Job 14

Job seeking to find some case with God from his pains be describeth the general wretchedness of the life of man 1, etc. Entreateth that for a season at last he may have some relaxation from his suffering, 13. Be complaineth of Gods severity against man, exercising the same now against his person, 16. As also against others and their posterity, 21.

1. Man born of a woman is short of days, [i.e. hath but a short life. So likewise length of days, implieth a long life. See Prov.3.2. and the annotation.] and full [satur] of disquietness [Hebr. Of trouble, or commotion, i.e. full of trouble, toil and turmoil, distemper, and vexation, which ever and anon do seize upon him by reason of the many miseries of this life. Compare Eccles.2.23. See the like kind of speaking above 7.4. and the annot.]

2. He cometh forth like a flower, and is cut down; also he fleeth like a shadow, and abideth not.

3. Yet doest thou open thine eyes over such a one: [viz. That is so wretched; for man in himself seemeth to be too unworthy and contemptible, that God, being of Such an infinite Majesty, should take thoughts or pains about, much less employ such might and force against him, so grievously to fall upon him with his punishments.] and thou drawest me into Judgement with thee. [Hebrew, bringeth me, or makest me to come, etc.]

4. Who shall give a clean one out of the unclean? Not one. [i.e. none is able to find out a man that is clean and without sin, being born of sinful man, according to the common course of nature. So he confesseth that himself likewise was unclean and sinful, desiring that God would be no less gracious to him, than to other penitent sinners, and punish him no more than others.]

5. Because his days are appointed, [i.e. the time of above verse 1. And the annotation. In the same sense his months are to be understood in the words immediately following. Thus below chap.29.2. he calleth the time past of his life, former months] the number of his months is with thee; and thou hast made his limitations, [viz. Of the whole progress and end of his life.] which he shall not pass over.

6. Turn thy self off from him [to wit, from punishing and afflicting him in this manner.] that he may have rest: [or cease, viz. From grieving, by reason of the great pains he endureth. Oth. Until he do cease, viz.to live, as the Hebrew word is taken, Deut.15.11.] till like an hireling, [he compareth himself to a Labourer, that is hired for a day, or set time, in regard that men are appointed here, every one for so much time as God hath set him, to ply the work of their calling until they die] he take pleasure at his day. [viz. At his dying day, as below cvhap.15.32. i.e. till being satisfied of this life, he shall be glad and long to die, and to be translated into the eternal rest; like an hired labourer, that is wearied and even spent with his work, doth solace himself, and taketh pleasure in the hire of his labour, and longeth for the rest of the night. Oth. Put off his day; i.e. end his life: as if he did call his whole life time but a day, as above v.2. and 5. Days, and that in regard of its shortness; in which sense also the Greeks do call men Hemerioi, i.e. daily diurnal. Otherwise the word day can likewise be taken here for a days-work, or the work of a set time, or of the end of the hireling, or day labourer his day, when he cometh to rest from his labour, and to receive his wages.]

7. For, for a tree, when he is cut down there is expectation, that he shall yet change himself; [i.e. renew himself. The meaning is, That a tree, being cut down may come to sprout yet, and grow up again; but that a man, being felled down by many plagues, and put to death once, is not able to recover again the use and enjoinment of this life; and consequently, that in this regard man is in a worse and more wretched condition, than the very trees; which he doth alledge to move God to compassion, that he would vouchsafe him to enjoy some rest and refreshing yet in this life. Comp. This with above chap.7. verse 7,8, &c. Or A tree hath expectation, i.e. hope, &c. Unto trees there is ascribed sense and passions, understanding and speech; but improperly and onely by comparison; as it is also to those creatures, that have not so much as the vegetable life, as the abyss, the Sea Stones, the earth, &c. To add the more perspicuity and luster to the matter treated of, and the better to rouse up the reader to due attention. See Jud.9.8. and the annot. Item here below v.9. where the sense of smelling is attributed to the tree. See also below 23.14,22. & 31.38.] and his sprouting shall not cease.

8. If his root wax old in the earth, and his trunk die in the dust;

9. He will sprout forth (again) from the smell of the waters: [viz. By means of moisture, which he attracteth out of the earth, whereby he is revived and comes to growth again.] and shall yield a branch like a plant. [i.e. not otherwise then if it were the root of a young stem.

10. But a man [vir] dieth when he is weakened; [Other, and is destroyed, or quelled, subdued. Or when a man dieth, he is destroyed. Thus the Hebrew word is taken, Exodus 17:13.] and man [homo] giveth (up) the ghost; where is he then? [viz. To be found in this earthly life: as if he said: it is done with him; there is no looking for him more in this life. See above ch.7.10.]

11. The waters run away [difflunt] out of a Sea, and a River dryeth up and with withered away. [The meaning is; like as waters, being let out from one place into another, do not return again to the former; so the soul of man being departed once out of the body, doth not return again into the same, viz. To live again here on earth. Other. Do the waters run away out of the Sea? And doth a river dry up and wither? V.12. but man lyeth down, etc.]

