Job 33:19

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed,.... This seems to be another way, in which God, according to his eternal purposes, speaks unto men, as the word "also" intimates; namely, by afflictions,

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain: When man does not heed warnings of the night, he is chastened, etc.

With pain, or grief; with some painful and dangerous diseases, or bodily distempers, which is the second way whereby God instructs men and excites them to repentance; which also was Job’ s case. The multitude of his bones with strong pain; the pain pierceth his very bones, even all of them. Or, even the strong multitude of his bones, i.e. his bones, which are both many and strong. Or, according to another reading, the contention of his bones (i.e. the pain of his bones, whereby God contends with him) is strong. This also was Job’ s case, .

Job 33:19 He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong [pain]:Ver. 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed] He is chastened or chidden, Coarguitur dolore; for all diseases are vocal; they are real reprehensions. As God is said to hold his peace when he punisheth not, Psalms 50:21 Isaiah 42:14, so to preach and reprove when he doth, Isaiah 26:9; Isaiah 28:19. Thus God, by chastening David, instructed him every morning, Psalms 73:14. His reins also taught him in the night season. Sickness, saith one, is the shop of virtue. It is morum disciplina, felicitatis meditatorium, voluntatis Dei schola, saith another. King Alfred found it so, and therefore besought God to send him ever and anon some fit of sickness; for that, saith he, I ever find myself best when worst, best in soul when worst in body, the sickness of this is a medicine to that. And the multitude of his bones with strong pain] Some read it, Et lis est ossium eius vehemens, his bones rattle in his skin, as we say. Confer Psalms 38:4. He is all over so ill at ease, that live he would not, die he cannot; his pain piercing even to his very bones, and drinking up his marrow, as Job’ s did; all this discourse being exemplified in him, save that we find not that he kept his bed.

(19) He is chastened.—This is the second manner in which God speaks—first by dreams, &c., then by afflictions. And the multitude of his bones with strong pain.—Or, reading it otherwise, we may render, And with continual strife in his bones—e.g., rheumatism and gout.

Verse 19. He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, c.] IV. - AFFLICTIONS are a fourth means which God makes use of to awaken and convert sinners. In the hand of God these were the cause of the salvation of David, as himself testifies: Before I was afflicted, I went astray, Psalms 119:67; Psalms 119:71; Psalms 119:75. The multitude of his bones] By such diseases, especially those of a rheumatic kind, when to the patient's apprehension every bone is diseased, broken, or out of joint. Some render the passage, When the multitude of his bones is yet strong meaning those sudden afflictions which fall upon men when in a state of great firmness and vigour. The original, ורוב עצמיו אתן verob atsamaiv ethan, may be translated, And the strong multitude of his bones. Even the strong multitude of his bones is chastened with pain upon his bed; the place of rest and ease affording him no peace, quiet, or comfort. The bones may be well termed multitudinous, as there are no less than 10 in the cranium, or skull; upper jaw, 13; lower jaw, 1; teeth, 32; tongue, 1; vertebrae, or back-bone, 24; ribs, 24; sternum, or breast-bone, 3; os innominatum, 1; scapula, or shoulder-blades, 2; arms, 6; hands, 54; thigh-bones, 2; knee-bones, 2; legs, 4; feet, 54: in all, not less than 233 bones, without reckoning the ossa sethamoides; because, though often numerous, they are found only in hard labourers, or elderly persons.

13–28. When Elihu gives the general answer to Job’s charges against God that “God is greater than man” he means that the moral loftiness of God’s nature made it impossible that He should act in the arbitrary, hostile manner charged against Him by Job (comp. ch. Job 36:5). It was but another form of the same charge of arbitrary hostility to man when Job affirmed that God was deaf to all appeal and refused to speak to man; comp. ch. Job 19:7, Job 30:20, and often. To this general form of the charge Elihu directs his attention and replies that God speaks to man in many ways, though He may not answer when challenged as Job had challenged Him; comp. ch. Job 35:14. He speaks to man in ways becoming His greatness, ways that shew that His goodness is over all His works. Job 33:13 probably reads Why dost thou contend against him That he giveth not account of any of his matters? that is, Job’s contention or plea against God is that He deals arbitrarily and refuses all account of His dealing.

He is chastened also with pain - As another means of checking and restraining him from the commission of sin.

b. THE SECOND MODE OF DIVINE IS BY , DISEASE. Affliction is in itself the voice of God to the soul: its design being to accomplish purposes in respect to which the first mode of visitation is insufficient.