evident that these friends of Job were very aged men, chap. 15.10. With us are both the gray-headed and very aged men, much elder then thy father, saith Eliphaz; and Elihu speaking to these friends of Job, chap. 32.6, 7. I am, saith he, young and ye are very old; wherefore I was afraid, and durst not show mine opinion, I said, Daies should speak and multitude of years should teach wisdom, I should rather think that this is added, either in answer to that which Bildad had said, chap. 8.8, 9. concerning enquiring of the aged (of which mention is made above in the foregoing Note) or at least in answer to the high opinion, which his friends might have of their great wisdom because of their years, wherein he first yields, that it is true indeed that with the ancient is wisdom, that is, they have had a fair advantage for the gaining of wisdom; but then adds in the following verse what doth plainly imply, that yet all the wisdom in man, however it is to be esteemed in itself, is no better then vanity if it come to be compared with the wisdom of God; and that therefore we ought not so to prize the judgment of men of great years, as therefore to reject any truth which God hath taught us.

Vers. 13. With him is wisdom and strength, he hath counsel and understanding. ] Some indeed conceive that Job here expresseth what it is that men learn concerning God from the creatures; to wit, that with him, (that is, with God) is wisdom and strength, &c. But rather, as is noted on the former verse, this is added as by way of correcting or opposing what was said there concerning the wisdom of the aged; Nay, saith he, with him, that is, with God, is both wisdom and power too, and that in such a transcendent manner, that the wisdom that is in the wisest of men is not worthy the name of wisdom in comparison of that which is in God; he is essentially, infinitely, incomprehensibly wise and mighty; and this unsearchable wisdom he daily exerciseth in disposing all things that are done in the world.

Vers. 14. He shutteth up a man and there can be no opening. ] That is, if he undertake to shut up a man forever, either in prison or in any straits of distress, or under the power of any sickness or calamity whatever, there is no possibility ever to find out any way to set such a man free.

Vers. 15. Behold, he withholdeth the waters and they dry up, &c.] That is, he withholdeth the waters from above, the rain, and then the waters beneath in ponds, lakes, brooks and rivers do soon dry up: or it may be understood without any such distinction of the waters above and the waters beneath, to wit, that if God commands that there shall be a drought and forbears to give a supply of water either by rain from above, or springs and fountains beneath, there will soon be no water left, which agreeth fully with that of the prophet Nahum, chap. 1.4. He rebuketh the sea and maketh it dry, and drieth up all the rivers ; yea and then all things growing in such places are dried and parched up too; also he sendeth them out and they overturn the earth, that is, the fruits and inhabitants of the earth where these floods of water come.

Vers. 16. With him is strength and wisdom, &c.] This is the very same that Job had said before verse. 13. (for though in the original there be not the same words here and there, yet they are to the same purpose and meaning, and therefore are rendered by our Translatours with the same words) and two probable reasons may be given, why here he should so immediately repeat the same thing again; as 1. Because that verse. 13. might be only intended to show what God is in himself, to wit, that he is a God of infinite wisdom and might; and then this here he might add, either to show that this wisdom and might of God is every moment discovered in his wise and wonderful ordering of all things that are, and that are done in the world, or else that all the strength and wisdom that is in the creature comes from him and is at his disposing, so that he gives and takes it away as seems good in his own eyes, and 2. Because being now to instance in works of providence, that are far more above the reach of man's reason, then anything he had yet spoken of, he repeats again here that which he said before concerning the wonderful power and wisdom of God, thereby as it were, to curb men from quarrelling and contending with God about such things, which is most clear in the first particular he alledgeth in the words that immediately follow, The deceived and the deceiver are his, that is, they are both alike under God's all-ordering power and command, who is the Sovereign Lord of the whole world, and are herein guided by his providence, and made to serve his counsels and glory; when one man seduceth another into any error, or any other way gulls and deceives him, there is a hand of God herein, it is by the decree, and appointment, and providence of God, that the one attempts to deceive and that the other is deceived by him. At this and such like truths naturally men are ready to startle, questioning how it can stand with the justice and holiness of God, that he should have any hand in the ordering of such things as this, (and yet we see the Scripture doth often expressly affirm it, as Ezek. 14.9. If the prophet be deceived when he hath spoken a thing, I the Lord have deceived that prophet, and 2 Thess. 2.11. God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie ) To prevent therefore men's cavilling at such truths as this, this clause is here prefixed again, with him is strength and wisdom, intimating that even these things could not be done without the concurrence of God's almighty and all-ruling power, and that all that he doth he doth with great wisdom, though we cannot comprehend how it should be.

Vers. 17. He leadeth counselors away spoiled, and maketh the judges fools,. ] The meaning of these words is plainly this, that God many times makes fools of the wisest of men, such as are counselors and judges, who are usually esteemed the great Oracles of wisdom in the several places and times wherein they live, according to that prayer of David, when he heard that Ahithophel that great Politician sided with his son Absalom, 2 Sam. 15.31. O Lord, I pray thee, turn the counsel of Ahithophel into foolishness, to wit, either by a real depriving them of their wisdom and understanding (and in that sense some Expositors conceive that they are here said to be spoiled, that is, stripped of those abilities of mind, which formerly they had) or else by infatuating them so that they speak and do those things, which one would think none but fools or mad men should speak or do, or else by crossing them so in all their subtle plots and devices, that all their wisdom proves no better then folly; & indeed thus some understand the word ( spoiled ) in the first clause, namely that he causeth counselors notwithstanding their great wisdom to be carried into captivity, spoiled and stripped of all their riches and dignity and power, whence it is that the vanquishing and captivity of Egypt is expressed thus, Esa. 19.11, 13. Surely the Princes of Zoan are fools, the counsel of the wise counselors of Pharaoh is become brutish. However because God is manifested by his vanquishing and ruining the great Politicians of the world, especially when they proudly opposed him and his kingdom, it may well be said that he leads them away spoiled, as Princes are wont to do those they have vanquished in a way of triumph.

Vers. 18. He loseth the bond of kings and girdeth their loins with a girdle. ] Three several ways this may be understood, to wit, 1. That when kings are in bonds, the Lord many times freeth them from their captivity and bondage (as he did Manasseh, 2 Chron. 33.13.) and restores them to the Regal dignity again; for the girdle about the loins is sometimes mentioned in the Scripture as an ornament of princes, and therefore in allusion thereto it is said of Christ, Isa. 11.5. Righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. See Ier. 13.1, &c. or 2. That he many times degradeth kings and deposeth them from the Regal state (for by the bond of kings may be meant the Regal or military Belt wherewith they are girded, and so the loosing thereof may well signify their being deprived of their Sovereignty) and that they are brought to the mean condition of other ordinary men, he girdeth their loins with a girdle ; or 3. (which I like the best) that he often sets subjects free from the bondage of kings (for by the bond of kings may be meant that authority and power, whereby the people are held as bond-slaves in subjection to them) and then bringeth those kings to be themselves in a very low and mean, yea a servile and captivated condition; for because in the Eastern countries, where they wore long garments, in all preparations for travel or labor they used to gird themselves; therefore girding with a girdle is often mentioned in the Scripture as the posture and habit of servants, according to that of the Lord to his servant, Luke. 17.8. Make ready wherewith I may sup and gird thyself and serve me, and so also Luk. 12.37.

Vers. 20. He remooveth away the speech of the trusty. ] By the trusty understand men of sure credit, men of such sufficiency and faithfulness for instruction or advice, that princes and others may safely rest and rely upon them, men actually trusted or worthy to be trusted with public affairs; and it is said that God remooveth away the speech of such trusty men, either when he takes away such men, and perhaps sends in their room either flatterers or fools, according to that, Isa. 3.1, 2, 3. For behold, the Lord, the Lord of hosts doth take away from Jerusalem and from Judah—The judge, and the prophet, and the prudent, and the ancient, &c. or else when such as were trusty before become weak or faithless, and so are unable to instruct or advise, or else teach falsehoods or give ill counsel; or when he causeth men not to give any credit to their advice, which he often doth in a way of punishment for the sins of a people.

Vers. 21. He poureth contempt upon Princes, and weakeneth the strength of the mighty. ] To wit, either by depriving them of their strength, or by crossing them so in all their enterprises that they are as men that have no power to effect anything they go about. This last clause is in the Original and looseth the girdle of the strong ; for because girding causeth strength, and men are the more steady and nimble when their armor or garments are girt close about them, especially in those countries where they wore long garments, hence this phrase of loosening the girdle of the strong is used for making the strong weak, or opposing them so that they are not able to do what they endeavor, but are as men that are clogged and hampered with their long loose garments.

Vers. 22. He discovereth deep things out of darkness and bringeth out to light the shadow of death ] Some refer this to God's revealing to his prophets the interpretation of dreams and visions, and discovering things that should long after come to pass; others to his bringing to light the most hidden things, which seemed to be buried in perpetual darkness, such as are the secret plots and conspiracies of enemies, (which may also be called the shadow of death, because the dangers thereof are terrible and horrible as death;) yea some refer it to God's rending asunder the earth with earth-quakes, whereby those inward depths of the earth are discovered, which otherwise would never have been seen. But doubtless the meaning of the words is general, to wit, that there is nothing so secret but God doth many times bring it to light; and it may well be too which some conceive, that this particular is added the rather to intimate that by such discovering of the hellish secrets of many men, he maketh it evident that he doth not execute the judgments before mentioned merely to exercise a tyrannical power over his creatures, but that he hath just cause to do as he doth, though we know it not.

Vers. 23. He increaseth the nations and destroyeth them; he enlargeth the nations and streighteneth them again. ] That is, he mightily increaseth the number of a people and then destroyeth them, and brings them to a handful again; and so likewise he many times enlargeth their territories, dominion, power and wealth, and then bringeth them again into as great straits and as low a condition as ever before.

Vers. 24. He taketh away the heart of the chief of the people of the earth, &c.] By the chief of the people of the earth may be meant either the Princes and Rulers of each nation, or those that are the chief and choicest amongst a people for wisdom and courage, &c. and it is said that God taketh away the heart of these men, and causeth them to wander in a wilderness, &c. because he many times deprives them of their wisdom and understanding, & brings them into unavoidable straits, into a desperate lost condition, so that they are as men in a wood or wilderness not knowing which way to turn themselves, yea as blind and drunken men that grope at noon-day as if it were night, and thereupon enter upon ways which no wise man ever trod, and take up resolutions and counsels that are most pernicious to themselves and others. This I conceive is the true meaning of the words, yet some understand it literally that God takes away all heart and courage from them, and so causeth them to go into desolate wildernesses to hide themselves.

CHAP. XIII.

Vers. 1. LOe, mine eye hath seen all this, &c.] The drift of Job in these two verses is the same, as in that he had said before chap. 12.2, 3. (concerning which therefore see the Notes there) to upbraid his friends for despising him out of a high conceit which they had of themselves, by willing them to observe from what he had now spoken, that he understood as much concerning the justice, the wisdom, the power and providence of God as they did.

Vers. 3. Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God. ] Zophar had said chap. 11.5. O that God would speak▪ and open his lips against thee, and that as deriding Job's former confidence in wishing he might plead his cause with God; in reference hereto therefore Job here professeth that he was still of the same mind, Surely I would speak to the Almighty, and I desire to reason with God, as if he had said, I could say much more to you, but however confident you are, that it would go ill with me if God should grant me my wish herein, I still desire rather that I might plead my cause with the Almighty; not as with an adversary but as before my judge; not to accuse him for anything he hath done to me, (which never came into my thoughts) but to justify myself against your false accusations, and modestly to desire to be informed by him why his hand is so heavy upon me, which as yet I profess I understand not: You judging of me by what I suffer, and misconstruing all that I speak, do most unjustly condemn me for an hypocrite; but now God is omniscient, and knows the integrity of my heart, and besides he is true and just and will therefore certainly bear witness to the truth, and justify his servant whom you condemn; so that though I know God in his majesty must needs be terrible to his enemies, yet trusting in mine integrity I should desire to plead my cause before him.

Vers. 4. But ye are forgers of lies, ye are all physicians of no value. ] 1. Because they had affirmed that God never laid such sore afflictions upon any righteous man, as he had done upon him, and thence concluded that he was a wicked hypocrite, but yet withal had very cunningly and artificially composed their speeches with many fair flourishes and plausible pretences, that they spake what they spake merely out of zeal for God's glory, to defend his unquestionable justice and holiness, and out of a desire to win Job to repent of his wickedness, and so to seek reconciliation with God, thence is that expression, But ye are forgers of lies, much like that Psal. 50.19. Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit ; and so also he retorts upon them that sin of lying, wherewith they had unjustly before charged him, chap. 11.3. and 2. Because misjudging of him, and so not rightly applying the truth they had delivered, under a pretence of comforting him, they had added to his afflictions and done what in them lay to drive him to despair, and all their exhortations that he should repent, &c. were to no purpose, therefore he terms them physicians of no value, as being herein like to unskillful physicians, who not considering or not understanding the disease of their patients, give them good medicines, but altogether improper for such a disease, and so do them more hurt then good. The expression is to the same sense with that where he calls them miserable comforters, chap. 16.2.

Vers. 5. O that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom. ] Zophar had protested that he could not hold his peace, and suffer Job to run on as he had done, chap. 11.3. Should thy lies make men hold their peace? &c. and it seems in relation hereto Job now tells him, that considering how false and to no purpose that was that he had spoken, as was implied in the foregoing verse, it would be a part of greater wisdom if both he and the rest of his friends would hold their peace, and so hearken to what he should say to them, and that had they continued silent as they were at first, when for seven days together they sat by him and spake not one word to him, chap. 2.13. they had never discovered so much folly as now they had done; which agrees fully with that of Solomon, Prov. 17, 28, Even a fool when he holds his peace is counted wise, and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.

Vers. 7. Will you speak wickedly for God and talk deceitfully for him? ] They speak wickedly for God that under a pretence of pleading for God, do speak anything that is evil or wicked, or which if it be well examined doth indeed tend to the great dishonor of God; and so also they talk deceitfully for him that maintain that which in their own consciences they know is not true, and yet they cunningly set a fair gloss upon it and carry the matter with a great show of zeal for God, and for the defense of his justice: Now this Job chargeth upon his friends, because under a pretence of pleading for God they accused Job to be a wicked man, though they had long experience of him and knew to the contrary. and because they affirmed that God were not just if he should so severely punish a righteous man, which was indeed dishonorable to God, as if God might not justly correct the most innocent man, or do with his own creatures what seemed good in his own eyes? Will you speak wickedly for God? &c. as if he should have said, can you judge it right to patronise God's cause with lies? Hath he need of any such defense? or do you think he will like it that you should plead his cause in such a manner?

Vers. 8. Will ye accept his person, &c.] That is, will you as by way of gratifying God speak that for him, which you in your own consciences know is not right and true? as those do that accept the persons of great men, and so not regarding the cause but the person, will speak anything in favor of them, though they know it to be never so false; And to the same sense we must understand the next clause, will ye contend for God ? that is, will you thus contend and wrangle for God against that which you know to be just and right? To contend for the glory of God in a right manner is exceeding commendable; but that which Job upbraids his friends with in these words is, that they should think, as it were, to do God a pleasure by speaking that which was false in his defense.

Vers. 9. Is it good that he should search you out? &c.] As if he had said, you cancannot be ignorant that God knows all that is in your hearts more exactly, then men can know anything which with greatest diligence they search into; so that how zealous soever you seem for God, and how cunningly soever you frame your accusations against me, if that you have spoken have proceeded more from corrupt passion then true zeal, more from a desire to conquer, then to comfort me; if you deal not candidly and sincerely with me, if you charge me with that which in your consciences you know is not true, and that as it were to collogue and curry favor with him, or if you do indeed think in your hearts that God is unjust if he punisheth the righteous, God will find this out, and can you think that this will be any advantage to you? Take heed, you cannot mock and deceive God, as one man mocketh and deceiveth another.

Vers. 10. He will surely reprove you, if ye do escretly accept persons. ] If you unjustly accuse me, that thereby you may seem to gratify God, though you do this never so secretly and cunningly under a pretence of maintaining his justice, he he will reprove you and punish you for it; though from men this may be concealed, God will discover it and make you smart for it.

Vers. 11. Shall not his excellency make you afraid? &c.] That is, shall not the majesty of God scare you from thinking to deal with God, as you would deal with a man as yourselves?

Vers, 12. Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay. ] By their remembrances may be meant, either particularly their fame and memorial after their death, or else more generally whatever was excellent and worthy to be remembered concerning them, as their great honor, power, wealth, their high esteem, and the memorable acts they had done whilst they lived. So that this is doubtless added as a reason of that he had said in the foregoing words, that the majesty of God might well scare them from thinking to deal with God, as they had done, to wit, because of their base and despicable condition in regard of that transcendent excellency that was in God: Your remembrances are like unto ashes, your bodies to bodies of clay, As if he should have said, how dare such vile and contemptible creatures as you are, in whom all that is most memorable shall come to nothing, as ashes that are scattered with a puff of wind and are seen no more, even your very bodies no better then earthen pots or heaps of clay, how dare you speak of God as you have done? Consider your condition what you are in comparison of God, and you will see your folly in thinking to come in with your lies to help him, as it were at a dead lift. The expression is much like that chap. 4.19. concerning which see the Note there. Some indeed understand this to have been spoken as by way of threatening, to wit, that because they had spoken so rashly and reproachfully of God, both themselves and their memorial should utterly perish and come to nothing, even as when ashes, the only memorial of wood burnt, are blown away, and so are as if they had never been; nor could there an apter punishment be threatened to proud men that are so ambitious to have their names had in remembrance when they are gone. But the first exposition agreeth best with that which went before and that which follows after.

Vers. 13. Let me alone that I may speak, and let come on me what will. ] Some think that Job only intended hereby, that he was resolved to speak however his friends took it or what censure soever they should pass upon him. But it may better be referred to the determination of God. Job's friends had advised him to forbear those speeches he had used, as out of compassion to him, least he should provoke God to lay his hand yet more heavily upon him; He desires therefore here that not taking thought in this kind for him, they would give him free liberty to plead his cause with God, and then let God do to him what he pleased. Yet this he speaks not in a desperate manner, as not caring what became of him, but as out of assurance of God's fatherly love, as is evident in that which follows verse. 15.

