Job's Reply to Bildad Bildad wrote under the picture which he had drawn, _these are the habitations of the wicked_, and held it up before Job. It was meant for him, for all that is specific in it is borrowed from the circumstances of his case. The terrible distemper, the "firstborn of death," that... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 19:7. A dark picture of the desertion of God and His terrible hostility to him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 19:13. Then even a more touching complaint of the alienation of men from him which God has caused. There is more than impatience expressed in the words _vex_(afflict) and "break in pieces"; the words suggest the crushing effect which the friends" insinuations of wickedness had on Job's spirit.... [ Continue Reading ]
Job, forsaken of God and men, and without hope in this life, rises to the assurance that God will yet appear to vindicate him, and that his eyes shall see him on his side in joy 2 5. Job expresses his impatience of his friends" words; and repudiates the inferences of his guilt which they draw from... [ Continue Reading ]
Job 19:23. Hopeless in the present he turns his eye to the future. He desires that his protest of innocence might find indelible record in the rock, that the generations to come might read it. Yet how small a thing that would be to _him_, whose chief sorrow lay in the alienation of God from his spir... [ Continue Reading ]
In this verse Job must mean to repudiate the offences insinuated against him. The precise force of the second clause, however, is obscure. It might mean, "my error is my own and no matter for your intermeddling"; or, "I alone am conscious of it and you can know nothing regarding it," in either case... [ Continue Reading ]
If his friends mean in earnest to found inferences on his calamities then he will tell them that it is _God_who hath brought these on him unjustly (Job 19:6).... [ Continue Reading ]
_Know now_ Or, as we say, _know then_. The word _God_is emphatic. _overthrown me_ More probably, PERVERTED MY RIGHT (Job 19:7); this, not his guilt, is the explanation of his afflictions. By his reference to the "net" of God Job repudiates the statements of Bildad, ch. Job 18:8 _seq_.; it was not h... [ Continue Reading ]
This drew from him in his helplessness cries of wrong, which were unheeded.... [ Continue Reading ]
God's hostility to him and destructive persecution of him. In Job 19:6 the transition is already made to the account of God's hostility. The picture is sufficiently graphic. First there was the general feeling of being entangled, as a creature snared.... [ Continue Reading ]
No outgo or escape was possible, for there rose a wall before him if he would move; neither was there any outlook, for thick darkness fell close about him. These images are common to express the extremest perplexity.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then came the consciousness of the meaning of his calamities they were evidence that he was a transgressor. God took thus his crown of righteousness from his head, and stripped the glory of godliness from him, cf. ch. Job 29:14.... [ Continue Reading ]
_He hath destroyed_ Rather, HE BREAKETH ME DOWN; the figure of a building. In the second clause the image is that of a great tree torn up by the roots, whose fall is pitiful. The words, _and I am gone_, refer to his inevitable death from his disease, which he regards as already virtually come, as is... [ Continue Reading ]
Figures of hostile assault; God directs charge after charge of His army against Him. The reference is to his afflictions, cf. ch. Job 10:17.... [ Continue Reading ]
_raise up their way_ i. e. cast up a way or high bank on which to advance againt the beleaguered fort or city.... [ Continue Reading ]
The estrangement and abhorrence of men. Job's complaint now is even more touching than before: God not only afflicted him with trouble but removed far from him all human sympathy. And there is something more breaking to the heart in the turning away of men from us than in the severest sufferings. I... [ Continue Reading ]
First, his relations outside his own immediate circle and his acquaintances stood aloof from him.... [ Continue Reading ]
Then those unrelated to him within his house, the menials and slaves. Those who, as Oriental servants, used to be subservient and observant of the slightest sign from their master (Psalms 123:2) these "ducking observants" now refuse to answer when he calls, and must be besought for their service. Ve... [ Continue Reading ]
