Job 13

Job confirmeth that which he had alledged, by his own experience, 1. Taxeth his friends of their trespass about this controversy, 2. Desireth them to hold their peace, 13. Declareth his good conscience and confidence in God, 16. Requesteth two things of God, 20. And powereth out his complaints before him, 23.

1. Behold all that mine eye hath seen, mine ear hath heard, [viz. What I have alledged now, and taught heretofore, of the wise and mighty Government of God, not only by common experience, but especially by the revelation and instruction of the LORD.] and understood [Hebr. Understood for it self, according to the Hebrew phrase.]

2. As ye do know (it), I also know it; I faint not before you. [Heb. I fall not before you. See ab.ch.12.3. and the annot.]

3. But I will speak to the Almighty, and I long to defend my self before God. [Hereby he reflecteth upon that which Zophar had said above chap.11.5. implying that he would rather deal with God himself than with these Friends of his, forasmuch as God, looking upon his conscience, would understand him better than they did, who judging him to be an hypocrite, maintained Gods cause by wrongful arguments.]

4. For assuredly ye are dressers of lies: [i.e. you garnish and adorn lies, (as Psalms 119:169.) in that ye go about to plead for Gods cause with lies, urging, that God doth onely punished the wicked and not the godly, and that I must needs be wicked because punished thus, yea, and that he should not be righteous, to punish me thus if I were godly.] ye are all of you naughty Physicians. [i.e. unfit comforters, who, instead of chearing and reviving me with Gods promises made for the godly, set before me nothing but severe judgements of God, and the just vengeances, which he doth execute against the wicked.]

5. Ah, [Hebr. Who shall give. See above cha.6.8.] that ye kept silence together! [Hebr. Being silent were silent!] that would be wisdom for you. [i.e. it should be held and accounted your wisdom, Proverbs 17:28.]

6. Do but hear my defence: [The Hebrew word doth properly signify reprehension, reproof. Understand here the defence or plea which he was ready to produce against their charge. So the word is taken below chapter 23.verse 4.] and mark the controversies of my lips. [i.e. the managing of my Arguments, whereby I go about to maintain my cause against you.]

7. Should ye speak wrong [viz. As if God dealt unjustly to chasten the godly, even as if God had no right nor liberty to do it.] for God? [i.e. to please him, or to defend him: and so in the sequel. Job taxeth them, that they charge him with wicked dissembling and hypocrisy, under pretence of maintaining Gods justice. For they would not understand, or yield, that the judgements of God, ordinarily, do as soon light upon the good as upon the wicked, in this life. See above 5.ver.3, &c. & 8.v.11. &c. And 11.ver.13,20.] and should ye speak deceitfulness for him?

8. Should ye accept his face, [i.e. regard his person, because of his power and greatness, without duely considering and weighing the matter it self. Implying, that God ought not to be defended in such a manner; and so below verse 10. See Leviticus 19. On verse 15.] Should ye contend for God? [viz. After this manner. The sense is; They needed not at all trouble, or, pain themselves to plead for the Justice of God, because he himself was sufficiently able to maintain himself.]

9. Will it be good [i.e. shall it be honourable and profitable for you? He will say, no; but rather accompanied with disgrace and damage, it is a phrase which strongly denieth. See Genesis 18.on verse 17.] when he shall search you? [i.e. accurately sift your hearts, and understandings, who in this matter do not rightly conceive of him; for judging him unrighteous, if he should in judging punish the godly.] will ye mock him, [shall ye deceitfully and by lying, make him believe, that he is righteous for punishing onely the wicked (as you do imagined) and that I am wicked for being punished, or chastened by him?] as one doth mock a man?

10. He shall certainly reprove you [Hebr. Reproving reprove you, i.e. he shall assuredly convince you of hypocrisy and feigned holiness] if ye shall accept the face [see above on verse 8.] in secret [i.e. covertly and craftly. For in outward shew you seem to stand mainly for the justice of God against me, who yet am sufficiently conscious to my self of my uprightness which should not be unknown to your selves neither.]

11. Will not his Highness [i.e. the greatness and excellency of his Majesty.] affright you, and his fear [wherewith God maketh men afraid, or men ought to fear God.] fall upon you?

12. Your remembrances [i.e. what glorious or excellent things soever may be recorded or reported of you; as your state, wealth, might, name, life.] are like ashes [Hebr. Likenesses of ashes. The sense is, whatsoever there may be counted great and excellent in you, is in comparison with God, nothing but or no better than ashes, which is but of small value. How is it then, that ye are not afraid of God, and should he stand in need of these unuseful, weak, and unreasonable pleadings, and intercession of your?] your heights as heights of clay. [Oth. Your backs, i.e. bodies, as the bodies of clay, i.e. all of you, of one and the same earthly and miry substance; how then should ye not be afraid of God?]

13. Hold ye still from me that I may speak, [Other. Be silent (and cease) from me, i.e. hold your peace and let me alone, or unmolested: the like expression you have 1 Samuel 7:8. Psalms 28:1. Jerem.38.27.] and let there go over me, what (may) be. [i.e. come what may come upon me, I must speak, I will adventure to do what I do, at my own peril; for I trust that God will deal more reasonably with me then you: yea, though God should visit me more heavily yet, I cannot forbear to defend my self thus far, as to avouch and maintain that I am no wicked wretch. See the like kind of speech, 2 Sam18.23.]