Vers. 14. Wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth and put my life in mine hand? ] Because when a man is solicitous to keep a thing safe, he will carry it in his hand, and will scarce let it go out of his hand upon any occasion, therefore putting the life in the hand is interpreted by some for a solicitous care of life; As if he had said, wherefore do I keep my life so close, as if I were loath to part with it? what need I take so much care for my life? since if I loose my life I know it shall be well with me: If God slay me, I will trust in him. But rather on the contrary putting the life into the hand may note a man's readiness to die; And so here Job might say that he put his life in his hand, either because he was in a manner a dying man, ready every moment as I may say to lay down his life, or else because he was so willing and desirous to die, and to give up his life. It is a phrase frequent in the Scripture, concerning which see the Note. Judge. 12.3. But now the first clause, wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? is far more obscure; but the most probable expositions that I meet with are these. 1. Some conceive that it was an ordinary proverbial speech in those times to say of those that were desirous to die, that they took their flesh in their teeth, meaning that they were so weary of their lives, that they could find in their hearts to tear themselves in pieces, thereby as it were to open a passage to let forth their souls: and that therefore, as in relation to the frequent professions he had made how earnestly desirous he was to die, he asketh his friends here, wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth, and put my life in my hand? that is, wherefore am I so eagerly desirous to die? think you that I speak it as out of despair? No such matter, No, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, as he adds in the next words. 2. Some hold that because men that are inwardly enraged and tormented in their minds are wont to tear their own flesh with their teeth, or at least to pine and consume away, and so in that sense may be said to eat their own flesh, as it is said of the slothful fool that starveth himself with mere idleness, Eccles. 4.5. He foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, therefore Job useth these expressions as by way of checking himself for being so immoderately disquieted in his mind for anything, which either his friends said or he suffered: wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? &. as if he had said, why should I thus pine myself with grief, and eat up mine own flesh with sorrow, or why do I thus vex and fret and torment myself, as one that in the indignation and anguish of his soul is ready to tear his own flesh, and to give up the ghost? there is no cause at all why I should do thus, though he slay me, yet will I trust in him, and 3. Again some think that the ground of these expressions was, either because his flesh was so chapt and broken in several places that he might bite out pieces with his teeth, or because he was so wasted, that all his flesh would scarce make one mouthfull, or else rather because his pain and misery was many times so extreme and insupportable, that ever and anon it made him ready to tear his flesh with his teeth, and so the meaning of these words, wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth? &c, must be that he desired to know of his friends either why such grievous intolerable punishments should be laid upon him, if as they said God did only punish wicked men, since he was not conscious to himself of any such horrible wickedness that he had committed, or why he might not desire to plead his cause with God, since it was evident he did not complain without great cause.

Vers. 15. Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him : &c.] That is, though I were at the point of death yet would I trust in him for help; yea though I were sure that God would slay me, yet would I rely upon his mercy, in full expectation that thereby I should only be brought to a better life. Now this he adds, either by way of checking himself for his former impatience, and resolving from henceforth what he would do; or else to imply how strange it was, that notwithstanding this his trust and confidence in God he should be so severely dealt with; or to show that though his miseries made him complain sometimes very bitterly, yet he did not despair of God's love to him; or else to prove that he was not a wicked wretch as they pretended he was. And therefore is that too which he next adds, but I will maintain mine own ways before him, that is, though I will rely upon his mercy whatever he doth to me, yet I will plead my cause and maintain mine innocence before him, and that in the integrity and sincerity of mine heart, as knowing that he searcheth the heart and the reins.

Vers. 16. He also shall be my salvation, &c.] That is, I know he will preserve me in these miseries, and in his good time deliver me from them, or at least that he will save me eternally hereafter. As for the following clause, for an hypocrite shall not come before him, that is added to show a reason why he would maintain his ways before God, as he had said in the foregoing verse, namely, because he knew well that if he were an hypocrite God would not endure him; and this his friends had charged him with chap. 8.13.

Vers. 18. Behold now, I have ordered my cause, I know that I shall be justified. ] That is, now I have examined mine own conscience, and have weighed and digested what I shall say in mine own defense, whereas you condemn me for a wicked hypocrite, I know that herein God will justify me: and so indeed it proved at last when God passed that sentence against his friends, chap. 42.7. ye have not spoken of me the thing that is right, as my servant Job hath.

Vers. 19. Who is he that will plead with me? &c.] That is, trusting therefore in the unquestionable justice of my cause, let who will undertake to plead with me, I am here ready to defend myself against them: But however plead I must my cause with God; for now if I hold my tongue, I shall give up the ghost, that is, being provoked and vexed, as I have been with the opprobrious speeches you have used against me, if I should not ease the grief of my heart by speaking, it would burst within me and so kill me.

Vers. 20. Only do not two things unto me; then will I not hide myself from thee. ] That is, then shall I have no cause to hide myself from thee, then shall I not shrink from appearing before thee, but shall boldly come into thy presence to plead my cause. Now the two things he desires of God are those expressed in the following verse to wit, the one that God would free him from the present miseries that lay upon him, wherewith being oppressed, distracted and disturbed it was not possible he should, with that freedom of mind as was fitting, intend what he should say and order his speech aright before God; and the other that God would secure him from the terrors of his majesty and power for the future, which alone was enough to overwhelm a man with fear, and to make the most eloquent man as one that is dumb and not able to speak a word. I know that some learned Expositors do otherwise understand this place, namely, that the two things, which Job here desired that God would not do to him, were either 1. That he would not smite and dispute with him together; or 2. That he would not punish before he made known the cause why he did it, and that when the cause was made known he might have free liberty to answer for himself before he proceeded any farther against him; and accordingly the last words they understand thus, then will I not hide myself from thee, that is, then shall I willingly undergo whatever thou shalt be pleased to lay upon me. But doubtless the first exposition is far the best: that which he desires here is the very same he desired before chap. 9.34. concerning which see the Note there.

Vers. 22. Then call thou and I will answer, or let me speak and answer thou me. ] That is, do thou call me to an account and object against me, and I will answer for myself, or else let me object and do thou answer; and thus he speaks as one willing to give his adversary all the advantage he can desire: A speech that hath so much boldness in it, that though no doubt it proceeded from a holy courage and confidence of his own integrity, yet withal methinks it argued that his passions were stirred, and had transported him beyond the bounds of that modesty, which should have been in him that pleaded with the great Creator of heaven and earth.

Vers. 23. How many are mine iniquities and sins? &c.] Zophar had said, that if God would yield to speak to Job, he could soon make him see that he had exacted less of him then his iniquity had deserved, chap. 11.5, 6. and verse. 14. If iniquity, saith he, be in thine hand put it far away, and let not wickedness dwell in thy tabernacles. Job therefore beginning here his plea with God, desires in the first place to know what those manifold and grievous sins were, which his friends seemed to charge him with, for which such sore and grievous punishments were laid upon him; implying that though his friends were still unsatisfied after all his protestations of his innocence, yet he was not conscious to himself of any such thing: and that if it were otherwise he desired it might be discovered fully to God's glory and his shame, that he might repent, &c. See the Notes chap. 10. verse. 2, and 7. where there are expressions much to the same purpose with this.

Vers. 25. Wilt thou break a leaf driven to and fro? and wilt thou pursue the dry stubble? ] That is, canst thou think it will be any glory for thee to contend with such a poor weak wretch as I am, no more able to stand before thine indignation, then a leaf can stand before the wind or dry stubble before the fire? And thus too by the mention of his exceeding frailty and weakness he covertly seeks to move God to deal more gently with him.

Vers. 26. For thou writest bitter things against me, &c.] To show that notwithstanding he was but as a leaf or dry stubble before God, yet God did set himself to break and destroy him, he sets forth here with what violence and severity he proceeded against him; Thou writest bitter things against me, that is, thou hast adjudged me to most grievous punishments, and such as seem to be the effects of a mind exceedingly imbittered against me; for in this expression of writing bitter things against him, he seems to allude to the custom of Judges in those times, who used to write down the judgment they passed against offenders, aggravating therein the offenses for which they were so allotted to be punished, and then read it in public when they came to pronounce sentence against them; which may seem the more probable if we compare this with other places, as that Ier. 22.30. Thus saith the Lord, write this man childless, &c. and that Psal. 149.8, 9. To bind their kings with chains and their nobles with fetters of iron; To execute upon them the judgment written ; As for the following clause and makest me to possess the iniquities of my youth, that is also added to set forth the severity of God's proceeding against him; and the meaning is, either that God's dealing with him was as if he meant to make him bear now at once the punishment of all the sins that ever he had committed, even the iniquities of his youth, which he had long ago repented of, and which by reason of the ignorance and imprudencie of that age are usually accounted most pardonable; or else rather that by the strange and grievous punishments he had laid upon him he made all his sins even those of his youth, which he had in a manner forgotten, to come fresh to his remembrance, and there to lie continually grating upon his conscience, which did with great terror ever and anon suggest, that surely God had not pardoned those sins but did now call him to an account for them.

Vers. 27. Thou puttest my feet also in the stocks, and lookest narrowly to all my paths. ] Still Job goeth on to show that God proceeded with much severity against him as against some notable malefactor; for by putting his feet in the stocks, and looking narrowly to all his paths is meant, that God had brought him into such straits of afflictions, and had so hemmed him in with divers calamities, as if either he were afraid he should escape out of his hands, and so meant to make sure of him in that regard, or that he meant to look narrowly to him, to see that he should no way get any liberty or ease.

Thou settest a print upon the heels of my feet. ] Either this is added as in relation to the foregoing clause concerning the putting of his feet in the stocks, namely that hereby there was a print made in his feet, the stocks eating into his flesh; and the meaning then is only this, that he bore in his flesh the impressions of God's wrath, the marks of those pinching straits whereinto God had cast him, which it is like he meant of the sores and ulcers wherewith his body was overspread from head to foot; or else the drift of these words is to imply, that God did hunt him as it were, and follow him so close that he did in a manner tread upon his heels, even as prisoners have their keepers still close at their heels that they may not escape.

Vers. 28. And he as a rotten thing consumeth, &c.] That is, Job; (for he speaks here of himself in the third person) as if he should have said, And thus poor Job soon consumes away, as a rotten thing or as a moth-eaten garment; the drift whereof is covertly to imply, that there was no need that God should proceed with such violence against him, since an easier stroke would quickly make an end of him, and so withal to entreat God to take pity of him.

Vers. 1. MAn that is born of a woman is of few days and full of trouble. ] He saith not Man is of few days, but, Man that is born of a woman, which words are added. 1. To note that this is the condition of all mankind, every mothers child, none excepted, according to that Matth. 11.11. Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist, and 2. To note what the cause is why man is of such a fading, weak, and miserable condition, to wit, because he hath his original, from such a poor, weak, frail creature as woman is. Though man was weakened by sin as well as woman, yet because a greater degree of weakness was inflicted upon woman as a punishment of sin, (in regard whereof the Apostle Peter calls the woman the weaker vessel, 1 Pet. 3.7.) therefore man's being born of a woman is made the chief ground of man's frailty; having his descent from one, who being defiled with sin lieth under the curse of bearing so many weaknesses and sorrows, no marvel though he be born a poor, weak, helpless creature, few of days and full of trouble. Now this which Job here saith of the frailty and misery of man, he speaks it as in reference to himself, thereby still to imply that he was fitter to be an object of pity and compassion, then of such fury and indignation as God had shown against him.

Vers. 3. And doest thou open thine eyes upon such an one? &c.] Though these words may be taken in a general sense, to wit, that it was much that God should vouchsafe to look towards such a poor, base wretch as man is, either by way of favor to watch over him for his preservation, and to provide for him, or in any other respect (and therefore some understand it thus, that he acknowledged it a singular favor, that so miserable a wretch as he was should be admitted to stand and plead his cause before him, to which also they apply the following clause, and bringest me into judgment with thee? ) yet considering both what went before and what follows after, it is more likely that Job speaks here of God's opening his eyes upon him to search into his sins, and to see how he might punish him for his transgressions; for as men are said to wink at a man when they will not take notice of what he hath done amiss that they might punish him for it, so they may be said to open their eyes upon a man, when they set themselves strictly to inquire into their offenses and to bring them into judgment; and accordingly the meaning of these words seems to be this, that it was strange that God should think such a poor despicable creature as man is worthy his anger; or that he should so far mind him as to take vengeance on him for his sins.

Vers. 4. Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one. ] That is, there is not one born of sinful parents after the manner of men, but he must needs be sinful as they are; or not one who can any way procure, that he that is born of parents polluted with original sin should not himself be polluted and unclean: yea and it may refer to men's actions too, that a man unclean by nature cannot bring forth any clean thing, that is, any clean action; what sinful man doth must needs be sinful. Now this Job adds. 1. To abase himself, and to make his heart stoop under the severity of God's proceedings with him, since being so unclean it was no wonder though the most holy God should lay his hand so heavy upon him: and 2. To intimate that though God might most justly condemn such a filthy wretch as he was, if he should examine him according to the rigor of his righteous judgment (and by this implied confession of his spiritual uncleanness he did covertly condemn his friends, who charged him with saying that he was perfectly righteous and pure from sin) yet considering this was the inevitable condition of all men, who must needs be sinful because they came out of the loins of sinful parents, therefore he hoped and desired, that God would take compassion of him and not deal in such extremity with him.

Vers. 5. Seeing his days are determined, &c.] This plea of Job's is much like that of the Psalmist, Psal. 89.46, 47. Shall thy wrath burn like fire? Remember how short my time is, &c. to wit, that since God had appointed that man should die, as the just reward of his sins, and had determined the set time of his death, which could not be far off, he would therefore let that suffice, and not make that little time he had to live so extremely irksome with insupportable miseries; which is that he desires in the following verse.

Vers. 6. Turn from him that he may rest, &c.] An expression much like that, chap. 7.19. How long wilt thou not depart from him? as if he had said, Mark not so strictly what he is, or what he hath done, meddle not with him but let him be quiet, take off thine heavy hand and let him spend his days peaceably without molestation, till he shall accomplish as an hireling his days, that is, till he hath finished the time appointed him for his living here to serve thee in his generation, which being as the days of an hireling, full of hard travel and sorrow, his coming to the period thereof must needs be welcome and acceptable to him. See the Note chap. 7.2.

Vers. 7. For there is hope of a tree if it be cut down, &c.] The plea he useth here is this, If it were possible for a man after death to live again here in this world, as a tree cut down will sprout up again, the hope that his life then might be more comfortable would enable him the more patiently to bear his present sufferings. But alas there is no hope of this. A tree indeed though it be felled down to the ground, yet may sprout out with fresh tender branches again.

Vers. 8. Though the root thereof wax old in the earth, and the stock thereof die in the ground. ] That is, though the root through age be in a manner withered and shrunk, and no sign of life appear in the stock.

Vers. 9. Yet through the sent of water it will bud and spring forth boughs like a plant. ] That is, like a young tree newly planted. As for that expression, through the sent of water it will bud, either thereby he intended to show by what means the roots of such a tree may be as it were revived again, to wit, that if it be watered it will bud forth a-fresh, or else it is used to show how little a thing will cause it to sprout out again, to wit, that if any moisture comes but near it, if it do as it were but smell the waters, it will suck in moisture and sap, and grow up with new tender branches.

Vers. 10. But man dieth and wasteth away; yea man giveth up the ghost, and where is he? ] As if he should have said, there's no hope of his living again here in this world: concerning which see the Note, chap. 7.9. Indeed in the several terms that are here used to express man's dying and the order of them, there is some difficulty. Some conceive that in the first words, But man dieth and wasteth away, by man's dying is meant the same that is afterwards termed giving up the ghost, and then by wasting away is meant either his wasting away by sickness, (and if so then there is an hysteron proteron in the words, as if he had said, Man dieth being wasted away with sickness,) or else rather his wasting away by death, as if he had said, man dieth, and then consumes and rots away. But others take dying and wasting away in the first clause to be but preparatories and antecedents to man's giving up the ghost, which the particle yea seems to confirm, man dieth and wasteth away, that is, man decayeth and wasteth away by degrees, death creeping upon him daily by little and little, yea, at last man giveth up the ghost and then, where is he?

Vers. 11. As the waters fail from the sea, and the flood decayeth and drieth up. ] By the sea here may be meant any great confluence of waters; for such are usually in the Scriptures called seas, as for instance that which is called the lake of Genesareth Luke 5.1. is also called the sea of Tiberias, John. 21.1. But however the greatest difficulty here is what is meant by the waters failing from the sea and the floods decaying and drying up; and to what purpose it is here alleged: Some understand it thus, that as when the waters fail from the sea, that is, when the sea fails to send forth waters through the pores of the earth unto the rivers, then the rivers and floods decay and dry up; so the natural and radical moisture being spent in a man, he dies, as it is expressed in the following verse, and so is laid in the bed of his grave. Again others give this to be the meaning of it, that as when the waters fail or pass away from the sea or rivers, to wit, either by evaporation, or by running over the banks into the land, or by gliding away in their several channels, or by soaking into the earth and so drying up in times of great heat and drouth, these very waters thus failing or passing away do never return to their places again; so it is with man when he dies, he is taken away, and there is no possibility of his returning to his place again; for so it follows in the next verse.

Vers. 12. So man lieth down and riseth not, till the heavens be no more, &c.] This phrase till the heavens be no more may be taken two several ways, to wit, either that man being once laid in the grave shall never rise again, namely to live again here in this world, and that because the heavens shall forever continue, whence is that expression Psal. 89.29. His seed also will I make to endure forever, and his throne as the days of heaven, and verse. 36, 37. His seed shall endure forever, and his throne as the Sun before me, &c. or else that he shall not rise again till the general Resurrection, when it may be said, that the heavens shall be no more, because if they shall not be wholly dissolved, yet at least they shall be so far changed, that they shall be no more the same heavens that they were before, according to that Psal. 102.26. all of them shall wax old like a garment, as a vesture shalt thou change them, and they shall be changed, and that of the Apostle. 2 Pet. 3.12, 13. The heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the Elements shall melt with fervent heat; nevertheless we according to his promise look for new heavens, &c.

