Job 20

Dr. Priestley himself says, ‘‘Christians in general, from the earliest times, maintain that Job [in this passage] declares his faith in a happy resurrection at the last day; and this I have no doubt is the right construction…… His wishing so often for death, as the end of all his troubles, shows that he had no expectation of any temporal deliverance.” Having premised these remarks, we shall now, as another specimen of the Hebrew poetry, present the reader with Dr. Pye Smith’s translation of this celebrated passage:— 23 “‘O that, even now, were my words recorded! O that they were written in a memorial! 24 With an iron point and lead! That they were engraven, for perpetuity, on a rock! 25 I surely do know my Redeemer, the Living One; And He, the Last, will arise over the dust.

26 And, after the disease hath cut down my skin, Even from my flesh I shall see God: 27 Whom I shall see on my behalf; And mine eyes shall behold him, and not be estranged.” In opposition to this evangelical interpretation of Job’s language, it has been asked—1. Whence came Job by the doctrine of a resurrection and future judgment? We reply, of this Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, ‘Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints,” &c. (Jude, ver. 14, 15.) 2. Why did not Job refer to it in other instances? We answer, he did, and refer to (Job 14:13-15); xxi. 30, &c. 3. But then, why did not Job derive comfort from this most exhilarating doctrine? We ask, Does every good man always enjoy the consolations connected with the truth which he believes?

Certainly not. Chap. XX. Ver. 1—29. Zophar, in reply, describes the misery of the wicked in the present life—However we may censure the conduct of Zophar, as of the other of Job’s friends, “‘There is (says Scott, the poet) great poetical merit in this speech. It is a torrent of Oriental eloquence, rushing on with the vehemence of a fiery temper, inflamed by resentment and mistaken Some commentators connect this chapter with the preceding, by supposing the “Therefore” to have reference to Job’s doctrine of a future judgment; but to us it appears that he purposely avoids that doctrine, and still argues upon the principle of an equal providence in the present life. ‘True!’ as if the orator had said, “the wicked do sometimes prosper; but their triumph is but short; even while they are eating, (ver.

23.) before they have any time for enjoyment, the judgments of God are poured down upon them;” and this is intended to set aside the necessity of a future judgment. The miseries of a wicked man in the present life, as they sometimes, though not uniformly, take place, are strongly and beautifully depicted by Zophar in this chapter, which comprises every thing that experience or imagination could suggest, to show that such receive their punishment in the present world, either in their own persons, or in their families, or, by anticipation, in their posterity; and this is urged in order to supersede the necessity of future punishment, and thus set aside the argument of Job in favour of a future judgment.

Notes on the verses

Chap. XX. Ver. 2. Therefore do my thoughts cause me to answer.—That is, urge me to answer.—And for this I make haste—i. e. he was eager to reply. - Ver. 3. The check of my reproach.—That is, the reply which Job had given to his aa spirit of my understanding.—Meaning, his intelligent mind. Ver. 7. Like his own dung.—That is, covered over, and put out of sight. See (Deuteronomy 23:13).; K Ver. 9. The eye which saw him.—“Which glanced at him.” Heath, Park- Ver. 10. His children shall seek to please the poor.—See margin; i. e. they shall retaliate, and force him to make restitution. Ver. 11. His bones are full of the sin of his youth.—This affords an obvious sense. (See (Psalms 90:8).) But Scott (the poet) omits the words in Italic, **of the sin,”

and reads, “full of his youth. It shall lie down with him,’’ &c., meaning, he shall be cut off in his youth. Ver. 14. Yet his meat.—The word “yet” which is supplied, were better omitted, and the verb repeated, thus: “His meat in his bowels is turned— It is turned into the gall of asps within him.” The gall of asps.—Heb. ‘bitterness;’ the same as “poison,” verse 15. [That is, “the poison of asps,” which was anciently supposed to consist in their gall. So Pliny says expressly, that in the gall the poison of serpents consists.]—Bagster. Ver. 17. The brooks of honey and butter.—Or rather, ‘‘butter milk.” See sa vu. 15, Ver. 18, According to his substance.—See margin. At this early period, all trade was in the way of barter, or exchange; the profit of this was its riches, or substance, Ver.

21. There shall none of his meat be left.—See margin; i. e. he shall enjoy nothing himself. Ver. 22. Every hand of the wicked.—But should be “trouble;” “every hand of trouble,” or “‘trouble on every hand.” Ver. 24. Bow of steel. The Heb. nehushah, is certainly brass. See (Genesis 4:22). (2 Kings 18:4), Ver. 25. It is drawn.—The arrow, or the sword, and he is immediately seized with the horrors of death. Ver. 26. All darkness shall be (rather as) hid in his secret places.—That is, all is darkness around him wherever he goes.—A fire not blown—That is, by human agency, shall consume him, The judgment is inflicted by the invisible hand of God.