Job 7

Chap. VII. Ver. 1-21. Job concludes his reply.—This chapter also opens with some admirable sentiments on the nature and trials of human life, which he describes as an appointed warfare in which all men are engaged; and a work in which every man has his set labour, and looks for his reward and rest in death: like a slave following, with open mouth and anxious looks, the course of the sun till it sets in the horizon: “So am I made, (says Job,) to possess months of vanity;” and not only so, but, instead of rest, at evening, ‘‘ wearisome nights also are appointed to me.’ Job next describes the loathsome situation of his body—‘ clothed (or covered) with worms and dust.” This expression, strong as it is, can hardly be thought too forcible for a wretched leper sitting upon a rubbish “heap, where all the soil is dust, and without any opportunity of bathing.

Mauwndrell, the celebrated traveller in the Holy Land, saw at Sichem ten lepers, whose distemper, he says, was ‘‘so noisome, that it might well pass for the utmost corruption of the human body on this side the grave.” Job then changes the figure, and instead of complaining of the tediousness of his days and nights, complains of their brevity and rapidity: he compares them to the weaver’s shuttle and the passing wind. The former seems to bea favourite image web of human affairs in the loom of his will and of his wisdom.” Human life is also common’y compared to a breath, to air, or to a vapour; the latter, in particular, by St. James: “What is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time and then vanisheth away:”

the very image that is Ben up by this man of afHliction—“‘as the cloud that vanisheth away. “a Several expressions in this chapter have been urged to prove that Job had no expectation of a future state; but though he does not here (as he does hereafter) evince the triumphant faith of a Christian, or even a pious Jew; yet he by no means settles into the gloom of ni Bacher As to the expressions, ‘I am not,” ver. 8, and “I shall not be,” in the last verse of this chapter, we are certain that they cannot imply an anticipation of non-existence, because the same are used of the patriarch Enoch, of whom Moses says, ((Genesis 5:24).) “He was not, for God took him,” where nothing further can be meant, than his removal from earth to heaven.

So it is explained by the apostle to the Hebrews, ((Job 11:5).) “ By faith Enoch was translated, that he should not see death.” On this chapter, Scott (the commentator) judiciously remarks—“ In the middle of this discourse with his friends, Job seems to have lifted up his thoughts to God, and mingled some actings of faith and hope with his fretfulness and despondency. He desired the Lord to remember how fleeting this life was at best; and either to abate his anguish, or release him from it, as he had no hope of seeing any more comfort here. A single look from God would end his days: and as the clouds vanish, and others are formed in their places, so men die, and never return to occupy their former stations, but others succeed them from age to age.”

This does not, by any means, imply the denial of a A. M, 2484. B. C. 1520. a DeS24. oR See eae ea [EN answered Bildad the Shuhite, and T aid, ow long wilt thou speak these things ? and how long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind ? e ¢.11,13. 2B, &e. oth * God pervert judgment ? or doth the d Ps,39.5. Almighty pervert justice ? e not. *4 If thy children have sinned against him, f 1Ch.29.15. and he have cast them away ” for their transg Ps.129.6. _ gression; Mat. 13.20 _ 51If *thou wouldest seek unto God betimes, h e.11.20, and make thy supplication to the Almighty; 6 If thou wert pure and upright; surely now i house. he would awake for thee, and make the habitation of thy righteousness prosperous.

j Mat.7.26. 7 Though thy beginning was small, yet thy: atter end should greatly increase. ’ k Ps.37.36. _ 8 For inquire, | pray thee, of the former 1 Mat.3.9. age, and prepare thyself to the search of their ™ Ps. Qi. 14. n take the fathers: “a 9 (For we ‘are but of yesterday, and know _ *nothing, because our days upon earth area ~ fshadow:) o shouting Sor joy. ~ 10 Shall not they teach thee, and tell thee, p Ps.132.18, and utter words out of their heart ? ° q not be.. 11 Can the rush grow up without mire? can a Ps.143.2. ‘the flag grow without water ? b or, before. * 12 Whilst ¢it is yet in his greenness, and ce Jude 24.25 d He.12.26. not cut down, it withereth before any other e Jos.10.12. f Ps.104.2,3 » 13So0 are the paths of all that forget God; Is, 40.22,.