Vers. 13. O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, that thou wouldest keep me secret until thy wrath be past, &c.] 1. Many Expositors understand this of Job's desiring to die, that he might be freed from those heavy effects of God's wrath that now he endured, and be laid in the grave, (where he should be sure to be shelterd from all storms) till the indignation of God against him were over; and that the following words that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me, are either a farther enlarging of this his request, namely that God would appoint him a set time when he would lodge him in that longed-for bed of his grave, and that at that set appointed time he would not fail to remember to hide him there; (and if so we understand these words, it was unadvised passion and not grace that was breathed forth in this desire) or else are added to imply his expectation of being raised up again at the last day; and so the meaning of the words they take to be this, that in regard of the grievous calamities that he now suffered, he was most desirous to die, only then withal he desired, that God would not cast him off in the grave, but set him a time wherein he would remember him in mercy, and raise him up again, to wit, at the day of the general Resurrection. 2. Others do otherwise understand these words, to wit, that Job having before said, that when man dieth he is irrecoverably cut off from living anymore in this world, he professeth here that were it not for that he should be glad with all his heart that he might dy, and be laid up in the grave, because there he should be hidden as it were from the wrath of God that now he endured, O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave; that thou wouldest keep me secret, until thy wrath be past, that thou wouldest appoint me a set time, and remember me ; as if he should have said, so that I might be laid in the grave only for a time, and that God would appoint me a set time, wherein he would not fail to remember me in mercy and to raise me up again to live here in a more comfortable condition, even as the stocks of trees that are cut down, that seem in the winter to lie dead in the ground, and yet in the Spring do sprout out afresh, then it would be a pleasure to me to die, and to be laid up in the grave. And indeed this I conceive is more probable, then some judge it to be. 1. Because he speaks of God's appointing him a set time, which seems to intend a prefixed time for his rising again in particular, namely to live here in this world, and cannot well be understood of that day which God hath appointed for the general Resurrection of all mankind. 2. Because he speaks of it, as of a most unlikely and improbable thing, which he could rather wish then believe, O that thou wouldest hide me in the grave, &c. and 3. Because this well agrees with the general scope of Job's speech in this place. 3. Some take it thus, that he desires that God would at a set time appointed lay him up in his grave, in the chambers of death; only he would not that God should then quite cast him off, but desires that God should even there remember him. And whereas according to this exposition he should desire death, without any expression of his desire to be raised up again from the grave; to this it is answered, that he speaks as a man distracted so with sorrows, that he asks of God he well knows not what; eased he would be of his trouble, and out of his desire of that, he wisheth what came next to mind or lay uppermost in his thoughts; let God hide him in the grave, or do what he would with him to free him from his sad estate, so he did not utterly forget him. And lastly by the grave may be meant any place under ground, where he might be hidden a-live; such as were those caves and dens in the earth where the Saints in times of persecution were wont to hide themselves, and so were for the time as men buried a-live. Heb. 11.36; and so then his desire is only, that he might be hidden somewhere under ground, where he might be in safe custody out of the reach of those troubles that now annoyed him, till the indignation of God were over, and that then at a time prefixed God would remember him and fetch him forth again. But which way soever we take these words, most probable it is that he useth this phrase of being hid in the grave, in allusion to the custom of those Eastern countries, where they used in those times to have great caves or vaults for their sepulchers or burying places, whereinto in times of danger they were wont to run and hide themselves.

Vers. 14. If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come. ] As the former words so these also are divers ways expounded by Interpreters. Some say that the change here meant is that which Job had wished or desired in the foregoing verse, to wit, his being raised out of the grave after he had been hidden there for a time, to live again here in this world; and accordingly they conceive that the first words were spoken by way of admiration, If a man die, shall he live again ? Is that possible? and then that the next words were added as the Resolution of Job upon this supposition, as if he should have said, Could this be, or let this be granted, and then surely all the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come, that is, I will willingly wait all the set time allotted for my abode in the grave, until the change shall come of my being raised up again from thence; and thus they say he spake in reference to his foregoing words, O that thou wouldest appoint me a set time and remember me. Again others conceive that he speaks here of his change at the general Resurrection of the dead; and so they take the first words to be spoken, either of man's living again in this world, and the interrogation to be a vehement negation, If a man die, shall he live again ? No, I know he shall not; it is altogether impossible; and that thereupon he adds, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come ; as if he had said, I am not therefore afraid to die, there being no fear of returning hither again after death, again to endure the miseries of this present world, but will gladly wait all my appointed time till my change at the Resurrection of the dead shall come: or else of man's living again at the day of judgment; and of those that understand it thus, some hold that the interrogation doth here intend an affirmation of that concerning which the question is propounded, If a man die, shall he live again ▪ as if he had said, I know he shall, there will a day come when God will raise him up and restore him to life again; whereupon he infers that he would wait in expectation of this blessed change, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come: and others conceive that it is spoken by way of doubting, and accordingly they make this to be the drift of the words, to wit, that the first words contain the temptation wherewith Job was tempted, namely that he questioned whether man being dead could ever rise again, If a man die, shall he live again ? Is this possible? and then that the next clause contains the Resolution of his faith overcoming that temptation, All the days of my appointed time will I wait till my change come, as if he had said, yes I know there shall a change come after death, when they that are dead shall rise and live again, and so corruption shall put on incorruption, and therefore all my appointed time I will wait till that change shall come. But last of all there is another exposition, which to me seems best, as best agreeing with other foregoing passages, namely that by his appointed time here is meant the time allotted him of God for his living here in this world, according to that he had said before verse. 5. His days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, &c. and so the sense of the words is this, that since being dead there was no hope of living again here in this world, there was nothing for him to do but all his appointed time to wait upon God till his change come, that is, till God should be pleased to deliver him from this sad condition wherein he now lived, and put him into a more prosperous estate, or rather till the time of his departure out of this world was come, when he doubted not but God would receive him to his mercy.

Vers. 15. Thou shalt call and I will answer thee, thou wilt have a desire to the work of thine hands. ] That is, out of the love thou bearest me as thy creature, and much more as one in whom thou hast renewed thine own image, thou wilt not cast me off forever, but wilt receive me again unto thyself; which is spoken in reference to the former clause, Thou shalt call and I will answer thee, of which also there are several expositions given by Interpreters, answerable to those they give of the foregoing verses; for 1. Some take it to be spoken as in reference to that which they conceive he intended verse. 13. where he speaks of his being hid for a time in the grave, namely that if that might be so, if God would hide him for a time till his indignation were over, and then would remember him in mercy again, then when God should call him forth, he would readily come forth unto him, hoping to live here in his favor again. 2. Some understand this also of the Resurrection, Thou shalt call, that is, thou shalt command me to arise from the dead, and I will answer thee, that is, I shall as in obedience to thy command readily arise and present myself before thee, not needing then to fear thy face as hypocrites will; and indeed though this phrase of God's calling him, may be used in reference to the manner of God's raising men from the dead, concerning which the Apostle saith, 1. Thess. 4.16. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the Archangel, and with the trump of God, and the dead in Christ shall rise first, &c. yet by the call of God may be meant simply the will and command of God, as where it is said that God called for a famine upon the land, Psal. 105.16. that is, he commanded a famine to be in the land; and so our Savior speaks of the Resurrection, John. 5.28. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, &c. and 3. Some understand it of God's calling him out of this world by death, and so conceive that Job here professeth his readiness to yield to God's call herein, and that because he knew God would one day remember him in mercy and not utterly cast • off the work of his own hands.

Vers. 16. For now thou numbrest my steps, &c:] This is added as a reason why he so earnestly desired to die, or to be hid in the grave, as he had said verse. 13. till God's wrath and indignation was over; or why he had besought God that he would withdraw his hand and let him finish his days in peace, verse. 6. namely because God did now at present proceed with such severity against him, as one that took strict notice of all his ways, that not one sin of his might scape unpunished. See chap. 10.14. To which purpose also is that which follows in the next verse, of God's sealing up his transgressions in a bag, that is, his laying them up in store, as evidences and indictments against him; of which see the Note, Deuter. 32.34.

Vers. 18. And surely the mountain falling cometh to naught; and the rock is removed out of his place, &c.] The drift of these words is either 1. To imply that God proceeded with as much fury and violence against him, as when he overturns mountains and removes rocks out of their places, &c. or 2. To intimate that if the strongest creatures, and those that seem most steadfastly settled in their places, cannot stand before the indignation of the Lord, much less could poor, weak man stand before it, and that therefore God needed not proceed with such over-bearing violence against him as he now did; or 3. To bewail his continuing so long in so great miseries, that when the strongest creatures were not able to stand before God's power when he meant to bring them to naught, and so the hope of man was destroyed by his hand, as is expressed in the last clause of the 19 verse, that is, all things wherein vain men hope, or all the vain things wherein men are wont to hope, yet he a poor, weak creature should hold out against so many and great afflictions, and live in the midst of so many deaths, or 4. To renew his old request that he might die, that since all things, even those that were the most like to continue, were often removed and wasted out of their place, so he desired it might also be with him; or 5. To intimate his fear least his patience should fail, and thereupon to desire that God would in pity release him, surely the mountain falling cometh to naught, &c. as if he had said, mountains and rocks will fail, and how much sooner may my patience fail? My strength is not the strength of stones, as he had said before, chap. 6.12. and therefore either remove my afflictions or remove me out of this world; or 6. To show that God proceeding so severely against him, and not suffering any sin of his to pass unpunished (as he had said in the foregoing verses) as other creatures, that seem more surely settled then man is, do utterly perish by the mighty power of God, so it must needs be with man, he also must needs be cut off irrecoverably, The mountain (saith Job) falling cometh to naught, and the rock is removed out of his place, to wit, sometimes by extraordinary earth-quakes, sometimes by the violence of great floods and inundations of waters, the waters wear the stones, by continual beating and dropping upon them, thou washest away the things that grow out of the dust, namely when rivers or seas overflowing or breaking through the banks, do with a mighty torrent sweep away all before them, and thou destroyest the hope of man, that is, and thus after the same manner is man cut off and destroyed by death, and that as concerning any hope of living again here in this world irrecoverably; and this I conceive most probable to have been the drift of Job in these words, being the same in effect with that which he had said before verse. 11, 12.

Vers. 20. Thou prevailest forever against him and he passeth; thou changest his countenance and sendest him away. ] That is, it is always thus, be a man never so strong, die he must; if thou contendest with him, he must needs sink under thine hand and that irrecoverably, it being altogether impossible that he should resist the stroke of thine hand; his comeliness and beauty thou soon turnest into a ghastly ashy paleness, and so sendest him packing out of this world.

Vers. 21. His sons come to honor and he knoweth it not, &c.] This may be meant either of man after death, as in reference to what he had said immediately before concerning man's passing away out of this world, to wit, that after that he never knoweth more what is done here in this world; whether his children live in prosperity or misery, it is all one to him, for he knoweth not how it fares with them: and then it is added to show how absolutely men are by death cut off from all possible communion with those that remain behind them: Or else it may be meant of man when he is dying, to wit, either that through the anguish and extremity of pain and misery which he endures, he regards no earthly thing how nearly soever it concerns him; be his children in a prosperous or in a mean condition, he minds it not, it works in him neither joy nor sorrow, or else that this is one part of his misery, that dying he knoweth not what shall become of his children.

Vers. 22. But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn. ] Those Expositors that understand the foregoing words of man after death, must needs find it too difficult to give a reason how after that this should come in, But his flesh upon him shall have pain, &c. Yet two several ways they allege how this may be inferred upon that which went before, though so understood, for 1. Some take the words to be a figurative and poetical expression of the sad condition of a man cut off by death, his flesh upon him shall have pain, (alluding to the worms gnawing the flesh of his body) and his soul within him shall mourn, that is, it shall be disquieted and grieved, because it is parted from the body; it is, say they, such a poetical expression, as that afterward chap. 21.33. where it is said of man in the grave, the clods of the valley shall be sweet unto him : and 2. Some make the connection thus, that having said in the former verse, that man after death knoweth nothing what is done in the world, this that follows is added in this sense, But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn, as if he should have said, But yet whilst he lives he shall have pain and sorrow; and therefore any man may judge whether it were not better for me to die then to live. But now understand the foregoing words of man dying, and then the dependence of this upon that is easy and clear; There he had said that man dying minds not how it is, or knows not how it shall be with his children; whereto he adds now, But his flesh upon him shall have pain, and his soul within him shall mourn, that is, he shall be wholly taken up with the thoughts and sense of his own misery, the pain and sorrow that lies upon him.

CHAP. XV.

Vers. 1. THen answered Eliphaz, &c.] The three friends of Job having all objected what they could against Job successively one after another, and Job having severally answered them all, it came now to Eliphaz turn, who began first to speak, again to reply upon what Job had answered.

Vers. 2. Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? ] That is, is it seemly for a man that pretends to such wisdom and knowledge as you do, to talk so idly and foolishly, so furiously, and presumptuously, and mischievously as you have done? for he alludes to those words of Job wherein he seemed to condemn them of folly, at least to maintain that his knowledge was every way as much as theirs, chap. 13.2. What ye know, the same do I know also, I am not inferior unto you, and again verse. 5. Oh that you would altogether hold your peace, and it should be your wisdom. He compares Job's words to the wind, to imply 1. That they had been vain and unprofitable, and nothing to the purpose, there was no substance and solidity in them, but they were merely a blast of words, which soon vanished and came to nothing, and 2. That they had been turbulent, violent, and furious, and uttered with a great deal of heat and choller; and he mentions the East wind particularly rather then any other, because that wind used to be in those countries most raging and tempestuous, and withal because it was usually very hurtful to their corn, and fruit, and other things, as we use also to say, that the wind in the East is neither good for man nor beast, and so thereby Eliphaz might intend to imply also, that his words had been mischievous and hurtful both to others and to himself, pernicious to others by way of ill example, and hurtful to himself, in that they must needs blast all the hopes he might otherwise have had of God's delivering him out of his miseries. In Job's first answer to Eliphaz he had taken exceptions against him for slighting what he had spoken, as if there had been no weight of reason in anything he had said, and that in these terms, chap. 6.26. Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind? (concerning which see the Note there) Now as Bildad did immediately twit him with this, retorting upon him that very expression, chap. 8.2. How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind? (where also see the Note) so likewise Eliphaz here remembering it seems those words of Job, when he came now to speak again upbraids him with the same words, Should a wise man utter vain knowledge, and fill his belly with the East wind? as if he had said, you were not pleased that I esteemed your words no better then wind; but I pray what have your words ever since been better then so? A wise man one would think should never utter such vain and unprofitable things as you have spoken; and it is like he meant this of those passages in Job's speech, where he had complained of God's dealing so hardly with him, and where he had wished that God would hide him for a time in the grave, chap. 14.14. and others of the like nature. As for that expression of filling his belly with the East wind, the meaning is, either that he did feed and please himself with such windy frothy discourse, or rather that he did first conceive such things in his mind, and then afterward uttered them.

Vers. 4. Yea thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God. ] Some Expositors understand this thus, that by many things that he had spoken he had in a manner laid a foundation of Atheism, that men should neither fear God nor call upon his name; for if that were true which he had said, chap. 9.22. that God destroyeth the perfect as well as the wicked, and so chap. 12.6. that the tabernacles of robbers prosper and they that provoke God are secure, &c. who then would fear God or pray unto him? yea and some add, that by his speaking so irreverently to God he had hereby given evil example unto others, after the same manner to cast off the fear of God, and instead of praying to God to contend with him. But I conceive the meaning to be plainly this, that he chargeth Job with casting off fear and restraining prayer before God, because he had spoken to God in such a bold and presumptuous manner, as if he had been speaking to one of his fellows, and instead or humbling himself before God, and craving mercy and pardon, he had stood upon terms of justifying himself, and had as it were challenged God, that he might argue with him and plead his cause before him.

Vers. 5. For thy mouth uttereth thine iniquity, &c.] That is, thy mouth discovers and blazons abroad that base wickedness and iniquity that is in thine heart, according to that of our Savior, Matth. 12.34, Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. And this is added as a proof of what he had said in the foregoing verse, to wit, that Job had cast off the fear of God; as is likewise that which follows and thou choosest the tongue of the crafty, that is, thou dost wittingly talk in a crafty manner; and the craft Eliphaz intends is, either that he did in an hypocritical manner cunningly cover over the iniquity of his heart, to wit, by speaking at sometimes very modestly and humbly, though at other times he was ready as it were to fly in God's face, as in those passages chap. 6.24. Teach me and I will hold my tongue; and cause me to understand wherein I have erred, and chap. 7.20. I have sinned; what shall I do unto thee, O thou preserver of men? and chap. 9.2. How should man be just with God? or else rather that in a mere cavilling way he had hitherto sought to make good an evil cause.

Vers. 7. Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? ] In these words Eliphaz seems to have respect to that which Job had said chap. 12.2, 3. No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you, but I have understanding as well as you, I am not inferior to you; yea who knoweth not such things as these? and to that verse. 12. of the same chapter, with the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding: for apprehending that Job had spoken those words, in a way of exalting himself in regard of his knowledge, and in regard of his age above them, and as thinking scorn that they should therefore compare themselves with him, and that thence it was also that he had sent them to learn knowledge of the brute beasts, chap. 12.7. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee, &c. hereupon he now replies to this in a way of scoffing, Art thou the first man that was born? or wast thou made before the hills? as if he should have said, what do you make of yourself that you take so much upon you in regard of your knowledge, and in regard of your years? Sure you were the first man that ever was born in the world, yea perhaps you were before the creation, and so are older then the hills, and having therefore lived in all the ages of the world, it is no wonder though you have gotten so much knowledge, that we are counted no better then fools in comparison of you. Thus I say almost all Expositors understand these words; only indeed some conceive that Job's friends were older then he, which they ground upon that which follows verse. 10. and that therefore Eliphaz could not suspect that Job despised them because of his great age, but that rather he twits him on the contrary, because being younger then they, yet he vaunted himself in his great knowledge, as if he had been the first man that ever was upon the earth, and had been ever since treasuring up knowledge, and so must needs understand more then ever man did.

Vers. 8. Hast thou heard the secret of God? &c.] As if he should have said, hath God made you of his privy counsel, and so thereby admitted you to the knowledge of those secrets, which no man knows besides yourself? whereupon he adds also, and dost thou restrain wisdom to thyself? that is, have you think you all the wisdom? and are all fools besides yourself? and in the following verse, what knowest thou which we know not? &c. in all which Eliphaz doth plainly retort upon Job what he had before said to them, chap. 12.2, 3. No doubt but ye are the people, and wisdom shall die with you; but I have understanding as well as you, &c. and chap. 13.2. what ye know, the same do I know also, &c.