Once more, if possible an acuter misery he is become intolerable to those most dear to him. _though I intreated_ Perhaps, AND I AM LOATHSOME TO THE CHILDREN OF. The word as known in Heb. means _to be gracious to, to pity_(Job 19:21), in the simple form (here), and _to seek favour to oneself_, or _b... [ Continue Reading ]
Another affecting touch the little children mock his ineffectual attempts to rise from the ground. _children despised_ Better, DESPISE. _I arose, and they spake_ Better, IF I WOULD ARISE THEY SPEAK they jeer at his painful efforts to rise.... [ Continue Reading ]
_my inward friends_ A fine expression, lit. _the men of my council_. "Inward" means intimate: "Who is most inward with the royal duke?" _Rich. III_. The reference is to such as his three friends, men whose high converse and fellowship seemed to Job, as a thoughtful godly man, something almost bett... [ Continue Reading ]
The desertion and loathing of mankind is universal, and to this is added his exhausted state from disease. _My bone cleaveth to my skin_ The words describe his emaciated condition, cf. Lamentations 4:8; Psalms 102:5, My bones cleave to my skin (marg. flesh); Psalms 22:17, I may tell (count) all my... [ Continue Reading ]
Overcome by his sense of the terrible enmity of God, Job piteously cries out for the compassion of men. There is a strong antithesis between "ye my friends" and the "hand of God," "God" (Job 19:22). The whole speech, even when the enmity of men is referred to (Job 19:13 _seq_.), is occupied with the... [ Continue Reading ]
_satisfied with my flesh_ Why cannot ye be sated with devouring me? The figure is sufficiently plain. In Oriental phrase "to devour or eat the parts or pieces of one" is to calumniate him, to accuse him, Daniel 3:8, Dan. 6:34. Job asks why they will not cease to bring accusations against him?... [ Continue Reading ]
_in a book_ The Heb. says in _the book_, using the Art. to indicate the _kind_of record, Exodus 17:14; Numbers 5:23; 1 Samuel 10:25. The phrase means merely to "commit to writing." The "words" which Job desires written are not those in Job 19:25 _seq_., but his general and oft repeated protestations... [ Continue Reading ]
Job turns to the future. He desires that his protestation of innocence could find indelible record in the rock, that it might stand a perpetual witness to all generations. But he shall have something greater: he knows that God will yet appear for his vindication, and that he shall see Him with joy.... [ Continue Reading ]
In Job 19:23 Job longed that his words were written. But ordinary writing is perishable. And now he desires that his words were hewn in indelible characters upon the rock. The "lead" was probably run into the traces cut in the stone. It need not be said that "the rock" like "the book" means merely r... [ Continue Reading ]
_For I know_ Rather, BUT I know. This is now something higher to which his mind rises. He desires no doubt to be vindicated before men, and would wish that all generations to come should know his claim to rectitude, when he no more lived himself to make it (Job 19:23); but what he desires above all... [ Continue Reading ]
_and_though _after my skin_worms _destroy_ See trans. above. The word _destroy_means _to break off_, strike down or off, as branches from a tree (Isaiah 10:34). The words literally run, _and after my skin which they have destroyed_even _this_(probably pointing to himself). The indeterminate construc... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whom I shall see for myself_ These words might mean merely, whom I myself shall see; or, _for myself_may mean, favourable to me, on my side and to my joy. _and not another_ i. e. I and not another (shall see). Job heaps up phrases to express his assurance that _he_shall see God, "I shall see for m... [ Continue Reading ]
Brief threat to his three friends. God's appearance, which will bring joy to Job, will carry terror to those who persecute him and fasten false charges of guilt upon him. The language in these verses is in some parts obscure, and there may be faults in the text. Job 19:28 reads in connexion with Job... [ Continue Reading ]
_for wrath bringeth the punishments of the sword_ This translation seems to assume that "wrath" here is that of men, such wrath as Job's friends shewed towards him. But the word is too strong to be taken in this sense. The Divine "wrath" or fury is meant. The phrase "punishments of the sword" means... [ Continue Reading ]