Job 16

Job upbraideth his friend, that they are unkind and unfit Comforters, v.1, etc. He bewaileth again his wretched condition, 6. Although he was innocent of what his friends charged upon him, 17. Which he wisheth he might answer before God himself, 21. Not with standing that his life was very short here, 22.

1. But Job answered, and said:

2. I have heard [not only by thee and thy companions, but of others also.] many such things: [viz. As thou hast set before me, about the ruin and destruction of the wicked.] ye are all troublesome comforters. [Heb. Comforters of toil, or, trouble, above chap.13.4. called naughty physicians. See the annotation there.]

3. Shall there be an end of windy words? [Hebr. Words of wind. Compare above 15.2. and see the annotation.] or what hardeneth you, that ye answer (thus)? [i.e. what solid grounds or reasons have ye, that make you so resolved, severe and peremptory in encountering me with such answers? That the Hebrew word here, which no where else is found in this construction, hath the signification of hardening, or strengthening, may be gathered by a word of the same root, which signifieth to be strong, or firm, & vigorous. See 1 Kings 2:8. ab.6.25. Mich.2.10.]

4. Should I likewise speak as ye do, [viz. Pretending to be a Comforter. Otherwise, I might likewise speak as ye do, if, etc. I might heap words, etc. And I might shake, etc.] if your soul were in my souls stead? [i.e. if your persons were in the place and condition of mine, enduring the same misery which now I do endure. Soul for person, see Gen.12.on v.5.] should I heap words together against you? [i.e. scorn and mock you, and shew forth the same by shaking of my head at you. See 2 Kings 19.on verse 21. Implying that he would not deal so with them: for all these kind of questions have a force of denying, as appeareth by the very next verse.]

5. I should strengthen you out with my mouth, and the moving of my lips, should with-hold it self. [or, be withheld, held, or kept in. Viz. From so much prating, or making so much stir and ado; as ye now practice against me. Oth. Should (you) or (your grief) keep in, or refrain. Or thus; Compassion should with-hold my lips.]

6. If I speak, my pain is not with-held: [or, kept in.] and if I cease, what goeth there away from me? [i.e. what is my grief the less for it? Implying , that whether he spake or held his peace, it was all one, he found no advantage; as if he said, if I do speak my words are mis-construed, and I am nevertheless judged a wicked man, by reason of my sufferings; and if I hold my peace, I shall be held convicted.]

7. Verily, he hath tired me now: [(i.e. extremely wearied me with this heavy and manifold affliction.) he, God namely, who had sent all this suffering upon him; whom also presently he directs his speech unto in the words following in the second person being transported with the greatness of his anguish, of the suppressing of the name of God. See above chap.3.on v.20. and below here v.9. Oth. But now it hath tired me, the pain or grief namely, whereof he had spoken in the former verse.] thou hast laid waste my whole congregation. [understand his family, wife, children, friends, retinue, servants, whom the LORD, in several ways, had either bereaved him of, or estranged from him. See ab.ch.1. and 2. Item ch.19.v.13,14,15; &c.]

8. That thou hast made me wrinkled, the same is a witness: [i.e. it doth witness of the greatness of my distress and pain, whereby my spirit is so distempered, that my body doth by little, even wear and wither away.) and my leanness standeth up against me; it beareth above chap.1.vers.11. as if he said; My wrinkled, lean, dry, and withered body, doth speak against me, like a witness, and taketh part against me with my adversaries. They judging of a mans godliness, or ungodliness, by his temporal and outward estate and condition. Which if it were granted to be so, his miserable diseased and decayed body might well have been a sufficient witness of Gods indignation and vengeance against him.]

9. His wrath [Understand the wrath of God. He speaketh again of God in the third person.] teareth [this is a similitude taken from the Lions; or such like worrying and tearings beasts, the better to express, how fearful it is to fall into the hands of the living God, when he beginneth once to execute the severity of his punishments, Hebrews 10..31. Compare Psalms 50:22. Lamentantions 3.10.11. Hosea 5:14. and 6.7.] and he hateth me, [or, doth hate me inwardly. So Genesis 49:23. and 50.15.] he gnasheth over me with his teeth, them together and grating them the one against the other is a behaviour of such as are filled with extream rage, and revengefulness. So Psalms 35:16. and 37.12. and 112.10. and Lament.2.16.or, of those that are in extremity of pain, torture, or torment. Matthew 8:2. Luke 13:28. Here it is attributed to God in the first sense by similitude. To make us the better apprehend the fierceness and fearfulness of his wrath and indignation.] mine adversary sharpeneth his eyes against me. [i.e. casts a fierce and grim look upon me, as if he meant to dart me through with his very eyes and looks, as with the terrible flashes of lightening.]

10. They gape with their mouth against me, [He meaneth those instrument s or persons whom God made use of, to try him, by all kinds of chastisements; but it should seem; he hath an especial regard here to Eliphaz and his companions who had opened their mouth against him, to condemn him unworthily, as one that was forsaken of God altogether. Compare Psalms 35:21.] they smite with reproach upon my cheek: [i.e. they scornfully reproach me. See 1 Kings 22.on ver.24.] they fill themselves together on me. [i.e. they satisfy their anger, or spightful mind. See the like expression Exod.15.9. and compare the annotation. Oth. They have gathered themselves with multitudes against me.]

