Job 19

All this was no doubt meant to apply to Job, as proofs of his hypocrisy; but with how little justice will be seen in the sequel. It seems very extraordinary that these eastern philosophers make no reference to a future state, and not less so, that Job himself alludes to it so seldom, and so transiently. Yet we shall see clearly, by the next chapter, that this was the great support of his mind under his accumulated misfortunes, though he saw but the faint risings of the dawn of immortality, now fully brought to light by the gospel; and * Blessed are our eyes,” if they are enlightened to behold it. Cap. XIX. Ver. 1—29. Job charges his friends with cruelty—Implores pity from all around him, and triumphs in the doctrine of the resurrection.—The early part of this chapter complains of an attempt on the part of his friends (so called) to overwhelm him with eloquent and severe speeches, for which there was too much ground.

But when he addresses the same language to the Almighty himself, and accuses Him of violence and wrong, nothing can excuse or palliate his crime, but the multitude and extremity of his afflictions; which none but He who inflicted, and he who bore them, duly could appreciate. Some new circumstances, however, are here brought forward, which must have been peculiarly distressing. His kindred and acquaintance had all forsaken him. His servants and those strangers who had been taken into his house for protection, now reckoned him an alien; and even their children treated him with contempt. One circumstance was peculiarly painful. «My breath is strange (or offensive) to my wife; Tho’ I entreated (her) for the children’s sake of my own body.”

We have already hinted the probability, if not certainty, that Job’s wife deserted him in his affliction; and this it appears she did, though he entreated her for the sake of his children: but what children? 1. Was it, on account of his decease children, the early pledges of their wedded love? or, 2. Was it on account of other children he might have had by his concubines or slaves, and who were in fact become orphans by his situation? Alas! she had no love to him, or pity for them! She was “One of the foolish women of the age, who tempted him to curse God and die.” We now come to a passage which has afforded more work for critics and commentators, than any other in this very difficult poem; and our attention to it is excited by a very solemn introduction.

Grotius, Le Clerc, Warburton, and other learned men, not conceiving that an Arabian patriarch could know any thing of a resurrection from the dead, have endeavoured to apply this famous passage to a restoration to temporal prosperity. Even Kennicott, who saw the absurdity of this, yet

Notes on the verses

Chap. XIX. Ver. 2. Break me in pieces.—The idea is evidently to “crush,” to overwhelm, as it were, with a mountain of words. - Ver. 3. Make yourselves strange.—This may imply both obstinacy and want of feeling. Ver. 15. They that dwell in my house.—Strangers, taken under his protection. Ver. 18. Young children.—Not infants, evidently; but the half-grown children of his tenants, or slaves. Ver. 20. I am escaped with the skin of my teeth.—This is very difficult to translate; but the sense seems to be, that his gums were grievously disordered, a natural effect of the elephantiasis. See Dr. Good. Ver. 22. Why do ye persecute me as God?—He considers it as peculiarly cruel to persecute him with their bitter speeches, while thus afflicted by the hand of God.—And are not satisfied with my flesh?—The learned Schultens remarks, that to eat the flesh of another, is an Arabian phrase for calumny. Ver. 23. O that my words—the words he was about to utter—were printed in a book—Rather, ‘imprinted;” for certainly here is no allusion to the art of printing. In (Job 13:27), it is applied to marking the heels (or feet) of slaves. [Rather, “Oh that they were described, (Heb. yuchakoo,) in a book, with an iron stile and lead! Were graven on a rock for ever!’ Pliny observes, “At first men wrote on palm leaves, and afterwards on the bark or rind of other trees. In process of time, public monuments were written on rolls of lead, and those of a private nature on linen books, or tables covered with wax.” — Bagster.] Ver. 24. With an iron and lead.—That is, in lead, and in the rock. Ver. 24. The Vau must be here rendered #2, unless we suppose it substituted, by mistake, for Beth.—In the rock.—Dr.

Pococke found hieroglyphic cut mm the rock in the sepulchres of the kings of Thebes. Inscriptions are also found in some of the Pyramids, and on the mountains in the desert of Sinai. Ver. 25. My Redeemer.—My Goel, Kinsman-Redeemer. On the law of redemption among the Israelites, and their Hebrew ancestors, see Ruth, ch. iv. and notes. Liveth.—Or, is ‘the living one.” So Scott (the poet) and Dr. J. Pye Smith.—At the latter day.—Or, “at the last.” Peters. But Scott, and Dr. Smith, above mentioned, take this word acheron, ‘the last,” for one of the titles of the Redeemer, as in (Isaiah 44:6). (Revelation 1:11).——He shall stand, —Or “arise," to judgment. See (Job 32:14). Ver. 26. And though after, &c.—See margin.

The first part of this translation seems now abandoned; but the latter is preferable to the text: the preposition (mem) certainly means, not in, but from, or out of. Dr. Smith’s translation is given in our Exposition. Ver. 27. My reins be consumed, &c.—See margin. ‘‘As the heart is figuratively used to signify the temper and disposition, so the reins, to signify the close thought and reflection of the mind.”’ Dr. Taylor. See (Psalms 16:7). This verse is, however, very differently interpreted. Peters explains it, ‘‘I feel my very vitals fail me, and am hastening towards death and judgment.” Dr. Pye Smith (probably guided by the LXX. and Vulgate) renders it, “The thoughts of my bosom are accomplished.”

Dr. Boothroyd to the same effect, but in the future tense. Ver. 28. Seeing the root, &c.—That is, seeing he had truth on his side. Or, (as in the margin) “What root of matter,’’ what ground of complaint, “is found in me?” Ver. 29. Be ye afraid of the sword.—That is, beware lest you bring upon you punishment.