Vers. 10. With us are both the gray-headed, and very aged men, much elder then thy father. ] Still he seems to aim at that which Job had said, chap. 12.12. With the ancient is wisdom, and in length of days understanding ; but the meaning may be, either that some of these his friends were much elder then his father was, or then his father would have been, had he been still living (and it may be Eliphaz intended himself, who we may well think was the eldest of the three, because he spake first) or else that though they themselves were younger then Job, yet he had no cause to despise them as he had done, since they had in their several habitations many on their side, of their party and opinion, yea many masters and teachers, from whom they had received those truths which they had maintained, that were so very aged, that his father was younger then some of them.

Vers. 11. Are the consolations of God small with thee? is there any secret thing with thee? ] That is, say some Expositors, dost thou esteem the consolations of God such mean and contemptible things, that we should propound them to wicked men, such as thou art, or that thou shouldest think they belong to thee? No, surely; such holy things are not to be given to dogs; only perhaps you know something which others know not, or have some secret righteousness, which questionless none can discern in you but yourself, and hence it is that you will not be beaten off from applying the comforts of God unto yourself. But doubtless the true meaning of these words is, that Eliphaz here upbraids Job for slighting the consolations of God, to wit, those which himself, and his other two friends had as from God propounded to him; that if he would repent of his wickedness, and humbling himself under God's hand would forsake his evil ways, and beg mercy of him, God would then pardon his sins, remove the judgments that now lay upon him, and abundantly bless him again. Job had told them in express terms, chap. 13.4. that they were forgers of lies and Physicians of no value: and happily in relation to that Eliphaz here upbraids him for despising those divine consolations wherewith they had sought to do him good; Are, saith he, the consolations of God small with thee? as if he should have said, we have propounded the only way of comfort for one in your condition that God hath prescribed, and do you make so little account of the consolations of God? and thereupon he adds too, Is there any secret thing with thee? that is, doest thou know any better way of comfort, (which perhaps neither we, nor our fathers, nor any man else ever knew or heard of,) whereupon thou despisest that to which we have advised thee? Or, hast thou any secret Privilege or unknown worth in thee and so thou hast no need of these consolations? Or, is there any secret sin or guilt in thee, which makes thee unfit to receive the comforts that have been tendered thee? Or, doest thou know anything unknown to others, by warrant whereof thou thinkest, notwithstanding all that we have said to thee, that God may justly be blamed for dealing too hardly and severely with thee?

Vers. 12. Why doth thine heart carry thee away? &c.] That is, why doth the pride of thy heart, or the passions of thy heart transport thee so far as a man besides himself, even beyond the bounds both of reason and of that modesty and reverence, wherewith it becomes men to carry themselves when they speak to the Lord their Creator? As for the following clause, and what do thine eyes wink at? it is very hard to say what is meant thereby; and therefore every Expositor almost gives a several exposition of it. Some by his winking with his eyes understand his frowning, and looking with an angry, and fierce furious eye; others an hypocritical looking demurely in a way of seeming holiness, as if he were silently praying to God, or had his thoughts taken up with some serious, high, and heavenly meditations, when indeed there was no such thing; others his closing of his eyes against the truth of those things which they had delivered; others of his fleering and looking with a flouting and and scornful eye, as David also describes the scornful behavior of his enemies, Psal. 35.19. Let not them that are mine enemies wrongfully rejoice over me; neither let them wink with the eye that hate me without a cause: and last of all others understand it thus, and what do thine eyes wink at? that is, what dost thou look at? or what dost thou aim at (alluding to those that shooting at a mark are wont to wink with their eyes) that thou art thus overborn by thy passions, and carried out of the way? which exposition of all the rest I like the best, because of the following words that have dependence upon these.

Vers. 13. That thou turnest thy spirit against God, and lettest such words go out of thy mouth? ] That is, that when God afflicts thee, thou shouldest thus with an imbittered spirit turn again upon him and contend with him, and so shouldest suffer such proud, desperate speeches to proceed out of thy mouth, justifying thyself, and blaming God for laying his hand so heavily upon thee.

Vers. 14. What is man that he should be clean, &c.] As if he had said, It cannot be that poor wretched man coming out of the loins of sinful parents can be righteous, and pure, and clean from sin. See the Note chap. 14.4.

Vers. 15. He putteth no trust in his saints; yea the heavens are not clean in his sight. ] That is, the Angels, the holy inhabitants of heaven; for Expositors do generally understand both branches of this verse of the Angels, and so make this place fully parallel with that chap. 4.18. (concerning which see the Notes) and say that Eliphaz presseth this argument again upon Job, as being confident that hitherto in all that he had spoken he had given no satisfactory answer thereto. And indeed that by the Saints of God in the first clause the holy Angels are meant is the more evident, because they are elsewhere called God's Saints, Deut. 32.2. The Lord came from Sinai— and he came with ten thousands of Saints (of which see the Note there) and because the Saints here spoken of are opposed to man born of a woman in the foregoing verse, and therefore cannot be meant of holy men. But for the second clause, yea the heavens are not clean in his sight, it is more questionable whether that may not be meant, both of the Angels inhabiting the heavens, and of the heavens themselves, in that though the heavens be of a bright, and clear, and pure substance, free from that earthliness and dregs that is in all sublunary bodies, yet they are unclean and impure in comparison of that perfect purity that is in God; and indeed it seems the more probable that it is so, because the like expression Bildad useth afterward concerning the stars, chap. 25.5. yea the stars, saith he, are not pure in his sight.

Vers. 16. How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water? ] This expression which Eliphaz here useth implies several particulars concerning man's natural inclination to sin, as 1. That men are prone to sin as naturally, familiarly, and readily as they are to eat when they are hungry, or to drink when they are thirsty. 2. That they are as greedy to sin, as a thirsty man is to pour down water, yea to exceed therein, and 3. That it is as pleasing and delightful to men to sin, as it is to a thirsty man to drink a draught of water; to which purpose the like expressions are used in other places, as chap. 34.7. What man is like Job, who drinketh up scorning like water? and Prov. 4.17. they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence.

Vers. 17. Hear me, and that which I have seen I will declare, &c.] That is, that which I have found true by experience; to which he adds in the next verse, that as he had observed this himself, so he had heard it also from many wise men, that had likewise received it by tradition from their fathers; that which I have seen I will declare; which (saith he verse. 18.) wise men have told from their fathers and have not hid it.

Vers. 19. Unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them. ] To make it evident that those wise men, or their fathers mentioned in the foregoing verse, from whom by tradition they had received that truth which Eliphaz was now to deliver, were witnesses worthy of all credit and esteem, they are said here to have been such unto whom alone the earth was given, and no stranger passed among them ; whereby may be meant, either that they were the first heads of the world, to wit, in the days immediately after Noah, concerning whom it might well be said, that the earth was given unto them alone, and that no stranger passed among them, because they had indeed the whole earth divided amongst themselves alone, and so there was no stranger amongst them, that is, none but such as were well known one to another (the people of the world being then but very few, so that there was no need why they should invade or molest one another) or no stranger of a different religion, by whom they might be corrupted with errors; Or else the meaning may be, that they were men so famous and highly esteemed both of God and man for their wisdom, justice, courage, and all other heroical virtues, that unto them alone the earth was given, that is, the dominion of the several lands where they lived was by the voluntary consent of the people, and the all-ruling providence of God given unto them, and no stranger passed amongst them, that is, they so ordered themselves in their government, and God was pleased also so to bless their discreet, just, and holy endeavors, that no foreign enemy did break in upon them, or molest and trouble them, but the people lived under their government in peace and safety. Both these expositions are very agreeable to the drift of Eliphaz in this place; but if we understand them according to the last exposition, besides their principal drift which is to show how unquestionable the Testimony of those men was, whom he had mentioned in the former verse, as assertours of the truth he was now to deliver; they do also covertly imply the falsehood of that which Job had maintained, to wit, in that he affirms them to have been wise men and good governors unto whom alone the earth was given, which is in direct terms contrary to what Job had said, chap. 9.24. the earth is given into the hand of the wicked.

Vers. 20. The wicked man travelleth with pain all his days, &c.] That is, he is continually in distress and sorrow, sometimes because of the calamities that God brings upon him, but always by terrors of conscience, and distracting fears: for here Eliphaz undertakes again to make good what he had before said, chap. 5.3. to wit, that the Lord doth always pour forth his wrath upon wicked men here in this world according to their demerits, as in direct opposition to that which Job had said, chap. 12.6. The tabernacles of robbers prosper, and they that provoke God are secure ; and to that end he alledgeth here the continual distress and anguish of spirit, wherein they live even in their greatest prosperity: to which he adds, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor. Now though there be several interpretations given of these words; Some taking them thus, that God hath in his secret counsel appointed to the oppressor how long he shall live, and when he will cut him off; and others thus, That God will cut short the years of the oppressor, he little knows how suddenly: yet even this also is alleged I conceive to the same end, and the number of years is hidden to the oppressor, that is, he is always in fear not knowing how long he shall enjoy his prosperous estate, or how soon he shall be cut off; for though good men know not how long they have to live no more then wicked men, yet this is peculiar to wicked men, that they are in continual perplexity of spirit concerning their end; and this is that which Eliphaz intends in these words. But however observable it is, that in setting forth the misery of wicked men herein, Eliphaz doth particularly insist on the fears of the oppressor; for herein he doth doubtless covertly strike at that particular sin whereof he thought Job was guilty, as having been a great man and a man of authority in the place where he lived, as we see he afterward tells him in express terms, chap. 22.6. Thou hast taken a pledge from thy brother for naught, and stripped the naked of their clothing.

Vers. 21. A dreadful sound is in his ears, &c.] That is, He is troubled with the sad reports of near-approaching evils; or he is ever and anon affrighted, as if he heard some sound or noise of danger: wherein it is very likely that he aimed at that which Job had bewailed in himself, to wit, that God scared him with dreams, and terrified him with visions, chap. 7.14. As for the following clause, in prosperity the destroyer shall come upon him, that I conceive is added to show that there is reason enough why he should be afraid when he seems to be in the safest condition, namely, because even when he is in his greatest prosperity, he shall suddenly be destroyed.

Vers. 22. He believeth not that he shall return out of darkness, &c.] That is, as in prosperity he fears a day of darkness and distress that is coming upon him, so when that day is come, there's no persuading him that he shall ever anymore see better day, he utterly despairs that ever he shall be delivered from that misery and distress, those troubles and fears that are come upon him; and to show also that his fears herein are not groundless, he adds, and he is waited for of the sword, that is, instead of being delivered from his present misery, there is indeed a sword waits for him to cut him off.

Vers. 23. He wandreth abroad for bread, saying, where is it? &c.] Though the meaning of this may be, that being brought to extreme poverty he wanders about to beg his bread, or seeks by any sinister means to supply his want, being anxious and full of care where to get bread to put into his mouth; yet the most and best Expositors understand it more generally, to wit, that the wicked man in his greatest prosperity, even through the terrors of his conscience, apprehending that an evil day is coming, doth hunt about to store up for himself with as much impatience and greediness, as if he were in danger to perish for hunger, and yet all the while his own heart tells him that all his endeavors will be in vain, misery and destruction will at length come upon him, which is that Eliphaz intends in the following words, he knoweth that the day of darkness is ready at his hand, that is, he is confident that it is nigh at hand, and that it will not be long ere he shall be cut off.

Vers. 24. Trouble and anguish shall make him afraid, &c.] That is, both outward troubles and inward terrors of conscience shall affright him; they shall prevail against him, as a king ready to the battle, that is, with an unresistable power; for kings when they go forth themselves in person to war, are wont to go out with mighty armies, and in the battle have usually the flower and strength of the army with them, and so ordinarily they are a great terror when they come, and bear down all before them with a mighty violence.

Vers. 25. For he stretcheth out his hand against God, and strengtheneth himself against the Almighty. ] Here Eliphaz gives the reason why God doth so severely punish the wicked man, as is expressed in the foregoing verses, namely, because by his opposing the people of God, by his bold blaspheming of God, by his scornful vilifying his threatenings and judgments, and his desperate opposing the will of God in all things whatsoever, he doth in a manner set himself to fight against God. Now in expressing this in the second clause, he mentions God by this attribute the Almighty, and strengeheneth himself against the Almighty, purposely to imply the folly of such daring boldness in those presumptuous wretches that are not afraid to lift up their hand against him who is an almighty God, and able therefore to do with them whatever he pleaseth.

Vers. 26. He runneth upon him even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers. ] Many of our best Expositors understand this of God; for, say they, Eliphaz having in the former verse set forth the impudence of the wicked man in fighting against God, he adds here that thereupon He, that is, the Almighty God, runneth upon him, that is, upon the wicked man, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers (for the bucklers which they used in war had always thick bosses in the midst, out of which came a sharp piece of iron or steel like the head of a spear, by reason whereof an enemy could not run in upon a man armed with one of these bucklers without manifest peril to himself, and thence is this expression of running in upon the thick bosses of his bucklers) as if he should have said, even as when a mighty man is provoked by the insolency of one that is nobody in his hands, he runneth upon him for all his bucklers and other weapons wherewith he is armed, and taking him by the neck throws him down and disarmes him, so doth the Lord usually deal with those insolent wretches, that dare thus exalt themselves against him; for all their great wealth, authority▪ and power, wherewith they think themselves safely shielded as with armor or proof, God runs in upon them, takes them by the neck or throat, and crushing them down to the ground, strips them of all those things whereon they rested with so much confidence: and indeed the like expression Job useth in the following chapter, verse. 12. speaking of God's severe dealing with him, He hath, saith he, broken me asunder, he hath also taken me by my neck and shaken me to pieces. But now others again understand this of the wicked man (and indeed considering the whole context as it is in our Translation I cannot see how it can be understood otherwise) having said in the former verse, that he stretcheth out his hand against God, &c. in these words yet farther to set forth his incredible arrogance and insufferable impudence Eliphaz adds that he runneth upon him, that is, upon God, even on his neck, upon the thick bosses of his bucklers, meaning that notwithstanding the almighty power wherewith God is armed to destroy all those that rise up against him, yet such is the desperate daring boldness of these wicked wretches, that they make no more of rushing upon the pikes of his displeasure, then if they had to deal with some weak man, whom they could easily vanquish and subdue.

Vers. 27. Because he covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks. ] This is the reason that is given why the wicked man dares carty himself so proudly against God, to wit, because he is grown rich and great, and lives in much prosperity, pampering himself with pleasure, and so thereupon is puffed up with pride, and obdurate against all fear, even to the exalting of himself against God his Creator; for thus the spirit of God doth frequently in the Scripture express the prosperity and pride of wicked men, as we may see, Deut. 32.15. Jesus • waxed fat and kicked, &c. Psal. 7.10. They are enclosed in their own fat, with their mouth they speak proudly, and so in many other places▪ and that say some Expositors, because the fat in man hath no feeling and the fatter men are the less subject they are to fear.

Vers. 28. And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps. ] Many good Expositors understand this of the misery, which God at last brings upon those men, that do so proudly set themselves in defiance against God, as is expressed in the foregoing verses; and by their dwelling in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps, they conceive is meant, either that through extreme poverty having neither house nor home, they are glad to get into any old ruinate houses there to lie and shelter themselves, or that through very terrors of conscience they get into such desolate and unfrequented places merely to avoid the society of men, or else that by the people that rise up against them, not able any longer to endure their oppression and tyranny, they are driven from the places where they have formerly lived, and so forced to hide their heads in such desolate and solitary places, as it was with Nebuchadnezzar, who was driven from men, and had his dwelling with the beasts of the field. But I say as the Context runs in our Translation it is methinks evident, that this is also added farther to set forth that great prosperity of the wicked man, which is the cause of his exalting himself against God; for having said that he covereth his face with his fatness, &c. he adds here, And he dwelleth in desolate cities, and in houses which no man inhabiteth, which are ready to become heaps, wherein may be implied both their exceeding wealth and greatness, in that they were able to rebuild desolate cities, and ruinated great houses and castles, either merely to get them a name or for the safety of their persons, as tyrants are wont to do, according to the former expression, chap. 3.14. With kings and counselors of the earth, which built desolate places for themselves, of which see the Note there; and likewise their mighty oppression and tyranny, in that they dwelt in cities which they had made desolate and poor by their impoverishing the inhabitants, and in houses from which they had driven the inhabitants by their cruel dealing with them, and then seized upon them for their own use.

Vers. 29. He shall not be rich, &c.] Considering that Eliphaz speaks still of that wicked man, that exalts himself against God, because of his fat and great estate, as is expressed in the former verses, the meaning of these words He shall not be rich must needs be, either that he shall not attain that height of riches which he propounds to himself, or that he shall not continue rich; though he be rich for the present, yet he shall at last come to poverty, as is explained in the following clause, neither shall his substance continue ; and therefore also is that clause added, neither shall he prolong the perfection thereof upon the earth whereby either the same thing is expressed again in other words, to wit, that he shall not long continue in such a glorious condition, or else the meaning must be that he shall not continue his name upon earth by leaving his great estate and honor to his children and his children's children, which is the perfection of a worldlings greatness and glory.

Vers. 30. He shall not depart out of darkness. ] That is, he shall never get free from those miseries and sorrows which God shall bring upon him. I know indeed there are some Expositors understand this of the wicked man's not daring to go forth from those secret hiding places, whereto he hath retired himself, and that because through the inward terrors of his conscience, he is afraid as Cain was least every man should kill him. But the first exposition to me seems far more easy and clear.

The flame shall dry up his branches, &c.] By the wicked man's branches many Expositors understand particularly his posterity; and so conceive that Eliphaz herein aims at Job's loss in that particular: but others do I conceive better understand this clause more generally, to wit, that the wicked man being here compared to a flourishing tree, by this that the flame shall dry up his branches is meant, that by the fire of tribulation or by the fire of God's wrath, all his riches, and honor, and children, and whatever else it is that makes his estate so flourishing and glorious, shall be withered and dried up, yea that all his hopes, and designs, and endeavors shall be brought to nothing. As for the following clause, and by the breath of his mouth shall he go away, though the meaning thereof may be, as some take it, that together with the breath of his mouth he shall perish, or rather that he shall die or be cut off by the breath of his own mouth, that is, by the desperate and blasphemous speeches, which in his wrath and pride he shall utter and belch forth against God (an expression not unlike to that Esa. 64.6. We all do fade as a leaf, and our iniquities like a wind have taken us away ) yet it may be better understood of the breath of God's mouth (as referring to that which was said before verse. 25. He stretcheth forth his hand against God, &c.) by the breath of his mouth shall he go away, that is, after that God hath thus blasted his prosperous estate, he shall at last utterly cut him off and send him packing away by the breath of his mouth, that is, by his decree, or by the blast of his indignation, which is the same that the prophet elsewhere saith, Esa. 11.4. He shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked ; and which Eliphaz himself had said before, chap. 4.9. of which see the Note there. And very probable it is that Eliphaz doth the rather use these expressions of flame and fire, and the breath of his mouth, as in reference to the fire that had consumed Job's cattle and servants, and to the wind that had blown down the house upon his children.

