Job 17

Job returneth again to his complaint over his miserable life v.1, etc. And unkind friends, 3. He appealeth from his friends to God, 5. He sheweth what usually doth accompany great misery and adversity, 6. Exhorteth his friends to judge and speak better, 10. He doth not hope to recover of his disease, but to die, 11.

1. My Spirit [Understand here by the word Spirit the living powers and faculties of man. See 1 Kings 10.on v.5.] is wasted, [i.e. consumed, spent, and perished. Oth. Weakened, or pulled off, viz: from the body] my days are extinguished [i.e. the days of my life are brought neer to an end. He compareth his life to a light of a lamp or candle, that wasteth by degrees to nothing.] the graves are before me, [i.e. they are ready as it were, for me; so that there seemeth nothing to remain, but my dying, my life being thus melted away and utterly consumed. Compare Psalms 88:4,5,6.]

2. Are not mockers by me, [understand, not properly mockers of his sufferings, but of his words and sayings, Compare below 21.3. Other. Mockings, namely whereby they taunt and abuse me.] and doth (not) mine eye lodge (all) night in their bitterness? [i.e. are not my thoughts, so troubled with the discourses wherewith they made my life bitter unto me, that they keep mine eyes open all the night, and make me loose my sleep? He sheweth the reason, why the powers and faculties of his life, did wear away and decay thus by degrees, viz. Because of his friends grieving him with their perverse judgement, and bitter invectives.]

3. Set down I pray, [viz. A pledge, or assurance. Job turneth himself to God, wishing that he might plead with God about that controversy, which he had with his friends, that so he might defend the right of his cause before himself. Compare above 16.21.] put me (in) a surety with thee: [viz. Who shall promise in thy behalf, that thou wilt enter into plea with me, and firmly stand to what shall be found right and equitable.] who shall he be? That my hand be struck into. [viz. By the Surety, in assurance of what he shall promise in thy behalf. This was an usual custom among such as in their dealings together, mutually pledge and engaged faith troth one to another. See Pro.6.1. & 11.15. 7 17.18.& 22.26.]

4. For thou haste hid their heart from prudent understanding: [Oth. Thou hast hid the understanding before their heart. He speaketh of his friends, which comforteth him with out understanding very indiscreetly. To cover, or hide the heart from the understanding is as much as to cause, that the heart shall not comprehend true wisdom.] therefore thou shalt not exalt them. [viz. To give them the upperhand of me in this quarrel, land much less yet, that they should be my Judges, but shalt rather oppose and punish them.]

5. He that telleth (ought) to friends with soothing, [Job, it seemeth, would prevent here, what his friends might object to him, saying, It appeareth that thou doest therefore contemn us, because we reprove thee; wilt thou then that we sooth and flatter thee? Job answereth, he doth desire no such thing, God being an enemy to flatters: or he threateneth his friends here; because they took upon them to maintain Gods cause, more for the respect to Gods person, then by a judicious apprehending of the matter it self. Above chap.13.7. and also because they seemed to flatter him (Job himself) by premising him temporal blessings if he did but repent. See above 5.20.21, &c. And 8.5, &c. And 11.15, 16, &c.] even his childrens eyes shall fail. [i.e. not onely himself, but his posterity also shall be forsaken and punished, by the just Judgement of God.]

6. But he [viz. God] hath set me for a By-word to the Nations: [i.e. a common tale and story, which is in every mans mouth, by reason of the trouble and reproach that lies upon me] so that I am drum-beating before (everyone) face. [i.e. a vulgar and obvious pastime every where, an object and matter of gazing, contempt and mockery.]

7. Therefore mine eye is made him [he will say, that the powers and faculties of his senses, together with the strength of his body, and the countenance of his face was much spent and mortified. Compare Psalms 6:8.] through vexation. [i.e. by reason of the excessively trouble and distemper of my mind.] and all my members [Others imaginations] are like a shadow.

