Job 21

Job desireth a hearing of his friends, v.1, etc. Giveth reasons why his spirit is distempered, 4. Sheweth that the wicked are for the most part happy in the world, 7. Notwithstanding that they blaspheme God, 14. He detesteth them; 16. Nevertheless they are seldom punished in this life, 17. God is righteous, although he dealeth unequally with man, 22. Job prevents the had judgements of his friends, which they made about his children, 27. Sheweth that the wicked are free here for the most part of all punishments, to the end of their life, 29. He rejecteth the comfortings of his friends, 34.

1. But Job answered and said:

2. Hearken, attentively [Heb. Hearing hear ye, or, hearkening, hearken] unto my speechs, and let this [viz. And holding of your peace and listening heedfully unto me] be your comfortings. [i.e. in stead of the comforts, which ye ought to administer unto me in this my sad disconsolate condition.]

3. Bear with me, and I will speak; and after that I shall have spoken (then) mock, [viz. Thou Zophar, who by thy hastiness didst break off my discourse before above chap.20.2. Job doth hold Zophars answer but for a mockery.]

4. Is my complaint (concerning my self) unto man? [He will say, no: but unto God rather, who onely saw his conscience, and was able to defend his innocency, men, as his friends, did nothing, but trouble and molest him.] yet if it were so [viz. That my complaint were addressed unto man,] why should not my spirit be vexed? [seeing men are so unkind unto me, that am is such misery; or straightened, distressed. Heb. Shortened. So, shortness of the Spirit, for distress and anguish of the spirit. Exod.6.8. of being vexed, See Jud.16.on v.16.]

5. Look upon me, and he abashed: [through the consideration of my great miseries.] and lay thy hand upon thy mouth. [viz. In sign of being silenced, through the terror which my suffering ought to excite you into. See of this kind of speaking Jud.18.on v.19. item bel.29.9. & 39.37. Prov.30.32.]

6. Yea, when I think (thereon) [viz. That I must suffer so much, being godly, and many thrive and fare so well that are wicked; as is expressed in the sequel.] then am I troubled, and my flesh laid hold on horror.

7. Wherefore do the wicked live, grow old, and become mighty in substance?

8. Their seed [i.e. children, posterity. See Gen.9.on v.9. & Lev.21.on v.15. which in the sequel are called sproutings.] is stedfast with them before their face, and their sproutings [see ab.ch.5.on v.25.] are before their eyes.

9. Their houses have peace [Heb. Their houses peace, i.e. have peace, or are in peace. See the like expression 2 Samuel 17:3. and the annotation. Peace, for prosperity and welfare. See Gen.37.on v.14.] without fear: and the rod of God is not upon them. [understand God doth not punish nor chastile them. See above ch.9.on v.34.]

10. His bull [The wicked namely, here is a change of the number; for in the three former verses he used the plural, speaking of the wicked, as also in the following verses 11,12,13. &c. But here the singular is taken. So Exodus 34:15. and above chap.14.12, &c.] leapeth and misseth not, his cow calveth, and miscarrieth not.]

11. Their young children they [viz. The wicked] send forth like a flock: [viz. Of sheep, or, goats. See of Hebrew word, Genesis 12.on v.16. The meaning is, that they have many children, which do spread themselves all over the land, to the great comfort and delight of their parents.] and their children are skipping. [for outward pleasure and inward joy, as we see young cattle is wont to do, when they are grazing in fat, full and secured pastures.]

12. They lift up [viz. Their feet, or their voices.] with the drum and with the harp; and they rejoice at the sound of the Organs.

13. They spend [or make old] their days in weal; [viz. That of this temporal life, as their state, authority, riches, ease and prosperity. So below v.25. Psal104.28. Prov.11.10. Eccles.6.3. Isaiah 1:19. &c.] and in a moment [i.e. on a sudden, without any long and grievous pains to torment them] do they descend into the grave.

14. Nevertheless they say to God, [viz. Not so much with the mouth (for shame to utter it) as with the heart which is full of the contempt of Gods name. Compare Psalms 14:1. and 36.2. Malachi 3:14,15.] Turn from us; for we have no delight in the knowledge of thy ways. [See Gen.18.on v.19.]