Vers. 31. Let not him that is deceived trust in vanity; for vanity shall be his recompense. ] As if he should have said, if any wicked man hopes or thinks it shall be well with him, he is certainly deceived; and therefore let not such a one trust in such vain hopes, or in any vain thing whereon he builds his hopes, his sinful courses, his present prosperity, riches, or honors, any human counsels or means; for if he doth he shall find that these things will prove vain and nothing worth, and so vanity and misery shall be his recompense. And herein it seems Eliphaz covertly strikes at the confidence Job had expressed, chap. 13.15, 16. Though he slay me yet will I trust in him; but I will maintain mine own ways before him. He also shall be my salvation, &c.

Vers. 32. It shall be accomplished before his time, &c.] This may be read, It shall be cut off before his time, and then it must be referred to the tree, whereto he had compared the wicked man, verse. 30. saying, the flame shall dry up his branches, (which may seem the more probable because of the following clause here, and his branch shall not be green ) and then the meaning is, that the wicked man shall die an untimely death; or else to the wicked man's trusting in vanity, or the vanity whereon he trusts, whereof he had spoken in the words immediately foregoing, and then the meaning is much to the same effect, to wit, that the wicked man's confidence shall be cut off and come to nothing before his time, that is, before his days be expired, or by his untimely end. But if we read it, as it is in our Bibles, It shall be accomplished before his time, then it must be referred to the last words of the foregoing verse, Vanity shall be his recompense, and so the meaning must be that the recompensing of vanity to him that trusts in vanity shall be accomplished before his time, that is, before his days be accomplished, he shall live to see his pride have a fall, his own eyes shall behold the vanity of his confidence, or in the cutting him off before his time, this shall be accomplished; and his branch shall not be green, that is, nothing that he possesseth or undertaketh shall prosper; or, his children shall be in a withering condition.

Vers. 33. He shall shake off the unripe grape as the vine, &c.] That is, the wicked man shall be as the vine that shakes off her unripe grapes, and as the olive tree that casts off her flower; or, God shall shake off his unripe grapes, as the unripe grapes of a vine are shaken off, &c. But however that which Eliphaz intends here is, either that his children shall die in their young and tender years, or at least that they shall die an untimely death (for because of the sad end of Job's children Eliphaz is still harping upon this string) or rather that all his substance, his hopes and endeavors, shall betimes be blasted, and shall never come to maturity.

Vers. 34. For the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate, &c.] That is, though hypocrites have never so great families and attendants, though they have never so many companions and friends, they shall all be cut off and so their house shall become desolate: and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery, that is, the houses of bribe-takers; or the houses that are filled with bribery, or built by bribery, or the gain of any such like course of injustice or deceit.

Vers. 35. They conceive mischief and bring forth vanity, &c.] That is, they conceive mischievous devices, they plot mischief in their minds against others, but in the conclusion all these devices prove vain and ineffectual, and usually bring mischief upon themselves. Indeed this clause may be read also thus, They conceive mischief and bring forth iniquity, as we find it also expressed, Isa. 59.4. and then the meaning must needs be, that they contrive mischief against others in their mind, and then act that which they have so conceived. And accordingly we must conceive of the last clause, and their belly prepareth deceit, to wit, that it is meant either of the wicked man's contriving in his mind how he may deceive others, or else of his plotting those things in his head, whereby whilst he thinks to hurt others he doth only in the conclusion delude and deceive himself.

CHAP. XVI.

Vers. 2. I Have heard many such things, &c.] In these first words of Job's answer, either he taxeth his friends, and Eliphaz in particular, who had last replied upon him, for running over the same things again and again, even to weariness and irksomenesse, and those too such things as he had heard many and many a time from others, and which therefore he knew as well as they, as that God is just, and that God doth use to destroy wicked men, and to pour forth his wrath upon them even here in this world, &c. (Job would have them know that his case was so extraordinary, that such extraordinary things as they had so often repeated did no way suit his condition) or else for the bitterness of their language. Eliphaz had in his last words very terribly set forth the vengeance of God upon wicked men, and that as applying all to him; whereupon Job answers, I have heard many such things, for such terrors and threatenings, and scornful exprobrations I have had enough of them, but not a word of true comfort; whereupon he adds, miserable comforters (or as it is in the margin) troublesome comforters) are ye all, to wit, because instead of comforting him, for which they pretended they came to him, they had rather added to his afflictions, and had rather increased then allayed his sorrows. And herein it is likely that he had respect to that which Eliphaz had said, chap. 15.11. Are the consolations of God small with thee? for it is as if he said, They are poor consolations which I have received from you, who have all with so much bitterness and scorn thunderd out the judgments of God against me, as against a base hypocrite, and so instead of comforting me have indeed done what in you lay to drive me to despair.

Vers. 3. Shall vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest? ] That is, that thou shouldest thus reply upon me again the second time? Or, that thou shouldest answer me after this manner, as thou hast done? That which he demands of him under these words what emboldeneth thee? may be 1. Whether he had anything farther to say, whether he had any other arguments to bring, which had so much strength or solidity in them, that thereby he should be encouraged to answer again; (thereby implying that hitherto there was no force of reason in anything he had spoken) or 2. Whether he knew anything by him, that should embolden him thus to charge him with hypocrisy; or 3. Whether anything he had spoken had given any such just advantage to Eliphaz, that thereby he should be encouraged to reply again upon him? or whether he thought by this renewed onset to weary him out, and make him yield at the last.

Vers. 4. If you were in my souls stead, I could heap up words against you and shake mine head at you. ] That is, if you were in that distress that I am in, I could multiply harsh and bold uncharitable speeches against you, as you have done against me; (it is an easy matter for men in prosperity to make large declamations against those that are in misery) yea I could in a way of scorn and derision shake my head at you, for that this last clause must be thus understood is evident, because usually in the Scripture the shaking of the head is mentioned as a gesture of despite and scorn, as 2. Kings 19.21. The daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn, the daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee, &c. and so also Psal. 22.7. Mark 15.29. Lam. 2.15. and in many other places.

Vers. 6. Though I speak, my grief is not asswaged; and though I forbear; what am I • ased? ] Expositors have found it very hard to say how these words come in, in this place. Some conceive that having said in the foregoing verse, that had they been in his condition, and he in theirs, he would have spoken comfortably to them, and thereby would have allayed their grief, I would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should asswage your grief, because they might have replied upon him, If you be so good at comforting others, why do you not apply these consolations to yourself? to prevent this objection, he answers, that his condition was so miserable, and the hand of God was so heavy upon him, that whether he spake or held his peace it was all one with him, if he spake it did not ease his grief, and pain, and misery, and if he held his peace, his sorrow did the more burn and boil within him. Again others conceive that having said how he would have comforted them if they had been in such misery as he was, here now he shows how sad his condition was, that had only such friends with him as did what they might to discourage and discomfort him, Though I speak, saith he, my grief is not asswaged, that is, if I pour out my complaints to you, or seek to justify myself, you then allege, that these miseries are an evident proof that I am a wicked man, and that thereupon it is that God doth proceed in such extremity against me, and though I forbear, what am I eased ? that is, though I speak not but keep in my grief, that doth me no good, because then you take my silence as an acknowledgement of my guilt, and so break forth the more violently against me. And this I take to be the most probable dependence of these words upon that which went before.

Vers. 7. But now he hath made me weary, &c.] That is, God hath made my life wearisome to me; for that this is meant of God is evident in the following clause, where by an Apostrophe he turns his speech directly to God, thou hast made desolate all my company, which he saith because God had slain his children and many of his servants, as is related in the first chapter, and his wife and friends had either forsaken him, or carried themselves as enemies to him. And thus now he breaks forth into a large and pathetical description of his miseries; the drift whereof is, either to manifest what just cause he had to complain so bitterly as he had done, thereby to move God and his friends especially to pity him, and not to be so harsh against him as they had been, or else to disprove what Eliphaz had with many flourishing words sought covertly to prove in the foregoing chapter, namely that God doth only pour forth his wrath upon wicked men as he had done upon Job; for whilst Job acknowledgeth here that his condition was just such as Eliphaz had described the wicked man's to be (to which end he useth many of the very same expressions speaking of himself, which Eliphaz had before used, as here saying thou hast made desolate all my company in reference to that which Eliphaz had said, chap. 15.34. the congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate ) and yet afterward maintains that notwithstanding he was not a wicked hypocrite, verse. 16, 17. On my eye-lids is the shadow of death; Not for any injustice in mine hands; also my prayer is pure, &c. by this instance of himself, who being a man that feared God, was yet outwardly in as sad a condition as any wicked man could be, he quite overthrows all that Eliphaz had said.

Vers. 8. And thou hast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me: and my leanness rising up in me, beareth witness to my face. ] Eliphaz having set forth the prosperity of the wicked man by his fatness, chap. 15.27. He covereth his face with his fatness, and maketh collops of fat on his flanks, Job here on the contrary sets forth his misery by his leanness and wrinkles, his body being consumed by those extremities of pain, and sickness, and sorrow which he had undergone, and so his skin shrivelled and wrinkled thereby; Now for the better understanding of this, we must know; first, that he useth this expression that his wrinkles and his leanness did bear witness against him, either because they did abundantly testify how exceeding grievous the miseries were which he had suffered; or else because consequently in the apprehension of his friends they did witness against him, that by his wickedness he had provoked God to such wrath and indignation against him, as is noted before upon a like expression, chap. 10.17. 2. That for that phrase he useth of his leanness rising up in him, my leanness rising up in me beareth witness, either thereby is meant only that his leanness was in him a witness against him, according to a like expression, Matth. 11.11. Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater then John the Baptist, for there hath not been a greater then John the Baptist, or else he doth allude to the rising up of witnesses when they address themselves in the place of judgment to give witness against a man, or else he hath respect to the staring out of his bones in a ghastly manner because of his leanness, in regard whereof it might be the better said, that his flesh consuming, his leanness did rise up in him; and 3. It is said, that his leanness did bear witness to his face, because there it was most apparent to the eyes of all men, and did openly as it were bear witness against him.

Vers. 9. He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me; he gnasheth upon me with his teeth, &c.] Most of our best Expositors hold, that as in the former verses, so here also, Job still speaks of God, expressing his indignation against him, and his severe dealing with him after the manner of men by these words of tearing him in his wrath and gnashing upon him with his teeth. And if we so understand the words, we must know that this language was the effect of that distraction, that was upon his spirit by reason of the extremity of his sufferings: it was the voice of his flesh not of Job himself, the voice of his sense not of his faith. But because in the following verses it is clear that he speaks of men that hated him, into whose hands God had delivered him that they might afflict him; They have gaped upon me with their mouth, &c. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked, therefore it seems to me most probable which others hold, that he speaks here of men that hating him did tear him in their wrath and gnash their teeth upon him: and so we must also understand the last clause of this verse, Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me, that is, mine enemies look grimly and fiercely upon me. Because when men are inflamed their eyes will glitter and sparkle, as it were, and their looks upon him, against whom they have conceived such indignation, will be sharp and piercing, like a new whetted sword, they will look upon him, as we use to say, as if they would look through him, thence is this expression, Mine enemy sharpeneth his eyes upon me.

Vers. 10. They have gaped upon me with their mouth, &c.] By this their gaping upon him may be meant either 1. Their violent endeavoring his utter ruin, as if he had said, they run upon me with open mouth as if they meant presently to destroy me and eat me up; for so the same phrase is used Psal. 22.13. They gaped upon me with their mouths, as a ravening and a roaring lion, or 2. Their outcries against him, their clamorous contradictions, and revilings, and reproaches wherein with full mouth they fell upon him; or 3. Their flouting and deriding him, as Psal. 35.21. Yea they opened their mouths wide against me, and said, Aha, aha, our eye hath seen it. And indeed to the same purpose also are the following words, they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully : for it is not necessary that we should think because of these words, that his enemies did indeed smite his aged, pale, and wrinkled face with their hands or fists: in regard it is a proverbial speech, whereby any reproachful or contemptuous usage is meant, as we see Lam. 3.30. where these words, He giveth his cheeks to him that smiteth him are explained more clearly in the following words, he is filled full with reproach ; and 2 Cor. 11.20. where the Apostle would tell them that they could suffer their false teachers though they used them never so scornfully and disgracefully, he expresseth it thus, ye suffer it if a man smite you on the face. And indeed to imply this is the word reproachfully here added they have smitten me on the cheek reproachfully ; the meaning is, that they had done him all the shame they might, and had used him with all the scorn and contempt that possibly they could.

Vers. 11. God hath delivered me to the ungodly, &c.] That is, to the Sabaeans and Chaldeans, chap. 1. and others that since God's hand was so heavy upon him had used him despitefully.

Vers. 12. I was at ease, but he hath broken me asunder. ] This Job adds because in this regard his condition was far the sadder and the more to be pitied, that having lived formerly in so great prosperity, free from cares, and griefs, and fears, unexpectedly on a sudden all was destroyed and brought to nothing. Neither is there any contradiction betwixt this, and that which he had said before, chap. 3.26. I was not in safety, neither had I rest, neither was I quiet ; for there Job speaks of the spiritual frame of his heart, to wit, that he was not secure, though he was then free from trouble; but here now he speaks of the temporal frame of his outward estate, in which he had ease, and was free from trouble, no man molesting him.

He hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, &c.] As before so here also he useth the same expression, which Eliphaz had used before in setting forth God's dealing with wicked men, chap. 15.26. He runneth on him, even on his neck, &c. of which see the Note above verse. 7. As for the next clause, and set me up for his mark. See also a former Note chap. 7.20.

Vers. 13. His archers compass me round about, &c.] The Archers he speaks of are either those men, whom God had made use of for the afflicting of Job, and to imply how many they were, and that every man almost friends and foes had a fling at him, he saith they compassed him round about; or else those diseases which God had laid upon him, and then this compassing him round about implies the variety of bodily infirmities, wherewith God had smitten him, and that round about him, all his body over he was full of ulcers. As for the following words, He cleaveth my reins asunder, and doth not spare; he poureth out my gall upon the ground ; Some by the cleaving of his reins asunder understand, that God had mortally wounded him, and that his miseries were incurable; others that his strength was quite wasted and consumed, which lieth chiefly in the reins and loins of a man; and others that he was tortured with the stone in the kidneys, and so his pains were so extreme as if his very reins were cleaving asunder, or at least that his sorrows and pains were most exquisite, like the pains of those that are tortured with the stone: and by the pouring out his gall upon the ground they understand, either that his extreme miseries made him pour forth the bitterness of his spirit in bitter complaints, or else that the wounds that God had given him were mortal and incurable. But I conceive the drift of these words in general was to imply the exquisite, incredible, and insupportable pains and sorrows he endured even in the inward parts of his body, that his very bowels and vital parts were wracked and torn within him, so that the torment he endured was insufferable and that without intermission or remission night or day.

Vers. 14. He breaketh me with breach upon breach, &c.] That is, he heaps afflictions, plagues, and miseries upon me thick and three-fold, as we use to say, one in the neck of another: which may be meant of those sad tidings that were brought to him, chap. 1. one messenger coming in still with a fresh report of his losses before the other had well made an end of speaking, or else of the griefs and diseases which did every day still increase upon him, and the ulcers that did continually break out a-fresh in his body. As for the following clause, he runneth upon me like a giant, therein he seeks to imply how exceeding heavy God's hand was upon him, and with what fury and unresistable violence he proceeded against him.

Vers. 15. I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin, &c.] Some conceive that he saith of the sackcloth that he wore, that it was sowed upon his skin; because it did cleave to his ulcerous body as fast as if it had been sown to his skin; but I conceive this phrase, I have sowed sackcloth upon my skin intends no more but this, that he had put on sackcloth sowed together next his skin, which being full of boils and sores, whether scabbed or raw, it must needs be very terrible to him; and that hereby he seeks to set forth how he had humbled himself under the hand of God, and that consequently he was not guilty of advancing himself against God, as Eliphaz, had covertly charged him, making that the cause why God laid his hand so heavy upon the wicked man, chap. 15.25. And to the same purpose also are the next words, and defiled my horn in the dust ; for thereby is meant either that he had sprinkled dust upon his head (concerning which custom see the Notes Josh. 7.6.) or else rather, that he was content, laying by all the thoughts of his former greatness, and pomp, and glory, to sit down in the dust that he might humble himself before the almighty; (for that the word horn is thus frequently used in the Scripture we may see in the Notes upon 1. Sam. 2.1.) yea both these expressions concerning his sackcloth, and his defiling his horn in the dust may be only used as figurative expressions, to signify that he had greatly abased and humbled himself, even as those do that cloth themselves with sackcloth, and throw dust upon their heads. And thus, because men are wont the more to pity those that are in affliction, when they see they are penitent, and do melt and humble themselves under God's hand, he useth this as another argument to move his friends to pity him, and doth covertly tax them of cruelty that could be so harsh to one, whom they saw in so mournful a manner humbling himself under the strokes of the Almighty.

Vers. 16. My face is foul with weeping, and on my eye-lids is the shadow of death. ] By this shadow of death on his eyelids may be meant, either that shadowy blackness or darkness, which will be on the eyelids of those whose eyes are sunk in their heads by grief or sickness, as we see in the hollow eyeholes of dying men, or of a dead man's scull, in allusion whereto it may be called the shadow of death, or else that darkness and dimness of sight which is also usually the effect of some extreme grief or exceeding much weeping, as we see in that complaint of the Church, Lam. 2.11. Mine eyes do fail with tears: for because such a mistynesse and dimness of sight doth usually come upon sick men when death approacheth, even this also may be justly termed the shadow of death.

