1Job protesteth his sincerity, and resolution to assert his innocence to the last, 8seeing that the hypocrite is without hope: 11he admitteth that even the blessings which the wicked possess are sometimes turned into curses.
1MOREOVER Job 1continued his 2parable, and said,
1 Namely, after he had been silent for some time, expecting what his friends would answer.
2 Compare Num. 23:7; 1 Kings 4:32, and the annotations.
2As God liveth, 3who hath taken away my judgment; and the Almighty, who hath 4vexed my soul;
3 That is, Who seems to have suspended and laid aside out of His hands my good cause, which I have against my friends, to take no knowledge of it and to bring it to a close through His judgment.
4 That is, brought a most bitter and grievous affliction upon it. Compare Ruth 1:20; 2 Kings 4:27 and the annotation.
3All the while my 5breath is in me, and the 6spirit of God is in my nostrils;
5 Understand by the breath and spirit of God in man’s nose, the life and soul of man, whereby the body lives. Compare Gen. 2:7; 1 Kings 17:17 with the annotations and Isa. 2:22.
6 See the previous annotation.
4My lips shall not speak wickedness, nor my tongue 7utter deceit.
7 Add hereto: that God punish me, or, woe unto me, etc. See Gen. 14 on verse 23.
58God forbid that I should 9justify you: 10till I die I will not remove 11mine integrity from me.
8 Other, Be it an unclean thing to me, if I do justify you, until I give up the ghost.
9 See the signification of this word Gen. 44 on verse 16.
10 That is, as long as I shall live; which, after the manner of speaking in the Holy Scriptures, is as much as to say never. See Gen. 28 on verse 15.
11 That is, not refraining from defending it against all accusations.
6My 12righteousness I hold fast, and will not let it go: my heart 13shall not reproach me 14so long as I live.
12 Namely, of mine faultless life before men, and my good conscience before God, in regard of those sins with which I am charged.
13 That is, let it not come into danger, or grow careless in defense thereof. Thus the Hebrew word, rendered here, reproach, signifies to expose a thing to danger, through slight regard, and to leave it unprotected, Judges 5:18; 2 Sam. 23:9.
14 That is, all my life. Or, because of my former days, that is, by reason of the former course of my life, namely, as if I had been an hypocrite or a wicked wretch.
7Let mine enemy 15be as the wicked, and he that riseth up against me as the unrighteous.
15 That is, be esteemed and so held; for, it is wickedness and perverseness to condemn the innocent. Or, I do so hate wickedness that I wish it to mine enemies. See similar speech 2 Sam. 18:32. Or, shall be; that is, it is so far from it that I am such a wicked wretch as they would make me, that those who now do count me such, shall be found such themselves. See Job 42:7.
8Fora what is the hope of the 16hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God 17taketh away his soul?
a Mat. 16:26; Luke 12:20.
16 Understand, none at all. It is a question which strongly denies (the fact). Compare Gen. 18 on verse 17. Job demonstrates hereby that he was no hypocrite, because his expectation was good altogether and grounded in God. See Job 13:15, 16; 19:25, 26, 27.
17 Or, untie, namely, from his body by death. An argument for the immortality of the soul. Compare Gen. 35:18, and the annotation; 1 Kings 19:4; Jonah 4:3; Luke 12:20.
9Willb God hear 18his cry when trouble cometh upon him?
b Job 35:12; Psalm 18:41; 109:7; Prov. 1:28; 28:9; Isa. 1:15; Jer. 14:12; Ezek. 8:18; Micah 3:4; John 9:31; James 4:3.
18 Namely, of the hypocrite and wicked, with whom I have no communion; seeing God heard me, I comfort myself in God and call upon Him. See Job 6:10; 12:4; 13:16; 19:25, 26.
10Will he delight himself in the Almighty? will he always call upon God?
11I will teach you 19by the hand of God: that which is with the Almighty will I not conceal.
19 That is, what concerns the hand of God. The Hebrew letter beth is likewise taken for van Exod. 12:43, 44, 45; Psalm 87:3. Understand here by the hand of God His decree and the execution thereof; also Acts 4:28.
12Behold, all ye yourselves 20have seen it; why then are ye thus 21altogether 22vain?
20 That is, found it by experience what I have and shall yet relate of the government which God exercises concerning the good and bad.
21 That is, erring and besotted in your conceits and arguments.
22 That is, lack of understanding, by which it came to pass that they neither judged nor spoke aright of the aforesaid matters.
