1Job reproveth his friends of inhumanity toward him: 7he pathetically describeth his unhappy case; 17still protesting his innocence, for which he maketh appeal to God.
1THEN Job answered and said,
2I have heard many asuch things: 1miserable comforters are ye all.
1Or, troublesome, ch. 13.4. Phi. 1.16. ch. 15.11.
a ch. 12.3.
3Shall 2vain words have an end? or what emboldeneth thee that thou answerest?
2Heb. words of wind, ch. 15.2,3; 8.2; 12.2,3; 13.2,4.
4I also bcould speak as ye do : if your soul were in my soul's *stead, I could heap up words against you, and cshake mine head at you.
*stead-place.
b 1Pe. 3.9. Mat. 5.44. 1Co. 4.13. c 2Ki. 19.21. Ps. 22.7,8; 44.14; 109.25. Je. 18.16. La. 2.15.
5But dI would strengthen you with my mouth, and the moving of my lips should *asswage your grief.
*asswage-restrain.
d Ga. 6.1,2. ch. 42.11; 4.4. Is. 35.3,4. 2Co. 1.4. Ps. 27.14. Pr. 27.9.
6Though I speak, emy grief is not *asswaged: and though I forbear, 3what am I eased?
*asswaged-restrained.
3Heb. what goeth from me?
e Ps. 22.1,2; 77.1-10; 88.1-18. La. 3; 5.
7But now he hath made me fweary: thou hast gmade desolate all hmy company.
f Ps. 88.15. ch. 10.1. Mat. 11.28. Is. 50.4. g ch. 1.18,19. h ch. 1.15-19.
8And thou ihast filled me with wrinkles, which is a witness against me : and my jleanness rising up in me beareth witness to my face.
i Pr. 17.22. ch. 10.17. La. 3.4. ch. 15.27. Ep. 5.27. j Ps. 109.24.
9He kteareth me in his wrath, who hateth me: lhe gnasheth upon me with his teeth; mine enemy msharpeneth his eyes upon me.
k ch. 10.16,17; 13.24. Ps. 7.2; 50.22; 37.12. Is. 38.13. Ho. 5.14. La. 2.16; 3.10. l Ps. 35.16. m Ps. 7.12.
10They nhave gaped upon me with their mouth; they have smitten me upon the cheek reproachfully; they have gathered themselves together against me.
n Ps. 22.13; 35.15,16,21. 2Co. 11.20,21. 1Ki. 22.24. Mi. 5.1. La. 3.30,46; 2.15. Ac. 7.54.
11God 4hath odelivered me to the ungodly, and turned me over into the hands of the wicked.
4Heb. hath shut me up.
o ch. 1.13-19; 2.7. Jn. 18.11. 2Co. 12.7. Ps. 22.7-21; 89.38. Ac. 4.27,28.
12I was pat ease, but he hath broken me *asunder: he hath also taken me by my neck, and shaken me to pieces, and qset me up for his mark.
*asunder-apart, into pieces.
p ch. 1; 2; 29. q ch. 7.12,20. La. 3.12,13.
13His rarchers *compass me round about, he cleaveth my *reins *asunder, and doth not spare; he spoureth out my gall upon the ground.
*compass-surround.
*reins-mind, inmost being (literally, kidneys.)
*asunder-apart, into pieces.
r ch. 6.4. Ge. 49.23,24. De. 32.23. Ps. 7.12,13; 22.12-17. Ro. 8.32. s La. 2.11.
14He tbreaketh me with ubreach upon breach, he runneth upon me like a giant.
t ch. 1.13-19; 2.1-10; 6.4; 10.16,17. Ps. 42.7. u ch. 30.14.
15I have vsewed sackcloth upon my skin, and wdefiled my horn in the dust.
v 1Ki. 21.27. Is. 22.12. 2Ki. 6.30. Jonah 3.5. w ch. 30.19. Ps. 7.5; 75.4,10. 1Sa. 2.10.
16xMy face is foul with weeping, and on my eyelids is the shadow of death;
x La. 2.11. Is. 52.14.
17Not yfor any injustice in mine hands: also my prayer zis pure.
y ch. 31; 27.5,6. 1Sa. 12.3. Ps. 44.17-21. z 1Ti. 2.8. Ps. 26.6; 66.18,19.
18O aearth, bcover not thou my blood, and let my ccry have no place.
a De. 32.1. Is. 1.2. Je. 22.29. b Ge. 4.11. Is. 26.21. Eze. 24.7; 34.17. c ch. 27.9. Ps. 66.18,19. Ge. 4.10.
19Also now, behold, dmy witness is in heaven, and my record is 5on high.
5Heb. in the high places, Ep. 1.3.
d Ro. 1.9; 9.1. 2Co. 1.23; 11.31. 1Th. 2.10. Phi. 1.8.
20My friends 6scorn me: but mine eye poureth out tears unto God.
6Heb. are my scorners, ch. 12.4,5. v.2,3. Ps. 109.4; 6.6,7; 31.10,11.
21O that one might eplead for a man with God, as a man pleadeth for his 7neighbour!
7Or, friend.
e ch. 9.34,35; 13.3,22; 31.35. Ec. 6.10. Is. 45.9. Ro. 9.20.
22When 8a few years are come, then I shall go the way fwhence I shall not return.
8Heb. years of number.
f ch. 7.9,10; 14.5. 2Sa. 12.23. Ec. 12.5.