Vers. 17. Not for any injustice in my hands; also my prayer is pure. ] Not as thinking himself free from all sins, but only from that gross wickedness and secret hypocrisy wherewith his friends had charged him, Job here professeth his innocence in regard of his upright walking both towards God and towards man; (and consequently that he knew that God's hand was not so heavy upon him in regard of any such wickedness that he had committed) 1. Towards man, in the first clause, Not for any injustice in my hands, where by injustice is meant all oppression, all fraudulent or unjust dealing whatsoever, and it may well be that in clearing himself of this he had respect to that which Eliphaz had said, chap. 15.34. The congregation of hypocrites shall be desolate and fire shall consume the tabernacles of bribery. 2. Towards God in the second clause, also my prayer is pure, whereby he meant that he did sincerely worship God as God had appointed, and that his prayers proceeded from a pure conscience and faith unfeigned, wherein also he might have respect to that bitter charge of Eliphaz, chap. 15.4 yea, thou castest off fear and restrainest prayer before God. And this he doth, either thereby to move his friends to pity him, (for when righteous men suffer much, that have not deserved it by any wickedness of theirs, all men are the readier to commiserate their sufferings) or else to disprove all that Eliphaz had said concerning the Lord's punishing wicked men only, as is noted before verse. 7.

Vers. 18. O earth cover not thou my blood, and let my cry have no place. ] A Poetical and pathetical expression this is; and Expositors differ much in their judgment concerning the meaning of it. Some take it to be an imprecation wherein he wisheth that his body might lie unburied after he was dead, if that were not true which he had said concerning his innocence: and others take it as an earnest asseveration, that he desired not to die as the brute beasts do, (which through guilt of conscience all hypocrites must needs desire) whose bodies when they die are covered in the earth there to rot and consume and never to rise again, but that he certainly expected and earnestly desired the Resurrection of his body, when he knew he should appear before God and his innocence should be cleared. But I see not how according to either of these expositions there can be a good sense given of the last clause, and let my cry have no place. But two other Expositions there are given of these words, which seem to me far the most pobable. The first is, that Job doth herein profess his desire that his calamities and the cause thereof might be made known before the heavens and before all the world, O earth cover not thou my blood, that is, cover not the blood and corruption that issueth out of my ulcers; or rather, hide not my misery, sorrows and sufferings, and let my cry have no place, that is, let there be no place found that should hide my cry from coming up into the presence of God: for this, they say, he desires, not so much that his miseries might be known to men, as that God might take notice of them, and so might judge and plead his cause against those that derided and falsely accused him. The other is, that these words contain a vehement protestation of his innocence. Having said in the foregoing verse that he suffered not for any injustice in his hands, &c. because he had often thus professed his innocence, and his friends he saw did not believe him, therefore he breaks forth into this vehement and pathetical expression, O earth cover not thou my blood, that is, if by oppressing the poor or any other way of injustice I have drawn the guilt of blood upon myself, let not the earth cover or hide that bloody wickedness, but let it be discovered, and let it cry to heaven for vengeance, as did the blood of Abel against Cain; (whereto it is very likely that Job did allude; and indeed oppression and such like bloudsucking sins are often intended in the Scripture where it speaks of blood, as Habak. 2.12. Woe to him that buildeth a town with blood and establisheth a city by iniquity) and let my cry have no place, that is, let not the cry of that my oppression find any hiding-place, but let it be known to God and man (and so indeed the word cry is sometimes used in the Scripture, as Isa. 5.7. he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry ) or rather, and let my cry have no place, that is, when I cry in my extremities let not God nor man regard it; yea and when I call to men for help, or pray to God for mercy, let me not prevail either with man or God, but let just vengeance fall upon me according to that, Psal. 66.18. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me.

Vers. 19. Also now, behold, my witness is in heaven, &c.] This word also may be referred either to his acquaintance, as if he should have said, though there are many that if they would speak the truth can witness for me, that I have lived holily and righteously, yet however my comfort is that God is my witness that it is so; or else to himself, as if he had said, what I have protested concerning mine innocence God also in heaven who from on high beholds all things can and I know will witness for me that it is true.

Vers. 20. My friends scorn me▪ but mine eye poureth out tears unto God. ] That is, God being my witness, who knoweth exactly the innocence of my life and the sincerity of my heart, though my friends scorn and deride me, yet I can comfort myself in God; to him I appeal who is my Judge, to him I look up, and with tears do pour out my complaints and requests before him, who is indeed my only stay and comfort.

Vers. 21. O that one might plead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his neighbor. ] This is in a manner the same that he had desired before, chap. 9.34, 35. and 13.3, and 20; concerning which see the several Notes there: only these words may be understood as a desire, either that himself might plead his cause with God, or else that some other might do it for him, and may imply his hope that somebody might be found that would undertake to maintain his innocence, and then God passing judgment, either he should know wherein he had erred, and so might amend it, or else by the judgment of God openly pronounced he should be clearly acquitted before all that should hear it.

Vers. 22. When a few years are come, then I shall go the way whence I shall not return. ] Concerning this expression see what is noted before chap. 7.9, 10. Neither is there anything farther difficult in these words, but only their dependence upon that which went before, wherein every Expositor is almost in a several mind. Some conceive that these words are added by way of comforting himself, in that by his death which hastened so fast upon him there would an end be put to all his miseries. Others as an aggravation of his friends cruelty, of which he had spoken before, verse. 20. My friends scorn me, &c. because they took no pity of a man, ready as it were to give up the ghost. Others, as an argument to move God to allay his miseries, and not to lay his hand so heavy upon one that is dying already; Others by way of clearing himself from not speaking sincerely in that protestation he had now made concerning his innocence; for having death before his eyes, as ready immediately to seise upon him, what likelihood was there that he should speak against his conscience? Others as by way of correcting what he had spoken concerning his innocence; as if he should have said, why do I stand protesting mine innocence or wishing I might plead my cause with God? It is altogether in vain and to no purpose, since I am in a manner a dead man already; And last of all, others conceive that herein a reason is given, why he had desired in the foregoing verse that his cause might be pleaded before God, to wit, because he perceived he had but a short time to live, and he desired before his departure, that either he might know what it was wherewith God had been provoked to deal so severely with him, that so he might repent of it, or else that God might acquit him from that wickedness and hypocrisy whereof his friends had accused him, that so he might die in peace and leave a good report behind him, for the comfort and edification of others of God's people.

CHAP. XVII.

Vers. 1. MY breath is corrupt, &c.] Some read this as it is in the margin of our Bibles, My spirit is spent, and so make his complaint to be, that his vital spirits were in a manner quite wasted, and so consequently his life also that was preserved thereby. But taking it as it is in our Translation, the meaning must needs be, that his breathing was stopped and marred, or rather that his breath was infected and stunk through some inward putrefaction; and so some Expositors understand that also, chap. 19.17. My breath is strange to my wife, &c. And indeed it is clear that the drift of his words here was to show, that by the decay of his body he might plainly see that his death could not be far off; to which purpose is that also which follows, my days are extinct, that is, the light of my life is in a manner quite extinguished, according to that Prov. 24.20. the candle of the wicked shall be put out. As for the last clause, the graves are ready for me, the only doubt is why it is expressed in the plural number. But for this to me it seems far most probable that his meaning herein was plainly no more but this, that it would not be long ere he should be lodged in someone of those houses of darkness, which are the last home of all men living. As when it is said of Jehoram king of Judah that he was not buried in the sepulchers of the kings, 2. Chron. 21.20. the meaning is only that he was not buried amongst their sepulchers: so when here Job saith, the graves are ready for me, the meaning is only, that the place of burial, the house of graves, as I may call it, was ready to receive him, to wit, because it could not be long ere he should be carried thither.

Vers. 2. Are there not mockers with me? &c.] Here Job returns to complain of his friends (as indeed men in affliction are wont sometimes to bend their speech one way and sometimes another) inferring it as a strange thing, that notwithstanding he was in so sad a condition, ready every moment as it were to drop into the grave, yet they did nothing but mock and deride him; and so by that means did what in them lay, continually to vex him and provoke him to anger and indignation against them; for so much the following clause imports, and doth not mine eye continue in their provocation ? to wit, that night and day their scoffs and deriding of him did evermore afflict him; for by that expression of his eye continuing in their provocation he sought to imply either 1. That the eye of his mind was continually upon their scornful carriage of themselves towards him, the remembrance of their scoffs did continually molest him, many times keeping him awake when he should have slept, and sometimes perhaps troubling him in his very dreams; Or 2. That they did thus continually provoke him to his very face, he was constrained to see himself continually mocked and derided by them.

Vers. 3. Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, &c.] A very obscure passage this is, insomuch that amongst the several Expositions that are given of it, it is very hard to say which is the right. Some conceive that Job speaks here to Eliphaz, and desires that by a pledge and a surety he would give him assurance, that he would refer his cause to God's judgment, and that he would make good what he had said, to wit, either concerning the wickedness and hypocrisy wherewith he had charged Job, or concerning the certain prosperity of the righteous and the calamities of the wicked, or else concerning that flourishing prosperity which he had promised to Job, if he would repent and turn unto the Lord; Lay down now, saith Job, put me in a surety with thee, as if he should have said, if you be so sure that I am a wicked man and an hypocrite, and that therefore all these evils are come upon me that I suffer, and that if I repent then I shall have all things according to my hearts desire again, Lay down now a pledge or a pawn that shall be forfeited, if you do not appear and make this good, put me in a surety with thee, that shall undertake for thee that this shall be done, and so let our cause be pleaded before an equal judge or umpire; and accordingly also they hold therefore that the last clause must be taken, either as a challenge to the rest of his friends, that they would, if Eliphaz would not, undertake this his challenge, who is he that will strike hands with me ? (for in those days they used to confirm any agreement made between man and man by clapping or clasping of hands together, thereby as it were binding themselves one to another, whence is that of Solomon, Prov. 6.1, 2. My son, if thou be surety for thy friend, if thou hast stricken thy hand with a stranger, thou art snared with the words of thy mouth, &c.) or else as a denial that any surety could be found, that would upon these conditions undertake for Eliphaz or his other two friends; who is he that will strike hands with me? as if he should have said, I would gladly see the man that would upon these terms make an agreement with me; but alas who is he that will do it? Again, 2. Some think that as in the following verses, so here also, Job directs his speech to God, and that (out of an over-violent desire to have his innocence cleared, as being exceedingly net • ed with the unjust aspersions which his friends had cast upon him) he doth here as a man besides himself press God to lay down a pledge, and to put in a surety that would undertake for God, to wit, either that Job's cause should be tried before Go • and not men, and that God and not man should determine of it; or else that God would condescend to have the cause between God and him equally argued and heard, as between one man and another, and that God should stand to what was determined after it had been thus argued, Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee, as who should say, I know, O Lord, that poor mortal man cannot contend with thee, and that if he should, he must needs be soon overwhelmed with thy majesty and glory, and therefore I desire that thou wouldest lay down a pawn and put in a surety, who may undertake for thee, that laying aside thy majesty, thou wilt suffer me to plead my cause with thee; and agreeably hereto they hold that the last words are added to imply, either how desirous he was that such a surety might be found that would undertake this for God, who is he that will strike hands with me ? or else how unlikely it was that any could be found that would undertake it. 3. Because it seems very hard that Job should as it were profess that he would not trust God without a pawn and a surety, and that he should speak so immodestly and arrogantly to God, therefore some other Expositors hold that Job desires God to appoint him a surety, that should undertake for the clearing of his innocence against the calumnies of his friends, or rather that should engage himself to plead both for God and him against his unjust friends; and therefore they say it is said put me in a surety with thee, that is, one that may be a surety both for thee and me: whereupon he adds also, either to imply his desire that this might be, or his fear that it would not be, who is he that will strike hands with me ? And indeed such a one as this Exposition intends, Elihu did afterwards appear to be, when he undertook to umpire the business betwixt Job and his friends. But now 4. Others understand this of Christ the promised Messiah, Lay down now, put me in a surety with thee; who is he that will strike hands with me ? that is, let that which I now desire be determined and established; appoint Christ who is with thee in heaven, and hath already agreed with thee to be the surety of poor sinners, appoint him I say to plead my cause and to stand up for me as my surety, and then I am sure no man will dare to contend with me. And indeed these two last Expositions do best agree with the context.

Vers. 4. For thou hast hid their heart from understanding; therefore shalt thou not exalt them. ] That he might not be thought over-bold and over-confident in desiring that his cause might be examined and tried, or in appealing as he had done to God, from his friends, he gives in these words as a reason why he did so earnestly desire this, and why he was so fearless of having his cause any way tried, to wit, because God had hid their heart from understanding, that is, he had hid understanding from their heart, he had given them over to blindness of mind, how wise soever they thought themselves, to wit, in that particular controversy which was now in debate betwixt Job and them; God's providences towards Job were mysteries, and riddles to them which they could not unfold, and so accordingly they were in the dark, as concerning those points which had been argued betwixt him and them, and were not able to discern between truth and error, and therefore saith he, shalt thou not exalt them ; where by not exalting them is meant, either that God would not honor them with letting them determine his cause, but would take the matter out of their hands into his own, or at least put it into some other hand; or else that God would not give them occasion to exalt themselves over him, by giving sentence on their side; however they now triumphed over him, as if they had got the victory, yet when their cause came to be heard, he knew well that then God would take his part against them, and determine the cause for him and not for them, and then they should have no cause to exalt themselves.

Vers. 5. He that speaketh flattery to his friends, even the eyes of his children shall fail. ] Concerning this expression of the failing of their eyes see the Notes, chap. 11.20. and Deut. 28.32. the meaning is, that God will not only punish such flatterers in their own persons, but even in their children also, who through God's just judgment do tread in their fathers steps. But the great question concerning these words is, why Job speaks here of God's punishing those that flatter their friends, since his friends (of whom he is now complaining) were so far from flattering him, that they did rather revile him and falsely accuse him, and to this five answers may be given 1. That he may therefore accuse them of flattery, because having always spoken him so fair in the time of his prosperity, they were now so bitter against him in the hour of his adversity. 2. That the flattery he intends was, that when they might so plainly perceive that he was irrecoverably spent, a dying man, as we use to speak, yet they could tell him such long stories of the prosperous estate he should enjoy here in this world, if he would repent and seriously seek God's face and favor, as that his estate should be like the morning, that he should outshine the very Sun, and be a great man again, chap. 5.19, 20, and 8.5, and 11.15, 16, &c. 3. That the flattery which here he covertly strikes at was, not their flattering him but their flattering of God; if God would punish those that flatter their friends, they could expect no better who to curry favor with God, and under a flattering pretence of maintaining God's justice, had most unjustly condemned him; which is that wherewith he had before charged his friends, chap. 13.8, 10. of which see the Notes there. 4. That he spake not this to charge them with flattery, but to clear himself from desiring to be flattered; least they should think that he complained of their harsh dealing with him, because he desired they should flatter him, to prevent this he gives them to understand that he was so far from this, that he was assured that if men flattered their friends God would destroy both them and their posterity, and 5. That he spake not this as a threat against his friends for their flattering of him, but as a threat against himself in case he should have flattered them; he would not have them offended at his plainness of speech in reproving them, and telling them that God had hid their hearts from understanding, &c. and that because he knew well how severely God was wont to punish those that flattered their friends, not in their own persons only, but also in their posterity.

Vers. 6. He hath made me also a by-word of the people, and a • ore time I was as a tabret. ] Here Job returns to his wonted complaints of the sad condition, whereinto God had brought him. Reading the last clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles, and before them I was as a tabret, it is as if he had said, before their face or in their sight, they being witnesses of it, I was as a tabret ; or else it is to the same purpose with the first clause, He hath made me also a by-word of the people (concerning which see the Note, Deut. 28.37.) for the meaning is, that they played upon him as a tabret, or that they made a laughing-stock of him, deriding him and sporting themselves with his misery, according to the like expressions which we find elsewhere, as Lam. 3.14. I was a derision to all my people, and their song all the day, and Psal. 44.13. Thou makest us a reproach to our neighbors, a scorn and a derision to them that are round about us. But if we read it as it is in our Bibles, and a • ore-time I was as a tabret, then the meaning must needs be, that whereas formerly report gave a pleasant sound of him to all men's ears, now men scoffed and flouted at him in every place; Or, that now they talked reproachfully and scoffingly of him in every corner, whereas in former times they rejoiced in his company, and it was a delight to them to be where he was.

Vers. 7. And all my members are as a shadow. ] As if he had said, My body is nobody indeed but as it were the shadow of a body; and this he might say, either with respect to his exceeding great weakness, by reason whereof all the members of his body were in a manner useless to him, they had the outward appearance and shape of members, but they could not do the office of such members, he could not make any use either of hands or feet, &c. or else because his whole body was so consumed and wasted, that his members had as it were no substance in them, they were so meager and wan that he looked more like an apparition, then one that had a true body, and should his friends see him they could not know him, but would take him for the shadow of Job, rather then for Job himself. But now if you read this clause as it is in the margin of our Bibles, and all my thoughts are as a shadow, then the meaning is, that his thoughts did suddenly vanish and pass away as a shadow; and indeed men in great distress are wont to be full of various distracting thoughts, their minds running sometimes upon one thing sometime on another, which may well be that which Job here complains of, to wit, that there was no stability in his thoughts because of his miseries.

Vers. 8. Vpright men shall be astonied at this, &c.] Some Expositors make the sense of these words to be this, that even upright men shall be astonied to see one, whom they judged a holy and righteous man, to be so severely punished, and shall thereupon raise up themselves against him as against an hypocrite; and accordingly also they expound the following verse, The righteous also shall hold on his way, and he that hath clean hands shall be stronger and stronger, to wit, that the righteous afflicted man, though thus misjudged by his godly friends (which is indeed the sorest of all trials) shall for all this hold on his way, and shall become more strict and more zealous in the ways of godliness then he was before. But the commoner and as I conceive the better Exposition is this, Vpright men shall be astonied at this, that is, wise and godly men (such Job's friends were) shall stand amazed at my strange sufferings, and shall hereupon condemn and deride me in my miseries, and that especially upon this ground, that I should for all this persevere in my dependence upon God, and maintain mine innocence and integrity against them; and the innocent shall stir up himself against the hypocrite, that is, men of a holy life and pure conscience shall hereupon rouse up themselves, to wit, either 1. To take his part and maintain his cause against those hypocrites, that did so deride and falsely accuse him, or 2. To oppose those base hypocrites, that by his sufferings should take occasion to blaspheme God, to harden themselves in their wickedness, and to make a mock of godliness, or 3. To encourage themselves by this example not to faint in the like case, if it should come to be their portion, but stoutly to maintain their integrity against those that unjustly condemned them; And so likewise they understand the following verse, The righteous also shall hold on his way, &c. to wit, that good and holy men will not be beaten off from the ways of righteousness, by seeing them that walk in those ways so sorely afflicted, despised, and derided, but will rather become the more zealous, and gather the more strength hereby to comfort and encourage themselves against such temptations. So that the drift of these words also was, to show that his grievous miseries was no proof that he was a wicked man, and that God hath other holy ends for which he brings such sore calamities upon men, besides the punishing of them for their sins.