13Thisc23is the portion of a wicked man with God, and the heritage of oppressors, which they shall receive of the Almighty.
c Job 20:29.
23 Namely, what I shall now propose. Job accedes to his friends that the wicked are sometimes punished here; as he had also not denied having taught only that for the most part they lived in prosperity and were free from the common calamities.
14If 24his children be multiplied, itd is 25for the sword: and his 26offspring shall not be satisfied 27with bread.
24 Namely, of the wicked.
d Deut. 28:41; Hosea 9:13.
25 That is, they shall miserably die a violent death by the hand of their enemies, or of the magistrate, or others.
26 That is, children and posterity. See Job 5 on verse 25.
27 That is, they shall starve and famish. Of the contrary, which happened most, see Psalm 17:14.
15Those 28that remain of him shall be buried 29in death: and hise widows shall 30not weep.
28 Those who are left and not destroyed by the sword and the famine.
29 That is, they shall be brought to the grave in such a way that their remembrance shall be buried with them, as unworthy and reeking with the people. Compare Psalm 49:12.
e Psalm 78:64.
30 Namely, at his burial, and that because of the remembrance of his great wickedness; or, because they would not have a stately funeral.
16Though he heap up silver as the dust, and prepare raiment as the clay;
17He may prepare it, butf the just shall put it on, and the innocent shall divide the silver.
f Prov. 28:8; Eccl. 2:26.
1831He buildeth his house as a moth, and as a booth that the 32keeper maketh.
31 He compares the wicked to a moth, which makes a dainty habitation for herself in some precious stuff, out of which she is soon driven, thus to point to the great uncertainty and fickleness of his prosperity. Compare Job 8:14.
32 Or, as a hut which the keeper maketh. Another similitude, serving to the same intent, is taken from a keeper, appointed to watch some harvest or animals, who easily makes up a little hut or shed for his ease, but must soon forsake it again, because his service is at an end, or, the hut decays.
19Theg rich man shall 33lie down, but he shall not be 34gathered: he 35openeth his eyes, and he is not.
g Psalm 49:17.
33 Namely, to sleep. Thus the word lie down is taken Gen. 19:4, see the annotation. Other, the rich shall lie down, that is, die, and not be gathered, namely, to his people, that is, have no solemn burial.
34 Namely, by death; that is, he does not die yet. See Psalm 26 on verse 9. Other, when there is nothing taken away, namely, by thieves or robbers.
35 That is, when he awaked in the night, not thinking on any trouble, then mischief and destruction comes suddenly and unexpectedly upon him; as is further declared in the sequel. Other, when he openeth his eyes, then there is nothing, that is, he finds himself bereaved of all his goods in one night.
20Terrorsh take hold on him 36as waters, 37a tempest stealeth him away 38in the night.
h Job 15:21; 18:11.
36 Namely, which, breaking into someplace with great violence, carry all away before them. Adversities and miseries are compared to waters. See 2 Sam. 22 on verse 17; Job 22:11.
37 See further of the similitude Job 9 on verse 17 and Job 21 on verse 18.
38 That is, mischief shall fall upon him unawares, and rush in with violence upon him. The terrible judgments of God are often executed by night, Exod. 12:29; 14:24; 2 Kings 19:35; Isa. 15:1; Dan. 5:30; Mat. 25:6.
21The 39east wind carrieth him away, and he departeth: and as a storm hurleth him 40out of his place.
39 He compares this wind (which in those countries was exceeding fierce, violent and hurtful) with the anger of God. See Exod. 10 on verse 13.
40 That is, out of his authority, house, wealth, ease and reputation. Compare Job 8 on verse 18.
22For God shall 41cast upon 42him, and not spare: he would 43faini flee out of his hand.
41 Namely, the foresaid and similar punishments.
42 Namely, the wicked.
43 Hebr. fleeing flee, namely, when he shall find himself visited and plagued of God.
i gladly
2344Men shall clap their 45hands at him, and shall hiss 46him out of 47his place.
44 Namely, who shall see him in his adversity, and thrust out of his place.
45 Namely, as a sign of contempt, mocking and derision. Also Lam. 2:15; Ezek. 25:6; Zeph. 2:15.
46 See 1 Kings 9 on verse 8.
47 Namely, either of the one who hisses, or, of the ungodly about whom is hissed.