8. The upright shall be abashed over this: [viz. That I, being godly, am nevertheless so fearfully punished of God, and so vilely contemned of men.] and the innocent shall rise up against the hypocrite. [See abov.chap.8.on v.13. Namely to resist and oppose him in his evil conceit. For, howbeit that the godly are amazed sometimes at the prosperity of the wicked, and the adversity of those that fear God; yet they forbear not to contradict and refute the hypocrites, which draw such false conclusions from thence, for the denying of Gods Providence, and the despising of all true Godliness.]

9. And the righteous shall keep his way: [i.e. not recede or slide back from godly practise, for any adversity, that befalleth himself or other godly people. Thus Job sheweth, that he did not lessen or diminish, much less take away the fear of God by his arguments as Eliphaz had upbraided him, above chap.15.4.] and he that is pure of hands, [i.e. he that doth not trespass against the Law of God by outward practise. See Gen.20.on verse 5. He maketh mention of the outward cleanness, the same being a proof and sign of the inward, from which it is inseparable.] shall increase in strength. [Heb. Shall add strength, i.e. increase and proceed in strength, growing daily more and more in faith and hope, and being armed and animated thereby against all manner of Crosses, Troubles, and contempt of men.]

10. But yet all of you, [Heb. They all, so likewise 1 Kings 22:28. Micha 1.2, &c. It is a permutation or change of the persons. He turneth his speech to his friends, whom he exhorteth to repent them of their perverse Judgement, and evil speaking.] turn again and come now. [viz. To harken untop my words, which shall hold forth true and solid doctrine to you.] for I find none wise among you.

11. My days are passed by, my thoughts, [which I had of coming forth again out this misery, and being restored to my former condition] the possessions of my hearts, [i.e. which thoughts or cogitations my heart had in possession, and held them as dear and delightful as a man would do his inheritance.] are plucked up.

12. The night they change into the day, [Understand his friends, who were the cause that he could take no rest by night, through the ruminating and examining of their arguings. Or, we may understand his foresaid thoughts, spoken of in the former verse. Compare above 7.verse 3. And 4.] the light [understand the light of the day, caused by the word light is taken for the Sun, below 25.3. and 31.26. See the annotation there.] is neer (the going down) [i.e. short, and almost spent.] by reason of the darkness. [i.e. by reason of the misery, that is come upon me. See Genesis 15.on verse 12. The sense is, that the day did hastily wear away with him, without having any ease, or refreshing in it; and that by reason of the great sufferings, which from all sides distressed and vexed him.]

13. If I wait, [viz. For a change of this my sad condition into a happy one here beneath yet; as ye would fain make me believe and hope for. He reflecteth upon that, which they had promised unto him, of the outward prosperity which he might enjoy yet in this life. See ab.ch.8.5. & 11.15,16,17.] the grave shall be my house: [as if he said; how shall I hope for an happiness here? I can expect nothing but death, and consequently my habitation in the grave, comp.ab.v.1.] I shall spread my bed in the darkness. [i.e. in the grave, which is likewise called a land of darkness, above ch.10.21.]

14. To the ditch I call, thou art my Father; to the worms, thou art my brother, and my Sister. [i.e. I shall shortly take up my abode in the grave, with and among the worms; even as children dwell with their father, mother and other kindred.

15. Where then should my expectation be? [as if he said: sure no where, and so in the sequel, Who shall see, i.e. no man, no body shall, it is all but vain and idle talk, what ye do entertain, and feed me withal: by his expectation he meaneth the happiness which, according to their saying, he might yet expect and look for here] Yea mine expectation, who shall behold it.

16. They shall descend [viz. Both the expecting and the beholding thereof: or, he useth the plural number here, thereby to comprise all manner of hope and expectation, concerning this life.] With the hand-bars of the grave, [i.e. with the Bear, wherewith the dead body, or corps is carried to the grave. Oth. Into the grave. Oth. To the grates of the grave. i.e. into the power and hold of the grave. [When there shall be rest together [viz. With other men] In the dust. [or, in regard (my) rest (all) together shall be in the dust, viz. Very shortly or, suddenly: that is to say, Seeing I shall go down into the grave; and enjoy no rest, but there.]