1Job sheweth that his complaints are not causeless: 8he wisheth for death, wherein he is assured of comfort: 14he reproveth his friends of unkindness.
1BUT Job answered and said,
2Oh that my 1grief were 2throughly weighed, and my 3calamity 4laid in the balances together!
1 Or, my dismay, trouble and impatience, caused by my suffering.
2 Or, narrowly, accurately. Hebr. weighing weighed; namely, with something that is very weighty and heavy, as is the sand on the seashore, whereof is spoken in the next verse.
3 Or, pain, torment, adversity. Also verse 30; Job 30:13; Prov. 19:13.
4 Hebr. they lifted up, or, fetched up; that is, that one did lift up or did fetch up. See Job 4 on verse 19.
3For now 5it would be heavier than thea sand of the sea: therefore my words 6are swallowed up.
5 Namely, my woe and suffering.
a Prov. 27:3.
6 That is, by reason of the greatness of my sufferings I am not able to utter my words to the full to express my miserable condition.
4Forb the 7arrows of the Almighty are within me, 8the poison whereof drinketh up my spirit: 9the terrors of God 10do set themselves in array against me.
b Psalm 38:1, 2.
7 Understand the maladies and miseries, which came upon him from God, and were very violent. He calls them arrows, because they had seized on him very suddenly and were least expected, and were so sharp that they had pierced his heart quite through. See Deut. 32 on verse 23; Psalm 38:2; 45:5; 91:5.
8 Some nations used to daub their arrows with poison, which, spreading and intruding itself through the entire body which was injured, most suddenly consumed all the powers of life. Therefore by these arrows, we are to understand, such vexations that bring with them a very sure and sudden destruction.
9 That is, violent and fearful afflictions, whereby God terrifies me. Also Job 9:34; Psalm 88:16. See Gen. 35 on verse 5.
10 Or, prepare themselves against me. The Hebrew word implies as much as to set in battle array against someone, in which sense it is likewise taken Jer. 50:9. It is very well expressed by Peter with the Greek word antitassetai, 1 Peter 5:5.
5Doth the wild ass 11bray when he hath grass? or loweth the ox over his fodder?
11 The meaning is: If I had no cause to complain, and your words, O Eliphaz, were good food of comfort unto me, I would no more cause my complaints to be heard than the wild ass does his braying and the ox his lowing when they have good fodder before them.
6Can that which is 12unsavoury be eaten 13without salt? or is there any taste in the white of an 14egg?
12 Job compares Eliphaz’ discourse to unsavory meat and the white of an egg, declaring thereby that he found no taste in his words.
13 Or, that is without salt.
14 That is, which is about the yolk.
7The things that my soul refused to 15touch are as my 16sorrowful meat.
15 Namely, to feed on the same. He continues the previous similitude, declaring that he had no liking at all to such words to comfort himself by them, but that he loathes the same as unsavory and loathsome meat. Other, that which my soul refuseth to touch, is like to my unsavory meat. The sense is: that the soreness and the boils, which before his visitation he would have been loath to touch, they were now become as his meat, though of a most loathsome food.
16 Hebr. as the diseases, sicknesses (that is, loathings) of my bread.
817Oh that I might have my request; and that God would grant me 18the thing that I long for!
17 Hebr. Who shall give? A kind of wishing very usual with the Hebrews. See of the same also Job 11:5; 13:5; 14:13; 19:23; 23:3, etc. Likewise Exod. 16:3; Num. 11:29, and the annotations.
18 That is, what I expect, namely death; as is declared in the next verse. Compare the annotation at Job 5 on verse 16.
9Even that it would please God to destroy me; that he would let loose his 19hand, and 20cut me off!
19 Which now seems to be tied up, because He does not make use of it to put me to death. Of the hand of God compare with what is in Job 13 on verse 21.
20 As such the Hebrew word is taken Isa. 10:12; Lam. 2:17; Zech. 4:9. Or, did cut or hew me off.
10Then should I yet have comfort; yea, I would harden 21myself in sorrow: let 22him not spare; 23for I have not concealed the words of the 24Holy One.
21 Other, while, or howbeit I burn of heaviness, and God spareth not, or favoureth not.
22 That is, if God made an utter end with me, and took me away out of this wretched world.
23 That is, I have freely professed the Word of God and the sacred doctrine and followed it all my life long, so that I would not doubt at my bodily death to pass over into everlasting life.