14. Why should I take my flesh into my teeth, [His meaning is, if God punish the wicked onely, how cometh it to pass then, that he doth punish me that am not wicked? Yea, that he doth punish me in such a manner, as I could even tear off my skin and flesh with my teeth by piece-meal, they being so rankled and rotten, through the sores that are upon me: or, that doth so punish me, that it were enough to make me, like raging men for very despair, to wrong and spoil my own members, and thereby to put my soul into extream hazard. Or, Should I take my flesh into my teeth? i.e. I should in a manner tear my self in pieces, and die most miserably, if I should be forced to hold my peace. Compare verse 13.& 19.] and put my soul into mine hand, [i.e. expose the same to a thousand dangers. See this kind of speaking, Judg.12.3. and in the annot.]

15. Behold, (if) he did put me to death should I not hope? [Or, Behold, he putting me to death; he, viz. God. The sense is, it is so far from me, to despair, that I will not give over trusting in God, although he should even take we away out of this life, in this misery. Oth. If he put me to death I will trust in him, the same sense.] yet will I defend my ways before his face. [i.e. although I knew that God shall ever be my confidence in life and death, yet can I not forbear to maintain the right of my cause against the opinion and wrong judgement of these friends of mine.]

16. Also he shall be salvation to me [he, viz. God.] but an hypocrite shall not come before his face. [such an one namely as you take me to be, though wrongfully, as God doth know my heart, and my conscience beareth witness unto me. Compare above 8.13. and the annotation.]

17. Hearken diligently [Hebr. Hearing hear] unto my speech, and my declaration with your ears.

18. Behold now, I have put the right in order, [viz. My right, i.e. the difference, and controversy, wherein he declared, that he was not such as his friends drew his picture.] I know that I shall be declared righteous. [by God namely in this point or controversy, which I am now maintaining against my friends.]

19. Who is he that would contend with me? If I kept silence now, I should give (up) the Ghost. [i.e. if now being so vilely represented by my friends, I should not have liberty to be zealous in the maintaining of mine innocency, I should even die for grief and anguish, or pine away by degrees and perish by death at last.]

20. Onely two things do not with me: [which are set down in the next verse; the one being that he would not press him continually with the plague which was now upon him; the other that he would not terrify him still with his Majesty, as before, which he was not able to subsist for to maintain his cause. These two things he had alledged formerly likewise, chap.9.34. etc. They are mentioned also by Elihu, below chap.33.7.] then shall I not hide my self from thy face. [i.e. I shall not seek for corners, or be to seek at any time; but I shall cheerfully shew my self, to plead my cause.]

21. Put thine hand far from upon me: [i.e. thy plague and visitation. So Judges 2:15. Ruth 1:13. 1 Samuel 5:6,7,11. Psalms 81:15. Lam.2.8,9. Acts 13:11.] and let not the terror affright me.

22. Then call, and I will answer, or I will speak, and answer thou me.

23. How many are my misdeeds and sins? Make my transgression and my sin known to me. [As if he said, I know it well enough, that I am a poor sinner, but I pray how many, and what manner of sins are they that I am so grievously punished for them; seeing my friends do judge that the plagues being so great, the sins must needs be proportioned.]

24. Why hidest thou thy face, [God is said to hide his face from the Godly when he seemeth not to take notice of them in the straights, nor to hear their prayers, but deny them all help. See Deut.31.on verse 17. The like expression we have, Psalms 13:2. and 69.18. and 102.3. Isaiah 54.ver.8. Michael 3.4.] and holdest me for thine enemy? [i.e. dealest so severely with me by all the plagues, which seize upon me, that it should seem thou holdest me for thine enemy, although I am thy child and servant.]

25. Wilt thou bruise a driven leaf? And presecute a dry stubble? [i.e. shall thy most high and almighty Majesty employ such force and violence of punishing, about me, that am but a withered leaf and dry stubble in comparison?]

26. For thou writest bitter things against me: [This is said, according to the manner of Judges, which cause their sentences, or judgements and decrees to be set down and enrolled, in writing; therefore to write, is as much as to say here, to determine, ordain and stablish the decree.] and thou makest me inherite the misdeeds of my youth: [i.e. the punishments, which from my youth up I have deserved by misdeeds. Thus also iniquity is taken for the punishment of iniquity. See Lev.5.on v.1.]

27. Thou puttest my feet also into the stocks, [i.e. even as misdoers are put in hold or stocks, so am I, by all these plagues so surrounded, shut up and held fast, that I cannot avoid them, and see no way of escape or getting out. Compare below 36.8. and the annotation.] and observes all thy paths: [i.e. I am not onely shut up round about, but thou hast likewise environed me as with a Gard, that by no means, I might be able to escape. Compare above 7.12.] thou printest thy self into the roots of my feet. [i.e. Thou hast not onely set a guard upon me at a distance, but thou comest also self so close up to me that thy footsteps, i.e. the testimonies of thy severe judgements, stand printed or manifested close to my feet, that is, as neer as possibly may be; by the roots of his feet, he meaneth the lowermost parts of them; implying, that God could not straighten him closer, then he did, holding him fast by the heels as it were, that he was not able to stare a foot out of his sufferings.]

28. And he waxeth old, as corruption; like a garment which the moth devoureth. [here he meaneth himself, pointing with the finger, as it were, upon his own body. The sense is, that God not regarding his weakness and pining away, di not give over to distress him to the utmost. Others understand it of his body, or of mankind in general, as followeth, ch.14.1.]