15. What is the Almighty, that we should serve him? [See Exod.5.2. Malach.3.14.] and what advantage shall we get, to have recourse to him? [viz. By calling upon him, as Jer.7.16.]

16. Yet behold their weal is not in their hand; [i.e. their welfare or prosperity is not in their own power, but onely in the gratious blessing of the most high] the Counsel of the wicked is far from me. [i.e. their intents purposes and practises. Compare Deut.32.28. and above chap.10.3. and 18.7. Psal.1.1. Job speaketh here in his own behalf, and detesteth the vanity and wickedness of the unbelieving and ungodly, declaring that he is far from desiring to have any Communion with them.]

17. How often doth it come to pass [He meaneth not very often] that the lamp of the wicked [i.e. his welfare and prosperity. See above ch.18.ver.5.] is put out and that their destruction cometh upon them? That (God) doth distributed pains (unto them) in his anger? [He granteth indeed, that it happeneth sometimes with the wicked, so as Zophar had instanced, above chap.20.v.5. but denieth, that it is the usual and frequent course, much less a constant one. So likewise in the sequel.]

18. That they become like straw before the wind; [Compare below chap.27.21. Psalms 1:4. & 35.5. Isa.17.13. etc 29.5. Hosea 13:3.] and like chaff which the whirl-wind stealeth away?

19. That God layeth up his power for his children; [understand the power of the wicked man, that is to say, the punishment, which he deserved by the abuse of his power upon others. Layeth up, i.e. transferreth or with-holdeth the same to bestow it afterwards upon his children, which follow the foot steps of his wickedness; Exod.20.5. He reflecteth upon that, which Zephar had said above chap.20.10.] requireth [the Hebrew word signifieth not onely the requital of kindness for a benefit received, as Ruth.2.12. 1 Sam.24.20. below 41.2. but also the requital of punishment for evil deeds, as here and below v.31. and Jud.1 7. 2 Sam.3.39. Jer.32.18.] him [i.e. the wicked himself in his own person.] that he take notice of it?

20. That his eyes do see his destruction, and he doth drink of the indignation of the Almighty? [i.e. receive the punishment of Gods indignation; the manner of speaking is taken from this that Gods vengeance is compared to a cup or draught. See Psalm 75.on verse 9.]

21. For what pleasure should he have after himself in his house [he will say, none sure, in regard that men being dead once, have no knowledge of what happeneth here beneath. Compare above, chap.14.21. Job meets with these here, which might have said upon the former instance; Although the wicked be not punished, during this life, in their own persons, their children at leastwise are sure to be plagued after their death; whereupon Job replieth that can be no grief to the dead, which have no knowledge of any thing.] When the number of his months is cut off. [i.e. when the appointed time of his life is spent and ended.]

22. Shall men teach God knowledge; [viz. Whereby he might be instructed and come to understand how to govern the world wisely and righteously. Job here preventeth those which might demand, how it could stand with Gods justice, that the wicked should be so gently dealt withal; He answereth, that God doth need no mans instruction, his will being they Supreme rule and square of whatsoever is just and good, and that therefore his Government is altogether as just and righteous, as it is incomprehensible. Compare Genesis 18:25. above 8.3. and 34.12. Rom.3.5,6. & 11.33.34.] where (as) he judgeth [i.e. governeth, or judgeth] the high (ones)? [understand the Angels, and such as are exalted and mighty in the world.]

23. This (man) [He declareth it how wonderfully God doth govern mankind.] dieth in the strength of his perfection, where he was at full rest and quiet. [i.e. in the very best, and at the highest point of his temporal licit.]

24. His milk-vessels were full milk; [understand hereby, that he had the affluence and abundance of all manner of temporal blessings.] and the marrow of his bones was moistened: [understand hereby the health and welfare of his body, as on the contrary by the dryness of the bones, the bodies ill disposition, below 30.30. Psalms 102:4.]