and the hypocrite’8 hope " shall perish: g Mat.14.25 + 14 Whose hope shall be cut off, and whose h heights. trust shali be a spider’s ! web. i Am.5.8. 15 He shall lean upon his house, but it) shall j Aish, Cesil, and not stand: he shall hold it fast, but it shall not e; but it merely describes the condition of mankind respecting this present life. On the close of this chapter, we may observe, that though Job justified himself from the charges of Bape é a sinner against him by his friends, he freely confesses snaele have sinned, O thou _preserver;”” in the sightof God. “I rather, “observer” of men! thou searcher of hearts! “ What shall—what can I do, to propitiate thee? or to induce thee to pardon my transgression,”

and restore me to thy favour? the Shuhite, addresses

Notes on the verses

Chap. VII. Ver. 1. An appointed time.—Heath sa referring to the term of dismission from actual duty. Ver. 2. As a servant (or slave) desireth.—Heb. “gapeth after.”——The shadovv.—That is, the evening. —-And as a hireling looketh for his reward. —These words need not have been in Italics, for the same word used for work, 1s also sometimes used for wages, or reward. (Psalms 109:20). (Proverbs 10:16). So inthe Hebrew, the same eae often used for sin and sin-offering. bereaved,” ‘‘Inits primary sense reft.”——Dig a pit.—Heb. “ Make (Scott)—to look upon me, “now in: “Do I look like an impostor, or deyou my righteousness in ys it is a military term, Ver. 6. 4 weaver’s shuttle—He compares his life to a web: the work is God’s, who ‘‘ determines the measure of every man’s life.”"——They are spent without hope.— They are consumed without thread (or through want of thread;”) see (Proverbs 14:28). Ver. 8. Thine eyes are upon me.—Compare (Psalms 104:32).——I am not.— So ver. 21. “ We find the same expression used by Homer’s heroes of the dead ae and yet no one questions their belief of a future state.” Ver. 12. Am Ia sea, or a whale ?—Michaelis, with many others, understands this of the Nile and the crocodile, as in Isa: xxvii. 1. Ezek. xxxii. 2. It is well known that the Egyptians watched, very carefully, both the rising ot the Nile, and the SaaS of a crocodile, ‘I ek 15. Rather than my life—i. e. the skeleton to which he was now worn y disease, Ver. 17. Set thy heart upon.—That is, considered, scrutinized, and, as it were, studied—man. See (Job 1:8).; ii. 3. _Ver. 19. Till I can swallow down my spittle.—[This is a proverbial expression among the Arabs to the present day, signifying the same as “Let me.

draw my breath.” Schultens gives an instance hom the Concessus of Hariri, of a quick return made to a person who used the proverb, ‘Suffer me,” said the person importuned, “to swallow down my spittle?’ “You may if you please, swallow down Tigris and Euphrates,” said his friend.)—Bagster. Ver. 20. What shall—Rather, “ What can.” ’ Boothroyd.—Preserver— Or, “ Observer.” The word has both meanings, and ig anpled to ‘ watchers,” ((Jeremiah 4:16).) and is here so rendered by Dr. Stock. Cap. VII. Ver. 2. How long shall the words of thy mouth be like a strong wind ?—So Scott (the poet.) B How long, How far will rage this tempest of thy tongue ?” Ver. 4. For their transgression.—W hether justly or not, it is evident that the insinuation is here thrown cut, that, Job’s brought judgments on themselves by their transgressions.

Ver. 11. The rush…. the ee a teang to the papyrus, which formerly grew in the meadows of the Nile, but which, when the Nile did not rise sufficiently high, perished sooner than other plants. Ver. 13. The hypocrite’8 hope.—it is very doubtful whether this word be ever used for a hypocrite; it generally signifies profligate. or profane. See (Job 34:30). (Psalms 35:16). (Jeremiah 23:15). Ver. 14. A spider’s 10eb.—The spider’s web is his house; and never was house builded with more skill or accuracy. See (Proverbs 30:28) Ver. 15. Lean upon his house.—Weak conceive any figure that can more justly and prosperity of the wicked.”—Dr. Good. Ver. 17. About the heap.—Spring, or well. place) house”) of stones.—The vine which is the plant here supposed to be alluded to, flourishes best in a stony or sandy soil; but near a weil, or spring.

(Genesis 49:22).;. Dr. Boothroyd’s Ver. 18. If he destroy him.—This is obscure and difficult. seems here the most intelligible and correct version; When it is destroyed from its place, This will disown it, ‘1 have not seen thee.’ ” sons, as well as himself, had That is, as Scott (the poet) expresses it, The parent soil denies the inglorious birth.” i suppose this to be the continuation Ver. 19. This is the joy of his way.—We lace on which he grew should not only disof the personification: as if the “Behold, this is the end of his glorying! and out own him, but ridicule him. yd, th of the earth shall others spring up like him.”. riseth not.—A neavy and tremeneous