Job 16:15

_I HAVE SEWED SACKCLOTH UPON MY SKIN, AND DEFILED MY HORN IN THE DUST._ Sewed - denoting the tight fit of the mourning garment: it was a sack with arm-holes, closely sewed to the body. HORN - image from horned cattle, which when excited tear the earth with their horns. The horn was the emblem of power (1 Kings 22:11). Here it is "in the dust," which, as applied to Job, denotes his humiliation from former greatness. To throw one's self in the dust was a sign of mourning: this idea is here joined with that of excited despair, depicted by the fury of a horned beast. The Druses of Lebanon still wear horns as an ornament....

6-16 Here is a doleful representation of Job's grievances. What reason we have to bless God, that we are not making such complaints! Even good men, when in great troubles, have much ado not to entertain hard thoughts of God. Eliphaz had represented Job as unhumbled under his affliction: No, says Job, I know better things; the dust is now the fittest place for me. In this he reminds us of Christ, who was a man of sorrows, and pronounced those blessed that mourn, for they shall be comforted....

Verse Job 16:15. _I HAVE SEWED SACKCLOTH_] שק _sak_, a word that has passed into almost all languages, as I have already had occasion to notice in other parts of this work. _DEFILED MY HORN IN THE DUST._] The _horn_ was an emblem of _power_; and the metaphor was originally taken from beasts, such as the urus, wild ox, _buffalo_, or perhaps the _rhinoceros_, who were perceived to have so much power in their horns. Hence a horn was frequently worn on crowns and helmets, as is evident on ancient coins; and to this day it is an appendage to the diadem of the kings and chiefs of Abyssinia. In the second edition of Mr. Bruce's Travels in Abyssinia, vol. viii., plates 2 and 3, we have engravings of two chiefs, _Kefla Yasous_, and _Woodage Ashahel_, who are represented with this emblem of _power_ on their forehead. Mr. Bruce thus d

I HAVE SEWED SACKCLOTH - I have put on the badges of humiliation and grief; see the notes at Isaiah 3:24. This was the usual emblem of mourning. In order more deeply to express it, or to make it a “permanent” memorial of sorrow, it would seem that it was “sewed” around the body - as we “sew” crape on the hat. AND DEFILED MY HORN IN THE DUST - The word rendered “defiled” (from עלל _‛__âlal_) has, according to Gesenius, the notion of “repetition,” derived from the use of the Arabic word. The Arabic means, to drink again, that is, after a former draught; and then, to drink deep. Hence, the word is applied to any action which is repeated - as to the second blow by which one already struck down is killed; to an after-harvest, or to gleaning in the fields. Here Gesenius supposes it means

EXPOSITION Job answers the second speech of Eliphaz in a discourse which occupies two (short) chapters, and is thus not much more lengthy than the speech of his antagonist. His tone is very despairing. He finds no help at all in the speeches of the "comforters" (verses 2-6), and turns from them to consider once more the dealings of God with him (verses 7-14). Next, he describes his own proceedings under his afflictions, and appeals to earth and. heaven, and God in heaven, to take up his cause and help him (verses 15-22). In Job 17:1. he continues much in the same-strain, but with an intermixture of the topics, which is somewhat confusing. In Job 17:1, Job 17:2 he bewails himself; in...

I HAVE SEWED SACKCLOTH UPON MY SKIN,.... Which he very probably put on when he rent his mantle, or sat in ashes, Job 1:20; which actions were usually performed together in times of distress and sorrow, see Genesis 37:34; and this was no doubt a voluntary action of his, like that of the king of Nineveh and his subjects Jonah 3:5; though some have thought that Job was so reduced that he had no clothes to wear, and was obliged to put on such coarse raiment, which is not probable; and it seems that he put this next to his skin, which must be very uneasy to one that had been used to such soft apparel, as it seems did also the kings of Israel in time of mourning,...

CHAPTER S 16-17 JOB'S REPLY TO ELIPHAZ _ 1. Miserable comforters are ye all (Job 16:1)_ 2. Oh God! Thou hast done it! (Job 16:6) 3. Yet I look to Thee (Job 16:15) 4. Trouble upon trouble; self-pity (Job 17:1) 5. Where is now my hope? (Job 17:13) Job 16:1. How masterfully he meets their wrong accusations and how he brings forth his suffering afresh, yet always with that horrible nightmare, God is not for me, but against me! Such things Eliphaz spoke he had h

JOB 16:6 contain a bitter complaint of God's ferocity against Job, in spite of his innocence. The connexion of Job 16:6 with the context is not clear: RV translation is probably, however, correct. With Job 16:7 the enumeration of God's unkindness begins. Davidson explains the change from he to thou by the rise of emotion. God has such hold on Job (Job 16:8) by afflicting him. Job 16:9 compares His onslaught to that of a wild beast. Job 16:10 f. speaks of the hostility of men, not Job's frien

SEWED SACKCLOTH, &C. Put by Figure of speech _Metonymy_ (of Adjunct), App-6, for the sorrow which accompanied it....

Job realizes to himself his new condition: God and men combine to pursue him with their enmity, though he is innocent of all wrong In Job 16:5 Job flung back with scorn the "comforts of God" which the friends proffered him. And now there seems to occur a pause, and the excited sufferer looks about him and realizes both the extremity of the evil in which he is held, and the new and unexpected trial, added to all others, of the judgment of men being against him. And he hardly knows whether he shall speak or be silent, so overcome is he and so unavailing to help him or make men judge truly of him are both speech and silence _if I speak my grief is not assuaged, and if I forbear what am I eased? Job 16:6_. Yet this new condition in which he realizes that he is, which makes speech useless, forces him to speak, and he