11. God hath given me over [Oth. Shut me up with the perverse, viz. As in a hold or prison, for to be plagued and tormented by them.] to the perverse; [it should seem he meaneth hereby the Chaldeans and Sabeans, spoken of above chap.1. verse 15. And 17.] and hath turned me off into the hands of the wicked. [i.e. made me to fall into their hands.]

12. I was at rest, but he hath broken me, [viz. By fire, by winds, by enemies, above chap.1.15,16,17,19.] and laid hold by my neck, and dashed me to pieces: [like as a mighty Giant, who apprehending a little weakly man, and gripping him by the neck, doth there withal, fling him to the ground to brain him, and dash him to pieces.] and he hath set me up for a mark to him. [whereat to shoot the arrow of his indignation. Comp.ab.ch.7.20.]

13. His archers have surrounded me, [Some are of opinion, that by these he meaneth his wife, friends, and others, who by perverse Judgements, mockings and gibing’s did greatly multiply his sufferings. Others understand this of his sores, which pierced and tore his skin and flesh all over. It may also generally be taken for all his plagues and sufferings together.] he hath split through my reins, and not spared; he hath powered out my gall upon the earth. [these art hyperbolical expressions, to shew forth the greatness of the sufferings wherewith he was inthralled. The meaning is, that God had not only filled his body, outwardly with sores and biles, & inwardly with pangs and pains; but likewise so pierced and split his spirit with grievous troubles, and cutting perplexities, that it had made him to power and gush out all his passions and resentments in the great anguish of his senses and agony of his heart.]

14. He hath broken me with breach upon breach; [Heb. With breach upon the face of breach: implying, that from the very beginning of his suffering hitherto be had no respite at all, not so much as to breath once a little; but that the plagues had still heaped themselves upon him, one in the neck of another, without intermission hitherto, and without ceasing yet, to fall upon him.] he hath run on against me like a mighty one. [i.e. like as a mighty, terrible, and strongly-armed man of war would or could do.]

15. I have sowed a sack over my skin, [Understand the sack (or sack-cloth) which he put on over his skin, when he heard all those sad tidings of the loss of his Cattle and Children. The sense is, that the same sack was cleaving now so fast to his skin, by means of the running sores and clammy matter all the skin over, that it seemed to be even sowed on upon him] I have put my horn in the dust [i.e. I have soiled or stained mine honour, power and authority, the same is reduced to nothing, and changed into shame, contempt, reproach and poverty. Thus the word horn is taken for honour, might greatness, power and authority. See Deuteronomy 33. On vers.17. as the word, dust, for shame, contempt, hardship, despicableness, want of ability, low and weak condition. See 1 Kings 16.on v.2. Or, by the horn maybe understood (by way of similitude from beasts) the head, which in their mournings of old they strowed with dust.]

16. My face is altogether bedaubed [or, soiled, besmeared, or smutched. The Hebrew word doth signify filthy that comes from moisture, which is troubled and stirred about, Psalms 46:4. and 75.9.] of weeping, and the shadow of death [i.e. a very thick darkness, such as useth to seize on men, when they are even ready to die. See the annotation above ch.3.on v.5. and 10. On verse 21.] is over mine eye-lids; [meaning, that his sight was made exceeding dim, by reason of his great grief and abundant weeping.]

17. When yet there is no violence in my hand, and my prayer is pure. [the sense is, that he had not wronged his neighbour, and had served God uprightly. Prayer is the chiefest part of Gods worship.]

18. O Earth [Here he taketh the earth to witness of his innocency and piety, mentioned before; wishing, that if he had committed any wrong or violence, by bloodshed against his neighbour, as his friends laid to his charge, that God would reveal it and bring it to light, causing the earth to discover the same.] cover not [the earth is said to cover the blood, when as wrong, violence and murder, remain concealed and unpunished Contrarily, not to cover it, when they are revealed and punished. Compare Gen.4.10,11. Isaiah 26:21. Ezekiel 24:7.] my blood; [i.e. that which at any time I may have shed wrongfully.] and let there be no place for my cry; [i.e. I wish that my prayer may not be heard, if so be I am such as my friends do describe and paint me.]

19. Now also, behold, my witness is in heaven [he meaneth God who was able to give a perfect testimony of his conscience, and guiltlessness, and him he calleth immediately against his other or second-witness; for he saith the same thing twice.] and my witness in the heights; [i.e. in the highest place, or highest heavens. Compare below 25.2. and 31.2. Psalms 148:1. Mat.21.9. Luke 2:14.]

20. My friends are my deriders: (yet) mine eye droppeth to God; [i.e. waiteth upon God with fervent tears, for to bring my righteous cause to light once wherefore also I call upon him without ceasing. Compare Psalms 69:4.]

21. Oh that one might plead for a man with God, as [Heb. And, [see above chap.5.on verse 7.] a child of man [i.e. a man (homo) see 1 Kings 8.on v.39.] for his friend!

22. For (but a few) years in number are to come (yet) [Hebr. Years of number, i.e. few years, namely of my life. See Genesis 34.on ver.30. Item ab.ch.15.v.20. it is much, as if he said; what do I wish to plead with God? It is in vain, for I must die ere long. Oth. For the numbering of years shall come on; as if Job gave the reason here, why he was so desirous to enter into mutual plea with God, namely, because his life was neer to its ends, and he would gladly have this controversy ended, before he died.] and I shall pass the path, (through which) I shall not return again. [Oth. Thus. The path is there; I shall not return, I shall not return, I shall be gone.]