24 Namely, of God, Whose Name is holy, or Who is the Holy One, Isa. 57:15; for He alone is perfectly holy, yea, the Holiness Self. See Lev. 19 on verse 2.
11What is my strength, 25that I should hope? and what is mine end, that I should prolong 26my life?
25 That is, that I should hope for any deliverance; as if he would say: My power is too small to bear up long under this sad misery, and to recover my former health again; and though I might hope for it, yet the end of my life is not so far off now, that I would desire to live much longer. Therefore I pray Thee, O God, that Thou wouldst take me away out of this world, and deliver me from this misery.
26 Hebr. soul; see Gen. 19 on verse 17. Or, desire, see Psalm 27 on verse 12. The meaning is: That I would desire to prolong my life. Compare Job 7:1.
12Is my strength the strength of stones? or is my flesh of brass?
13Is not my 27help in me? and is 28wisdom driven quite from me?
27 That is, my justification, whereby I may be able to help and defend myself against the perverse judgment which is struck against me.
28 Or, virtuousness, innocence, piety. See of the signification of the Hebrew word Job 5 on verse 12. Other, Is it not so, that my help is not in me? and the substance or power driven out of me?; understanding that Job here continues the complaint of his misery, nothingness and impotence.
14To him that 29is afflicted 30pity should be shewed from his friend; but he forsaketh the fear of the Almighty.
29 Hebr. melteth; that is, perished and consumed through adversity and sorrow. The meaning is: that the right of friendship requires that one should help and assist his friend, who is impoverished, oppressed and brought low, and that he who neglects the same has forsaken the fear of God. Others make these words to cohere with the previous verse in this manner: Is not my defense by me? etc. against him whose kindness to his friend is melted, and that hath forsaken the fear of the Almighty. He admonishes Eliphaz of indiscretion, unfaithfulness and cruelty towards his friend.
30 That is, ought to be done or shown. Other, should show kindness to his friend.
15My 31brethren have dealt deceitfully 32as a brook, and as the stream of brooks they pass away;
31 Namely, Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar.
32 He takes the comparison from brooks, which in winter being full and frozen up, seem to keep by themselves that which they have received from the rain and snow, to impart again in summer when it shall be more needful, and yet, drying up by very high temperatures, to deceive men’s hopes. Unto such waters Job compares his three friends, forasmuch as there had appeared some friendship in them whiles he stood not in much need thereof, of which he expected the more comfort against a time of need, but afterwards in the heat of his adversity was able to get but little help and comfort from them.
16Which are 33blackish by reason of the ice, and wherein the snow is hid:
33 Or, covered, namely, as it were with a mourning garment.
17What time they wax warm, they vanish: when it is 34hot, they are 35consumed out of their place.
34 The meaning is: When they cease to flow in the season of heat and drought.
35 Hebr. extinguished.
18The paths 36of their way are turned aside; they 37go to nothing, and perish.
36 That is, of their watercourse or channel.
37 Other, they rise up to nothing and perish; turning into vapors till they vanish altogether.
19The 38troops of 39Tema 40looked, the 41companies of 42Sheba waited for them.
38 Hebr. paths. Understand hereby the companies and troops of passengers traveling along upon the roads or highways. Compare Gen. 37:25; Judges 5:6. Likewise Job 31 on verse 32; Isa. 21:13. In the full manner of speech they are called those that pass over the way, Isa. 33:8.
39 Thus Arabia is called, because it was inhabited by the posterity of Tema, the son of Ishmael, Gen. 25:15, who is to be distinguished from Teman, a son of Esau, after whom Eliphaz was named, Job 2:11.
40 Namely, those streams and brooks, thinking to find water in them to refresh themselves, but were deceived. Looked implies here, to long for something with a great desire, as Psalm 34:5; 92:11.
41 Hebr. the ways or goings. Compare the preceding annotation on the word troops.
42 See Job 1:15.
20They were confounded because 43they 44had hoped; they came 45thither, and were ashamed.
43 Namely, of the aforesaid travelers and walkers.
44 Namely, on those streams and brooks, thinking to find water in them.
45 That is, to those brooks.
21For 46now ye are nothing; ye see my 47casting down, and 48are afraid.