12. So a man lyeth down [i.e. dyeth: for death is here compared to the lying down to sleep. See hereof Deuter.31.on ver.16.] and riseth not up: [viz. To return into this earthly and transitory life,] They shall not awake, nor be raised out of their sleep, until the heavens be no more, [i.e. until the heavens shall pass away with a great stir, 2 Peter 3:10. and the first heaven, and first earth perish, Revelations 21.1. the resurrection from the dead being not to come to pass till then.]

13. O that [Hebr. Who shall give that, &c. See above chap.6.on v.8.] thou [he speaketh unto God here, urged to it by the excessive and deep sense of his suffering.] wouldst hide me in the grave; [i.e. cause me for a time to be dead and buried, that thy wrath, which is so fiercely kindled against me, might pass by in the mean while, and I then rise up again out of the grave, to live yet for a while in rest and quiet here, to thy glory, and the instruction of men.] (and) keep me close, until thine anger turn it self away: that thou wouldst set me a limitation [i.e. a set time, how long I should remain in the grave.] and be mindful of me! [viz. By the raising up of my body again, to shew a new mercy unto me. How remembrance is ascribed to God, see Gen.8.on v.1.]

14. When a man is dead, shall he live again? [Job doth bring in this opposition here, for to shew, that indeed he neither believed, nor expected any such raising from the grave, to an earthly and transitory life: for this kind of asking, doth infer a strong denial. See Genesis 18.on verse 17.] I should [if it were so, that a man might be made alive again thus.] hope, [viz. If thou shouldst hide me but for a certain time in the grave, to draw me afterwards forth again out of it, to the quiet and peaceable enjoying of this Earthly life.] all the days of my combat. [understand all the time that it shall please God thus to visit me here on earth. Of the word Combat, see above chap.7. verse 1. And compare above verse 5. And the annotation on the word Limitation.] until my change should come. [i.e. my rising again to a new earthly or temporal life.]

15. That thou shouldst call [viz. To rouse and raise me up again out of the grave, wherein I should have lain until the day of my change.] and I should answer thee, [i.e. obey thy calling voice, by coming forth out of the grave.] that shouldst have a desire [i.e. graciously accept of, and shew favour and kindness] to the work of thine hands. [thus he calleth himself. See ab.ch.10.8. Psalms 119:73.]

16. But now thou tellest my steps: [as if he said, I wish in vain that i may rest in the grave for a time, for as much as thou haste determined, to punish me most severely in this life for my sins, which thou so narrowly observes. Compare below 33.11. to tell the steps, or, goings of men, doth signify not onely to look on them, but also to observe and take special notice of them, either for to approve and bless the same, Psalms 56:9. or for to condemn and punish them as here. See below 31.4. My steps, i.e. all the intents and purposes, all the commission and omissions of my life, be they never so small. So also below 31.4. and 34.21. Proverbs 16:9. Jer.10.23.] thou doest not keep (me) by reason of my sin. [i.e. thou hast no care of my welfare, but sleekest to afflict and ruine me, and for that end and purpose settest all my sins before thee. Oth. Doest thou not keep watch over my sin? i.e. dost thou not take special notice of my sins, to punish me for them? or, thou sparest nothing of my sin.]

17. My transgression is sealed up in a bundle; [i.e. closely locked up, and kept together under seal as it were, that they might not slip out of thy remembrance. Sealing for shutting up, locking in, close committing and keeping. Deuter.32.34. Job 37:7.] and thou packest up mine iniquity together. [i.e. thou doest complicate and join unto my former sins the present also, to aggravate my cause yet further, and to punish me yet harder.]

18. And indeed a Mountain falling perisheth, and a rock is removed out of its place, [which things may come to pass by some Earthquake, fierce winds, floods of water, or such like accident, the meaning is. Even as a Mountain sinking or falling piecemeal to ground doth come to nothing, and a rock is removed out of its place, and the water doth hollow out the Stones, and the dust of the earth overthroweth that which of it self cometh forth out of it, which is Gods doing: so it is yet much more easy for him, to overthrow and bring to nothing the prosperous estate of a man, who is far more weak and frail then the foresaid Creatures.]

19. The waters grind the stones, the dust of the earth overthroweth [Heb. Overfloweth] the growth that of it self cometh forth out of it: [See of the Hebrew word rendered growth here, 2 Kings 19.on verse 29. Isaiah 37:30.] so thou destroyest the expectation of man.

20. Thou overpowerest him for ever, and he passeth away; [i.e. departeth hence by death] changing his feature; [Heb. Face, or countenance, i.e. the substance of his body, the faculty of his spirit, the condition of his life, the glory of his house, the greatness of his means the renown of his name, &c.] thus thou doest send him away.

21. His children come to honour, [viz. By means of great prosperity, abundance of wealth, advantage of high places, &c.] and he knoweth it not: [as being departed out of this world; and so the welfare of his children can yield no comfort to him.] or they become less, [viz. By adversity, poverty, mean and low condition, &c.] And he doth not heed them. [or, he doth not enquire after them. or, he taketh no thought for them, i.e. being dead, he troubleth himself no more about them. Comp. Eccles.9.5.]

22. But his flesh being on him (yet), hath pain, and his soul being in him hath sorrow. [The meaning is; that a man, whiles he is here on earth yet, is sensible onely of the misery of this life, and of the crosses and mischances of his family.]