Job 10:14

_IF I SIN, THEN THOU MARKEST ME, AND THOU WILT NOT ACQUIT ME FROM MINE INIQUITY._ If I sin, then thou markest me. Job is perplexed because God "marks" every sin of his with such ceaseless rigour. IF I SIN ... IF I BE WICKED. The former word "sin" х_ CHAATAA'_ (H2398)] means a slip through imprudence; but "wicked" х_ RAASHA`_ (H7561)], heinously wicked, of set purpose. AND IF I BE RIGHTEOUS, YET WILL I NOT, LIFT UP MINE HEAD. Whether erring or "wicked" (deliberately godless and a hypocrite), or "righteous" (comparatively: sincere), God condemns and punishes alike. LIFT UP MY HEAD - in conscious innocence (Psalms 3:3). Thou, O Lord, art the lifter up of mine head. I AM FULL OF CONFUSION; THEREFORE SEE THOU MINE AFFLICTION - rathe

14-22 Job did not deny that as a sinner he deserved his sufferings; but he thought that justice was executed upon him with peculiar rigour. His gloom, unbelief, and hard thoughts of God, were as much to be ascribed to Satan's inward temptations, and his anguish of soul, under the sense of God's displeasure, as to his outward trials, and remaining depravity. Our Creator, become in Christ our Redeemer also, will not destroy the work of his hands in any humble believer; but will renew him unto holiness, that he may enjoy eternal life. If anguish on earth renders the grave a desirable refuge, what will be their condition who are condemned to the blackness of darkness for ever? Let every sinner seek deliverance from that dreadful state, and every believer be thankful to Jesus, who delivereth from the wrath to come....

Verse Job 10:14. _IF I SIN_] From thee nothing can be hidden; if I sin, thou takest account of the transgression, and canst not hold me for innocent when thou knowest I am guilty....

IF I SIN - The object of this verse and the following is, evidently, to say that he was wholly perplexed. He did not know how to act. He could not understand the reason of the divine dealings, and he was wholly unable to explain them, and hence, he did not know how to act in a proper manner. It is expressive of a state of mind where the individual wishes to think and feel right, but where he finds so much to perplex him, that he does not know what to do. Job was sure that his friends were not right in the position which they maintained - that he was a sinner of enormous character, and that his sufferings were proof of this, and yet he did not know how to answer their arguments. He desired to have confidence in God, and yet he knew not how to reconcile his dealings with his sense of right. He felt that he was a friend of God, and he did not know why he should visit one who had this consci...

EXPOSITION JOB 10:1 Having answered Bildad, Job proceeds to pour out the bitterness of his soul in a pathetic complaint, which he addresses directly to God. There is not much that is novel in the long expostulation, which mainly goes over ground covered in Job 3:1; Job 6:1; Job 7:1; but some new grounds are alleged as pleas for mercy, if not for justice. These are (1) that he is God's gesture, and in the past (at any rate) has been the object of his care (Job 7:3, J

IF I SIN, THEN THOU MARKEST ME,.... Or "observest me" t; that is, he took notice of his sins, strictly inquired into them and all the circumstances of them, watched the motions and progress of them, and carefully laid them up, in order to bring them out against him another day, and afflict or punish him for them; or he set a watch about him, "kept [him] in" u, and enclosed him on every side with affliction, as if he was in a watch or prison, as Gersom; or, "wilt thou keep me" w? that is, in such close confinement: Gussetius x renders it, "if I have offered a sacrifice for sin", as the word is sometimes used; signifying, that though he should, as no doubt he did, offer sacrifice for himself, as it is certain he did for his children, yet even that was not regarded by the Lord; he still marked and observed him and his sins, and would not forgive him, or absolve him from his sins, as follows...

CHAPTER S 9-10 JOB ANSWERS BILDAD _ 1. The supremacy and power of God (Job 9:1)_ 2. How then can Job meet Him? (Job 9:11) 3. He destroyeth the perfect and the wicked (Job 9:22) 4. Confession of weakness and the need of a daysman (Job 9:25) 5. Murmuring against God (Job 10:1) 6. Welcoming death (Job 10:18) Job 9:1. The final words of Bildad seemed to have had a momentary soothing

Job's tone becomes sharper. He accuses God of having created him only to torment him. What profit is there to God in destroying the work that has cost Him so much pains? (Job 10:3)? Is God short-sighted, so that He sees faults where they do not exist (Job 10:4)? How can He be, when He is eternal (Job 10:5)? Yet He inquires after Job's sin, torturing to make him confess (Job 10:6 f.). Job reminds God how He has made him (Job 10:10 f. describes according to the poet's physiology the formation of the embryo; _cf._ Ps

INIQUITY. Hebrew. _'avah._ App-44....

The contradiction between this dealing with Job in the womb and since his birth and God's present treatment of him is only to be reconciled by the supposition that God's present severe treatment of Job had been resolved on from the first, and that His careful fashioning of him and care over him had been in order the better to carry out His purpose. The details of this cruel purpose are given in the following verses....