46 That is, as those evaporated and empty water brooks do yield no profit or comfort unto the wayfaring man and wearied traveler, so, and no more, do ye to me. This is the application of the represented similitude.
47 Namely, which is come upon me by this suffering.
48 Namely, of the judgments of God upon the wicked, falsely imagining that ye saw an example thereof in me. Or, ye did fear; namely, that I would prove troublesome unto you, as in the next verse.
22Did I say, 49Bring unto me? or, Give a reward for me of your substance?
49 He wants to say that he had not desired of his friends that they would do any labor or expenses to help him out of his suffering, though it is appropriate for the friends to do their duty freely in such a case according to their power; and for this reason they ought to have been the more disposed to assist him with some comfort, which could have taken place without any cost or much effort to them; so that, since they did not do this but the opposite by the incorrectness of their judgment, they were not to be excused.
23Or, Deliver me from the enemy's hand? or, Redeem me from the hand of the mighty?
24Teach me, and I will hold my tongue: and cause me to understand wherein I have erred.
25How forcible are 50right words! but 51what doth your arguing reprove?
50 Hebr. the words of rightness or justness; that is, which are upright and true. Compare Job 33:3; Eccl. 12:10.
51 That is, what power has your reprimanding, for to reprimand? He will say: None at all.
2652Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches 53of one that is desperate, which are as 54wind?
52 That is, shall ye search and adorn words in order to reprove me? Other, should ye to reprove give heed to words? That is, would ye, in admonishing of one who is much oppressed and grieved, give so close attention to all his words, and would ye make no account at all of his defense and apology? Other, think ye to reprove words? And hold ye for wind the words of the dejected? That is, are ye minded and disposed to snatch up his bare words, and to be carping and caviling at them, and will ye not mark or attend to the matter itself, which I propound unto you in my own defense? Other, Think ye that the words are reproof?
53 That is, whose courage and hope, concerning matters of this life, are so extremely dejected through the grievousness of his suffering. He means himself.
54 That is, for a futile and unworthy cause. For such kind of things, together with what are very inconstant and suddenly decaying, the word wind is likewise used in Job 7:7; 15:2; 16:3; Prov. 11:29; Eccl. 5:15; Hosea 12:2; Eph. 4:14.
27Yea, ye overwhelm the 55fatherless, and ye 56dig a pit for your friend.
55 Thus Job calls himself as one being forsaken of all human help. Of such orphans may somewhat be understood what the Church of God laments in Lam. 5:3.
56 Namely, a pit or hole wherein to catch him. We have the full expression of this phrase in Psalm 57:6; Jer. 18:20, etc. Job complains here that his friends went about to entrap and impeach him by subtle arguments. Yet in regard the Hebrew word here, it does sometimes likewise signify to prepare or keep a feast, as in Job 41:6; 2 Kings 6:23, this place is rendered thus by others: ye keep feasts over your friend, that is, ye rejoice at his misery. To dig may likewise be taken here for to plot or practice some evil or mischief, as Prov. 16:27.
28Now therefore be content, 57look upon me; for 58it is evident unto you if I lie.
57 That is, give heed to my sayings, and be pleased to consider closely the same.
58 That is, it shall be clear and manifest before you, and yourselves shall testify of it, and be able to be judges. Other, and behold whether I shall lie before you.
2959Return, I pray you, 60let it not be iniquity; yea, return again, my righteousness 61is 62in it.
59 Namely, from your unfair dealing against me, and from that eager and fierce contesting wherewith ye break out against me.
60 Namely, with thee, to judge about me so amiss and to speak to me in an unfriendly manner.
61 That is, appear; namely, if ye cease.
62 Namely, if ye distance yourselves of judging me so erroneously and henceforward give better heed to the words of my plea.
30Is there iniquity in my tongue? cannot my 63taste 64discern perverse things?
63 Or, palate, that is, mouth. Would it not be able to judge and to declare it to those who are wrong? Others understand by palate the mind and the understanding faculty of man, whereby he discerns truth from falsehood and good from evil; as by the palate of the mouth the sweet is distinguished from the sour.
64 That is, the anguishes, pains and torments which have come upon me; as verse 2. Other, understand perverseness; that is, would not my understanding be able to judge what is perverse or not?