Job 3

Job being extremely oppressed by the greatness of his Plagues, and the pains he endured by them, curseth the day of his birth, 1, etc. wisheth he had died before, or immediately after his coming into the world, 11. and showeth his reasons why, 13. he bemoaneth the life of wretched and miserable men, 20. and applieth the complaint to himself, 24.

1. After that Job opened his mouth, and cursed his day [viz. the day of his birth, as it is fully expressed Genesis 40:20.]

2. For Job answered [i.e. he took up the word, or, began to speak. See Jud. 18. on v. 14. and 1 Kin. 13. on v. 6.] and said:

3. Let the day perish wherein I was born: and the night (wherein) they said, a Lad is conceived: [i.e. born. Like as the Heb. word is taken, 1 Chr. 4. 17. being the time of conception cannot be known precisely, much less what sex the fruit will prove that is conceived; whether a son or a daughter. Others render and read it thus. (When God) said, or commanded, that a male should be conceived, or was conceived.]

4. Let the same day be darkness [i.e. obscured, darkened, the light of the Sun be with-held and overclouded in it, or, may be quite taken away from any natural being] that God enquire not after him [or seek him not, take no care for him, viz. to grant the light to him as to other days; or, to let him co-exist with other things; which sense both the former and following words of this verse do imply. Compare the manner of speaking with Deuteronomy 11:12. and see the annot. upon it] and that no brightness shine upon him.

5. Let the darkness, and the shadow of death [understand a very thick and almost palpable darkness, which by its horror might be able to fright men even to death; They also bel. ch. 16. 16. Psalms 23:4. & 44. 20.] defile him; let clouds dwell over him; let the black damps of the day affright him [or, the burning heats of the day, & c. understand the thick and dark mists, which being drawn up out of the earth and waters, by the heat of the Sun, rise up into the air, whereby the day grows misty, and the light of it obscured and darkened: Which exposition is confirmed by that which goeth before in this verse. Others, let them fright him, like unto the bitter, or bitterness of the day, i.e. that the darkness and shadow of death may make this day as terrible, as men that are in extremities and agonies, do bitterly fright and terrify others, by their shreeks and yellings; or, understand the plagues themselves, which make the day bitter unto men.]

6. That same night, let obscurity possess it; let it not rejoice among the days of the year; [oth. be not joined, or united] let it not come into the number of the months, [Heb. Moons, for among those Nations, the Months were counted by the course of the Moon. He wisheth that night had never been, or might never return again, but be blotted, or razed out of the roule or number of the nights.]

7. Lo, let that same night be solitary, let no joyful song come into it [That none may meet together in it to be merry.]

8. Let the cursers of the day [i.e. those that being overcome with the greatness of the evil they suffer, do curse the day on which that evil befell them; or, on that day, themselves, or the day of their birth; or, such as made it their trade, and were employed and hired for that purpose, to stir up morning] curse it, which are ready to stir up their mourning. [The word in the original, seemeth to come from the Syriack, Levijah, signifying, sorrow, mourning, heaviness. Now to raise, or stir up mourning, is to renew the same by all manner of lamenting, bemoaning, crying, howling. Others, retain here the word Leviathan; understanding thereby that Sea monster; whereof below ch. 40. 20. & 41. 1. and by those that are ready to rouse him, or stir him up, the storm-winds, which trouble the Sea. Some render it, their society.

9. Let the Stars of her glimmering time [i.e. of the twilight in the evening, when the night hath yet some glimmering or brightness, that one may be able to discern yet something at some distance, especially by the light of some of the greater stares, whom Job here wisheth to be obscured. See of the Hebrew word 2 Kings 7. on v. 5. some do understand it of the glimmering in the morning, or the dawning, day-break] be darkend; Let it wait for the light [viz. that same night. Oth.one, or, men wait] and it come not to pass, and let it not behold the eye-lids of the Day-break. [Thus the Sun-beams are called, which in the morning spread forth, and open themselves, before the Sun riseth; even as the eye-lids do open before the eye doth see. Comp. below chapter 41. on vers. 9.]

10. Because it [that night] hath not shut up the doors of my belly, [this some do understand of his Mothers Womb, as above chapter 1. v. 21. where the word Mother is expressed in the text; as likewise below chapter 31. 18. in some other places it is not expressed, as, ch. 10. 19. it. Psalms 58:4. et 71. 6. Isaiah 48:8. Jeremiah 1:5. some understand by the doors of the belly, the lips; by comparing below chapter 32. 18, 19, 20. as if he said; that I was not stifled. Others understand the navel, whereby the child doth draw his nourishment in the Mothers womb.] nor hid the toil from mine eyes [i.e. taken it away. Compare this manner of speaking with that below, chapter 33. v. 17.]