25. The other, on the contrary dieth with a bitter soul; [i.e. being full of grief and anguish of heart. Comp. 1 Kin.4. the annotation on v.27.] and he hath not eaten, [i.e. not made use of, not enjoyed. Thus eating is frequently used in Scripture for the getting, use, and fruition, or, enjoyment, not onely of good things, Prov.13.2. Isa.1.19. and 55.1,2. But also of evil, Pro.1.31.] of the good. [viz. Of this temporal life, as above v.13.see the annotation.]

26. They lye down together in the dust; [i.e. the one must die, and rot to dust, as well as the other in the grave. Compare Eccles.9.2,3.] and the worms cover them.

27. Behold I know your thoughts, [Job direction the speech to his friends here, to prevent their thoughts, which they might have about his children.] and the evil imaginations [the Hebrew word doth not onely signify in general, all manner of thoughts, as above 17.4. but likewise in particular evil thoughts, as here, and Prov.12.2. and 14.17. and 25.8. Isaiah 32:7. Sometimes it signifieth also prudent and well-advised thoughts, as Prov.1.4. and 3.21.] (wherewith) ye deal violently against me.

28. For ye will say, [viz. In your hearts] where is the house of the Prince? [some do understand the house of Jobs eldest son here, which being ruined and overthrown by the tempestuous wind, above 1.19. it should seem Jobs friends concluded thence, that son had been a wicked man. Others understand it in a general sense.] and where is the Tent of the habitations of the wicked? [in the plural number, as seeming to speak of the rest of his children, and of the family and household of his eldest son, which perished all together, or, meaning the dwellings or habitations of other wicked people which had been at any time before, among whom Jobs friends seemed coverly to glaunce at his Son, as one whom they judged to have been of the same condition.]

29. Have ye not enquired [viz. How it fareth with the godly and with the godly in this world; as if he said; if ye had done so, ye would have been informed of the truth which I shall tell you now. See the next v.] of the passengers upon the way? [i.e. of the travellers, who commonly see and hear much, and thereby attain to much experience and knowledge of all things.] and know ye not their marks? [understand the circumstances of persons, times and places, serving for confirmation of the things they relate.]

30. That the evil (one) is withdrawn from the day of destruction; [viz. So that the common plagues come not upon him, but he is spared and favoured more than others.] (that they) [the wicked namely, or evil men. A permutation of the number, as above verse 10l;. The sense is in the former-member.] are carried off in the day of indignations. [understand the Judgements and plagues which by the wrath of God do seized on men. Wrath and indignation are frequently taken for the punishment which thereby is inflicted. See Exod.15.7. Num.16.46. Psalms 78:49. and 85.4. Lament.4.11, &c.]

31. Who shall shew him [viz. The wicked,] his way, [i.e. the manner of leading his life, so as to instruct and reprove him therein. See Genesis 6.on verse 12.] to the face? When he doth ought, [i.e. any evil] who shall requite him? [i.e. who doth punish him for it? For God lets him go free here for the most part, and men do dread his power.]

32. At last he is brought to the graves: [i.e. to one of the graves. See 2 Kings 22.on ver.20. or to the place of the graves. The meaning is, He getteth likewise an honourable burial. Compare Luke 16:22, 23.] and is stedfast in the earth-heap. [i.e. he abideth in the graves, lying therein, as in an easy resting-place.]

33. The clods of the valley are sweet unto him [The meaning is; That the grave is unto him as a place, according to his wish, lying there in peace, without any care or knowledge, what might beside his children after him: Job speaketh of a dead body here; as if it were a living person.] and he draweth all men after him; [the meaning is, that all must follow him to the grave; for everyone is appointed once to dry. Here therefore in regard of temporal death, there happeneth nothing else unto the wicked, but what is common to all.] and of those, that have been before him, there is no number.[Heb. Before his face, i.e. when he died, the number of those that were dead before him, was infinite.]

34. How do ye comfort me then, [ye, viz. My friends] with vanity? Because (in) your answers there remaineth dity; nay, full of transgression against God, and against me your neighbour.]