Vers. 10. But as for you all, do you return and come now, &c.] This may be either spoken by way of advice to his friends, do you return, that is, give over this erroneous conceit which you have hitherto maintained, change your minds, and come now, that is, close with me in that which I shall say, or hearken to that which I shall now deliver: or else as a challenge farther to argue out the business between them, (which seems the more probable because in that sense this very expression, Return I pray you is used before, chap. 6.29. of which see the Note there) But as for you all, do you return and come now, that is, come and let us again argue the cause between us; were there never so many of you, I challenge everyone of you to prepare yourselves and to allege the utmost you can for the justifying of that you have undertaken to maintain: for I cannot find one wise man among you, that is, in this particular you speak not wisely, I shall easily make it appear that in this which you affirm, that God would not afflict me thus were I not an hypocrite, you err grossly, and speak as men that are altogether ignorant of the ways of God; And it may well be which some think, that because Eliphaz had now returned, as I may say, to reply upon him, and because he saw perhaps his other two friends eager to fall upon him the second time, therefore it was that he now bids defiance to them all, But as for you all, do you return and come now, &c.

Vers. 11. My days are past, my purposes are broken off, even the thoughts of my heart. ] As if he had said, what do you tell me of comfortable days? though I have done what I could to comfort myself with hope and expectation of being freed from the miseries which for the present I suffered, and with entertaining purposes of doing this or that when I came to be in a better condition (as indeed men in misery are wont to catch at anything, that may give them any hope of being delivered out of their troubles,) yet I see all is in vain, my life is in a manner at an end, all the thoughts and purposes of my heart this way are broken off, to wit, either by death which will put an end to them all, or else by divers other distracting thoughts, which my pain and other miseries do continually suggest, and which will not suffer my thoughts to be long steadfastly pitched upon anything, especially anything that should comfort me. Now though some conceive that this is rendered as a reason, why they should hearken to him and be warned by him, to wit, because being a dying man he had not much more to say, nor was well able to utter what he had purposed to speak, his pain and misery interrupting him, and the thoughts of his heart being through distemper full of distractions; yet I rather think that the drift of these words is clearly to show, how vain a thing it would be for him, a dying man, to expect any such glorious condition here in this world as they had promised him, if he would repent and turn again unto the Lord, and that because this agrees fully with that which follows.

Vers. 12. They change the night into day, &c.] That is, these distracting thoughts (of which mention was made in the foregoing verse) or my friends by causing such distraction in my thoughts, make me pass the night without any rest as if it were the day: the light is short because of darkness, that is, the light of my joy is short because of the darkness of my afflictions; or rather, the light is short because of darkness, that is, when the day comes it seems presently to be gone again, so that I do very little enjoy the benefit of the day, and that either because it seems over-clouded with the darkness of my afflictions, or because I am straight way afraid of the dolefulnesse of the night that is coming after it.

Vers. 13. If I wait, the grave is mine house; I have made my bed in the darkness. ] That is, if I should wait in hope to see an end of my miseries, yet at last I am sure the grave must be my house, there in the darkness of the pit I must lay me down to rest. Thus some Expositors understand these words. But I rather understand them thus, If I wait, the grave is my house, &c. that is, if I should wait for that glorious change to which you say God would restore me, if I would repent and beg mercy at his hands, I should certainly flatter myself in vain, and that because I am a dying man, and so the grave is the house where I must immediately be lodged, and in the darkness thereof I am ready to lay down myself to rest.

Vers. 14, I have said to Corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister. ] It is the opinion of a learned man, and not altogether improbable, that because great men in those times had certain vaults, where the bodies of all their family were successively laid, and placed in such order, that when their children went in to them, they were able to say which was their grandfather and grandmother, their father and mother, &c. therefore Job to imply that he should not be buried in such a way of state, but should be laid after the manner of meaner men in an ordinary grave, he saith here that instead of being thus laid up with the ancestors of his family, he should only have rottenness and worms for his father, and mother, and sisters, in his burial place. But the more ordinary exposition of these words I take to be the better by far, to wit, that Job's drift therein is, as in those before, to show that he was hopeless of life, and had in his thoughts given up himself, and that willingly, to the grave, I have said to corruption, Thou art my father; to the worm, Thou art my mother and my sister, as if he should have said, Instead of those my near friends with whom I have lived, in the house of the grave, whether I am going apace, corruption and worms are the near allyes, the father, mother, brothers and sisters with whom I must dwell; And indeed to corruption and the worms he might the rather give these terms of his nearest allyes, because he himself had his original from the earth, and was no better, in regard of that corruption whereinto he should be turned in the grave, then the grave-bred worms. But however by these expressions Job would show that he was so far from looking upon death as an enemy, or a stranger, that he was upon fair terms with death as with his nearest alliance, yea that he was well acquainted with death, and took delight and contentment in death, as men do when after a long journey they return home to father, and mother, and brethren, and sisters.

Vers. 15. And where is now my hope? as for my hope, who shall see it? ] That is, when I shall be thus laid in the grave, what will become then of the hope you would give me of a prosperous estate here in this world, since doubtless no man shall ever see me have a good day again here in this world? It is as if he should have said, It had been fitter you should have propounded to me the bliss and glory, which after death I might expect in heaven; for I were indeed in a sad condition, if I had no more hope in heaven, then I can expect here in this world.

Vers. 16. They shall go down to the bars of the pit, when our rest together is in the dust. ] Two several ways these words of Job may be understood, 1. As an answer to the last words of the foregoing verse; having said there, As for my hope, who shall see it? He answers himself here in these words, They shall go down to the bars of the pit, &c. as if he should have said, I look every hour to be laid in the grave, and therefore if there be any good to be hoped for by me, I must expect it there, and so they that will see my hope must pass through the gates of death, and go down with me into the grave, that so they may there behold it, when we shall there lie at rest together in the dust, 2. As a farther illustration of the vanity of those hopes, which his friends had propounded to him, They shall go down, saith Job, to the bars of the pit, &c. that is, truly all the hopes that you have propounded to me, or that I can conceive of living in prosperity again in this world, shall be all buried in the grave, and there both I and they shall perish, when we shall all rest together in the dust.

CHAP. XVIII.

Vers. 2. THen answered Bildad the Shuhite. ] As Bildad spake next after Eliphaz, when they first began to argue with him, so now again in replying, he keeps his turn, and speaks next after Eliphaz, as he did before.

Vers. 2. How long will it be ere you make an end of words? &c.] Many learned Expositors hold, that in this and the following verse Bildad speaks, not to Job, but to his two companions Eliphaz and Zophar, or at least jointly both to Job and them (and that because in the Original it is expressed indeed in the plural number) and that the drift of these words is to blame them, because they had hitherto multiplied words one against another, but all little or nothing to the purpose, and that thereupon he adds the following clause, mark and afterward we will speak, that is, let us be sure that we mark and well understand one another, and then we may the better hope to carry on our dispute to some good effect. But because 1. His joining his friends with himself in that clause, mark and afterwards we will speak, seems rather to imply that he doth not direct his speech to them. 2. His friends having still pleaded the same thing against Job which he himself doth here in his following speech, to wit, that God doth always destroy wicked men, there was no color why he should blame his friends for multiplying words nothing to the purpose, and 3. Job in the first words of his next reply seems directly to strike at these words of Bildad, as spoken to him, chap. 19.2. yea, saith he, How long will ye vex my soul and break me in pieces with words ? in these regards I rather think that Bildad spake this only to Job, and that it is expressed in the plural number, either because there were some friends at this dispute, that sided with Job though Job only spake; or else rather because it was a propriety of speech which the Hebrews used, to speak sometimes in the plural number though they speak but to one; It seems therefore to me most probable, that Bildad did with these words interrupt Job before he had made an end of speaking, and because Job had been still larger in answering them then they had been in their arguing against him, therefore he upbraides him for being so full of words, How long will it be ere you make an end of words ? as if he should have said, will you never have done? How long will it be ere you give over this multiplying of words, I say mere words, nothing to the purpose, and that have no substance nor solidity in them? mark and afterwards we will speak, that is, observe what we say and then we shall willingly proceed to argue the cause farther with you. And herein he doth also covertly tax Job, that hitherto he had not well observed or not well understood what they had said, and that thereupon it was that he ran on, and would still defend his cause, though there was no strength at all in anything he spake.

Vers. 3. Wherefore are we counted as beasts and reputed vile in your sight? ] As is noted in the foregoing verse, many hold that this also was spoken by Bildad to his two friends; as if he had said, Why should you suffer yourselves to be thus scorned and despised, and that even to your faces? (for that must needs be the meaning of those words and reputed vile in your sight ?) But taking it as spoken to Job, and that those words in your sight (which in the original are expressed in the plural number) were spoken with respect to those standers-by that sided with Job, as is said in the former verse, then the words do clearly contain an expostulation with Job for slighting all that they had spoken, wherefore are we counted as beasts and reputed vile in your sight ? that is, why are we scorned and despised, as if we were mere bruits that had no understanding? And indeed many things Job had spoken whereto Bildad might have respect in these words, as when he said that God had hid their heart from understanding, chap. 17.4. and verse. 10. I cannot find one wise man among you ; and when he had termed them miserable comforters, chap. 16.2. and sent him to the beasts to be instructed by them, chap. 12.7. Ask now the beasts and they shall teach thee, &c.

Vers. 4. He teareth himself in his anger. ] In relation to that which Job had said, chap. 13.14. wherefore do I take my flesh in my teeth ? or to that which he had said, chap. 16.9. He teareth me in his wrath who hateth me, Bildad here chargeth Job with this, that he did even tear himself in his anger; as if he should have said, Whereas Job complains that his enemy that hateth him teareth him in his wrath, the truth is that he teareth himself, though he would seem to deny it; and his meaning is, either that he carried himself like a mad man, who in their distraction are wont often to tear not their garments only, but their own flesh also; or else that through the impatience of his spirit, and his inward vexing and fretting he did continually torture and tear himself.

Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? and shall the rock be removed out of his place? ] Some Expositors understand the first clause thus, shall the earth be forsaken for thee ? that is, if you be cut off and perish, must all the glory of the world needs perish with you? you make a do about your dying, as if the whole earth would be left desolate and without an inhabitant, if you should be taken away; why, what do you make of yourself, that such a matter should be made of it, that you are like to be laid shortly in the grave? Shall the earth be forsaken for thee? if you die, must all the world needs die with you? But the commoner and better exposition of these words is, that Bildad doth here check Job for maintaining that, which would overthrow the settled course of God's providence in the government of the world, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee ? &c. as if he had said, To justify you, who will not yield that your wickedness hath brought these miseries upon you which you now suffer, or because of your complaints and outcries, that you are innocent, and that you are immeasurably and unjustly afflicted, shall we say that God's providence hath forsaken the earth, or that God scared by your clamours will overturn the whole course of nature, which he hath established by an unchangeable decree? Surely the decree of God, that it shall be well with the righteous and ill with the wicked, is as firm and sure, as that the earth shall be inhabited, and that the rocks and mountains shall stand firm in their places; and therefore you may as well hope that God should give over the government of the world, that the earth should be forsaken or the rocks be removed out of their place, as that God should prosper the wicked or make the righteous miserable. As when we talk of those things, which we judge impossible, we use to say, Yes, shall we look for stars in the sea or fishes in the heavens? so to imply how impossible it was which Job maintained, that he was innocent notwithstanding God's hand was so sore upon him, what saith Bildad, Shall the earth be forsaken for thee, and shall the rock be removed out of his place ? Job had given Zophar Bildads friend such a sarcasticall check, chap. 12.2. No doubt but ye are the people and wisdom shall die with you. And here now Bildad replies upon him with the like kind of speech.

Vers. 5. Yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, and the spark of his fire shall not shine. ] This is here set down as that unchangeable course of God's Providence, which as Bildad implied in the foregoing verse would not be altered for Job's sake, yea, the light of the wicked shall be put out, &c. as if he should have said, Never think that God will change the constant way of his governing the world for you: yea, assure yourself though the wicked man may live in a glorious and prosperous condition, yet it shall not long continue; this splendor of his shall quite be extinguished, so that there shall not so much as a spark of it remain: all his designs to keep up himself in his former glory shall come to nothing. Concerning this metaphorical expression of light for prosperity. See the Notes also upon 2 Sam. 22.29▪ and Esth. 8.19.

Vers. 6. The light shall be dark in his tabernacle, and his candle shall be put out with him. ] That is, all the honor and bravery of his household and family shall be turned into woe and misery, and the glory that he hath raised shall in and with himself expire and come to an end. And indeed if by the putting out of the wicked man's candle (or lamp ) be meant, not only that his prosperity should be turned into misery, but also that himself should be cut off by the hand of God, it is very probable that Bildad might herein allude to that which Job had said, chap. 17.1. My breath is corrupt my days are extinct, and meant hereby to let Job know, that therein it fared no otherwise with him, then all wicked men must expect to fare.

Vers. 7. The steps of his strength shall be straightened. ] There are two particulars may be implied herein, to wit, 1. That the misery that should at last befall the wicked man should make him leave that pride of his stately going, which he used whilst he was in the height of his former power and glory, and 2. Principally that he should not carry on his affairs with such speedy success as formerly he had done, but in everything he undertook, yea when he was carrying on his designs with greatest strength, he should fall into troubles and meet with unremovable straits and difficulties, concerning which see the Note also, 2 Sam. 22.37.

Vers. 8. For he is cast into a net by his own feet, &c.] Thus he compares the wicked man to some wild beast, some beast of prey: and affirms that through his brutish blindness he should even throw himself into dangers and mischiefs; and then the following clause, and he walketh upon a snare is added, either to imply that it is no wonder he is so caught, and that because where ever he goes he is in continual danger of some mischief or other; or else to imply that striving to get out of the snare wherein he is caught, he should only farther entangle himself, falling still into more and more snares every step he takes.

Vers. 9. The grin shall take him by the heel, &c.] That is, he shall be suddenly and unexpectedly entangled when he was most confident of his safety because of his great power, and riches, and the wise ordering of his affairs; and the robber shall prevail against him, that is, shall overmaster, and destroy him. And it is likely this is here added, because robbers used to lay snares and traps for them that passed by; and when they were taken therein then they fell upon, them and slew them: and that he had respect herein to those plundering Sabaeans and Chaldeans, that had robbed Job of his cattle.

Vers. 10. The snare is laid for him in the ground, and a trap for him in the way. ] The meaning of this is only thus much, that the wicked man is always in danger of hidden mischiefs, which he never foresees or fears. But yet some conceive that he the rather speaks of a snare laid for him in the ground, either as alluding to the custom of robbers in those times, who used to lie lurking in holes, and dens of the earth, and so were as a snare in the ground, leaping out on a sudden from thence and surprising them that passed by; or else to imply that it was a deadly snare, and such as should lay him in the dust, in the grave.

Vers. 11. Terrors shall make him afraid on every side and drive him to his feet. ] Because Job had complained of the terrors wherewith he was often affrighted, chap. 7.14. Thou scarest me with dreams and terrifyest me through visions, and chap. 6.4. The terrors of God do set themselves in array against me, therefore doth Bildad mention this here as one of the judgments which God brings upon the wicked man, to wit, that he should be so affrighted with variety of terrors from God, from Satan and his own conscience, that they should make him run up and down as a distracted man, desiring anywhere to hide himself but not knowing where. And thus as before he compared the wicked man to beasts in regard of the nets, snares, and traps that are laid for them, so here he compares his terrors to hounds wherewith such beasts are pursued by huntsmen, which appears the more clearly by the following expressions.

Vers. 12. His strength shall be hunger-bitten, &c.] Some understand this of the consumption of his wealth, His strength, that is, his great and mighty estate, shall be hunger-bitten, shall wast, and consume, and be eaten up; Again others understand it of his children, His strength, that is, his children, (who are the strength of their fathers according to that Psal. 127.4. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man, so are the children of the youth, and that Gen. 49.3. where the first-born is called the beginning of the fathers strength) shall be hunger-bitten, that is, shall pine away for want of food. But because in the following verse he speaks of the wasting of the wicked man's own strength, I conceive it is so also to be understood here, to wit, that though the wicked man be never so great, yet God would bring him to that condition that he should even famish for hunger. And accordingly also we must understand the following clause, and destruction shall be ready at his side, that is, sudden and unavoidable destruction shall wait continually upon him, ready every moment to seise upon him.

Vers. 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin, &c.] By the strength of his skin is meant the flesh and fat of all his members, which bears up his skin and makes it look fresh and fair, to which some add also the sinews and bones: and that which Bildad saith shall devour the strength of his skin is that destruction mentioned in the former verse, destruction shall be ready at his side, or the famine and hunger, whereof it is also there said that his strength shall be hunger-bitten. And the same I conceive is meant also by the first-born af death in the following clause, even the first-born of death shall devour his strength ; for though by the first-born of death some conceive the devil is meant, because he was the first condemned to die, or because he had the power of death, Heb. 2.14. and generally Expositors hold that thereby is meant the bitterest, cruellest, terriblest, and strongest of all deaths, that which amongst all the ways of dying carrieth away the preeminence, which is the strength of death and hath in it a double portion of dying, when the agonies of death are most dreadful upon a man, so that all the while he is dying, he is as one that is tortured upon a rack; (and indeed because the first-born had a double portion, and were the chief among their brethren, and were esteemed the strength of their parents, Gen. 49.3. Reuben thou art my first-born, my might, &c. therefore the strongest and chiefest of all things whatsoever are usually termed the first-born, as Isaiah. 14.30. the poorest and most beggarly of men are called the first-born of the poor ) yet I conceive that principally Bildad intended hereby that one particular way of dying, which indeed must needs be of all the most grievous, to wit, when men die by famine or hunger, being starved to death for want of food.