11. Why died I not from the womb? [He wisheth one these two things, either that he had died before the birth, or had proved an abortive, verse 10. and so never come alive into the world; or else that he might have dried immediately after his birth, v. 11.] (and) gave (up) the spirit as I came forth of the belly?

12. Why are the knees come before me; [namely of the midwife, which receiveth the new-born infant. He goeth on in the relation of the second wish, which he had propounded or expressed in the former verse.] and whereto the Breasts that I should suck? [viz. to be nursed and bred up in this wretched life.]

13. For now I should lye down, and be silent: I should sleep, then there should be rest for me:

14. With the Kings and Counsellors of the Earth, which builded waste place for them [He would say thus much. If he had died in his birth, then his condition would have been one and the same now with the chiefest of the Earth, which died long before his time, and had sought while they lived, to get themselves a Name, by great and mighty works, such as the building of waste places, and raising of vast cities in them. Genesis 10:10, 11. & 11. 3. & 15. 28. Isaiah 23:13.]

15. Or with the Princess that had gold, which replenished their houses with Silver.

16. Or [here he commeth to his former wish again, where he wished that he might have died as an abortive in his Mothers womb, ab. v. 10.] as an hidden abortive [Others, (Why) have I not been as a hidden mischance? viz. in his Mothers womb, where it dieth, and is therefore called hidden, because it commeth not forth alive into the light and view] I should not have been [i.e. I should not have lived than upon the earth among men. Not to be is oft times as much as, not to live. See Genesis 42:13. and bel. ch. 7. v. 8. Ps. 39. 14. Jeremiah 31:15. Matthew 2:18. The meaning is. If he had been among men, nor ever have seen the light, no more than the fruit of the womb, that commeth dead in the world.] as the little children [the Hebrew word doth properly indeed signify such little children [the Hebrew word doth properly indeed signify such little ones, as being born, begin already to act something, Psalms 8:2. but it is here likewise used for the fruit that dieth in the mothers womb; as we also do call them children.] (which) have not seen the light.

17. There [viz. in the grave, or, in death] the evil (ones) cease from stirring [i.e. from troubling of men, or vexing, disturbing, fighting of them.] and there the wearied of power do the rest [i.e. those, which were exhausted of their strength by oppressing of that troubled and disturbed them.]

18. (There) are the bounden together [i.e. the slaves who whilest they were alive; were held to their work by force bonds and stripes. Compare Judges 16:21.] are at rest, they do not hear the voice of the driver [or, demander, asker, i.e. of the Overseers, or Task-masters, that sets and drives them on to work, and requireth an account of their performance. Compare Exod. 5. on v. 6.]

19. The small and the great is there [i.e. the poor and the rich, the Lord and the Pesant:] and the servant free from his Master [Hebr. his Masters, as elsewhere.]

20. Wherefore doth he [God namely, for although Job reasoneth here against the LORD, yet he doth spare his Name, showing thereby, that the power of regeneration refrained him yet; and thus must the sence of the holy Scripture be completed sometimes by the word God. See Numb. 35. 25. below 16. 7. and 20. 4. Habakkuk 2:1. 1 Cor. 1. 8, Hebrews 3:16, & c.] give the light [viz. of the day, or, of the Sun; or the light, i.e. life, as the following words declare, compare Psalm 56. 14.] to the miserable, and the life to the bitterly afflicted of mind? [Heb. to the bitter of soul, i.e. to them that are very inwardly and sensibly grieved, compare 2 Kings 4:27. & see the annotation thereupon. He understandeth such as are to be subject to a great deal of misery and vexation in this life.]

21. That long for death, but it is not there; and dig after it more than after hidden treasures.

22. That are glad, even to leap up, (and) rejoice when they find the grave.

23. To the man [understand here out of v. 20. Wherefore doth he give the light to, etc.] whose way is hidden [i.e. so beset, or compassed about with all manner of evil, that he can see no issue how to wrestle out.] and whom God hath covered over? [God is said to cover over our way, when he doth not discover any means unto us, how we may eschew the mischief at hand, comp. bel. 19. 8. Lamentations 3:7, 9. Oth. whom God hath fenced about, viz. with miseries.]

24. For before my bread, comes my sighing, so that I have no time free of heaviness.] and my roarings are poured out as water [or, flow out, run forth, understand the cries, outcries and howlings, which such afflicted and distressed people use to break out into.]

25. For I feared a fear [i.e. fearful thing] and it is come upon me: and that I was afraid of, hath surprised me.

26. I was not quiet, neither was I still, nor at rest [viz. in my mind, being very careful always to please God, and very fearful to offend him. So that I have been endeavouring still to my utmost to keep both me and mine stedfast in the fear of the LORD. See ab. ch. 1. v. 2, 2, 8. & chapter 2. v. 3, 10. Others render this by way of Interrogation, thus. Was I not in peace? Had I not stillness? & c. yet (now) is the trouble come] and the trouble is come.