Vers. 14. His confidence shall be rooted out of his tabernacle, &c.] That is, say some Expositors out of his body; his bodily strength whereon he trusted shall be utterly destroyed; Or, everything wherein he placed any confidence shall be utterly rooted out of his dwelling place, namely his riches, children, &c. and it shall bring him to the king of terrors, that is, this rooting his confidence out of his tabernacle, or his broken confidence, the despair he shall fall into upon the rooting out of his confidence, shall bring him to the chiefest and greatest of all terrors, or to death, which is indeed to a natural man the most terrible of all terribles, as a heathen could say, and so consequently also to the devil, who in regard of the terrors wherewith he at last affrights those wicked men, whom at first by his flattering temptations he drew into sin, and in regard of those eternal torments wherewith he shall torment them, may well be called the king of terrors.

Vers. 15. It shall dwell in his tabernacle, because it is none of his, &c.] That is, the king of terrors mentioned in the foregoing words; Or rather, destruction, misery, and want, (whereof he had spoken before verse. 12.) shall dwell in his tabernacle. As in reference thereto he had said before, verse. 13. It shall devour the strength of his skin, so in reference thereto again he saith here, It shall dwell in his tabernacle because it is none of his, that is, Destruction shall take possession of his dwelling place, because he got it by unjust means, and so indeed in right it is none of his. As for the following clause, brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation, the meaning of it is, either 1. That God should utterly burn up his dwelling place, to wit, either with storms of thunder and lightning from heaven, which is of a sulphureous nature, as by the savor thereof may be sometimes discerned, or with very showers of fire and brimstone; or 2. That God should make the place of his habitation barren and desolate, salt and brimstone being usually esteemed signs and causes of barrenness in a land, according to that Deut. 29.23. The whole land thereof is brimstone, and salt, and burning, that it is not sown nor beareth, nor any grass groweth therein, & this may seem the more probable because of the word scattered which is here used, brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation ; or 3. That God should destroy him and his with some strange and horrible judgment, as once he did Sodom and Gomorrhah; for thus (as in allusion to that) the Scripture is wont to express unusual and stupendous judgments, as Psal. 11.6. upon the wicked he shall rain snares, fire, and brimstone, and a horrible tempest ; and so again, Ezek. 38.22. and that Bildad did allude to that destruction of Sodom and Gomorrhah, we may the rather think because Job and these his friends dwelt not far from those parts and lived not long after the time when those cities were destroyed, so that the memory of that judgment must needs be fresh amongst them. And yet withal it is likely that he did covertly also put Job in mind how his cattle and servants were consumed with fire from heaven, chap. 1.16.

Vers. 16. His roots shall be dried up beneath; and above shall his branch be cut off. ] This may be inferred as an effect of that which he had said before, brimstone shall be scattered upon his habitation, to wit, if that be understood of the barrenness of the land wherein he dwelt. But I conceive the plain meaning of these words to be this, that he shall utterly be destroyed root and branch▪ he and all that belongs to him, according to that, Mal. 4.1. All that do wickedly shall be stubble; the day comes that shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, it shall leave them neither root nor branch ; for the wicked man is here compared to a blasted tree, as before, chap. 15.30. of which see the Note there.

Vers. 18. He shall be driven from light into darkness, &c.] Herein may be comprehended, that by the miseries that God shall bring upon him, he shall be violently turned out of a prosperous condition into an estate of dismal and doleful distress, and dishonor, and sorrow; but yet doubtless the chief thing intended herein is, that he should be at last also driven from the light of this world into the land of darkness, the grave, yea into that utter darkness of hell: for therefore to explain these words is that following clause added, of being chased out of the world.

Vers. 19. He shall neither have son nor nephew, &c.] That is, he shall leave no posterity behind him, neither son, nor sons son; wherein he plainly strikes at Job, that had lost all his children.

Vers. 20. They that come after him shall he astonied at his day, as they that went before were affrighted.] At his day, that is, the day of his destruction, that observable day, when God shall at length render to the wicked man according to his works, according to that, Psal. 137.7. Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem ; and Psal. 37.13. The Lord shall laugh at him; for he seeth that his day is coming : The meaning therefore of these words is, that the judgment of God upon the wicked man shall be so grievous and fearful, and thereupon so notorious, that it should be famous in succeeding times, and the very report of it should astonish those that live then, though they never saw it, even as it did affright those that went before, or, that lived with him, who were eye-witnesses of the vengeance that was inflicted on him.

Vers. 21. Surely such are the dwellings of the wicked, and this is the place of him that knoweth not God. ] That is, of every ungodly man; concerning which see the Note, 1 Sam. 2.12. It is as if he had said, Certainly, as sure as God is just, this is and this will be at last the portion of all wicked men and hypocrites, that do not truly fear God; to this their stately dwellings shall at last be brought, and to this all their great wealth and pomp shall come; and therefore do not deceive thyself Job; by thy present condition it is evident what thou hast been; and if thou wilt not hearken to thy friends to repent and turn unto the Lord, thus as all other wicked men do, thou must expect to end thy days.

CHAP. XIX.

Vers. 2. HOw long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? ] Because Bildad began his Reply with that disdainful expostulation, How long will it be ere you make an end of words ? chap. 18.2. Job, addressing himself here to answer him, begins after the same manner, and retorts the expostulation upon him and his other two friends, Nay, saith he, How long will ye vex my soul, and break me in pieces with words? therein giving them to understand, how his soul was vexed and his heart torn within him, and even broken to pieces with the bitterness of their words, as knowing well that all they had spoken of wicked men they intended of him, so that all his bodily sufferings were not so bad to him, as those their sharp reproaches, wherewith his very soul was galled and wounded, and so consequently also upbraiding them hereby for their uncharitableness and cruelty, that could one after another lay on such load upon one that was already in such a sad afflicted condition, and willing them as it were to consider whether he deserved to be blamed, for not giving over speaking for the justifying of himself, or they for not giving over to cast such unjust reproaches upon him.

Vers. 3. These ten times have ye reproached me, &c.] That is, many times, again and again: see the Note, Gen. 31.7. You are not ashamed that you make yourselves strange to me ; or as it is in the margin, that you harden yourselves against me ; in which words he blames them, and that as for a fault of which they might well be ashamed if they had any shame in them, to wit, either because they were so hard-hearted as to use him so reproachfully being in so sad a condition, and never to regard the mournful complaints whereby he had endeavored to move them to pity; or else (if you read this clause as it is in our Bibles) because having been his old acquaintance and friends, they carried themselves towards him, as if they had been mere strangers to him, both in that they showed no more love to him, nor did no more compassionate him in his miseries, then if they had been mere strangers; and likewise in that a stranger, that had never known anything of his close and strict walking with God in a holy and righteous life, could not have censured him more uncharitably then they had done, who had long intimately known, and had been often eye-witnesses of his religious and just conversation.

Vers. 4. And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself. ] The meaning of these words any one would take to be clearly and plainly this, Be it indeed that I have erred, Suppose, though I cannot yield indeed that it is so, that I have done some evil through ignorance or infirmity wherewith God hath been provoked to this displeasure against me; or suppose that I have now in my arguing with you spoken something that is not fitting, mine error remaineth with myself, I suffer for it and not you, or I am like to smart for it and not you, and therefore you need not trouble yourselves with it. Indeed because this is usually the speech of men desperately wicked, when they shake off the reproofs of those that wish them well, Trouble not yourselves anymore with me, if I do anything I should not do, it is not you but I that must suffer for it; and so it could not well stand with the piety of Job to answer thus, therefore some Expositors give another sense of these words, which is this, And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself, that is, suppose that my life hath not been in every respect such as it ought to have been, or that in my pleading with you I have maintained anything that is false and erroneous, truly in this error I do and must for anything I see still remain, since you have no way convinced me, nor informed me better; Or thus, suppose that in pleading my cause against you, I have forgotten myself, and spoken something unadvisedly, my fault herein must lie upon myself; but what is this to the purpose, for that which is the great Question between us, whether or no the miseries I now suffer be laid upo • me for my former wickedness; you quarrel at me for being so full of words and so violent in my discourse; but what is this to the question in hand? But yet, considering 1. That the best are sometimes overborn with temptations and passions in such great distresses as Job was now in, and the drift of this book is to set down as well how he was tempted, as how he did suppress and overcome his temptations, and 2. That his aim in these words was not to reject any just reproof or admonition of his friends, but to tax them for their bitter reviling speeches, I see not but that the first exposition is most approvable, And be it indeed that I have erred, mine error remaineth with myself, as if he should have said, Though I have erred, it is nothing to you, let me alone to bear what God hath laid upon me, and do not you add to mine afflictions by deriding and flouting me, and charging me with many false devised calumnies. Because they had alleged nothing that had any solidity in it either to comfort or convince him: therefore he wills them to consider that though he had erred, if it were so, he smarted for it, and this could give them no just ground to use him so as they had done; so that he speaks this, I say, as taxing the frivolousnesse, and bitterness of that which they had spoken, and as professing that it was more easy for him to endure what he suffered, then to hear their flouts and reproachful speeches.

Vers. 5. If indeed ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my reproach, &c.] By their magnifying themselves against him is meant, that being in a prosperous and flourishing condition themselves, they did proudly insult over him that was in misery, and as it were trample upon him; and by pleading against him his reproach, is meant their alleging against him, as the only argument whereby they sought to prove him a wicked man and an hypocrite, the heavy punishments which God had inflicted on him; for these they are which he terms his reproach, because with these they reproached him, as making them such clear evidences of his former wickedness. The greatest difficulty in these words is, why upon this he saith here, he infers that which follows in the next verse, If indeed, saith he, ye will magnify yourselves against me, and plead against me my repreach, that is, if ye be indeed seriously resolved to triumph over me, and to plead the judgments that God hath laid upon me thereby to prove me a wicked man, then Know now that God hath overthrown me, and hath compassed me about with his net : And to this there may three answers be given, 1. That by alleging this of God's dealing with him he sought to imply, that the grievousness of his sufferings might well wring from him those complaints, which they judged so excessive. and that therefore they had no cause so to triumph over him as they did. 2. By putting them in mind that it was God that had brought those miseries upon him which he now endured his aim was to imply, that when God did correct a man thus, he did it not that others should insult over him and vex him with scornful and reproachful speeches, but rather that they should pity him and comfort him, and take warning thereby to look to themselves, that the same judgments were not inflicted upon them too, and 3. That he first yields in these words, that it was true indeed that God had dealt with him just as they had said God used to deal with wicked men, and therefore whereas Bildad had talked so much of the nets, and snares wherein wicked men were taken, he useth here the same expression, know now that God hath overthrown me and hath compassed me with his net, and then afterwards prove, that yet notwithstanding it did not follow thence that he was a wicked man.

Vers. 7. Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, &c.] The original word here translated wrong may also be translated violence ; and then the meaning may be only this, that he cried out of the violence of God's proceedings against him, in that the miseries he had brought upon him were so exceeding great; but reading it as it is in our Bibles, Behold, I cry out of wrong, but I am not heard, &c. then the meaning must be, that he cried out of the injuries that were done him by men, the robbers that had spoiled him of his estate, or his friends that insulted over him and divided him in his misery, and vexed him and reproached him, as he had before complained. Some Expositors I know understand it, that he had complained bitterly of wrong done him by the Lord, in that the miseries he had laid upon him were no way proportionable to any offense he had committed against God, making this the height of his misery, that though he cried out of these things, yet neither God nor man regarded his cry nor afforded him the least comfort or help; And all they say for Job herein is, that in this his corruptions did too far prevail over him, as over the best they will sometimes do in the hour of temptation. But methinks it is too harsh to charge this upon Job, & thus to understand his words; neither is there any just reason that can be given, why it may not be understood only of the wrong that had been done him by men.

Vers. 8. He hath fenced up my way that I cannot pass, &c.] That is, he hath brought me into inextricable miseries, out of which there's no hope nor possibility to escape; and to the same purpose is the following clause, and he hath set darkness in my paths, that is, I cannot see which way to turn myself, to wit, either because he was so amazed with his sorrows and terrors, or because his troubles were so desperate. The like expressions Job had used before, chap. 3.23. of which see the Note there.

Vers. 9. He hath stripped me of my glory and taken the crown from my head. ] By his glory and his crown some understand his children, according to that, Hos. 9.11. their glory shall flee away as a bird; from the birth, and from the womb, and from the conception, and that Prov. 17.6. children's children are the crown of old men ; Some his wealth, and great estate, according to that Gen. 31.1. where Jacob's riches are called his glory (of which see the Note there) and that Prov. 14.24. the crown of the wise is their riches ; some the dignity and authority which formerly he had in the place where he lived, as having born some place of magistracy amongst them, whence it is that he saith afterward chap. 29.7., &c. when I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street, the young men saw me and hid themselves, &c. some the good report and esteem he had before amongst all that knew him, whereof he was now stripped; as being despised and in great disgrace, everyone accounting him a wicked man and an hypocrite. But I conceive the words must be understood generally, to wit, that God had bereaved him of all that had formerly been an honor and an ornament to him.

Vers. 10. He hath destroyed me on every side, &c.] That is, every way, and in everything: and therefore he adds, and I am gone, that is, I am in a manner a dead man, there's no hope of me: for so we find the same phrase used, Psal. 39.13. O spare me, that I may recover strength, before I go hence, and be no more ; yea because of the following clause, and mine hope hath he removed like a tree, it may seem that in these words, he hath destroyed me on every side, he alludes to those, that when they intend to grub up a tree by the roots, do dig up the ground and hew it round about on every side; and so thereupon infers that there was no more hope of his recovery here in this world, then there was of a tree digged up by the roots.

Vers. 11. And he counteth me unto him as one of his enemies. ] That is, He doth not correct me as a father, but deals with me as if he looked upon me as an enemy. And this is one thing for which Elihu condemns Job, chap. 33.8, 10. I have heard the voice of thy words, saying,—he counteth me for his enemy. Yet the words do not impart, that God concluded that Job was his enemy, but that he proceeded against him as if he had taken him for an enemy.

Vers. 12. His troops come together, &c.] Having in the foregoing verse said that God counted him as an enemy, here he proceeds accordingly in the same metaphorical expression, and shows how God did as it were lay siege against him, His troops come together (which is meant not only of the Chaldeans and others that had robbed him of his estate, but generally of those armies of Afflictions that did together break in upon him) and raise up their way against me, to wit, as pioners are wont to make ways even, and large, and passable for armies that are to march that way, or as soldiers are wont to cast up trenches, and to raise up batteries and galleries, that they may get in to a city which they have besieged, and encamp against me round about, that is, they block me up from, all possibility of escape and hope of relief; for all these figurative expressions are to set forth, how very many, how violent, and of how long continuance his afflictions were, encamping about him as soldiers in a siege.

Vers. 13. He hath put my brethren far from me, &c.] Even this may be added also with respect to the forms metaphor: as if he should have said, My brethren, friends, and others that should have been as auxiliary forces to have aided me in my straits, God hath also quite taken off from helping me: they come not near me, or their hearts are alienated from me.

Vers. 15. They that dwell in my house, and my maids count me for a stranger. ] If amongst those of his house he comprehended those also, whom by way of hospitality he had entertained and harboured amongst those of his family, his complaint is herein the juster and fadder, that they to whom he had shown so much mercy or kindness should so little regard him; and of his maids he makes particular mention, because they in regard of their sex being naturally of a more tender and pitiful disposition, it was the more strange that they should carry themselves so strangely and unmercifully towards him, regarding him no more then if they had no relation at all to him.

Vers. 16. I called my ser • ant and he gave me no answer, I entreated him with my mouth. ] That is, When I called my servant, so far was he from doing what I would have had done, that he would not vouchsafe to give me an answer; yea though instead of commanding him, I entreated him, not by others sent to him, but with mine own mouth, all this would do no good, even to my face he would slight and scorn me.

Vers. 17. My breath is strange to my wife, &c.] Almost all Expositors understand this of his wives loathing to come nigh him, because of the ill savor of his breath by reason of the putrifaction of his lungs and other infirmities that lay upon him. But I rather conceive that by his breath is meant the words he spake to her, his complaints and entreaties, (to which also may be added his sighs and his groans) My breath is strange to my wife, as if he should have said, even when I speak to my wife I spend my breath in vain, she that lay in my bosom regards not my complaints and entreaties, my sighs and cries, no more then if she had been a mere stranger to me: And indeed so much is clear by the following clause, where he adds, by way of explaining what he had said before, that his breath was strange to his wife, though I entreated for the children's sake of mine own body, that is, though I besought her even for the conjugal bonds sake wherewith we were tied together, and for the children's sake which God had bestowed upon us, as the pledges and means of our mutual love one to another. Indeed a great question it is amongst Expositors, what children these were for whose sake Job should beg for respect from his wife in this time of his misery, since at the very first of his troubles both his sons and daughters were slain by the fall of the house upon them where they were feasting together; and to this some say, that he had other little children that were not then slain; and others, that it is meant of his children's children. But because the Text, seems expressly to mention all his store of children where it faith that he had seven sons and three daughters, chap. 1.2. (which were all cut off together) and 2. Because in many passages Job seems to complain that God had rooted out all his posterity, therefore I rather think that he meant this of those his children at first mentioned; nor can I see why it should seem strange, that he should mention the children God had given them whilst they lived together as man and wife, as an argument whereby to persuade her not to despise him, though at the time when he spake this God had taken them away.

Vers. 18. Yea young children despised me, &c.] This may be read as it is in the margin, yea the wicked despised me, this being a sore affliction to the righteous servants of God, when they are made a laughing stock to an ungodly crew; But reading it as it is in our Bibles, yea young children despised me, by young children we must understand those that we call young ones or youths, the younger sort of men, see the Note 1 Kings 3.7. or at the utmost boys and girls, not the young sort of children. And we must know that even this is mentioned as an aggravation of his misery, 1. Because children are naturally more pitiful to them that are in misery, and withal afraid to despise grave and aged men, and 2. Because it must needs very much vex and fret such men when every boy and girl shall despise them. As for those words I arose in the following clause, I arose and they spake against me. Some think that thereby is meant that so soon as he showed himself, perceiving in what a condition he was in, they presently began to revile him, and to speak against him what they had heard others say; some again think the meaning to be this, that though he arose up as by way of respect to them, yet they despised and reproached him; others, that when he arose to go away from them, (as not able to endure such contempt, and yet not willing to contend with them) as soon as his back was turned he might presently hear how they did reproach and revile him: and others, that when he arose to reprove them for despising him, then they spake against him. And indeed these three last Expositions I conceive the most probable.

Vers. 19. All my inward friends abhorred me, &c.] It is in the original, the men of my secret,